by Mel Rodriguez

Created on: November 10, 2009   Last Updated: November 12, 2009

Keeping the clubface square can be a misleading statement when applying that swing thought to your golf swing. The reason that this is true is the thought of keeping the clubface square infers that the clubface must be kept in that position through out the entire swing. Trying to keep the clubface square during the swing will cause many issues during the swing.

The thought should be to have the clubface square at impact not keeping the clubface square. If the golfer tries to keep the clubface square during the swing it will not allow the swing to be comfortable, inhibit the shoulder turn, make it difficult to bring the golf club into "the slot", and impede the release of energy into the golf shot created by the golf swing.

The first thing that must be correct is the golfer's grip of the club. There are three ways to grip a golf club, the ten finger, interlock and Vardon overlap grip. The key to all if these grips is the club rest along the pads if the fingers not grasped by the palm of the hand. The grip pressure should be only enough to hold the club, do not strangle the club as if you were to swing a sledgehammer.

With the proper grip the golfer can bring the club to the top of his or her backswing in a position to where the toe of the club is perpendicular to the ground and the shaft is parallel to the target line. As the golfer executes the downswing the clubface is open which will allow the golfer to roll his or her wrist at impact to close the clubface square to the golf ball.

This is actually the "magic move" that will allow the club head speed to be released through the golf ball and give you the added distance, with what seems to be, an effortless swing. All golfers have experienced that perfect shot that feels like you didn't even try to swing. Well, this is what happens during that perfect shot and you wonder what it was you did to create it. This is a timing move that needs to be practiced.

Imagine yourself as a baseball player trying to hit down the 1st base line, 3rd base line or over second base. This is all about timing. The same goes for trying to get the clubface square at impact. A drill can be performed to give the golfer a sense of where the hands need to be from the takeaway to the top of the backswing and through the impact area.

Place a cell phone or TV remote in the palm of your right hand (in your left for left handed golfers) with the numbers facing the target. As you move from the takeaway to the top the backswing make sure you can see the numbers of the cell phone at the top. As you bring you right hand down through the downswing turn your wrist at impact to have the numbers disappear. This drill can be done with the right hand where the numbers are in the palm of the right hand so that at the top of the backswing you will be looking at the back of your left hand. As you bring your left hand through the downswing you will turn your wrist at impact to see the back of the cell phone.

This may seem a bit unorthodox but the understanding that the clubface needs to be square at impact vice keeping the clubface square will go along way to improving your ball striking.

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