Research shows that body turn is not the way to square the face.
You’ve probably been told that when it comes to downswing sequencing, the correct order of movement into impact is the body first, then the hands and arms, and then the club. That’s true, but a common misconception is that the hands shouldn’t play much of a role in squaring the clubface, that it should mostly come from body rotation. Not true.
Top teacher Brian Manzella tested some of the world’s best players, and body rotation was only 33 percent responsible for squaring the face. You can guess where the other two-thirds came from. Plus, trying to square up by turning the body can lead to swing-path issues that reduce accuracy. Knowing that the hands and arms are mostly getting the job done, you’ll have more success straightening out slices. The key is rotating the forearms anti-clockwise (for righties) way before impact.
Check out the position I’m demonstrating below. The clubface is noticeably shut, and the ball is about to curve right to left – a classic draw release. To get there, you can’t waste a millisecond on the downswing to start rotating those forearms. If you wait until you’re halfway down, you won’t close the face in time.
You’ll know if you need to rotate your forearms sooner: you won’t be able to curve the ball from right to left. If you try doing it earlier and start hitting hooks, wait a beat longer. In other words, it’s easy to check and adjust.
– Jason Guss, one of Golf Digest’s Best Teachers in Illinois, is director of instruction at Naperville Country Club
