Open vs Closed Clubface at the Top of the Swing: Pros, Cons, and Which is Best?

Britt Olizarowicz

Sep 6, 2024 . 10 mins read

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As a golfer, you likely know that a square clubface at impact is key to success. However, the position of the clubface at the top of the swing is not discussed as often.

Some golfers have an open clubface at the top of their swing, while others have a slightly closed face. The question is, which is better?

This guide covers everything you need to know about a golf club being open or closed at the top of the swing and, most importantly, how to make adjustments to square the clubface.

Should the Clubface Be Open or Closed at the Top of the Swing?

A clubface position at the top of the swing will determine the movements a player has to make on the downswing to square the face up.

• For golfers with an open face, work needs to be done to close the face and remove some of the extension from the wrist.
• For players with a closed face, a bit of extension could happen through impact to help decrease a bit of the bowing or flex in the wrists that you find at the top.

When we look at the best players and amateurs, many have a slightly closed clubface at the top.

Why is this?

With a closed clubface (slightly closed), your work is almost done. From the top of the swing to the impact, very little manipulation of the clubhead needs to happen to increase speed and acceleration through the ball.

With an open clubface, there is more work to be done. This work can slow down your speed through impact and require you to manually flip or “save” the clubface just before it gets to impact.

A square clubface at the top is a great position, but many players struggle to get there and do it consistently.

Pros and Cons of Open Clubface at the Top of the Swing

As with any change in the golf swing, there are positives and negatives. The open clubface isn’t perfect, but it works for some golfers.

Here are the pros and cons you should know about it.

Can be Easier to Hit a Fade

If a fade is your preferred ball flight, and your clubface is slightly open at the top, you should easily get that left-to-right ball flight. Fades have softer landings and more control.

Allows for Wrist Rotation on Downswing

From the time you first put a club in your hand, chances are you learned about wrist rotation on the downswing and releasing of the club. When your clubface is open at the top, you have a lot of work to do on the downswing.

Some golfers are comfortable with that because it’s considered more of a traditional swing thought or movement.

The open clubface at the top can help if you like to move your wrists and hands more aggressively through the ball.

Helps to Eliminate the Left Side of the Course

With an open clubface at the top, it becomes harder to miss left. If left misses are a problem, then getting slightly more open could allow you to see the center and right side of the golf course more.

Opens Up the Right Side of the Golf Course

Of course, the downside to opening the clubface at the top is that you bring in the possibility of a slice or an unwanted fade.

Many amateur players struggle with shots that end up too far right, so it’s important to ensure that your clubface at the top is not the cause.

Can Reduce Speed and Acceleration Through Impact

If your clubface is open at the top (especially wide open), then you have work to do on the downswing to square it.

Many people refer to this as a flip. Just before impact, you flip your wrists to get the club square

Unfortunately, this flip is not a good movement in golf and certainly does not help from a speed and power standpoint.

Again, you can be slightly open and not have to flip it, but the more open you get, the more work you have to do to square things up at impact.

Pros and Cons of Closed Clubface at the Top of the Swing

Even though the closed clubface at the top is my preferred method, it doesn’t come without issues.

Here are the pros and cons of a closed clubface at the top of the swing.

Allows Golfers to Rotate Through Impact with More Speed

The best thing about a closed clubface at the top is that you are close to the position you need for impact. Therefore, you can turn through the golf ball faster and with greater acceleration.

If you want to be able to fire through impact, the slightly closed clubface position will help you do it.

Can be Less Manual Manipulation from Wrists and Hands

For golfers looking to use their larger muscles in their game, the closed wrist position at the top will help eliminate some manual manipulation of the wrist and hands.

In other words, if you feel like your swing is handsy and needs more power from the core, the closed position is a better one to be in.

Promotes a Natural Draw Ball Flight

Hitting a golf shot with a slightly closed clubface usually leads to a draw.

When you know you will hit a draw, it’s a desirable position to be in. A draw usually travels a few yards further than a fade, so you may also pick up a few yards.

Can Lead to the Occasional Hook

The downside of the closed clubface is when a hook comes into play. If you find yourself on the left side of the golf course too often, your clubface may be too closed.

May Require a Little Extension on the Downswing

The recommended wrist motion for a golfer is to decrease extension from the top of the swing to impact.

For golfers with a clubface that is too closed, the pattern would be to add a little extension through impact.

This motion can be difficult and a little less natural, so it is best to avoid a wrist position that is too closed.

My Experience with Open/Closed Clubface at the Top of the Swing

There are two very different schools of thought about whether a clubface should be open or closed at the top of the swing.

I’ve always had a slightly closed clubface at the top. My miss is left, and I know that when I’m not swinging great, it’s going to go left. I’m ok with that.

However, at one point, I decided to seek out some professional help for my swing and see what information I could get about my clubface at the top. The teacher first noticed a closed clubface at the top, and they set to work on fixing it.

The problem was that it brought the right side of the golf course into play. It felt awkward and even caused me to lose some clubhead speed.

I tell you this not to say that an open clubface at the top is wrong but instead to make sure you recognize what is natural for you.

Dustin Johnson and Jon Rahm don’t need to force their wrists into that bowed position at the top of the swing; that’s more natural for them.

Always remember that there is no perfect wrist angle, only recommendations at any point in the swing.

Which Method is Easier?

After studying more than 1,000,000 golf swings with the HackMotion, we know that the golfers with the best results have a slightly closed clubface at the top of their swing.

When your clubface is slightly closed, there is less work to do, and you can focus on body rotation.

It’s important to remember that the degree to which the clubface is open or closed plays a major role in this.

Extreme positions where the wrist is extended or bowed at the top of the swing require big movements on the downswing to compensate.

Whichever method you choose, be mindful of the position of the wrist and how far from flat you are. If you can get to a flat lead wrist or square position, your chance of consistency in your golf game is higher.

How to Practice Clubface Position at the Top of the Swing

You can’t see the top of your backswing or the position of the golf club. It’s much easier to work on clubface position at setup than at the top of your swing. Video can show where your clubface is, but it doesn’t provide real-time feedback.

The best way to practice clubface position at the top of the swing is to use the HackMotion wrist sensor.

With HackMotion, you can set the range of wrist positions you are looking for, take a backswing, and know with full confidence that you are in the right position with audio and vibration feedback.

• A lead wrist that is too extended will lead to an open clubface.
• A lead wrist that is too flexed will lead to a closed clubface.

Take some swings with your HackMotion to establish a baseline, and then set the biofeedback range.

When you swing back, you can play around with wrist position and clubface angle to get to the spot that works for you.

HackMotion gives you real-time feedback for a fix that is otherwise considered difficult to feel and master.

It’s like having a coach with you on the driving range.

Additional Drills to Perfect Clubface Position at the Top

In addition to working with your HackMotion to analyze your clubface angle at the top of your golf swing, it’s smart to work on golf drills that can help you improve.

Coin Drill

All you will need for this drill is a coin to place under your lead thumb when you grip the club. The coin will do little else except create awareness of where your hands are and how that impacts the clubhead.

Try this drill with or without hitting golf balls; the feel should be enough to square your clubface at the top.

Motorcycle Drill

The motorcycle drill focuses specifically on the top of your golf backswing. It is for golfers who have trouble with a flexed or cupped wrist at the top of the backswing.

With the motorcycle drill, you will turn your wrists more towards a flexed position, similar to revving a motorcycle as the first move on your downswing.

The goal here is to square the clubface sooner.

Final Thoughts

The most important of the open/closed clubface at the top of the swing position is that you understand the consequences of both. Awareness of this position and how it plays into your game is important.

Use HackMotion on the driving range to improve your clubface angle at the top and ensure your wrists are in the right position.