Anybody switch to playing from an open stance?

[macedan]

Over the last few months I have toyed around with set-up/alignment and shot shaping. I found I had a rough time producing any draw path regardless of how far back I turned my trail side to set up for the most disgusting of hooks, If anything, I still found myself getting steep, flipping, strikes barely staying on the toe of the face, or producing soul-crushing slices. However, when setting up to play a fade , lead side opening and moving ball slightly forward in stance, I began noticing much improved strike patterns across the bag. A larger percentage of strikes were centered on the face, divots no longer were trenches or wisps from a topped shot, and my pattern shaped into a predictable soft fade, with my miss being an occasional pull. Does anyone else currently typically play from a more open stance or recently have made the switch over to an open stance?

[msg]

I used to play a closed stance but can never draw the ball because of my ott move.

Recently I tried playing a slightly open stance when I was messing around. My fade is still there and it did not get worse but I feel more comfortable and I feel that my body is able to freely turn after, compared to before. Not sure, it may all just be in my head but I like playing with a slightly open stance compared to closed or square on every shot.

[MountainGoat]

Yes. Took me a long to figure out why it works, but it does.

[trilerian]

> @macedan said:

> Over the last few months I have toyed around with set-up/alignment and shot shaping. I found I had a rough time producing any draw path regardless of how far back I turned my trail side to set up for the most disgusting of hooks, If anything, I still found myself getting steep, flipping, strikes barely staying on the toe of the face, or producing soul-crushing slices. However, when setting up to play a fade , lead side opening and moving ball slightly forward in stance, I began noticing much improved strike patterns across the bag. A larger percentage of strikes were centered on the face, divots no longer were trenches or wisps from a topped shot, and my pattern shaped into a predictable soft fade, with my miss being an occasional pull. Does anyone else currently typically play from a more open stance or recently have made the switch over to an open stance?

 

Yes, no, sorta, kinda... With my Driver and 3w my goal is to aim down the left side of the fairway and fade it to the middle. Everything else requires a very open stance to fade, as I tend to hook my 5w and irons. However, setting up open to the target feels more natural than setting up closed, at least for me, and this may allow you to not be so aggressive with the upper body, and possibly have a better swing path because of it.

[macedan]

> @msg said:

> I used to play a closed stance but can never draw the ball because of my ott move.

> Recently I tried playing a slightly open stance when I was messing around. My fade is still there and it did not get worse but I feel more comfortable and** I feel that my body is able to freely turn after**, compared to before. Not sure, it may all just be in my head but I like playing with a slightly open stance compared to closed or square on every shot.

 

I also noticed this fairly significantly. When I really go after a drive my lead foot actually comes off the ground post impact and rotates back around about a foot or so.

[Pepperturbo]

I now open my stance a little but my feet don't point left, they aim a touch right of the target, while my hips and shoulders remain aligned with the target. This makes it a touch easier for me to get through to my left side and still hit the ball relatively straight.

[zacgolf]

a good video on open stance

[Tanner25]

As a Sr golfer, I open my stance to get through the ball.

[glk]

> @Tanner25 said:

> As a Sr golfer, I open my stance to get through the ball.

 

That is the opposite of what you want - by opening your stance your restrict your backswing - if you have limited ROM already why reduce it even more via the stance? Better to pull the trail foot back and flare both feet at setup.

[macedan]

> @glk said:

> > @Tanner25 said:

> > As a Sr golfer, I open my stance to get through the ball.

>

> That is the opposite of what you want - by opening your stance your restrict your backswing - if you have limited ROM already why reduce it even more via the stance? Better to pull the trail foot back and flare both feet at setup.

 

Just theorizing here, but wouldn't closing the stance like that have an equal but opposite effect? Open would slightly restrict backswing rotation, whereas a closed stance would widen backswing ROM but slightly restrict forward ROM?

[glk]

> @macedan said:

> > @glk said:

> > > @Tanner25 said:

> > > As a Sr golfer, I open my stance to get through the ball.

> >

> > That is the opposite of what you want - by opening your stance your restrict your backswing - if you have limited ROM already why reduce it even more via the stance? Better to pull the trail foot back and flare both feet at setup.

>

> Just theorizing here, but wouldn't closing the stance like that have an equal but opposite effect? Open would slightly restrict backswing rotation, whereas a closed stance would widen backswing ROM but slightly restrict forward ROM?

 

If you have limited ROM then why would one want to restrict the backswing - once you hit the ball who cares how "open" you can finish. Your ability to make a full turn on the backswing has a bigger impact on sequencing, club head speed, etc. People have issues with limited hip depth as it is and so to further limit the ability to get hip depth on the backswing just makes things worse. And a lot of folks I see don't get thru the ball due to their mechanics and not their ROM or stance, be it open, square, or closed.

[Tanner25]

> @glk said:

> > @Tanner25 said:

> > As a Sr golfer, I open my stance to get through the ball.

>

> That is the opposite of what you want - by opening your stance your restrict your backswing - if you have limited ROM already why reduce it even more via the stance? Better to pull the trail foot back and flare both feet at setup.

That's what I thought. But, a pro at golf galaxy gave me that information.

 

[I_HATE_SNOW]

I did, slowly going back to square as my pull hooks are off the course when open. I will open up when I have to hit a cut, then I never swing hard so I don't double cross left.

[8overpar]

I set up open and play a “natural“ draw. Being self taught I do some weird old school stuff. I can’t fade a ball for nothing. I can block one nicely though.

[Hackattack1]

Bump recently started doing this and have seen a huge improvement in ballstricking. Def. think it can help those of us with limited hip mobility.

[Barfolomew]

Love me some open stance.... on all clubs and all shots even putter.

 

Square feels so restrictive (pun)

[Barfolomew]

> @glk said:

> > @Tanner25 said:

> > As a Sr golfer, I open my stance to get through the ball.

>

> That is the opposite of what you want - by opening your stance your restrict your backswing - if you have limited ROM already why reduce it even more via the stance? Better to pull the trail foot back and flare both feet at setup.

 

He said to get thru the ball.... he aint talkin back swing.

 

Helps me get thru the ball too

[Hackattack1]

yeah, as other have said it def can restrict backswing so i make an effort to make a full backswing then can really clear through the ball nicely. almost had my first hole in one too!!!

[smdykas]

I just realized that my stance was closed to the target, pointing way right. Now, it feels open, but is actually square. this has fixed many issues.

[esp13]

I play open and try to eliminate left at all costs

[scooterhd2]

I play with a very open stance, but still draw the ball, so the left is still in play on a bad swing. But my shot of choice it hit the ball dead straight with an imaginary draw that just doesn't want to move, if anything tailing off to the left a yard or two as it comes down. But that's not really a byproduct of the stance.

 

for me, setting up open shortens the backswing. Also feels much flatter, so that I am not casting. The setup largely eliminated two of my biggest faults, and now I am hitting the ball further and more consistent than ever,

[macedan]

Sorry to revive an old thread, was just looking through and notice somebody had said they had formerly been playing from a closed stance. Looking at my videos I set up with a closed foot and shoulder line, would this have some contribution to an inside takeaway and subsequent steep downswing?