Open - Neutral or Closed Stance?

[Shankster]

How does everyone set up? I've been playing with an Open Stance since I can remember, a few years back I switched to a closed stance and caused myself all sorts of issues.

 

What is your stock shot with:

 

Driver

 

Irons

 

Wedges

 

Can you work the ball from your stock set up? Or do you need to open/close to hit draws/fades?

 

Should more people play to their stock shot instead of working on a new swing?

 

I like to hit a fade as many of you have probably read elsewhere. But I've found out recently that I can hit a nice high draw from my slightly open stance. Maybe I'm not set up open at all and it's all in my head.

 

Don't have access to a pro, so I don't want to hear go see a pro. And I'm asking what you all do.

 

 

 

- Alan

[TheWahoo]

When playing, my stance would be called neutral.   However, on the range, and currently only on the range, I am experimenting with opening and closing my stance to purposely hit draws and fades.   

[Rusty1885]

I have an automatic stance. On the course I don't think much about mechanics, I'm going for zero.

 

On the range I'd put 2 alignment sticks one for shoulder and another for the target.

 

I usually look at the target then visualize the shot flight then set up and fire. Works 80% of the time.

 

Thinking can leads to the world of hurts on the course.

[bullldog]

Slightly closed, he helps with my back. Pitch & chips tho are open.

[BIG STU]

Open for me to combat a rope hook and to get through the ball. I will close it up a bit when I try a draw which it has to be a drastic situation. Most folks fear is the shank mine is a rope hook with any club except the wedges. Also when I try a controlled draw I turn my right hand over or as the old timers called it a knuckle hook with all 4 knuckles on my right hand showing. My normal grip is neutral

[Rusty1885]

Should more people play to their stock shot instead of working on a new swing?

I like to hit a fade as many of you have probably read elsewhere. But I've found out recently that I can hit a nice high draw from my slightly open stance. Maybe I'm not set up open at all and it's all in my head.

Don't have access to a pro, so I don't want to hear go see a pro. And I'm asking what you all do.

- Alan

New swing may be good but it sucks for your game, especially when you are doing ok. I'm a believer that the mind tells the body what to do. Practice it at the range one day you won't be practicing anymore, you'd be doing it.

 

I don't normally work the bull on the course. At the range I'd do the 9 shot drill from time to time. Beside my stock shot, I only really use a few shots on the course.

 

Harvey Pennick said learn to hit simple shots so you don't have to hi many fancy ones.

 

At the range my brother can hit every shot I can except the knock down shots. On the course he probably goes thru 5 shot shapes and trajectories he's still in his low teens and high singles.

[djahubes]

Driver I play open to favor a cut/fade, irons neutral to closed favoring a draw. Can work irons pretty well, not so much the longer woods

 

 

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[TSauer]

I play everything neutral, and that's probably why it makes it difficult to shape shots. I've never really tried to adjust my stance much. Gonna have to give it a go this week when I'm out.

[silver & black]

I play a neutral stance with driver and irons. I will open or close with the driver if I think I can get it to draw or fade when I want it to. That doesn't work out for the most part...lol.

[Rusty1885]

Much of this is how the shot fits the eye. Within seconds of walking up to the ball, regardless of what the shot needs, if I don't feel it, I'd just hit my chocolate shot even if it'd end up away from the target.

 

Last thing I want is to second guess myself during the swing and make poor contact or less than committed shot. This is an easiest way to introduce monstrous number on the hole.

 

Don't ask me how I found out:)

[cksurfdude]

New swing may be good but it sucks for your game, especially when you are doing ok. I'm a believer that the mind tells the body what to do. Practice it at the range one day you won't be practicing anymore, you'd be doing it.

 

I don't normally work the bull on the course. At the range I'd do the 9 shot drill from time to time. Beside my stock shot, I only really use a few shots on the course.

 

Harvey Pennick said learn to hit simple shots so you don't have to hi many fancy ones.

 

At the range my brother can hit every shot I can except the knock down shots. On the course he probably goes thru 5 shot shapes and trajectories he's still in his low teens and high singles.

Love that Harvey Pennick quote!!

[EthanSterlingPrice]

My stock shot is a small draw on good days but I can miss with the best of them.

 

I setup neutral to my target line through the whole bag unless I'm trying something stupid.

 

I can't fade the ball very well so I don't try it all that much (don't try to shape the ball that much in general honestly) but if I'm trying to turn it I'll aim where I want the ball to start and tweak a few things in my setup to get the ball to turn so I suppose I'd say I change my address to shape shots.

 

Yes, I think people would play better and potentially enjoy golf more if they would refine their stock shot shot instead of building a new swing. That's not to say you shouldn't work to improve but if your shot is a fade use it, if it's a draw ditto. Two of the best golfers I know hit exact opposite shots so there ain't one right way to do this game.

 

That's my take

 

 

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[Rusty1885]

Yes, I think people would play better and potentially enjoy golf more if they would refine their stock shot shot instead of building a new swing. That's not to say you shouldn't work to improve but if your shot is a fade use it, if it's a draw ditto. Two of the best golfers I know hit exact opposite shots so there ain't one right way to do this game.

That's my take

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So true! Plus golf is the game of managing misses. Ones who find the way to fit it best to their game wins.

 

When I was shooting in the mid 80s I was more about working the shots. It was like the right of passage for golfers for some reasons. Now that I got passed it golf is a much simpler game to enjoy. Sure if I want to take it to the next level I gotta have many more shots on demand.

[revkev]

As neutral as possible. I draw the ball. When I was younger I had a slightly Open stance but drew the ball from it alla Tom Lehman. Now it's as neutral as possible. Generally speaking the hall is going where I aim.

 

BTW you asked the right question - what do I do - not what should I. My pro would have shot me for what I did in yesterday's round but I'm not telling him.

 

 

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[tommc23]

I feel neutral and I hit a high fade. I tried to shape a draw at one point but I learned that my body doesn't let me that easily. I can draw it easier with my long irons but short I just aim for it because its what I'm use to.

 

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[revkev]

I feel neutral and I hit a high fade. I tried to shape a draw at one point but I learned that my body doesn't let me that easily. I can draw it easier with my long irons but short I just aim for it because its what I'm use to.

 

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It does seem that we gravitate to one shot shape or another. For me it's always been best to just go with what I have and fit it into the course. I know how to hit a fade and can but I'm not confident and will always struggle with it. I only try one when I have to or when I have a brain fart. Guess which happens more frequently.

 

 

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[tommc23]

It does seem that we gravitate to one shot shape or another. For me it's always been best to just go with what I have and fit it into the course. I know how to hit a fade and can but I'm not confident and will always struggle with it. I only try one when I have to or when I have a brain fart. Guess which happens more frequently.

 

 

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I hit a ball very high my 4 iron goes as high as some people hit their 6 or 7 irons. I like having a high shot I can clear obstacles I tend to get myself into playing on courses with lots of trees. So naturally I have been working on a lower shot to help me out and it feels weird doing so. I look at DJ and if he can use the same shot shape I use on courses where the opposite is called I can do the same. Sure I don't hit it as far as him but I don't play from the tips most of the time unless the tees are limited.

 

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[Rickp]

I've got Neutral stance which creates a fade. I'm not great at working the ball as I can't control it very well. So I stick with the fade and play to it.

I think it's a left hand curse or something.

I'm not good enough to get very fancy.

 

 

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[mrsmith123]

I'm a player who's stance is dictated by the shot shape I want. Closed for a draw and open for a fade.

 

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[GolfSpy_APH]

I am slightly closed. For whatever reason it's how I set up and feel most comfortable. This is true for nearly all my irons and woods. I feel as though I'm lined up square but I'm really a bit closed. I've tried to open up a bit, but it feels really wrong and my shots go all over so until I get a new lesson I'll stay with what I have.

On pitch shots I swing much better in a open stance and find it much more consistent.

 

 

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[revkev]

Predictably my pro gave me an I told you do today. I weakened my grip to get through the round on Sunday and it did.

 

My "punishment" was to set up Open and hit cuts, about 40 of them in a row with 7 iron and a strong/neutral grip. Some were pretty good too. He then squared me up and I was hitting the ball straight or with a slight draw. I could play with that all day. In fact I've played with it all my life. That's the danger of self correcting, the wrong change can make matters worse.

 

When I was young I was athletic enough to compensate - not any more.

 

 

 

 

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[BDubya23]

I tend to play most of my shots slightly closed. I can usually hit a decent draw, that sometimes turns into a brutal hook. I've been practicing a lot on my fade play and trying to do so on command. Needless to say, it fails more times than it succeeds.

[Eseay32]

Im square with all my clubs except wedges and knockdowns. I'm open with wedges and 3/4 knockdown type shots. I have a tendency with my irons to get pretty open and I will usually miss it right. If I get square and stay, then I usually hit it on target. The probably is during my pre shot waggle I slightly open myself up bc I think I'm aimed right

 

 

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[cksurfdude]

^^ good point:

Aim & Alignment.

 

I've been trying to work on that so I have a better idea .. and a bit more confidence .. that after I've aimed towards my target that I've then aligned myself parallel to that.

 

So I - try! - to setup square for all full shots (and putter strokes!), but .. .. will then draw the back foot slightly back on tee shots. Find it helps counter the OTT cut across the body move followed by the big ugly slice.

 

On short wedge shots I generally set up the lower body slightly open and then square up my shoulders (as per Tom Watson video lessons).

[Reesedw]

I tend to play Slightly closed with my driver to help create more of a draw. Since I had started gripping down to the bottom of the grip I'm a lot straighter and tend to stay neutral as I warm up.. 

 

Irons, neutral.. 

 

Wedges, Slightly open as i tend to not get the stopping i hope for with a neutral stance.. 

 

And Putter I am neutral normal grip hunched over, playing with a 32" and grip down on that..