Why have an open wedge clubface at setup?

[crucible]

Time after time when viewing instruction or watching professional level players on YouTube they mention or exhibit an open clubface at address.    This is for finesse or distance wedge play.  The reason given is to expose more bounce or to increase the loft.  Why not just choose a wedge that has the required loft or bounce and play it that way?  

[crucible]

Well, evidently there is no answer. 

[ShortGolfer]

There may be setups that increase the consistency of a good strike versus a squared face alignment.

Assuming you get to practice all the time!

 

I've had a random partner suggest I try adding shaft lean to my setup...

Edited May 18 by ShortGolfer

[DLiver]

I do it to add loft, expose more bounce and keep the leading edge up off the ground. It happens pretty automatically when I am playing the ball in the middle of my stance without any forward shaft lean.

[Dpavs]

19 hours ago, crucible said:

Well, evidently there is no answer. 

 

I think maybe the simplest answer is that you cannot possibly carry as many lofts in wedges as situations you will run into. So it's better to choose two or three that are the most versatile and manipulate them as needed.

Edited May 19 by Dpavs

[otto6457]

57 minutes ago, crucible said:

Well, evidently there is no answer. 

 

 

It's not that there's no answer.  It's that every player has a personal preference that probably won't apply to you.  Tiger opens his club face to hit a draw with a wedge.  You probably wouldn't like that at all.

 

Being able to open the face to vary loft and bounce gives a good player more options for how they want to play any particular shot.  If you don't like options, then don't use them.

[betarhoalphadelta]

On 5/10/2024 at 11:25 AM, crucible said:

Time after time when viewing instruction or watching professional level players on YouTube they mention or exhibit an open clubface at address.    This is for finesse or distance wedge play.  The reason given is to expose more bounce or to increase the loft.  Why not just choose a wedge that has the required loft or bounce and play it that way?  

 

I don't resemble a high-level or professional golfer, but I think want to have multiple styles of shots with their wedges. You can't carry more than 14, so you have to manipulate the wedges you have to play all of those shots. 

 

So they'll have loft/bounce/grind combinations in their wedges so that they have the right versatility for all of the shots they need to hit. 

[jefecoon]

I find opening the face helps avoid digging in leading edge when into the grain.  Suppose that's the same as others have said previously, but in my own short game I've noticed it's far more 'engrained' in habits to open more when dealing with grain and/or thicker rough....

[Pepperturbo]

On 5/10/2024 at 11:25 AM, crucible said:

Time after time when viewing instruction or watching professional level players on YouTube they mention or exhibit an open clubface at address.    This is for finesse or distance wedge play.  The reason given is to expose more bounce or to increase the loft.  Why not just choose a wedge that has the required loft or bounce and play it that way?  

For the same reason, I don't use the clock method with wedges.  I am a feel player.  Most people learning golf are static square face/bounce players. 

 

I learned golf with blades and low 2' bounce wedges, so when bounce is needed, I opened the face various degrees.  That's why I carry F52/12 and T58/4, and a T100 PW with progressive bounce.  Thinking about it, with most irons, when addressing the ball, the face is moderately open, pointing right of target, depending on the shot.

[Kwheat]

Big part of it pros often play open face draw finesse shots.  Shallow + open face eliminates chunking, creates consistent spin with loft from face open.   Give it a try, you'll be happy you did.

 

The days of cutting across the ball with an open face are losing ground to this method unless you've got a ball buried 3" in the grass and need to get steep.

[ShortGolfer]

I am also a feel player.  I learned to play golf with five clubs.

Now I carry five wedges!  With nine alternates for different course conditions.  I can play high, medium, or low bounce clubs.

I have a ton of options, now that I'm retired and have plenty of time to experiment and practice.

The clock method seems like an unnecessary complication when you are a slow swinger with five wedges in the bag.

[MonteScheinblum]

As soon as they allow a club limit where you can carry 15 wedges, this will be viable.

[North Butte]

I'm not the most trusting person in the world and tend to mostly believe what I see as opposed to what I read or hear.

 

I generally keep my wedges slightly open at address because I hit better, more consistent shots that way than I do with them square. No idea of the mechanics, I just do it because it works.

Wouldn't be surprised if plenty of good players (unlike me) do it for the same reason. Way back when they were wee lads, they started hitting shots and they liked the ones they hit with an open face so that's what they kept on doing.