The Clue for Correct Clubface Rotation Is Hip Height After Impact

One of the most important parts of hitting consistent golf shots is understanding how the clubface rotates through impact. Many golfers focus heavily on their swing path, but even with a good path, the clubface still needs to rotate correctly through the ball to give you the best chance of hitting the ball straight.

One of the best cues I use to help golfers understand clubface rotation is looking at where the club is at hip height after impact.

If you video yourself from the side and look at your swing after impact, a great checkpoint is to look at what is happening with your left hand at hip height. Ideally, your left hand should be disappearing from view at this point.

This is a simple visual cue that can tell you whether you are rotating the clubface correctly through the golf ball. When the left hand disappears at hip height, it generally indicates that you have allowed the clubface to rotate naturally through impact rather than holding it open.

This is particularly important for golfers who struggle with accuracy, especially those who tend to hit the ball to the right or produce a slice.

One of the reasons golfers can struggle to rotate the clubface correctly is because they are too steep on the downswing. When the club approaches the ball too steeply, the body often reacts by trying to hold the clubface open through impact. This can make it difficult to rotate the clubface naturally and can lead to an open clubface at impact.

However, provided your swing path is in a good position, allowing the clubface to rotate through the ball is an important part of producing a consistent and accurate shot.

A great way to work on this is to video your swing from the side and look at what your left hand is doing after impact. Rather than trying to manipulate the clubface through the ball, focus on allowing the club to rotate naturally so that your left hand disappears at approximately hip height.

This is a simple checkpoint, but it can give you valuable feedback about what is happening through impact. It also gives you something visual to work towards rather than simply trying to "square the clubface" at impact.

It's important to remember that clubface rotation and swing path work together. Having the correct clubface rotation won't completely fix a poor swing path. However, when your path is in a good position, having the clubface rotate correctly through impact gives the ball its best chance of starting and travelling towards your intended target.

For golfers looking to improve their accuracy, this is a great checkpoint to add to your practice. Before making complicated changes to your swing, sometimes a simple visual cue can help you understand what the club should be doing through impact.

If you'd like any help improving your accuracy or understanding your golf swing, contact me at David Waters Golf Coaching, located at Emerald Lakes Golf Coaching Centre in Carrara.