Why Fix Club Face Direction First to Straighten Your Golf Shots?

One of the biggest breakthroughs for any beginner golfer is realizing that the ball doesn’t care how your swing looks — it only reacts to the clubface and path at impact. And if you’ve ever wondered why your shots keep starting in the wrong direction or curving wildly, here’s the truth: you should fix the clubface first, before worrying about your swing path.

Why the Clubface Is the Real Boss

Every time the ball leaves the club, it launches mostly in the direction the face was pointing at impact. In fact, studies using launch monitors like TrackMan show that the clubface angle controls about 75–85% of the ball’s starting direction. The remaining 15–25% comes from the swing path.

That means if your ball starts right of the target, the face was open at impact. If it starts left, the face was closed.

The swing path can influence how much the ball curves after it starts, but the initial direction is almost entirely face-driven. This is why players who focus only on fixing their swing path often get frustrated — they’re treating the symptom, not the cause.

The Face-to-Path Relationship in Simple Terms

Think of the face and path as two steering wheels that work together. The face decides where the ball starts; the path decides how it curves. When those two aren’t aligned, the ball curves away from your target.

• Face open to path: Slice or fade (ball curves right for a right-handed golfer).
• Face closed to path: Draw or hook (ball curves left).
• Face square to path: Straight shot (the ideal match).

So, if you hit a slice, you don’t necessarily need to “swing more from the inside” right away. That’s like turning the steering wheel harder when the tires are still pointed the wrong way. First, get the face pointing in the correct direction — then you can fine-tune the path later.

Step 1: Learn to Control the Face

Start by simplifying the swing. Use half or three-quarter swings and focus on where the ball starts. Pick a small target, like a range flag, and pay attention to whether your shots begin right, left, or straight.

If the ball starts right, your face is open. Try adjusting your grip slightly stronger (rotating both hands a little to the right on the handle). If the ball starts left, your face is too closed — weaken your grip slightly.

You can also use your lead wrist to control the face. At impact, the lead wrist should be flat or slightly bowed toward the target. A cupped wrist leaves the face open; a bowed one squares it. Practice short punch shots to feel this difference.

Step 2: Add Path Once Face Control Is Consistent

Once you can consistently start the ball at your target, you’re ready to refine the curve. Now, the swing path becomes the adjustment tool.

If your shots start straight but fade, your path is cutting across the ball — out-to-in relative to your face. Practice swinging more from the inside by placing a headcover just outside the ball and avoiding it on your downswing.

If your shots start straight but draw too much, your path is too far inside-out. Place a headcover inside the ball and try to miss it. This helps you control curve without losing that square face feeling you’ve built.

Step 3: The “Face First” Drill Sequence

Try this two-step practice sequence:

1. Start-Line Control Drill:
   Use an alignment stick or pick a range pole. Hit five short shots focusing only on starting the ball directly at that target. Ignore where it finishes.
2. Path Match Drill:
   Once your start line is reliable, introduce your normal swing and adjust the path slightly to shape gentle draws or fades. The goal is to match your face and path directions so the ball flies straight with minimal curve.

This builds face control first, then blends in path — the correct order for building a repeatable ball flight.

Why Most Beginners Get It Backward

Beginners often chase their slice by trying to “swing more from the inside” or “stop cutting across the ball.” But if your face is open, no amount of path correction will fix the problem. You’ll just turn a slice into a push — the ball still goes right, just without the curve.

By training face control first, your corrections start working with your natural swing motion instead of against it. The result is faster improvement and much more predictable shots.

Final Thought: The Face Leads, the Path Follows

If you remember nothing else, remember this simple rule:

The face controls the start. The path controls the curve. The face comes first.

Learn to square the face before worrying about swing direction, and your golf game transforms almost overnight. Your shots will start straighter, your curve will shrink, and for the first time, you’ll feel like you can predict what the ball will do — not just hope for it.

Golf Practice Plan – What to Do & Not To Do

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Thanks for reading today’s article!

Nick Foy – Golf Instructor