It’s easier to control the above the Plane than the below the Plane. People who set up closed may have rounds or periods when they can succeed. Shots below the Plane are easier to hit. And, I’ve never claimed that setting up closed means a golfer cannot hit it straight or that they cannot go low. What I did say is that a closed stance can lead to injury and overall, erratic results. I said the compensations are not worth the violations of Physics.
Below-the-Plane shots are hooks and draws measured by the line of your feet. You may hit your ball at the target for a while, but it never lasts. It only lasts long enough to allow you to think your swing is special and outside the laws of Physics. Building a swing on fantasy is not recommended here. Instead, we recommend you choose a set-up that does not compromise power while engendering control.
The Open Stance set-up allows every shot with your ball to finish above the plane along your feet AND land on the target line. The structures necessary to keep the club from closing are also structures necessary to create repeatable, powerful movement. Only by opening your stance do you set in motion this kenisiological certainty. Therefore, why would a sane person set up closed?
Why players are able to occasionally win with a closed stance may as well be the subject of astrology as physics. However, the best ball-strikers of all time all employed and open stance. Therefore, I will endeavor to explain, in many different golf dialects and accents, why that is the case. Read my other articles for background.
Releasing the club is fraught with danger if too late along the line of your feet. Steep impact with a slice and shallow, quick hooks are common errors. Late releases dominate the swings from closed stances. It’s a perfectly athletic reaction to a catastrophic foundation. It’s like building a house in a floodplain without insurance. You may live there for years without incident. However, sooner or later, the water will overflow it’s banks.
Open your stance, and play golf.
John Wright – Founder
The Open Stance Academy