It All Starts With the Clubface

Joe Mayo works with PGA Tour player-turned-instructor Grant Waite.
Joe Mayo works with former PGA Tour player-turned-instructor Grant Waite.

Here’s something interesting I learned today in Golf Fundamentals – there’s no such thing as sidespin! Backspin… sure. Sidespin… no. Doesn’t exist. That’s according to self-proclaimed (on Twitter) TrackMan Maestro Joe Mayo who works alongside former PGA Tour player-turned-instructor Grant Waite.

The clubface is almost soley responsible for the initial direction of the golf ball. The club path is what curves the ball, and the ball curves because of the backspin that’s created on a tilted axis. If you want to hit a draw, the clubface must be open to the target line but closed to the club path. It’s just the opposite if you want to hit a fade. Confused? Mayo offers a great explanation in the following video:

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