Please tell me if I'm stuck on a reef in the fog. From what I understand, at impact, the sweetspot of the clubface must be slightly inside of the target line and pointing right of the target line in order that the clubface be square to target at separation and for the sweetspot be along the target line at separation (2-C-1 #3). For the hitter, the angle of approach is used; for the swinger the arc of approach. Both the swinger and the hitter impact the ball at the same location, but from different paths. So at impact fix, the clubface is slightly open and the ball is towards the toe.
How does one find that location on the ball? and also how open should the clubface be?
Your on the right track, rchang72. You're learning your lessons well!
Looking down at the Ball, visualize cross-hairs through it directly down and across the Target Line. Assuming the Target is North, the Inside-Aft Quadrant is the Southwest Quadrant.
Regarding the Open Clubface alignment at Fix, try this experiment to help you understand why Horizontal Hinging demands it and approximately how much is required:
Grip the Club with your Left Wrist Flat and Vertical. Then raise your arm directly in front of your Left Shoulder and parallel to the ground. Verify that the toe of the Club is pointing directly at the sky. If it is not, adjust it until it does. Now swing your arm in front of you (like a hinged gate) until it is directly over the back of the Ball (positioned for Straightaway Flight). Finally, without changing your Flat and Vertical Left Wrist in the slightest, lower your arm until the Clubface is soled behind the Ball. You will find that it is slightly open.
The idea is that with Horizontal Hinging, the Clubface is always Closing through Impact, and that Motion must be accomodated in the Impact Fix Alignment. For the 'light' Shots -- Putts and short Chips -- the Impact Interval is so short that very little Clubface adjustment is required. In other words, the Ball does not stay on the Clubface long enough for the Closing Motion to affect it. So, on Short Shots -- for all Hinge Actions -- a Square Clubface at Fix is all that is required. [This information is not 'in the book' but was taken directly from Homer's recorded discussion of this point.]
However, the opposite is true for the extended Impact Interval of longer shots. For Horizontal Hinging, the Clubface has longer to Close, and it must therefore be aligned more and more Open as the shots get longer. For Angled Hinging, the Clubface should be aligned more and more Closed to compensate for the inherent Slice tendency.
The degree of Clubface 'Open' or 'Close' will vary for each Club and length of Shot. And this can only be determined through experimentation. As a guide to this trial and error process, Homer offered this advice:
Threaded Mode
