At address/set-up?
Ran across this old article where Jack had different point of view than what most
golf instructors teach.

Full article:https://www.golfdigest.com/story/jimflick_0707

Also this video explains it the same way.

I was always taught to square up the clubface to your target line at address.
So I've gave it a try at the range and on the course and a slightly open face does seem to
work!
I found it easier to come into the ball more from the inside and also made the release more
natural and not so handsy.
Give it a try,you might be surprised at the results.

    darpar
    Hmmmm.....simple enough experiment. I think I'll try it!

    Yes. One or the other. Sometimes all 3 at once.

    Is it really an open club face? What I see in the picture is forward shaft lean which automatically opens the club face.

    darpar I was always taught to square up the clubface to your target line at address.

    It depends on swing path.
    A good example is Justin Rose. His driver head is 6 degrees open. What happens if he squares the face at address? Why does he have the face 6 open to begin with?
    You may also notice several that line up putts, with the putter face open. And they are all better at putting than us.

    sdandrea1 Correct. And you usually know how to address the club face to the ball to get what you want, or what type face angle you need. Square, open, closed. Varies by individual golfer. I do better with open faces, then just sole the club. iirc, you like offset. (We're not the weird ones though!)

    I’m no good at consistent execution, but what follows is my understanding of what should be happening.

    It does depend on swing path. I’m not sure about Justin, but other golfers famous for playing a fade (Nicklaus among others) advocated a square face to the target while swinging along a path inside the target. The club head was square to the target at address, but the body alignment/swing path was open to the target. He said if he wanted to draw it, he still squared the club head to the target while aligning closed to the target.

    But if the hands are manipulating the club face more open or closed than at address during the swing, or the swing path does not parallel body alignment at impact, a compensation at address could work without aligning with either stance or target as long as everything repeats. The same principle as above should still apply, but it will look different as the degree of compensation might be shaded more open or closed to the body alignment if the swing path for that player is not parallel to stance or if the club is manipulated to a more open or closed position by the swing.

      johnnydoom I’m no good at consistent execution

      No one is, has been, or ever will be!! Pros, on the whole, only avg. 70%(or so) FWs hit. Every season. GIRs are not all that high either(haven't checked lately). They miss a lot.....why? (I do realize that most are always 'shaping' shots.)

      Although, giving us some credit, we are going to miss FWs, and we are going to be consistent doing that.... no doubt about it. Then, we are going to be fairly consistent about missing GIRs. We will be very much like Pros. Hell, I'd guess we already are! Except for those damn scores.

      I have always played with a slightly open face. My nemesis is a duck hook. My best swing is a bit more inside than what is generally considered best form. I have had several instructors encourage me to change which I have tried more than a couple of times. However, I believe my being right eye dominant is why I give up and go back to what actually works best for me, open face very similar to the pic and more inside than recommended by most instruction.

      I guess my point was you might want to give an open clubface at address a try.
      It has a lot of merit IMO.
      Hey the worst thing that can happen is you'll lose a golf ball or two!
      What few rounds of golf that I've used an open face at address,I've noticed better
      results (with the irons especially) in regards to accuracy.

      I was taught the old caddie swing. Address the club open, over the shoulder, flat swing, and close the clubface prior to ball contact. I had never seen the right side of a golf course, but man oh man, did I know the left side.

      As I get older, I do not the speed/strength to close the face in once had so now I go with a square face at address and more shot get out to the right then ever before.

      I expect some of what Nicklaus advocated for at age 30 is what he would be advocating for now. It is called getting old.

        accufitgolf I expect some of what Nicklaus advocated for at age 30 is what he would be advocating for now. It is called getting old.

        Trevino even changed his swing in his late 60's into his 70's to play a draw instead of a fade to gain back some lost distance.