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Face to Path in Golf: What It Is & Why It Matters

What Is Face to Path?

Face to Path is the difference between where the face points and where the club is moving. It's the D-Plane key that determines spin axis and shot curve.

Units: degrees

Why It Matters

Face to path drives side spin and curve. Face left of path = draw/hook. Face right of path = fade/slice. Smaller face-to-path = less curve = tighter dispersion.

Typical Ranges

Target: 0° to 2° for controlled curve. Over 3° = significant curve and dispersion.

Common Issues

Large face-to-path: path and face out of sync. Often a sequencing or release issue. The Kinetic Divergence Audit in VectorGOLF reports identifies the primary leak.

Related Metrics

Side Spin, Face to Target, Horizontal Launch Angle

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