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Are you properly managing your club face? Try this experiment

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Recently, I performed an experiment on how golfers manage their club faces. I was curious to see how I could instinctively resolve the problem of executing a straight shot with an extremely open-face grip, as well as an extremely closed-face grip. Although both “golfers” are me, we will refer to the golfer with the extreme open-face grip as Owen and the golfer with the extremely closed-face grip as Chuck.

To perform the experiment, I used three different forms of measurement (video, FlightScope and BodiTrak) to capture and analyze data and make observations about how innate athleticism unconsciously solved the problem. My hope is that some of these observations might prove to be missing links to your quest to control the golf ball better — and that you might learn to trust your inner “athlete” on the course more often.

*Remember that these observations are not absolutes. They are simply one man’s way of resolving a problem. I do believe, however, that some of the observations I make will be useful images to help others resolve their stray ball flights.

Let’s start off with the FlightScope data. Note the obvious differences between Owen and Chuck’s use of the face-to-path relationship. Chuck instinctively swung the club head well out to the right to manage his club face that was pointing so drastically to the left. Note the exact opposite tendencies with Owen.

Note The rightward Swing Direction and Closed Club Face.

Note the rightward swing direction and closed club face for Chuck.

Note the leftward swing direction and open face of the OFG Athlete.

Note the leftward swing direction and open club face for Owen.

Now take a closer look at the BodiTrak information. Note how Chuck has less pressure on the backswing leg at the top of the swing and significantly more pressure toward the target leg at impact. Chuck instinctively recognizes that the more lateral his motion is toward the target, the golf club will be delivered into impact sooner than normal, and result in more of an open-faced position.

Note the smaller amount of pressure on the Trail Foot for the CFG Athlete.

Note how 63% of Chuck’s pressure is on the trail foot at the top part of his backswing.

Note the higher degree of pressure on the lead leg at impact of the CFG Athlete.

Note how 73 percent of Chuck’s pressure is on his lead foot at impact.

Note the exact opposite tendencies with Owen, who applies more pressure on the backswing leg at the top of the swing and makes less of a move laterally toward the target at impact. Owen recognizes that the hands and arms need more time to square up a club face that is so open, which can be achieved by making a later, smaller lateral move towards the target.

Note the higher amount of pressure on the Trail Foot for the OFG Athlete.

Note how 66 percent of Owen’s pressure is on the trail foot at the top part of his backswing.

Note the smaller degree of pressure on the lead leg at impact of the OFG Athlete.

Note how 53% of Owen’s pressure is on his lead foot at impact.

Finally, let’s take a look at the Video, starting with the set up. Chuck (right images) has the trail arm lower at the address position compared with Owen’s (left images), simply due to the different grips.

OFG is on the Right. CFG is on the Left.  The different grip changes the arm positioning at set up.

Chuck is on the right. Owen is on the left. The different grips changes their arm positioning at set up.

When the lead arm is parallel to the ground, Chuck has made a bigger turn away from the target and flattened his shoulder plane in an effort to set up his body to deliver the golf club on a more shallow downswing plane. He has started to cup his wrist in an effort to get the club face into more of an open-faced position.

Owen, on the other hand, is doing the exact opposite. He is trying to bow his wrists in an effort to make the club face more closed. He is not making as big of a turn on the backswing and his arm swing is more in front of his chest because he instinctively knows that he must prepare his body to swing left on the down swing to help manage his very open club face.

It is interesting to note how each “athlete” is preparing himself early during the backswing to help manage the drastic club face positions. Most backswings take approximately three times longer than the downswing. They are trying to maximize the additional time of their backswing motion.

The bigger turn of the CFG Athlete results with visually seeing more of the Left Leg and a Deeper Arm Swing.

Chuck’s bigger turn results with visually seeing more of his left leg and a deeper arm swing.

At the top of the backswing, the characteristics of the previous position have continued their evolution. Chuck continues to make a bigger turn and cup his wrists. Owen continues to bow his wrists and make a smaller turn. Both positions are ultimately trying to give each respective golfer a better chance of succeeding by delivering the golf club on a path that will help them match up or manage their club face position.

Top of Backswing

Note the different wrist conditions of each athlete, trying to neutralize their drastic club face positions. Note Owen’s smaller turn, resulting in more upright arm plane.

Now each athlete hopes to reap the rewards of their preparation. The downswing delivery of the golf club is producing a very different path for both Owen and Chuck. Owen is unwinding his body sooner, and delivering the golf club with a more upright shaft position. This should lead to a path that is more left of the club face at impact. Chuck is unwinding his body later and delivering the golf club with a more shallow shaft position. This should lead to a path that is more right of the club face at impact.

Downswing Delivery

Note the different club face and shaft positions of each athlete. Even with bowed wrists, Owen’s club face is still open, and the shaft is on the lead arm. Note the exact opposite characteristics for Chuck. Also note Owen’s earlier unwind of his body.

The athletes have completed their mission, just past impact. Chuck continues to unwind his body later in the downswing sequence. This later unwind was instrumental in helping Chuck swing his golf club more right through impact. Owen has turned his body more towards the target at impact. This earlier unwind helped Owen swing the golf club more left through impact.

Post Impact

Both athletes succeeded! Chuck’s club face is still pointing to the right, past impact, for less of a hook. Owen’s club face is still pointing left, to help produce less of a slice.

In conclusion, because a primary goal of each golfer is to hit straight shots, managing his or her club face is an extremely important component to that execution. My hope is that each measuring device gave you clues to help solve the problem of managing your club face and hitting straighter shots.

Certified Teaching Professional at the Pelican Hill Golf Club, Newport Coast, CA. Ranked as one of the best teachers in California & Hawaii by Golf Digest Titleist Performance Institute Certified www.youtube.com/uranser

14 Comments

14 Comments

  1. Joe Carrow

    Jul 23, 2017 at 7:53 pm

    I love these type of DATA driven article 🙂

  2. Tim Schoch

    Feb 28, 2017 at 8:26 am

    I just found this article and read through the comments. I would suggest that no one has to duplicate the science and methodology employed to make the author’s conclusions in order to apply the knowledge to his/her own game. The joy of these articles is that in golf very simple things can make all the difference. For me, I yank the ball left every now and then, and this piece reminded me that turning too early in the followthrough could be the problem, or maybe it is my grip to begin with.

    At any rate, I’d much rather have a well-organized article like this, full of photos and actually visual proof, than to hear some teacher on the radio tell me to strengthen my grip to get rid of my slice. For me, trying this method and “feeling” the swing and results reinforces my subconscious to step in and help me out if I go astray. If my subconscious does not help me out, it isn’t because the article is flawed, it is because I didn’t practice enough, and practice correctly.

  3. Bob Pegram

    May 16, 2016 at 2:16 pm

    This article illustrates why learning to intentionally hit crooked shots helps your golf swing. If you learn how to hit the ball crooked on purpose, you then know how not to swing on the course. You also learn swing path and wrist/grip control. The way you use your wrists can make the ball go in different directions depending on which way you use them. You will have way more control of ball behavior.

  4. Shankmaster

    Dec 5, 2015 at 6:47 pm

    You guys hurt Tim’s feelings, hope your happy!!!

  5. Bob Jones

    Dec 3, 2015 at 10:07 am

    What I get from this article is that your swing a grip have to fit. You can’t have a strong grip and swing like you have neutral one, and vice versa.

  6. Chris C.

    Dec 1, 2015 at 12:25 am

    First, I would like to thank Mr. Mitchell for sharing his insights. Second, I hope that my own observations are not met with Jack Nicholson like tirades. I respectfully submit that the swing manipulations demonstrated by Mr. Mitchell are far from instinctual. Instead, they are the result of Mr. Mitchell’s skill as a golfer. It is obvious that some have found this article instructive. Alas! I fail to grasp the point of this article and that is probably on me. Some years ago I was lucky enough to attend a demonstration put on by Bob Brue. He would strike balls alternating lay standing only on right leg then his left leg. He would use a ridiculously strong grip and a ridiculously weak grip. It did not matter how he started the swing. Every shot was a tight draw. Instinct had nothing to do with the results. The shots were the end result of a lifetime of honing his skill to insure that the bottom of each and every swing made solid square contact with the balls. Again, the point I am trying to make is that the various accommodations demonstrated by Mr. Mitchell are the polar opposite of instinctual. I much prefer tutorials assisting me in perfecting my grip; improving my swing and making it easier drop into the slot. Sadly, this article is not one to be saved.

  7. Travis Saxton

    Nov 29, 2015 at 10:06 pm

    This is a great article. I’m attempting to make a transition from Owen to chuck and I’m nearly there. This reinforces several of my swing thoughts.

    • Louie

      Jul 15, 2016 at 3:31 am

      I think most amateurs would prefer Chuck over Owen….and even low handicappers turn into Owen from time to time….Tim is a very good player and just has better control over it…lol

  8. Mad-Mex

    Nov 28, 2015 at 10:56 pm

    ATTENTION TIM!!!!!!!
    These are the type of articles which made me stop buying Golf Magazines!!!
    Tim the average player does not have access to the equipment you used!! How can US the general public who does not play in Private and $200+ green fee courses perform the same tasks WITHOUT SAID equipment!!!
    And a little tip, next time you want to publish something to help golfers think of the average muni player and maybe of something which has not been tried.

    • prime21

      Nov 29, 2015 at 7:28 am

      1st of all, do you pay to belong to Golfwrx? 2nd, did ANYONE hold a gun to your dome and make you read the article? I bet SOMEWHERE at a local muni, there is a closed face Average Joe, as well as a open faced Average Joe, and Tim just helped show them how to square up their faces at impact, so that they could play better golf. What was also GREAT about the article was that he included PICTURES which showed the positional differences of how each player is able to find “neutral”. These pictures could be taken on a free app or GASP….one may have to shell out $100 for a high speed camera. This price can certainly be justified by anyone SERIOUS about getting better, especially considering an Instructor who probably receives $200/hr just laid out a detailed “how to” game plan to do it. So instead of making this an unwarranted attack involving socioeconomic undertones and ridiculous commentary, why not just say THANKS FOR THE FREE ARTICLE TIM, IT WAS GREAT! I DO NOT HAVE ACCESS TO THE EQUIPMENT THAT YOU USED, BUT BECAUSE YOU GAVE US A DETAILED PLAN ON HOW TO OVERCOME OUR ISSUES, I NOW HAVE SOMETHING TO WORK ON WHEN I GO TO THE RANGE NEXT. USUALLY FOR CHRISTMAS, MY MOTHER WAVES MY MONTHY RENT FEE, SO I SHOULD BE ABLE TO GET TO THE RANGE AT LEAST TWICE NEXT MONTH. IF SHE LETS ME USE HER SMARTPHONE, I WILL BE ALL SET! THANKS AGAIN & MERRY CHRISTMAS TO ALL!

    • ungratefulPOS

      Nov 29, 2015 at 3:01 pm

      Mex, you are a piece of work. Why do you need a bodi trak, or a flightscope to measure this yourself. He provided the results of the differing actions so that the “average muni player” can relate to the positions. Moving weight vs. pressure in the swing, arm position in p5 and how that relates to p7. P1 reference point of grip and the effect that has on the swing.. He broke this article down into such safe terminology that the average person should be able to understand what he is saying. You need to calm yourself, people like you are the types that don’t come and get lessons from a professional, and then you complain that you can’t break 100. Give your head a shake and thank the man for his time. Golf professionals don’t exactly get the luxury of 8 hour work days, so you should be thankful that he put together the extra 2 hours of writing, formatting, and editing. That’s time away from his family and it is to help the average golfer.

      You are selfish, and I am disgusted by your ignorance.

  9. Tom

    Nov 28, 2015 at 10:27 am

    I’ll work on this as soon as I loose the ten pounds I’ve gained this holiday season

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Instruction

How to play your best golf when the temperature drops

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The LPGA Tour is kicking off its 2026 season this week at Lake Nona Golf and Country Club in Orlando, and the pros are dealing with something most Florida golfers rarely face: freezing temperatures.

“It’s colder here than in the UK at the minute, which is a first,” said England’s Charley Hull during Wednesday’s media day at the Hilton Grand Vacations Tournament of Champions.

Even Lydia Ko, who lives at Lake Nona, seemed surprised by the cold snap. “We’re pretty much getting to below zero in celsius here, which maybe in other parts of the country they would be thankful, but when you’re in Florida it is a little bit of a surprise,” she said.

If the world’s best players are adjusting their games for cold weather, recreational golfers should, too. Here’s how to play smart when the mercury drops.

Understand What Cold Does to Your Game

Before you change anything, you need to know what you’re fighting against. Cold air is denser than warm air, which means your ball won’t fly as far. Period.

Hull noticed this immediately during practice rounds at Lake Nona. She mentioned hitting a gap wedge into the 18th hole during a previous win but needing a 4-iron during Tuesday’s practice round. That’s a difference of four or five clubs for the same shot.

Action item: Expect to lose 5-10 yards on every club in your bag when temperatures dip below 50 degrees. Plan accordingly and don’t be stubborn about club selection.

Layer Up Without Restricting Your Swing

Hull admitted she wore three pairs of pants during practice. While that might be extreme for most of us, staying warm is critical to playing well in cold conditions.

Your muscles need warmth to function properly. When you’re cold, your body tightens up and your swing gets shorter and faster. Neither of those things help you hit good golf shots.

Action item: Wear multiple thin layers instead of one bulky jacket. Look for golf-specific cold weather gear that stretches with your swing. Keep hand warmers in your pockets between shots. And don’t forget a good hat because you lose significant body heat through your head.

Take More Club Than You Think You Need

This is where ego gets in the way of good scores. When it’s cold, the ball doesn’t compress as well off the clubface. Combined with denser air, you’re looking at serious distance loss.

The pros at Lake Nona are dealing with a course that measures 6,642 yards but plays much longer this week. If they’re adjusting, you should too.

Action item: Take at least one extra club on every approach shot. In temperatures below 40 degrees, consider taking two extra clubs. It’s better to fly the ball to the back of the green than to come up short in a bunker.

Adjust Your Expectations on the Greens

Cold weather affects putting in ways most golfers don’t consider. The ball is harder and doesn’t roll as smoothly. Your hands are cold, making it harder to feel the putter. And if there’s any moisture on the greens, they’ll be slower than normal.

Ko mentioned that she still sometimes reads the greens wrong at Lake Nona despite being a member for years. Cold weather makes that challenge even tougher.

Action item: Hit putts more firmly than usual. The ball needs extra speed to hold its line on cold greens. Take a few extra practice strokes to get a feel for the speed before you putt.

Embrace the Mental Challenge

Hull said something interesting about cold weather golf: “I like the mental toughness of it.”

That’s the right attitude. Everyone on the course is dealing with the same conditions. The player who stays patient and doesn’t get frustrated by the extra difficulty will come out ahead.

Action item: Lower your expectations by a few strokes. If you normally shoot 85, accept that 90 might be a good score in 40-degree weather. Focus on solid contact and smart decisions rather than perfect shots.

Warm Up Longer and Smarter

This might be the most important tip of all. Cold muscles are tight muscles, and tight muscles get injured easily.

World No. 1 Jeeno Thitikul revealed she’s been protecting a wrist injury that bothered her late last season. Cold weather makes those kinds of injuries more likely if you don’t prepare properly.

Action item: Spend at least 20 minutes warming up before your round. Start with stretching, then hit easy wedge shots before working up to your driver. Keep moving between shots on the course to maintain body heat and flexibility.

The pros at Lake Nona this week will adapt and compete at the highest level despite the cold. You can do the same at your local course by following these tips and keeping a positive attitude.

 

PGA Professional Brendon Elliott is an award-winning coach and golf writer. You can check out his writing work and learn more about him by visiting BEAGOLFER.golf and OneMoreRollGolf.com. Also, check out “Playing Through  now on R.org, RG.org’s partner site, each Monday.

Editor’s note: Brendon shares his nearly 30 years of experience in the game with GolfWRX readers through his ongoing tip series. He looks forward to providing valuable insights and advice to help golfers improve their game. Stay tuned for more tips!

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3 lessons from Brooks Koepka that’ll actually lower your score

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Brooks Koepka is back on the PGA Tour, and whether you love him or hate him, the guy knows how to win when it matters. After his LIV Golf stint, the five-time major champion returns this week at the Farmers Insurance Open.

What makes Koepka fascinating? He doesn’t fit the mold. His swing isn’t textbook. He doesn’t obsess over mechanics. Yet he’s won three PGA Championships and two U.S. Opens, regularly making it look easier than guys with prettier swings.

So, what can average golfers learn from someone who treats the game so differently? Quite a bit.

Stop Overthinking Every Shot

Koepka describes his approach as “reactionary” rather than mechanical. While most tour pros grind over swing thoughts, Brooks sees the target and hits it. No mental checklist.

This might be the most valuable lesson for weekend golfers who’ve watched too many YouTube swing videos.

How to actually do this:

On the range, hit five balls where you stare at the target for three seconds prior to addressing the ball. Don’t think about grip or stance. Just burn that target into your brain. You’ll be shocked at how pure you hit it when your brain focuses on where the ball is going instead of how you’re swinging.

Next time you play, give yourself a rule: Once you pull the club, you’ve got 15 seconds to hit. Koepka is one of the fastest players on tour because he doesn’t give his brain time to sabotage him.

If you feel tension in your hands at address, you’re trying to control too much. Koepka’s grip pressure is famously light. Loosen up until the club almost feels like it might slip, then add just enough pressure to hold on. That’s your swing thought: soft hands, see the target.

This approach works better under pressure. When you’re standing over that shot with water left and OB right, the last thing you need is a mental checklist. See it, feel it, hit it.

Play to Your Strengths (Even If They’re Not Pretty)

Koepka uses a strong grip that wouldn’t pass muster in some teaching circles. But he’s built his game around what works for him, elite driving distance and recovery skills. He doesn’t try to be someone he’s not.

Here’s how to build your game like Brooks:

Look at your last five rounds and figure out where you’re actually gaining strokes. Bombing it off the tee, but can’t hit greens? Lean into it. Play courses where distance matters more than precision. On tight holes, grip down on your 3-wood instead of trying to thread a driver through a keyhole you’ll miss seven times out of ten.

Koepka knows he can scramble, so he’s not afraid to miss greens. If you’re deadly from 50 to 75 yards, start leaving yourself those distances on the par 5’s instead of going for them in two every time.

Know when to take your medicine. Koepka in the trees at the PGA? He’s punching out to 100 yards, not trying to bend a 6-iron around three oaks. You’re in the rough with a flyer lie and water short? Hit your 8-iron to the middle and move on. That’s not playing scared, that’s playing smart.

Save Your Best for When It Counts

Here’s a wild stat: Koepka’s putting average in majors is often more than a full stroke better per round than in regular events. He elevates when pressure is highest.

How does an amateur tap into that gear? It’s not about trying harder, it’s about caring differently.

Here’s what actually works:

Decide which rounds matter to you. Club championship? Member-guest? That annual trip with college buddies? Circle those dates and treat them differently. Koepka doesn’t care much about regular tour events, but majors? That’s when he locks in.

Two weeks before your big round, change your practice. Stop beating balls mindlessly. Play nine holes in which every shot has consequences. Miss the fairway? Hit from the rough on the next hole too. Three-putt? Twenty push-ups. Koepka’s practice intensity ramps up before majors because he’s rehearsing pressure, not just swings.

Develop a between-shot routine that resets your brain. Koepka is famous for his blank expression after bad shots. Try this: After any shot, take three deep breaths while walking, then find something specific to notice, a tree, a cloud, someone’s shirt. That’s your reset button. By the time you reach your ball, the last shot is gone.

The Bottom Line

Brooks Koepka’s return reminds us there’s no single path to success in golf. His “substance over style” approach proves that results matter more than looking good.

You don’t need a perfect swing; you need a reliable one that holds up under pressure. You don’t need to hit every shot in the book; you need the shots you can count on. And you don’t need to play great every time; you need to play great when it matters.

Welcome back, Brooks. Thanks for the reminder that golf is ultimately about getting the ball in the hole, not winning style points.

 

PGA Professional Brendon Elliott is an award-winning coach and golf writer. You can check out his writing work and learn more about him by visiting BEAGOLFER.golf and OneMoreRollGolf.com. Also, check out “Playing Through  now on R.org, RG.org’s partner site, each Monday.

Editor’s note: Brendon shares his nearly 30 years of experience in the game with GolfWRX readers through his ongoing tip series. He looks forward to providing valuable insights and advice to help golfers improve their game. Stay tuned for more tips!

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What we can learn from Blades Brown’s impressive American Express performance

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Blades Brown made a big impression last week in the California desert, and not just because he’s only 18. He put up numbers that would catch any weekend golfer’s attention. Most of us won’t hit 317-yard drives or find 86% of our greens in regulation, but there’s a lot to learn from how Brown managed his game at The American Express.

Here are three practical lessons from his performance that you can use on your own course this weekend.

Step 1: Give Priority to Accuracy Over Distance Off The Tee

Brown’s driving stats are impressive. He averaged almost 318 yards off the tee, ranking 12th in the field. More importantly, he hit 76.79% of his fairways, tying for fourth place in the tournament.

Think about that ratio for a second. Brown could have swung harder, chased more distance and tried to overpower the course. Instead, he played smart golf and kept his ball in play.

Your Action Item: Next time you’re on the tee box, ask yourself a simple question before pulling the driver. Do you need maximum distance here, or do you need to be in the fairway? If there’s trouble lurking or the hole doesn’t demand every yard you can muster, take something off your swing. Grip down an inch. Make a three-quarter swing. Do whatever it takes to find the short grass. Brown’s approach illustrates that fairways lead to greens, and greens lead to birdies. He made 22 of them last week, along with an eagle.

The math is simple. When you’re hitting three out of every four fairways like Brown did, you’re giving yourself legitimate looks at the green with your approach shots. That’s when scoring happens.

Step 2: Commit To Hitting More Greens

This is where Brown really separated himself. He hit 62 of 72 greens in regulation, an 86.11% clip that tied for first in the entire field. Read that again. An 18-year-old kid tied for the lead in one of the most important ball-striking statistics in professional golf.

How did he do it? By keeping his ball in the fairway (see Step 1) and giving himself clean looks with mid-irons and wedges.

Your Action Item: Start tracking your greens in regulation. You don’t need a fancy app or a statistics degree. Just mark down whether you hit the green in the regulation number of strokes. Par 3s in one shot. Par 4s in two shots. Par 5s in three shots.

Once you know your baseline, set a goal to improve it by 10%. If you’re currently hitting five greens per round, aim for six. The beauty of this approach is that it forces you to think strategically about club selection and shot shape. Brown’s strokes gained approach number was positive (0.179), meaning he was better than the field average. You don’t need to be perfect. You just need to be on the dance floor more often.

When you hit more greens, you eliminate the need for heroic short game shots. Brown only had to scramble 10 times all week, and he got up and down 70% of the time. That’s solid, but the real story is that he rarely put himself in scrambling situations to begin with.

Step 3: Minimize Mistakes And Stay Patient

Here’s the stat that jumps off the page: Brown made only three bogeys all week. Three. In four rounds of professional golf against the best players in the world.

He also made just one double bogey. That kind of clean card doesn’t happen by accident. It happens when you play within yourself, avoid the big miss and trust that pars are never bad scores.

Your Action Item: Before your next round, decide that you’re going to play boring golf. No hero shots over water. No driver on tight holes just because you can. No aggressive pins when there’s a safe side of the green.

Brown’s performance shows us that consistency beats flash every single time. He didn’t lead the field in any single strokes gained category, but he was solid across the board. That’s how you post numbers and cash checks.

Give these three steps a try. Your scorecard will thank you.

PGA Professional Brendon Elliott is an award-winning coach and golf writer. You can check out his writing work and learn more about him by visiting BEAGOLFER.golf and OneMoreRollGolf.com. Also, check out “The Starter  now on R.org, RG.org’s partner site, each Monday.

Editor’s note: Brendon shares his nearly 30 years of experience in the game with GolfWRX readers through his ongoing tip series. He looks forward to providing valuable insights and advice to help golfers improve their game. Stay tuned for more tips!

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