10 Questions - 10 Answers —— The Clubface

[GaryRead]

To what extent does the orientation of the club-face, either open or closed to the arc, due to grip type or manipulation during the back swing or early part of the DS, have an influence on the golfers swing (paths, plane, actions etc)

In other words is the golfer conscious of the club-face during the swing an does the golfer compensate dynamically for a club-face that is wildly open or closed?

 

[golfie]

Is there any physics rationale for the clubhead orienting normal to the swing path? ie Is there a squaring torque generated by the motion of the clubhead through 3D space or is all squaring done by the golfer?

 

[James Marshall (Hogan1953)]

How does grip type influence the clubface?

 

[pokerlife]

If i coat the face of my driver with vaseline will it make my drives fly straight down the fairway ? Heard it from a old timer lol

 

[birly-shirly]

how much clubface rotation during impact, about both horizontal and vertical axes, and for different clubhead designs (drivers, irons)?

assuming differences between categories (ie between driver and irons), are there noticeable differences within categories (e.g. high vers med MOI drivers, or SGI vers "players" irons)

 

[Robbierob99]

What roles do VSP, AoA, Swing Dir, Club Path (etc.) have in influencing FA? In other words, are there FA tendencies (too closed or too open) related to other trackman numbers -or- what are the relationships between FA issues and other "numbers"?

 

[GeoffDickson]

Why is rate of closure important?

 

[dschultz6072]

Should I be cleaning my clubface with the metal bristles or the plastic ones?

Maybe a more serious one. If two shots are hit with the exact same parameters and contacted in the same spot on the clubface, how much of a chance do those two shots have at having the EXACT same ball flight, right down to the end of the roll out?

Is hitting the ball with the clubface just a crapshoot in general?

 

[GaryRead]

All things being equal, Does a faster swing speed require a faster rate of closure, if so how does this affect the collision interval on the ball ( more fade spin imparted on the ball?) secondly does a faster swing speed require more torque / force to square the club face than a slower swing speed?

I ask specifically because I have a fast swing and find it difficult to consistently have a face and path relationship to provide me with consistent straight shots

 

[Erik_K]

What role do the forearms play in relation to the clubface?

 

[ehanczaryk]

FS and TM calculate the face at impact. How accurate are these calculations?

 

[dbl]

E, to be fair, at least for TM many of the clubface #'s at impact are directly measured, only a couple are calculated, so I assume you mean the accuracy of those.

 

[cwdlaw223]

Does the ROC of the face slow down say 12" prior to impact or does it speed up right through impact?

 

[bluebird]

Is there a way to pivot the same speed, ranging from a 3/4 shot ( usually ending with a open face ) , to a full out step on it shot ( often ending with closed face )?

 

[Brian Manzella]

Great questions....will try to shoot a video response tonight.

 

[bluebird]

When using the driver ( a lower VSP ) and ball placement is extended farther away, is there a technique to use the Ideas release, specifically the inward pull, without wiping the ball with a leftward path imparting a fade spin bias?

 

[Jim Kobylinski]

When using the driver ( a lower VSP ) and ball placement is extended farther away, is there a technique to use the Ideas release, specifically the inward pull, without wiping the ball with a leftward path imparting a fade spin bias?

Aim right to allow for the upward hit or aim where your currently aiming and swing more to the right.

 

[mjh116]

What is the best way to work the ball knowing what we know now? Do you believe Nicklaus had the best or simplest way to control ball flight? (Knowing we can't do anything to control face angle anywhere near impact), in Golf My Way,he says he would change the way he gripped the club (whatever the intended shot would call for) ,(intention),and make his same swing. Would this be an easier method for a wider skill range of players? It worked for him and conceptually seems to apply to the rules.

 

[mjh116]

How much of a change in face orientation does shaft deflection cause and what can we learn from it?

 

[bluebird]

Aim right to allow for the upward hit or aim where your currently aiming and swing more to the right.

Thanks for the reply Jim.

It's a work in progress to 'swing more right'. It's like doing two opposite things at the same time, and hasn't proven to be easy.

As far as aiming right, next time out i will try this but in the past I have needed to aim left to counter the wipe. Perhaps I am misunderstanding something basic or my path needs a major rerouting?

My actual remedy is to stand closer with the driver but my 3 wood swing is extended farther away and it working pretty good for me. Just can't make it work for the driver.