Middle of Face - COG - Twisting

[cwdlaw223]

Will someone please explain why a shot on the middle of the clubface might cause twisting for a driver? for an iron?

I think I understand, but there are others on this site more versed in impact dynamics and can give a more precise answer.

 

[birly-shirly]

There are other possibilities, but the simplest answer is that the clubhead's effective centre of gravity doesn't necessarily align with the centre of the face. The CoG is often somewhat towards the heel, especially in older irons, some traditional blade designs, and woods with a designed-in draw bias.

 

[puttmaster]

In my simpleton mind, it's related to where that "middle of the clubface" is in relation to the swing path, swing plane, angle of attack, CoG, etc.. Seems you could get dozens of different ball flights and club twists depending upon how well those elements are aligned -- even if the ball is hit in "the middle of the clubface."

 

[cwdlaw223]

So the simple answer is that the COG cannot be seen and it's "behind" the face of the club and moving in 3D space? Way behind for drivers and less so for irons (today's irons, not older irons)?

 

[mgranato]

Tuxen covers it in the ASII videos also.

 

[cwdlaw223]

I guess my next question is how far off the COG is needed for visible movement of the clubhead on video? One dimple? Two dimples? I suspect that the speed of the clubhead plays into the twisting as well somehow.

 

[Brian Manzella]

Even a dimple off will cause some twisting....how much depends on the club's "resistance to twisting"....but they all twist.

 

[cwdlaw223]

Thanks Brian. It would be great if you guys could post a video of a shot with Trackman/Enzo numbers where it looks like a center hit, the club twists and we see the face/path numbers.

 

[Bigwill]

Does the closure rate make a difference in how much the face twists on a toe hit, especially a very slight toe hit?

 

[mgranato]

Does the closure rate make a difference in how much the face twists on a toe hit, especially a very slight toe hit?

Not in the way that is being suggested by some 300 fps advocates.

Dr. Wood covered this in good detail in ASI.

The problem with this discussion for some is a foundation of the facts. Facts like all clubheads are closing seems to be a hurdle. So when a fundamental baseline of the proven facts aren't acknowledged, it's understandable how things get a bit "creative" going forward.

Impact (the actual collision of the ball and face) does more damage to more theories than a lot of people are willing to understand. What impact does to the shaft is also ignored by those who think that a high rate of closure can "over ride" the twisting of a toe side impact.

When you rely on one device that does not and cannot measure, but simply records with distortion the "look" of something, you will be mislead when you venture into areas that happen so precisely and quickly that it takes specific/dedicated equipment to MEASURE.