Interesting conversation on Twitterverse about wedges and bounce

Another difference between the two shots was that the 'thinner' level of the club through the ball with the low spinner put a lot less grass between the face and the ball. That could add to spin difference as well - but not sure if lower club speed with pitches makes the amount of grass less relevant.

Below are you tube links to the two shots.

Low spinner:

High floater:

I definitely see lower on the face for the low spinner. It's not as clear to me that they have significantly different AoA. I wish we could see the hosel on the low spinner, because it is clearly descending on the floater shot, so the leading edge has to be descending as well even though it's already obscured by grass. That to me says descending AoA as well. How much and relative difference between them - not sure.

I don't think it's as important as the vertical gear effect, but not sure relative difference in grass on club face isn't affecting spin at all . One one of the twitter conversation instructors, Andrew Rice has done some posts about how just a little amount of moisture or grass juice can reduce spin and I think also increase launch angle by measurable amounts.

Just found the link: http://www.andrewricegolf.com/andrew-rice-golf/2013/02/wedges-and-water

Based on a re-read of that post - and assuming his test accurate describes average results - it's possible that the path of the high floater deeper in the grass moistens the club and the ball prior to contact relative to the 'clean' contact between club and ball with the 'thin' low spinner in addition to the difference in vertical gear effect. In fact if you look closely at the high floater, there is a considerably larger 'cushion' of grass bits that get shaved up onto the face right where the ball is going to contact. I don't think the grass is having zero effect.

I took some stills and compared. What I saw:

Shaft lean coming into impact is about the same, but the high shot has slightly more.

Both clubheads are initially descending, but the high shot hits a flat spot (the bounce?) prior to impact and stays roughly level for a bit (riding a cushion of grass?) so the AoA is shallower through impact.

Both clubs deflect down at impact pretty much the same amount. Impact is higher on the face of the high shot with significantly more grass between ball & face than low shot.

At post-impact separation, the low shot club head has continued to descend, while the high shot clubhead has risen (literally bounced?) a very small amount.

At post-impact separation, there appears to be a possible, but minute increase in shaft lean of the low shot, while the high shot could maybe have a minute decrease in shaft lean.

I would still vote for vertical gear effect being the primary difference (I'm not even sure the shaft lean change is there shortly after contacct), but the shallower AoA and the grass (possibly helping the ball slide higher on the face and contribute to spin reduction of the floater) may contribute.