Does Offset Work?

[albatross]

So I've read some of the past posts about offset drivers but I'm wondering if they actually work for awhile. My dad brought me up his old Cobra Driver which is offset and I'm going to give it a try. I've been hitting some serious power fades/slices with the driver.

Has anyone had success hitting an offset driver??

[odstore]

It's always better to fix your swing rather than buy equipment that might help mask the problem imo.

[bruce]

Totally agree with Odstore,

[m11]

Totally agree with Odstore,

i third that notion.

And for me personally, i feel like at address, the setup is a little confusing and it feels like i'm going to hit a pull hook even if i make a good swing.

[SiamGolfer]

I think they are supposed to cure (or reduce slice) but as the the advice above says, it will be more beneficial to adjust/correct the swing.

but I have played a round of golf with a Cobra Titanium offset (i shared it for a round with a friend whilst my driver was being re-shafted and re-gripped), and just because the face was offset i could not see how it would cure slice with a simple offset. I was able to work the ball left-to-right as usual and play some draw shots too (i do not have a slice by the way). So in my opinion the offset would not cure a slice, and as the guys said above, it would be better to correct the swing (or maybe even the grip).

[$2 Nassau]

Dislike offset in any club. Currently looking for a new set of irons, bought these when I first started out. The offset may of helped then, but now I look down and say "okay, what do I have to do to NOT hook this ball."

I think offset really limits you with being able to work the ball higher and lower as well, with any club. Offset tends to make all shots higher for me...not sure why. Does anyone else find that to be true? Do you know if that is the intent of offset (besides curing a fade/slice) to help you get the ball up in the air?

I think if you play golf regularly and have a reasonable swing speed/handicap, you don't need offset. Just my opinion.

[$2 Nassau]

Found this article and answered my own question:

http://golf.about.com/od/faqs/f/offset.htm

Question: What is Offset, and Why are Some Clubs Designed With It?

Answer: Offset is a design condition in clubheads in which the neck or hosel of the head is positioned in front of the face of the clubhead, so that the clubface appears to be set back a little from the neck of the club. (Put another way, offset is the distance that the forward side of the neck/hosel of the clubhead is set in front of the bottom of the face of the clubhead.)

When a wood or ironhead is designed to have more offset, two game improvement factors automatically occur , each of which can help the golfer. First, the more offset, the farther the head's center of gravity is back from the shaft. And the farther the CG is back from the shaft, the higher the trajectory will be for any given loft on the face. In this case, more offset can help increase the height of the shot for golfers who have a difficult time getting the ball well up in the air to fly.

Second, the more offset in the clubhead, the more time the golfer has on the downswing to rotate the face of the clubhead back around in order to arrive at impact closer to being square to the target line. In other words, offset can help a golfer come closer to squaring the face at impact because the clubface arrives at impact a split-second later than with a club that has no offset. Thus the second benefit of offset is to help reduce the amount the golfer may slice or fade the ball.

[montru]

I use a Cobra M Speed Offset 9 degree Driver and all my woods (3,5,& 7) are Cobra M Speed offset, I used to have regular heads and had a bad slice/fade, I not sure if it is entirely down to the clubs but I can now play a draw or fade or straight ball almost to order but can't do it with my irons (Cobra FP's).

Hope that helps.

Mike

[kfowler]

If you have an over-the-top swing that's causing your slice, offset clubs will provide little benefit.

[Guest]

I have eventually opted for offset driver woods after months of trying (and lost balls) to straighten out my slice to no avail at every turn, it could be that I am a natural slicer. Ofsets have straightened everything out. I now know that my slice IS caused by open club face at impact when using normal drivers only thing is distance is drastically shortened with offset.

[3Woodster]

I agree with "fixing your swing."

Why you slice any club be it driver, fairway wood or iron here is what happens.  When you start your backswing you move your club and shoulders into the top of your swing and the weight transfers to your right side / foot.  Now the brain says “to get back to impact you have to move your shoulders and club back in the same sequence as going back”.  For every action sequence, there is a counter action sequence. So if you follow what your brain senses, you will hit a slice, because you will come back to impact from an over the top or out to in move. If you want to hit the ball straight you have to counteract the backswing move on the downswing. To accomplish this, you have to move the weight to the left side / foot before you start the downswing, just the opposite sequence of the backswing.  A tip, courtesy of Tommy Armour Sr., that I found helpful in accomplishing the transfer of weight is to raise your left heel about a ½ inch on the backswing. The first move in the downswing then is to replant the left heel . This move automatically shifts the weight and drops the hands and club into the slot……….try this in slow motion without a club a number of times until you understand the dynamics of this slice killing move………

[saevel25]

http://thesandtrap.com/t/69693/offset-irons-conventional-wisdom-vs-reality

No, it doesn't work as it was described to have. The swing is way to fast for offset to have any meaningful effect. The only thing it does is effect how you line up the club, it creates an optical illusion that causes most people to aim the club more left.

[Tee2Trees]

When it comes to the driver, offset will help turn the block move (push fade) into a manageable pull-fade.  This is mostly due to the fact that offset drivers are also built to sit a few degrees closed at address.  Another benefit is that you can line the ball up further inside your front heel and still close the face, which I believe promotes easier solid contact than lining up the ball with your front toe using a regular head.  In short, the offset head doesn't close "faster", it just starts out more closed to begin with and keeps the hands in front at impact.

[hacker101]

I can say that when I got back into the game last year I got a offet driver due to a slice problem. It did help IMO with my slice some, it did not complety fix my issue it was more of a band aid.

Once I had some time in at the range, on the course and saw that my swing was getting better I switched back to a normal driver.

Do I still have a slice problem, yes once in a while there are times I will try and swing out of my shoes instead of letting the driver do the work and the slice is there to remind me to slow it down.

[Hammer 4]

Agree with fix your swing. I have to say, I hate the look of offset clubs at address. I've hit them when I first began to play, I don't recall them curing my bad swing.