tell me why this is different

[snofrog]

I need to make an effort to keep my hands low through the swing to get a nice looking consistent shot .when i raise my hands or dont think about it at all is when the inconsistencies arrive .so to my question ... what is happening that so drasticly changes my shots from pure to scrap in just this small change? btw this is for all of my clubs . Mark

[jeffgladchun]

The height of your hands at impact dictates how the sole of the club interacts with the turf. Let's assume that your clubs are perfectly fitted to your swing - when your hands are where they usually are at impact, the sole of the club lays flat at impact, allowing the club to be square at impact. If your hands are higher, the toe digs, opening the blade and there is a gearing effect that imparts hookspin on the ball (this is where toe-hooks come from). If your hands are lower than usual, the heel digs, closing the face which can either trap the ball with crazy hook spin, or use the same gearing effect as the toe-hook and create a heel-slice.

Hope that helps.

[iacas]

The height of your hands at impact dictates how the sole of the club interacts with the turf. Let's assume that your clubs are perfectly fitted to your swing - when your hands are where they usually are at impact, the sole of the club lays flat at impact, allowing the club to be square at impact. If your hands are higher, the toe digs, opening the blade and there is a gearing effect that imparts hookspin on the ball (this is where toe-hooks come from). If your hands are lower than usual, the heel digs, closing the face which can either trap the ball with crazy hook spin, or use the same gearing effect as the toe-hook and create a heel-slice.

Toe hooks and heel cuts are usually attributed to drivers or metal woods with bulge on their face. The affect is seen far less dramatically on flat-faced clubs like irons.

Also, Tom Wishon says that clubs that are too flat (toe digs) or clubs that are too upright (heel digs) don't go right and left because of the actual digging, but for the same reason that shots go right and left from sidehill lies - the face of the club is actually pointing slightly right or left. Very, very little has to do with the heel or toe digging. But, aside from those, what Jeff says is largely true.