Technically speaking, how does a deeper CG decrease a club's workability?

[laxbballgolf]

Title basically says it all.

I understand how a deeper center of gravity increases stability and moment of inertia, and therefore increases forgiveness and distance on mishits, and also straightens out toe or heel shots by reducing how much an off center strike twists the clubface.

What I don't understand is the science behind how it also decreases sidespin and workability for shots that are hit in the center of the clubface. In other words, how does the FT-iq, for example, produce a less curved shot than other clubs with an identical swing when they both are hit on the sweet spot?

I know it's pretty technical, sorry, but I am interested in this kind of thing.

[pjsnyc]

Title basically says it all.

I'm gonna bump this since there were 60+ views but ZERO replies.

My understanding is that golf clubs with a lower center of gravity are typically game improvement clubs (cavity backs). Not always, but typically. Its designed to allow the player with less skill get the ball in the air much easier than with blades. When you refer to a 'sweet spot' on a blade, it is very small but can produce very reliable and repeatable results when struck solidly. As for a cavity back, one could argue that there really isnt a sweet spot - just hit the ball as close to center as possible and you should be able to advance the ball. But since the 'sweet spot' is really distributed around the sides of the clubhead, consistency in distance, etc is diminished. I'm not sure I can answer your question accurately about workability so hopefully someone else can chime in. The only thing I can think of is that game improvement/cavity backs/lower cg clubs tend to have more offset than a traditional blade/muscle back. Its designed to reduce a slice by making it easier to keep your hands ahead of the ball through the zone. It probably makes it more difficult to work the ball simply because of the offset from hosel to leading edge. Don't let that think it'll elminiate any swing flaws though. I was able to 'work' the ball with my GI clubs a few years back. Hope this helps.

[denver_nuggs_15]

Title basically says it all.

I think it has to do with the fact that less of the clubhead's mass is close to the ball. Muscle backs have a higher CG that is closer to the ball, so more of its total mass is directly behind the ball (and closer to it than a cavity). I'm not sure why it happens and I'm not even sure this is true. I remember hearing it though.

[M2R]

In the same way a Honda Accord won't turn in as precisely as a Porsche Cayman. The comparison being moving the CG back in a golf club being similar to moving the CG forward in a car.

The RMR layout of the Cayman makes it inherently unstable and some would say difficult to drive as it may alternately understeer or oversteer at any time. However, in the hands of a skilled driver this is actually a very positive attribute. In other words it is basically neutral and very responsive to inputs.

The Honda being a FF layout will always tend toward understeer. In the hands of the less skilled that is an absolutely positive attribute. However again, in the hands of a skilled driver the car can be made to do what they want but not without more effort and likely not quite as precisely. In other words it is prone to understeer predictably (design stability) but will also respond to inputs but not as quickly or precisely.

When people refer to workability I don't think they mean "can you move the ball" but rather how easily and precisely can it be done. Disclaimer: I can't work a golf ball at all.

[Slim 11]

I like the car analogy... I think that explains a difficult theory well.

I will try to chime in...

Because the weight is distributed around the "game improvement" club you are not getting as much weight at the sweet spot. Working the ball is accomplished by imparting spin to ball and with a cavity back club there is not as much force going into creating that spin because there is not as much weight at teh point of contact.

Think of it like putting english on a cue ball. The harder you hit that spot on teh ball, the more spin you get.

[laxbballgolf]

Cool, thanks guys.

Yeah, it's funny because it makes sense intuitively, but when you try to explain the physics and everything it is difficult to put into words. I guess if you just picture more mass directly behind where the club makes contact with the ball it makes sense that a greater sidespin-creating force occurs.