Face impact tape - toward toe?

[PhilsRHman]

I'm striking the ball quite well, but noticed at the range yesterday (thanks to the cheap range balls) that I'm hitting the ball consistently on the same spot on all my irons -- slightly off center, toward the toe.

I've always had my lie angles bent 3-4 degrees flat, and I'm not sure if this is a lie issue, a swing plane issue, etc. I know that club fitters use impact tape to check this, I just can't remember what it means to consistently be toward the toe and if it's an equipment adjustment issue or a swing issue (can't be the swing, gotta be the clubs )

Sorry about starting a new thread, but several searches came up empty on this question.

[deronsizemore]

Really could be any number of things but having your irons bent that flat could definitely cause you to strike the ball more toward the toe.

If not your irons, typically hitting off the toe comes from an outside in swing where you're cutting across the ball.

Could also be that you're simply standing too far away from the ball? Or it could be that you're standing too close to the ball and as a result your instinctively losing your spine angle on the downswing (straightening up) to give yourself enough room to hit the ball as a result your pulling the club in closer to your body?

The basic problem is that your hands are closer to your body at impact than they were at address. Just need to figure out why. I'd guess a teaching professional could take a look at your for about a minute and tell you why.

[WUTiger]

If you have a pro who can get you on videotape, that would help. A little freeze-frame should tell a lot.

[PhilsRHman]

Thanks, I just wanted to make sure it's not a tell-tale sign of something obviously wrong after adjusting my lie angles.

I did realize I've gotten further away from the ball and have been slouching at address. Since watching the pros on at the Barclays last month I've paid a lot more attention to my posture on the putting green and it's paid off nicely with better, more consistent strikes. Now I think it's time I think about posture on the full swing. Standing slightly more upright definitely helped me hit crisper iron shots on the range and eliminated the occasional awful fat shot (I hit a 5 iron on a par 3 earlier in the day that took a 2-foot, nasty divot and was so far to the outside of the ball I have no idea how I didn't whiff completely). I'm only 5-foot-5 and I've always had a flat swing that leads to quite a hook/draw and in order to hit the ball straight I need to try playing a cut, so I think that means I swing quite far from the inside. I've also been told I have an old-style swing in that I drive much harder with my lower body and hips, thanks primarily to Harvey Penick's "Magic Move" of the left heel and rigth elbow driving the swing.

[tim31x]

how tall are you? hitting the ball off the toe could be an issue with your lie angles, but your clubs may be too short for you if you are a taller player. if you aren't taller than average like myself(6'4") then it should just be a lie angle issue. my clubs were too short and i used to toe the ball until i got them lengthened.