Ball impact with wedges

[Gary W]

Does anyone have a photo of a well struck wedge at the moment of impact?

I am trying to understand where on the club head of a sand wedge does the club contact the ball at impact (playing from the fairway, not a bunker).

When I look at the loft of a wedge, even with a few degrees of forward shaft angle at impact, it seems as though there is no way to get the face of the club cleanly on the back of the ball as you would with a mid- or long-iron. Does the leading edge of the club face strike the ball first, slightly below the equator relative to the line of travel of the golf club, thus forcing the ball to travel up the club face?

[Nole77]

Found this:

[Gary W]

Thanks - that is a good illustration. I still don't see how you can strike down on the ball with the more lofted irons. In that video, there is zero compression against the turf (or mat in this case).

[RPMPIRE]

Here's a few more.

[iacas]

Originally Posted by Gary W

Thanks - that is a good illustration. I still don't see how you can strike down on the ball with the more lofted irons. In that video, there is zero compression against the turf (or mat in this case).

The golf ball never compresses against the turf on a properly struck shot. Never.

Period.

[Mr. Desmond]

I guess people take "try to drive the ball into the turf" to mean that you actually drive the ball into the ground.

[mvmac]

Quote:

Does anyone have a photo of a well struck wedge at the moment of impact?

I am trying to understand where on the club head of a sand wedge does the club contact the ball at impact (playing from the fairway, not a bunker).

When I look at the loft of a wedge, even with a few degrees of forward shaft angle at impact, it seems as though there is no way to get the face of the club cleanly on the back of the ball as you would with a mid- or long-iron. Does the leading edge of the club face strike the ball first, slightly below the equator relative to the line of travel of the golf club, thus forcing the ball to travel up the club face?

We hit the ball with the face, lower mid part of the face.  Ball doesn't roll up the face either, like that slow mo vid of the wedges shows, ball is projected off the face.

[Stretch]

Originally Posted by mvmac

Quote:

We hit the ball with the face, lower mid part of the face.  Ball doesn't roll up the face either, like that slow mo vid of the wedges shows, ball is projected off the face.

My understanding is that it initially slides up the face, then begins to roll (creating backspin), then separates. All in a microscopic interval, obviously.

[Etzwane]

Originally Posted by RPMPIRE

Here's a few more.

Excellent find !

[par4me]

Those videos really show how the ball comes off the face.  I thought that the ball acted in this manner, but have never seen the proof.  Now I have.  Thanks.

[maughan67]

Hi.

I can't see the videos, possibly because I am viewing on the Flash-less iPad.

Could you please post a link to them instead?

Thanks!

[mvmac]

Originally Posted by maughan67

Hi.

I can't see the videos, possibly because I am viewing on the Flash-less iPad.

Could you please post a link to them instead?

Thanks!

Sure

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kxpp0F3-s0o&feature;=player_embedded

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=onWilRDea7A&feature;=player_embedded