lead tape

[Paradox]

I look at a lot of "whats in the bag" pictures and it seems like 90% of the golfers have tape on their clubs.  Are they just swinging THAT fast that they need such heavy clubs?  Is there some other reason for it?

[zipazoid]

It's not about making the clubs heavier. It's about the strategic placement of the tape on the club to induce certain shot types, e.g. higher or lower, etc.

This article should help -

http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0HFI/is_3_54/ai_100463190/

[Paradox]

interesting...I never knew that..so thanks for the link :)

[MiniBlueDragon]

From the article linked:

Quote:

Shots that start out straight are the result of a good swing path; how the clubface reacts at impact determines how much the ball will curve near the end of its flight.

No no no no no!

The info about lead tape being useful for helping to keep a club face open/closed at impact is correct however. The ball will start the ball out on a different initial direction. It's used by pros to 'tweak' their ball flight.

[jhwmusic]

Originally Posted by MiniBlueDragon

From the article linked:

No no no no no!

The info about lead tape being useful for helping to keep a club face open/closed at impact is correct however. The ball will start the ball out on a different initial direction. It's used by pros to 'tweak' their ball flight.

Yes yes yes yes!  And What what what what?  Not really sure what point you were trying to make...i make the mistake of typing too fast as well so you might want to read that back and make an edit to that post.

It all depends where you put the lead tape.  Its not like you just put the tape anywhere.  It depends on the club design and where the tape is placed on said club.  The correct weighting positions will allow lower or higher flights and make is easier to keep club face open or closed.  They are basically doing what present day drivers allow you to do...moving weight to promote the flight and shape you desire...or straighten out your flaws.

[MiniBlueDragon]

Oops! The ball definitely won't start the ball out on a different initial direction.

The face however will. What I was disagreeing with is that straight shots are the result of a "good swing path" and that the ball's curvature is a result of the face angle.

Lead tape is indeed used to affect the club head during the swing to help keep the face open a smidge longer or close it a little quicker and that's what I said.

[mvmac]

First off guys that are putting lead tape on irons and wedges are just doing it to increase swing weight.  Not to add or take away curvature.  They might do it on woods with that intention but in reality, I don't think it effects it that much and obviously depends on how much weight you add.

From the "article"

Quote:

Shots that start out straight are the result of a good swing path; how the clubface reacts at impact determines how much the ball will curve near the end of its flight.

What the hell does "good" swing path mean?  I get the idea that it means straight or online.  If the ball takes off straight at the target, something that is not very useful, regardless of path, the face was aimed "straight" at impact.

Quote:

2. To enhance a draw or reduce a fade...

... add tape to the heel. Adding weight to the heel area helps the clubface rotate, or close, through impact. (The larger the clubhead, the harder it is to square the clubface at impact, which is why many of the latest oversize drivers feature extra heel-weighting.) Conversely, adding lead tape to the toe of your driver will help reduce draw-spin.

Let's think about this, if we want to hit a draw, where does the club face need to be pointing?

[MiniBlueDragon]

That's what I was getting at Mike; the crap about swing plane in that article.

Didn't realise lead tape on the heel/toe of a club wouldn't affect it, especially with light weight heads like the driver. it just makes sense to my brain that if the toe is made x amount heavier it's going to remain a little more behind the heel at impact, opening the face a little?

[TourSpoon]

Let's think about this, if we want to hit a draw, where does the club face need to be pointing?

To hit a draw the club face is closed relative to swing path. Yes, I have been paying attention. :-P

[iacas]

Weight on drivers is moved simply to shift the CG location and, thus, to change the gear effect. If more weight is in the heel and the CG moves to the heel, contact on the center of the face will result in a bit more "draw spin" (if you prefer to think of it this way) because it's effectively a "toe hit."

The weight being farther from the shaft (toe) or closer to the shaft axis (the heel) can also have a small effect on one's ability to rotate the clubface through, but I think this effect has been measured as smaller than even the already minimal changes to gear effect.

[mvmac]

Originally Posted by MiniBlueDragon

That's what I was getting at Mike; the crap about swing plane in that article.

Didn't realise lead tape on the heel/toe of a club wouldn't affect it, especially with light weight heads like the driver. it just makes sense to my brain that if the toe is made x amount heavier it's going to remain a little more behind the heel at impact, opening the face a little?

Will effect it but I don't want to give players false hope that if you're slicing it that if you put lead tape on the heel, you'll start drawing the ball.  That's why I said I feel like it's not much.  Erik made a great post.

Originally Posted by TourSpoon

To hit a draw the club face is closed relative to swing path. Yes, I have been paying attention.

Yes and aimed right of the intended target (flag).

[MiniBlueDragon]

Yep absolutely. 'tweaking' is the most you'll get from it I'd say, like 0.25 to 0.5 degrees more/less closure. Nominal at best.

[Paradox]

for the record..this wasn't something I was considering for any kind of "fix"..just never knew the answer and just thought they needed heavier clubs because they swing so much faster and lose feel of the clubhead.

[mvmac]

Originally Posted by Paradox

for the record..this wasn't something I was considering for any kind of "fix"..just never knew the answer and just thought they needed heavier clubs because they swing so much faster and lose feel of the clubhead.

No worries, great question and you're right it is a feel thing.

Pros tend to like a higher swing weight in their wedges compared to their irons, usually.  So if Rory likes D2 or D3 in his irons, he might refer D5 or D6 in the wedges.  Then consider that these guys get custom grinds on their wedges, grinding off the metal could make them too light, so guys add some weight.

[joekelly]

Umm, @mvmac, you wrote>  'If the ball takes off straight at the target, something that is not very useful, regardless of path, the face was aimed "straight" at impact.'

Don't you think going straight towards  the target is useful golf?  Now i am not talking about the first 3 inches of ball  flight, which we ordinarily  cannot see, but the continued flight away from the impact position.  I do know some top golfers have preferred always bending left or right but others, equally as good, seem to want to go straight ahead to the target.

And wasn't Greg Norman considered one of the greatest drivers of all time because of his superb ability to drive it long and straight?  So maybe you have something else in mind with your idea that 'straight golf ball flight is not useful'. Kindly enlighten me.  Thanks.

[michaeljames92]

Originally Posted by joekelly

Umm, @mvmac, you wrote>  'If the ball takes off straight at the target, something that is not very useful, regardless of path, the face was aimed "straight" at impact.'

Don't you think going straight towards  the target is useful golf?  Now i am not talking about the first 3 inches of ball  flight, which we ordinarily  cannot see, but the continued flight away from the impact position.  I do know some top golfers have preferred always bending left or right but others, equally as good, seem to want to go straight ahead to the target.

And wasn't Greg Norman considered one of the greatest drivers of all time because of his superb ability to drive it long and straight?  So maybe you have something else in mind with your idea that 'straight golf ball flight is not useful'. Kindly enlighten me.  Thanks.

Because if there is any curve on the ball, it is always curving away from the hole. It is more effective to aim right or left and curve towards the hole. Even if you under/overcurve the ball(moving towards the hole), it wouldn't be as far from the hole as it would if you started it at the flag.

[Paradox]

That statement isn't true.  Someone could hit a shot that starts online and curves but that curve could still end up closer than one that started off the target and curved towards it.  Theres nothing wrong with a dead straight ball if you can hit it.  The only problem people have is that it just about never happens.

A push-fade would be curving "away from the hole" but it isn't a bad shot.  A straight-draw or straight-fade is not a bad shot, either.

Originally Posted by michaeljames92

Because if there is any curve on the ball, it is always curving away from the hole. It is more effective to aim right or left and curve towards the hole. Even if you under/overcurve the ball(moving towards the hole), it wouldn't be as far from the hole as it would if you started it at the flag.

[iacas]

Originally Posted by Paradox

A push-fade would be curving "away from the hole" but it isn't a bad shot.  A straight-draw or straight-fade is not a bad shot, either.

"Push" is relative to body alignments, so if the person is lined up left (for a righty), a push-fade is not curving "away from the hole" the way you're thinking.