Gear Effect Pop Quiz, Where Did This Ball Go?

[mvmac]

Knowing Bubba's typical driver pattern, it was probably a push fade.

But the topic of the thread is about the image in the OP.

[iacas]

Great thread! Let's keep it going. Without Googling this and seeing the whole swing, what's going to happen here?

Not really the point of the thread… :)

[EverythingGolf]

From his instructor, I think the player normally hits it 300-325.

Many of you guys were correct, he toed it and that's why the face was "twisted" so far right after impact. The bulge/curvature of the driver face helped the ball start right to compensate for the "draw spin" (left tilt of the spin axis) due to the gear effect. The off center hit twisted the club one way and "twisted" the ball the other way, like two gears meshing.

More on gear effect with your driver (also gear effect with irons but irons don't have bulge and roll), generally....

When you hit the ball high on the face, it will launch higher and spin less. Goes high because of where the curvature of the face is pointing and spins less because of where the ball contacts the face in relation to the COG (center of gravity) of the club. Reason OEM's try to get the COG of drivers as low as possible.

When you hit the ball low on the face, it will launch lower and spin more.

When you hit the ball on the toe, the ball will start right and draw/hook to the left. Could go straight if you swing left enough.

When you hit the ball on the heel, the ball will start left but fade/slice to the right.

Draw drivers like the PING G30 SF Tec have more weight towards the heel, which moves the COG of the driver a little more towards the heel. So a center hit effectively plays like a slight toe strike. Helps players draw the ball or fade it less.

Mvmac, I just now noticed this post, Funny thing is I was playing today and hit a toe shot and could feel the club twist in my hands, after I had hit it I took a look at the face and could see it was about an inch from the end of the face. It started fairly straight and drew about 10 yards or so, it did find the fairway. I wonder how much of an effect flex and torque rating has on that type of shot.

[mvmac]

I wonder how much of an effect flex and torque rating has on that type of shot.

I'm honestly not sure. I'd guess not much and that the club head MOI has more to do with combating the "twisting".

@iacas , what do you think?

[iacas]

I'm honestly not sure. I'd guess not much and that the club head MOI has more to do with combating the "twisting".

@iacas, what do you think?

MOI and torque and so on only really affect what occurs after the ball's gone. They affect only very little the ball flight.

AFAIK.

[nevets88]

Goto 01:37 to see Open Championship Champion's face twist from down the line.