==================================================== Newsletter - Issue 89 Date 02/25/09 ==================================================== ==================================================== TCT Quick Tips - Face Angle at Address ==================================================== Triple check that the face angle of your clubface at address is square to your ball - target line. Any error in this setup position can coast you yards of inaccuracy, the longer the shot the larger the gap. ==================================================== Golf Tip : The Importance of Shaft Flex ==================================================== Last week I attended a two day Fitting and Assembly school at GolfWorks in Newark Ohio - http://www.golfworks.com/article.asp_Q_ai_E_494 I went down with friend and fellow USGTF Teacher, Tom Moynihan, and my goals for the school were to learn more about how golf club and shaft properties influence golf shots. I also wanted to learn their fitting method, and I wanted to get some "hands on" experience in golf club assembly just to experience how it's done. Now don't think for a moment that I'm Joe handyman or anything like that. That's one thing that I have never been accused of. In fact, I once took a basic carpentry course at BOCES because I'm the type of guy that likes instructions like "grab the screwdriver at this end" with an accompanying illustration or demonstration. WOW, did I get my money's worth out of this school! For value I've never experienced anything quite like it. I calculated that I received at least $195 worth of books and DVD's, I got to keep the three clubs that I made, a sweet 460 cc driver, a 6 iron, and a fabulous putter, and they gave us lunch both days. Plus, we were instructed by one of the most knowledgeable golf equipment and golf industry people I've ever met personally - Jim Yachinich. All of this for $99, man what a no brainer. I also found out that Dick's Sporting Goods recently bought out Golf Galaxy and GolfWorks, which may make them the largest supplier of golf equipment and components in the US, especially so since it looks like Golfsmith's future looks shaky. I will say unequivocally that after the school and the tour of their facilities, I would not hesitate to put any of the GolfWorks golf clubs in my bag and play them with the same confidence that I play my Callaways. In fact, they consult with Callaway, and are actually the manufacturer for MaxFli, Heavy Putter, and Frog Putters. It's an impressive operation to say the least. I could go on and on about the experience, but I'll restrain myself and talk about a few things that I learned that are relevant to your golf game. First of all, and this wasn't news to me but it's worth repeating - the golf shaft flex is the most important consideration when you buy a set of clubs. While it's very true that the look of the clubhead has to fit your eye, it's the flex of the shaft that will influence the shot the most. Here is something that I learned that was a revelation to me: Jim asked the question "at what point is the shaft travelling the fastest in the downswing, before impact or at impact?" I answered at impact - which was wrong. Here's why: at impact the clubhead actually slows down as the clubhead meets the ball. Even though the ball only stays on the clubface for about five ten thousandths of a second at impact, it's enough to cause a slowing of clubshaft speed. Also, the ball has travelled about 12 inches off the clubface before you experience the feeling of impact. Now here's something I learned that was very surprising: how the shaft is flexed at impact. First of all I need to orient your perspective for what I'm about to explain. Imagine that you are watching a right handed golf swing from a face on view, just like the view in this video clip: http://blog.golfzoo.com/2008/07/tiger-woods-slow-motion-swing-vision.html So, if you are looking the player face on, at address the shaft is relatively straight. It had been my perception that during the downswing, right before impact, that the clubhead lagged behind the shaft all the way to impact, then it sprang into position to make the correct contact with the ball at the moment of impact. Like the middle of the shaft is bowed with the clubhead lagging behind, visually looking kind of like a backwards "C". WRONG!!! During the downswing, just prior to impact, because of the physics involved in the swing and the shaft load generated by the swing, the middle of the shaft is actually bowed backwards, away from the target, and the clubhead is ahead of the shaft. The clubhead has no appearance of lagging behind, it's actually the opposite - visually looking kind of like a normal "C". If you watch the video above again very closely, you'll see it. I had seen this before and always thought that it was an optical illusion, but it's not. There also another bowing of the shaft that happens during the downswing, which is an outward and downward bowing that causes the toe of the clubhead to drop somewhat, flattening the clubhead in it's orientation to the ground. That's why, at address, the toe of your club should be slightly up for any shot, irons or driver - except that for a very short chip or pitch shot, you may opt for setting up with your clubhead a bit more square to the ground (flat to the ground). For putters, the clubhead should always be square to the ground (flat to the ground). The dynamics of the swing for full type shots will cause the clubhead to be more square to the ground at impact than it was at address. Here's a good illustration of the outward bowing of Rory Sabbatini's driver with his two plane swing, watch the shaft closely just before impact: http://www.golfproswing.com/golf-video-golf-swing-analysis-rory-sabbatinis-driver-swing/ The way the clubhead is oriented to the ground is called the lie of the club. If someone is exceptionally tall and has a fairly vertical swing plane, that person might need irons with a lie angle that is a couple of degrees upright. If a golfer is fairly short and has a fairly flat swing plane, that player might need a lie angle that is a couple of degrees flat. To determine what lie angle is best for you, you either need to be fitted dynamically or experiment by hitting several shots with the same number iron - ie: 6 irons - made with different lie angles and observe the results. To be fitted dynamically, you would hit several shots off a lie angle fitting board with an iron that has tape on the sole, and observe where the club is striking the board. Note that you need to actually be hitting a ball, not just swinging a club. Iron lie angles can be bent to either a flatter or a more vertical lie, drivers can not. Driver lie angles are all pretty much the same and can not be adjusted. It's simply a manufacturing cost issue. One last point - because of all the flexing of the shaft, it is actually a bit shorter at impact than it was at address, which magnifies any problems that may arise from trying to swing up at the ball to hit it high - topped or sculled shots. Next issue I'll talk a bit about the CG - center of gravity and how that effects your shots, and about how the shaft loads for various swing types and how that can effect your shaft flex choice. Enjoy, Tom