Comments on: Ball Flight Laws #5 – Gear Effect

By: Matt Saternus

Matt Saternus — Mon, 06 Jun 2022 16:34:32 +0000

Bruce,

The face opening as a result of impact is not the same as the player presenting an open face at impact.

-Matt

By: Bruce Laycraft

Bruce Laycraft — Mon, 06 Jun 2022 16:26:25 +0000

In reply to Matt Saternus. I've sent you a PDF file with drawings from your slice and hook tutorial that hopefully explains my confusion better than my above text does! Thanks!

By: Matt Saternus

Matt Saternus — Mon, 06 Jun 2022 16:07:45 +0000

In reply to Bruce Laycraft.

Bruce,

I’m unsure what you’re trying to get at. Hitting the ball on the toe will add hook spin. Hitting the ball on the heel will add cut spin. Gear effect can be offset with face-to-path, but it’s always there.

-Matt

By: Bruce Laycraft

Bruce Laycraft — Mon, 06 Jun 2022 15:56:27 +0000

Hi Matt, I have some problem with the slice/hook “spin on the ball” and the gear effect spin.
If one hits a ball in the centre from the “inside out” path, the ball spins counter-clockwise (as seen from above) and hooks. [An “outside in” path with a centre hit produces a ball that spins clockwise (as seen from above) and the ball slices.]
Now, hitting a ball on the toe of the driver (the face is open) produces a clockwise spin and therefore the ball should slice but it does the opposite and hooks! Similarly, hitting the ball with the heel of the driver (the face is closed to the path) should cause the ball to hook but it does the opposite!
I’m confused!

By: Matt Saternus

Matt Saternus — Sun, 26 Dec 2021 15:27:43 +0000

In reply to Bruce Laycraft.

Matt@PluggedInGolf.com

By: Bruce Laycraft

Bruce Laycraft — Fri, 24 Dec 2021 19:01:15 +0000

Hi Matt: I made a drawing (with text) describing the confusion I am experiencing regarding your “spin” articles which seems to contradict the “gear” effect article. Do you have an email address to which I could forward this PDF file I created?
Thanks,
Bruce

By: Matt Saternus

Matt Saternus — Wed, 24 Feb 2021 15:05:20 +0000

In reply to C E Bryant.

CE,

Respectfully, I’m having a hard time understanding your question. Anytime you say “open” or “closed” there needs to be a reference – “face open to path” could be different than “face open to target”.
Also, for simplicity sake, let’s forget about the swing mechanics and stick to the facts of impact. It will help us to get a clearer picture.

Best,

Matt

By: C E Bryant

C E Bryant — Wed, 24 Feb 2021 02:59:04 +0000

So here is a quick question for you, if you don’t mine, just to make sure I have this correct in my head. Theoretically… if you try and drop your hands and hit further from the inside and rotate properly Face closes sooner, path is inside out, face is open though it still goes straight. Unless its hit in the toe, then it starts out high but draws then it would still create the right to left flight you were looking for but the wrong way? Does that make sense? Vice-Versa if you attempt to come across the ball to hit a fade, but don’t you just have the path outside in and the face open to even it out yet strike the heel, it produces a lower flighted cut shot w/ tons of spin? So theoretically, you could be changing the face to path for not reason if it was zeroing out, just using that as a vector to change where you hit the ball on the face?

By: Cleveland Frontline Putter Review - Plugged In Golf

Cleveland Frontline Putter Review - Plugged In Golf — Mon, 21 Oct 2019 09:01:49 +0000

[…] significant amount of weight to the face pushes the center of gravity forward and therefore reduces gear effect on putts that are hit left or right of the sweet spot, resulting in straighter putts for players […]

By: Matt Saternus

Matt Saternus — Mon, 02 Sep 2019 14:53:58 +0000

In reply to Kevin.

Kevin,

Theoretically, if you could keep the club from deflecting at impact, there would be no gear effect…I think.
I’m not sure that I understand the second part of your question.

Best,

Matt