11 replies to this topic

[skyking]

I've FINALLY figured out a few days ago that it's normal for my G20 irons to appear closed at address using the same ball position I'd always used with my Mizuno MX-25's  However ALL I hit are draws. I've used several sims and my swing path is either slightly in\out or straight with maybe 1 out of 10 slightly out\in. Most shots are flush with a 1 out of 6-7 toe hit.  Clubface at impact shows closed.

I remember the fitter asking what kind of ball flight I wanted and I said a draw...not sure why and that I wanted clubs that even as a high single index, I didn't have to practice 2-3 times a week to stay sharp or overly penalized on mishits. It just feels a little weird playing like Kenny Perry and watching the ball swing in to the green like that. I haven't experimented but I thin hitting a fade is pretty much out of the question.

Since I got these clubs I've tried playing them back in my stance, opening the clubface to make them look square at address. This isn't the end of the world but just kinda weird for me to hit every shot as a draw and not sure I can hit it straight very easily and a fade pretty much out of the question without really changing my setup...AND the fitter did his job by fitting me for clubs that will hit a draw. Maybe just more practice.

[Gbyeball]

If the club face looks closed to you and the monitor is telling you it is closed then it is probably closed. If as you say your path is slightly in to out and the face is closed to the path you will get a draw everyday of the week. Open the face up at address and see what happens. I had the same problem with irons with a lot of off set, setting up with a closed club face and drawing / hooking shots.

Edited by Gbyeball, 19 February 2013 - 09:11 PM.

[skyking]

Gbyeball thanks. I got on my indoor mat after reading your post, opened the face to where the white aim line in the bottom grove of the 8 iron was perpindicular to the target line and visually...just can't do it. I understand clubface at impact is all that matters...but still. I even hit a few balls and either I was unconsciously compensating with my swing and still had the clubface closed slightly at impact or the clubface STILL wasn't open enough or my swing resulted in the sole of the club bouncing and the ball shot off to the side.

I guess the upside is my "worst" shots go straight when I hit one slightly behind the ball. As much as I enjoyed the feel of hitting my Mizunos flush, Trackman showed the dispersion circle was at least twice the size as my Pings during the fitting. I guess I was in such awe of being at Ping's Tournament fitting department that I didn't realize ALL my iron shots were draws and was so impressed at how small the dispersion circle was.

I took a picture this morning of an easy 8 iron shot, even using the Swingyde training aid. The computer screen shot is from Optishot. I'm not interested in turning this in to a discussion about Optishot and I get the same results from Golfsmith and an indoor facility that uses aboutGolf sims when I take a full swing.

[skyking]

Sorry...never posted a pic before and missed a step.

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[skyking]

I had a "mini" indoor lesson with our head pro today. He'd set up the fitting at Ping's HQ for late last year and hadn't seen me hit my new clubs. He said my clubface was slighty closed so after making the adjustment the clubface only looks slightly...no longer severely closed to me but noticeable. I told the pro hitting a fade or a "get out of trouble" slice will be a challenge. Besides, thoughts of playing competitive golf tournaments this summer and hitting a draw to hard greens doesn't give me a good feeling. He said ALL irons can worked and he was surprised I wasn't fitted for the i20's. Told him I think I was a little in awe of the process...Bubba was in the house and I may have been off a bit.

As expected, the lie board and impact tape showed center impact on the sole and face. My shorter irons (9-Gap) are a color code flatter. No draw or visual setup issues with the Tour wedges, hybrids, fairway metals or Anser driver.

[Nessism]

I have the same problem with my G's sometimes, but feel it's mostly a swing/setup fault.  Playing the ball back in your stance may be compounding the error instead of helping it.  

Hitting a fade is no problem for the G's.  Sounds like you need to work on that.  It will help snap you out of the hooks.  Works for me anyway.

[Terp]

Nessism, on 21 February 2013 - 09:55 PM, said:

I have the same problem with my G's sometimes, but feel it's mostly a swing/setup fault.  Playing the ball back in your stance may be compounding the error instead of helping it.  

Hitting a fade is no problem for the G's.  Sounds like you need to work on that.  It will help snap you out of the hooks.  Works for me anyway.

Agree - moving the ball back a bit enhances the draw for me.  Try opening the face somewhat and/or positioning the ball a little more forward than usual in your set up.

[scomac2002]

Simple solution; bend the clubs flatter.  The impact tape and lie board may say that your contact is spot on, but the ball flight says otherwise based on the screen shot you have provided.

[skyking]

Thanks all for your take. I was very impressed with the fitting at Ping's HQ but I guess there's no shame in getting the set tweaked a little flatter.  VERY customized regarding the shaft, shaft length on irons was 3/4" longer down to the wedges, then 1/2" long but a dot flatter. I remember telling the fitter a draw was my preference and seeing center strikes on the lie board I assumed all was good. No clue how involved getting them tweaked will be. Shorter shaft, different shaft, simply adjusting the lie with no shaft tweakes, swing weight.

All 3 sims show the draw with very little on course play because of weather. Played a few holes earlier this week with the assistant pro et al but they played from the tips so I hit hybrids\fairway metals on approach shots, other than a wedge now and then. Weather may be just good enough to take a cart out over the next few days for a few hours play a few holes hitting just irons before starting the process of getting them tweaked. Even our driving range has been closed. So different than living in Texas and being able to get out just about any day I wanted.

April tournaments will be here soon so I we may have to sneak off to Florida for a week to play enough to get this figured out.

[skyking]

I feel compelled to write and tell all of you who took the time to post or lurked, the problem was simply my lower hand had moved considerably behind and away from the top of the club. Not sure when it happened but I'm blaming my first fall\winter in the northeast away from Texas where I could practice or play year round. The clubface looks fine at address, center hit with slight inside path and between 2-3° closed at impact.

I HATE this game sometimes...

[swizbeatz]

Just to second a few earlier comments, I turn the ball over more when moving the ball back in stance.  It's a mental thing, you know it's farther back so your hands just flip a hair earlier.

[skyking]

Just as a side note, I've found out the indoor golf facility I use to frequent has the system set up to reduce the effect of a hooks\slice. Very nice place, nice owners but was told their business is really more about fun and less skilled patrons...which is the majority, would be miserable playing one of their PGA course simulations like Sawgrass, without the damping. I'd use the range feature 99.9% of the time, then go home and look at the data. Now I realize those baby draws were wicked hooks!  The carry distance is accurate.

I had always wondered why mishits were significantly more severe at Golfsmith, using my Optishot or actually playing a few holes now and then...weather permitting. This may be old news to those of you who've used these indoor places in the winter but for those who've thought about using one or didn't know, be sure and ask if the place has dampened mishits. Of course depending on who you ask, they may not have a clue, so you've been warned.