Launch Angle Control

[cmow]

Been reading here for a while – first post…..

Any opinions on what are the largest factors in trajectory control?

Path
Axis tilt/body center of gravity
Shaft lean
Angle of Descent/lowpoint location

I know the ball doesn’t care – it has to be the loft angle of the club at impact, but I’m after the reason that the club has a certain loft, if that makes sense.

Reason I’m asking is that I’m an underplane flipper who hits the ball pretty high. Thought I’ve read someplace that if you are underplane that you are adding loft. I’ve always tried to bring my ballflight down - wondering if just a path change will tend to do it, or if the effect will be negligible. Or if the underplane adds loft is just a myth ….

Can’t wait till next spring to try to go up the wall and follow the yellow brick road ….

[Jim Kobylinski]

spin

[cmow]

I agree that spin would play a large determinate in the trajectory. But for me I know I am a low spin player - it's been a couple years, but I know my driver spin was right around 2000 rpm. So I don't think my high ballflight is due to ballooning because of spin.

Maybe a more accurate way to phrase my question is what factors have the largest effect on launch angle of the ball?

[Jim Kobylinski]

With the driver, 3 main things have an effect on launch angle in this order imo:

1) Loft
2) Angle of attack
3) COG of the driver head

[cmow]

We are in total agreement that loft at impact is the major determinant in the launch angle. Maybe I didn't phrase what I am asking the best, but what components of the swing contribute the most to changing the loft at impact - kind of my list in the first post.

I'm actually most wondering about my irons. Anecdotally here is what I see... I get on a 140 -145 yard par 3, I'm deciding to hit a hard 9 or easy 8. I launch a high floater the right distance with my underplane path. I'm playing with your normal 15 handicapper who is OTT - he typically has a PW in his hands and if he hits it, it is the right distance. Conversely push it up to 180 yards, I'm hitting a 5 or 6 and he's hitting a hybrid or 3 wood, so I don't think it is swing speed related, I'm also by him by 50-60 yds on the drive. He must have the club delofted to hit the short irons that far.

The obvious difference between these two swings is path related, that's why I'm asking if path really has that big of a role....

Wasn't there a Trackman guy who joined the forum a few months ago ...

[twitch127]

Wasn't there a Trackman guy who joined the forum a few months ago ...
Today 12:56 PM

Yeah and according to Trackman's newsletter it would be;
-Attack Angle
- Delivery path of clubhead
- Clubhead Speed

[Notorious B.E.N.]

Originally Posted by twitch127

-Attack Angle
- Delivery path of clubhead
- Clubhead Speed

What single one of these is the biggest factor in hitting low trajectory drives?

[twitch127]

What single one of these is the biggest factor in hitting low trajectory drives?

Attack Angle - with out question

If you hit driver on a low trajectory you will have a "negative" attack angle - obvioulsy this negative attack angle can be related to other factors ie ball position, delta from impact point to low point, clubhead path, plane line, plane angle, characteristcis of driver you are using etc...
Long drivers on tour have a positive attack angle (upto +5-6 degrees) see Angel Cabrera, Bubba Watson,

[Jim Kobylinski]

Originally Posted by twitch127

Attack Angle - with out question

If you hit driver on a low trajectory you will have a "negative" attack angle - obvioulsy this negative attack angle can be related to other factors ie ball position, delta from impact point to low point, clubhead path, plane line, plane angle, characteristcis of driver you are using etc...
Long drivers on tour have a positive attack angle (upto +5-6 degrees) see Angel Cabrera, Bubba Watson,

Negatvie angle of attacks create very high spin rates and ultimately high ball flight due to ballooning even though the original launch angle was low. So no, negative angle of attack isn't your answer to "low flyn'" drives

[Jim Kobylinski]

Originally Posted by cmow

The obvious difference between these two swings is path related, that's why I'm asking if path really has that big of a role....

Wasn't there a Trackman guy who joined the forum a few months ago ...

Yes path plays a role in actualy loft at impact; however that effect gets greater as the loft on the head DECREASES. For instance, the path of an OTT hacker will probably be more outside in on the driver than it will be on a wedge thus making his 4 iron into say an 6 iron versus turning maybe a 9 iron into a PW. REason being is that it's easier to hit the ball straighter with a wedge due to the higher loft = more backspin = less deviation in curvature.

Also, you don't know what lofts he has on his irons either FWIW, most GI irons these days have PW lofts that are my 9 iron lofts

Hope that helps