The introduction of Trackman changed the golf industry on a number of levels. One of the most groundbreaking discoveries, which changed how teachers coach the game, is measured by a term known as club path.
Prior to recent research, the golf world believed the club face curved the ball and the path created the start line of our shots. However, thanks to Trackman, they found this to be incorrect! In the golfing world, it was like saying the world is round instead of flat.
The new findings have found that the club path actually determines the curvature of our shots whilst club face is a lot more prevalent for the initial starting direction of our shots. As the slogan now goes, “The face starts it, the path bends it”
The actual definition of the club path is “ The in-to-out or out-to-in movement of the club head’s geometric center at the time of maximum compression.”
In other words, club path is normally referred to as being into out swing, known as a positive number for a right handed golfer or out to in which would show as a negative number for the right handed golfer
The holy grail for most amateur golfers is a “draw shot”. To do this we have to create an in to out club path. The optimal club path depends on what ball flight a player likes to see. The higher the club path is relative to zero, the more the ball will potentially curve.
This bodes the discussion for our next blog which ball flight is more efficient for the level of golfer that I am currently and how do I achieve this specific club movement.
Deciding on our intention for the outcome, what we aim to achieve is half the battle of hitting solid golf shots. Once that decision is made, it is much easier to build a golf swing that repeats and produces the shot patterns that we would like to see.
Club path for most golfers is one of the most consistent parts of one swing. However if you come in and your club path is not what you would like it to be, book a lesson with myself or one of our other Golf Room instructors and we would be happy to help you build your ideal club path.
Have a great week and I hope to see you in the Golf Room working on your game
Mitch Farrer – TGR Instructor
