[O.B.Left]

As you say at first contact.

But at separation the club face and the ball has rotated a few degrees. And hopefully both of them point in the direction where you want to start the ball. So then it will be down and forward.

The down part will lead to compression leak. Too steep impact can literally be a slice even though the ball takes a draw pattern. If we could dismiss the physical side of things (or biokinetics or whatever) - a flat path through the ball would be best. I believe shallow through the ball is a good thing if it is produced the right way.

Do you mean "Slice" in a backspin way? Given loft? I see your point about dismissing biokinetics, flat compression etc. Maybe if we had a giant piston driven golfing machine or a spring loaded golf ball cannon or or or..... But the golf club itself makes it a different bit of business.

Yes, to the right and down at the moment of Impact only. At separation both the clubface and the Line of Compression have rotated towards the target in the ideal. But, the point being that this is not what most people attempt to do. Its counter intuitive. "Golf's problem" as Lynn refers to it. Their intention is to hit the back of the ball with a clubface that stays square to the target and if they succeed they get what that impact geometry naturally produces ..........a cut shot in Homers terms. See 2-C-2. Type one Steering. Vertical Hinging. Very useful when you need it.

If they also manage to somehow succeed in leveling out the Angle of Attack , removing the Down and also the Out they have added the other two forms of Steering and in the process lost two of the Three Dimensions of Three Dimensional Impact. (Down and Out). This will produce what Homer termed the Lob Shot , maximum compression leakage. 2-C-3. A great shot to have in the arsenal but not something you want off the tee normally, what Homer referred to as the "Duffers nothing ball".


This counter intuitive impact geometry is a product of the tools we use to strike the ball. The golf club with its hooked face and lie angle swung in a circular manner. It requires Horizontal Hinge Action to capture the ball so it doesnt slide off the face, or a slightly closed clubface for Angled Hinging as a compensation.

We can generate a lot of speed with a golf club hence its usefulness but once gripped and employed we are subject to the associated geometry. And subject to what Homer named "the three all encompassing Primary Concepts upon which all detail can easily be attached as they surface------they are the Hinge Action (2-G) of an Angular Motion (2-K) operating on an Inclined Plane (2-F).


If on the other hand if we had chosen a pool cue to strike the golf ball in a pool like manner.............then we'd have a different set of rules governing the impact geometry. It'd be way easier, more intuitive ..... but the ball wouldnt go as far.

Anyone notice K.J. Choi putting side saddle at the Open, Snead style? Never thought Id see that again. You could argue that its a useful form of type one Steering. Although its still Vertical Hinging which will produce Lay back with no closing and all that implies to the balls reaction. Now if he didnt lock his upper hand against his chest but pushed the hole club forward .........it'd be an inconsistent motion to make maybe but then he'd have no layback and no closing and no Out or Down. He'd have stepped around Homers three guiding Primary Concepts. It'd be awkward though. As an aside when I watched him on the practice green at St Andrews he was really struggling with it.