Lie check during an Iron fitting

[bluewolf]

Ok,

Not quite a hypothetical question.. Whilst watching a recent Iron fitting, a situation presented itself that I haven't seen before.

My PP was in the final stages of a fitting and had already made his decision regarding club/shaft, so was having his lie checked.. The face impact tape clearly showed a very decent set of centred, sweetspot strikes. The ball flight was very good and the smash factor was averaging 1.35. However, the Lie Tape clearly showed that the contact with the Lie Board was Toe heavy.. The Pro advised that no changes be made as the ball contact was "optimal"..

Would you agree with this assessment?

Note, the fitting was into a range with Flightscope. The club used was a 6 iron and the distances on Flightscope were consistent with the marker boards on the range..

 

[pbrown7582]

I thought optimal smash factor was 1.50?

I would of said a tweak of lie would of been beneficial, in a fitting with adjustable demo clubs it wouyldnt of done any harm to prove/disapprove pros view.

 

[Junior]

Interesting one . . . i can see why the fitter said what he said. But for me, i'd have tried him with some upright (I think its that way round) irons to see if that improved the strike / trajectory even further.

Did he not try some more upright irons ?

 

[bladeplayer]

At the very least he should have tried a set up with contact being centered , then if the toe heavy numbers were better drift back gently twords that setting ..

To coin the phrase "im no expert" BUT toe heavy or heel heavy set up for that matter does not seem right

 

[bluewolf]

I'm fairly certain that the Tour averageSmash Factor for a 6 iron is 1.39, so the figures were excellent, but I agree that he should have tried a more upright setting to see the effect it had on the other readings.

 

[fundy]

I thought optimal smash factor was 1.50?

I would of said a tweak of lie would of been beneficial, in a fitting with adjustable demo clubs it wouyldnt of done any harm to prove/disapprove pros view.

with a driver yes, certainly wouldnt expect to get anywhere close to that with a 6 iron

 

[bluewolf]

On a related note, I should point out that after visiting the range with him today, and watching him smash them, he and I are more than happy with the performance. They are comfortably longer than his previous irons and they have a habit of going straight rather than straight left.. Good for him, not so good for me and my Coffee machine tokens..

I was really wondering whether adjusting the lie would have had a detrimental affect on the strike area..

 

[bladeplayer]

Im thinking itl be ok off mats and strike board where the toe wont dig in , has he hit them off the grass yet

 

[bluewolf]

Im thinking itl be ok off mats and strike board where the tooe wont dig in , has he hit them off the grass yet

Not yet mate.. That'll probably be Thursdays big test... At the very least it'll give me something to put in his head before he tees off. It'll bother him all the way round...

 

[bladeplayer]

Not yet mate.. That'll probably be Thursdays big test... At the very least it'll give me something to put in his head before he tees off. It'll bother him all the way round...

Look forward to hearing how that goes , only been fitted once , was hitting it well but still ended up 2* flat as the tape showed the toe in the air at standard set up

 

[Andy]

I was told that a Smash factor of 1.38 with a 6 iron is pretty darn good for amateurs.

 

[the_coach]

PGA Tour average SF - 6i is 1.38. LPGA Tour average SF - 6i is 1.39.
the measurement represents how well, how efficient club head speed is transferred into ball speed.

PGA Tour average SF - PW is 1.23.
PGA Tour average SF - Driver is 1.48.

toe down means the shaft angle into impact is more vertical.
would depend whether true distance for chs with optimum trajectory with good ball dispersion to target is being met, or not, as to whether the lie angle would need to be altered.

so would seem the shot results here given the impact parameters that delivered those results were good enough not to change the lie angles.

if toe down so heel was 'up' too much, a little ways too vertical shaft makes it's a deal harder to deliver sound impact conditions, can also lead to the face being a way too open at impact.