Understanding Golf Ball Deviation

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Golfers - This may shock you, but it will also put things into perspective for you. This thread looks at how far off-line a #golf ball will go for the tiniest of errors. Follow @adamyounggolf for more interesting golf threads

A golf ball going off-line is predominantly caused by issues with 🟢path 🟢face direction The more right the face is (all else being equal), the more right the result is). With path it's the opposite. The more right the path is, the more left the result (AEBE)

When there is a separation of face and path, the ball will start out somewhere in between the two. It will start out closer to the face - and this trend gets stronger when there is lower spin-loft

Here are some rough face:path ratios for diff clubs 🟢Putter 87:13 🟢driver 85:15 🟢7 Iron 75:25 🟢S wedge 65:35 But it does depend on other factors, like friction So if your path was 0 with a 7 iron, and face was +4, your ball would launch at +3

Every degree right/left the ball launches, it will travel roughly 1 yard off-line per 60 yards of distance. So a ball launching 3 deg off-line and traveling 180 yards will start roughly 9 yards off-line 3 deg off-line at 240 yards is 12 yards away from target

BUT - it gets worse!!! We also have to add on curvature. Basic rules of thumb are, the ball will curve roughly 🟢1% with a wedge 🟢2% with 7 iron 🟢4% with driver for every degree of face-path separation (/DFPS). What does this look like in layman's terms? 👇👇👇

A wedge at 100 yards will curve 1 yard off-line (/DFPS) A 7 iron at 160 yards will curve 3.2 yards (/DFPS) A driver at 250 yards will curve 10 yards (/DFPS) Same error - wildly diff results.

So, let's look at a couple of specific examples, getting progressively more scary. You hit a 120 yard wedge with a 0 path, but present the face 3 deg open. 🟢ball starts 2 deg right (2 yards) 🟢curves an extra 3.6 yards TOTAL = 5.6 yards off-line No big deal.

Now you do the same swing - 0 path, +3 face. This time, with a 180 yard 7 iron. 🟢Ball starts 6.75 yards off-line 🟢Curves an extra 10.8 yards TOTAL = 17.5 yards off-line. Ouch!

Now you do the same (0 path, +3 face) with a driver at 300 yards. 🟢Ball starts 12.75 yards off-line 🟢curves an extra 36 yards TOTAL = 48.75 yards off-line Images show a square vs 3 deg open face

This is why I developed The Accuracy Plan. It focuses not only on making the big technique changes to fix your slice/hook but also works on the skill-development side, so you learn to control the small things better. Learn more - adamyounggolf.com/the-accuracy-plan/