Low spin rates with irons - Gear or Swing?

BdaGolfer · February 19, 2018

Hi all,

I have always been a lower spin player with my irons, so when I was on Flightscope this morning I took some numbers down for my 7 iron (Trackman tour averages follow where available):

Club Path: 7.4R

FTP: 6.6L

FTT: 0.8R

Lateral: 3.0L

AOA: -3.8 (-4.3)

H Launch: 2.4R

Clubhead: 90.1 (90)

Smash: 1.41 (1.33) - this one looks odd

Carry: 206 (172)

Total 208.4

Spin: 4210 (7097)

The shot was solid, and my typical start right draw back to the target shape. Didn't see the peak height numbers, but on screen looked normal for me, mid-height ~90ft. Edit: picture keeps loading upside-down :-(

Current clubs are Titleist 714MB with PXi 6.0. For comparison, I hit the 718 AP2 w/ AMT S300 and TM M3 w/ XP95 S300 - spin numbers were virtually identical.

Is the face / path relationship causing lower spin, or something else?

Thanks,

Alan

SNIPERBBB · February 19, 2018

Sure you used a 7 iron?

Golfjack · February 19, 2018

Another one of those my swing has an issue posts when it's really to say they CARRIED a 7 iron 206 yards. If the calculated roll is only 2.4 yards who cares what the spin number is. Wind has nothing on this ball. What was the launch angle? 2.4 degrees? That's not your main concern for a 7 iron? or hybrid?

BdaGolfer · February 19, 2018

Yes I hit it far, yes it was a 7 iron, and the launch measured was horizontal, not vertical (which wasn't one of the parameters shown). I also don't know what the setting was for the landing area, but I see a lot more than 2.4 yards roll in reality.

The question is around why a ball that hit at that clubhead speed, with a negative AOA, has so little spin? If it was a 5 iron it wold be pretty reasonable if a bit on the low end, but for a 7 I'm down ~2-3,000 rpm form what a lot of others see at that speed.

Stuart_G · February 20, 2018

The question is around why a ball that hit at that clubhead speed, with a negative AOA, has so little spin? If it was a 5 iron it wold be pretty reasonable if a bit on the low end, but for a 7 I'm down ~2-3,000 rpm form what a lot of others see at that speed.

Hitting off of a mat (I'm assuming it's a mat based on your location ;-) with irons can lower spin significantly, so those numbers may not translate accurately to the course.

https://blog.trackma...ats-difference/

Outside of that, the dynamic loft delivered is the #1 cause (which includes the amount of forward shaft lean at impact and is combined w/ AoA to get spin loft) in irons (FYI it's #2 in drivers/woods/hybrids where face impact location and gear effect take over the #1 spot). The lower dynamic loft is also why the smash factor can be higher then the tour averages.

TLUBulldogGolf · February 20, 2018

Is your ball flight low spinning outside off grass? What kind of ball are you using? What is the vertical launch angle?

Also as previously said hitting off a mat can lead to lower spin for some.

ago33 · February 20, 2018

What ball are you using?

pinhigh27 · February 20, 2018

Another one of those my swing has an issue posts when it's really to say they CARRIED a 7 iron 206 yards. If the calculated roll is only 2.4 yards who cares what the spin number is. Wind has nothing on this ball. What was the launch angle? 2.4 degrees? That's not your main concern for a 7 iron? or hybrid?

A shot that launches at 2 degrees is going to roll more than 2 yards. That's the horizontal launch.

Probably just due to the mat in terms of spin.

BdaGolfer · February 20, 2018

The question is around why a ball that hit at that clubhead speed, with a negative AOA, has so little spin? If it was a 5 iron it wold be pretty reasonable if a bit on the low end, but for a 7 I'm down ~2-3,000 rpm form what a lot of others see at that speed.

Hitting off of a mat (I'm assuming it's a mat based on your location ;-) with irons can lower spin significantly, so those numbers may not translate accurately to the course.
https://blog.trackma...ats-difference/

Outside of that, the dynamic loft delivered is the #1 cause (which includes the amount of forward shaft lean at impact and is combined w/ AoA to get spin loft) in irons (FYI it's #2 in drivers/woods/hybrids where face impact location and gear effect take over the #1 spot). The lower dynamic loft is also why the smash factor can be higher then the tour averages.

Yes to using a mat - haven't seen the grass here since November. The blog post was interesting - I knew mats had an impact on spin rate, but never knew how much. Interesting to see in their report as well that the grouping for the test was so much better off grass than the mat. Good stuff, thanks.

BdaGolfer · February 20, 2018

What ball are you using?

Test ball was a mid-range Titleist, vertical launch was not on screen, and I'm not familiar enough to go playing with the settings.

My normal ball is a TP5, and I would say I usually get adequate spin - on course the 7 iron would 2 hop and roll out a bit, but I rarely back anything up. Don't have any problems generating sidespin though....