foot powder for impact

[zebra2955]

I was thinking about trying the foot powder technique for impact.

The question is will the impact on foot powder cause any adverse affects on ball flight? Slice/hook etc.

[Daniel Eason]

If you are asking this I don't think you'll benefit from doing it.

[Stuart_G]

One of these days I was going to check the effect on numbers - but my shoulder gave out before I got the chance. Maybe I'll get to it after rehab.

But that was more out of curiosity, the real answer is that It doesn't really matter if the numbers are effected or not. The point of checking impact is just that, to check the quality and consistency of the impact location on the face. If you're not getting good center face impact, the numbers wont mean much anyways, especially on woods and drivers due to gear effect and reduced smash factor from off center hits. If you are getting good impact, then just wipe the powder off the face and check the numbers w/o the powder.

 

And everyone - no matter what questions they have to ask - can benefit from checking face impact. Now being able to figure what's needed to fix any problems found is a separate question.

 

[nevets88]

I think Martin Chuck did a video where he put lip balm or something like that on the clubface, but I forget the effect.
I'm guessing it's negligible, but the point is more to associate feel and flight with impact location as @Stuart_G said above.
You can also try using dry erase. Maybe that might have less effect than a spray, although I would guess it's not much of a difference.

[zebra2955]

Thanks for the answer Stuart, at least it wasn't a smart a$$ answer like the first one was.

[stingerfade]

Doesn’t matter as you’re just looking for location of impact on face which as you get better numbers improve automatically. Also make sure you get the powder one and not the clear liquid kind...I may have done that by accident

[ddetts]

Another idea for you - and obviously probably only applies if you're not on the range, using range balls - but I take a dry erase marker and make a small dot on the balls. When I hit I line up the ball with the dot straight back on the tarrget line and hit, which leaves a nice little mark on the clubface. It's easy to wipe off the club and ball. After awhile it starts to leave a little permanent color on the ball, so I use older balls when I am hitting into my net at home.

 

[ThinkingPlus]

More than likely you will get less spin and all the trajectory impacts that go along with less spin. I am pretty sure the coefficient of friction between urethane and powder is lower than urethane and steel. This is an opinion, however, and is not based on empirical evidence.

[sprcoop]

I get my foot powder at the .99 cent store. I can't imagine a THIN layer of powder will create a measurable difference. A blade of grass or a little dirt is going to make much more of a difference. Just my opinion and that only matters to me and my dog. The wife... not so much.

[zebra2955]

Is this spray on ?

[Stuart_G]

Yes.

[Z1ggy16]

It's purely for impact, so unless you're trying to do this on the course, it shouldn't matter what it does to ball flight really. I'm not a physics expert but I would wager that if anything... maybe it could raise launch and lower spin a bit due to making the face a little more "slippery" from the smooth powder, sort of like having a very light layer of dirt on the face. I have used it manyyyy times while practicing and did not notice any effects.

[Stuart_G]

Dirt would be more likely to add friction. The powder would be more like a very thin layer of moisture on the face. The real question is how thin.

[Z1ggy16]

So... I should be playing with dirty wedges to get more spin? :D

Either way, I'm pretty sure it shouldn't effect the flight by too much, as I've used the powder while hitting real balls on Trackman, and did see any abnormal flight numbers.

[GungHoGolf]

I use foot powder spray frequently in my SkyTrak studio, and don't really see any difference in ball flight or spin.

[platgof]

What about painter's tape? The green or blue variety. I bet it would work well and a years supply would be cheap.

[ddetts]

Put a single dot on each ball with a dry erase marker, line up along target, and hit. Leaves a nice mark on the clubface and wipes off easy.

[Stuart_G]

I can't speak to painters tape, but actual impact tape has been found to have a noticeable (but still not too big) impact on the spin.

[nevets88]

All the above methods are all for naught if the ground is wet though. Dry erase, foot spray, even painter's tape falls off. Maybe impact tape might still work. I've yet to figure out a solution to this.

If you video yourself face on high frame rate, you can tell impact location by face twisting (heel face closes on impact or toe face opens on impact) and fat or thin is more or less obvious. Down the line it's pretty easy to see face contact point obviously.

[dcfas]

Cheapest foot spray that works well to indicate impact position?

[DaveLeeNC]

FWIW, I put suntan cream on the face of the club when I want to know face impact location. It is something that I always have in my bag. It probably reduces spin, but I don't care about that when the impact location is the question.

dave

[Stuart_G]

yes, just make sure it's a powder spray and not a liquid foot spray.

[sprcoop]

.99 cent store. Never been disappointed.

[Barfolomew]

Its prob not great for the flight BUT who cares... purpose is contact location.... Don't even watch the flight!

 

Unless you're trying to figure out the effect of face location on flight and not just face location then ignore everythinig I said

[marlon]

What brand of foot powder?  A picture or name will work - I have a 99 cent store closeby.  I also like the idea of dry erase marker.

[bortass]

Dr Scholl's is what worked for me. The Kroger brand I tried first didn't dry well and it didn't really leave powder on the face that you could see.

[baudi]

in stead of marking the head; put a small dot on the ball with a whiteboard marker.

[marlon]

So that's 3 methods:

1. Mark a spot on the ball.
2. Impact tape.
3. Foot powder white film.

I have all three  - will experiment and give my honest feedback to this group.

[Stuart_G]

12 hours ago, marlon said:

What brand of foot powder? 

 

Doesn't matter as long as it's a spray on type of powder.   I usually use generic but name brands will work just as well.  The anti-fungal powder sprays will work - but just be more expensive than the unmedicated powder sprays.

 

 

[RichieHunt]

Yeah, you want the cheap less than $1 foot spray powder that you can find at a Dollar General.   The good foot spray powder sprays on too thick.

 

 

 

 

RH