Dangers of too flat a club?

[HappyGilmoresBoots]

I've been hitting the indoor launch monitors this off-season to grab  some numbers and data, and hopefully work on a plan to improve my game.  My good/new irons are exactly where I expect them to be, consistent clubhead speed (per the monitor), and predictably inconsistent grouping/clustering...if that makes any sense at all - nothing unusual, and exactly how I was hitting them when I was fitted for my clubs last summer.  Good 'nuff for a once-a-month hacker, and sufficient for future growth and learning.

 

What tripped me up was when I busted out the two sets of thrift-store irons I bought:  Ping Eye 2's, at an orange dot; and some 80's MacGregors with about the same lie.  The Eye 2's and the Macs are shorter than my G400's by about half an inch.  While the swing speed and swing angle on both sets nearly matched the G400's, the yardage and dispersion was wildly inconsistent.  Got a lot of leftward hooks (which never happens, my miss has always been to the right). I  hit the 6, 7, and 8 iron of the Eye 2's about the same distance (only difference was launch trajectory); same went for the MacGregor wedge, 9, and 8 iron.  Backspin was unpredictable across both old sets.  And, while the Eye 2's were clearly more forgiving, the Macs (being blades) felt so much more satisfying to hit.

 

When I took this question to Reddit, I got the answer that "a player of my handicap rating won't be able to tell the difference between gear yet," yet I'm very clearly seeing differences.  Which leads me to my question:  How much of this stuff is attributed to improper "geometry" at the clubhead?

[sprcoop]

11 hours ago, HappyGilmoresBoots said:

the Macs (being blades) felt so much more satisfying to hit.

 

While I can't answer your question I get what you are saying.  I pull out an old 5i (Bristol Victura) from probably the 60's or 70's and it's amazing how often I nut that thing and it feels amazing.  The Mizzy MP60s (they have a little help) are great but it's just not the same.

 

I should regrip that Bristol set and hit them more.

[DShepley]

If the lie angle of the club is too flat, you risk the danger of the toe side digging at impact which leads to the club face staying open.  Further, if the toe is down at impact, the loft of the club will be pointing right of center, the higher the loft of the club, the more right it will point.  You can see this by taping a golf tee to the center of the clubface so it points outward, then raise and lower the heel to see the effect.

 

 

[mikpga]

If it is too flat for the individual, then the face will be orientated too far to the right (RH golfer), therefore they will continue to watch the ball start too far right, OR figure out/manipulate how to prevent the ball from going in that direction...