Strike marks - Fitting Advice

[ManchesterGolfer]

I'm using Mizuno MP32's and loving them. I'm thinking of going getting them fitted for lie angles & to get the lofts checked.

I hit about 25 shots in the net with my 5 iron. I had sharpie on the back of the ball to make marks on the face. I've also took a picture of the sole which has marks from the club striking the mat. What do you guys rekon? The strike marks are closer to the heel in genral (apart from the shot when my boy decided to run behind me). The marks on the sole seem to be quite evenly spread but are a little thinker towards the toe end. I also hit a few shos with 8 iron and the strike marks are simlar, towards the heel.

5 iron face
Picture 395.jpg

5 iron sole
Picture 394.jpg

8 iron face (about 7 shots but sharpie fading).
Picture 393.jpg

[Adam Pettman]

The shot where you hit decided to hit your boy left a remarkably similar mark to the ones where you were hitting golf balls. You look a consistent iron striker, I'll let people that know what they are talking about comment on getting fitted.

[chemboy2]

MG, I just spent the last 9 months dealing with contact in that area of the club face. The fix for me had nothing to do with club fit though. I had an issue with a subtle, but deadly, over the top move going on that was just killing me. Contact was consistently towards the heel and it wasn't uncommon for it to venture on to the hosel. I went from mid-low 80s in the spring to praying I would break 100 in the fall.

For the last couple of months I've been doing a lot of drills to get my hands to drop into the slot and my contact has drastically improved. Went out last week for a round and hit my irons better than I have in about a year. My driving was crap and my putting was mediocre at best but I did manage to break 90 from the "tips." (muni course so the tips are only like 6800yds).

Anyway, about you; I'm not convinced the sole marks and the club face are necessarily related. Take a look at your swing and see if you don't got something else going on. Just a thought...

[fredcouplesfan]

Looks like your lie angle might be too upright.

[Adam Pettman]

I couldnt find any reference to changing any fitting details because your shots are coming slightly off the heel, how far are you hitting your 8 iron?

[ManchesterGolfer]

Originally Posted by Adam Pettman

I couldnt find any reference to changing any fitting details because your shots are coming slightly off the heel, how far are you hitting your 8 iron?

Not exactly sure as I've just changed irons (again) and I've eventually learn't to take one more club and make a smooth stroke. I've measured my 6 iron and thats bang on 170 yards. I use 8 iron from 150-155 depending on which hole but i've not messured all my iron distances yet.

[Adam Pettman]

Originally Posted by ManchesterGolfer

Not exactly sure as I've just changed irons (again) and I've eventually learn't to take one more club and make a smooth stroke. I've measured my 6 iron and thats bang on 170 yards. I use 8 iron from 150-155 depending on which hole but i've not messured all my iron distances yet.

Then you must be hitting near enough the sweet spot.

[dave.]

The sweetspot is nearer the heel on a blade, but maybe not that near, but Olazabal hits everything from that spot so its not disastrous, not with a 170 carry

[BrandonM7]

Originally Posted by dave.

The sweetspot is nearer the heel on a blade, but maybe not that near, but Olazabal hits everything from that spot so its not disastrous, not with a 170 carry

My clubs (albeit very far from blades) feel like magic when I hit them there. Not that this post helps MG any, I'm just sitting here wishing I could have marks that consistent in that spot on mine.

[JeffGallo]

your lie angles are most likely too flat, first because of the tendency toward the heel. And second looking at the bits of range matt your five iron has taken with it on its leading edge, it seems the toe is digging. so if you get your lie angles fitted expect to move them more upright. don't quote me but i expect around 2 degrees.

I play mp 32s as well and as far as the sweetspot of a blade being closer to the heel, not true, the real sweetspot is dead in the center, but any club will be sweeter on the heel than the toe. this is especially true on the 32s they do not take kindly to toe strikes, so dont over adjust ;-)

[Augster]

MG, bad news.

Like you, I have the exact same grouping on my iron faces. I have researched it to the best of my ability to find a "fitting" parameter to get that grouping to just move over another 1/4 inch or so. I have adjusted lie, length, swingweight, MOI, shaft flex, backweights etc.

Sadly, through all of my experimentation, it is exactly the same regardless of the club makeup.

During my research on this subject, I had read in more than a few places that heel grouping like that is ONLY fixable by a setup/swing change. That's it. After all of my experimentation I finally gave in and started working on my swing last year in order to improve the strikes. It's not easy.

I don't have a grouping like that with my woods. I only have it in clubs that you have to hit down with. My hybrids and longer irons I take much shallower divots and don't have any of the consistent heel contact grouping.

I know through video that I have an enormous swing flaw. Nearing impact I seem to stop rotating and I have a sort of "late cast" into the ball destroying lag and sacrificing distance. It adds loft to the club and hits the ball high. Because of this I am a terrible wind player.

When I accidentally do hit one on the sweet spot, it totally feels like a toe shot yet I end up with better distance and accuracy (imagine that).

I'm sorry, I'm rambling.

Anyway suffice it to say, in order to cure a grouping like that, you need to improve your technique. If you are getting a decent ball-flight and the ball is starting where you want it to, it's not a lie angle change.

Good luck MG. It is a long dark road filled with frustration and LOTS of $h@nks in order to get that grouping to move out toward the toe just a little bit.

[SilverUberXeno]

I dunno if you guys have considered stepping back a quarter inch and swinging exactly the same as you are now? I'm sure when you're at address it looks like you're striking the center of the clubface- that's because you're not standing directly over the clubface. Hit it so it looks like you're hitting off the toe end, probably the last third of the clubface, and you'll be set to pure it.

[Clugnut]

I'm afraid I agree with Augster here, mate. His post was bang shot on. I am part of the group that has problems with heel side misses, or "pro" side. Unfortunately, you don't look like a pro when your seven iron rifles off cutting straight right. The cure for me has been a swing change. Shorten backswing and go at it hard with the hips.

[ManchesterGolfer]

Thanks guys but i'm gonna stick with how I'm hitting it, no swing changes for me

I won the Spring medal a fortnight ago in tough windy conditions and shot another 75 yesterday. I'm not overly concerned about the heel strikes as long as the scores stay in the 70's

I have struggled with a shank in the past but thats when I was trying to alter my swing. I play all iron shots from forward of centre in my stance, weather it's a 4 iron or PW and alter the width of my stance with each club. It was when i tried altering the ball position for each club so you play the shorter clubs futher back in the stance that I had problems. I'm gonna get my lie angles checked out but apart from that I'm happy with my irons.

[Adam Pettman]

Originally Posted by ManchesterGolfer

Thanks guys but i'm gonna stick with how I'm hitting it, no swing changes for me

I won the Spring medal a fortnight ago in tough windy conditions and shot another 75 yesterday. I'm not overly concerned about the heel strikes as long as the scores stay in the 70's

I have struggled with a shank in the past but thats when I was trying to alter my swing. I play all iron shots from forward of centre in my stance, weather it's a 4 iron or PW and alter the width of my stance with each club. It was when i tried altering the ball position for each club so you play the shorter clubs futher back in the stance that I had problems. I'm gonna get my lie angles checked out but apart from that I'm happy with my irons.

I agree with you Paul, those distances and the consistency to win a medal in the style you did mean that you cant be doing much wrong. Aslong as the output is consistent ie ball flight, spin and distance then who cares.