Instruction
Gear Effect: Controlling your driver
More than 10 years ago at a university lecture on materials science, it finally dawned on me.
[quote_box_center]“Ah, that’s why a driver is so much more chaotic.”[/quote_box_center]
Last week, I discussed the twisting of the club head on off-center hits, as well as how this causes something called “gear effect.” This week, we are going to understand why a driver can be so infuriatingly difficult to control. It might also explain why you get different results with your irons compared to your woods.
Location, location, location
Where the center of mass of a club is situated is massively influential on the amount of gear effect produced. To help you understand the concept, let’s examine the illustration below.
The illustration shows a “toe hit.” The center of mass (pink gear shape) is traveling along the pink line (swing path). The ball is struck on the toe of the club, and this creates a twisting of that contact point around the center of mass. In other words, the yellow line will twist in the direction of the blue and white arrow, similar to a clock going from 1 o’clock to 3 o’clock.
As the club rotates along the blue part of the arrow, the contact point on the club face will travel more to the right before traveling increasingly more backward (and less rightwards) as it moves along the white part of the arrow.
The bluest part of the arrow (the part where the contact point is shifting more rightwards) is where the most gearing occurs, applying an opposing twist to the ball. So, as the club face opens up clockwise, the ball will rotate counter-clockwise.
Remember that the exact opposite twisting of the clubhead and ball occurs on a shot contacted on the heel of the club.
Iron it out
With an iron, the center of mass is much closer to the face than with a metal wood, so the twisting at impact can produce a different result.
A similar scenario to our driver shot is illustrated below.
The iron is traveling along the pink line and when the ball is hit on the toe of the club, it produces a clockwise twisting of the club face. We can see from the blue-and-white arrow, however, that the iron will behave more like a screen door — rotating nearly straight back with almost no rightward movement of the contact point on the face.
There’s still a little rightward movement, of course, but nowhere near as much as with a driver. As a result, gear effect is minimized and can be overridden by the opening of the face.
Bulge
Have you ever wondered why the face of a driver is not completely flat? Take a look at your driver now, and you will see that it is slightly convex — something called “bulge.” This was introduced first by Spalding decades ago, and is a way of counteracting gear effect.
With a perfectly flat club face, a toe hit would produce an insane amount of gearing, launching the ball with a lot more hook spin (or less slice spin) than it would have otherwise. By adding bulge, toe hits start more to the right (for a right-handed golfer) and heel hits start more to the left. This gives golfers of all levels a much better chance to hit the fairway when they don’t hit the ball exactly on the sweet spot — which by the way almost never happens, even for the best golfers in the world.
Take action
The first thing to realize with all of this is that a driver is going to be far more difficult to consistently control simply because strike location plays such an important role in direction.
With that said, you should never underestimate the power of simple drills, such as using the dry erase marker, foot spray or face tape to identify your strike location. I see so many golfers hit a heeled slice with the driver and then try and fix their swing path when it was never the issue in the first place.
If you can get better at identifying whether a strike was heeled or toed, as well as improve your ability to hit the desired location, you will see far more consistency in your game.
Here is a simple exercise which can help with the awareness element.
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- Step 1: Mark a range ball with a dry erase marker pen.
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- Step 2: Place the ball as shown. You can tee it up or lay it on the ground. All the matters is that the dry erase marker dot is on the back of the ball facing the club head at address.
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- Step 3: Hit the shot, and check your club face to see where you contacted the ball.
- Place a dot on the back of the ball with a dry erase marker pen.
- Hit the shot.
- Based on the sound, feeling of twisting and the ball flight, try to guess where you hit the club face (too high/low, too heel/toe).
- Take a look and see how close your guess was to reality.
I have found a clear correlation between a player’s ability to identify where they hit on the club face and their handicap level. I have also seen simple improvements in awareness create lowered handicaps.
Editor’s Note: Adam is Author of the amazon bestseller “The Practice Manual,” where he discusses some of these concepts and more. You can purchase the book here.
There may be no more painful affliction in golf than the “yips” – those uncontrollable and maddening little nervous twitches that prevent you from making a decent stroke on short putts. If you’ve never had them, consider yourself very fortunate (or possibly just very young). But I can assure you that when your most treacherous and feared golf shot is not the 195 yard approach over water with a quartering headwind…not the extra tight fairway with water left and sand right…not the soft bunker shot to a downhill pin with water on the other side…No, when your most feared shot is the remaining 2- 4-foot putt after hitting a great approach, recovery or lag putt, it makes the game almost painful.
And I’ve been fighting the yips (again) for a while now. It’s a recurring nightmare that has haunted me most of my adult life. I even had the yips when I was in my 20s, but I’ve beat them into submission off and on most of my adult life. But just recently, that nasty virus came to life once again. My lag putting has been very good, but when I get over one of those “you should make this” length putts, the entire nervous system seems to go haywire. I make great practice strokes, and then the most pitiful short-stroke or jab at the ball you can imagine. Sheesh.
But I’m a traditionalist, and do not look toward the long putter, belly putter, cross-hand, claw or other variation as the solution. My approach is to beat those damn yips into submission some other way. Here’s what I’m doing that is working pretty well, and I offer it to all of you who might have a similar affliction on the greens.
When you are over a short putt, forget the practice strokes…you want your natural eye-hand coordination to be unhindered by mechanics. Address your putt and take a good look at the hole, and back to the putter to ensure good alignment. Lighten your right hand grip on the putter and make sure that only the fingertips are in contact with the grip, to prevent you from getting to tight.
Then, take a long, long look at the hole to fill your entire mind and senses with the target. When you bring your head/eyes back to the ball, try to make a smooth, immediate move right into your backstroke — not even a second pause — and then let your hands and putter track right back together right back to where you were looking — the HOLE! Seeing the putter make contact with the ball, preferably even the forward edge of the ball – the side near the hole.
For me, this is working, but I am asking all of you to chime in with your own “home remedies” for the most aggravating and senseless of all golf maladies. It never hurts to have more to fall back on!
Over the last couple of decades, golf has become much more science-based. We measure swing speed, smash factor, angle of attack, strokes gained, and many other metrics that can really help golfers improve. But I often wonder if the advancement of golf’s “hard” sciences comes at the expense of the “soft” sciences.
Take, for example, golf instruction. Good golf instruction requires understanding swing mechanics and ball flight. But let’s take that as a given for PGA instructors. The other factors that make an instructor effective can be evaluated by social science, rather than launch monitors.
If you are a recreational golfer looking for a golf instructor, here are my top three points to consider.
1. Cultural mindset
What is “cultural mindset? To social scientists, it means whether a culture of genius or a culture of learning exists. In a golf instruction context, that may mean whether the teacher communicates a message that golf ability is something innate (you either have it or you don’t), or whether golf ability is something that can be learned. You want the latter!
It may sound obvious to suggest that you find a golf instructor who thinks you can improve, but my research suggests that it isn’t a given. In a large sample study of golf instructors, I found that when it came to recreational golfers, there was a wide range of belief systems. Some instructors strongly believed recreational golfers could improve through lessons. while others strongly believed they could not. And those beliefs manifested in the instructor’s feedback given to a student and the culture created for players.
2. Coping and self-modeling can beat role-modeling
Swing analysis technology is often preloaded with swings of PGA and LPGA Tour players. The swings of elite players are intended to be used for comparative purposes with golfers taking lessons. What social science tells us is that for novice and non-expert golfers, comparing swings to tour professionals can have the opposite effect of that intended. If you fit into the novice or non-expert category of golfer, you will learn more and be more motivated to change if you see yourself making a ‘better’ swing (self-modeling) or seeing your swing compared to a similar other (a coping model). Stay away from instructors who want to compare your swing with that of a tour player.
3. Learning theory basics
It is not a sexy selling point, but learning is a process, and that process is incremental – particularly for recreational adult players. Social science helps us understand this element of golf instruction. A good instructor will take learning slowly. He or she will give you just about enough information that challenges you, but is still manageable. The artful instructor will take time to decide what that one or two learning points are before jumping in to make full-scale swing changes. If the instructor moves too fast, you will probably leave the lesson with an arm’s length of swing thoughts and not really know which to focus on.
As an instructor, I develop a priority list of changes I want to make in a player’s technique. We then patiently and gradually work through that list. Beware of instructors who give you more than you can chew.
So if you are in the market for golf instruction, I encourage you to look beyond the X’s and O’s to find the right match!
Most pros take months, even years, to win their first tournament. Lottie Woad needed exactly four days.
The 21-year-old from Surrey shot 21-under 267 at Dundonald Links to win the ISPS Handa Women’s Scottish Open by three shots — in her very first event as a professional. She’s only the third player in LPGA history to accomplish this feat, joining Rose Zhang (2023) and Beverly Hanson (1951).
But here’s what caught my attention as a coach: Woad didn’t win through miraculous putting or bombing 300-yard drives. She won through relentless precision and unshakeable composure. After watching her performance unfold, I’m convinced every golfer — from weekend warriors to scratch players — can steal pages from her playbook.
Precision Beats Power (And It’s Not Even Close)
Forget the driving contests. Woad proved that finding greens matters more than finding distance.
What Woad did:
• Hit it straight, hit it solid, give yourself chances
• Aimed for the fat parts of greens instead of chasing pins
• Let her putting do the talking after hitting safe targets
• As she said, “Everyone was chasing me today, and managed to maintain the lead and played really nicely down the stretch and hit a lot of good shots”
Why most golfers mess this up:
• They see a pin tucked behind a bunker and grab one more club to “go right at it”
• Distance becomes more important than accuracy
• They try to be heroic instead of smart
ACTION ITEM: For your next 10 rounds, aim for the center of every green regardless of pin position. Track your greens in regulation and watch your scores drop before your swing changes.
The Putter That Stayed Cool Under Fire
Woad started the final round two shots clear and immediately applied pressure with birdies at the 2nd and 3rd holes. When South Korea’s Hyo Joo Kim mounted a charge and reached 20-under with a birdie at the 14th, Woad didn’t panic.
How she responded to pressure:
• Fired back with consecutive birdies at the 13th and 14th
• Watched Kim stumble with back-to-back bogeys
• Capped it with her fifth birdie of the day at the par-5 18th
• Stayed patient when others pressed, pressed when others cracked
What amateurs do wrong:
• Get conservative when they should be aggressive
• Try to force magic when steady play would win
• Panic when someone else makes a move
ACTION ITEM: Practice your 3-6 foot putts for 15 minutes after every range session. Woad’s putting wasn’t spectacular—it was reliable. Make the putts you should make.
Course Management 101: Play Your Game, Not the Course’s Game
Woad admitted she couldn’t see many scoreboards during the final round, but it didn’t matter. She stuck to her game plan regardless of what others were doing.
Her mental approach:
• Focused on her process, not the competition
• Drew on past pressure situations (Augusta National Women’s Amateur win)
• As she said, “That was the biggest tournament I played in at the time and was kind of my big win. So definitely felt the pressure of it more there, and I felt like all those experiences helped me with this”
Her physical execution:
• 270-yard drives (nothing flashy)
• Methodical iron play
• Steady putting
• Everything effective, nothing spectacular
ACTION ITEM: Create a yardage book for your home course. Know your distances to every pin, every hazard, every landing area. Stick to your plan no matter what your playing partners are doing.
Mental Toughness Isn’t Born, It’s Built
The most impressive part of Woad’s win? She genuinely didn’t expect it: “I definitely wasn’t expecting to win my first event as a pro, but I knew I was playing well, and I was hoping to contend.”
Her winning mindset:
• Didn’t put winning pressure on herself
• Focused on playing well and contending
• Made winning a byproduct of a good process
• Built confidence through recent experiences:
- Won the Women’s Irish Open as an amateur
- Missed a playoff by one shot at the Evian Championship
- Each experience prepared her for the next
What this means for you:
• Stop trying to shoot career rounds every time you tee up
• Focus on executing your pre-shot routine
• Commit to every shot
• Stay present in the moment
ACTION ITEM: Before each round, set process goals instead of score goals. Example: “I will take three practice swings before every shot” or “I will pick a specific target for every shot.” Let your score be the result, not the focus.
The Real Lesson
Woad collected $300,000 for her first professional victory, but the real prize was proving that fundamentals still work at golf’s highest level. She didn’t reinvent the game — she simply executed the basics better than everyone else that week.
The fundamentals that won:
• Hit more fairways
• Find more greens
• Make the putts you should make
• Stay patient under pressure
That’s something every golfer can do, regardless of handicap. Lottie Woad just showed us it’s still the winning formula.
FINAL ACTION ITEM: Pick one of the four action items above and commit to it for the next month. Master one fundamental before moving to the next. That’s how champions are built.
PGA Professional Brendon Elliott is an award-winning coach and golf writer. You can check out his writing work and learn more about him by visiting BEAGOLFER.golf and OneMoreRollGolf.com. Also, check out “The Starter” on RG.org each Monday.
Editor’s note: Brendon shares his nearly 30 years of experience in the game with GolfWRX readers through his ongoing tip series. He looks forward to providing valuable insights and advice to help golfers improve their game. Stay tuned for more Tips!
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Todd
Oct 27, 2015 at 2:22 am
Who says gear effect is a bad thing?
Jim Maron
Sep 30, 2015 at 2:44 pm
I pretty much know where I’ve hit a ball on the face by the feel. You can also tell how well your hitting it as the clubs get older…how small is the circle of wear on the face and where is it relative to the sweet spot.
Saw an article once the showed the wear circles for a pga tour pro, a scratch and various handicaps 10 to 30….the smaller the circle the better the golfer.
marcel
Sep 28, 2015 at 9:13 pm
knowing why you shanking wont help you to improve it – not in golf. yes its good to know why but… without a coach you not gonna be able to fix this 0.5cm difference. thats why the pros have coaches on their bags and during season and off season.
also the proper fitness – you might have the best coach ever but… if you legs and lower back are not strong and conditioned you fade / you shank / you hook etc. etc. etc. golf is a very physical and precise game to be taken lightly.
Brad
Sep 27, 2015 at 4:42 am
Which would have the greatest effect on mis-hits, gear effect or moi? If I was to hit 0,5cm off center which would end up closest to where I was aiming? Would I be correct in saying that for example a G30 driver has a higher moi than for example a SLDR and vice versa, SLDR has less gear effect than a G30 because of where the CG is located?
Hippocamp
Sep 26, 2015 at 8:59 am
Thanks for this explanation. Really very clear. Here’s a question. To reduce the gear effect in drivers, it should help to move the center of mass closer to the club face, so it is more like an iron. Weight-forward drivers like some of the low spin models should show a reduced gear effect, right?
The lack of forgiveness in these clubs would then seem to be more a matter of loss of ball speed at heel and toe rather than a loss of directional control. Or am I missing something?
other paul
Sep 25, 2015 at 12:31 pm
Adam, can we get an article on how rate of closure effects gear effect on the face. I have a huge problem with hooks (shut face) and was able to beat it by slowing my closure rate down with a bigger grip. I hit 6/10 dead straight with it. The other 4 weren’t bad either.
Adam Young
Sep 25, 2015 at 1:16 pm
Hi Paul,
rate of closure only minimally affects the gearing at impact, but it works in reverse, with a higher rate of closure causing more fade spin. However, this can be easily offset by the club face being more close to the path at impact.
Gear effect is only really an issue on off-centre strikes. I wouldn’t worry about gearing on middled contacts – be more concerned with face and path relationships. Although, it makes sense that your hook may have minimised as you tried to hit a hold off shot.
John Grossi
Sep 25, 2015 at 11:44 am
Adam, thanks for another informative article. I understand toe shots produce hook spin. I have read that the most common miss from mid to high handicap players is a toe shot. Why then do most of these players slice the ball? Based on your previous articles and your book, I am thinking swing path is out to in. It can be confusing. John
Adam Young
Sep 25, 2015 at 12:04 pm
Hi John,
The majority of slicers I see hit the ball from the heel. This can sometimes be the cause of the slice, but more often simply correlates with an open face to path and left swing direction.
I always use marker pens to monitor strike location, and use Trackman to quantify path numbers. I can also get an idea from the face/path/spin axis relationships to see where the ball was hit on the face
Huge
Sep 25, 2015 at 11:41 am
You realize this will make no sense whatsoever to high handicappers who can’t hit the ball straight at all. Because all they see, then, in this article’s analysis, is that the driver’s face shouldn’t be this large! They’re going to ask, well, then, why don’t you guys make driver faces and heads the same size as an iron, so there is less twisting???? They’ll also ask you, is this why most players struggle to hit the hybrid properly???? but can hit the iron better?
So why do we make such huge driver heads?
Brian
Sep 25, 2015 at 3:19 pm
You’re a silly dude.
BIT
Sep 25, 2015 at 6:12 pm
Brian’s an idiot
TR1PTIK
Sep 25, 2015 at 10:21 am
I’ve used foot powder spray at the driving range and found it extremely helpful in identifying impact location. Depending on the location of the strike, the sound and feel is entirely different. I now know that a muted “ting” combined with a “hard” impact means that I hit the ball low and out of the heel (my most common miss). A louder “crack” combined with a “medium-hard” to “hard” impact means I was close to center, but high on the face (second most common). A loud “crack” combined with a “soft” impact means I was much closer to finding the club’s CG.
Good article Adam. Keep it up.
Christestrogen
Sep 25, 2015 at 9:19 am
What if the gears were nails?
Mind blown ***
Brian
Sep 25, 2015 at 9:49 am
Haha!
Adam Young
Sep 25, 2015 at 1:17 pm
stay tuned next week for ‘wrench golf’ ;p
other paul
Sep 25, 2015 at 12:28 pm
Stop picking on the poor guy. He was made fun of a lot for that article. But it is a good starting point for beginners. So you really shouldn’t mock him for it. Not everyone can be a pro WRXer like you… Or me ????
Christestrogen
Sep 26, 2015 at 9:02 am
I love adams articles….