[O.B.Left]

The argument for why hinge action is irrelevant, as I understand it,is that the ball is on the face of the club for such a short period of time that there is no effective difference between the direction of the club face at impact and that of the face at separation. Because nothing happens between impact and separation, there is nothing that hinge action does.

In discussions with those who advocate the irrelevance of hinge action, I have asked why then does hinge action seem to make a difference that can be seen and felt in, for example, the simplest of shots (as remarked by OBLeft). The answer I received was that hinge action sets the face prior to impact, which then leads to the ball flight. Horizontal hinging tends to a closed face at impact, etc. The point that is made is that nothing significant happens during the impact interval because the time the ball and the face of the club are in contact is so short.

Thanks for sharing rprevost. So this is an old topic of discussion I take it? Im guessing there is some data supporting this contention. Itd be interesting to see. I can see how its "irrelevant" to say Trackmans calculations. That it isnt needed. But does that make it irrelevant to ball response? Not necessarily. There must be a lot of things , compression for instance that isnt measured directly. I dont know , Im a newbie to trackman, I like it though. But Im still thinking there is a practical application for the golfer, making Hinging anything but "irrelevant".

Im no scientist but the thing that seems odd to me is that, brief though the impact interval is , the ball is completely squished and rebounds......that we all agree on Id imagine. So why is not enough time for the ball to roll up the face a little bit more for the layback inherent with Vertical Hinging? The ball seems to get a lot done in that little bit of time , why not react to layback too?

My guess is that what may be irrelevant for Trackman measurements has been extrapolated into a general irrelevance and probably with some malicious intent towards Homer........but remember that Homer didnt invent Hinge action he only identified it. Hinge Action is as old golf itself Id say. Actually given the cor of a feathery it might have been even more "impactfull" in the early days.