We just released a completely FREE wedge masterclass so you can improve your 50-100 yard shots.

Mark Blackburn talk through all the technique and data you need to understand.

It's epic.

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Big thanks to the folks at Rapsodo who helped make this video with Mark happen!

SPONSORED CONTENT Every Golfer Needs a Launch Monitor. Do you have one? ​ You'll improve your practice and have more info about your game. ​Rapsodo makes some of the best options. Mark and I used the MLM2PRO throughout this whole series of videos and it provided great data. ​ ➡️ Check out Rapsodo options​

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Rory's using some good training aids I'd recommend 👇

Golf Digest @GolfDigest What is Rory up to? Our own @LukeKerrDineen explains… (📹: @DPWorldTour) 8:30 AM • Sep 18, 2024 4 Retweets 30 Likes Read 2 replies

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💬 Here's my thoughts on one of them:

Golf Science Lab @golfsciencelab Great training aid to work on staying connected (especially with wedges) 9:26 AM • Jul 22, 2024 0 Retweets 30 Likes Read 3 replies

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🧪 Shot Shaping & Club Kinetics: The Experiment

This info is from a podcast with Dr Sasho MacKenzie (co-founder of The Stack). You can listen on Spotify here.

Sasho and Ping collaborated on a study to examine how different 7-iron models—specifically the Ping Blueprint (small head) and the G710 (larger, game-improvement head)—affect shot shaping and club kinetics.

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​The idea was simple: do smaller club heads really make it easier to shape shots, as many believe?

• Test Group: 15 low-handicap golfers
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• Conditions: Players were to hit draws and fades with both the Blueprint and G710 irons, under tightly controlled conditions (no grip, stance, or ball position changes allowed).
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• Objective: To see how club design impacts workability and how players adjust their kinetics (forces applied to the club) to achieve desired shot shapes.
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Key Findings: The Truth About Workability

• Workability Myth Busted: Both irons had similar levels of workability—meaning players could shape shots equally well with either club. The difference? The Blueprint tended to promote a draw, while the G710 was more fade-biased.
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• Kinetics in Action: When trying to hit draws, golfers exhibited more out-of-plane force (a force that facilitates face closing) with both irons. Yet, despite their efforts, the G710 consistently produced more open face angles, making it harder to hit draws compared to the Blueprint.
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• Takeaway for Golfers: If you’re a higher handicapper using a G710, know that it’s designed to help with consistency and forgiveness, but it might challenge your ability to hit a draw.

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What This Means for Club Selection

Tour Players vs. Amateurs:

• Tour Pros: Prefer smaller heads for their perceived workability, though this study suggests it’s more about personal preference than a true performance difference.
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• Amateurs: Larger-headed clubs like the G710 provide forgiveness and help maintain ball speed on off-center hits, making them a better fit for those still developing consistent ball-striking skills.

The Deep Dive: Kinetics & Face Closing

Sasho discussed an advanced concept that’s crucial for understanding why some clubs are easier to close through impact than others. Here’s the idea:

• Out-of-Plane Moment of Force: A fancy term for how the club’s center of mass interacts with the forces applied by the golfer’s hands during the downswing. Get this right, and you’ve got a face-closing machine. Get it wrong, and you’re fighting to square the face at impact.
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• Next time you’re testing clubs, think about how they feel when trying to hit different shapes. If one club always seems to leave the face open, it might be a sign that its center of mass isn’t working in your favor.

If you enjoyed this make sure to check out the full episode!​

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I'm better at shot shaping than Mark Crossfield 😂

SkyTrak @SkyTrakGolf SKYTRAK's left to right improvement range was built to help you perfect your fade. But if you're feeling bold, you can hit a draw around the opposite side of the tree. Would you do a fade like @golfsciencelab or a draw like @4golfonline? #Golf #GolfImprovement #GolfSimulator 1:53 PM • Sep 7, 2024 8 Retweets 20 Likes Read 3 replies

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Till next time,

-Cordie

✍️ Written By: Cordie Walker.
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