| Bounce | | | | impact and impart more backspin on it. The width of |
| Bounce refers to the relation between the leading | | | | and distance between grooves and the area of the |
| edge and the trailing edge of the grounded club, and | | | | clubface that may be grooved are regulated by the |
| is determined by the lateral radius of the sole. A | | | | Rules of Golf. |
| cambered sole offers more bounce than a straighter | | | | And while there may or may not be any advantages |
| sole. A club with a lower trailing edge and a higher | | | | for different shapes of grooves, a roughened |
| leading edge has bounce. If both edges are level, the | | | | clubface may be of more importance. A recent test |
| club has no bounce. And a club with a higher trailing | | | | appears to have proven that a roughened clubface |
| edge and a lower leading edge has negative bounce. | | | | without grooves imparts more backspin than a |
| To determine the amount of bounce you need, you | | | | smooth clubface with grooves. |
| have to analyze the kind of shots you hit. If you hit | | | | Joints |
| the ball with a descending blow and take out a good | | | | There are several different methods of fitting shafts |
| divot every time, you require a club with some | | | | to clubheads. Usually the shaft is inserted for 1.25 to |
| bounce to prevent you from digging in too deep. | | | | 1.5 inches into the hosel of the clubhead. The joint |
| However, if you sweep the ball off the ground, you | | | | obviously accounts for a sizeable amount of weight in |
| need less bounce. | | | | the hosel, which manufacturers tried to divert away |
| Although entire sets of irons are now offered with | | | | from the heel through different hosel shapes. |
| progressive degrees of bounce ranging from - 3° | | | | More recently, companies like Callaway have begun |
| for the 1-iron through 0° for the 7-iron and 10° | | | | to replace the hosel with a bore-through joint in |
| for the sand wedge, I personally recommend that | | | | drivers and fairway woods, in which the shaft is |
| you get the same degree of bounce throughout the | | | | inserted right into the clubhead and continues all the |
| set with the exception of the sand wedge, which | | | | way to the sole to give players more direct control |
| must have more. You should, however, never have | | | | over the clubhead. Whether or not this approach |
| negative bounce on your clubs. | | | | works for you is something you will have to find out |
| Gear Effect | | | | for yourself, but the weight near the heel of the |
| As you look down the face of a fairway wood or | | | | clubhead has definitely decreased considerably. |
| driver, you will find that it is slightly bulged from heel | | | | However, bore-through irons with hosels accumulate |
| to toe. The bulge was introduced to counteract the | | | | more weight around the heel. |
| gear effect, which sends a ball hit at the toe to the | | | | Hosel |
| left, and a ball hit at the heel to the right, as the ball | | | | As we have seen, the centre of gravity is an |
| skids across the clubface after impact. The bulge | | | | important feature in clubs, as this is where you hit |
| should bring the ball back to a straighter line of flight. | | | | the ball most efficiently. A good golfer will pay |
| Not all bulges are created equal. So if you go out to | | | | attention to the hosel of his or her irons for that |
| buy new clubs, you have to also take aesthetics into | | | | reason. |
| consideration. If you like the look of a bulging | | | | If clubs are not perimeter-weighted, their centre of |
| clubface, get one. If you prefer the look of a | | | | gravity will lie close to the heel or shaft of the club. |
| straighter face, buy that one. When you feel | | | | To shift the centre of gravity more towards the |
| comfortable with the look of your club, it probably | | | | centre of the club, efficient irons are fitted with an |
| helps your game more than the bulge or lack of it. | | | | overslung hosel, one that is bent towards the toe. |
| Roll | | | | Good players prefer underslung hosels which are bent |
| The clubface also bulges from top to bottom, which | | | | towards the player and have the centre of gravity |
| is called roll. Again, this kind of bulge is meant to | | | | even closer to the heel. |
| correct an off-centre shot, one that is hit too low or | | | | Good players prefer underslung hosels which are bent |
| too high. I don't see much advantage in roll. | | | | towards the player and have their centre of gravity |
| Grooves | | | | even closer to the heel. |
| Grooves in clubheads are designed to grip the ball at | | | | |