
Yes, it does. Many studies have been done on this and the consensus is that moving the CoG closer to the face of the putter can improve launch conditions and even aid the stroke. Moving the CoG toward the heel or toe can even cause side spin to be imparted on the ball during a putt.
Why is the center of gravity closer to the shaft?
The reason is that the closer the center of gravity is to the shaft, the lower the moment of inertia about the shaft axis will be, and the greater the tendency will be for the golfer to rotate the face of the club less open/more closed by the time the head gets to impact with the ball.
What does center of gravity mean in golf?
Brent Kelley is an award-winning sports journalist and golf expert with over 30 years in print and online journalism. "Center of gravity" (abbreviated CG) is term golfers often encounter in articles about golf equipment, advertisements of golf clubs, and on the websites of golf club manufacturers.
How do center-of-gravity locations affect Golf shots?
Center-of-gravity locations affect golf shots in these ways: 1 The lower the center of gravity and the farther back the center of gravity is from the face of the club, the higher the... 2 The position of the side-to-side (horizontal) center of gravity matters this way: The closer the CG is to the shaft, the... More ...
Where is the center of gravity on a driver head?
The reason it’s called center of gravity is because it’s near the center of the clubhead. Always. Now that said, the CG location of a driver head has a slight forward bias because: The face is much thicker and heavier than the rest of the body

Why is Centre of gravity important in golf?
On a driver, most golfers will benefit from a center of gravity that's low and back, meaning it's situated closer to the sole and back of the crown of the driver. With this CG position, a golfer is able to hit the ball higher with more backspin, meaning it'll be more controlled and more likely to stay in play.
What effect does gravity have on a golf ball?
Gravity is always acting on a golf ball when it is in the air or on the ground. To combat this force and make the ball end up in the hole, golfers exert a force on the ball when they swing and hit it.
What is the Centre of gravity in golf?
CG stands for centre of gravity and in a golf club head it is the point that all of the weight is acting through. If you drew a line through all the different vertical and horizontal balance points of the club then the intersection of all those lines is the centre of gravity.
Where is the center of gravity in a golf swing?
While CG is mostly found near the middle of an object, it is generally found closer to the face of a golf club due to the face being the thickest and heaviest part of the club. The hosel is also a heavy part of the golf club and this too is located closer to the face.
Do harder golf balls go further?
The harder the ball, the further it tends to go with less spin. Harder golf balls tend to be much cheaper than softer golf balls. If you lose balls regularly then harder golf balls could be ideal for you. Soft balls stick to the grooves of your irons and wedges and spin much more.
Does gravity affect a rolling ball?
Gravitational force is what "creates" friction in the first place. But it's also due to the friction that ball continues to roll and not just spin in a single place. So in some sense, yes - the ball is rolling thanks to gravitational force.
How do you find the center of gravity of a coat hanger?
Balance the hanger from a corner with the string. Again, allow the mass to hang down and trace a line along the string. Now balance the other corner while holding the string and repeat the tracing. The point where all three lines intersect is the center of mass for the hanger.
What causes toe shots?
The most common cause of hitting off the toe is releasing the club early, the wrists unhinging and the right arm straightening too soon on the downswing. Players who do that hit a lot of fat shots, so they learn to yank the club upward either by standing up or bending their left elbow.
What is vertical gear effect?
Vertical gear effect is the major reason that golfers are told that the "sweet spot" of a driver is above the center of the clubface. Better golfers (and perhaps all golfers) will get more total distance from a higher launch angle at the same time as lower backspin.
How do you find the center of a golf club?
0:502:50How To Find The Center of the Club Face | Golf Channel - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipYour lead arm like that if you're one of those people that gets the club in here you go I just wantMoreYour lead arm like that if you're one of those people that gets the club in here you go I just want to keep my lead arm straight you know what straighten the trail arm.
What is high MOI in golf clubs?
A high MOI means that the club is more stable and therefore more resistant to twisting, which translates to more ball speed and a straighter shot. So for the average golfer a high MOI is beneficial as it will lead to consistently straighter and longer shots from off centre strikes.
Where is the Centre of a golf iron?
Center Of Gravity is the point in the golf club head where half of the weight lies on either side.
What is center of gravity in golf?
Center Of Gravity is the point in the golf club head where half of the weight lies on either side. AKA the Balancing point of the club.
Why move the CoG closer to the face of the putter?
Many studies have been done on this and the consensus is that moving the CoG closer to the face of the putter can improve launch conditions and even aid the stroke. Moving the CoG toward the heel or toe can even cause side spin to be imparted on the ball during a putt.
Why are bladed irons so hard to hit?
One of the reasons that bladed irons can be so hard to hit is because the CoG is much lower in them. Think about that chunky portion on the back of the club and how that brings the weight center down. Cavity backs have high CoG because weight is distributed differently.
What does a low CoG mean on a golf club?
This may be the most important factor behind the performance of a club. A low CoG nearer the club face can reduce spin and increase distance, it can also makes the club less forgiving. A club with a CoG that is off-center would impart side spin on the ball and make it hard to hit it straight.
What is the CoG of a golf club?
In simple terms, the CoG of anything is the point at which the weight of an object is perfectly balanced. This definition, extended to golf, means the point of your club where the weight is concentrated and often balanced, this is usually in the center of the club head. Many manufacturers would have you believe that you can move ...
Do golf clubs have moveable weights?
Anyone who has ever had a club with moveable or adjustable weights has had the ability to move the CoG of their driver. It is arguably the most important factor in the performance of a club yet it is something that most golfers don’t know much about and you certainly should care about it if you want to find your potential in the game.
Is buying golf clubs complicated?
Golf clubs are complicated things and buying them seems evermore complicated. As technology develops we have more and more to think about when it comes to choosing the correct clubs for our games. Thankfully people out there are trained in helping us get it right and cutting through the noise.
Where is the center of gravity on a golf club?
As you might expect given its label, the center of gravity is always located very near the center of the clubhead. The CG of every driver measured for this series of articles is located within a box that’s 14mm front to back and 12mm top to bottom.
What is the center of gravity?
Center of Gravity (CG or CoG) is the point at which all of the weight of an object appears to be concentrated. An object can be balanced on a small flat point placed directly beneath its center of gravity.
What are the three things that affect CG movement?
The significance and impact of flipping, sliding, or any other type of CG movement depends on three things: 1. The direction the weight is being moved. 2. How much weight is being moved. 3. How far the weight is being moved. The more weight you can move over a greater distance, the more the CG will shift.
Why does CG location matter?
CG location matters because it heavily influences both performance and feel. How high your driver launches, how low it spins, how it feels, and how it sounds at impact, that all begins with its center of gravity. Before we dig deeper into the specifics of how CG location impacts both performance and feel, there are a few things we need ...
Why are forward CG drivers harder to square?
A forward CG location will cause the shaft to feel stiffer. Because of the effect on closure rate , forward CG drivers may be harder to square, and some golfers will find it difficult to control the club during swing. While it may not be universally true, I ...
How does CG affect golf?
On a comparative basis: 1 Drivers with forward CG locations often feel heavier than those with rear CG placements 2 A forward CG location will cause the shaft to feel stiffer. 3 Because of the effect on closure rate, forward CG drivers may be harder to square, and some golfers will find it difficult to control the club during swing
Why does the driver head have a slight forward bias?
Now that said, the CG location of a driver head has a slight forward bias because: The face is much thicker and heavier than the rest of the body. The hosel (and all of its weight) is near the front of the club. 2.
What is CG in golf?
What is CG? Centre of Gravity by definition is an imaginary point in an object in which all mass is evenly distributed. Imagine holding a golf club on the end of your finger and finding the balance point so the club just hangs, it doesn’t crash on the floor. Your finger is at the bottom of the CG location for the club.
How much does CG change in golf drivers?
Using data from The Golf Lab, CG in different drivers does not change more than 15mm. Using one of last years drivers with sliding weights, they found moving all the weight forward, then all the way back only shifted CG by 3mm.
Where is the CG on a golf club?
The CG of a golf club head is typically very close to the center of the head, as you’d expect, but the exact CG location is extremely important. Any minute changes in CG can have a drastic effect on performance.
What degrees are lower lofted wedges?
That’s because lower-lofted wedges (46-54 degrees) are played more often on full shots where higher launch is beneficial, and higher-lofted wedges (56-60 degrees) are used on shots where lower launch and higher spin is important for control. CG is also closely related to MOI (moment of inertia), which we’ll cover in-depth on the next installment ...
What does CG stand for in golf clubs?
When it comes to golf club technology, the term “center of gravity” — “CG” or “CoG” for short — gets thrown around quite a bit, but it isn’t often explained to the average golf consumer.
What is CG forward?
Here are some basic rules of CG as they relate to golf clubs and performance at impact: CG Forward (toward the face) will lower launch and spin, and generally make the club play a bit less forgiving. CG Back (away from the face) will increase launch and spin, and generally make the club play more forgiving. CG High (toward the top of the club head) ...
Why is CG important?
While CG may seem like marketing speak based on how frequently golf club companies mention the term, CG is actually incredibly important when it comes to performance and feel. Where CG is located on a golf club influences launch, spin, feel, sound, forgiveness, how a shaft performs in conjunction with the club head, and so much more.
Is a low forward CG better for golf?
When it comes to drivers, a low CG design has proven effective for almost all golfers, and most modern driver companies in 2020 have very low CG designs. The challenge for golfers is to determine whether a low-forward CG design or a low-rearward design is better for their game.
Do irons have CG?
Game-improvement irons typically have lower and more rearward CGs throughout an iron set, while players irons have higher and more forward CG locations for greater workability. CG location also influences performance on wedges and putters, too.
What degree of bounce is needed for sand wedges?
A large bounce (14 degrees or more) is required on most sand wedges to avoid the club digging deep into the sand. Once the clubs leading edge starts to penetrate the ground (sand or soft turf) the bounce will add resistance to prevent continued penetration and tend to make the club slide.
Who invented the graphite shaft?
Frank Thomas, inventor of the graphite shaft, is founder of Frankly Golf, a company dedicated to Helping Golfers. Frank is Chief Technical Advisor to The Golf Channel and Golf Digest. He served as Technical Director of the USGA for 26 years and directed the development of the GHIN System and introduced the Stimpmeter to the world of golf.
What happens if you hit a golf club with your head and body moving away from the target?
If your head and body move away from the target, then you will hit very unreliable shots. You will have to release early and flip the club to make contact. However, it is impossible to have perfect timing. Sometimes you will make contact and feel good about yourself.
What happens to a ball striker's right hip?
Regardless of how you achieve the backswing, the common thing that happens in all good ball strikers is that their right hip, or right gluteal region (AKA their rear-end) goes past the mid-line towards the target at the top of the swing.
What is the key to good ball striking from fairway to green?
Greer, MD. The key to good ball striking from fairway to green is to have a shift of the center of gravity towards the target early in the downswing.
Where is your torso stacked?
Your torso is stacked on top of your pelvis. Where your pelvis goes, so goes the center of gravity. People have different bony structures and turn their hips back-and-forth differently in the swing. Mike Adams gets the credit for realizing this and having his students do anthropometric tests.
Does the pelvis twist around the flagpole?
However, for all people, the pelvis does not twist around a perfectly stable flagpole axis. There is a big arc that the sacrum and pelvis move on. This aerial view of Jack Nicklaus and Gary Player demonstrates that.
Why do pros use driver shafts?
The problem is, many pros use driver shafts that are built to lower spin and keep the ball from drawing too much. They use stiff and stable profiles, often with very strong tip sections. To reduce a slice, you’ll want to do the opposite.
What is a slice off the tee?
The slice is undoubtedly the most common issue that plagues amateur golfers, and it costs them distance, strokes on the scorecard, and sanity. The best way to fix a slice, of course, is to take lessons from a teaching professional and spend endless hours on ...
Why do amateurs slide their hips too much?
Many amateurs mistakenly slide their hips too much toward the target in an effort to shift their weight, but this inhibits their ability to rotate, leading to inconsistent ball striking.
How to shift forward?
The Right Way To Shift Forward. Get to the left heel: Your weight should shift to your left toes and then into your left heel. If you really want to develop power, you need to transfer your weight properly.
What is the fade and draw setting on a golf cart?
Fade and Draw Settings (moving center of gravity) A lot of modern drivers come with settings that allow you to move the center of gravity horizontally. Moving around weights can favor more of a fade (left to right) or draw (right to left) ball flight.
What does loft do on a driver?
Woody says that getting the loft setting on your driver is the most important. Modern drivers allow golfers to move the loft around by several degrees now. Increasing or decreasing loft can change how far you hit the ball and the accuracy of your drives considerably. Also, moving the center of gravity around with weights can affect the shape ...
Does weights affect the shape of your shots?
Also, moving the center of gravity around with weights can affect the shape of your shots. A lot of drivers now come with fade and draw options . Woody says he is a little more hesitant to play around with the weights to move the center of gravity.
Is loft important in golf?
If you are looking to maximize your driver performance, especially for distance, loft is critical. There are so many misconceptions amongst golfers about how loft actually works in a driver. For starters, there is no such thing as a standard loft in terms of its performance.
