Question: What is Center of Gravity, and How Does It Affect the Shot?Question: What is Center of Gravity, and How Does It Affect the Shot?

Author: thachi

Answer: The center of gravity (CG) of any object is the one small point which represents the intersection of all the possible balance points of that object. In a golf clubhead, the CG can be determined by balancing the head on its face, sole, or any place on the head – the intersection inside of the head of all these different balance points is the center of gravity of the clubhead.

Because the center of gravity is a single point inside the clubhead, its location has to be defined in 3-dimensions. This means that a clubhead has a vertical CG location (how high up in the head the CG from the sole). It also has a horizontal CG location (how far over it is from the center of the shaft in the hosel of the head). Finally, the center of gravity is also defined by how far back from the face it is located.

The lower the center of gravity and the farther back the center of gravity is from the face of the club, the higher the trajectory of the shot will be for any given loft angle on the clubhead. Of the two CG locations that affect the height of the shot, the CG back from the face has a greater effect on the height of the shot than does the vertical CG (up from the sole). Continue reading »