[Matt]

FOR ALL OF US WHO HAVE BEEN TAUGHT OR LEARNT IN ALMOST EVERY TEXT WRITTEN ON BALL FLIGHT LAWS THAT THE CLUBHEAD PATH( BEYOND A CERTAIN SPEED WHERE THE PATH VECTOR SPEED SUPERCEDES THE FACE DIRECTION DICTATES TO THE STARTING INITIAL DIRECTION OF THE BALL AND THE DIRECTION OF THE CLUBFACE WILL DETERMINE THE CURVATURE OF THE BALLFLIGHT, THIS IS OBVIOUSLY NOT CORRECT AS PER THE ASSUMPTION MADE. IN A PUTT WHICH IS A STROKE OF LESSER INTENSITY THAN A DRIVE IT IS CLEARLY SEEN THAT THE CLUBFACE ALIGNMENT DETERMINES THE STARTING DIRECTION OF THE BALL BUT WHAT HAPPENS WHEN THE CLUBHEAD TRAVELS ACROSS THE BALL FASTER AS IN A DRIVER. WOULD THE RESULT BE THE SAME IN BOTH CASES??? IT WOULD BE NICE TO KNOW FOR OUR FORUM READERS WHAT ACTUALLY HAPPENS TO THE SHOT SHAPE WHEN THE PATH IS OUT TO IN AND THE CLUBFACE IS OPEN TO THE PATH LINE IF ITS NOT A PULL SLICE THEN WHAT IS IT/ A PUSH SLICE.

The clubface determines starting direction. The ball will always leave at about right angles to the clubface at separation. Let's think about it in simple terms: the ball rebounds off the clubface and starts in a given direction. How is the ball going to start RIGHT when the clubface is pointing LEFT? There's really no way for the ball to rebound in a direction other than where the face is pointing. In my example, the out-to-in path with an open face will cause the ball to start RIGHT and curve further RIGHT.

We should discuss the fact that the ball is compressed against the face for about 3/4 of an inch down the line of compression during impact. Some will say that this will cause the ball to start in the direction of the clubhead path. I believe that the effect on path in this circumstance is negligible, because as soon as the ball rebounds off the face it's taking off wherever the face is pointing. See 2-D-0 "Directional Factors."