The point of contact on the clubface is crucial. HoleInOne Golf explains how Gear Effect influences your shots.
At HoleInOne Fitting, we work with golfers of all skill levels—from beginners to seasoned players. One common issue we see: many don’t understand why their ball suddenly curves sharply left or right. Understanding this is key to controlling your ball flight. Even the best club can only perform if you know your weaknesses. Today, we’re highlighting one of the most important yet underestimated factors: Gear Effect.
What is Gear Effect in Golf?
Many golfers blame a slice or hook on an open or closed clubface at impact. In reality, Gear Effect often plays a major role. It occurs when the ball is struck off-center—not in the sweet spot of the clubface.
How Gear Effect Works
If the ball is struck toward the toe, the clubhead twists slightly open due to its internal center of gravity. This causes the ball to stay on the face longer and gain counter-rotation—resulting in a stronger draw.
Conversely, hitting the ball on the heel produces opposite spin—leading to a slice. This often happens when the shaft is too short, making heel strikes more likely.
Gear Effect also has vertical implications:
• Low face strikes: The club leans forward, the launch angle flattens, spin increases, and distance drops.
• High face strikes: Launch angle increases, spin decreases—also reducing distance.
The Gear Effect is most noticeable with drivers due to the large distance between the center of gravity and the face center. But it also affects fairway woods and hybrids.
