As golf season starts back up for many golfers, it’s a good time to check the simple stuff.
Grip. Setup. Alignment. Ball position.
And, maybe most importantly, strike location.
I recently bought a pack of impact tape to see if it would give me a better look at where I was contacting the ball on the clubface. I had a feeling my strike was a little off after a few months of not playing as consistently.
After a few swings with the impact tape, it was obvious I was catching the ball farther out on the toe than I wanted.
What impact tape showed me
I could feel that some shots were weak but I probably wouldn’t have caught the pattern as quickly without the tape.
For me, the issue was a combination of setup and working around an injury I’ve been dealing with for a few months. Once I saw the toe contact clearly, I had something specific to work on.
Impact tape doesn’t fix your swing for you but it does give you instant feedback. For me, it was enough to avoid chasing the wrong problem.
Why strike location matters
A toe strike, heel strike, high-face strike or low-face strike can affect distance, launch, spin, direction and feel.
You can sometimes look at the clubface and get a general idea of where contact happened. Impact tape makes it much more obvious.
For me, seeing the toe pattern right there on the tape helped me make a simple adjustment instead of spending a full range session guessing. I also don’t like making big swing changes if I can first change something simple like setup or ball position and strike the center again.
How long does golf impact tape last?
Impact tape is not something you put on the club and use for an entire practice session.
From my experience, you can get roughly 10 strikes per sheet (sometimes less) before it becomes harder to tell exactly where each shot was hit. After a while, the center area gets marked up and the feedback is less clear.
I like it better for short check-ins than long practice sessions. Hit a handful of shots, look for a pattern and make an adjustment. Then use a fresh sheet to see if the contact has improved.
There is also something motivating about trying to darken the center of the face. It gives practice a very clear goal.
What I liked about the impact tape I bought
The impact tape I purchased went on easily and came off without any trouble. I don’t like anything that leaves residue on the clubface or takes extra work to remove.
The box came with plenty of sheets and the tape works for both right- and left-handed golfers.
I’ve used foot spray in the past, including products like Dr. Scholl’s, and it can work. However, I’ve found it can sometimes be harder to clean off than I want. The tape is cleaner, easier and more convenient for a quick range session.
Who should try impact tape?
Impact tape makes sense for golfers who want a simple way to check contact. It can be especially useful if:
- Your shots feel weak but you’re not sure why
- You’re losing distance or height
- You’re returning to golf after a layoff or injury
- You’re working on setup changes
- You want to check whether your contact is improving
- You’re helping a junior golfer learn center-face contact
I especially like it for junior golfers. It turns strike location into a game. Try to hit the center. See if you can make the next one better. Anytime golf feels more fun and less technical, that’s a win.
Is impact tape worth buying?
My vote is yes, especially early in the season. The pack I purchased was about $15 and it has 30 pieces of tape for irons, hybrids and drivers so 90 total.
It’s not going to magically fix your swing but a little awareness and feedback can make a range session more effective.
George
1 month ago
Foot spray, as noted as nauseum.
IME, the cheapest, supermarket brand athlete’s foot spray works. Walgreens “Odor control powder spray,” does not. (For use as strike spray, anyway. My feet do smell better after it tho…)
A dry-erase marker dot on the back of the ball works too. Drawing a vertical line on the ball with it, also works as a dynamic lie test. Obviously, don’t use it indoors.