# clubhead speed



## macca64 (Aug 7, 2012)

clubehead speed creates distance so i believe, is it pure technique,strength,or both,got some strength,not sure about the other,last time i was measured my 7i was about 75mph, i'm 6'3,so got some arc on it,


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## Wolfman (Aug 7, 2012)

I am like you but 7i distance and all irons has increased as technique has improved not swing speed

Proper weight shift made a huge difference in better contact, less deep divots, and distance 7i 150yds approx


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## duncan mackie (Aug 7, 2012)

macca64 said:



			clubehead speed creates distance so i believe, is it pure technique,strength,or both,got some strength,not sure about the other,last time i was measured my 7i was about 75mph, i'm 6'3,so got some arc on it,
		
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clubhead speed is a major factor in distance - but has little to do with strength


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## JT77 (Aug 7, 2012)

It not all about club head speed for distance, technique, timing, tempo, ball flight, smash factor and I'm sure other things also play a part.
If you can generate good head speed though it will help provided your timing is good. 
I'm only 5'8, but my 7i was head speed was somewhat over 80 at my fitting for the mag and was generating around 165 carry on the system, on the course I use my 7 for around 160 total, the machines can alter some things. 
I would say though that as your improve your speed will increase as your technique does.


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## Region3 (Aug 7, 2012)

I'd disagree JT, in a non-argumentative sort of way 

The only thing the ball knows is how much force is transferred to it and in which direction that force is applied.

All other things (launch angle, quality of strike) being equal, a horrible swing with a horrible tempo delivering the club at 75mph will hit the ball the same distance as the most graceful swing on the planet delivering the club at 75mph. One player might look like Ernie and the other like the Tasmanian Devil but the ball doesn't know that.

I agree that better technique is the way to faster club head speed. If it were strength I'd be doomed.


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## JT77 (Aug 7, 2012)

I think maybe I miss understood, I'm talking swing speed as I got confused, I'm sure in principle its the same idea just diff speeds. 
R3, I know what you mean, but I think there are far too many variables involved too say that everyone who swings x mph hits it same distance. I'm sure someone will set me straight though.


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## G1BB0 (Aug 7, 2012)

the pro's dont neccessarily swing fast but they have a great contact and compress the ball correctly. That is why they are average 20-30 yards per club longer than me 

If swing speed was the be all I would be over 300 yds with driver every timne, alas I am rarely over 230-240


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## RGDave (Aug 7, 2012)

Region3 said:



			I agree that better technique is the way to faster club head speed. If it were strength I'd be doomed.
		
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I am doomed mate! 

b.t.w. Remember Lorena Ochoa. - "Although only 5 ft. 5 in. and weighing 120 pounds, LPGA Tour Pro Lorena Ochoa's average drive is 271 yards."

She clocked in at 99 mph (average) on a LM and generated up to 150 mph ball speed. How's that for smash.


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## RGDave (Aug 7, 2012)

Region3 said:



			One player might look like Ernie and the other like the Tasmanian Devil but the ball doesn't know that.
		
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or Eeyore. 


After all, one cant complain. I have my friends. Somebody spoke to me only yesterday. And was it last week or the week before that Rabbit bumped into me and said Bother!


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## Scouser (Aug 7, 2012)

JT77 said:



			but I think there are far too many variables involved too say that everyone who swings x mph hits it same distance. I'm sure someone will set me straight though. 

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Launch angle??? may be??

75 mph straight up I would think would go less  than a flatish hit shot?


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## SocketRocket (Aug 7, 2012)

This video may help:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LzIVh6Op8pk&feature=relmfu


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## RGDave (Aug 7, 2012)

SocketRocket said:



			This video may help:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LzIVh6Op8pk&feature=relmfu

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Loved it! I'm watching that again, lots.


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## MadAdey (Aug 8, 2012)

IMO strength does not mean your going to hit the ball a long way. To me it is a combination of 2 things, clubhead speed and quality of strike. If you have a high clubhead speed and hit it out of the middle then it will go a long way, simple.


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## Ethan (Aug 8, 2012)

Well, you can't hit it far without some clubhead speed, and for any given clubhead speed there will be a maximum distance that can be achieved. But the speed needs to be correctly applied to work and most players would do better with a bit less speed and a bit better quality strike.


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## MashieNiblick (Aug 8, 2012)

Agree with the others that clubhead speed has to be combined with quality of strike.

The thing is that a swing like Ernies is probably more likely to  deliver the force in the correct way (unless you are Jim Furyk or Tommy Gainey). That's why the pro's work on their technique. Not to look  pretty but to increase the consistency and quality of the strike. I think  they'll spend more hours on the range doing that than simply developing more  speed. Didn't Luke try to increase his club speed and lose form as a  result.

It would be interesting to know how much difference increase in club head speed makes in relation to quality of strike factors (i.e. ball hit from the middle of the club with a square face at the optimum angle of attack). I wouldn't mind betting that better quality striking is a more effective/efficient way of increasing distance. It'll be "better" distance too as it is more likely to result in ball flying on target.


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## Region3 (Aug 8, 2012)

MashieNiblick said:



			It would be interesting to know how much difference increase in club head speed makes in relation to quality of strike factors (i.e. ball hit from the middle of the club with a square face at the optimum angle of attack). I wouldn't mind betting that better quality striking is a more effective/efficient way of increasing distance. It'll be "better" distance too as it is more likely to result in ball flying on target.
		
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Too true.

How often have we 'swung easy' and the ball goes further than we expect.

The secret (which I'm still working on) is then NOT to think "Wow! Now if I just hit it a little bit harder it will go even further".


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## duncan mackie (Aug 8, 2012)

MashieNiblick said:



			The thing is that a swing like Ernies is probably more likely to  deliver the force in the correct way ......
		
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I think there is a big danger that people will interpret this statement lots of ways, and many wrong ones!

Ernie creates his club head speed from (1) longer shafts (2) a wider arc ....

Club head speed will be a function of the above mechanical elements applied through swing technique which will incorporate timing, which is itself a function of tempo.

Smash factor will convert the clubhead speed to ball speed - middling it on face, square face to clubhead path etc

Distance will then be a function of ball speed and launch angle; basic rocket science!

For us mere mortals it's normally the timing that dictates the club head speed at impact - most will release the club head too early and the club head speed then becomes a simple function of the hand/arms speed. 

Get it spot on and the club head speed will benefit from the maximum angular release (ie the hands move the last 1" and the club head travels from waist height, or higher! through the ball in the same time period) plus an extra contribution from the shaft action - all delivering the club head square and centered to the ball :clap:


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## timchump (Aug 8, 2012)

i've been reading a really good book "swing like a pro" which is based on scientific research of tour pro's

they say if you aren't hitting your driver 250 yards (220 for a woman) then you will benefit from both distance and accuracy by working on your technique

if you aren't hitting it consistently at least this far i wouldn't work on improving club head speed


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## duncan mackie (Aug 8, 2012)

timchump said:



			i've been reading a really good book "swing like a pro" which is based on scientific research of tour pro's

they say if you aren't hitting your driver 250 yards (220 for a woman) then you will benefit from both distance and accuracy by working on your technique

if you aren't hitting it consistently at least this far i wouldn't work on improving club head speed
		
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as presented this doesn't make sense - golf swing technique delivers club head speed; it's improving technique that improves club head speed.


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## timchump (Aug 8, 2012)

i must admit i can't remember the exact quote i'll have to dig it out........

i think its something along the lines of accuracy vs distance 
work on improving your technique to improve accuaracy and distance will naturally follow up to at least 250 yards for a man 


 golf technique does improve club head speed obviously, as does simply trying to swing the club harder, 
im saying don't try and hit the ball "harder" until you can at least hit it 250 yards swinging comfortably within yourself


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## sawtooth (Aug 8, 2012)

I think it may depend on what type of golfer your are, a swinger or a hitter. The latter probably requires more strength whereas the arm swinger relies more on perfect timing i would say.


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## duncan mackie (Aug 8, 2012)

timchump said:



			i must admit i can't remember the exact quote i'll have to dig it out........

i think its something along the lines of accuracy vs distance 
work on improving your technique to improve accuaracy and distance will naturally follow up to at least 250 yards for a man 


 golf technique does improve club head speed obviously, as does simply trying to swing the club harder, 
im saying don't try and hit the ball "harder" until you can at least hit it 250 yards swinging comfortably within yourself
		
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starting to make sense put like this but, and it's a huge but in the context of this thread, "golf technique does improve club head speed obviously, as does simply trying to swing the club harder" 

'swinging the club harder' does not increase club head speed for the majority of club level players. anyone who has had time with launch monitors and fitting services will know that 'slashing at the ball - technical term for trying to hit it harder - is not the way to increase the club head speed. this may well be what the original quote you provided was trying to get at - until you are hitting it 250 with a smooth normal swing and little effort there is no point in trying to 'hit it' further by, for example, speeding up the hands or shoulders because you won't have the underlying timing in place to benefit from any small increase in hand speed you can achieve.


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## timchump (Aug 8, 2012)

yep i think you undertsand what i m getting at, im probably not coming across well, 

i do question trying to swing the club harder doesn't create more club head speed though, i think it does to an extent but has an upper limit, for example with an average technique i think it would be nearly impossible to swing a driver at 120 mph but would thought it possible to increase club head speed say from 90 100 mph by just being more aggresive. 
For me it would anyway, I hit long drives in my first year of golf, as proabaly as long as a good un goes for me now, 
but i would like to think my technique has improved over the 10+ years and hundreds of lessons


i think everbody has had a freak long driver where they've swung hard, and through pure luck the club was applied to the ball correctly, resulting in 260+ yards
though most amateurs their swing isn't sound enough to hold togehter repeatedley when turning on the power.
hence saying *until you can drive at least 250 yards without turning on the power, dont turn on the power *
again i think hitting harder does mean more distance - correctly applied, im sure a lot of women on the LPGA have superior techniques to their counter parts

in relation OP yes 75 mph is a little slow, and yep he's right he should have quite an arc on it given his stature, it's more than likely down to poor technique, than turning on the power, until i see his swing i don't know for sure,  i would guess he has something that is slowing the club head down approaching impact, casting, hips not getting out the way etc, which could be happening for a number of reasons.


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## Region3 (Aug 8, 2012)

In a lot of cases, trying to hit it harder results in a slower swing speed due to tense muscles not moving as fast.
If I have to go after one I think about turning faster and really whipping the club through.

I read an article once about trying to hit the ball harder. It came to the conclusion that a reasonably strong man purposely trying to push the club through faster using brute strength could only add between 1 and 2mph to club head speed by doing so. Hardly seems worth the effort or risk.


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## RGDave (Aug 8, 2012)

Region3 said:



			I read an article once about trying to hit the ball harder. It came to the conclusion that a reasonably strong man purposely trying to push the club through faster using brute strength could only add between 1 and 2mph to club head speed by doing so. Hardly seems worth the effort or risk.
		
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No. You're not wrong.

(?) too much beer.

Interesting to see people in action on a LM. "I'll really go all out for this one", and often...no real difference at all.

It's all very well mashing the hell out of it, but 9/10 your ratio of clubhead speed to ball speed is going to suffer.
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 not to mention side spin!


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## SocketRocket (Aug 9, 2012)

Forcing clubhead speen with brute force will create tension in the arms and wrists, this will reduce clubhead speed.

Try this:  Hold a ballpoint pen between your thumb and forefinger.  

Flicking your wrists back and forwards a number of times with a very relaxed hold and arm see how fast you can move the pen.

Now grip the pen tightly with tensed muscles in your wrist and arm and flick the pen back and forwards again.

Distance is created by a number of conditions measured as 'The Smash Factor"   Clubhead speed is an important part of creating ball distance but if good impact is not created then it will not be fully effective.


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## Foxholer (Aug 9, 2012)

SocketRocket said:



			Distance is created by a number of conditions measured as 'The Smash Factor"   Clubhead speed is an important part of creating ball distance but if good impact is not created then it will not be fully effective.
		
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Smash Factor is simply Ball Speed divided by Clubhead Speed - nothing more/less. It's a measure of 'efficiency' (quality) of strike - with 1.5 being the max possible (from a legal Driver).

Someone hcreating a 160mph ball speed, but a Smash Factor of 1.35(or any other value) will hit the ball the same as someone else with a 160mph ball speed and smash factor of 1.5 - all other factors being identical. By better technique, the lower SF player could almost certainly improve easier than the one with a higher SF.


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## timchump (Aug 9, 2012)

hmm not sure i agree with a generic hitting it harder doesn't necessary create more club head speed, if somebody told me to hit it harder i would try and spin my hips as fast/hard as possible......
though agree pushing the club through as hard as possible wouldn't create more club head speed , but i think thats a different discussion/point


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## Foxholer (Aug 9, 2012)

timchump said:



			hmm not sure i agree with a generic hitting it harder doesn't necessary create more club head speed, if somebody told me to hit it harder i would try and spin my hips as fast/hard as possible......
though agree pushing the club through as hard as possible wouldn't create more club head speed , but i think thats a different discussion/point
		
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I can certainly confirm from experience (on a Launch Monitor as well as course) that my 'flowing' swing was/is faster than my 'Welly it' one - by about 5mph!


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## timchump (Aug 9, 2012)

i better get on a launch monitor! 
from my experiece hitting it harder i get more carry (possibly in the wrong direction) which i take as a measure of club head speed.

im not condoning hitting it hard in anyway i'm just suroprised by these responses.

if i could convince myself a nice flowing swinging equaled more club head speed it would really change my approach

one of my favourite parts of the game for me is lauching a drive, especially in the summer


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## JustOne (Aug 9, 2012)

Assuming centeredness of strike and smash factor are consistent then more clubhead speed will equal more distance. To go back to the OP is it strength? No. It's as much flowing rythm as it is pure muscle but it IS a combination of both (strength being an alround measure of contributing parts and flexibility, not just what your bicep can achieve).


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## Swinger (Aug 9, 2012)

I find 65% the best number to swing at to keep good club head speed and everything in control.


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## duncan mackie (Aug 9, 2012)

Swinger said:



			I find 65% the best number to swing at to keep good club head speed and everything in control.
		
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interesting observation from the man with probably the highest clubhead speed of those posting here....


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## Foxholer (Aug 9, 2012)

Swinger said:



			I find 65% the best number to swing at to keep good club head speed and everything in control.
		
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This seems waaay too low to me.

No chance of the 3/4 (75%) swing.

To go into WRX/BSG mode...Leaving yards on the table!


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## SocketRocket (Aug 9, 2012)

Foxholer said:



			Smash Factor is simply Ball Speed divided by Clubhead Speed - nothing more/less. It's a measure of 'efficiency' (quality) of strike - with 1.5 being the max possible (from a legal Driver).

Someone hcreating a 160mph ball speed, but a Smash Factor of 1.35(or any other value) will hit the ball the same as someone else with a 160mph ball speed and smash factor of 1.5 - all other factors being identical. By better technique, the lower SF player could almost certainly improve easier than the one with a higher SF.
		
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Yes thats correct although the factor is an output, there are a number of inputs that affect the SF like centeredness of hit, effective loft and clubhead speed.


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## Foxholer (Aug 9, 2012)

SocketRocket said:



			Yes thats correct although the factor is an output, there are a number of inputs that affect the SF like centeredness of hit, effective loft and clubhead speed.
		
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It's Ball Speed that is affected by the other factors!

Smash Factor merely quantifies a particular swing/strike agains an 'ideal' one.

Read the paragraph below the quoted one in this article. http://www.andrewricegolf.com/2011/06/how-to-hit-it-longer-than-ever/

or here:  http://www.planetruthgolf.com/PlayerResources/Forums/tabid/77/aft/28424/Default.aspx


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## SocketRocket (Aug 9, 2012)

Foxholer said:



			It's Ball Speed that is affected by the other factors!

Smash Factor merely quantifies a particular swing/strike agains an 'ideal' one.

Read the paragraph below the quoted one in this article. http://www.andrewricegolf.com/2011/06/how-to-hit-it-longer-than-ever/




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Is'nt it saying the same thing?  Get the best set of launch conditions you can to max distance.


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## Foxholer (Aug 9, 2012)

SocketRocket said:



			Is'nt it saying the same thing?  Get the best set of launch conditions you can to max distance.
		
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I'm not simply after max distance. It's Optimum distance/Straightness I'm after.

I can squeak a few extra mph out of my swing - with the same SF - but other measurable attributes (sidespin, face angle at impact etc) will affect where the ball ends up - and I certainly don't want to hit an 'ideal strike' and end up in the trees!


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## SocketRocket (Aug 9, 2012)

Foxholer said:



			I'm not simply after max distance. It's Optimum distance/Straightness I'm after.

I can squeak a few extra mph out of my swing - with the same SF - but other measurable attributes (sidespin, face angle at impact etc) will affect where the ball ends up - and I certainly don't want to hit an 'ideal strike' and end up in the trees!
		
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"*Best set* of launch conditions *you can* to max distance"    Not maximum distance possible but your own maximised effective distance.   Well! thats what I meant anyhow.


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## Swinger (Aug 9, 2012)

duncan mackie said:



			interesting observation from the man with probably the highest clubhead speed of those posting here....
		
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I just like feeling in control and putting a smooth movement on the ball!

 It may not look that way though!


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## Swinger (Aug 9, 2012)

Foxholer said:



			This seems waaay too low to me.

No chance of the 3/4 (75%) swing.

To go into WRX/BSG mode...Leaving yards on the table!
		
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I put a full swing on the ball but just hit it at about 65% power. I'm not too worried about the yards left on the table as I don't lose as many golf balls as I used to, I still loose a few now though!


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## USER1999 (Aug 9, 2012)

Swinger said:



			I just like feeling in control and putting a smooth movement on the ball!

 It may not look that way though!
		
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So you meant to hit it in the trees?


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## Foxholer (Aug 9, 2012)

Swinger said:



			I put a full swing on the ball but just hit it at about 65% power. I'm not too worried about the yards left on the table as I don't lose as many golf balls as I used to, I still loose a few now though!
		
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Was that a 65% power, so 65% clubhead spead, swing that put the ball on the 18th green from the tee at Camberley Heath?

What is your 65% Swing Speed then?


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## Foxholer (Aug 9, 2012)

SocketRocket said:



			"*Best set* of launch conditions *you can* to max distance"    Not maximum distance possible but your own maximised effective distance.   Well! thats what I meant anyhow.
		
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Agreed.

Have I (well the references) convinced you that SF is purely Ball Speed diveded by Clubhead Speed? And that the 'other factors' simply affect Ball Speed?


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## JustOne (Aug 9, 2012)

Foxholer said:



			Was that a 65% power, so 65% clubhead spead, swing that put the ball on the 18th green from the tee at Camberley Heath?

What is your 65% Swing Speed then?
		
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That was his 48.74% swing as he was looking for a soft landing to keep it 10ft from the pin!!!!

</lucky git>  LOLOLOL


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## SocketRocket (Aug 9, 2012)

Foxholer said:



			Agreed.

Have I (well the references) convinced you that SF is purely Ball Speed diveded by Clubhead Speed? And that the 'other factors' simply affect Ball Speed?
		
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Well! I am convinced it is the output.   I am also convinced that the inputs are a number or variables.


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## Foxholer (Aug 9, 2012)

SocketRocket said:



			Well! I am convinced it is the output.   I am also convinced that the inputs are a number or variables.
		
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Agreed - 2

Perhaps this will convince you. What's 173.8 divided by 118.2. You'll see those numbers and the result in the 'Smash' in this link

http://www.knightsbridgegolfschool.com/fitting.html


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## JustOne (Aug 10, 2012)

Foxholer said:



			Smash Factor is simply Ball Speed divided by Clubhead Speed - nothing more/less.
		
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I don't necessarily agree with that wording. Smash factor is applied to the clubhead speed to give us the ball speed which up until the point of impact will remain an unknown regardless of how fast the club head is travelling.

The reason I say that is because smash factor is something you can actually improve rather than just accepting that it's the result of the ball speed Ã· club head speed, even by lowering your clubhead speed to gain more distance.....

from the link you posted earlier....




			With a club speed of 100 mph and a smash factor of 1.40, the ball speed is 140 mph. But if the golfer could obtain a smash factor of 1.48 with a more controlled swing having a lower club speed of 98 mph, the ball speed would be increased to 145 mph â€“ i.e. an additional 5 mph ball speed by swinging slower. Since 1 more mph ball speed (all other things equal) will generate 2 more yards carry, an extra 10 yards is added to the drive in this case by swinging with more control! Further, the more controlled swing will most likely have a very positive effect on dispersion
		
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## Foxholer (Aug 10, 2012)

James,

Would you believe the guys that 'discovered' the New Ball Flight Laws?

http://www.trackman.dk/download/newsletter/newsletter3.pdf

You might even recognise the colours and text!

There is no logic to your association of Smash Factor as something 'real'. It is simply a metric. It's the Ballspeed that is the REAL thing to improve. In the case you quote, that is achieved, supposedly, by a more centred strike.


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## JustOne (Aug 10, 2012)

Foxholer said:



			James,

Would you believe the guys that 'discovered' the New Ball Flight Laws?
		
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I didn't say I didn't believe you or that you were wrong in any way only that I don't believe that the wording correctly portrays the concept of smash factor... as SR said previously (I think) the ball speed is a RESULT of the smash factor.. the fact that AFTER you've hit the ball you can back track to work out the smash factor if you know the clubhead speed is irrelevant. Even the Trackman site should use words like COR and clubhead path/loft. 

(....you're gonna make me go read that now you git!!!!!) <wink> LOLOL


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## Khamelion (Aug 10, 2012)

Foxholer said:



			I can certainly confirm from experience (on a Launch Monitor as well as course) that my 'flowing' swing was/is faster than my 'Welly it' one - by about 5mph!
		
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All my lessons take place using a flight scope to show my ball flight etc. On one paticular lesson I'd gone in a little bit angry and subsquently I was trying to knock the skin off the ball, my technique was all over the place. My teacher got me to slow my back swing down, and concetrate on accelerating through the ball from around 85-90% of a full swing, in doing so my swing was more controlled and I added, like foxholer, around 6mph to my swing speed.



Region3 said:



			In a lot of cases, trying to hit it harder results in a slower swing speed due to tense muscles not moving as fast.
		
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This is what I was told by my teacher, tense tight muscles are going to slow you down and hinder you swing.



Region3 said:



			If I have to go after one I think about turning faster and really whipping the club through.
		
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This is what I'm trying to do now, slow back swing and concentrate on accelerating through the ball, getting that whipping effect Region3 writes about above.


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## Foxholer (Aug 10, 2012)

JustOne said:



			I didn't say I didn't believe you or that you were wrong in any way only that I don't believe that the wording correctly portrays the concept of smash factor... as SR said previously (I think) the ball speed is a RESULT of the smash factor.. the fact that AFTER you've hit the ball you can back track to work out the smash factor if you know the clubhead speed is irrelevant. Even the Trackman site should use words like COR and clubhead path/loft. 

(....you're gonna make me go read that now you git!!!!!) <wink> LOLOL
		
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James,

Do you think I posted the link just for the hell of it? Please read it! I'd lose respect for you if you didn't. As stated, you'll probably recognise quite a bit of it!l

Smash Factor is a result of Ball Speed NOT the other way around. How many times must the calculation be splatted in front of you (and SR) before you agree! 

And I was going to waffle on about basic attributes ('normalisation' for IT geeks) , but lack of internet access has saved you from my ramblings about that. The simple way of thinking about Smash Factor is that it's quite similar to Distance - a completely derivable value - albeit a really useful one. The way to determine which attributes are essential, and which ones are derived is to imagine that Trackman etc is storing the info, but has a distinct lack of space - and only wanted to store the data that was essential. Neither Distance nor Smash Factor (nor ball location/dispersion) would need to be stored as both/all could be calculated from the truly basic data! Smash Factor would be the easiest to calc though!

However, the concept of  'improving your Smash Factor' is quite a reasonable one, just like 'getting more distance' is. But in the 'real' world, it's probably called 'hitting it better'!.  There is a tendency for LM users to become a bit obsessive about the numbers and forget that there was plenty of 'fitting' being done before LMs (and concepts like Smash Factors) existed!


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## SocketRocket (Aug 10, 2012)

Foxholer said:



			James,

Smash Factor is a result of Ball Speed NOT the other way around. How many times must the calculation be splatted in front of you (and SR) before you agree!
		
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I totally agree,  I dont think I have said otherwise.   My point (poorly put it seems)  was that  swing speed is not the only factor to hit the ball far, there are a number of factors (that I wont explain again )  and these are the ones that can create the best outputs (a higher smash factor) for your swing speed.


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## JustOne (Aug 10, 2012)

Foxholer said:



			James,

Do you think I posted the link just for the hell of it? Please read it! I'd lose respect for you if you didn't. As stated, you'll probably recognise quite a bit of it!l

Smash Factor is a result of Ball Speed NOT the other way around. How many times must the calculation be splatted in front of you (and SR) before you agree!
		
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You're doing that 'play on words' thing again aren't you?

Smash factor isn't the same as working out the radius of a circle once you know the circumfrence, it's not a constant even though it IS as you say the result of ballspeed over club speed. If I tell you I hit a ball at 130mph what was my smash factor? in ballistic terms it would be like measuring muzzle velocity and accepting that you can't change the bullet.

Smash factor is something you can actually improve and saying that it's simply a division of numbers doesn't make that apparent to the layman, that would be like telling someone that a 7-iron goes 150yds and then leave them wondering how they hit it 165.

So YES of course smash factor is a simple calculation but explaining it in such terms is a waste of time at best.

Just to side track a bit...I was reading something (maybe the Trackman site) where it was saying that coaches working with their pupils should focus on smash factor and ball speed, the actual club head speed wasn't an important stat to know by itself.... yet (ironically) us choppers do all seem to know what our clubhead speed is!.... I happen to know that my smash factor with the Callaway FTiQ was 1.5 and I did hit a 1.52.


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