Moderate/Faster swings?

[Beezerk]

I’m reading golf ball reviews, a couple of which have been from the the GM guys.
Quite a lot of reviews mention ball X is more suited to moderate swing speeds and ball Y is better for faster swing speeds.
What does this mean exactly?
By this I mean what parameters are they using to differentiate between the two swing speeds?
For me a faster swing speed would be like a pro or low handicap player, moderate is the rest of us mere mortals lol.
What do you guys think? Would be interested to hear from the GM guys about this as well

 

[Bratty]

I think they often say 100+mph clubbhead speed is fast. I'm not sure I've seen moderate figures, but guessing 80-99mph?
<80 would be slow.
The balls for higher swingspeeds are generally deemed to have a higher compression ratio (or something), so a TP5x won't go as far for an 81mph swing as a 105mph swing, because the former isn't fast enough to compress it enough.

 

[Imurg]

Balls.....as wacky as shafts...
Faster swing speeds are over 105, average is in the 90s, slower is in the 80s and below. Ask 10 people and you'll get 10 different answers...
Soft is, comparatively, slow on the ball speed front, especially for the faster swing. The ball gets deformed too much and you lose energy
Harder balls, the "x" balls, deform less so the higher speed player gets more ball speed so goes further.
But soft balls spin less, generally, and lower spin = more distance.
Harder balls spin more, with a urethane cover, so distance can drop.
Slower swings can benefit from a harder "x" ball because they get more ball speed and more spin which keeps the ball in the air longer.
The difference in distance off the driver isn't going to be a lot, off irons a bit more,
Then, of course, it comes down to feel....softer balls feel better for most especially on chips, pitches and putting.
MyGolfSpy ball tests are a good place to get info on balls and swing speeds..
https://mygolfspy.com/best-golf-balls-2021/

 

[jim8flog]

Bridgestone use 105mph as their guide to using their urethane balls*

Titleist say their Provs are suitable to all swing speeds

* I have a relatively slow speed these days and can certainly see the difference between a B330 and B330RXS

 

[Voyager EMH]

I generally ignore all blurb, babble and advertising speak. A lot still finds its way through my filters however.

I try out balls that I find and use my own judgement as to what suits me in the differing playing conditions and differing courses that our wonderful country and climate provide.

Pro V1, Srixon Soft Feel, Callaway Supersoft and TM RBZ Speed provide me with a good choice for the differing conditions.

One ball for all weathers and courses is not something I subscribe to.

Don't know what my clubhead speed is. I imagine it varies greatly depending on what I'm trying to achieve with each particular shot.

 

[Jason.H]

Im a low handicap and have used many different brands. Some balls I like and some I dont. I use a ProV1 X in the summer and cheaper Bridgestone Tour BX in the winter. The Bridgestone is meant for a higher swing speed than mine but I like the distance and flight it just doesn’t have the greenside spin once the greens get fast.

 

[Region3]

Don't know what my clubhead speed is. I imagine it varies greatly depending on what I'm trying to achieve with each particular shot.

Absolutely, but generally when people ask about club speed they mean when you have driver in hand and want as much distance as possible between you and your ball after you’ve hit it

Lots of people still don’t know this. I’m not 100% sure - I know roughly but wouldn’t put money on it.

 

[weewullie]

By this I mean what parameters are they using to differentiate between the two swing speeds?

For me a faster swing speed would be like a pro or low handicap player, moderate is the rest of us mere mortals lol.

What do you guys think? Would be interested to hear from the GM guys about this as well

There is no correlation between swing speed and handicap. I've played with higher guys that hit the ball a country mile and I've played with scratch guys that are 20 yards shorter than me.

 

[Voyager EMH]

Absolutely, but generally when people ask about club speed they mean when you have driver in hand and want as much distance as possible between you and your ball after you’ve hit it

Lots of people still don’t know this. I’m not 100% sure - I know roughly but wouldn’t put money on it.

For me, that is a rare occasion playing betterball when my partner has played a good safe shot on a shortish par 4.
"As much distance as possible" means thrashing it, which is not my usual swing swing speed.
Hence my swing speed varies according to what I'm trying to achieve with each shot.

 

[Beezerk]

There is no correlation between swing speed and handicap. I've played with higher guys that hit the ball a country mile and I've played with scratch guys that are 20 yards shorter than me.

Yeah I know it was just a general statement really. In my experience the lower handicap guys hit the ball a lot further than us mere mortals, there are obviously exceptions to that rule

 

[sweaty sock]

Its just a generalisation. Using speed helps pigeon hole players if you swing it 105+, its likely you have good mechanics, strike it decent, and probably get a decent amount of spin. So balls are tailored to suit that general profile.

If you swing less than 100 then you probably dont have great mechanics, probably dont strike it perfect, probably dont use spin as a weapon so are more interested in distance.

If you know even a little about your game, you should be able to categorise yourself much better than the side of a golf ball box.

 

[Beezerk]

Sounds like I need a ball fitting

 

[Jason.H]

I’ve always valued the fairway over distance myself. Though this year im changing it up and being a bit more aggressive

 

[Voyager EMH]

Sounds like I need a ball fitting

Maybe more than one?

 

[BiMGuy]

There is no correlation between swing speed and handicap. I've played with higher guys that hit the ball a country mile and I've played with scratch guys that are 20 yards shorter than me.

Maybes not swing speed. But there absolutely is between distance and handicap. Obviously we all know there are outliers, so there is no need to tell us.

 

[weewullie]

Maybes not swing speed. But there absolutely is between distance and handicap. Obviously we all know there are outliers, so there is no need to tell us.

You're wrong on that. There are seniors that can't hit the ball 250 anymore playing off plus handicaps.

 

[BiMGuy]

You're wrong on that. There are seniors that can't hit the ball 250 anymore playing off plus handicaps.

Like I said. There are outliers


Average Driving Distances, by handicap (male)
> 20 handicap: 205.2 yards
15-20 handicap: 211.2 yards
10-15 handicap: 220.4 yards
5-10 handicap: 230.3 yards
0-5 handicap: 237.8 yards
< 0 handicap: 239.6 yards

 

[jim8flog]

Im a low handicap and have used many different brands. Some balls I like and some I dont. I use a ProV1 X in the summer and cheaper Bridgestone Tour BX in the winter. The Bridgestone is meant for a higher swing speed than mine but I like the distance and flight it just doesn’t have the greenside spin once the greens get fast.

If you want more greenside spin from the Bridgestone balls the The BXS is the version to use.

When I used to play Bridgestone I would play the RXS version in summer and the RX version in winter.

 

[jim8flog]

I too go with handicap is no indication of how far you hit a ball

I remember once playing in a Pro Am and the pro was hitting his drives 30-50 yards shorter than me, however he was like setting a guided missile.

"where do I hit this to Jim" he would ask and bang it would go virtually exactly where I said.

On a personal note even before I had a handicap I could drive the ball 300 on occasions with wooden headed clubs.

 

[D-S]

Like I said. There are outliers


Average Driving Distances, by handicap (male)
> 20 handicap: 205.2 yards
15-20 handicap: 211.2 yards
10-15 handicap: 220.4 yards
5-10 handicap: 230.3 yards
0-5 handicap: 237.8 yards
< 0 handicap: 239.6 yards

So the key difference you need as a 10 handicapper to become a plus handicapper is 9 yards off the tee.