Swinging smoothly

[Imurg]

Found what I was looking for....

In this month's mag, Gary Allis specifically says " take 15% off your normal swing speed to stop the ball ballooning"

If I do that my 84mph swing speed becomes 72.....
That can't mean that the shaft is working properly. On short shots its not an issue but with 165 yards to go it has to be.

 

[MashieNiblick]

Interesting thread.

RE Gary Allis's advice, if your ball is ballooning you may be swinging too fast for your shafts. So slowing down brings you back to the right speed for the shaft and improves ball flight.

If you are going to make a permanent and significant change to how you swing it seems to me that it is quite possible that a different shaft, or flex, may be needed to produce the best results.

However I notice that although pros have lies, shafts, etc. optimised for their swings they often choke down the grip (affecting lie) and/or make half or easy swings (affecting shaft flex) to obtain a particular distance or trajectory, usually with excellent results.

It does make you wonder how much lee-way there is but clearly there is scope for some variation. Even if the swing speed is not the optimum for a particular shaft it may not have that much effect if it is say 10-15% faster/slower as I assume there is a lot of overlap in what shafts work at what speeds. Some people with slower swings still play effectively, and like using, stiffer shafts because of things like feel or ball flight.

I suppose it might also depend where you fit on the "scale". If you are border line stiff/x stiff and use stiff and then slow down 15% there is less difference than if you are border line stiff/reg and slow down 15%. If you use stiff when you should clearly be using reg and slow down you might well have problems with the flight/distance. I found that this year when I started playing again.

That seems a very long reply, especially as I am not an "expert", except by experience.

Maybe need Ethan or Bobmac to add some technical stuff to enlighten us.

 

[RGDave]

Murg, I don't know if it's any use to you, but I've been practising with a 6 iron with a Leadbetter grip.
This has a DG S 300 which is FAR too stiff for me.
If I try and hit the ball normal speed, I can't square the face....as in, not a hope in hell. If I swing easy and loose as a goose in a papoose, I can hit this club pretty darn sweetly, although it does go somewhat lower....

In short, forget the shaft question i.m.o. if I can hit a DGS300, anyone can.

 

[Mungoscorner]

My swing speed for a 6 iron is 82 mph - the chap at Mizuno said that was borderline regular/stiff.

Sure others might think I'm a poof for using regular but I couldn't really care less.

I bought Titleist and was borderline speed so the Pro had Project X 5.5's put in and I have found them to be just right.

Poof ?? if I could get 3 shots off my handicap I'd carry a pink handbag!!


Chris

Haha made me chuckle.

I played with a 1 and 3 h/capper last weekend who both use regular shafts all their lives and both have 88+ swing speeds.

On swinging smoothly think smooth not slow, the 2 can be mixed up sometimes, Goosen starts slower but accelerates at a constant rate, that's the key, controlled acceleration, do you screech away at the traffic lights or accelerate at a controlled speed, once your on plane and started a smooth downswing you can go at it as hard as you want.

Very good point,a friend of mine plays off 1,has been a regular county 2nd's player,and has a driver swing speed of 111 mph.He's never had anything but DG R300'S in his irons,and does not suffer with lack of acuracy or ballooning.
Some of these custom fits seem to base everything on swing speed,and i'm sure tempo and impact position are just as important when choosing the best shaft for an individuals swing.

 

[bobmac]

On swinging smoothly think smooth not slow, the 2 can be mixed up sometimes.
Once your on plane and started a smooth downswing you can go at it as hard as you want.

You're not as daft as you look