Distance Vs. Swingspeed. Theory Vs. Reality?

[Dan Twomey]

Here's a friend of mine's response to my post http://www.torontogolfnuts.com/showthread.php?t=20604 about my 270 yard tee shot with my 3 wood.

I find that many courses and driving ranges have erroneous distances. The other day, with you, when I hit a 6 iron shot what looked like well over 200 yards in the air, there's no way... Obviously, with downhill and hardpan, distances are stretched abnormally and really can't be counted as true distances hit.

Fact is, true distance is the direct effect of swing speed. Neither you or I can swing 110+ mph, as Tiger can. That's what you would need to hit a 3 wood 275yds on a flat normal fairway. In order to hit 110+ mph, we need to go past horizontal on the backswing, and have perfect plane and lag on the downswing. Although I do believe we both have increased to 90+ from 85mph or so, I don't think we swing much more. IF you don't agree, get your swing measured.


On one hand my friend is very intelligent and good with technical issues. On the other hand he is very much an 'I can't' person. We were out golfing one day and I was telling him about my goal of shooting in the seventies one day. He said that since we're both in our mid-forties that was impossible. We were too old. I told him that I golf with a very portly late 50's friend that does shoot high 70's and shot an 82 at Royal Ashburn last year with me. He now denies he said that.

I can't dispute some of his technical points. We both probably have an SS around 90mph. But I'm more of an 'I can' person. In the summer of 2005, my first summer of golf, I shot an 80 on the front 9 at Seaton. Last Thursday I shot a 46.

I think reality is a blend of theory and experience.

Share your experiences. I'm interested in hearing what's possible.

Regards,
Dan :)

[nearace]

Here's a friend of mine's response to my post http://www.torontogolfnuts.com/showthread.php?t=20604 about my 270 yard tee shot with my 3 wood.



On one hand my friend is very intelligent and good with technical issues. On the other hand he is very much an 'I can't' person. We were out golfing one day and I was telling him about my goal of shooting in the seventies one day. He said that since we're both in our mid-forties that was impossible. We were too old. I told him that I golf with a very portly late 50's friend that does shoot high 70's and shot an 82 at Royal Ashburn last year with me. He now denies he said that.

I can't dispute some of his technical points. We both probably have an SS around 90mph. But I'm more of an 'I can' person. In the summer of 2005, my first summer of golf, I shot an 80 on the front 9 at Seaton. Last Thursday I shot a 46.

I think reality is a blend of theory and experience.

Share your experiences. I'm interested in hearing what's possible.

Regards,
Dan :)dan you can shoot in the seventies ,good drives, decent short game ,make some 1 putts it is very possible, shot 81 at seaton 2 weeks ago and could of saved 4to5 shots easy,thats mid seventies maybe tomorrow:)

[Cybergolfer]

Personally I think too emphasis is placed on swing speed. Why is that a pro who a swing speed of 100 mph will hit this driver 280 while the amateur only 260. The reason is one makes perfect or near perfect contact. Most golfers sometime experience hitting a ball much further than normal. That is due the timing being perfect. Case in point : 18th hole Mill Run parr 5 hit two bad shots left myself 180 to pin. (pin was cut 15 paces from the front and about 30 from the pin to the back) Normally I hit my 5 180-185 I just swung normally and watched the sail through the air over the green. Estimate 200-205 easy. The swing was effortlessly it was like slicing soft butter with a hot knife. The point here that dont worry about swing speed worry about making solid contact.

[Golftime]

I am 57 years old, just under 6 feet tall and weigh about 244 pounds, yet I have broken 80 twice times this year and have an average score under 83. So you are not too old!
My driver swing speed is between 95 and 100.
Here's a friend of mine's response to my post http://www.torontogolfnuts.com/showthread.php?t=20604 about my 270 yard tee shot with my 3 wood.



On one hand my friend is very intelligent and good with technical issues. On the other hand he is very much an 'I can't' person. We were out golfing one day and I was telling him about my goal of shooting in the seventies one day. He said that since we're both in our mid-forties that was impossible. We were too old. I told him that I golf with a very portly late 50's friend that does shoot high 70's and shot an 82 at Royal Ashburn last year with me. He now denies he said that.

I can't dispute some of his technical points. We both probably have an SS around 90mph. But I'm more of an 'I can' person. In the summer of 2005, my first summer of golf, I shot an 80 on the front 9 at Seaton. Last Thursday I shot a 46.

I think reality is a blend of theory and experience.

Share your experiences. I'm interested in hearing what's possible.

Regards,
Dan :)

[Carlton]

Fact is, true distance is the direct effect of swing speed. Neither you or I can swing 110+ mph, as Tiger can. That's what you would need to hit a 3 wood 275yds on a flat normal fairway. In order to hit 110+ mph, we need to go past horizontal on the backswing, and have perfect plane and lag on the downswing. Although I do believe we both have increased to 90+ from 85mph or so, I don't think we swing much more. IF you don't agree, get your swing measured.

Last time I read, TW's ss is well above 110mph!! There is zero truth to your friend's theory of needing to go beyond parallel at the top of your swing in order to generate a 110mph ss. Not to knock your friend but I think he should watch more golf on Sat and Sun on the tele when they do swing analysis on the pros.

[goshawk]

Last time I read, TW's ss is well above 110mph!! There is zero truth to your friend's theory of needing to go beyond parallel at the top of your swing in order to generate a 110mph ss. Not to knock your friend but I think he should watch more golf on Sat and Sun on the tele when they do swing analysis on the pros.
There is a misconception that the long hitters on tour have a backswing past parallel. Most of them don't. Tiger, Vijay, Bubba Watson for example. Their "speed" is generated mostly from being in shape, flexibility, properly releasing the "torque" built up on the backswing, timing, and the delay in releasing the "wrist cock" angle on the downswing. Yes, age will slow this speed down some, but remaining in shape and flexible will delay this decay in speed.
Also, the ability to score well has very little to do with age. Granted, the more we "duffers" age, the less likely we'll be bombing 300 yard drives consistently simply because we're no longer as flexible or in shape as we were 10 years ago. But we can still score well. Case in point: I sometimes play with a group of seniors in Markham. They are all between 55 and 70, and not one of them can hit a drive past about 200 yards. But almost every one of them is a single digit hdcp. What they do is hit it straight almost all the time, second shot near the green, them up-and-down for par. And that's on the longer holes. They don't miss very often.

[Bellyhungry]

Recently I added a little extra wrist cock right before I start my downswing and have been hitting it farther with my driver and hitting my irons more consistently. I think that little added wrist cock in the transistion allowed me to delay my uncocking.

[xander.uk]

Just watch the seniors tour?

There are guys on there in their 60's shooting well under par!

Sure i appreciate they are great players from the past but many of them dont hit it any further than you but they have better course management and chip and putt well..............thats something we can all work on improving whatever our age!

i only took up golf 19 months ago..........at the age of 40......and i hope to get to a single figure handicap soon ( was hoping for this season but it hasnt happened yet :mad: )........but it will................thats gonna mean regular rounds in the 70's.

why arent i there yet?...my short game isnt good enough!!

my long game is pretty good...tee to green i match or better guys i play with who are single figure handicappers.......but my short game lets me down a little.

i am working on improving it all the time but i know i could easily take 4 putts off per round and i could also improve my chipping to a stage where i am left with putts inside 20 feet more often than outside 20 feet which is more likely at present!

its coming along nicely i am not complaining but nor do i think your friend so knowledgeable!

going past horizontal....or over swinging is the cause of a great many golfing errors............of course there are some professionals who do this ( john daley springs to mind) but most pro's now favour controlling the swing more for acccuracy and dont even go to parallel themselves.

my brother who is 50 is currently playing off 6 handicap ( has just recovered from breaking his wrist which is a terrible injury for a keen golfer).last year he was playing off scratch and he expects to be back to scratch in the near future as he completes his recovery and plays more regularly again.
Rounds in the 60's are his aim ( maybe mine too 1 day :) why not?)

Set your standards high................if you fail to reach them at least you tried......if you set your standards low you will never reach your full potential (imo).

As for your swing speed ( or what your friend thinks is a lack of swingspeed) thats why golf clubs come with a huge range of different golf shafts.

My advice would be to see your local club fitter to find the clubs and shafts most suited to your swing/swing speed and concentrate mostly on improving your short game.......thats where most shots are lost on the course!


good luck :D