Lighter Drivers and Slower Swing Speeds

[ken419]

Been reading a lot about the trend towards light drivers and I was wondering- exactly how much would it really benefit someone with a slower swing speed? Sure, you might swing it an extra 2-3 mph faster, but is it really enough to give you a noticeable increase in distance?

I think of the physics formula 'F=MA' (Force=Mass x Acceleration) as the basis for this question. In other words, if you don't have a whole lot of 'A', should you maybe use a driver with a little more 'M' to create more 'F' if you have a slower swing speed?

 

[Hanks]

I think this is why drivers are in fact lighter now. the lighter weight will help those slow swingers in fact swing faster.

if you're a slow swinger to begin with, a heavier driver will only make your swing that much slower

Been reading a lot about the trend towards light drivers and I was wondering- exactly how much would it really benefit someone with a slower swing speed? Sure, you might swing it an extra 2-3 mph faster, but is it really enough to give you a noticeable increase in distance?

I think of the physics formula 'F=MA' (Force=Mass x Acceleration) as the basis for this question. In other words, if you don't have a whole lot of 'A', should you maybe use a driver with a little more 'M' to create more 'F' if you have a slower swing speed?

 

[jefffann]

1 yd is 3 feet.So a 2 or 3 yd gain could be from 6 to 9 feet.The height of an average guy and an average ceiling.Put in that perspective the gains are phenominal wouldn't you say?

 

[blugold]

Been reading a lot about the trend towards light drivers and I was wondering- exactly how much would it really benefit someone with a slower swing speed? Sure, you might swing it an extra 2-3 mph faster, but is it really enough to give you a noticeable increase in distance?

I think of the physics formula 'F=MA' (Force=Mass x Acceleration) as the basis for this question. In other words, if you don't have a whole lot of 'A', should you maybe use a driver with a little more 'M' to create more 'F' if you have a slower swing speed?

Adams, Cleveland, Taylormade, and Cobra all claim that the >300 Gram drivers will add an average of 10-12 yards to a person's swing speed. That is a hefty addition. Granted, it may be better to use a heavier driver and learn how to hit the center of the club face, but what's the fun in that.

 

[jefffann]

Adams, Cleveland, Taylormade, and Cobra all claim that the >300 Gram drivers will add an average of 10-12 yards to a person's swing speed. That is a hefty addition. Granted, it may be better to use a heavier driver and learn how to hit the center of the club face, but what's the fun in that.

Politicians claim a lot of things too. We all know how that works out.By the way NOV 2nd

 

[JB]

Adams, Cleveland, Taylormade, and Cobra all claim that the >300 Gram drivers will add an average of 10-12 yards to a person's swing speed. That is a hefty addition. Granted, it may be better to use a heavier driver and learn how to hit the center of the club face, but what's the fun in that.

Why cant one hit the center of the club face with a lighter driver and still get the assistance of more distance?

 

[Snap Hook]

@KEN I use the Superfast driver and when I was testing it I was feeling the same way. "who cares if I swing twice as hard if i'm hitting the ball with a NERF driver head?" not the case, still enough heft in the club head to compress the ball. I gained roughly 4-5 mph in Swing speed and I lost about 1000 revolutions in spin off the club face while the launch angle remained roughyl the same. What does all that match mean? My buddy gets out of the cart first everytime now. And isn't that all that matters? Frankly I gained about 10 yards in length and most of the times when I'm playing by myself I don't notice it. but when I'm playing with my buddies and I'm always last to hit from the fairway, its a nice feeling.


How funny would it be 5 yrs from now, Cleveland TM & others start deveolping "HEAVY" Drivers in response to this Light driver trend?

 

[blugold]

Why cant one hit the center of the club face with a lighter driver and still get the assistance of more distance?

Some may over swing a lighter driver. I'm not saying that it is a universal truth that lighter drivers leada to over swinging, but it may happen.

 

[Snap Hook]

Some may over swing a lighter driver. I'm not saying that it is a universal truth that lighter drivers leada to over swinging, but it may happen.

I do, especially late in a round when I'm tired physically and mentally. As I get loose and warmed up in a round, my swing gets longer and looser, its a flaw in my course management. But I don't feel its any worse due to the driver being lighter.

 

[Drumdog]

How funny would it be 5 yrs from now, Cleveland TM & others start deveolping "HEAVY" Drivers in response to this Light driver trend?

Isn't that what the golf world did with back weighted grips? When they came out it was all the rage, now it's all about light weight grips.

 

[blugold]

I do, especially late in a round when I'm tired physically and mentally. As I get loose and warmed up in a round, my swing gets longer and looser, its a flaw in my course management. But I don't feel its any worse due to the driver being lighter.

Sure, you seem like an accomplished golfer. I on the other hand am not. I am subject to over confidence after a few good swings, I feel like I can grip & rip. That is when it gets ugly. A heavier driver is harder for me to over swing.

 

[JB]

Some may over swing a lighter driver. I'm not saying that it is a universal truth that lighter drivers leada to over swinging, but it may happen.

Sure, you seem like an accomplished golfer. I on the other hand am not. I am subject to over confidence after a few good swings, I feel like I can grip & rip. That is when it gets ugly. A heavier driver is harder for me to over swing.

Your other quote

"Granted, it may be better to use a heavier driver and learn how to hit the center of the club face, but what's the fun in that."

I guess my question is if that is the case for you, because you overswing, I understand it, but I really dont think that is the problem for as many people as you expect. The #1 driver sold this year has been lighter. The #1 driver used on tour this year has been lighter. I usually use both to gauge what is working and what isnt. Maybe that is the problem. maybe none are working.

But a golfer should be able to fit themselves to find the right launch conditions regardless of weight and lighter may in fact help someone get more distance while no loss in accuracy. The goal is always to find something one is comfortable with.

In this scenario, our testing is showing some INCREDIBLE ball speed gains and even better shot dispersion than some heavier choices.

It all comes down to diferent strokes for different folks in the end and hopefully all can find a club that works for them.

 

[Ole Gray]

I would also consider who makes the light shaft as to what performance it delivers. I was not a fan of the lightweights until I tried a new release driver with the Miyazaki shaft. It delivered the wow factor and although two of my current drivers have the 75 gram shafts in them, yep you can adapt to the light shafts. Especially if they are good ones.

 

[JB]

I would also consider who makes the light shaft as to what performance it delivers. I was not a fan of the lightweights until I tried a new release driver with the Miyazaki shaft. It delivered the wow factor and although two of my current drivers have the 75 gram shafts in them, yep you can adapt to the light shafts. Especially if they are good ones.

Agree 100%. If you listen to Miyazaki on THP radio, he speaks about this. And the issues in the past with balance between grip, head, and shaft.

 

[golf4life]

I'm not sure the F=MA^2, and P=MV formulas fully apply in this case as mass involves not just the clubhead but the effective mass in your body applying the clubhead to the ball.

What I do know is this: I hit a bunch of drivers recently on a launch monitor at Golfsmith, and I was swinging the lightweight ones (DST, Adams) faster and hitting the ball further consistently. Now for me, I was seeing my swingspeed going from about 116 with a R9 Supertri to about 119 with the Adams for an avg increase in distance of about 8 yards, or about 2.5% more distance.

Someone swinging about 90 mph should see the same or more swing speed increase, for a distance gain closer to 4%. Pretty nice.

Certainly some may not be able to properly control the swing with the lighter club, but I think adjustments can be made for many golfers, and gaining swing speed and distance without doing unnatural acts physically is a great thing. Lets just say my next driver will be as light as I can swing consistently... I'm hoping the Cleveland with the 39 gram C. Kua works for me.

 

[Ole Gray]

I'm not sure the F=MA^2, and P=MV formulas fully apply in this case as mass involves not just the clubhead but the effective mass in your body applying the clubhead to the ball.

What I do know is this: I hit a bunch of drivers recently on a launch monitor at Golfsmith, and I was swinging the lightweight ones (DST, Adams) faster and hitting the ball further consistently. Now for me, I was seeing my swingspeed going from about 116 with a R9 Supertri to about 119 with the Adams for an avg increase in distance of about 8 yards, or about 2.5% more distance.

Someone swinging about 90 mph should see the same or more swing speed increase, for a distance gain closer to 4%. Pretty nice.

Certainly some may not be able to properly control the swing with the lighter club, but I think adjustments can be made for many golfers, and gaining swing speed and distance without doing unnatural acts physically is a great thing. Lets just say my next driver will be as light as I can swing consistently... I'm hoping the Cleveland with the 39 gram C. Kua works for me.

I hear ya partner!

 

[arydolphin]

First of all, at slower swing speeds, it is more important to hit the ball in the center of the face than increase club-head speed. Here is data from the latest Trackman newsletter:
Swing speed of 90 mph with smash factor of 1.45 = carry of 200 yards
Swing speed of 92 mph with smash factor of 1.40 = carry of 196 yards
Swing speed of 88 mph with smash factor of 1.50 = carry of 204 yards

So if you're getting more swing speed from a lighter driver, but the contact isn't as good, you're not going to see benefits. However, I think that as long as you can adjust your tempo to a lighter driver to be able to hit it consistently in the center of the clubface, then you will definitely see benefits from lighter clubs. The key is getting a lighter club overall, but still keeping the swingweight close to what a heavier club would be so that the overall feel isn't all that much different. I think where some people struggled with a club like the Superfast is that it wasn't just lighter than other clubs, but also longer than other clubs, and some people couldn't hit it well because of the length of the club as opposed to the weight.

 

[junior lefty]

I don't have a very fast swingspeed, but the adams helped me a lot. When I hit the center, I probably hit 250 and that is pretty far for me. The only bad thing, however, is that my usual miss is on the toe and it hooks it and doesn't go very high. It's all personal.

 

[blugold]

I guess my question is if that is the case for you, because you overswing, I understand it, but I really dont think that is the problem for as many people as you expect. The #1 driver sold this year has been lighter. The #1 driver used on tour this year has been lighter. I usually use both to gauge what is working and what isnt. Maybe that is the problem. maybe none are working.

But a golfer should be able to fit themselves to find the right launch conditions regardless of weight and lighter may in fact help someone get more distance while no loss in accuracy. The goal is always to find something one is comfortable with.

In this scenario, our testing is showing some INCREDIBLE ball speed gains and even better shot dispersion than some heavier choices.

It all comes down to diferent strokes for different folks in the end and hopefully all can find a club that works for them.

I do overswing. I tried the Superfast. I overswung it. The Supertri was more consistent for me. Because I control that driver more consistently center, I bought that one. You are 100% correct, different strokes for different folks.

 

[Greenjacket]

Lightweight driver shaft is mentioned alot but isnt the lenght of the shaft on these drivers a contributing factor to the swing speed?

 

[sacul1573]

Been reading a lot about the trend towards light drivers and I was wondering- exactly how much would it really benefit someone with a slower swing speed? Sure, you might swing it an extra 2-3 mph faster, but is it really enough to give you a noticeable increase in distance?

I think of the physics formula 'F=MA' (Force=Mass x Acceleration) as the basis for this question. In other words, if you don't have a whole lot of 'A', should you maybe use a driver with a little more 'M' to create more 'F' if you have a slower swing speed?

I think you're thinking of the formula in the wrong way. The way I see it, any golfer has a finite force (F) with which he can hit a golf ball, and so, in order to increase club head velocity (acceleration is velocity^2/seconds), you must increase the acceleration. To increase acceleration, the Mass must be decreased.

 

[JB]

Lightweight driver shaft is mentioned alot but isnt the lenght of the shaft on these drivers a contributing factor to the swing speed?

It certainly does. However with lighter weight technology in the club heads being used, it has meant that the shafts have been able to go lighter and still not lose balance.

 

[erodkram]

Just changed from a Nike dymo 10.5 stiff shaft to a Burner Superfast 10.5 with a regular shaft. Only took it to the range thus far but I have experienced some teething problems. The light feel of the Burner caused me to really go for it with my swing. Gripped it and Ripped it quite literally. The results weren't exactly mind blowing. I found that on a good solid connection with my regular tempo i gained 10-20 yards with the Burner but it's just too easy to get wild with. When trying to smash the ball, as the feel of the club encourages, I lost a lot of distance and had an awful slice due to poor off center strikes. I can already see how the lighter drivers will improve average joe's(like myself) distance and accuracy but could take time and restraint to master.