Question On Distance

WLG1952

Well-known member
Albatross 2024 Club
Joined
Nov 26, 2019
Messages
10,495
Reaction score
6,870
Location
Boulder City, NV....... for a while
Handicap
N/A
ok, here's the set up for the question.

Both golfers are using the same brand/model driver, fitted to their individual swings. Both golfers kept their drives in the fairway.

Golf "A" has a driver swing speed of 105 mph, but it's mostly arm speed. Very little legs, and upper torso, if any, adding to that swing speed.

Golf "B" has a driver swing speed of 98 mph. However, this swing speed is text book generated using the legs, upper torso, arms, all working together in a complete, correct golf swing.

Which golfer hits the same brand/model ball the furthest?

This question came up in a 19th hole discussion the other day. Some said "A" because of the higher swing speed. Others said "B" because with the added body parts working together, delivered more power to the ball at impact.

What's your opinions?
 
Distance is a function of spin, launch angle, and ball speed.
I’d have to say higher swing speed wins, more swing speed, more ball speed.
 
Considering both hit the sweet spot, 105 beats 98 all day. There are other things that go into it like spin rate, fade/draw, height, wind, etc etc etc. golfer B may get it out there with golfer A, but speed into the ball being the only variable, golfer A’s ball goes 25 yards further. Doesn’t matter how he gets to 105, AOA and swing path will matter, but what you described, it doesn’t matter.
 
All other things equal, then golfer A should be farther. I golf with quite a few guys in there 70's who are mainly arm swingers who do quite well this way.
 
Golfer A has the better chance, but it comes down to who strikes it better and generates more ball speed. It doesn’t matter how the speed is generated at all.
 
Doesn't really matter how the speed is achieved. Assuming the mass/head characteristics are the same and contact is the same, higher speed wins.
 
In the words of Scotty, chief engineer of the starship enterprise, "I canna' change the laws of physics..."

105 beats 98. Faster is better.:)
 
Unless the swings affect launch angle or something else I’m not aware of speed is speed and fastest swing goes further.
 
In the words of Scotty, chief engineer of the starship enterprise, "I canna' change the laws of physics..."

105 beats 98. Faster is better.:)
Not necessarily. Launch, spin and contact could have 98 out drive 105.
 
swing speed is swing speed 105 is still 105 and even if you do everything right the 98 is still 98
 
Most club head speed is generated with the arms and angles.

Most people get 90% of their club head speed and distance when hitting their driver off of their knees. Jamie Sadlowski could still hit his driver over 300 yards off his knees.

The lower body is more about sequencing.
 
Are we assuming that launch angle, spin rate and clubface contact (i.e., sweet spot) are also identical? If so, the 105 beats the 98. If not, there's no telling. But regardless of how they attained the speed, 98 is 98 and 105 is 105. It doesn't matter if I accelerate my car to 65 mph on flat ground with the engine running or coast it down a steep hill to that speed, it's gonna do the same damage if I run into something at 65 mph.
 
Last edited:
The player that is hitting the center of the clubface with solid contact (i.e not a glancing blow) is hitting the ball farther with swing speeds that close together.


 
edit: should have read closer

Same strikes, 7 mph faster wins, by a lot.
 
Last edited:
Put me on the speed is speed bandwagon.

While player B might have a text book swing, I don’t see how 98mph unless hit with better contact in the sweet spot will outdistance player A with his superior speed.
 
Wouldn't it be the player that generates the fastest ball speed? Smash factor, AOA, etc.
 
105 beats 98.....Just ask Iron Byron.
 
I say player B.
Just because you have a faster swing speed doesn't mean farther distance. Player A might have a steeper angle of attack being all arms which will put more spin on the ball and possibly an over the top swing which will put a fade/slice on the ball and scrub distance.
Player B having the "perfect" swing might have an angle of attack where he is hitting up on the ball and possible inside out swing hitting a slight draw which will make the ball run when landing.
 
Speed is speed. I’m going with 105. Of course, assuming both are hitting ball the same.
 
Speed is speed. I’m going with 105. Of course, assuming both are hitting ball the same.
For the hypothetical question to have any kind of quantifiable answer, we'd have to assume that all other variable factors are equal (AoA, spin, effective loft, launch angle, ball flight, clubface impact, etc.). Otherwise it's like asking "How long is a piece of string?"
 
So club head speed wins. I thought that was the case, since in baseball, bat swing speed sends the baseball further. Didn't figure golf swing speed would be any different.

During the 19th hole discussion, the arguement for the 98 mph swing, the guy was claiming that body weight would add distance through the two forces moving up and down through the shaft. Centrifugal, and the other one, which I can't recall the discriptive word.

Thanks for the responses. Much appreciated. . .
 
Club head speed only wins if they hit the ball the same, if not, then it depends and more than likely will go to the person that moves his body and arms together in smooth sequence. I was playing with an older guy that swung a bit slower than me, but he constantly hit if farther than I did. It is all about impact and force through impact.
 
Like most here, assuming same impact positions speed wins.
 
ok, here's the set up for the question.

Both golfers are using the same brand/model driver, fitted to their individual swings. Both golfers kept their drives in the fairway.

Golf "A" has a driver swing speed of 105 mph, but it's mostly arm speed. Very little legs, and upper torso, if any, adding to that swing speed.

Golf "B" has a driver swing speed of 98 mph. However, this swing speed is text book generated using the legs, upper torso, arms, all working together in a complete, correct golf swing.

Which golfer hits the same brand/model ball the furthest?

This question came up in a 19th hole discussion the other day. Some said "A" because of the higher swing speed. Others said "B" because with the added body parts working together, delivered more power to the ball at impact.

What's your opinions?

Much of distance is about quality of ball contact, not swing speed.
 
Back
Top