Grip Weight: No effect on Swingweight, but on Swing Speed?

Saint John · January 10, 2019

I agree with consensus that grip weight simply fools scale and has no effect on SW feel -being above the fulcrum and in the hands at the other end of the lever. Does anybody believe that grip weight also fools the scale as to total weight, that is, X grams in the grip (in the hands) has a lesser effect swing speed than the same amount of weight in the head or shaft below the fulcrum? Lightweight shafts, lower overall weight etc. are believed to increase swingspeed because the same amount of force will move a lighter weight object faster. Put another way, if 2 clubs are of the same length and overall weight, can we move the one with more weight at the grip end faster than the one with more weight at the head?

Stuart_G · January 10, 2019

Grip weight certainly effects the total static weight of the club.

Lightweight shafts, lower overall weight etc. are believed to increase swingspeed because the same amount of force will move a lighter weight object faster. Put another way, if 2 clubs are of the same length and overall weight, can we move the one with more weight at the grip end faster than the one with more weight at the head?

How the combination of length, total static weight and swing weight (or MOI) might effect swing speed is a very complex relationship. The common thought that lighter equals faster is really a common misconception. There are some cases where it's true but it's not always the case. Some people will actually get faster going heavier if the lighter shaft is a poor fit (that's true for static weight or swing weight). it's generally much more about how the weight feel matches up with the individuals mechanics AND their particular sense of rhythm and timing.

Short answer is - only way to find out how swing speed will be effected is to make the change and go measure what happens to the results.

And that of course isn't even considering the effect of weight on accuracy and consistency and and how impact might be effected (just because swing speed goes up doesn't mean ball speed or distance will). Or how that might need to be balanced with the speed/distance questions.

Saint John · January 10, 2019

I'm not trying to break the Law of Conservation of Matter. I'm just asking if two clubs weighing the same might be swung at different speeds based on different weight distributions.

jvincent · January 10, 2019

I'm not trying to break the Law of Conservation of Matter. I'm just asking if two clubs weighing the same might be swung at different speeds based on different weight distributions.

The short, not particularly helpful, answer is maybe.

How fast you swing is a function of weight, weight distribution, and the bio-mechanical feedback during the swing. There's lots of evidence of people swinging heavier shafts (all things being equal) faster. Same goes for clubs with backweights added. A small backweight is similar to using a heavier grip.

Ri_Redneck · January 10, 2019

I'm not trying to break the Law of Conservation of Matter. I'm just asking if two clubs weighing the same might be swung at different speeds based on different weight distributions.

Yes.

BT

tx33 · January 11, 2019

...I'm just asking if two clubs weighing the same might be swung at different speeds based on different weight distributions....

YES, depending on the player of course :)

In my experience some are very sensitive to a change in in balance, but as a rule every player has their own 'sweet spot' where they swing the club not only faster, but smoother and more in control. Fore those not so sensitive to overall balance this is more related to total weight but even then balance can often be used to offset an undesired total weight. It just depends on what works for a certain player. Nicklaus and Garcia are well known for using butt counter weighing.