watching long drive contest tonight

Sourpuss · October 20, 2015

after watching the contest tonight it seems like ball speed is more important than swing speed what's your ball speed? mine is varies a little, 160-165.......

Buddha · October 21, 2015

But isn't ball speed a factor of club speed? Granted, other factors apply. Where on the face the contact occurs, among others.

Stuart_G · October 21, 2015

Swing speed is the starting point but getting a good center face contact (and control of the face and path too) is imperative to get the most ball speed out of your swing. The fixation on ball speed for the broadcast is one way they are showing (whether intentionally or not) the importance of the quality of the hit.

It's also one point that everyone can learn from. Even someone with a 100 mph club head speed can loose quite a bit of distance if they can't make good contact. For many amateurs it can be much more important to work on improving the quality of the hit than to work on improving your club head speed.

I 3 putt · October 22, 2015

[quote name='Sourpuss' timestamp='1445399934' post='12485868']after watching the contest tonight it seems like ball speed is more important than swing speed what's your ball speed? mine is varies a little, 160-165.......[/quote]
Ball speed divided by club head speed equals smash factor. A decent club head speed with a good smash factor, launch angle, and spin are also important. I don't think one is anymore important that the other. They all play a huge roll in hitting the best ball. Look at critter. If he could gain 5 mph of club speed, he would not lose. The ball he hit against Jamie ran 50 yards. He didn't win, but he knows what he is doing for sure.

D0ch0l1d4y · October 22, 2015

[quote name='I 3 putt' timestamp='1445522460' post='12491600']
[quote name='Sourpuss' timestamp='1445399934' post='12485868']after watching the contest tonight it seems like ball speed is more important than swing speed what's your ball speed? mine is varies a little, 160-165.......[/quote]
I don't think one is anymore important that the other.
[/quote]

As Stuart alluded to...contact quality is the most important part of getting the most distance out of a golf ball.

Smash factor is an indicator of contact quality. Spin and launch angle are both, to different extents, affected by where the ball is struck on the club face.

Stuart_G · October 22, 2015

[quote name='D0ch0l1d4y' timestamp='1445523207' post='12491644']
Smash factor is an indicator of contact quality. Spin and launch angle are both, to different extents, affected by where the ball is struck on the club face.
[/quote]

Very good point. Off 'center' contact can significantly impact the LA and spin so can cause a loss of distance in more ways than just the lost ball speed. It can also contribute to missing the grid if horizontal gear effect adds too much side spin.

I 3 putt · October 22, 2015

[quote name='D0ch0l1d4y' timestamp='1445523207' post='12491644'][quote name='I 3 putt' timestamp='1445522460' post='12491600']
[quote name='Sourpuss' timestamp='1445399934' post='12485868']after watching the contest tonight it seems like ball speed is more important than swing speed what's your ball speed? mine is varies a little, 160-165.......[/quote]
I don't think one is anymore important that the other.
[/quote]

As Stuart alluded to...contact quality is the most important part of getting the most distance out of a golf ball.

Smash factor is an indicator of contact quality. Spin and launch angle are both, to different extents, affected by where the ball is struck on the club face.[/quote]

That is not 100% truth...it also depends on angle of attack. You can hit the ball dead in the center of the face at -3* and +5 and you will have two different shots. Both will produce different launch angles, different spin rates, and different ball speeds. So there is a lot more to it than just hitting the ball solid.

Stuart_G · October 22, 2015

[quote name='I 3 putt' timestamp='1445531529' post='12492278']
[quote name='D0ch0l1d4y' timestamp='1445523207' post='12491644'][quote name='I 3 putt' timestamp='1445522460' post='12491600']
[quote name='Sourpuss' timestamp='1445399934' post='12485868']after watching the contest tonight it seems like ball speed is more important than swing speed what's your ball speed? mine is varies a little, 160-165.......[/quote]
I don't think one is anymore important that the other.
[/quote]

As Stuart alluded to...contact quality is the most important part of getting the most distance out of a golf ball.

Smash factor is an indicator of contact quality. Spin and launch angle are both, to different extents, affected by where the ball is struck on the club face.[/quote]

That is not 100% truth...it also depends on angle of attack. You can hit the ball dead in the center of the face at -3* and +5 and you will have two different shots. Both will produce different launch angles, different spin rates, and different ball speeds. So there is a lot more to it than just hitting the ball solid.
[/quote]

He didn't say that was the only thing that determined launch and spin. He just said launch and spin were affected by face contact position. Which is 100% truth :-)