What am I missing about Pro's swing speeds?

[tech405]

So, on a 3 hour drive this evening, I started thinking about the Pro's drivers, swing speeds and the Visual look of their drivers and decided that there has to be something that I'm missing.

 

Tiger Woods "looks" like he's swinging 175mph and his avg driving distance this year is: 302.4

Ernie Els "looks" like he's swinging 20mph and his avg is: 297.9

Vijay is another "slow" looking swinger and he's at: 293.8

and lastly Rory Sabbatini takes a VIOLENT rip at the ball and he's at: 289.9

 

So, with a 12.5 yard difference between all 4 of these players, their swing speed has to be fairly equal. It's not like Ernie is swinging 100mph and Tiger is at 140mph.

 

So....my question is when I look at Ernie or Vijay, what is it that is misleading about their swing?

 

I apologize if my rambling doesn't make any sense. I'm at work now and it's late.

[gir2]

who knows, they're pros!

 

haha @ els swinging 20 mph

[stevestrike]

Vijay and Els are very tall. Tall = long arms. Long arms = longer arc. That clubhead is moving FAST when it's out that far. Therefore, the appearance of slower movement. I'm a taller guy, and I can take what looks/feels like a nice smooth swing, but if I get all my extension into it correctly the ball goes a mile. Well, about 290, but it "looks" like a mile. ;)

 

Oh yeah, and Tiger drives the ball MUCH further than 302 when he's swinging his 175MPH swing. Average Driving Distance is a misleading stat to look at. Really meaningless in my opinion.

[JDorfler]

Oh yeah, and Tiger drives the ball MUCH further than 302 when he's swinging his 175MPH swing. Average Driving Distance is a misleading stat to look at. Really meaningless in my opinion.

 

Didn't he have a few 350+ drives at the Bridgestone?

[DRGJR72]

Here is a gauge,

 

I played at Doral in the Genuity Championship in 2001, I had a measured drive of 319, and my swingspeed in my tournament playing days was 115ish. Now I can assure you that Tiger does not hit driver on every hole they calculate the Driving Distance statistic, as it is done by one hole on the back and one hole on the front for all four rounds. I know you that Tiger is well above that SS and would bomb it by me considerably ( I am guessing in the 15-30 range), as would Ernie and Vijay. Sabatinni is long as well.....

 

Remember they are calculating on 2 set holes, not all holes in a round. So if that hole happens to one of the ones where Tiger hits a duece off of the tee, that will affect his overall distance.

 

JAT

 

 

DG

[tech405]

I understand what you're saying about them measuring ss on different holes. I think what I was trying to say is you can pick any hole in any tournement, the 3rd hole at XYZ Tournement, and if Tiger rips one 320 yards, then Vijay and Ernie wil be around 315-315 (or longer). Neither one of them are going to be 30 yards shorter than Tiger.

 

Now, they may be 30 yards shorter than J.B. Holmes with his 1/2 to 3/4 backswing, but that a whole 'nuther level of confusion!!!!! ;)

[Shaitan]

When tiger unleashes he's going past 350 and his ss would be in the mid-high 130's, I'd say. You have to remember that this is a risk to him cos it becomes less controlled and that is why most good players and especially pros swing at about the 80-90% mark. If they did the average driver distance for EVERY hole that the player actually hits driver, I think the distances would be quite different.

[Swingtheclub]

Lol most Pro's swing at more like 70 to 80 percent

 

speed is created by so many thinks how fast the swing looks has little to do with it.

 

Even how far they hit it has to do with more than SS

 

How solid they hit it , the launch angle how high or low the ball travels how far it rolls.

 

I used to play with a 2 handicap player that was six five and 260 good looking swing he smoked it maybe 235

 

I weighed 160 lbs and was six foot and blowing it buy him 35 to 40 yds this was in the early seventys