first launch monitor experience......interesting:)

[oncewasagolfer]

I had my first experience of a launch monitor today the golf achiever
http://www.golfachiever.com/web/index.html
I have known for some time that a lot of faults had crept into my swing over the years but didn't think it would be to this extent. My bad shot these days has been an over-the-top hook and my first couple of swings on the launch monitor showed that I was taking the club way inside on the backswing I think the early readings were 12. With the info from the monitor I made a conscious effort on the course to swing more out-in and it really help as I only hit one slight hook with the driver all day pity the rest of my game didn't perform as well. My club speed was showing up between 102-108mph and ball speed of around 140mph and my launch angle was anywhere between 14-22 which is a bit high apparently. Looking forward to having another go after I try and work on this out to in swing and see if I have improved.

[virge666]

My club speed was showing up between 102-108mph and ball speed of around 140mph

Right there is what you need to fix...

106mph swing speed for only a 140mph ball speed.

That is pretty awful. Your losing around 15-25mph of ball speed due to your technique. And that is a huge chunk of distance.

Time to bring it down to around the 95mph mark and see if you can get the same ball speed. if you cannot - go see a professional.

Enjoy

[oncewasagolfer]

I think it was 140 I wasn't really paying attention thats what my m8 said it was I will find out for sure next time. so do u suggest I should try and swing slower?

[virge666]

do u suggest I should try and swing slower?

I have never suggested that to anyone in my life, what I am suggesting is that you get what we call "smashfactor" up around the 1.5 area.

So for a swing speed of 100mph - your ball speed should be around the 150mph area if you are making good contact. Anything less than that and you are just wasting energy.

Think of it like boxing and martial arts... you can spend your afternoon screwing around getting tired throwing jabs, or you can get out there, focus a bit power properly and punch through the target.

I would suggest a bit of work on Lag and sustaining it... but I have not seen your swing, so it is a bit hard to comment. All I can see is a smashfactor of around 1.3 and that is pretty ordinary.

[oncewasagolfer]

ok thanks for that virge dunno if I am ready to post my swing just yet. do u think it would be worth while me going back to a stiff shaft in my driver as I currently have been trialing an x stiff and the pro that looked at my swing on the launch monitor said my club head speed is on the border of stiff and x stiff and if I feel that the x stiff is too heavy I should go back to a stiff shaft? He had a number of taylor made heads and was able to change shafts at will using a wrench which was pretty cool I had a go of the newer model heads but they are too closed at address for me then tried a previous model tp burner which sat nice and square and I hit quite well with the stiff shaft. Do these launch monitors over emphasive your club head path into the ball because I was hitting big hooks on the monitor but when I got to the course I didn't hit one shot with that sort of shape?

[virge666]

Hey mate,

I think you need to slow down that brain of your for a minute.

Swing speed is pretty hopeless in determining what shaft you should use. And you are a perfect exmaple of why. You and I have pretty close to the same swing speed, but my ball speed is around the 155-160mph mark.

With your logic - we should both be using the same shaft flex, even though the ball is coming off the clubface at VERY different speeds.

As I said before - you aim is to get that smash factor up around the 1.5 mark with whatever equipment and tuition you can ,even if that means a swing speed of 80mph and a ball speed of 120mph... it is much easier to learn this and move up than it is to keep bashing away looking for something to "click".

Smash factor is a great way to test technique on a launch monitor. It shows how efficient your swing is and it is almost impossible to fudge... especially with decent radar based launchy.

Enjoy