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Thread: Driver question

  1. #1
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    Default Driver question

    Having been working on my swing for the driver over the last few months, and seem to have worked to a consistent swing hitting fairly straight and seem to hit the balls mostly in the middle of the club face.
    I am now back to my M1 10.5 with the AD TP 6S shaft with a SS of around 95-100; Ball flight is still launching it high, but not as high as before, with minimal roll.

    Went down to Golf box yesterday with the M1 to compare with different drivers; Have hit a Rogue SZ, the G400 Max and the 917D2 all with stock stiff shafts and 10.5; TBH, the results were all pretty much similar to each other with the G400Max being the most consistent straight, then the M1, 917 and Rogue SZ.

    The thing that I took away from the trail was:
    - My smash factor is pretty low (seem to be less than or around 1.4) even when I am hitting the center of the face.
    - my Spin numbers seems to be around 2600rpm with the highest around 3000 with the G400.
    - My carry distance is about 200M and roll to around 215M (longest was 225M with the G400 but with a slight draw)
    - my Lateral angle is around 18* (Guy at GB said it looks like my AoA was still hitting down at the ball)
    - I seem to hit 10.5 much better, and when I try a 9.5 it just seem to become less consistent.

    so the question i have is;
    - Can the smash factor be improved? why would it be low even though I have center strike on the club face?
    - if I were to have a positive angle of attack, would that not increase the lateral launch angle even higher?

  2. #2
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    Q1. I'm assuming golfbox are using a GC2 launch monitor, if so, smash factor is a preset figure. I wouldn't worry about that.

    Q2. Not sure of this one.

  3. #3
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    Quote Originally Posted by Wenz View Post
    Q1. I'm assuming golfbox are using a GC2 launch monitor, if so, smash factor is a preset figure. I wouldn't worry about that.

    Q2. Not sure of this one.
    Isn’t smash factor ball speed/clubhead speed ?

  4. #4
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    Yes but GC2 without HMT doesn't measure the club head or face.

  5. #5
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    the smash factor i had were mostly based on ball speed/swing speed mental calculation...

  6. #6
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    I get more smash factor by hammering the tee into the ground.
    Once you go yellow, you will never go back

  7. #7
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    Quote Originally Posted by wazamac View Post
    I get more smash factor by hammering the tee into the ground.
    I assume after hitting the ball?

    Also, what does the Lateral launch angle suppose to signify then? does it not correlate to the angle of attack?

  8. #8
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    It would seem strange to me that you have an 18deg launch angle from a 10.5deg driver if your AoA is -ve. I would try to clarify that. As Wenz said above, unless they are using GC Quad or GC2 with HMT, the AoA will not be measured and might be very difficult for the "fitter" to see just by looking at you swing.

  9. #9
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    Drive for show.

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    Quote Originally Posted by 3oneday View Post
    Drive for show.
    Not really. Look at the top 5 players so far this year (DJ, bubba, JDay, JT, Rose).

    They are higher ranked in sg off the tee than sg putting (except for Jday).

  11. #11
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    Chicks dig the long ball

  12. #12
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    you can definitely have a positive angle of attack and reduce the dynamic loft. same as you can have a negative AOA and increase the dynamic loft. My suggestion as always is to get a lesson with someone using GC Quad and let them work out what all the numbers mean in relation to you.

  13. #13
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    Had a hit today.
    Tried the lower tee and can see the ball started low then ballooned up . Nice and straight but damn short.
    Raised the tee again and get those high launch ball that floats forever... big bomb with back wind and nice chip with head wind

    Yeah need to go for a lesson but not sure where in Perth has the proper machine for it

  14. #14
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    Smash factor is an interesting one, and one that I think can get alot of misunderstanding about, because (my understanding is) it is based on the CG of the head at the moment of impact, which is not square in the middle of the club face unless all of the other variables align perfectly.

    From an inside the plane swing path, the CG is typically moved closer to the outside of the head and from an outside the plane swing, CG is moved closer to the hosel side of the head.

    The AOA/RPM seems much more relevant here than the "smash factor" The more negative the AOA the higher RPM if all other variables are consistent.

    I suspect you have really good hand eye co-ordination and are able to make really good contact even with a negative AOA, but it's costing you distance because of the RPM/Launch angle relationship. Best conclusion I can come up with is stick with the higher tee, keeping it forward and holding the shoulder turn off creating greater separation between the hips and the shoulders. It's very easy to be focusing on "hitting the ball" when teeing up and forward, instead of focusing on swinging through and allowing the ball to get in the way of the swing path. Be mindful of the spine tilt at set up and maintaining it as long as you can, and swing to a reference point rather than swinging "at the ball"

    It will feel like you have lost all control until your subconscious stops getting in the way. Practice this on the range as much as you can before hitting the course.

    Hope this helps somewhat

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    Quote Originally Posted by benno_r View Post
    Not really. Look at the top 5 players so far this year (DJ, bubba, JDay, JT, Rose).

    They are higher ranked in sg off the tee than sg putting (except for Jday).
    Ok, and someone who rarely breaks 90?

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    Quote Originally Posted by 3oneday View Post
    Ok, and someone who rarely breaks 90?
    Same. If you cant drive but putt well as a chopper, you'll be making some sweet bogey/double bogey putts.

  17. #17
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    **** you guys are way overthinking this shit.
    Maybe watch some of bubbas swings on YouTube ffs.

  18. #18
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    Quote Originally Posted by Captain Nemo View Post
    **** you guys are way overthinking this shit.
    Maybe watch some of bubbas swings on YouTube ffs.
    Yep, totally agree, why bother trying to figure out what your doing wrong and fixing it. Aimlessly just walking up to a ball and hitting is a much better way to golf!!

  19. #19
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    Went for a lesson with Trackman on Saturday;
    Initial review of my original swing was:
    - Stands too wide, with my spinal tilt, I was aiming way high
    - My feeling of sway was confirmed on the video; on my downswing, I was swaying to the left beyond my original starting point, causing me to lean further right to hit upward.
    - I wasn't rotating my left hip on completion of the swing, causing me to release my hands too early and flipping up, reducing my ball speed.
    - I dont roll my left foot on completion, so I was holding my body back and flipping my arm.

    So the first was to reduce my stance width to my shoulder width which seems awfully small, the drill I had was having a chair placed on my left side of my hip and not to hit it on the down swing, and focus on rotating my left hip.

    Not concentrating on the ball path, I can see my swing speed has drop back to around the low 90s. However, some of the numbers were showing I was getting better smash factor, and some carry distances were just as far as my 95+ swings.

    However, the timing my wrist and hand position is all messed up, and now I have the old pulled left hook shots again....

  20. #20
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    I also have one hell of a sway going on. Not that I need trackman to tell me that.
    Spent most of Sunday trying to rotate around my right thigh. Drives still going nowhere (around 170-190) but improved my score by 11 points from Saturday.
    My Swing Speed would max at 90mph so now I will try and increase the lag. My wrists would break way to early.
    Once you go yellow, you will never go back

  21. #21
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    it was interesting to see on video confirming some of my suspicion on how my swing goes;
    I have previously being shown the rotating hip drill and with my shots all hooking left, and trying to "serve tea" with my right hand always made me think that I was doing the wrong thing... able to see some that it actually improved on some of the numbers sort of encourage me not to go back to my old habits that might be limiting my potential for improvements.

  22. #22
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    Quote Originally Posted by wazamac View Post
    I also have one hell of a sway going on. Not that I need trackman to tell me that.
    Spent most of Sunday trying to rotate around my right thigh. Drives still going nowhere (around 170-190) but improved my score by 11 points from Saturday.
    My Swing Speed would max at 90mph so now I will try and increase the lag. My wrists would break way to early.
    Waza; one tip I got from a very good coach many moons ago

    - Purchase two inflatable beach balls and blow them up to about 70% capacity

    - Stick one between your legs and one between your arms, looks silly yes but practise swinging back and forth and this will make it much harder to sway

  23. #23
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    Quote Originally Posted by okitoki View Post
    Went for a lesson with Trackman on Saturday;
    Initial review of my original swing was:
    - Stands too wide, with my spinal tilt, I was aiming way high
    - My feeling of sway was confirmed on the video; on my downswing, I was swaying to the left beyond my original starting point, causing me to lean further right to hit upward.
    - I wasn't rotating my left hip on completion of the swing, causing me to release my hands too early and flipping up, reducing my ball speed.
    - I dont roll my left foot on completion, so I was holding my body back and flipping my arm.

    So the first was to reduce my stance width to my shoulder width which seems awfully small, the drill I had was having a chair placed on my left side of my hip and not to hit it on the down swing, and focus on rotating my left hip.

    Not concentrating on the ball path, I can see my swing speed has drop back to around the low 90s. However, some of the numbers were showing I was getting better smash factor, and some carry distances were just as far as my 95+ swings.

    However, the timing my wrist and hand position is all messed up, and now I have the old pulled left hook shots again....
    Who did you have the lesson with?




  24. #24
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    Quote Originally Posted by thecollective View Post
    looks silly, yes.
    Don't you think I look silly enough as it is.
    Once you go yellow, you will never go back

  25. #25
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    Quote Originally Posted by Johnny Canuck View Post
    Who did you have the lesson with?
    Went to WA golf club and saw Michael


 

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