Golf-FAQ.com

golf why the club head accelerates

by Prof. Ferne Waelchi Published 2 years ago Updated 2 years ago
image

Full Answer

How to increase club head speed in golf?

So, whenever you use up that angle, you are going to be maximizing your club head speed. Naturally then, you want to make sure that occurs at the moment that the club is tearing through the hitting area. A large majority of amateur golfers fail to hold this angle in the downswing, and they lose distance as a result.

How important is the club head in a golf swing?

Professional golfers do a great job of feeling the club head during their swings, and you should strive for the same sort of feelings in your own swing. One of the most important things that you can gain by feeling the club head is tempo that will carry throughout your game.

Does grip pressure affect Golf Club head feel?

While you might lose a bit of feel for the club head on these kinds of shots, that is a necessary trade off in order to make sure your club face holds as square as possible to the target line. For all other shots, however, prioritize a light grip pressure and your feel for the club head throughout the swing will quickly improve.

What causes the top speed of a golf club?

Top speed occurs when the club head overtakes the hands. When this occurs, the club is travelling much faster than the body ever can. It is the 'rolling' action of the hands that produces this movement. Just before impactwith the golf ball in the downswing, the hands should begin to 'cross over'.

Why do golfers use their hands more aggressively during the downswing?

Why is hand action important in golf?

Why do golfers uncock their wrists?

What is the most important aspect of hand motion?

Do golfers have to rotate their hands?

See more

About this website

image

DOES HAND SPEED RELATE TO CLUB HEAD SPEED OR BALL SPEED DURING A GOLF ...

1 DOES HAND SPEED RELATE TO CLUB HEAD SPEED OR BALL SPEED DURING A GOLF SWING? Anna C Severin1, Stewart A Tackett1, Hannah E Simpson1, C Lowry Barnes1 and Erin M Mannen1 1Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, AR, USA Many golf swing analyses use club or ball speed to indicate performance, although these

How To Feel The Golf Clubhead As You’re Swinging

For a lot of amateur golfers, feeling the clubhead when swinging simply doesn’t happen and sadly never will. But for golf professionals they have an intimate feeling of where the golf club is at all times during the golf swing.

Butch Harmon: The Right Way to Add Turn - Golf Digest

Greg's swing thought on the backswing was, Right pocket back. That meant turning his right-front pant pocket behind him (above).He later simplified it to RPB, and that often was his last thought ...

Butch Harmon - keeping arms in front of chest - GolfWRX

Hi All, I have been watching some of Butch Harmons older instruction and a common theme is keeping the arms in front of the chest on the backswing and downswing. In real terms what does this actually mean and what are the feels? Cheers, Rob

How fast is a golf club head?

For the uninitiated, club head speed is how fast you move the head of the golf club just before impact. Roughly, for every extra 1 mph faster you swing the club, you can increase your driver distance by 3 yards. On the PGA Tour, the highest recorded club head speed is current 138 mph (Bryson Dechambeau, 2021 season) and the best 10 years ago was 127 mph (Bubba Watson, 2010 season—note Bubba’s 2021 best is 123 mph). While this is an 11-mph improvement, the tour average has only improved around 1 mph, from 112 to 113 mph. The PGA Tour itself has stated, “It can be seen that average club head speed has increased by 1.7 mph from 2007 to 2019 and ball speed by 4.9 mph.”

What is club head speed?

Clubhead speed and its close relation, ball speed, are the objective standards for singular outputs in golf. These, combined with availability, are the aims of any strength and conditioning intervention in golf. Of all the objective measures we use at the European Tour Performance Institute, club head speed (CHS) is part of our quartet of isometric mid-thigh pull, countermovement jump impulse, and ball speed.

How many reps should I do in golf?

When it comes to training for golfers, I usually suggest 1-3 reps, and probably no more than five, with varying loads depending on whether you want to achieve maximum velocity, power, or strength. Why? The golf swing is a very short duration, high-power, explosive activity clocking in at around 7,500 N in a full swing. (Keep in mind this force measurement is from a 1990 study, so it may be higher still.) To most strength coaches, this is considered pretty ordinary, but in the golf world it’s positively unorthodox.

Why do high force exercises like squats, deadlifts, and loaded jumps seem to transfer so?

Why do high-force exercises like squats, deadlifts, and loaded jumps seem to transfer so well to club head and ball speeds ? Well, a key part of the relationship lies in the correspondence of execution time frames. The average pro golf swing is, in a sports context, a slow movement. The often-cited number we see is most sporting action taking around 0.2-0.3 seconds. The golf swing, however, has a longer time to completion, with 0.8-1.2 seconds often reported. That is a long time in a sporting context: nearly three to four times longer. People will quibble and talk only about the downswing, which obviously is very fast, but this is trying to use reductionism to protect a notion. The whole golf swing is a slow action in respect to other sports.

How much N is a golf swing?

The golf swing is a very short duration, high-power, explosive activity clocking in at around 7,500 N in a full swing. (Keep in mind this force measurement is from a 1990 study, so it may be higher still.) To most strength coaches, this is considered pretty ordinary, but in the golf world it’s positively unorthodox.

What does increased muscle mass do to a golfer?

The increased muscle mass increases the player’s ability to produce ground reaction force— the basis of the force a golfer can utilize during their swing.

What is the equation for mass in golf?

As a result, there has been an effort to try to explain the mass relationship in golf performance, and the equation used constantly is force = mass x acceleration. But this explanation is often misapplied scientism, with heavy focus on just the mass part. Even some of my favorite strength and conditioning experts have fallen into the trap of making this gross simplification.

Where does the tip of a golf club go?

The very tip of the club, and actually turning this back up toward the center of your body so the club can be released down and through.

Why do we have to have ground force reaction?

The reason we have to have ground force reaction, the reason we want to be driving up and really driving into this left leg, is so that we can be putting pressure into the ground and helping turn this club back up toward our center.

When you max out a sprite, do you want to hold it?

As soon as we max this out, we don’t want to hold it, we’re actually going to release it at that point to get the speed.

How many repetitions to do a club whip?

Do 100 repetitions focusing on the wrist, turning back up, really feeling that club whip.

How to feel the club head in golf?

Most amateur golfers don't 'feel' the club head during their swing. Instead, they simply whip their arms around their body as fast as possible , trying to smash the ball in the general direction of the hole. However, golf is a precision game, and this power-first approach is unlikely to be effective. Instead, you need to learn how to manage the position and path of the club head throughout the swing if you are going to have control over your ball from the first hole to the last. Professional golfers do a great job of feeling the club head during their swings, and you should strive for the same sort of feelings in your own swing.

How to know when to use your club head?

When you have a good feel for the club head, you will know when you have reached exactly the right time to use your hands to fire through the ball. You will be able to feel the club head lagging behind your hands all the way down, and you will then be able to work hard to hold on to that sensation for as long as possible. The feeling of keeping the club head back is a powerful one – once you have experienced it and witnessed its potential. If there is a 'secret' to hitting long shots, it is holding your lag for as long as possible. Lag is a notoriously difficult thing to learn, but having an awareness of the position of the club head in your downswing is a great start. Pay attention to where your club head is at all times, and only ask your hands to move it through the ball when the moment finally does arrive at the bottom of the swing.

What is lag in golf?

One of the most-common amateur mistakes in the game of golf is losing the angle between the left arm and the club shaft in the downswing. This angle is commonly referred to as 'lag', and it is critical when you are trying to build power in your swing. Without lag, your swing will be limited in the power that it can create, and you will never be able to blast the ball down the fairway with the longest hitters in your group. To learn how to hold lag and maximize your power, you will need to have great feel for the club head throughout the downswing.

How to use lag in golf?

To practice holding your lag and feeling the club head on the way down, try making some practice swings with only your left hand on the club. You don't need to swing hard while doing this drill – just use your left hand to swing the club back and forth as you feel the club head accelerate through the downswing. Without your right hand to 'get in the way', you will be free to use your lag properly on the way down. After making several one-handed practice swings, put your right hand back on the grip and hit a few shots. As long as you don't allow your right hand to interrupt the process of lagging the club down into the ball, you should be able to quickly unlock some additional speed that wasn't previous present in your swing.

Why do golfers squeeze the driver too hard?

In an effort to muscle up for extra distance, golfers often squeeze the driver too hard. This has the unintended effect of causing tension and actually slowing down the swing. Before each tee shot, use the waggle drill described above to find a grip pressure allowing you to feel the clubhead, then duplicate this pressure when you hit the shot.

How to get better at putting?

To learn how to find the perfect balance between the two grip extremes, start small and work your way up to fast er and faster swings . In fact, the best place to start is on the putting green. Head over to the practice green and roll some putts while using a very light grip pressure. Obviously, while putting, you don't have to worry about the club flying out of your hands because you will only be making a small swing. Even if you did lose control of the putter at impact, the worst that would happen is the putter could fall to the ground. Hit a series of putts with a light grip to learn how it feels as you move through the ball. Make gradual adjustments to your grip tension until you settle on a point that you are happy with for putting purposes. The grip tension you wind up using should be tight enough to control the club, and no tighter.

How to relax your grip?

Working your way up is the best way to learn how to relax your grip – and you should find that you have a much better feel for the club head after you take the time to go through this process. If you were to start out by hitting drivers immediately while relaxing your grip, the results may be ugly. Not only will you have trouble hitting good shots, you might even lose the club through the hitting area – which would be a dangerous result for both the condition of your club and the health of those around you on the practice range. Working your way up through the set by hitting longer and longer shots is a great way to learn as you go, instead of diving in all at once.

Why do golfers use their hands more aggressively during the downswing?

Golfers may be forced to use their hands more aggressively during the downswing if they are not rotating their hips correctly , according to golf instructor Jack Lumpkin. If you fail to rotate completely, the club face will be wide open at impact if you don’t twist your hands.

Why is hand action important in golf?

For example, every good golf swing begins with a proper grip. If you don’t hold the club correctly, an otherwise flawless swing won’t yield the desired result. Hand movements remain important even after you’ve gripped the club.

Why do golfers uncock their wrists?

A golfer’s wrists must uncock so the club head can snap forward through the impact zone. However, golf instructors often have very different ideas about the hands’ role in this movement. Kay McMahon says the hands have one primary purpose: to hold the club.

What is the most important aspect of hand motion?

The most important aspect of hand motion, Harmon says, is to synchronize the movements of your hands with the rest of your body.

Do golfers have to rotate their hands?

She believes golfers should employ “no conscious manipulation” of the club with their hands. Dean Reinmuth, though, maintains that the hands and forearms must rotate the club “aggressively” at the moment of impact, adding that the hand motion must be smooth and steady throughout the downswing.

Why do you stop your golf club right at impact?

Many amateur golfers stop the club right at impact when chipping, and they run the risk of hitting the ball fat in the process.

What is the control of the golf club?

The hands control the golf club and control when the club accelerates during the swing. Top speed occurs when the club head overtakes the hands. When this occurs, the club is travelling much faster than the body ever can. It is the 'rolling' action of the hands that produces this movement. Just before impact with the golf ball in the downswing, ...

How to hit the golf ball further?

To hit the golf ball further, maximize your swing speed at the correct point in the swing with this tip. Swing speed is measured as the speed that the club head travels through the golf ball. Many golfers believe that it is the speed of the swing action but this is not true. At the top end of professional performance, the PGA tour, ...

How to release a golf club?

In addition to holding on to that angle as long as you can, you also need to turn your lower body to the left aggressively all the way through impact. Rather than consciously thinking about the release itself, you should be thinking about this lower body rotation. If you can turn left hard through the shot, the club will almost have no choice but to release through impact. It is the combination of holding your angle and turning hard left in the downswing that can lead to impressive power. When you watch golf on TV and you see professional golfers hitting extremely long drives and high iron shots, you can be sure they have both of these fundamentals down pat.

How to hear a whooshing sound in golf?

Practice your swing until the club makes a 'whooshing' sound as the light grip end of the club whips through the air. Listen carefully and try to identify where the whooshing of the golf club occurs during the swing motion. Is it in the back of the swing before the ball when you first hear it or the front of the swing after the ball? You are aiming to hear the 'whoosh' at, or just in front of, the impact area where the ball would be. If it is heard before impact (too much in the right ear for right handed players), the hands are too active too soon and the peak speed of the swing is too early. If the sound is too far after the impact area, in the left ear for right handed golfers, the hands are too tight and the swing is peaking too late.

Why do golfers hold on to the bottom of their swing?

The player can tell that there is going to be a problem with the shot if the club is released, so they hang on through impact and don't allow that release to occur. In the end, swing speed is lost due to the lack of a release, and the ball usually flies off target as well. There is no compromise or middle ground on this point - if you are going to reach your potential as a player in this game, you have to learn how to release the club correctly on each and every swing.

How does power work in golf?

It is the rotation of your body that accelerates the club head on the way down toward the ball, and there is only so much you can do to add speed to your turn. When you think about power in golf, you should be thinking more about efficiency than anything else. If your swing is efficient in the way you direct your power into the ball, you will hit long shots – even if you don't feel like you are giving it your all.

Lifespan

Unfortunately, golf clubs have a life span just like a car. If a set of clubs is older than 10 years old, expect deterioration like broken shafts, heads coming off and grips unraveling. Although the lifespan can be extended by taking care of the clubs, anything beyond 10 years is likely to give problems.

Manufacturing Defects

Like all commodities, manufacturing process errors or faults do occur occasionally. Depending on the period of time and use, manufacturers are likely to accommodate claims that are within reason. They will request pictures, or inspection by their agent in the area to determine if abuse or mishandling is the cause.

Cheap Copies

The exponential growth of golf as a sport worldwide has brought about clubs being a marketable product. In China, where most of the top brands are manufactured, cheaper copy versions have sprung up, and sell at a fraction of top brand costs.

Playing Golf in the Rain

To the die-hard golfer, a bit of rain on the course is no reason to stop playing. As the saying goes; “it does not rain on the golf course”! Playing in the rain is OK, but the treatment of the clubs after the game is an important factor.

Bad Swing Mechanics

Beginners should always take a few lessons from a seasoned pro to get the basics of the golf swing right. This not only will improve your game at a faster rate but will also protect your clubs. Taking deep divots on every shot on hard turf courses will ultimately weaken the shaft and damage the clubhead.

Storing Clubs in The Car Boot

It is easy to throw the clubs into the car boot after a Saturday outing and leave them there until the following game. The temperatures in the boot will affect the longevity of the clubs. The adhesive used in securing the head to the shaft is high class, but the continuous variation in temperatures in the boot will slowly cause deterioration.

Club Abuse

Golf is a very frustrating game and will always test the player’s patience and skill level. It is one of the toughest games to master, due to the finite margins between success and failure on a shot. How often on the tee do we see an “extended” follow through with the club banged into the ground!

Why do golfers use their hands more aggressively during the downswing?

Golfers may be forced to use their hands more aggressively during the downswing if they are not rotating their hips correctly , according to golf instructor Jack Lumpkin. If you fail to rotate completely, the club face will be wide open at impact if you don’t twist your hands.

Why is hand action important in golf?

For example, every good golf swing begins with a proper grip. If you don’t hold the club correctly, an otherwise flawless swing won’t yield the desired result. Hand movements remain important even after you’ve gripped the club.

Why do golfers uncock their wrists?

A golfer’s wrists must uncock so the club head can snap forward through the impact zone. However, golf instructors often have very different ideas about the hands’ role in this movement. Kay McMahon says the hands have one primary purpose: to hold the club.

What is the most important aspect of hand motion?

The most important aspect of hand motion, Harmon says, is to synchronize the movements of your hands with the rest of your body.

Do golfers have to rotate their hands?

She believes golfers should employ “no conscious manipulation” of the club with their hands. Dean Reinmuth, though, maintains that the hands and forearms must rotate the club “aggressively” at the moment of impact, adding that the hand motion must be smooth and steady throughout the downswing.

image
A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9