The 5 Factors Affecting Driver Launch Angle and Spin Rate
- Clubhead Speed. This one is pretty straight forward… the faster you swing the golf club, the MORE SPIN you’ll...
- Driver Loft. Driver loft is the physical angle of the club face itself in relation to the ground. This directly...
- Angle of Attack. What is “Angle of Attack”? This is the angle between the...
What factors affect a golf club's launch angle?
Many factors affect launch angle, including swing speed, the angle of attack (how the clubface approaches the golf ball) and clubface position at impact. The loft of the golf club itself is the single biggest factor, of course. But the same club can produce very different launch angles in the hands of different golfers based on the other factors.
What is launch angle in golf?
Launch angle is the initial angle of ascent of the golf ball immediately after impact, expressed in degrees. A launch angle of, for example, 20 degrees means the ball is ascending at an angle of 20 degrees relative to the groundline of the surface from which it was struck.
How does attack angle affect launch angle and distance?
These optimized carry distances are the farthest a player can expect to carry a ball for the associated clubhead speeds. This chart shows how attack angle affects launch angle, spin and distance, based on TrackMan data. It’s a common refrain that a high launch with low spin creates optimal launch and distance; this chart shows that correlation.
How does swing speed affect driver launch angle?
The slower a golfer's swing speed, the more help the golfer generally needs from his or her driver in boosting launch angle. And an improved driver launch angle often means more carry, which in turn leads to more distance.
What determines launch angle golf?
Launch angle – “the angle the ball takes off at relative to the ground” (Trackman.com). Launch angle is highly correlated to loft delivered at impact – the more loft you deliver, the higher the launch angle is going to be.
What causes high launch angle golf?
When we see that the launch angle and dynamic loft are too high with irons, it is a direct result of not compressing the ball. Ball position and not letting the handle lead the club head are direct causes of this issue. Also another large cause is the player trying to hit the ball with their hands.
How do I improve my launch angle in golf?
9:0715:133 Ways To Increase Launch Angle With Driver | Golf Club Fitting TipsYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipYou're going to increase your launch angle. Just simple math you're adding dynamic loft to the club.MoreYou're going to increase your launch angle. Just simple math you're adding dynamic loft to the club. At impact so if we look at the dynamic loft 11.1 with the 9 degree setting.
How do you control launch angle in golf?
2:266:39How to Control Your Launch Angle with Michael Breed - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipBut watch what happens to the launch angle you see right down here my launch angle now is 13.3MoreBut watch what happens to the launch angle you see right down here my launch angle now is 13.3 degrees. So if you look at those two shots the blue one's the one that went to the right that's the 156.
What is a good launch angle for a 7 iron?
What is the ideal Launch Angle for a 7 Iron? The launch angle of a 7 iron club can range between 23.5 degrees to 25 degrees for an average golfer. Professional golfers can expect a launch angle of 16 degrees.
What is a good launch angle for a 6 iron?
16.9 degreesThe standard assumption for launch angle comes from the TrackMan Optimizer. For the driver, a club speed of 94 mph, attack angle of 0 degrees, and optimized carry results in a launch angle of 13.6 degrees. For a 6-iron, a club speed of 80 mph and mid-trajectory results in a launch angle of 16.9 degrees.
Why do I have low launch angle?
Losing your balance can quickly cause launch angle problems. If you keep your weight on your back foot during the downswing, the ball will typically launch higher than you would like. If you get stuck on your front foot before impact arrives, you will hit the ball lower than intended.
Why is my driver launch angle so low?
If you are hitting down too much on your iron shots currently, you are probably hitting shots with such a low launch angle that the ball remains low to the ground even if you have plenty of spin. Fix the attack angle into the shot and you will quickly raise the ball flight. Hit through the shot.
How do you fix a high launch angle?
11:5312:57Launch Angle Too High with Driver? - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipMight even be outside in but just look at your face sky MOX and where the ball imprints our on yourMoreMight even be outside in but just look at your face sky MOX and where the ball imprints our on your club if you've got a shiny face you can see it and I think that I'll give you the answer alright.
What is the optimal launch angle for a driver?
The ideal launch angle for a driver is between 15° and 17°. This is NOT the same as loft. Launch is defined as the angle between the ground and the ball flight just after impact, and is the result of the clubs loft and attack angle.
What is optimal launch angle?
The low loft of a golf driver is very surprising from the perspective of physics. Everyone in freshman physics learns that the optimal launch angle for a projectile - the angle that makes a ball fly the farthest - is 45 degrees.
How fast should you launch your golf ball?
If your swing speed is between 85 mph and 105 mph, you need to launch the ball as HIGH AS POSSIBLE! That's a broad statement, but it covers most golfers. Until you get to the 110 mph and above range, you need to focus on launching the ball as high as possible with the optimum spin rate.
What happens if you don't release the club yet?
The other piece is, the truth about the golf swing is that the maximum club head speed happens just at the point of maximum release or just slightly after, so if you haven't released the club yet you haven't got maximum speed. No maximum speed here.
Is the launch angle high enough?
One, the launch angle is never going to be high enough. You're not going to have enough speed and enough spin to get the ball up into a high enough trajectory to get it to fly far enough to get maximum distance. You're going to lose a dramatic amount of yardage. That's Point 1.
Does the point of diminishing returns apply to every golfer?
Now, there's a point of diminishing returns and that doesn't apply to every single golfer on the planet. The higher swing speeds you get, the less high you need to launch the ball because there's a point of diminishing returns with the descent angle, but again we'll talk about these details in future videos.
Can you shift back behind the ball?
You're not shifting back behind the ball. Ball off left armpit. All that stuff is true to a degree, but there's certainly a point where it can be overdone. For instance, for a typical Rotary Swinger I like to see the ball just about off the inside of the big toe for an average golf shot.
Does launch angle affect driving distance?
Launch angle has a drastic impact on driving distance - correcting a poor one will get you more distance today. Driver loft does make a difference, but your angle of attack is critical - hitting down on the ball is devastating to the average golfer's distance.
Optimizing Ball Flight Trajectory
To have the absolute perfect golf ball flight trajectory (maximizing distance of course), there are two elements that need to be optimized… Launch Angle and Spin Rate:
The 5 Factors Affecting Driver Launch Angle and Spin Rate
Okay, we talked a lot about optimizing your driver launch angle and spin rate to achieve the perfect ball flight right? But how do you actually control those things?
How to Change Those Numbers With a New Driver
So we’ve talked about the 2 elements affecting ball flight and distance, AND the 5 factors directly affecting those elements.
So What Loft Driver Should I Use? Putting It All Together
I’ve thrown a LOT of info at you, and it can be confusing, I know. There’s just not a “best loft” simple answer.
Final Thoughts on Driver Loft
Use the knowledge presented in this article to analyse your current ball flight trajectory. Then, reverse engineer what can be fixed or what can be improved.
What is golf swing?
The golf swing is one of the most complicated movements in sport. It is no surprise then that many of the stats you can get from your swing is very technical. There is absolutely no shame in not knowing what some of these terms mean, there are a lot of them. Two phrases you hear mentioned a lot are launch angle and angle of attack.
How to shallow out if you are getting too steep?
If you are getting too steep, hitting full shots from a practice bunker can be really helpful as a way of learning how to shallow out. You won’t be able to hit the ball until you are more shallow. Another good drill is to hit shots from a very low tee and try to sweep it from the tee.
What is spin loft?
Spin loft is roughly the angle between dynamic loft and AoA, this influences the spin rate of your shots greatly. Hitting down on the ball more, increasing negative AoA, with a lofted club increases spin loft and so spin rate.
What is a launch monitor?
Launch monitors are incredibly powerful tools to help you with your game but they need to be used properly as they can easily overwhelm you. If you can work to get your Angle of Attack and Launch Angle figures looking good you will see huge benefits in how far you start to hit the ball.
Is it worth filming your swing?
It is worth filming your swing when you are at the driving range. If you do swing quite steep then a flatter swing will definitely help you improve your swing dynamics. If you hit the ball really high and often struggle with a hook, these can be signs of coming over the top and getting really steep.
Does hitting down on the ball increase spin rate?
Yes, it does and learning how to take advantage of this can add some serious free distance. By hitting down on the ball, a negative AoA, spin rates are significantly higher than when you hit up on the ball, a positive AoA. This reduction in spin rate translates into distance.
Can you get negative AOA on long irons?
However, getting your AoA right on long irons can really make everything easier. Too many hit down too much and have a real negative AoA. For long irons you want to generate a negative AoA, it definitely helps to have a descending blow on all irons, however, less loft should mean less negative.
What is the launch angle of a golf ball?
In golf, the launch angle is the “initial trajectory of the ball relative to the ground ,” according to PGA pro Mark Blakemore. Golf writer Steve Newell quantifies the launch angle as the ball’s trajectory over its first 20 yards. Other launch characteristics include the ball’s initial velocity on impact and the amount of backspin it possesses.
How to raise your launch angle?
To raise your launch angle, tee the ball higher and set it farther forward in your stance, setting up with more weight on the right side. Any of those techniques, however, can increase the chance of a mis-hit.
What are the two things that are constant throughout a golf round?
A player’s swing changes from shot to shot, and environmental conditions fluctuate. Two things that are constant throughout a round: the clubhead and the ball.
What is the springiness of a driver's face?
Golf Association capped the springiness of a driver’s face (expressed by coefficient of restitution, or COR) at .83, meaning that no more than 83 percent of the energy created at impact can be transferred to the ball.
What part of the distance-generating equation does the game’s governing bodies not limit?
One part of the distance-generating equation that the game’s governing bodies do not limit is clubhead speed. This is the reason why several companies have made big investments in aerodynamic research in recent years.
Is ball speed equal to distance?
“The correlation between ball speed and distance is extremely strong. If you get more speed, all things being equal, you get more distance.”. Most golfers already knew that, but “all things” on a golf course rarely are equal.
What Affects Launch angle?
- There are other factors that influence launch angle beyond which club a player uses. In particular, higher clubhead speeds and ball speeds will produce a higher launch if all other variables are equal. This is the main reason why slower swing-speed players use a higher-lofted driver compared to those who are faster swing-speed players. Launch angle...
What Is The Proper Launch angle?
- The big question everyone wants to know is whether their launch is too high, too low or just right for any given club. There is no one answer to that question given all the differences in the aforementioned variables, but we have a lot of clues. The average PGA Tour launch with a driver is 10.9 degrees. The launch actually goes down with fairway woods — usually around 9.3 degrees …
Interpreting Launch Angle
- The most important thing to remember about launch angle is that the vast majority of golfers launch the ball too high.This is mainly because of not making clean contact. Making poor contact generally increases launch because they do not hit down on the ball, exposing the clubface and adding more loft. Ball-first contact where a divot is taken after impact is when launch will decrea…
Advanced Launch Analytics
- As a golfer becomes more skilled, they can monitor their launch on shots they intend to hit higher vs. lower. This is particularly important with wedge shots and short-iron shots. Better players generally like to lower their launch with wedge shots so they can better control the distance. As critical as launch angle is on longer shots, it’s arguably even more vital on shorter shots where p…