Does swing speed = distance??

[REFLOG]

I am considering a whole new set of clubs (irons, driver, hybrids, fairway woods) and had some thoughts.....

I currently hit Ping i3+ stiff
SS is 88mph with 6 iron on launch monitor
I hit my 6 iron about 165 (carry)

Questions: Hypothetically, If 2 players (or a swing robot for that matter) are totally equal in terms of swing quality and the only difference is ss, and they play identical clubs except for flex, then what should happen here...

Player A: ss is 85-95 mph with 6 iron (stiff) and carries this club 165
Player B: ss is 75-85 mph with 6 iron (regular) carries this club ???

Should palyer B be able to carry the 6 iron 165 yds? Or is distance a matter of swing speed, all other things considered equal? I thought that perhaps flex of shaft launches ball as shaft unloads??

My ss probably places me in between a stiff and regular. I have always played a stiff, as that is what was recommended by Ping fitter, but I wonder if I would gain anything from a regular flex??

Should I rely on launch monitor results to dictate flex? Loft on driver?

I am going down in a couple of weeks to a demo day in Palm Springs where several maunufacturers will be present (Taylor Made, Ping, Mizuno, Hogan, Adams, Bobby Jones, Callaway, etc... I will try out both regular and stiff flex. Should I visit a launch monitor BEFORE I go to demo day to know what I should concentrate on or after I hit the various clubs? I haven't been on launch monitor for driver.

Thanks!!!

[warbirdlover]

Let the launch monitor tell the story. Ball speed (faster = farther) and spin rate (2500-3500 rpm = farther), and launch angle (14º-16º ideal for driver = farther).

Swing speed for a 155-165 mph ball speed is between 95-105 mph usually (me) and my 105 ss gives 160 mph ball speed at 14º launch angle (using 9º driver loft and stiff flex NVS shaft) and 3000 rpm spin for a carry distance of 260-280 yards (driver). EXACTLY what I got on the course. See this link R35 gave me...

http://www.sonicboomgolf.com/distanc...ndashboard.swf

[Youngun5]

haha,

the dicks sporting goods over here just installed their launch monitor stuff, i gave a Taylormade LT2 a run on there to see if i liked them enough to purchase justagolfer's. my swing speed was very similar to yours, which i found weird b/c my driver speed previously was in the high 100's. the sales rep said i was hitting 210!

knowing dirty tactics are sometimes used, i took it with a grin. no way i'd take any 6 iron that deep, that was definitely one juiced monitor.

i guess if i ever need to feel good about myself and my golfing abilities i know where to go now.

anyway sorry to sidetrack, i think the best thing to do is go to the demo day open minded, that way you don't rule out any combo before you even try it just because its a regular flex or a stiff flex, because anything can work for anyone, its just a matter of finding the one for you.

good luck and happy hunting!

-YG

[warbirdlover]

Monitors can be accurate and not accurate. Find one (and a salesman) you can believe. The carry distance on the monitor for the Rapture I bought performed exactly the same on the course. I've got witnesses!! (I wouldn't trust ANYTHING I found at Dick's, monitors OR salesmen) (I don't do the irons on the launch monitor - course or driving range only for those).

[ezra76]

Yes, you should gain distance with an Rflex. I play a stiff but it is a rather soft stiff in my irons. I am probably about a club longer as that would be more my 7i distance. Launch monitors can be funny too, as these guys have said. I have been on one accurate one that read out 262 yds. of carry with a 113 mph. swing. I also went to Dick's a couple weeks ago and hit a driver on thiers. The guy said 87mph and 160 something yards. I handed it to him and said "I'd better tee off with an 8iron."

[MCDavis]

I've always been told/read to play the lowest flex you can control. My driver ss is 95 - 100 and I play R flex for that very reason.

Also, if you play the lower flex, you can concentrate more on swinging smooth and fluid rather than swinging hard/fast every time. Makes for a more enjoyable round IMHO.

[warbirdlover]

Sounds like the launch monitors at Dick's aren't accurate...

[milner_7]

Originally Posted by warbirdlover

Sounds like the launch monitors at Dick's aren't accurate...

I dont think they are accurate anywhere. I dont trust them

[demon]

Yeah dont trust a launch monitor, I have seen a wide variety of information coming off of them. Best bet is to play the weakest flex you can control like MCDavis suggested. If you are playing an R flex and drives are pull hooking then step up to a Stiff flex. If you are playing an R flex and it starts to balloon then try an R flex.

[ualtim]

Originally Posted by demon

If you are playing an R flex and it starts to balloon then try an R flex.

Huh? Is that you Yogi? When you get to a fork in the road, take it.

[MCDavis]

Originally Posted by demon

Yeah dont trust a launch monitor, I have seen a wide variety of information coming off of them. Best bet is to play the weakest flex you can control like MCDavis suggested. If you are playing an R flex and drives are pull hooking then step up to a Stiff flex. If you are playing an R flex and it starts to balloon then try an R flex.

demon, you wanna clarify that one for him? I think you meant to switch from S to R if ballooning, but I'm not positive.

[Rockford35]

I truly think that golf shop monitors are garbage. Depending on where they are situated behind/beside you can make the numbers +/- 20%. Not good, unless you make the numbers higher to sell drivers. Which is probably what they do.

Simulators are much better. I'm a pretty short iron player, and I find the simulators bang on with iron distances. This leads me to beleive that there would be no reason as to why my driver and fairway woods wouldn't be bang on as well, which they seem to be.

At GolfUSA, I once hit an Ft-3 and it gave me a ballspeed of 244. Uh, ok.

I did blow a hole through the range net and through the drywall behind the cage. That was sweet.

R35

[warbirdlover]

I take it a simulator is where you play an actual round of golf and a monitor just tells you about the last shot?

[Rockford35]

Pretty much. I've found huge differences bewteen the two.

Luckily (and unfortunately for my wallet), the local shop lets me take clubs to the sims to try. The feedback is much, much more accurate and allows you to create a shot rather than just banging away at a wall. (Well, not literally speaking, but mentally.)

R35

[demon]

Originally Posted by MCDavis

demon, you wanna clarify that one for him? I think you meant to switch from S to R if ballooning, but I'm not positive.

Oops, I meant S.

Originally Posted by ualtim

Huh? Is that you Yogi? When you get to a fork in the road, take it.

Yeah boo boo, its me.