Golf Ball Speed

[JEFF4i]

Originally Posted by FATC1TY

I was only going by a generic ball speed with a driver. I didn't do any math, nor did I care enough to attempt to get a scientific answer.

"One can expect a ball speed of about a 1.5 times the head speed when hit on the sweet spot at swing speeds of about 110 mph. But even if the head speeds are the same the impact point may be different and ball speed may be affected. As far as distance is concerned this will be affected dramatically by the launch conditions. One set of launch conditions may be at the optimum for that ball and its speed and the other set no where close."

So there is no definite mathmatical answer.

Happy jeff?

Look, I'm not trying to bust your balls here, I was just trying to understand how you came up with that number. I know that it was 1.5 for drivers, but maybe it is significantly changed when it comes to 3-woods?

Again, I'm not trying to drill you on these forums man.

Since I've not quite yet addressed the initial question here...it is good, so long as you are staying in the fairway, Fairways, greens, and putts. The three most important stats in golf, not necessarily distance. Which I'm sure you wanted to here, hehehe.

[Wi-Golfer]

With a driver that ball speed would equate to just under a 90 mph swing speed. Not sure about the 3w but my guess & that's all it is, would be off the tee the swing speed would probably be pretty close to the same. Sure it's a bit shorter of a club but it's also lighter & I swing mine pretty much the same as I do driver.

[ezra76]

Jeff is using the same numbers I've always gone by. If you take ballspeed and divide by smash factor you get SS, with a driver. So using 1.5 is a perfect hit, with all the energy transferred to the ball. I came up with 85 using 1.5 but that could be higher and most likely is higher. If it were 1.4, you'd be looking at around 90mph. FWIW my driver SS is not much higher than my 3W SS. Last winter I went an indoor facility and found my 3W SS was only about 3-4mph. less than my driver SS. So, in my experience at least, WiGolfer is pretty accurate with the difference between 3W and driver SS.


Also, regarding 190mph ballspeed, that would equate to just over 320yds. carry, dead level, sea level. That's all carry. Swingspeed on a perfect hit would be about 127mph at that ballspeed.

[JEFF4i]

Yeah, that is what I figured there Ez, but I never knew for 3 woods.