swing speed

[spidey]

Anybody ever priced those swing speed meters? Where can you get a cheap one or a good one, or any one, for that matter?

spidey

[Gary Hill]

This site may provide some answers: Swingmate

[spidey]

Way to go RulesNut.

Is there a place in Ottawa that retails these suckers? Did you buy one? Where did you get it?

spidey

[Gary Hill]

$139.00 U.S. and you are STILL interested??

Sounds like you subscribe to this theory:

Golf is not a matter of life and death, it's more important than that!

[spidey]

139US = 210Can

210Can buys you 3 boxes of ProV1's... or

4 greens fees at Loch March... or

....thinking... Isn't this the guy who has TWO identical sets of golf clubs???

spidey

good golfing and good weekend

[Gary Hill]

Isn't this the guy who has TWO identical sets of golf clubs???

Ooops! Guilty as charged.

[Kilroy]

LOL! Score 1 for Spidey!

[Dustin]

or you can go to Chuck Brown's and tell them you need new clubs and they will measure your swing speed

[Gary Hill]

Chuck Browns will test your swing speed if you want new clubs? Is this speed somehow related to new clubs?

I swing a five iron at 95 mph and my driver at 104 mph. Now what?

[Dustin]

They will measure it, to find out what kind of shaft you need.
For me i need more of a steel flex shaft since i was 89mph, if i was over 100mph i belive then i would have needed regular shaft.

but either way they will measure it there instead of going out and paying the $.

I looked on ebay for you, but the only swing speed machines were " will ship to the United States only". They seem to average about $60 US.

[Gary Hill]

They will measure it, to find out what kind of shaft you need.

I would be very interested in the explanation.

[Dustin]

An explanation of why they measure your swing speed so you have the right shaft?

If thats what you are talking about, kind of what i said. For slower swingers like myself i would have trouble using a regular or stiff shaft, i need flex, so i can generate more speed.

Not TOO sure, but hey, if you want your speed measured thats a great option

ps, played Hammond today for the first time and was really impressed with it, especially the $10 after 5!

[Gary Hill]

Shaft labels
Marketing influences often dictate whether a particular shaft is marked "S" (stiff) "R" (regular), "A" (senior), or "L" (ladies). The average male golfer should use an "R" but manufacturers know that the vast majority of them want to hit with "S". Some manufacturers are wisely getting around that dilemma with new terminology such as "Release", "Easyflex", "Turboflex", "Smoothflex", and "Speedfit".

Shaft flex
A measurement of how much a shaft will bend under a certain LOAD. During the early part of the downswing, the club shaft bends - opening the clubface. As the downswing approaches the point of impact, the shaft recoils against this bending, returning the shaft towards a straight position at the point of impact, presenting the clubface square to the ball.

"Flex" would be a relatively simple factor to fathom if club manufacturers followed a uniform set of standards. Unfortunately, they do not. Flex standards vary not only from manufacturer to manufacturer but also, from model to model within certain manufacturers' product lines. Callaway, for one, is notorious for labeling weak flex shafts as "S".

True Temper unbelievably uses weight sorting to determine flex.Their theory is that a heavier shaft (over 113 gms) has more steel and, therefore, a thicker wall and, therefore, requires a "S" label. No other shaft characteristics are taken into account.

It is important to remember that strength is not the key determinant in deciding what flex is appropriate for any given golfer. Even clubhead speed is of secondary importance in determining what flex to use. What matters most is the golfer's tempo and the particular point in his swing WHERE unloading occurs and how forcibly he does that unloading. If your release is very late (not necessarily fast), then you need a stiffer flex. If your swing is smooth and rhythmic (though not necessarily slow), then you should use a softer flex.

Flex point/Kick point
The flex point or kick point is the point where the shaft flexes the most. In general, the lower the flex point, the easier it is to get the ball airborne.

Torque
Torque is a measurement of how much a shaft will twist under a certain load. As force is generated in the downswing, the shaft bends but also "twists" or torques. Without some torque, the shot would feel very rigid at impact. Too much torque and you'll lose control.

Frequency
Frequency is the number of reverberations cycles per minute(cpm) the shaft will register when its end tip is pulled and then released, while the butt is clamped in place. The more reverberations the shaft makes per minute the stiffer the shaft. Frequency is amplitude independent. That means regardless of how far the shaft is deflected (half or full swing), the frequency remains constant. Clubs built with frequency matching have exceptionally close frequencies while retail irons can vary up to 60 CPM.

So, how does one choose what shaft to use? The easiest way is to ask for three 5-irons from the same product line each with a different flex. Tape over any flex indicative markings. Then hit a large bucket of balls on a full length range alternating between clubs. Keep track of your results and stick with the one which provides the best results. If it turns out to be a senior flex then buy senior flex. But, do not assume that a Callaway set will be gauged by the same standard as a Taylor or a Ping or any other set. Test the flexes of the brand you are going to buy. The best way is to use a proper fitting center or have the clubs shafted by a certified club maker.

Don't test for flex in one brand and then buy another. Odds are, they won't be the same. Also remember that the exact same shaft with the exact same flex will swing differently depending upon the weight of the clubhead. A heavier head from one manufacturer will make an "R" shaft flex closer to an "A". A lighter head from another will make it seem more like an "S".

Most retailers would have you believe that swing speed is the key to determining the proper clubs, but club makers and most professionals would tell you shaft labels should be disregarded. Buying golf clubs based of your swing speed would be like buying shoes based on your height.

IMHO, your efforts would be better served by investing in a True Temper "Determinator" or a "Timeatch Fit-Chip" device for measuring load during your swing. Buying clubs "off the shelf" is an expensive gamble. The total cost of re-shafting, re-gripping, and custom fitting both my sets was significantly less than one set of retail clubs.

[natgolfer]

The above information is excellent and something that very few golfers are aware of.

The bottom line is that there is no such thing as a "regular", "stiff" and so on, flex.

So, buyer beware!!! When a salesperson tells you that you need a "regular" flex, for example, he/she is either lying or ignorant when it come to shaft fitting.

So how do you know what shaft is best for you? You gotta hit clubs with different shafts and "flexes" and find what performs best for you.

I you want to see an interesting fitting method, check out www.dynacraftgolf.com and read about the DSFI, Dynacraft Shaft Fitting Index. You will find in chapter 2 an index related to your swing speed for literally hundreds of today's shafts. This will help eliminate some of the guesswork in selecting a shaft.