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A New Visit to High
Launch/Low Spin Driver Fitting
Ever since the introduction of the award winning Search Series
of books, we at TWGT receive a lot of contacts from golfers
who have read our books and contact us with questions about
their equipment. While the topics vary, one of the most frequent
involves their interest to know how they can achieve a “High
Launch + Low Spin” result with their driver. Because there
is a lot of confusion in the golf equipment market place about
this subject, TWGT feels it appropriate to re-visit this subject
to offer the very latest in technical information about this
topic in clubfitting.
Speaking from a purely theoretical fitting point of view, it
is true that the ultimate driver fitting should result in the
combined launch parameters of “high ball speed + high
launch angle + low spin.” The problem is the fact that
humans swing golf clubs with a variety of different techniques,
some which are not conducive to being able to achieve this theoretically
perfect combination of launch parameters. In addition, this
combination of “high ball speed + high launch angle +
low spin” is intended to deliver the maximum carry distance
– a factor which may or may not result in the greatest
overall driver distance, depending on whether the fairways are
more or less conducive to the roll of the ball after landing.
High Ball Speed
Of the three primary launch parameters, achieving the highest
ball speed for each individual golfer is the most important
and the easiest to accomplish – all you have to do is
fit your golfers into one of TWGT’s driver designs and
then fit the golfer with their best combination of length +
shaft weight + swingweight (MOI) to ensure the golfer hits the
ball on center the highest percentage of the time!
All kidding aside, TWGT is very proud of our ability to design
high performance driver designs which deliver a consistently
high “Smash Factor” (ball speed divided by clubhead
speed) over a large area of the face. The highest possible Smash
Factor capable from a USGA conforming driver for any golfer,
as calculated by the most accurate launch monitor in the game,
is 1.50. (Actually, it is 1.495, but because the TrackMan launch
monitor reports Smash Factor to the nearest 0.01 number, TrackMan
will round an actual Smash Factor of 1.495 up to 1.50)
Because of TWGT’s variable face thickness design ability,
impacts ½” to ¾” above, below and
to the side of the center of the face of our driver heads will
still result in Smash Factors of 1.48 to 1.49, as recorded by
TrackMan™. So even when the golfer has a slightly less
than perfect point of impact, achieving the highest possible
ball speed for their clubhead speed is the easiest of the three
primary launch parameters to deliver to the golfer.
High Launch
Students of the technology of fitting are aware that the optimum
launch angle for every golfer has to be related to their swing
speed. It is a myth to think all golfers need to achieve the
same launch angle to maximize distance. The lower the clubhead
speed, the higher the launch angle must be to achieve maximum
distance, and vice versa. In addition, the more downward the
golfer’s angle of attack, the lower their optimum launch
angle will be, and the more upward to angle of attack, the higher
the optimum launch angle will be.
What specific loft angle each golfer must use to achieve their
optimum launch angle for maximum total distance depends on the
golfer’s swing speed + the golfer’s angle of attack
+ the condition of the fairways with respect to the roll of
the ball on the golf courses they play. Without question, the
angle of attack is extremely important to know to be able to
help any golfer find which loft generates the optimum launch
angle for their swing speed.
The angle of attack is the direction the clubhead travels to
impact in relation to the ground. The A of A is measured in
degrees Upward or Downward, or Level to the ground. The ideal
condition for maximizing driver distance is an upward A of A.
Golfers with a downward A of A are at an immediate disadvantage
when trying to maximize distance off the tee.
The more the golfer swings with an upward A of A to the ball,
the lower the driver head loft can be to generate a high and
optimum launch angle. The lower the loft of the driver head,
the lower the spin rate on the ball. Hence, an upward A of A
is the best way to achieve the ideal combination of high launch
+ low spin. To contrast, the golfer with a downward A of A has
to use a higher loft to achieve their optimal launch angle,
and with that higher loft comes more backspin.
After the ball velocity, the launch angle is the second most
important launch parameter to optimize to deliver maximum distance
to each golfer. Spin is definitely in last place.
Low Spin
The role of backspin in optimizing distance is a launch parameter
that is least understood and most confusing. The reason that
lower spin is considered to be beneficial for maximizing driver
distance is because the higher the spin rate and speed of the
ball, the more friction is generated between the ball and the
air through which it flies. The greater the friction between
the air and the ball in flight, the sooner the speed and lift
of the ball can decay and contribute to a decrease in distance.
* Loft has the greatest effect on changing the launch angle
of the shot. However, loft is also the number one clubhead specification
which controls spin; the higher the loft, the higher the backspin.
Elements such as the shaft or clubhead center of gravity do
not generate as much change in launch angle as many golfers
are led to believe. Changes in launch angle from the shaft can
only happen for golfers who possess a relatively late unhinging
of the wrist-cock angle before impact, further limiting the
shaft’s effect on launch angle.
* The slower the golfer’s ball speed, an increase in
spin may be required to keep the ball in the air to fly its
maximum distance. Even for golfers with a high ball speed, there
is a point at which the spin can be too low to generate enough
lift to combine with the ball speed to keep the ball in the
air to fly its maximum distance.
* It is extremely important for golfers to achieve their optimum
launch angle in order to optimize their potential for distance.
To sacrifice the launch angle to achieve a perceived low spin
on the ball is a mistake that will result in significantly less
distance than the golfer is capable of achieving.
* Once the correct loft is known that will combine with the
golfer’s angle of attack to result in the golfer’s
best launch angle for distance, there is very little that can
be done from an equipment standpoint to change the spin while
keeping the launch angle stable. Changes in the ball design
do not typically offer more than a few hundred rpms of spin
difference. What’s more, the slower the golfer’s
ball speed, the less the rpm difference between a high and low
spin ball design.
* Changes in the center of gravity position between clubheads
will elicit their effect on spin by changing the dynamic loft
of the head at impact through the effect of the CG on the forward
bending of the shaft. As a result, such CG changes alter the
launch angle, which in turn will require another change in the
loft to correct. When the golfer finds the driver head loft
which generates the best launch angle for their ball speed +
angle of attack, but the spin is still too high in relation
to the “theoretical spin guidelines,” reducing the
spin on the shot is something that can only be remedied by a
change in the golfer’s swing technique.
Putting it All Together
Thanks to our technical association with the good people at
TrackMan™/ISG AS, we are happy to share a couple of charts
of information compiled from research being done with a wide
variety of golfers by the TrackMan™ launch system. The
following charts show the optimum launch parameters for maximum
driver distance.
Chart 1 shows optimum launch parameters for different clubhead
speeds + different ranges of angle of attack to achieve maximum
CARRY DISTANCE. Chart 2 shows the optimum launch parameters
to achieve maximum TOTAL DISTANCE of carry + roll, based on
lowering the angle of descent of the ball to the ground to take
advantage of more roll from firm to dry fairway conditions.
One of the most important bits of information to derive from
this information is how much a downward angle of attack limits
the golfer’s potential for distance. Take a look at the
difference in carry distance for the +5° and -5° Angles
of Attack for each clubhead speed. For example, at 90mph, which
is very close to the average man’s driver clubhead speed,
the optimum launch parameters show the 90mph golfer with a 5°
upward angle of attack can carry the ball 27 yards farther than
a golfer with the same clubhead speed but with a 5° downward
angle of attack. Yes, the lower launch angle of the 90mph /
-5° A of A will generate a little more roll but not enough
to make up the distance difference. For all clubhead speeds,
the golfer with a downward angle of attack is losing significant
driver distance compared to what they could achieve were they
to have a level or upward angle of attack.
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TWGT New Design Updates
We know you’re anxious to touch, feel, build and hit/use
some of the new products from TWGT for 2008. We’re anxious
to get them in your hands to hear your feedback! While we did
anticipate more of the new products being in stock by the first
of February, the old adage of the “best laid plans of
mice and men go awry” popped up to create a little more
delay. As a result we wanted to offer the following information
about new product deliveries:
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Common Sense Clubfitting
for Consistency
The
majority of the emphasis in clubfitting is placed on increasing
distance and improving accuracy. Being able to improve the golfer’s
shotmaking consistency is an area of game improvement that can
actually lower the golfer’s score more than fitting changes
which bring about more distance and better accuracy. When we
talk about shotmaking consistency in Common Sense Clubfitting,
the emphasis is on making changes to the golfer’s clubs
which result in a higher on-center hit percentage, as well as
changes which allow the golfer to achieve more consistency in
their swing path and delivery of the face angle to impact.
Key Fitting Specifications for Shotmaking Consistency
1. Club Length
For the vast majority of golfers, the longer the length of
the clubs, the more the golfer will hit the ball off center
to lose consistency for distance and accuracy. In addition,
playing with clubs that are too long can make it more difficult
for the golfer to achieve a swing path that would contribute
to better accuracy. In addition, some golfers, most typically
golfers who are taller than average, may find that an iron to
iron length increment of 3/8” (or Dan Connelly’s
TLT fitting concept) will work better to improve consistency
of impact through the set.
Tips
* Use the wrist to floor measurement chart as your starting
point for length determination and be stingy about increasing
the length for the clubs from this starting point, especially
for the driver and fairway woods. Remember, most golfers do
NOT gain a swing speed increase from using longer length clubs,
but ALL golfers will experience a decrease in on center hits
from an increase in length.
* Do think seriously about incorporating Dan Connelly’s
TLT fitting concepts into your length fitting. (www.truelengthtechnology.com)
The loft change from clubhead to clubhead in the set is where
the vast majority of distance difference comes between clubs,
not the length increment change.
2. Swingweight/Total Weight and MOI Matching –
Fitting for the Golfer’s Best Swing Feel
On the of the A-Effect fitting specifications for shotmaking
consistency in Common Sense Clubfitting is the club to club
weight distribution through the set. Typically, most Clubmakers
think of this as the domain of swingweight matching in the fitting
process. However, because more and more evidence is mounting
to verify that MOI Matching is better than swingweight matching
for delivering clubs that allow the golfer to swing more consistently
from club to club, it is very important for Clubmakers to become
more knowledgeable about MOI matching of clubs in a set.
If you are uncertain of what MOI Matching can do as a replacement
for swingweight matching the clubs in a set, take a moment to
read this article by veteran clubmaker Richard Kempton from
the TWGT E-TECHreport for Nov/Dec 2007. (http://www.clubmate-golf.com.au/Newsletters/2007/nov-dec-07/nov-dec.htm#1)
Richard’s report chronicles what he has learned about
MOI Matching from having performed MOI Matching and fitting
for more than 500 different golfers since 2003.
Tips
* Whether we’re talking about swingweight or MOI Matching
of the clubs to the golfer, it is critical that this aspect
of fitting be done to match the golfer’s downswing transition
move and the golfer’s downswing tempo. The more forceful
the golfer starts the downswing transition and the faster the
golfer’s downswing tempo/acceleration, the higher the
swingweight/MOI should be to ensure the clubs’ weight
distribution makes it easier for the golfer to achieve a more
consistent, repeatable rhythm and timing in the downswing.
* At present, there is no swing measurement to which the golfer
can be subjected which will deliver a specific MOI or swingweight
recommendation such as in the case of a swing speed rating for
initial shaft flex fitting. Choosing the right swingweight or
MOI is a judgment, based on the general concepts described previously
about the swingweight/MOI being chosen on the basis of the golfer’s
downswing transition and tempo.
* Swingweight or MOI also has to be metered against the TOTAL
WEIGHT of the clubs. Since the weight of the shaft is the number
one element that determines the total weight of the club(s),
when Common Sense Clubfitting refers to total weight, all comments
and guidelines apply to the weight of the shaft. Fortunately,
Common Sense Clubfitting uses the golfer’s physical strength
as a separate element from the golfer’s downswing transition
and tempo to help guide the recommendation for the shaft weight.
* The greater the golfer’s physical strength, the greater
the shaft weight would normally be to create a total weight
that would allow the golfer to achieve a more consistent, repeatable
swing timing. High physical strength and a forceful transition
+ more aggressive swing tempo means both higher total weight
and a higher swingweight or MOI for the clubs.
3. Set Makeup
At first thought, Clubmakers might scratch their heads and
wonder how the Set Makeup has anything to do with improved shotmaking
consistency. At second thought, changing the set makeup to get
rid of the hard to hit clubs and replace them with ones that
are easier to hit and deliver the function and distance of the
hard to hit clubs can be one of the most powerful and effective
ways to improve a golfer’s shotmaking consistency.
* Shorter Length, Higher Loft Driver with Face Angle Customized
to the Golfer’s Accuracy Correction Needs
* An Alternative Driver for the Golfer to Use when playing
courses that demand a lower launch angle and lower angle of
descent to take advantage of very dry, firm fairway conditions
for maximum roll of the ball – or an alternative driver
that is much shorter and higher lofted for use on very tight
par-4 and par-5 holes.
* Finding Each Golfer’s “Second Longest Hitting
Wood” to replace their 3-wood which has too little loft
for most golfers to ever hit consistently high and solid
* Getting Rid of as Many Lower Loft Conventional Irons to
be replaced with hybrids or high loft fairway woods –
and include the 5-iron as a lower loft iron to get rid of, thanks
to the fact that so many 5-irons have 26° or lower loft.
* Offering the Golfer a Full and Separate Wedge Fitting Analysis
to come up with the best family of wedges for the different
golf course green and hazard designs that the golfer plays
* A Full Putter Fitting to accurately fit the golfer for Lie,
Length, Weight (Counterweighting), and Loft
4. Lie Angle
Need it be said that ignoring a precise Lie Board Fitting or
Golftec Lie Detector (http://golftek.com/liedetector.html) test
is a sure way to add to the problems of shotmaking consistency
for any golfer. Fitting the lie angle of the irons dynamically
to the golfer must be a given in any fitting session which strives
to improve the golfer’s consistency.
5. Woodhead Face Angle
While it is not a form of shotmaking consistency that delivers
a higher on center hit percentage, fitting the golfer for the
right Face Angle of the woods to improve accuracy is also considered
a way to improve the golfer’s consistency in play.
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The Right Sticks:
Just Around the Corner
The edits are done, the layout complete and the presses are
about to roll on TWGT’s latest book aimed at educating
golfers about the benefits of professionally custom fit clubs.
The Right Sticks: Equipment Myths that Could Wreck Your Golf
Game is scheduled to be on shelf and up front at every major
brick/mortar and online bookstore in early April.
Based on the format of the booklet, 12 Myths That Could Wreck
Your Golf Game, The Right Sticks fills the bookstore chains’
request for an equipment truths book that would capture today’s
readers’ interest through a series of short, concise and
to the point topics about golf clubs. In advance of the release,
we thought we’d share one of the new myths created for
The Right Sticks - #22 – The Clubs Sold in the Pro Shops
and Big Golf Stores are Good Enough for My Game.
We chose this one to share with TWGT clubmakers because it
drives home the point to golfers just how much more intelligent
it is to be custom fit than to spend money on standard made
golf clubs. Clubmakers who are continually searching for compelling
ways to convince golfers of the same point are welcome to download/copy
this myth from the new Right Sticks book to give to golfers.
MYTH #22:
THE CLUBS SOLD IN THE PRO SHOPS AND BIG GOLF STORES ARE GOOD
ENOUGH FOR MY GAME.
As a golf club designer who has designed hundreds of different
models during the 30+ years I have been in the golf business,
I can tell you that the quality of the clubheads, shafts and
grips created by the big, heavily marketed golf companies is
actually very good. They might not be usable in the hands of
the average golfer, but their technical quality is outstanding.
The reason they might not be usable in your hands, however,
is because these companies ruin all their hard design work by
selling their clubs under a single set of “average”
specifications. Unfortunately, the specifications they choose
might allow (maybe) 10% of all golfers to play to the best of
their abilities. As for the rest of you... Hey, these are just
like the clubs the pros use!
Why don’t these golf companies do what the bat and racket
makers do and build their clubs to a variety of specifications,
so golfers of all different sizes, strengths, athletic ability
and swing characteristics can buy the right clubs off-the-rack
and head out to the course to play?
They can’t, because if they did, they would go out of
business. They would have to manage thousands of product options
instead of ten or twenty. And, even if the golf companies could
somehow manage their inventory, the retailers who sell the clubs
to the golfers would never, ever, agree to stock all those different
combinations or else they would go bankrupt.
I’m sure at one point or another you’ve been in
a big box retail golf store; but for a moment, I’d like
you to think about what you saw. My guess is that you saw eight
to ten brands of golf clubs, with each brand having two to four
different models. The only “fitting option” you
might have seen among those brands and models are a handful
of driver lofts and maybe two or three shaft flexes. Never mind
that the driver lofts are not right for most golfers, and no
standard exists for what constitutes any given shaft flex.
If you know anything about the retail business, you know that
stocking eight brands times two models each, times a minimum
of eight different fitting options, times each fitting option
having three to six required variations, is nearly impossible.
It would require stocking a minimum of over 700 unique sets
in each store! Your accountant and banker would quickly tell
you not to touch that deal with a ten-foot pole, or else you’ll
be headed for Chapter 11. In a nutshell, even if a golf company
wanted to offer a wide variety of custom fitting options to
be sold off-the-rack, they
simply can’t!
As a result, as the golf industry has grown over the years,
they have resorted to offering golf clubs which are made to
one standard length, loft, lie, face angle, shaft weight, swingweight,
and grip size. In each model of each brand, you will see only
a handful of driver lofts, and a choice of two or three shaft
flexes (of which neither you nor the golf sales people have
any idea how stiff they really are).
Don’t you think it’s a little weird that almost
no one asks, “if bats and rackets are commonly stocked
and sold in all their necessary fitting options, why aren’t
golf clubs?” The few people who might have thought about
it enough to ask are typically told: “Custom fitting is
only for good golfers,” or “Custom fitting? Sure
we do that. Here, hit a few balls at our indoor net and tell
me which club you like,” or, “Golf is a hard game
and someday when you improve your swing, you’ll hit these
clubs better.” It’s like it is somehow your fault
that you don’t see lower scores, after buying a set of
clubs that were never designed for your use in the first place.
So exactly what is it about standard off-the-rack clubs that
keeps you from playing your best? That’s a good question
and one that you need to know since gazillions of golfers having
been buying these clubs for decades, thinking everything’s
fine.
* Drivers and Fairway Wood lengths are too long for at least
80% of all golfers, which prevents them from hitting as far
or as accurately as they could.
* 3-woods are made with too little loft for the vast majority
of golfers to hit high enough reach their maximum potential
distance.
* Few off-the-rack drivers are made with the face angle options
necessary to allow golfers who slice or hook the ball to reduce
their problem.
* Few companies offer their drivers with the loft options
necessary to allow golfers with an average to lower than average
swing speed to maximize their distance.
* To keep their inventory units manageable, almost every big
golf company gives golfers only one model of shaft. This, in
turn, makes it almost impossible for the golfer to match the
total weight and shaft stiffness to their strength and swing
tempo.
* With no standards for flex in the industry, it is impossible
for golfers to know whether the clubs they buy off-the-rack
will have the right flex for their swing speed.
* Off-the-rack clubs are offered in one—and only one—lie
angle, yet the differences in golfer height, arm length, stance
posture and position at impact are vast.
* No attention is paid to set make-up. Handing you a set composed
of 1, 3, 5-woods and 3 through pitching wedge, with maybe a
sand wedge thrown in, is much easier. It also prevents the retailers
from having to deal with “broken up sets.”
This off-the-rack mentality winds-up extending to other areas
as well. For example, how many golfers are even asked about
the size of their hands, so that at least the right size grips
could be applied? Changing grips is simple, fast, cheap, and
any store could do it, but when do you see even that fitted
to the individual golfer?
Granted, there are more earth-shaking problems in the world;
but within this great game—a game that is enjoyed by millions
upon millions of people around the world—you’re
definitely not being treated the way you should.
But like I said, and I do mean it, the standard made clubheads,
shafts and grips are very well engineered and made. You just
don’t want to actually use them in their off-the-rack
form.
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“We’re
excited to be able to share information back and forth as well
as work on new research projects with TrackMan™,”
said TWGT’s Tom Wishon. “We’ve owned a TrackMan™
system for two years and we’ve found the people behind
it are just as passionate as we are about learning everything
possible about turning the most accurate ball launch and club
delivery data into the best possible fitting recommendations.”
