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What is Your Smash Factor?  Email this Article to a Friend
"Grip it and Rip it!?... Don't be afraid to swing hard...?" Ten years ago I was on the Callaway R & D staff. I was a instructor for the Callaway Executive staff and visiting VIPs. I spent a good bit of time in the Callaway swing analysis and club fitting lab at their test center. In those days, the average tour player's swing speed was 105 to 110 MPH (Today it is 116 to 120 MPH.) I would go in the lab make a few swings and get my swing speed up to 105 to 107 but my distance was always shorter than I thought it should be with my swing speed. So I would swing harder. The harder I would swing, the shorter my distance with the exception of an occasional rocket that just happened to catch the center of the clubface. My swing efficiency or "Smash Factor" would diminish the harder I would swing. I began to work on getting as relaxed as I possibly could, slow my tempo, and lighten my grip pressure. I would work on feeling a very light grip pressure at address and attempt to hold that same pressure through the swing. (If you have attended one of my full swing golf schools you did this drill on the range) Then the computer would report more distance but less swing speed. Have you ever noticed when you "back off" the driver you hit some of your best drives. The newest launch monitors tell us why. Launch monitors used to be isolated in the labs of large club companies only accessible to Tour Players, staff and VIPs. Now you can have your swing checked on a launch monitor at a local fitting center. Most of the larger club companies have fitting labs that include a "launch monitor." Sounds impressive? It is impressive. Dr Jim Smith and I traveled to Winston-Salem North Carolina last Month to be trained in the use of the Vector launch monitor. Accusport, manufacturer of the Vector launch monitor, gave us one of their systems to use for our upcoming biomechanics lab studies at Centinela Hospital. What does a launch monitor do? When paired with the swing mate clubhead speed indicator, the launch monitor will give you feedback on the launch angle of the ball, the ball speed off the clubface. The ball spin rate, push or pull side spin and clubhead speed. There is an ideal ratio of ball speed to spin rate to get the maximum efficiency of your swing. That is your "smash factor." The better news is that these launch monitors are used to determine what shaft, head and loft creates the best efficiency ratio for you. The better your efficiency ratio, the more distance you will have. You may not have the swing speed like a PGA Tour player, but if you have the right equipment, solid contact and your maximum ball speed to spin ratio, your distance will improve and you will be more likely to keep it in the short grass, especially if you follow the alignment tips in our prior news letter. I watched several pros and amateurs last week on the range with clubhead speed as high as 119. The 119 swing speed produced a carry of 207 yards because it was not a solid hit and the spin ratio to ball speed was extremely low. Jack Nicklaus once said that when he wanted to hit it long, all he focused on as he walked off the green until he got to the next tee was getting as relaxed as he possibly could. That tip alone will produce some very long drives if you work on it. During my golf schools we teach students to breathe and swing. The last time you look at your target, take a deep breath. As you return your eyes to the ball, exhale and relax your shoulders. As you relax your shoulders you will notice that your grip pressure lightens. Hold that same grip pressure through the swing. You will feel your solid contact improve. Notice the increased distance you experience. Less effort means more. This drill will take the hit out of your golf swing. Dr. Smith spent hours testing the Vector Launch monitor system in his Atlanta lab before bringing it to Southern California for our final test trials. When you do research, the better your measurement system, the more reliable your data are. Another thing I have learned in doing research is that there is no substitute for the best consultants in the world. The following picture shows Dr. Michael Mellman (left) and Dr. Jim Smith working with the Vector System on the Range at Pelican Hill last week. In my opinion, there is no question that these gentlemen are two of the best in their field. You can read their bios on the Mind Under Par web site under "Our Staff." In short, Dr. Smith has been a research physicist for over 30 years. He has received numerous professional awards. He has a doctorate in experimental physics and he completed a postdoctoral fellowship in biophysics. He has served on numerous national committees and advisory boards, and has co-authored over 100 technical research papers and reports. He is also a club maker. Dr. Mellman is the Team Physician for MLB Los Angeles Dodgers, NHL Los Angeles Kings, and he is the Director of Sports Medicine at Centinela Hospital. I have had the good fortune of working closely with these men in various research capacities over the last 5 years. This project is one of many we are involved in together. Ben Hogan advocated getting your elbows as close together as possible at address. Is this something you should do? Next month, I will show you a tip from Dr. Mellman. We will look at one physical characteristic that will enhance your address position and determine where your elbows should be at address. Please check out our web site for golf school dates this summer. A Special Thanks to Our Donors Doing research requires the support of donors. I would like to extend a special thanks to all of the donors to the biomechanics study at Centinela Hospital. Accusport donated the use of their Vector Launch Monitor. Cleveland Golf donated one hundred (100) 6 irons and 30 putters. Winn Grip Company gripped the Cleveland Putters. Winn had to import material from China to fit the specifications we were looking for. V-1 donated a swing analysis video system. The University of Southern California Golf Teams donated Golf balls. Mr. Al Marken provided funding for the lab, equipment costs and data analysis. On behalf of the Mind Under Par staff, we sincerely thank you for your support.
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