As you all know, I usually swing to play a fade, because most people will either play a fade or draw depending on how they come through impact.
Today however, I was working on my positioning to get the deepest possible “drop” in my “Drop & Pop,” which makes it easier to shape a draw if you’re a natural fader, and the results were… interesting!
Note: This posting contains strictly raw data with future postings on the specifics of that data to come.
If you find it overwhelming, just bear in mind that this posting is the reference base from which any postings on the GC Quad session from Friday will flow.
I mentioned that I was going to try to get to a testing facility this week to get some numbers to feature in the upcoming “Project 2018” video**, and I got out to one yesterday!
**Note: The Advance Order window with the Early Bird discount which I re-opened closes after Sunday night and will remain closed until release day. Thanks to everyone who has already placed your orders!
If you don’t think equipment and agronomy are ruining the game of golf and turning it into little more than “bomb & gouge” or “pitch & putt” for the modern players, think of the following stat:
I was at the range today trying to get into a little better swing shape before I get out to the testing facility for my “beginning of the season” numbers (and you want to get into some semblance of swing form before doing an analysis, or else you’re just wasting time).
I don’t know how many of you roll your eyes when they start raving about driving distances on the telecasts during PGA Tour events, but I have something here that shows just how out of control things are.
We already know that you’re going to get eye-popping numbers when driving the ball on fairways that are cut faster than the average public green, but I have to say, 50 yards roll-out is just silly.
All of this ball speed and club speed talk has reminded me of the day I was trying out the Geek Dot-Com-This driver I had received from Jerry Crowell, the teaching and playing pro with whom I worked on his swing a couple of years back.
That’s got to be what happened, because the only other explanation for showing a Rory McIlroy drive carrying 365 yards on Wednesday at the range would be that there’s some fraudulent representation going on somewhere.
I will admit that my initial thought when I saw a 365 yard carry with 181 mph ball launch speed was, “My God, the balls are going way too far!”
Of course, that would be anyone’s initial thought if you figured everything was on the up and up, right? But then… I thought a bit and…
**Update At Bottom
If the Modern Golf Swing doesn’t…
I heard all of the uproar about Rory McIlroy’s drive at the PGA Championship venue Quail Hollow this week – a 365 yard carry with the driver is impressive!
I couldn’t wait to get a look at his numbers – I mean, the winning long drive distances from the 90’s were in the 360-380 yard range, and these guys had 135 mph club and 195-200 mph ball speed to get those distances in total, meaning carry and roll, not just carry.
I mentioned yesterday that my forgetting about Open House Day brought both disappointment and a learning experience.
I had my first go on Trackman, and although it is much like any other simulator, it has been proven to be so far the most accurate measuring device for hitting golf balls.
