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GOLF
TEACHING PRO®
A LAUNCH MONITOR'S INFLUENCE ON TEACHING:
HOW YOU CAN IMPROVE A PLAYER'S NUMBERS...
By Jeff Jackson
Powerbilt Golf, Heath, Ohio
 High
tech has certainly arrived when it comes to instruction and fitting.
Just about every golfer – and instructor – on the planet has heard
of swing analyzers and launch monitors. While today’s launch
monitors, with Trackman being the most well known, are primarily
designed as fitting tools, there is much that can be learned from
them that can be applied to teaching as well. By combining what a
launch monitor can tell us about ball flight with what an instructor
can do to improve a player’s swing, a win-win scenario is created by
applying a player’s launch characteristics to his swing
characteristics. Ball speed, attack angle, club path and smash
factor are some of the more important factors in hitting the ball
long and straight. By considering these ball flight factors in your
teaching, you will be able to help your students improve distance,
trajectory and accuracy when it comes to hitting longer and
straighter tee shots.
Ball Speed is the measure of how fast
the golf ball leaves the club head immediately after impact.
Typically the faster the ball speed, the longer the shot. Club head
speed is the primary influence related to ball speed, but face
impact position, dynamic loft and attack angle also play a role. As
a general guideline, an “ideal” ball speed is 1 _ times a player’s
club speed. That is, if a player swings the club at 100 miles per
hour, his ball speed should be approximately 150 mph, provided solid
contact is made.
As an instructor, you are able to help a
player improve ball speed in a number of possible ways. The bigger a
player’s body turn, the more potential there is for added club speed
and thus increased ball speed. Ball speed can also be increased by
encouraging a player to keep the club on path through the swing,
allowing him the potential for more center contact. Encourage your
student to do stretching exercises or perhaps suggest a weight
training program to improve body strength and body turn. Flexibility
is a key in any training program; the more flexible a player is, the
more club and ball speed they may likely generate on center impacts.
Attack Angle is perhaps the “secret’ to
distance for many players. While theoretically it is wise to suggest
a training regimen to most of your students, the reality is that
most will probably not do any more training than they ever did. Thus
the chance of improving distance through conditioning is limited.
But, nearly any player, regardless of ability, can improve their
attack angle and increase distance – and sometimes ramatically.
Tiger Woods has a negative attack angle; J.B. Holmes has a positive
angle. Both have virtually the same swing speed (in the neighborhood
of 125mph), yet J.B. drives the ball 20+ yards longer than Tiger –
all because of attack angle.
OK, you ask, what is attack angle?
Simply put, it is the angle at which the club approaches the ball
just before impact. A negative angle occurs when the club is
approaching the ball from above; a positive angle occurs when the
club is moving upwards toward the ball. Negative attack angles are
necessary when hitting iron, hybrid and fairway wood shots when the
ball is on the ground, but positive angles increase distance when
the ball is on a tee. The most effective drivers of the ball,
according to Trackman data, show a 4-6 degree upswing (positive
attack angle) on the ball, while less effective drivers hit 5 or
more degrees down on the ball.
To help your students gain what I call
“the 20-yard secret”, there are three variables to consider. Simply
by teeing the ball higher, many players improve their attack angle.
The higher tee encourages an upward strike at the ball, leading to
added distance. Try moving the ball up in your students’ stance;
this will also encourage a positive attack angle. (Do be aware that
moving the ball too far up will negatively impact swing path, so
there certainly is a point of diminishing returns on this one). A
third key to improving attack angle is to perhaps recommend a more
vertical swing plane. A more upright swing may help a player hit the
ball more on the upswing than will a flatter swing plane. In any
event, one of the fastest ways to more distance for most of your
students is an improvement in their attack angle toward the
positive.
Club Path is the path on which the club
is travelling at impact. An inside-out path is considered to be a
positive path, while an outside-in path is negative. A square path
is neutral; for all practical purposes a path of from -1 to +1 is
considered square or neutral. The typical high handicap player has a
negative outside-in path while the majority of better players have a
positive path. By working with your students to try to create a
square or inside-out path, impact is generally more centered on the
club face. Plus, as most outside-in swings yield a descending blow,
this compromises attack angle and distance. The positive-path player
will find it easier to hit drives with a positive attack angle and
will drive the ball longer as a result.
Smash Factor is defined as the ability
to transfer power to the ball. It is the relationship between club
head speed and ball speed. The higher the smash factor (1.50 is
ideal), the longer and straighter the resulting ball flight. Smash
factor is computed by dividing ball speed by club head speed;
remember the 100 mile per hour swinger will have a ball speed of 150
and a resulting smash factor of 1.50 on a “perfect” driver impact.
The more average 80 mph swinger will have a target ball speed of 120
for his smash factor to approach 1.50. As an instructor, probably
the best way to help your student improve his smash factor is to
improve the impact position on the golf club. This is accomplished
through a consistent swing path. Using impact labels on the club
face provides immediate feedback as to impact position. The player
will not be able to generate his longest and/or straightest drives
with less than center impacts.
Before launch monitor technology
existed, we as instructors knew how to help a student hit the ball
longer and straighter. While the basic instructional elements have
not changed over the years, launch monitor technology has certainly
quantified what is happening to the ball as a result of the player’s
swing. By taking these results and applying them to your teaching,
you will be able to guide your students to longer and straighter
drives – maybe you won’t be able to get them to hit it as long as
J.B. Holmes or Tiger woods, but who can’t use an extra 20 yards?
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