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Newsletter - Issue 90 Date 03/12/09
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TCT Quick Tips - One Swing
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It's important to understand that there is no "one golf swing" for
everyone, but everyone needs "one" golf swing.


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Golf Tip : CG and Shaft Loading for Different Swing Methods
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I'll try to keep this short and sweet, because I realize that many
casual golfers are not interested in too much technical detail.

CG stands for Center of Gravity, it's defined as: The point in a club head at 
which all of the points of balance intersect. CG is often referred to as the 
"sweet spot" although this is not technically correct. However, for practical 
purposes it is alright to use "sweet spot". 

Usually, the lower the CG of a club, the higher the ball flight and the easier 
the club is to hit solid. 

Higher CG club's produce lower ball flights and are usually harder to hit.

Here's how it applies to you: 

If you have a relatively slow swing speed, perhaps ladies and seniors, 
opt for irons with a low CG - and also a flexible shaft.

If you have a relatively high swing speed AND take the correct downward
swing path into the back of the ball, opt for a higher CG and a firmer shaft.

If your a "picker", in other words your swing sweeps through the ball
rather than taking a "hitting down" path, opt for a lower CG, even if your swing 
speed is high.

The CG's of irons can almost always be found on the manufacturers website,
if it's not posted don't be afraid to send an email and ask about it.

I can't tell you how many females I have given lessons to that try to play
with their husbands old set, perhaps trimmed down a bit, and that's always
a terrible combination. Usually not a low enough CG and a shaft that's
too stiff, and as a result the shots fly too low and discourage the student.

For maximum enjoyment of the game, get a swing then get the 
right equipment - in that order.


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SHAFT LOADING For different swings

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Shaft loading refers to the amount of bend in the shaft that is generated in
the downswing that adds speed to your swing.

The first thing that has to occur to give your shaft a chance to load to your
maximum is setting your wrists correctly in the backswing.

Here's a comparison of the amount of shaft loading present for four popular
swings:

Traditional (2 Plane) Swing - less loading than the other types, swing speed
for this swing is generated by the width of the swing, lateral movement, and
body turn. The transition from backswing to downswing is smooth and rhythmic.
The shaft loads smoothly during the downswing.

Rotary, One Plane, and Stack & Tilt swings: more loading due to more
coiling and a quicker transition from backswing to downswing. These swings 
still have tempo, but the takeaway and backswing are much shorter than in the 
Traditional swing. As a result, the shaft loads sharply on the downswing.
These swings rely more on coil and maximum shaft loading for swing speed.

I am familiar with and can teach all of these swings, and here's
my personal two cents worth: the Traditional swing is prettiest to look at
but hardest to master; the Rotary swing is relatively easy to learn and repeat;
the pure One Plane swing looks odd and feels odd; and the Stack & Tilt should 
be tried by only top level golfers because of the tendency to reverse weight shift 
during the "tilt" segment of the swing. The Stack & Tilt also is the most likely to
irritate your back.

Enjoy,

Tom