February 22 /09

Click on any of the following Newsletter topics or just scroll down the page:

How much Backspin does your golf ball get?
Golf Alignment -- Small Errors Magnified -- Pre-Season Start Up
Benefits of Walking During Golf
Golf Improves Fitness, Proper Fitness Improves Golf
Compare Your Stats by Handicap and PGA Tour

How much Backspin does your golf ball get?

I've been conducting some research in my garage this winter using my Accusport Launch Monitor. I've been investigating the amount of spin and ball speed produced using different types of golf balls at different temperatures. In this newsletter, I'll report some findings about backspin at low temperatures

The golf balls and golf clubs were at a temperature of 3 degrees Celsius (which is about 37 degrees Fahrenheit). I'm a 2 handicap and hit the ball quite consistently. The brands and types of golf balls I hit were Titleist ProV1 (3-piece, solid-core, double- cover, $58), Titliest NXT Tour (3-piece, solid-core, single-cover, $40), Titliest NXT Extreme (2-piece, solid-core, single-cover, $34), Nike ONE Platinum (4-piece, solid-core, triple-cover, $54). Prices are MSRP.

The results tabulated below are averages for shots hit with a wedge. I hit quarter wedge shots, half wedge shots and full wedge shots. I hit each ball 10 times with each swing, for a total of 30 shots for each ball. The launch monitor measured each statistic except for club swing speed. For that, I used a Swing Speed Radar unit. Speeds are in miles per hour (mph) and backspin is in revolutions per minute (rpm). The Backspin/Ball Speed ratio is a better measure of the ability of the ball to stop as opposed to backspin alone. A ball which has a high ratio will stop more quickly.

Quarter Wedge

Note that there's not a great difference in backspin for the four balls, although the Nike One is higher than the NXT Extreme by about 30%. The Pro V1 ball speed is quite a bit lower, partially due to its soft cover and compressibility. The Backspin/Ball Speed ratio is quite low for the NXT, meaning that it will stop less quickly on those shots around the green.

Half Wedge

Full Wedge

On a full wedge, the Nike One has the greater ability to stop, far greater than the NXT Extreme.

The NXT Extreme is an example of a lower priced balls. In general, lower priced balls are 2-piece solid cores with single covers. The single cover results in less backspin, especially on full shots. A golfer that has difficulty stopping the ball should play a premium ball like the Pro V1 or Nike One Platinum if the golfer can afford it.

Benefits of Walking During Golf

Do you walk when you play golf? We all do, whether you walk and carry your bag, have a caddy or ride a golf cart (you still walk from to and from your cart). However, what are the benefits of walking compared to riding a golf cart?

T. Sell, J. Abt & S. Lephart, all of the University of Pittsburgh, conducted a study entitled "Physical Activity - Related Benefits of Walking During Golf." It has been published in "Science and Golf V. In it, they found that golf can potentially serve as a component of a healthy lifestyle and reduce the risks of many preventable diseases.

The purpose of the study was to determine the physiological demands of playing golf and the potential physical activity-related healthy benefits (based on the American College of Sports Medicine, ACSM, recommendations. The study monitored a 43 old male using a portable telemetric metabolic system integrated with a heart rate monitor. Oxygen intake, heart rate, respiratory exchange ratio and caloric expenditure were all measured under three different golf round conditions: walk & carry, walk & caddy, cart riding. The results are tabulated below.

Distance: It's surprising to note that a cart rider walks almost half the distance as a walker which indicates there is a fair amount of walking to and from the cart.

Time: It's also surprising to note that a cart rider takes a half hour longer to play the round.

Heart: The average heart rate of a walker is 36% higher than the cart rider. The maximum heart rate of a 43 year old male is 178 bpm (max = 207 - 0.67*Age). The walk-carry is on average 67% of maximum. The walk-caddy is on average 62% of maximum and the cart-riding is 48% of maximum.

Oxygen: As would be obvious, the walk-carry intakes 38% more oxygen than the cart-riding and 22% more than the walk-caddy.

Energy: The walk-carry burns 50% more energy than the cart-riding.

It has been found that health benefits achieved by expending a total of 4000 - 8000 kcal per week decreases risk of coronary heart disease by 50% and the risk of colon cancer, hypertension and diabetes by 30%. Golf and walking provide the recommended amount of physical activity that has been shown to improve overall health and well-being. And, golf can be enjoyed acros the lifespan of men and women.

So, to become more fit and healthy, play more golf, especially by walking, even if it's for 9-holes.

Improve Your Fitness Level

For years, I have advocated improvement of physical fitness for better golf, especially as one grows older. Your body is the machine that connects your mind to the ball. If the body is not in good shape, it's tough to get it to do what you want, even if the body has done it many times before in the past.

The previous article gave evidence of how good golf can be for a regular fitness program to reduce risk of a number of life altering conditions. As one ages, however, the muscles become less flexible and weaker. A moderate fitness program can slow (but not eliminate) this trend.

Kinesthetics in the golf swing are crucial to good ball striking. In other words, the body must be able to "feel movement" in order to get proper feedback. If the muscles are not in good shape, or if they are tired, it's difficult for them to do their job.

I'm not an expert on fitness, but do know some that can help you out greatly. Take a look at these two experts that work full time trying to enable golfers to improve by improving their level of golf fitness:

1. Fitness For Golf -- provides an excellent program that offers a powerful collection of resources, sets of exercises you can print off on your computer, interviews with top golf experts such as Annika Sorenstam, golf fitness calculators, nutritional strategies and more....

So, especially if you're approaching 50 (or have surpassed this milestone), I strongly suggest you begin a fitness program. As you age, you will begin to lose distance. Much of the loss, however, can be maintained, as long as you remain golf fit.

2.Golf Gym has been helping golfers play better since 1987. They have a great selection of programs and items that can help you in your bid to become more golf fit.

What's Your Swing Tempo?

"TOUR TEMPO is an exciting breakthrough in golf instruction, the most revolutionary work to be published about the golf swing since the beginning of golf as we know it." - Doubleday Books

For the golf swing to work smoothly and efficiently, the various swing motions must occur in a specific order. How effectively one follows the other depends on the "tempo" of the golf swing. A few years ago, John Novoel analyzed the swings of numerous professionals and made some remarkable discoveries about the timing of the swings components.

TAP Here to learn more!

In his breakthrough book, John Novosel and Sports Illustrated writer John Garrity explain exactly how to achieve TOUR TEMPO. Through clear, step-by-step instruction, golfers are taught how to master two basic drills to synchronize their swing.

Peak Performance -- How to Gain Confidence

I subscribe to Dr. Cohn's free Sports Psychology newsletter, Sports Insights. He has a lot of great tips on golf's mental game. He talks a lot about the pre-shot routine and remaining focused. He also has a series of videos that golfer can view for free. His latest is about confidence.

Here's the link to his confidence video: Confidence for Low Scores

Click here to order Dave's Pelz's Short Game Bible, OR get it at your local bookstore. BUT, whatever you do, GET IT !! Your game will love you for it.

Trying to find answers on my website? Here's how.

1. Go to my Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) page. There's a link to it on my pages from the left hand menu near the top of the page, just below the Search icon. It's called "FAQs." You then click on the graphic icon and you'll be taken to my database page. For your convenience, here it is:
FAQ

I've answered hundreds of questions over the past 6 years and have created a fairly large database. You can search it out. If you can't find the answer you're looking for, submit a question and I'll answer it.

2. On all of my web pages, there is a search feature in the top left section, right underneath my LOGO. Just place your search keywords in the search box, select "This Site" below it, and then press "Search." What will come up is a Google search of the pages on my site with relevance. You can also search the entire internet by selecting "Web" instead.
Go to my main page now: Home or just check the top left menu of this page.

3. Also, directly under the Google Search area, you'll find a pop down menu called "Your Topic." Select the topic of interest and press "Go."

I would suggest you bookmark my main page and/or your specific areas of interest so that you can find them easily in the future. On each page at the very top, there is a link you can click on:
"Click here to add this page to your favourites"

Hope you find all you're looking for.

You can learn more from NEW Titleist Pro-V1 by clicking HERE.

Ken Tannar