July 16 /08

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

Optimizing Driving Distance -- Swing Path Angle of Attack!
Outlandish Claims About Improving Your Game
You'll Probably Score Lower if You Know Your Own Probabilities
Tiger's Virtues --Why is he so good?
Hit it Farther Downwind -- It's all about trajectory.

Optimizing Driving Distance -- Angle of Attack

The trajectory of a golf ball is determined by the following:

1. ball speed
2. launch angle
3. backspin

The three parameters are influenced by the "angle of attack" of the club. That is, the angle of the club's path, relative to the horizontal, at impact. F. Tuxen presented a study, "Optimization of Driving Distance -- Importance of Determining the Attack Angle" at the World Scientific Congress of Golf held in Arizona this past March. He used a golf robot to launch balls and the TrackMan Pro System to measure the club delivery, ball launch and the entire trajectory.

The tests determined that different attack angles had no significant effect on ball speed but significant effect on launch angle. Higher launch angles result in greater carry and more overall distance. The tests verified the more positive the attack angle (club moving upwards at impact), the greater will be the launch angle and the lower will be the backspin, which means greater distance.

One can hit the ball further by increasing club head speed, increasing attack angle and in many cases, increasing the loft the Driver (many golfers use too low of a loft for optimum distance). Changing the attack angle has the greatest effect.

Increasing club speed does increase ball speed but also increases backspin (too much backspin means the ball doesn't carry as far). Increasing club loft decreases ball speed and launch angle, but increases backspin significantly. Each 1 degree increase in attack angle, however, increases the launch angle by almost 1 degree and reduces backspin.

For a 90 mph swinger, the difference between an attack angle of -5 degrees and +5 degrees is almost 20 yards. For a 120 mph swinger, the difference is almost 30 yards.

So, how do you hit the ball with a positive attack angle (swinging up on the ball)? Firstly, if you tend to slice the ball, then you are likely swinging the club from outside-to-inside, cutting across the target line and the ball. If so, it's very unlikely that you will be able to hit up on the ball (positive attack angle). But, reducing your negative attack angle, from say -5 to - 2 degrees, will give you more distance.

Without changing your swing, the only way to increase your attack angle is to change the ball position in your stance. Tee the ball a little higher than normal and a little more forward in your stance. Experiment with this. Make incremental changes (say inch change in position and 1/4 inch change in tee height).

The tee shot is the only one you want to hit up on, and that's to maximize distance. Any time you're hitting from the grass, you want a negative attack angle. You want to hit down on the ball.

Outlandish Claims About Improving Your Game

  There are a number of websites out there that claim some very "unbelievable" results in your game. You'll even find some of them advertised in the "Google Ads" that you'll find on many sites, mine included (look at the top of this page). Advertisers pay Google to advertise on the many sites that are part of the program, mine included. Just because they're on a site doesn't mean their claims are valid. If you click on one of the google ads, the host site gets a few cents, and Google then charges the advertiser many more cents.(or dollars in some cases).

Take this claim found in one of the Google Ads:

"Time Sensitive report reveals the "Fail-Proof" Golf Techniques thousands of golfers around the world are using to achieve single figure handicaps in record time. You'll add 30 yards to your drive and slash your handicap by at least 7 strokes in just 2 weeks - Guaranteed! "

Such a claim is complete hogwash. Single handicappers make up less than 20% of the golfing handicaps. And, slash your handicap by 7 strokes in just 2 weeks? Come on! To what game are they referring? You play golf, right. The better you get, the more difficult it is to lower your handicap, right? How is something going to enable you to go from say a 15 to an 8 in less than 2 weeks. Such claims just prey on what people "wish" could happen, without really doing much about it.

Look at the graph above (source was National Golf Foundation). Only about 1% of golfers shoot 74 or lower. Where do you fall on the chart?

So, if a claim sounds to good to be true, it probably is. To improve at this wonderful game of golf, one must work hard and pay his/her dues. There is no free ride.

What I attempt to provide you with on my website are ways that you can make significant improvement, but they will take work on your part.

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