Slow Speed Sweet Spot Vs. Fast Speed Off-Center

During any given round of golf with my buddies, our conversations almost always include the question “Hey, just how hard are you hitting the ball? What do you think your best swing speed was today?”

Of course, those kinds of questions inevitably spark an inconclusive 4-way debate on whether a ball striking the clubface square on its sweet spot at a lower swing speed is more effective than a ball striking the clubface off-centre at a higher swing speed.

For most guys, this thing called golf is mostly about distance and accuracy. Heck, there is nothing sweeter than cracking the ball with a straight and long carry down a long par-4 and seeing the ball roll onto the green toward the pin with only a 2-ft putt left to execute. That’s what dreams are made of.

But, if I’m swinging at 98mph hitting square on a long par-4, I’m not a 1-on and 1-putt possibility, am I? And if I’m swinging 117mph hitting off-center, I may be taking my 2nd shot from the parking lot or the next fairway. For me, I would rather play safe… swing slower and square into the sweet spot. Letting one rip wild at 117mph is not for me.

Golf Wedges - High swing weight or low swing weight?

When I play golf, I constantly wonder if the technical specifications of my clubs really fit my game style to the letter. Don't get me wrong… I'm not a stickler for stats and numbers, no way. You won't find me holed up in some high tech lab with 6 pens, a pocket-protector and 2 scientific calculators measuring away. I am out there on the golf course, trying to feel my way through as many clubs as possible.

I do, however, somewhat subscribe to the generalized industry guide that swingweights between C-5 and D-0 are considered "light", D-0 to D-4 are "average and D-5 to E-0 considered "heavy" for the average male golfer.

I have also been told, and this is something I happen to agree with, that it is common for better players to have their wedges, including the pitching wedge in the high D to low E range because there is more feel. We all know that short clubs with heavy heads, when swung at slow speeds, promote or increase feel.

Having said all that, it is also much debated and generally agreed that even the best professionals can't feel the difference in a single swingweight point. Hence swingweights, when either increased or decreased, affect the human brain more than they do feel...