Physics of the Golf Swing: How to Get More Distance Now
The physics of the golf swing determines how far you hit the ball on every shot. Here you will learn drills that will ingrain the correct feel for maximum impact.
For any club, there are three things that determine how far you hit the ball. They are:
- Club head speed
- Elasticity (or smash factor)
- launch angle and spin
Golf swing physics dictates from these three factors how far you hit the ball.
Club Head Speed
According to the laws of golf swing physics, to get maximum club head speed, you must maximize the distance the club head travels within the shortest period of time. That means either swing the club faster with the same swing you have now or swing at the same speed with a wider arc.
First of all, you can always swing faster. But if you try to swing harder, you will most likely lose accuracy.
So the only other option is to increase the distance your club head travels on its path back to the ball. That means increasing or widening your swing arc.
I find that this is the best way to increase club head speed. It means I don’t have to change anything with my swing timing. I just have to reach out further to the club on the backswing.
This is what I do to practice the right feel. I take a club and set up as I normally would. I then take a backswing and stop at the top. Next, I make a conscious effort to push my hands out further from my body. Last, while keeping my hands away from my body, I make a smooth downswing.
You can practice this drill anywhere, even without a club. It’s great during elevator rides or while waiting to pick up your kids after school.
What you are trying to do is get the feel for a maximum extension of your arms. Once you get it locked in, you’ll be able to repeat it when you’re hitting balls. Without any additional effort, the ball will fly further! Give it a try!
Smash Factor
In some tournament coverage and on some swing analyzers, there is a thing now called “smash factor”. This is really a measure of your elasticity at impact. What I mean is that it’s a measure of how much energy you transfer from the club head to the ball when you swing.
However, you don’t need to worry about the actual number. The physics of the golf swing dictates that the more square your club faces is, and the closer to the sweet spot you hit, the higher your smash factor will be. That’s all you really need to know.
I had the unfortunate experience of golfing a while back with an older gentleman that seemed to barely swing the club, yet out-drove me almost every hole. He took about a 3/4 swing and hardly turned his hips through the ball, but boy did that ball take off!
Not only was it humbling, but it taught me a key lesson. Swinging the club really fast means nothing if you don’t hit it in the sweet spot! Hitting the ball just one inch from the sweet spot could mean losing 20-30 yards on your drive!
Hit the sweet spot at all costs! The physics of the golf swing says that if you miss the sweet spot, you won’t hit it far no matter how hard you swing. Once I started swinging for accuracy more than speed, my irons and drives got longer with much less effort.
Here’s a drill you can try to feel the correct positions in hitting the sweet spot.
Take a club and set up to the ball normally. Take a full backswing, but take a slow downswing. Stop your swing when the club head is just behind the ball. Are you hitting the sweet spot? If not, try it again and adjust your swing so that you are.
Do this repeatedly until you can hit the sweet spot each time without having to repeat. When you go to the range, alternate doing this drill and hitting the ball. I think you’ll find that even though you might be swinging it easier, you’ll actually be hitting it farther because the laws of physics for the golf swing say that hitting the sweet spot beats swinging it faster almost every time!
Launch Angle and Spin
In general, you want a high launch angle with low spin. The reason is that you want to maximize the time the ball is in the air (high launch angle), and maximize roll when it hits the ground (low spin rate).
The best way to find out your current launch angle and spin rate is to use a golf swing analyzer. It will help you see if your equipment is right for you.
To get the best launch angle and spin rate, you must contact the ball correctly. One of the worst pieces of advice I have ever received is to hit down with my irons. This advice has cost me years of frustration and poor shot-making. Why?
Trying to hit down with your irons increases the chances of hitting it thin or fat, as well as increasing backspin.
Think of it this way. If you are hitting down on the ball, you must hit it exactly behind the ball. Too far back and you hit it fat. Too far forward and you hit it thin or skull it.
Also, even if you do hit it right on the back of the ball, you will impart more backspin on the ball, causing it to pop up and balloon rather than shoot forward with a boring trajectory.
The solution is to swing it level through the hitting it area. This has two advantages. First, you don’t have to be as accurate. Even if you are a little off on your timing, your club still has a chance to hit it flush because it’s coming straight at the ball instead of at an angle. Second, you impart less spin, again because you are coming more straight on than cutting at it from an angle.
The same applies to the driver but in reverse. I used to think that I should tee it high and hit up on the ball. However, two things work against this idea. First, the same problem of accuracy applies as it did with irons.
Hitting up on the ball means that your timing must be precise. If you are a little off, you could undercut it and pop it up, or go over it and top it. Very frustrating!
Hitting it level means more margins for error and more flush hits.
Second, the sweet spot on newer drivers is not at the center of the club! It’s actually a bit higher. Hitting the ball higher on the club face for woods will increase the launch angle and reduce spin. However, hitting up at the ball with a high tee encourages you to actually hit the lower part of the club face rather than the top.
The solution is to lower your tee, place the ball slightly more in the back of your stance, and take a level swing through the ball.
This is the drill I use to get the feel for a level swing. When at home, I’ll go in front of the house onto the lawn. I’ll take practice swings with the driver and irons, making sure to just brush the grass each time. I’ll really focus on sweeping as much grass as I can with the swing, without taking a divot. (Your wife will stop you if you punch too many holes out with your irons, so heed my advice here!)
This will promote a swing that stays level for a long time through the hitting area. It will immediately improve your consistency at impact. It will also reduce your backspin while launching the ball at the optimum angle for the club you are using.
Practice these drills at home to improve all three aspects of the physics of the golf swing. Once you groove the right feel, you’ll be smashing them further than you ever have before, without actually trying to swing any faster!
Good luck! Hit it long and go low!
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