80 %

[Yuck]

Often you hear the cliche' that good players swing at about 80% for most shots. What does that really mean? If you normally swing a full driver at 115 MPH, should you slow to 93 MPH? Try it, it is pretty hard to sequence correctly taking off that much speed.

 

I am getting older, and although I can still generate a lot of speed, I can no longer control it. I am trying to slow it up, but that brings in a huge pull hook because swinging hard is how I usually clear my body. Any generic guidance on how to hit drivers, mid irons at 80% while still keeping a desired fade?

[Dire Wolf]

I think it's really a way to get you to maintain balance and tempo and not "overswing".

[juststeve]

It should also remind you that to swing hard is not necessarily the same thing as to swing fast. What you are looking for is a fast swing with which you can make square contact with the ball. When you muscle up and swing with all your might you will make poor contact and because of excess tension probably swing slower as well.

Steve

[finalist]

100% effort is so much easier to find on a daily basis than anything less like 80%.

and what juststeve said above. Fast is different than hard.

[Shambles]

+ 1 for the comments of Dire Wolf and juststeve.

80% is just a different way of describing a comfortable swing that is under control and does not result in throwing your body around. To swing hell bent for leather is the most natural recourse of players who want more distance and too often produces results in less. The idea is to swing at the highest controllable speed you can repeat comfortably, and then build that up carefully to an even higher swing speed all without losing control.


Shambles

[RacineBoxer]

Also, don't get caught up on the 80% number as if it's something exact. It's not.

If you're capable of swinging a driver, say, 125, perhaps 115 would be a comfortable full swing. 115 could be your "normal full swing" as you say. If the math doesn't add up to 80% who cares. That exact math isn't the point. The point is that you shouldn't be swinging your absolute hardest because that's just a recipe for poor contact and wild shots.

[CallawayLefty]

I think what you need to focus on is staying controlled and balanced. Your "100%" swing might be 100 mph and your 80% in control and balanced swing might be 99 mph. I think people equate this to being a speed issue when it's really a control issue. I wouldn't be entirely surprised if some people's 80% swing actually exceeded their 100% swing in true MPH solely as a result of making a more efficient and properly timed move.

[tembolo1284]

for me it's taking off about 10-15 percent from my absolute max. I control it most with my leg drive and buns.

[Yuck]

Thanks,

I do not need distance, I need control. Going at it hard with my body is how I prevented hooks. My challenge is taking something off without hooking. I need to slow my body, not stop it. Recent rounds have ranged from 72 to 86 depending on if I was hooking it. I need to be able to hit my fade while swinging smooth. I will work on some of the suggestions.

[mweaver84]

It means I can swing my driver 150 mph but only swing it 120 because I like to keep it a nice slow tempo

[hoganfan924]

80% is perceived effort, not swing speed. My Max SS might be 105 but with an 80% effort might only drop to 100. That's what they mean by 80% swing

[Thrillhouse]

[quote name='hoganfan924' timestamp='1348693610' post='5700421']
80% is perceived effort, not swing speed. My Max SS might be 105 but with an 80% effort might only drop to 100. That's what they mean by 80% swing
[/quote]

^this

[mark m]

I always liked the idea of 85% power with irons. The number 80 or 85 - is just a feel number and not a real number. An actual 80 percent swing that many talk about is in actuality very close to a 100% swing. How fast can you swing and hold your finish until the ball lands? Just back off from that a little and you're there.

Grooving a repeatable swing in this range (80-85%) with your irons will give you some leeway for those in between distances you will encounter on the course. For the driver, never forget that distance is club head speed squarely applied. I have always been a long hitter and never forget an incident from way back when I was about 20. I went hard at every shot back then. Went in for a club fitting and the guy was measuring my club head speed. It was high - but he asked me to back off a little on the next one, so I did (or thought I did) - it was higher! Less tension and better timing can mean more speed. This is an important lesson, and useful when you need a good drive.

For all you younger guys here - I would recommend swinging as fast as you can while maintaining balance - at least with the driver. Get used to ripping it. You can straighten it out later. (It's hard to gain speed later on after you have a set tempo.) I will probably get roasted here for that advice - it is old school - but I still think it is the way to go - and fun too.

Yuck: I have suffered with pulls on less than full shots as well. For me, it is caused by not getting to the front foot in time. Good players action will often still cause the release - but the club path is coming OTT because of a lack of weight transfer to the front foot - this will cause a pull hook. So check your finish position on those partial shots. Make sure you are transferring to the front foot with a full finish. Work on a smooth tempo - but I wouldn't do anything radically different or it could throw everything off. We all have our own tempo. - unless you are very skilled - stay close to it