Optimal Ball Flight – Driver
The driver is the most difficult club to hit for most amateur golfers. There is much confusion about the optimal swing and launch conditions for your driver to compound the difficulty. In other words, the Optimal Ball Flight – Driver. The short answer is that it depends on how fast you swing your driver.
Before I begin, I would like to note that “optimal” refers to wind-free conditions with normal fairway hardness.
If you play golf in an area with high winds, adjust these optimums downward to maximize roll. Conversely, if you play in an area with soft fairways and less wind, adjust the optimums higher to maximize carryover total distance.
The Pre Launch Monitor Balata Era
The PGA Tour has historically driven ball flight optimization. In other words, the flight characteristics the world’s best players impart on the golf ball. In the pre-launch monitor, balata age, the optimal ball flight was a ball that went out low off of a driver, boring through the air, rising at the end of its flight to a peak trajectory before landing softly.
While this shot looked impressive, it was actually very inefficient. The rise at the end represented excess spin, causing the ball to travel upwards instead of downrange. This was also a function of the balata golf ball. The balata offered exceptional short game spin but less than optimal distance off of the driver.
The Launch Monitor ProV1 Era
Launch monitors and widespread popularity of the ProV1 golf ball dramatically changed the Tour player’s approach to striking a ball with a driver. Gone was the low launch, 8-9 degrees, and high spin, 3000-3500. In its place, Tour players started launching the ball higher, 11-12 degrees and spinning it lower, 2500-2800. This new ball flight that is more parabolic in-flight replaced the low launch late riser shot of the earlier era.
This became easier for instructors to teach with the introduction of commercial launch monitors. Suddenly a player who played a Titleist Tour Balata with the low launch high spin could switch to a ProV1. Players benefited from a higher launching lower spinning shot and with the same clubhead speed gain up to 25 yards in distance.
Launch monitors also allowed players to adjust their swings and equipment to reach a higher launch with a lower spin. This trend has continued to this day with some players in the 17-18 degree launch range with around 2000 rpm of spin.
TaylorMade Golf released data in 2013 claiming that the optimal launch spin characteristics were 17 degrees launch with 1700 rpm spin. While this is theoretically true to achieve it is much more difficult.
What does this mean for the average player?
The average player can look to the Tour for general guidance, high launch, low spin, but optimal conditions vary based upon a player’s clubhead speed. Clubhead speed on the PGA Tour averages 113 mph. While the average amateur swings at about 95 mph.
To maximize distance at 95 mph, a player should attempt to achieve a launch angle between 13-14 degrees and a spin rate of about 2500 rpm. Note a lower spin rate will provide slightly more distance, but if the spin rate drops below 1800 rpm, the ball will start to drop out of the sky, affecting carry and total distance.
If a player is below 95 mph, more launch is recommended. Below 85 mph, it is recommended to look to a lofted club such as a 3 or 5 wood to get increased launch. Slower swinging players will not generate excessive spin due to their lower clubhead speed, so a higher launch of 15-17 degrees is considered optimal. If the amateur player is swinging above 95 mph, they can lower their launch to about 12-13 degrees. It is important for players swinging faster than average to monitor their spin. If their spin rate exceeds 2800 rpm, they will start to see a drop-off in distance due to excessive spin.
How does the average player achieve this?
The best way for an average player to maximize their ball flight is to hit balls with a launch monitor and determine what their current ball flight is and how it compares to the numbers listed above (note; try to use better golf balls as opposed to range balls that generally have excessive spin). It is also recommended to work with a trained PGA Professional to help you interpret these numbers.
If you do not have access to a launch monitor or a PGA Professional, here are a couple of tips that you can try. Remember that the optimal ball flight is parabolic. This means that the ball should come off the driver with the same angle at the beginning and ending of the ball flight.
If the ball comes out low or medium and rises or “balloons” at its peak, this indicates too much spin, which will limit distance. To compensate for this, try hitting the ball higher on the clubface or moving the ball slightly forward in the stance.
If the ball comes out at a medium or low ball flight and appears to “drop” out of the sky, this indicates not enough spin. Try testing with a higher lofted club to increase your launch angle and help maximize your distance.
As with any swing, change try this on the range until you are comfortable with your new ball flight. Don’t try it out on the course. I hope this explains Optimal Ball Flight – Driver.
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