Better players golf impact sounds

[bunkerputt]

I was watching my friend hit some balls who is somewhere in the +1.0 handicap range. I, on the other hand am in the 9-12 range. I notice a very distinct difference in the sound when he hits the ball. I don't hear very much club swoosh at all, a very quiet impact, an then the ball flying away with a ZIIIIING. He also hits it a mile and seems to put very little effort into it. It's a very different sound that is characterized more by the ball zing than by the club swoosh and impact.

With my shots I hear a swoosh-crack and no ball, almost like hitting a block of ice with a sledgehammer (followed by a grunt from the pain of keeping my spine angle on the through swing to avoid standing up at impact . Our trajectories are very different. He tends to hit a beautiful, mid-flight flatter ball, whereas mine is somewhat high and spinny. I tend to catch it on the toe quite a bit, so it's sometimes hard to judge what my solid shots sound like.

I know some of the difference is related to the location of the hearer. For lower handicappers, what does it sound like to you when you hit the ball versus when your low-handicap friends hit the ball? Do you hear the ball zing away? It seems like this would be caused by all of the speed occurring at the bottom, plus very solid impact, plus a ball speed high but not so high that the ball is a mile away by the time you can hear it.

[Zeph]

Where you hit it on the clubface is the major factor here. Even with a bad swing you can launch the ball nicely by finding the sweet spot. Combine it with the swing of a scratch player and you've got a solid shot.

For me it depends how I hit it. If I get it nicely from the inside and hit the ball well it fells like the ball is not there. It just happens to get in the way of the club. Feels like hitting through butter. The sound is just a soft pop. When I come over the top and hit on the toe or something I get a loud twack and a poor shot.

Don't compare yourself too much to others, find the shot and sound where you hit it perfect and pursue it.

[Dr_Fu_Manchu]

I used to sit on the range and hear "the ball flying away with a ZIIIIING" of other players and wondered why mine didn't sound that way too. Finally, I was at the range with a friend and asked if he could hear it with mine. He said he could, so I assumed that it all must be position, those to the left and right hear it on well struck shots but you will never hear it as the hitter. Am I wrong?

[mdvaldosta]

They're may be no difference in the way it sounds, it's all about perspective. Then again, he could be playing different clubs and different balls, which certainly would affect the 'crack' made when striking.

[Dub]

I know what you mean.....there is a noticable difference.

[bunkerputt]

They're may be no difference in the way it sounds, it's all about perspective. Then again, he could be playing different clubs and different balls, which certainly would affect the 'crack' made when striking.

We were both hitting a bucket of range balls. I'm curious to ask someone if they can hear the zing from my ball. A lot of it is probably my ears ringing from the clack and by the time you can hear the ball, it's long gone. Another issue may be this: I tend to release a lot at the bottom. This gives me quite a bit of loft when I hit it, such that the ball launches relatively high. I'm guessing that most of these are around a groove too thin. This may be contributing to a less solid sound. I can hit it lower if I want, but I end up taking too deep of a divot (~4"). I tend to fight a steep downswing action, especially when I am taking it back too flat.

[iacas]

I used to sit on the range and hear "the ball flying away with a ZIIIIING" of other players and wondered why mine didn't sound that way too. Finally, I was at the range with a friend and asked if he could hear it with mine. He said he could, so I assumed that it all must be position, those to the left and right hear it on well struck shots but you will never hear it as the hitter. Am I wrong?

Position is everything, right.

I've played with people who can't break 80 or 90. They can make the same "zing" sound occasionally too, and it may be on a 5-iron that goes 150 yards. The sound of impact, though, that gets better as you get better. Listen to PGA Tour golfers (not on TV, in real life) and listen to the sounds of your friends' impact, and you'll see what I mean. Impact isn't affected by your position quite as much.

[laxbballgolf]

I read a quote somewhere of a veteran PGA Tour player commenting on how he knew Tiger was the real deal from watching him as a teen because his shots had so much "integrity".

I think the pure and solid sound that you're talking about is a confirmation of the "integrity" of a truly well-struck golf shot. (Along with trajectory, accuracy, etc.)

[MiniMoe]

I actually got to watch the great Moe Norman hit many a golf ball. The sound the came off his club was different that any other I have ever heard... even pros at tour events. It was the distinct sound of perfection. Take that one shot that when hit you don't even feel it off the face and can barely hear it. That is the sound he made every single swing. I hit the middle of the club most of the time, but still, the sound of mine are clanky compared to his. It was simply amazing.

[nevets88]

The same goes for tennis. I watched the practice rounds at the US Open, Flushing, for many years. The pop that comes off a pro swing is pronounced. And then the really big servers came along (140mph) and the pop was really something. The thing is, even a good players' swing, like a college player, to the naked eye, looks pretty much the same as a pros. And you still hear the pop in the 14th game of the 5th set, when the player is visibly tired.

[Gioguy21]

I saw the open at Winged Foot and i have to say when a pga professional hits an iron it's more of a click more than the typical sound a normal golfer hears. you hear the whip of a drive only on a driver, i heard zach johnson hit his and it was a whip on the downswing and silent after impact. by far a distinct sound. I think i achieve the driver sound, but the irons is something only a professional ball striker with forged irons can replicate IMO

[bunkerputt]

I tend to think also that quite a bit of visual info contributes to noticing a different sound. What I mean is this: when I watch my really good friends swing, I notice how incredibly smooth and fluid the swing is, which makes the ball speed and zing really jump out at you more. It's almost like an overly violent chemical reaction that was very gingerly combined. When I watch people who aren't quite as skilled, my mind is thinking too much about the violent effort they are exerting with not-so-sexy results.

Minimoe, how did you get the chance to watch Moe Norman? That must have been incredible. I've never even seen a pro in real-life, let alone watch them hit balls. Are you going to the Valero Texas Open in SA?

[$2 Nassau]

I've noticed the sound of impact mostly, not really the ball. A friend of mine who has a buttery swing always seems to hit his driver dead on the sweet spot. Me on the other hand, the sound of my impact varies greatly based on what flaw is the flavor of the day.