what is better for iron shots? swing speed? or tempo and flow?

[The Recreational Golfer]

I heard Ben Crenshaw say a few years ago, "We all hit our irons eeeeasy" drawing out the word "easy" to emphasize it.

Today on the Masters broadcast I head Nick Faldo talk about the guys in the last group (Quiros, Woodland) who just whip themselves around into the ball with their driver, saying that you don't need that kind of turn with a 9-iron in your hands.

[ARodgers TD]

so the general response im getting is that sacrificing some swing speed to make sure youre making great contact wont affect the overall yardage outcome??

[Zeph]

Originally Posted by Tomboys

At the risk of splitting hairs, I respectfully disagree.  Where does a flip fit into this equation?  IME, a flip can occur due to overswinging (speed) and/or a breakdown in tempo/rhythm (sequence).  However, it can also occur because a player has a misunderstanding of a "release".  It's this latter group that needs the proper education so that they can ingrain the proper techique in order to eliminate their flip.  It is (was) with this in mind that I suggested technique was the biggest contributor to hitting your iron shots better (or any shot for that matter).

Where did I talk about flipping? I'm just saying a swing involves speed, tempo and rhythm.

[Tomboys]

Originally Posted by Zeph

Impact positions are often a result of speed, tempo and rhythm.

Originally Posted by Zeph

Where did I talk about flipping? I'm just saying a swing involves speed, tempo and rhythm.

You didn't talk about flipping, I did.  I did so in response to your prior post.  I was merely pointing out regardless of how good a player's speed, tempo and rhythm are, if the player flips, the impact position is going to be compromised.

Originally Posted by ARodgers TD

so the general response im getting is that sacrificing some swing speed to make sure youre making great contact wont affect the overall yardage outcome??

It depends on how much swing speed you're sacrificing and how bad your contact was at that higher swing speed. Every player has a "sweetspot" in their swing--meaning a maximum clubhead speed that still yields solid and consistent contact.  Once they try to go above that maximum clubhead speed, then the quality of their contact begins to erode.  Many players, including myself, make the mistake of thinking that just because they can swing at a certain swing speed that they should swing at that speed all the time for every (full) shot.

In my case, when I "freewheel" my driver, I can generate clubhead speed in the low 110s--I had it measured at different locations at different times.  The problem with that speed is my contact is all over the face of the club.  In some instances, I'm not 100% sure I'm actually going to make contact.  At that point, I had to drop my clubhead speed down to where I could make solid and consistent contact.  I think right now I'm down to 102-105.

In contrast--let's just assume that you're also in that low 110 when you freewheel your driver, you may find that you only need to drop down to say 107 in order to make solid and consistent contact.  If we go further and look at another player, he may have to drop down to 100.  So, as I said above, it just really depends on the individual.