How to increase smash factor?

[nick1998bunker]

Ok I read somewhere that Steve stricker gets a 1.5 something smash factor. They said he gets his attack angle the same as the dynamic loft or something. Does anyone know how to increase this?

[iacas]

Ok I read somewhere that Steve stricker gets a 1.5 something smash factor. They said he gets his attack angle the same as the dynamic loft or something. Does anyone know how to increase this?

Hit the center of the clubface.

1.5 is about the max, though occasionally a machine (due to margins of error, etc.) will read 1.51 to even 1.54 (I think I've seen 1.54).

[saevel25]

You might find a golf club that pushes the limit, and might come out a bit hotter. But watch out as well, the max smash factor is decreased as loft increases. Take a look at the average PGA trackman numbers, you'll see they decrease with club.

[nick1998bunker]

I'm getting a lesson with a long drive guy so I am going to look at all my numbers. Thanks

[TourSpoon]

Hit the center of the clubface.

This is it.

[nick1998bunker]

I mean more than that. I do hit the center most times.

[TourSpoon]

If you mean how do you get better than 1.5 you really can't. This is technically maxed out. But if you mean how do you get closer to 1.5 then it is all about optimizing your swing path so that the clubface is hitting the ball squarely on the sweet spot. This allows the clubhead speed to maximize ball speed. A glancing blow will not produce the same conditions as a squarely delivered face. There are some threads with Trackman data that you can look at that shows the ideal relationships.

[nick1998bunker]

If you mean how do you get better than 1.5 you really can't. This is technically maxed out. But if you mean how do you get closer to 1.5 then it is all about optimizing your swing path so that the clubface is hitting the ball squarely on the sweet spot. This allows the clubhead speed to maximize ball speed. A glancing blow will not produce the same conditions as a squarely delivered face. There are some threads with Trackman data that you can look at that shows the ideal relationships.

thank you. I already get really good smash factor. I was just wondering if there was an easy way to increase it.

[TourSpoon]

thank you. I already get really good smash factor. I was just wondering if there was an easy way to increase it.

No problem, it's not something that is easy. A good swing is the recipe for good numbers. Club fitting can help to a certain degree so that you have the right equipment, but in the end, its the move you put on it that dictates the numbers and where the ball is going to go and how it will get there. A smash factor at 1.45-1.48 is really good for the weekend warrior.

[nick1998bunker]

No problem, it's not something that is easy. A good swing is the recipe for good numbers. Club fitting can help to a certain degree so that you have the right equipment, but in the end, its the move you put on it that dictates the numbers and where the ball is going to go and how it will get there. A smash factor at 1.45-1.48 is really good for the weekend warrior.

Not exactly sure what my numbers are but I will figure it out. I got my wedges bent 1 degree but also the lie adjusted and gained 10 yards.

[saevel25]

Lie angle should't bother it that much. But, 1 degree shouldn't either. I would say more its just a psychological thing. Its probably more a deal with your hands sometimes being forward, and sometimes not at impact.

[nick1998bunker]

Lie angle should't bother it that much. But, 1 degree shouldn't either. I would say more its just a psychological thing. Its probably more a deal with your hands sometimes being forward, and sometimes not at impact.

Whatever it is Ill take it! I went from a 105 yard 56 to a 115 yard 55.

[RandallT]

Ok I read somewhere that Steve stricker gets a 1.5 something smash factor. They said he gets his attack angle the same as the dynamic loft or something. Does anyone know how to increase this?

Here are the PGA stats on smash factor:

http://www.pgatour.com/stats/stat.02403.html

118 pros are at 1.48 and above. The highest is Colsaerts at 1.485, so that digit is only 5/1000 more than #118. Not much difference really.

Smash factor is a formula, as you know:   ball speed/clubhead speed.  So in my mind, these pros are virtually identical. At a 100mph swing speed, the best guy gets a ball speed of 148.5 mph, the #118 guy gets 148.0 mph. About 1 yard difference when you use the trajectory analyzers for initial ball speed.

However, their variation in clubhead speed is dramatic. Here are the stats:

http://www.pgatour.com/stats/stat.02401.html

The #100 pro has 113mph clubhead speed. The highest is Charlie Beljian at over 124mph.

My thought is that the USGA/R&A; tests on equipment essentially max out the "smash factor," in that a ball cannot jump off the face with too much energy for a given clubhead speed, or it will fail one of the tests. As I understand, the key test is found here: http://www.usga.org/equipment/testing/protocols/Test-Protocols-for-Equipment/ (the one called Flexibility of a Golf Club Head). That test uses a pendulum and it measures the amount of time a ball can stay in contact with the clubface- the limit is 239 microseconds! By limiting the time, they limit how much energy can be imparted to the ball.  That's my understanding, anyway.

So I think your equipment has it pre-ordained, in some sense. The ball can only fly off the face at a certain speed compared to your clubhead. That is limited, and all you can do is hit the sweet spot. It's better to think about how to maximize clubhead speed and launch angle, than to worry about "smash factor."

My two cents.

[birlyshirly]

Using smash factor as a measure of the efficiency of the impact collision, are higher speed impacts inherently more efficient, less efficient or the same as lower speed impacts?

[nick1998bunker]

Im going to long drive guy to take lessons and I think I will work with him to optimize my spin and launch and such. Thanks for all the statistics.

[misty_mountainhop]

...A smash factor at 1.45-1.48 is really good for the weekend warrior.

A smash factor that high for the "weekend warrior" is exceptional i.e. unlikely on a consistent basis.

[nick1998bunker]

I read averag[quote name="misty_mountainhop" url="/t/69837/how-to-increase-smash-factor#post_894417"] A smash factor that high for the "weekend warrior" is exceptional i.e. unlikely on a consistent basis. [/quote]e weekend golfer is 1.25

[Mr Smell Good]

When I got fitted for my driver recently the equipment they used measured smash factor so that was interesting to see how shots with a high smash factor and the same swing speed looked so much longer/better.  The main thing I noticed was my good shots had a higher smash factor like 1.45, less spin, and a good launch angle somewhere around 10-15*

If I hit it too low in the face or too much on the heel I would get higher spin up to like 5000 and smash factors like 1.25