Do Not Use a Heavy Club or Weighted Donuts

[colin007]

I think you mean more useless. But I might not be convinced.I get your argument about the data and swing speed. But if my regular club feels lighter doesn't that help with club control? Or maybe it's all mental but then so is golf anyway.

But the point of this thread is what's going to help you swing faster?

[gregsandiego]

But the point of this thread is what's going to help you swing faster?

Well I guess. The thread is actually just "do not use a heavy club ...." but agreed the 1st post is on the topic of club speed.

I think it's worth discussing if there is ANY benefit to a heavy club, even if it goes beyond the issue of club speed - don't you?

[xilez]

How does this relate to the use of something such as the Orange Whip?

[Gunther]

Anecdotal evidence: I used a heavy club for 5 years before every round. Quit last year based on this thread. Result: no difference in my game or speed whatsoever. Keeping it out of my bag just because it's no longer part of my routine but for me it did no harm nor was there the benefit I thought I received from it.

[gregsandiego]

How does this relate to the use of something such as the Orange Whip?

Do you like that thing?

http://www.orangewhiptrainer.com/

[billchao]

I just thought about this, but the research cited is about baseball doughnuts, right? Baseball players warm up before every at bat, so it stands to reason that they'll mess up their hitting mechanics every time they step up to the plate, but a golfer can only warm up with a weighted club before the round starts. I'd imagine they're only going to "recruit the wrong muscles" on their first swing of the day. Every subsequent swing should be unaffected, since too much time would have passed since the heavy club exercises. I still don't think heavy club training is good for swing speed, but as far as warming up before a round, I don't see why it would matter that much.

[Hatchman]

Sorry for the late entry. Chores. But find this discussion productive and provocative. I monitor bats regularly and aids approved for bats for rule conformance prior to games. With the onset of lighter alloyed materials players now hit much lighter bats with certain wall construction characteristics and at the close distance defenses play become dangerous or can deform with increased swing speeds as the ball jumps off the bat. Only approved rings, etc are allowed in batting circle for safety purposes for example for lossening up. Fast pitch bats are for fast pitch is one designation. For qualification and since baseball/softball was referenced; as a long time player/ump up to the world tournament levels with numerous league, city, state, regional, and nearly world title under my belt I've seen just about everything used. For me as I believe earlier stated a small percentage over my current weighted bat was used to loosen but never two bats prior to batting that would generally result in coasting into the ball trying to swing smoother to loosen the big muscles when they wanted us to try and jack it it out. Some of the engineering has already been figured out with approved devices. Due to injuries golf transition was difficult - with my power hitting type swing. I am listening or reading closely and while transitioning to the front foot better.

[iacas]

I think you mean more useless. But I might not be convinced.I get your argument about the data and swing speed. But if my regular club feels lighter doesn't that help with club control? Or maybe it's all mental but then so is golf anyway.

I actually meant to type "less useful." :)

Club control? No, I don't imagine it does, really.

[xilez]

Do you like that thing?

http://www.orangewhiptrainer.com/

Yes, referring to that... Does swinging the Orange Whip count towards practicing with heavy weight?

[gregsandiego]

I just thought about this, but the research cited is about baseball doughnuts, right? Baseball players warm up before every at bat, so it stands to reason that they'll mess up their hitting mechanics every time they step up to the plate, but a golfer can only warm up with a weighted club before the round starts. I'd imagine they're only going to "recruit the wrong muscles" on their first swing of the day. Every subsequent swing should be unaffected, since too much time would have passed since the heavy club exercises.

I still don't think heavy club training is good for swing speed, but as far as warming up before a round, I don't see why it would matter that much.

There is a common sense element to this too.

Yes, referring to that... Does swinging the Orange Whip count towards practicing with heavy weight?

I don't know but I like the idea that this thread starts out with - a study with data. Do the Orange Whip people base their claims on any real data?

[billchao]

There is a common sense element to this too.

I'm not sure what you mean by this. Please elaborate.

[rusty35]

There is one key difference between weighted club and swing fan and that is the direction of resistance.

Weighted club uses gravity to provide the resistance, so you may find some benefit on the backswing and follow through, but on the downswing, it simply leads to a violent move down that hurts the elbows and wrists at the bottom.  Think back to high school physics, the force vector is straight down with weighted club.

The swing fan provides variable resistance (variability is contingent on swing speed) and that resistance is always directly opposite the path of the swing.  in my opinion, this is where the benefit lies, there is no violent snap at the bottom of the swing, the resistance is steady and consistent based on swing speed.  Imagine you could put on a scuba suit and swing 80 mph underwater!  your 'on-land' swing speed would have to get faster as a result. no?

[gregsandiego]

I actually meant to type "less useful." :)

Club control? No, I don't imagine it does, really.

This would make a great golf study. A real study would use multiple golfers and on two separated days, with and without the weighted workout.

That being said I've had second thoughts after reviewing the previously cited youtube video . It kind of makes sense that swinging a weighted club might throw you off a hare because your body would have to shift between normal and weighted to produce the identical swing.