Swingweight - Implications?

[jimbo2007]

I'm in the process of getting a new set of irons, and currently leaning towards the Ping i5's. As you can see, i'm a mid-capper and have always been a regular flex shaft guy given my swing speed and tempo. One thing I have noticed (felt) are the Ping's lighter (than others i've demo'd) swing weight. The Pings were D0's vs. D1 and D2 on some of the others. My question is what are the performance impications of higher or lower swingweights? I can tell that with the higher swingweights I have a better sense of where the head is, but can't say that is an influence in my decision.

I hit the i5's remarkably accurately...does the lower swingweight cost me distance or just provide me less feel for where the head is during my swing?

Thanks in advance for any enlightenment.

[Mitch Cumstein]

As you've noticed, a heavier swingweight can give you a better of sense of where the head is during your swing. This is generally a good thing for golfers with a faster tempo and who are more "hitters" than "swingers." If the swingweight is too heavy, however, the swing can feel cumbersome and too slow. A lower swingweight is generally preferred by those who like the feel of swinging the entire club (rather than just the head) and who have a slower tempo.

Of course, these are all just general rules and it really comes down to personal preference. You can experiment with your existing clubs to find out what swingweight you prefer. Grab your 6 iron and measure the swingweight (GolfGalaxy did it for me) and then buy some lead weights (easier than lead tape). Also get some impact tape, or baby powder or chalk or whatever, so you can measure the impact location of the club face. Hit 5 balls, noting the location of impact, and then increase the weight of the head by adding weight. You should generally try to work up in increments of 2 swingweights (about 4 ounces of weight, I think) because mere mortals won't notice the difference with less. Keep hitting 5 balls at a time and try to work the impact point towards the sweetspot on the club. Once you've got it there (or just like the way the club feels) have the swingweight measured again and you are in business.

Probably way more info than you wanted/needed, but hope this helps.

[jimbo2007]

Probably way more info than you wanted/needed, but hope this helps.

Actually, it was just about what I was looking for And explains a lot as well. I'm definately in the swinger rather than hitter category and have a slower tempo (something I have been working on), which may be one of the reasons why the lighter swingweight clubs are appealing to me. Thanks.