LPGA vs PGA Tour Player Swings

[Patch]

Didn't want to take a chance of going "off topic" on another thread. Hence, this new thread. 

Simple question. Is there much of a difference between LPGA players swing, those of  PGA Players swings? If so, what are those differences?

I know the guys are stronger, and hit the ball farther, so no need to go there. Just thinking if the Pro Girls do anything different than the Pro Boys do.  

[Vinsk]

1 hour ago, Patch said:

Didn't want to take a chance of going "off topic" on another thread. Hence, this new thread. 

Simple question. Is there much of a difference between LPGA players swing, those of  PGA Players swings? If so, what are those differences?

I know the guys are stronger, and hit the ball farther, so no need to go there. Just thinking if the Pro Girls do anything different than the Pro Boys do.  

Men have considerably faster swing speed. Some LPGA players rotate their hips faster than many men. 

[dennyjones]

I don't have facts to back up this but I've heard that the women have a better smash factor on average than the men.   Other than that, I believe the men are better in every aspect of the game.

[iacas]

I don't know how you define "much."

[boogielicious]

I think if you look at the better LPGA players, they have all 5 Simple Keys in their swings.  Some have odd backswings and transitions, like Inbee Park, but she hits it straight and relatively long for her size. 

Other, more athletic players like Brooke Henderson, swing more like how we envision men swing I guess. They certainly are more flexible than men for the most part.

 

[billchao]

The ladies hit up more on their driver than the men. They're more shallow through the whole bag, actually.

https://blog.trackmangolf.com/trackman-average-tour-stats/

[xrayvizhen]

I'm not sure this relates to the O.P's question, but I'll opine anyway. I've always believed that the "average" male would be well advised to study LPGA golfers from both a technical swing standpoint as well as golf course management. I have found myself in the past with a nearly ruined golf swing after watching a men's tournament live in person. They just generate so much more clubhead speed and impact the ball so differently than I do that when I try to emulate what they do it pretty much wrecks things for me for several weeks until I can get what I've seen out of my head. On the other hand, the ladies generate just about the same clubhead speed as I do, impact the ball kind of like I do, albeit a lot more consistently, and play on golf courses just about the same length as I do therefore by watching them carefully and studying how they maneuver themselves around the course, I have found that it really helps my game.

And not to be a M.C.P., but they're also a lot prettier than the men with much better legs!

Edited October 27, 2018 by xrayvizhen

[gbogey]

On 10/26/2018 at 8:18 PM, xrayvizhen said:

I'm not sure this relates to the O.P's question, but I'll opine anyway. I've always believed that the "average" male would be well advised to study LPGA golfers from both a technical swing standpoint as well as golf course management.

I tend to agree as the ladies tend to hit the similar distances as most male players, except for driver and woods where they tend to be longer.  I had a short conversation with an LPGA player a few years back and she explained that the ladies are more efficient in their swings with longer clubs and therefore get better distances.

If you look at LPGA tour stats vs. PGA tour, the ladies are amazing at their percentages of GIR and fairways hit vs. the guys.  That said, they have much fewer birdies as they typically are hitting much longer clubs on approach shots whereas the guys are pretty much short iron and wedges on every approach except par 5's.  The ladies tend to play boring but impressive golf - hit the fairway, hit the green, 2 putt.

Not sure this is true or not, but my observation from watching the ladies is that because they are shorter in height, their swings are more vertical and men have flatter swings.  My guess is that this really adds to their consistency but I'm not enough of a swing expert to know.

[colin007]

On 10/25/2018 at 7:59 PM, dennyjones said:

I don't have facts to back up this but I've heard that the women have a better smash factor on average than the men.  

Is this true?

[dennyjones]

1 hour ago, colin007 said:

Is this true?

As of 2017, here are the results from Trackman's website:  So my guess was somewhat incorrect.     The smash factors seem to be the same for the longer irons with the women being slightly better with the shorter irons.  

 

Edited October 29, 2018 by dennyjones

[Vinsk]

6 hours ago, dennyjones said:

As of 2017, here are the results from Trackman's website:  So my guess was somewhat incorrect.     The smash factors seem to be the same for the longer irons with the women being slightly better with the shorter irons.  

 

However, a smash factor of 1.48 with a swing speed of 113mph is more difficult than a smash factor of 1.48 with a SS of 90mph no?

I mean isn’t maintaining an good SF more difficult the faster you swing?

[dennyjones]

8 hours ago, Vinsk said:

However, a smash factor of 1.48 with a swing speed of 113mph is more difficult than a smash factor of 1.48 with a SS of 90mph no?

I mean isn’t maintaining an good SF more difficult the faster you swing?

I'm no expert....but I'd have to agree with you, the faster you swing, the more difficult it would be to get a higher smash factor.  From the charts above, it's difficult to make a good comparison based upon swing speed.

[Vinsk]

2 hours ago, dennyjones said:

I'm no expert....but I'd have to agree with you, the faster you swing, the more difficult it would be to get a higher smash factor.  From the charts above, it's difficult to make a good comparison based upon swing speed.

I guess it makes since just by numbers. But it’s about control I guess. So, although the men are swinging faster (naturally) the women I assume are performing equal effort so their acccuracy is just as impressive? 

[Mr22putt]

Smash factor is simply ball speed divided by club head speed.

If your ball speed is 150 mph and club head speed is 100 mph = 1.50 smash factor.

If your ball speed is 140 mph and your club head speed is 93 mph = 1.50 smash factor.

So both swing are technically sound with 1.5 driver smash factors.

[Herkimer]

I believe there are LPGA players who swing just as perfectly as many on the PGA Tour do.  No difference that I can see -- even in slo mo.