golfrewind.com

My clubhead speed with a 5 iron is 87/90 mph what sort of speed do the lower handicap players acheve with a 5 iron ? just so i know how far i have to go i nkow there is more to this game than clubhead speed but its just something i'm working on.

I don't know with a 5. I've tested a 3 iron and it was 101 last time. I hit my 3 220

most lower handicap players club head speed with a 5 iron is around 100-105 mph. I am around 90 mph and hit it about 170-175.

A low handicapper doesn't directly correlate with a high swingspeed.

I'd guess most tour pros swing a five iron at least 95-105 mph.

with a 7 iron my swingspeed are around 105-115

With a 5 iron I swing around 90-95mph, play 5 iron for 180, and handicap 4.5.

The first point cannot be overemphasized. Handicap is just a measure of how many strokes it takes to get in the hole. There are no style points or bonus points for higher swing speeds. I think Stan Utley was a great example of this. Not a big hitter by any means, nevertheless he won occasionally and was in contention a fair amount. His short game was almost unbelievable. He holds the record for least number of putts for a front or back 9 on the tour -- 6. Also, Fred Funk. Not a long hitter, but one of the most accurate year in and year out.

Sure, the average swingspeed versus handicap is going to be negatively correlated (i.e. lower handicap is going to average higher swingspeed). But, how much of the correlation is caused by swing speed? I don't think it is very large. I think that a lower handicap is swinging faster primarily because their fundamentals are far better. That is, they are much better about bringing the clubhead back to the ball on target and with maximum energy. So, they are able to swing a little harder but still under control. They have learned how to control the swing. I think that technique is the primary reason the swingspeed increases as handicap goes down.

But, the second number is actually a bit high. The average drive swing speed on the PGA Tour is 108 mph. That's going to translate into a 5 iron speed of upper 80's maybe lower 90's, definitely not pushing 105. There are a few guys who obviously can push that -- Bubba Watson.

The big thing is iron play is about accuracy, not raw distance. How often do you really have to hit a 5 iron for maximum distance? Unless you are teeing off with a 5 iron (really bad driving day and you've decided you won't keep driver, or the woods, or a hybrid in play?), I can't think of a situation where maximum distance is the goal. Accuracy is the premium. And, if you are embarrassed to have to say that you hit a 5 iron on a par 3 when your buddies hit 6 or 7 irons -- show them up by being accurate and sticking the ball right on the pin. Again, there are no bonus points in golf for using higher lofted clubs -- it is 100% about how many strokes it takes to get in the hole. Period.

Yep I don't care what the other guys hit. When I hit my 5 Iron on a 155 yard Par 3 and they are hitting an 8 or 9 they don't say anything negative when I am putting for Birdie.
But the advantage to Distance is that in the Fairway at 185 yards I will have to hit a 5 Wood and a fast swinger a 5-7 Iron who do you think will have the better chance for an accurate shot. This is where not being a long hitter will hurt you.

Sure, distance is a part of the game, too. And, regarding the accuracy and control, a more lofted club is going to be easier to control than a left lofted one. More backspin, and higher trajectory mean the ball will stop quicker on the greens. There are obviously some advantages, I'm not saying that there isn't.

But, I really wanted to emphasize that being a short hitter doesn't necessarily limit you, either. Again, there are short hitters on tour. Fred Funk has 8 wins on the PGA Tour, including the Players in 2005, and now a few on the Champions Tour.

And the average muni or local course isn't the monster length course the pros are playing. Distance is obviously good, but accuracy is a huge part of it too.

I would go so far as to say that while distance helps, but isn't necessary, to become a low handicapper -- accuracy is almost a complete necessity to be a low handicapper. You are going to have to have an unbelievable short game if you missing more GIRs than you are making. Accuracy is where the strokes are shed. Sure, distance is nice, but you aren't accurate with it, you almost can get yourself into more trouble than it is worth. The flip side is that even if you are a short hitter, you can make up for it by being accurate. Accuracy can make up for a lot of other deficiencies.

Yep and with my new Putter I will be hole before some big monster hitters.
Horay ! for us guys with average swing speeds and great short games.

SS is in the 90's

My 5 iron swing speed is around 90mph,where the ball goes is more important than how hard you hit it though.

Are you on the long drive circuit? I can barely hit the low end of your range with my 2-iron.

My 5 iron SS is averaged around 93

Bignose - I think you're missing his point. He simply wants to know what the norms are so that he can try to get there.

I cannot argue that acuracy is as important - I'm 20-40 yards longer than my usual partner but he's a 7.5 and I'm a 8.5 h'cap. I cannot argue that Fred Funk, Pavin, Kuchar, Mediate, Verplank and others that have lower driving distance averages are excellant players and capable of winning any given week. However, I can argue that if you have your sights set on playing from the tips, especially with distances going to 7000-7500 yards these days, you better be able to average 250-260+. The aforementioned tour-pros at the low end of the driving distance stats average 265+. The local scratch (or near scratch) players that I occasionally play with outdrive me by 10-50 yds, on average - I do not recall any near-scratch golfer that does not out-drive me, and I'm probably 240-260 on average of my well hit drives. Consequently, the tips generally put too much pressure on my game.

So if "watto" is asking about swing speeds so that he knows where he has to get to be able to play the tips- or maybe he has even higher aspirations, I think he would be well advised to ask what the norms are and worry about control later. Obviuosly, if he can get to that to those speeds, but cannot control it, then he'll have to take the appropriate actions, but at least he'll have known and tried.