Value of Swinging a Heavy Club

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jpvegas1

jpvegas1

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Just saw a repeat of a Sports Science show where in one segment the value of swinging a heavy golf club as a warm up was investigated.

A PGA tour golfer first hit a few drives after his usual warm up and they measured his distance with a trackman. The golfer then did some swings swinging two clubs and hit more drives and the distance was measured.

After the heavy club warming-up the golfer said that his regular club felt much lighter and he was sure he was swinging faster.

The results - don't confuse feel with real. The golfer lost a little bit of club head speed, but nearly 30 yards in carry because he couldn't hit the ball in the center of the club. He impaired his feel and ability to swing a regular golf club. Swinging a heavier club teaches a person how to swing a heavier club, not swing a regular golf club. The body has to compensate and use different muscle to swing the heavier club which does not translate back to swinging a normally weighted golf club.

Their conclusion: No benefit in warming up with a weight club and swinging a weighted club is counter-productive and should not be done.

FWIW the same thing happened in baseball swinging a weighted bat.
 
B

Brian Manzella

Administrator
One other factor...

The only use I have been able to find in all the years I have been around the game for a heavy club, is increasing flexibility.

I am sure that there are better ways to do it, however.
 
birdie_man

birdie_man

New
Ya I saw that Sportscience episode..........a lot of their stuff seems a little wonky to me............but this makes some sense.

All I ever knew was that to me it didn't feel right after the heavy club. I don't want to feel like I'm swinging a "wiffle-driver."

Can a heavy club not teach you how to do a lagging clubhead takeaway though? (and load it nice at the top)
 
C

Curbanski

New
Although I've only been using it for a few months, I'm finding huge value in the heavy club that I hit. It came packaged with a wedge and I'll mention the name if someone wants to know and it isn't against forum regs.

For one, the heavy driver/club streatches all the muscles I use when swinging. I probably could come up with a combination of stretches that does the same thing, but the HC gets it all done in one motion.

The HC made clear that my swing needed to be slowed down especially from/at the top. I used to be a pusher / fader off the tee. Using the heavy club made it obvious that I was "hanging on" / "releasing late"

For sure, when I pick up my regular driver, it feels like a straw for the next 10 swings but the tempo comes back quickly.

And there is no doubt that I now hit the ball further. So in addition to the streatching factor, I've probably added a little muscle.

I don't go the range without it!
 
Guitar Hero

Guitar Hero

New member
Curbanski said:
Although I've only been using it for a few months, I'm finding huge value in the heavy club that I hit. It came packaged with a wedge and I'll mention the name if someone wants to know and it isn't against forum regs.

For one, the heavy driver/club streatches all the muscles I use when swinging. I probably could come up with a combination of stretches that does the same thing, but the HC gets it all done in one motion.

The HC made clear that my swing needed to be slowed down especially from/at the top. I used to be a pusher / fader off the tee. Using the heavy club made it obvious that I was "hanging on" / "releasing late"

For sure, when I pick up my regular driver, it feels like a straw for the next 10 swings but the tempo comes back quickly.



And there is no doubt that I now hit the ball further. So in addition to the streatching factor, I've probably added a little muscle.

I don't go the range without it!
Click to expand...

The heavy or weighted club is a big con when it comes to swing trainers. When learning new motor skills or practicing positive transfer training for the golf swing, matching overall weight and balance of the swing trainer to a normal golf club is just as important as the action it is teaching you. I have heard all the stories of how they increase distance and accuracy but it is just a marketing con. You would do your swing a favor and use the money you would spend on a weighted swing trainer and take a lesson from Brian. I am sure I will get some feedback on this but from what I have seen in teaching (over 10,000 lessons taught and counting) I have yet to see a weighted club improve a golf swing. It just does not do it.
 
tourdeep

tourdeep

New
In the long run, I can see the potential benefits of strengthening muscles involved in the golf swing with a weighted club and possibly adding to swing speed. When I remain on a strength fitness program, I tend to hit it longer. Coincidence or not, it happens.
 
J

Jim Kobylinski

Super Moderator
Curbanski said:
Although I've only been using it for a few months, I'm finding huge value in the heavy club that I hit. It came packaged with a wedge and I'll mention the name if someone wants to know and it isn't against forum regs.

For one, the heavy driver/club streatches all the muscles I use when swinging. I probably could come up with a combination of stretches that does the same thing, but the HC gets it all done in one motion.

The HC made clear that my swing needed to be slowed down especially from/at the top. I used to be a pusher / fader off the tee. Using the heavy club made it obvious that I was "hanging on" / "releasing late"

For sure, when I pick up my regular driver, it feels like a straw for the next 10 swings but the tempo comes back quickly.

And there is no doubt that I now hit the ball further. So in addition to the streatching factor, I've probably added a little muscle.

I don't go the range without it!
Click to expand...

I want to venture a guess here, but other club fitters will probably agree (i hope lol), that it sounds like your current driver is ill fitted to your pattern.

All the heavy club did was teach you how to time the particular shaft/face angle combo you have to hit the ball straighter and thus longer. To me, sounds like you are playing a shaft that is hanging the face open at impact for some reason (could be too weak or too stiff depending on each case).

To prove, i have fitted both myself and a member her into STIFFER shafts and seem increase swing speed and ball speed because they weren't "slowing themselves down" to hit their current combo (which for both of us was too weak a shaft).

Just something to think about ;)
 
FloydPT38

FloydPT38

New
Strengthening the right muscles would help but when you swing a weighted club you are not strengthening the ones that actually help you to swing faster.

It's not all bad -you will strengthen SOME of the same muscles and as Brian said you may help your flexibility. However, it would really help to have a good personalized flexibility program (esp for hips, shoulders, neck) combined with an overall strengthening program with emphasis on speed. Eliminate or reduce any sore/painful areas you have--any area that is involved in the swing. Last but not least get some good instruction to know how you should be swinging.
 
C

Curbanski

New
The heavy or weighted club is a big con when it comes to swing trainers. When learning new motor skills or practicing positive transfer training for the golf swing, matching overall weight and balance of the swing trainer to a normal golf club is just as important as the action it is teaching you. I have heard all the stories of how they increase distance and accuracy but it is just a marketing con. You would do your swing a favor and use the money you would spend on a weighted swing trainer and take a lesson from Brian. I am sure I will get some feedback on this but from what I have seen in teaching (over 10,000 lessons taught and counting) I have yet to see a weighted club improve a golf swing. It just does not do it.



10,000 lessions (and more to come I hope) is a pretty strong history; it's hard to question your accumulated knowledge. However, I only report what's been working for me. And until Brian starts making it to CA, which I would love, I'll probably continue to use the HC, enjoy Brian's DVDs and learn what I can from this forum
 
C

Curbanski

New
I want to venture a guess here, but other club fitters will probably agree (i hope lol), that it sounds like your current driver is ill fitted to your pattern.

All the heavy club did was teach you how to time the particular shaft/face angle combo you have to hit the ball straighter and thus longer. To me, sounds like you are playing a shaft that is hanging the face open at impact for some reason (could be too weak or too stiff depending on each case).

To prove, i have fitted both myself and a member her into STIFFER shafts and seem increase swing speed and ball speed because they weren't "slowing themselves down" to hit their current combo (which for both of us was too weak a shaft).

Just something to think about


Thanks for your suggestions! I have tried the siffer flex and it always seems too boardy. Maybe it's the torque!? In fact, I have better luck going from a Reg to an A flex than I do going up to a stiff. My SW is D1-D2.

My late release didn't become obvious until I started using the HC. Now that I've worked on releasing earlier, I've gotten much closer to hitting into the box Brian speaks of in NSA. I seldom think of slicing. In fact, I think I've over cooked it as I'm hitting hooks from time to time.

My index ranges between 12-13 (for the last year at least) inspite of making it to the range 3 times a week and playing 1-2 times a week. I'm in my 4th year of serious golf and relealize that I've much more to learn.

As I ponder it a bit more, maybe it's being 62 and not being as flexable and pliable from the get go that keeps me swinging that HC each time I go to the range.

Again, thanks for your constructive input.
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