The Importance of Having the Right Club Swingweight

The swingweight of a golf club is truly one of the most misunderstood concepts in golf. It also just happens to be one of the most important factors in your success on the course. Swingweight involves the proportional relation of weight between the head and grip top of any golf club. It essentially is “how heavy the club feels” when swinging it. The weight affects performance in both loading the club and releasing it. In other words, it impacts your backswing and forward return into ball contact.

Swingweight can be too heavy, too light, or just right for a golfer’s swing. The correct swingweight will enable a person to maximize their “swing speed”. And, swing speed is the dynamic force that makes contact with the mass (ball) to make it fly.

This critical factor is the single biggest element that determines how well you hit the ball in terms of both distance and accuracy. Too light and you tend to over-swing and pull or push the ball with little control. Too heavy and you under-swing, which results in poor shots from ground hits to hooks and slices.

Swingweight can be measured on a “swingweight scale”. It is hard calculated data. Most serious golfers should know their current swingweight.

Swingweight Needs to Change Over Time

A golfer’s swingweight changes over time. Every person as they age loses some flexibility, muscle dexterity, and strength. Another cause of lost power is injuries of the hips, back, wrists, arms, or legs. These items all press to slow down a golfer’s swing speed. The way to correct the decline is to change club swingweight. Changing this factor will actually increase swing speed.