I'll have to look at that one. I liked that the Blast worked with putters as well, but sometimes knowing too much about your swing can be detrimental as well.

quote:

Originally posted by Ackks:
Does anyone have thoughts on the Blast Swing Analyzer? From the sound of it you don't have to hit a ball, which could be great.

Never heard of it, checked it out briefly on the web. I see what they're trying to do. Better than not swinging a club, but I'm uncertain how much benefit it provides.

Swing tempo is important, and IMO the Blast Swing might help there. But I think you must first understand your best tempo. My PGA pros are moving to a faster tempo -- quick backswing and quick downswing. Some say it increases their ball speed. PGA guys have the skills to do that.

As an example, John Rahm has an abbreviated backswing, almost no pause at the top, then just accelerates the club at the transition. He absolutely requires an uber stiff driver shaft to deal with the forces, otherwise the head can't catch up to his hands.

On the other extreme is some of the petite LPGA pros. They don't possess the muscles & mass to power the club, so they take really long backswings and twist their bodies like a corkscrew. Much different timing than John Rahm.

On the odd occasion that my swing receives a compliment, it's generally "deliberate" or "fairly smooth". Based on what works for me:
- my backswing is pretty pokey
- a shorter backswing is better than a longer backswing
- I have a brief pause at the top
- I accelerate the club fairly smoothly through the downswing
- unfortunately, I wish my hands were a little further forward when I make contact
The swing tempo that works best for me may not be considered optimal for others. When I'm struggling on a course, I ask my buddies to give me the acronym S-T-F-D. As in slow the...down.

For a guy with club speed of 80+ mph with wedges and 105+ with woods, I don't load shafts all that quickly. IMO this is why I like hitting regular-to-stiff shafts better than stiff-to-extra-stiff shafts. There are even some "A flex" (aka senior flex) shafts which I hit fairly well. But I just can't seem to do well with the uber stiff shafts.

Bottom line -- IMO it would be better to know your swing metrics up front, before using the Blast Swing.
*****

I'm a firm believer in striking the ball for practice. How well one delivers the club head to the ball cannot be overstated, and the end result is how well the ball flies. I've had to (re)learn the lesson many times that the best flight occurs when we strike within a 1/4" to 3/8" of the sweet spot. And if the club face isn't coming in fairly close to square, ball flight suffers.

Agreed, you can groove tempo and rhythm with a swing without a ball, but I think that can lead to some sloppiness or bad habits about ball contact and clubhead path.

Fritz is right, golf is all about delivering the clubhead to the ball, with a very small amount of variation, and on the right path. Hitting a ball tells you right away and every time when you are doing that right.

quote:

Originally posted by Ackks:
... but sometimes knowing too much about your swing can be detrimental as well.

...and what would that be?
That is why wouldn't you want to know about your swing?
I would admit to change a pure feel player (say like Bubba Watson) based on stats would be wrong.

quote:

Originally posted by smschulz:

quote:

Originally posted by Ackks:
... but sometimes knowing too much about your swing can be detrimental as well.

...and what would that be?
That is why wouldn't you want to know about your swing?
I would admit to change a pure feel player (say like Bubba Watson) based on stats would be wrong.

I've only been playing a year, but sometimes knowing what you do wrong can be detrimental instead of just swinging. I'm interested in buying one for a reason, but I can see a downside without an instructor guiding me/keeping me from trying to fix too much at once and developing other bad habits.

quote:

Originally posted by Ackks:
I've only been playing a year, but sometimes knowing what you do wrong can be detrimental instead of just swinging. I'm interested in buying one for a reason, but I can see a downside without an instructor guiding me/keeping me from trying to fix too much at once and developing other bad habits.

Any changes should ABSOLUTELY be under the guidance of an instructor. Feel is definitely NOT real.
Without educated eyes on you, you might *feel* like there is progress being made when actually it’s so minimal or worse, the wrong changes.
It’s the reason coaches will say, “I ask for a mile and I’m begging for an inch.”
A slight change to your swing can feel like it’s a huuuge change when it really is a minor tweak that most folks who have seen your swing a bunch may not even notice.
This game can so maddening!!

quote:

I've only been playing a year, but sometimes knowing what you do wrong can be detrimental instead of just swinging.

I'm interested in buying one for a reason, but I can see a downside without an instructor guiding me/keeping me from trying to fix too much at once and developing other bad habits.

I disagree on a general basis.

However, I don't think everyone needs a swing analyzer/monitor but in no way would actually knowing what your swing metrics are > detrimental.

You are still a newbie so getting the fundamentals down should be the primary objective.
Then improve/correct based on what your deficiencies are.

A Monitor is just a tool with specific data.

Consistency is important, swing mechanics are important, hitting the ball in the center of the club is important.

Unless you are a Freak-Swing performing at a high level like Mathew Wolfe, Jim Furyk, Bubba Watson to name a few who do it their way, you might want to know where you are effing up.

"Detrimental" >> I just don't see it.

^^^^ Let me amend above IF what is meant that using a launch monitor without the knowledge and help from an instructor or someone who knows swing metrics then I would agree that device is not recommended.
Not necessarily detrimental but fairly useless.

quote:

Originally posted by smschulz:
^^^^ Let me amend above IF what is meant that using a launch monitor without the knowledge and help from an instructor or someone who knows swing metrics then I would agree that device is not recommended.
Not necessarily detrimental but fairly useless.

You are probably right. Perhaps I also misunderstand what Blast does. When it says swing and stroke analyzer, I assume that means telling you everything you are doing wrong in terms of tempo, path, loft change, speed, etc., vs. something like the R10, which gives you numbers but not all the other details. That could be great for putting and my short game, but maybe too much for someone new, as you said, when it comes to driver. I already walk up to the ball after a bad shot checking my grip, where my weight is, wondering if I'm swaying, etc. I'd think it could be detrimental when you add more layers and try to make changes without knowing if they are necessary or how to do them properly. I could have explained my thoughts better as well.

Again, I'd buy Blast for putting analysis if it works, but there isn't much information about them. The only thing I could find on YouTube is someone saying it's a ripoff for baseball. Rick Shields did a video about 3Bays GSA putting analyzer nine years as well, but there isn't much out there about them either.

I should change the topic to "Need a bunch of golf advice" because I'm also curious if range finders are worth the money vs. an app like SwingU that worked well last year.

quote:

Originally posted by Ackks:
I'm also curious if range finders are worth the money vs. an app like SwingU that worked well last year.

I don't know anything about SwingU.

I've used laser range finders for many years with rifles, and I have a couple of good ones. I bought a more reasonably priced Bushnell golf LRF that stays in my bag. I have a Garmin G80 GPS & rudimentary launch monitor.

If you regularly play on courses where you ride a cart with a GPS system, then you likely don't need your own portable golf GPS system. In this case, an LRF may not be all that useful, either.

If you walk, a GPS system is very useful. IMO a lot more useful than an LRF, as you can see the distances to more course features. Knowing the distances to front/back of bunkers, water hazards, greens, and optimal landing zones is important.

LRFs are very accurate if you have line of sight to the target and you can keep the unit steady enough for an accurate reading.

It's a rare occasion that GPS units are off. There is an executive-length course close to my office -- the GPS is off on one hole. I suspect the green location was changed long ago, so that long shots wouldn't land on the condos behind the hole. I kept over shooting the approach this hole, regardless of approach club & distance. With my LRF I determined that GPS distance is off by 15 yards. The carts on this course don't have GPS units, but other folks with GPS watches said they see the same thing. I bet Garmin has outdated measurements for this hole.

GPS and LRF units become really useful if you know your effective club distances.

quote:

GPS and LRF units become really useful if you know your effective club distances.

VERY helpful to know your carry.
I have used both GPS and Lasers and find the Laser (I use a Bushnell) to be the simplest to use but GPS can show you more depth of distances especially if you lack line of sight.

Thank you both. There are so many LRF it gets confusing. Are there any budget ones under $200 that are any good? I'm a bit tapped out after the new irons, wedges, push cart, and a few dozen Pro V1s (few buy 3 get one free deals going on).

The only thing I wonder with a GPS is if it's worth the money vs using the GPS on my phone with an app?

The Bushnell Golf Phantom 2 is on sale for $99.
https://www.amazon.com/Bushnel...a-1385993344006&th=1

Bushnell V5, I couldn't play without my rangefinder.

quote:

Originally posted by smschulz:
Bushnell V5, I couldn't play without my rangefinder.

How is the CaddyTek at Costco for $119? I could get that and a Bushnell or TecTecTec GPS watch for the price of the V5. If I'd be better off with just the V5 I'm happy to go that way as well.

I bought a Harvey Taylor LRF recently. Now I’ve got a LRF in my golf bag and my rifle range bag.
Gives range & slope. Under $200.

https://www.harrytaylorgolf.co...products/red-edition

Edit: I also have a Skycaddie GPS on my phone. The best of both worlds!

Many of the courses I play have mounding and elevation changes. LRFs have limited -- if any -- use in certain shots on holes with dips and hills. GPS with a map function provides distances and landing zone areas. Garmin S10 and S12 watches are reasonably priced, and they have maps. These watches show the course maps in black-and-white, but they are still accurate.

I suspect I review GPS data to LRF data on a 10:1 or 20:1 basis. The GPS is faster, too.

I have to poke just a tad...

few years back I was attending a church safety seminar... it's a national one... sheep dogs and one of the presenters, a retired army colonial, made the comment that a golf course is a waste of a good rifle range.....

I won't knock tech at all, as it's improved the way we play golf. Many moons ago, Dad taught me to play at our small town's only course -- a non-descript 9 hole semi-private. We had the scorecard map and poles on the edges of fairways at 100, 150, and 200 yards. The game was fairways and greens.

A few years on either side of 2000, there was an explosion of new courses in my neck of the woods. Bunches of long links-style tracks -- it was great. Only a few of the really expensive courses had GPS units in the carts, and none of my buddies had LRFs. But the courses had bunches of sprinkler heads, accurately marked with distances to center of green. We thought we were in heaven. Very little guessing to the green. A few courses even handed out yardage sheets which listed layup distances. Yeehaw. Some of my most memorable and better played rounds were from walking onto these courses first time and thinking through the challenges. Course management. Fairways and greens.

IMO too many players get wrapped up in "Is it 148 or 149 yards to the pin?", when in reality they are more likely to hit their "150 club" in an less-than-stellar 110 to 130 yards manner.

A phone ap that provides GPS of courses should be a great way to go, and for likely minimal if any investment.

quote:

Originally posted by Blume9mm:
...a golf course is a waste of a good rifle range.....

Golf has also been called a good walk spoiled.

I've learned to embrace both shooting and golf. Many golf courses are located in communities where any kind of outdoor shooting venue would be impossible. Holding a 20-stage PRS-type rifle match near a housing development ain't gonna happen. I am very fortunate that I can easily set targets to 800 yards at our family ranch in the semi-sticks. Our neighbors shoot, too.

And then there's that whole earnings thing. Scottie Scheffler earned $4.5 million by winning a golf tournament a few weeks ago. A really big PRS-type rifle match might provide the winner with $10k or so in money & prizes.

quote:

Originally posted by fritz:
I won't knock tech at all, as it's improved the way we play golf. Many moons ago, Dad taught me to play at our small town's only course -- a non-descript 9 hole semi-private. We had the scorecard map and poles on the edges of fairways at 100, 150, and 200 yards. The game was fairways and greens.

A few years on either side of 2000, there was an explosion of new courses in my neck of the woods. Bunches of long links-style tracks -- it was great. Only a few of the really expensive courses had GPS units in the carts, and none of my buddies had LRFs. But the courses had bunches of sprinkler heads, accurately marked with distances to center of green. We thought we were in heaven. Very little guessing to the green. A few courses even handed out yardage sheets which listed layup distances. Yeehaw. Some of my most memorable and better played rounds were from walking onto these courses first time and thinking through the challenges. Course management. Fairways and greens.

IMO too many players get wrapped up in "Is it 148 or 149 yards to the pin?", when in reality they are more likely to hit their "150 club" in an less-than-stellar 110 to 130 yards manner.

A phone ap that provides GPS of courses should be a great way to go, and for likely minimal if any investment.

We agree. The only concern with phone apps is they can be 10 to 15 yards off, which could be another club. I enjoyed the SwingU app on a free trial last year because it told me which club to use. That's when my score dropped, perhaps because the mental aspect was removed a bit. It allowed me to swing with confidence vs second guessing. I'm in a better position to know my distances now, so a device might be a better long term fix.

I've only been playing 6500 community courses where it has been difficult at times to find markers. That's another reason one might come in handy.