1. Average Clubhead Speed By Age Calculator
2. Average Clubhead Speed By Age 2
3. Average Clubhead Speed By Age 1

1. Walking speed also varies by sex – men tend to walk slightly faster than women. People with longer legs (generally taller people) tend to walk faster than shorter people as well. Average walking speed by age. A 2011 UK study tracked 358 participants of various ages using accelerometers to determine their average walking speeds.
2. The smash factor represents the quality of strike or energy transference into the ball. Ball speed would be the clubhead speed X smash, so you can work it out. I put smash factor there to show that the strike quality was maintained for all clubhead speeds.

This is one of the most important questions to answer as most of the data out there is on PGA and LPGA tour averages. To have 13 and 65 year olds comparing themselves to the 113 mph PGA Tour average or the 98 mph LPGA Tour average is silly (and, in some cases, potentially dangerous). The smash factor is the ratio of your club head speed to ball speed and, therefore, a measure of how efficient—or how “clean”—the impact was. In other words, if you strike the ball cleanly and in the middle of the head, the head speed will translate almost directly into ball speed.

One of the most common questions on my lesson tee is

How far should I hit my 7 iron

The 7 iron is a pretty standard benchmark number which golfers tend to compare themselves against (the other obviously being the driver distance). So, with that in my, I did a little test today using Trackman to measure.

Test Procedure

I hit several golf balls aiming to swing at the following common 7 iron swing speeds

• 65 mph (typical slower amateur)
• 75 mph (average amateur)
• 85 mph (quicker amateur)

I also only included results which had a higher smash factor than 1.36, indicating a pretty decent strike quality (especially for amateurs). I also only included swings which were within 1mph of the desired swing speed. I included 8 balls in each category of shot – the results show the averages. I also only included shots which finished within 10 yards of the target line, which is straighter than the average tour proximity to the pin.

Test Results

First, let’s have a look at the birds eye view of the results.

All of the shots were pretty straight, as I only included ones which fit the criteria.

If we have a look at the numbers for these below, we see in more detail what happened.

Although these were averages, they actually rounded up nicely to the desired swing speed. The results show carry distance (distance in the air). I didn’t include total distance, because this will be influenced by green hardness. But, you should be more concerned with carry distance, as that is what you are trying to optimise when flying the ball to the pin and over bunkers etc.

Average Clubhead Speed By Age Calculator

The smash factors were all the same (slight advantage for the slower swing speed) showing equivalent strikes. What the data shows is that

• Spin rate increases as swing speed increases
• Carry distance increases with about 25 yards for every 10mph
• The ball flies on a much higher trajectory when swing speed increases, even though the launch angles were within 1 degree of each other

I think that last point is important to understand. As speed decreases, the ball flies much lower. Many slower-speed amateurs I see are trying to launch the ball as high as their faster swinging golf partners. As a result, they artificially manufacture this height by using poorer technique (such as hanging back and scooping). I think that, if players with less speed realised the height they should be hitting for their current speed, they would be more inclined to make the technical moves they desire (such as weight being on the left side more, and hands leading the clubhead into impact.

How a player is visualising their ball flight will have an impact on the technique they use

Other Notes

So, the answer to the question “How far should I hit my 7 iron” is that it depends. For a start, the distance you hit the ball is ultimately limited by the speed you produce (you are not going to hit the 7 iron 170 yards with 65 mph speed). But things such as strike quality are also huge. Strike will determine whether you achieve your potential distance.

For this article, I used strikes which were over 1.36 smash only, and averaged at 1.38. This is a very high quality strike – your average shots are unlikely to be this high – so the carry values presented here are likely to be your optimal distances with a given swing speed, and not the average (although better players may actually have a high average smash factor).

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Over the last few years, the benefit of club fitting has a made a tremendous impact on the game of golf. The only category of golfers who have not made massive improvements in their game due this fitting is the hordes of golfers who have yet pay the minimal fee (often free) to get it done.

At Age Defying Golf, we focus on improving the quality and enjoyment of golf for golfers over 50 years old. As such, I am writing this blog about the best golfer drivers for this age group.

Choosing the best drivers for golfers over 50 has little to do with the brand of golf club and more too do with the shaft and club head settings. Here are the dimensions that you need to know:

1) Club head speed: how fast you swing the driver ON AVERAGE.

2) Ball speed: how fast the ball is moving after contact

3) Smash factor: is a multiple that combines club head speed and ball speed. In simple terms, it measures how good you hit the ball on average.

4) Launch angle: is angle from the ground that your ball is traveling on.

5) Whether you fade/slice or draw/hook the ball.

Before I give you a brief summary of what generally works best for seniors, you should know that any general advice I can give pales in comparison to the results you will get by getting fitted by a professional. Free plugins for photoshop cc.

Ok, with that said, the main issue that we are dealing with is how to pick the driver that will give you the best distance and performance. If you are over 50 years old your swing speed is probably slowing down due to increased weakness and loss of flexibility. An average golfer fitting this category may have had a swing speed of 105mph in their early forties decreased to 85 mph at the age of 60. This would result in a 270 yard drive paring down to a 215 yard drive leaving you 55 yards further from the hole for a very difficult approach shot. Visit here for our recommendations for drivers for golfers over 50

So the question is: how can we use the current state of technology to improve your driving distance with an 85mph swing? Here are the elements:

I) Shaft flex: Using a more flexible shaft flex will increase your swing speed without having to swing the club faster AND can help improve the squareness of the club face at impact. Here is a general rule-of-thumb chart:

***Some men(you big studs out there!) may have difficulty stepping down to a “regular” or “senior” flex shaft. Which adds to the already present issue of “macho” men overswinging. You can continue to beat yourself up, or you can choose to lighten up and have more fun….error on the side of a more flexible shaft!

Once you have chosen the correct shaft you need to choose the correct:

Average Clubhead Speed By Age 2

I) Degree of Loft. When determining the degree of loft you are trying to figure out which loft gives you the longest ball flight. If you choose too little or too much loft you will lose distance. If you are trying to figure this out without being professionally fitted, you are guessing. A professional will measure your launch angle and compare to your ball speed to determine your best fit. And believe me, from experience, it will make a HUGE difference.

Average Clubhead Speed By Age 1

II) Smash factor: Smash factor is a multiple derived from your swing speed when compared to your ball speed. If you hit the sweet spot consistently, your smash factor will be excellent. If you do not hit the sweet spot consistently, then you need to find a driver that is more forgiving and maintains your ball speed on off center hits. Again, the professional fitter is your best resource.

III)The final component to find the best driver for your game is your ball flight. Simply, do you slice or fade the ball. It has long been known that a ‘draw’ ball flight will net you the most distance. Most new drivers have settings to help you get the best ball flight and the best distance. Your fitting professional will watch you hit a bunch of balls with a bunch of different driver settings to determine the best adjustment to help you hit the best ball flight for maximum difference.

Click here to see our recommendations of the best golf drivers for over 50″s folk

In summary, being correctly fitted for a driver is significantly more important than the brand of driver or how much the driver costs. And fitting is very cheap, usually around $50. In addition, club manufactures regularly provide free fittings and golf courses everywhere so call your local club to find out when a fitting day will occur at their golf course. You will be glad you did.

D. Ryan York, DPT CGS
Doctor of Physical Therapy
Certified Golf Performance Specialist
Age Defying Golf