Blast Connect | Metrics

Metrics

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What is Backswing Time?

Backswing Time is the period of time from address to the top of the swing in seconds (sec).

Why is Backswing Time important?

Watch the video to learn why Backswing Time is important and how it can affect your game.

What should Backswing Time be?

Goal Ideal Backswing Time should be 3 times longer than Downswing Time. Pro Average 0.60 to 0.90 seconds Amateur Average 0.75 to 1.20 seconds Metric Tip Track the Backswing Time on your best shots to find your ideal Backswing Time. Try to repeat your ideal Backswing Time on every shot within 0.05 seconds.

How do you improve Backswing Time?

—————————————————————– Drill: Consistent Timing – Backswing —————————————————————– Problem Backswing Time is inconsistent, too fast or too slow, resulting in inconsistent ball contact. The most efficient Backswing Time is 3 times longer than the Downswing Time (a Tempo ratio of 3.0:1). Solution Make 5 swings, and then review your Backswing Time and analyze your results. The Backswing Time should remain the same, regardless if you are swinging at full speed or only 50%. Once you find your signature time, generally close to 0.75 seconds, make 5 more swings trying to match your ideal Backswing Time within 0.05 seconds. Focus Keys Focus on the feel of your ideal Backswing Time. What does too fast feel like? What does too slow feel like? What does too fast feel like? What does too slow feel like? Aim to be within 0.05 seconds of your ideal Backswing Time. Goal The goal of this drill is to train your body to create a consistent and repetitive timing pattern to consistently and efficiently make solid contact with the ball.

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What is Downswing Time?

Downswing Time is the period of time from the start of the downswing until the moment the clubhead contacts the ball in seconds (sec).

Why is Downswing Time important?

Watch the video to learn why Downswing Time is important and how it can affect your game.

What should Downswing Time be?

Goal Ideal goal is 1/3 backswing time. Pro Average 0.20 to 0.30 seconds Amateur Average 0.25 to 0.35 seconds Metric Tip Track the Downswing Time on your best shots to find your ideal Downswing Time. Try to repeat your ideal Downswing Time on every shot within 0.05 seconds.

How do you improve Downswing Time?

—————————————————————– Drill: Consistent Timing – Downswing —————————————————————– Problem Downswing Time is inconsistent, too fast or too slow, resulting in inconsistent ball contact. The most efficient Downswing Time is 1/3 Backswing Time (i.e., a Tempo ratio of 3.0:1). Solution Make 5 swings, review your Downswing Time, and analyze your results. The Downswing Time should remain the same, regardless of if you are swinging at full speed or at only 50%. Once you find your signature time, which is generally close to 0.25 seconds, make 5 more swings, trying to match your ideal Downswing Time within 0.05 seconds. Focus Keys Focus on the feel of your ideal Downswing Time. What does too fast feel like? What does too slow feel like? Aim to be within 0.05 seconds of your ideal Downswing Time. Goal The goal of this drill is to train your body to create a consistent and repetitive timing pattern in order to consistently and efficiently make solid contact with the ball.

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What is Total Swing Time?

Total Swing Time is the period of time from the start of the swing until the moment the clubhead contacts the ball in seconds (sec).

Why is Total Swing Time important?

Watch the video to learn why Total Swing Time is important and how it can affect your game.

What should Total Swing Time be?

Goal Ideal Backswing Time is 3 times as long as Downswing Time. Pro Average 0.80 to 1.20 seconds Amateur Average 1.00 to 1.55 seconds Metric Tip Track the Total Swing Time on your best shots to find your ideal Total Swing Time. Try to repeat your ideal Total Swing Time on every shot within 0.05 seconds.

How do you improve Total Swing Time?

—————————————————————– Drill: Consistent Timing – Total Swing Time —————————————————————– Problem Total Swing Time is inconsistent, too fast or too slow, resulting in inconsistent ball contact. The most efficient Total Swing Time has a Backswing Time that is 3 times the length of the Downswing Time (a Tempo ratio of 3.0:1). Solution 1. Make 5 swings, then review your Backswing Time and analyze your results. Backswing Time should remain the same regardless if you are swinging at full speed or only 50%. 2. Once you find your signature time, generally close to 0.75 seconds, make 5 more swings trying to match your ideal Backswing Time within 0.05 seconds. 3. Once you find your ideal Backswing Time, divide the number by 3 to find your ideal Downswing Time (e.g., 0.75 seconds/3= 0.25 seconds). Add Backswing Time and Downswing Time together to find your ideal Total Swing Time. 4. Make 5 more swings trying to match your ideal Total Swing Time within 0.05 seconds. Focus Keys Focus on the feel of your ideal Total Swing Time. What does too fast feel like? What does too slow feel like? Aim to be within 0.05 seconds of your ideal Total Swing Time. Goal The goal of this drill is to train your body to create a consistent and repetitive timing pattern to consistently and efficiently make solid contact with the ball.

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What is Swing Tempo?

Swing Tempo is the ratio between Backswing Time and Downswing Time.

Why is Swing Tempo important?

Watch the video to learn why Swing Tempo is important and how it can affect your game.

What should Swing Tempo be?

Goal Ideal goal is 3.0:1 Pro Average 2.8 to 3.2:1 Amateur Average 2.5 to 4.0:1 Metric Tip Swing Tempo should be close to 3.0:1 (Backswing Time divided by Downswing Time). Experiment speeding up and slowing down both Backswing Time and Downswing Time to see which combination of times gives you the ideal 3.0:1 Tempo ratio and most consistent ball contact.

How do you improve Swing Tempo?

—————————————————————– Drill: Consistent Timing – Tempo —————————————————————– Problem Tempo ratio is inconsistent or not equal to the ideal 3.0:1 ratio, resulting in inconsistent ball contact. Solution 1. Make 5 swings, then review your Backswing Time and analyze your results. Backswing Time should remain the same regardless if you are swinging at full speed or only 50%. Once you find your signature time, generally close to 0.75 seconds, make 5 more swings trying to match your ideal Backswing Time within 0.05 seconds. 2. Repeat the process for Downswing Time. Make 5 swings then review your Downswing Time and analyze your results. Downswing Time should remain the same regardless if you are swinging at full speed or only 50%. Once you find your signature time, generally close to 0.25 seconds, make 5 more swings trying to match your ideal Downswing Time within 0.05 seconds. 3. Repeat the process for Tempo. Make 5 swings, then review your Tempo and analyze your results. Tempo should remain the same regardless if you are swinging at full speed or only 50%. Once you find your signature Tempo, as close as possible to 3.0:1, then make 5 more swings trying to match your ideal Tempo within 0.1:1. Focus Keys Focus on the feel of your ideal consistent Timing and Tempo. What does too fast feel like? What does too slow feel like? Aim to be within 0.1:1 of your ideal Tempo. Goal The goal of this drill is to train your body to create a consistent and repetitive timing pattern to consistently and efficiently make solid contact with the ball.

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What is Swing Speed?

Swing Speed is the speed of the clubhead’s sweet spot at impact measured in miles per hour (mph).

Why is Swing Speed important?

Watch the video to learn why Swing Speed is important and how it can affect your game.

What should Swing Speed be?

Goal Swing Speed should be as fast as possible, but depends on age, ability, mobility, stability, strength, and power. Pro Average 110 to 130 mph Amateur Average 85 to 105 mph Metric Tip Postural instability is the major cause of slow Swing Speed. Place feet shoulder-width apart and body into proper posture. This will allow the torso and arms to rotate efficiently around a neutrally aligned spine. Maintain an athletic posture throughout the entire swing, swinging as quickly as possible while maintaining balance.

How do you improve Swing Speed?

—————————————————————– Drill: Long Response —————————————————————– Problem Swing Speed is not being produced with a large magnitude, resulting in a loss of distance. Solution 1. Place feet in the prescribed Base of Support (see Base of Support drill) and body into proper posture (see Posture Stick drill). This will allow the torso to rotate efficiently around a neutrally aligned spine. 2. Maintain a posture of strength and point the clubhead at an imaginary spot two feet in front of the ball on the ball-target line, elevated one foot off the ground. 3. Use your torso to make a backswing, then aggressively swing into impact so that maximum clubhead velocity occurs at the moment of impact. This completes 1 repetition. Perform drill 2×10 repetitions. Focus Keys Maintain an athletic posture throughout the entire drill. Use your core to make a backswing. Pay no attention to where the ball goes. Goal The goal of this drill is to stress the body to maximize clubhead velocity at the point of impact.

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What is Blast Factor?

Blast Factor is a score between 0 and 100 that combines a swing’s Efficiency Index and Power Index to evaluate its overall quality.

Why is Blast Factor important?

Watch the video to learn why Blast Factor is important and how it can affect your game.

What should Blast Factor be?

Goal Ideal goal is 100/100 Pro Average 80 to 95/100 Amateur Average 50 to 80/100 Metric Tip Power and Efficiency are combined together to create Blast Factor. 1. The goal of Blast Factor is to swing as efficiently as possible while accelerating at the point of impact to enhance your Power Index. 2. Maintain your posture as you move into impact. The lower body must be stable and rotate to allow the club to swing efficiently and accelerate quickly.

How do you improve Blast Factor?

—————————————————————– Drill: Drawback —————————————————————– Problem Power and/or Efficiency is not optimized because of poor ground force interactions, sub maximal loading and unloading body segment sequences, or inefficient release patterns. Solution 1. Place feet in the prescribed Base of Support (see Base of Support drill) and body into proper posture (see Posture Stick drill). This will allow the torso to rotate efficiently around a neutrally aligned spine. 2. Swing the club into Power Zone (a position in the backswing where the lead arm is parallel to the ground and the shaft is at a 90* angle to the lead arm), then swing forward and hit the ball. 3. Upon contact with the ball, use your core and a stable lower body to return the club into Power Zone as quickly as possible. 4. Once the club is again in the Power Zone position, hold this position for 3-5 seconds. This completes 1 repetition. Perform drill 2×10 repetitions. Focus Keys With relaxed arms and grip, draw the club back to Power Zone twice as quickly as you swung into impact. Do not lose your posture as you come into impact or when you draw the club back after impact. In order to change direction and draw the club back, the lower body must be stable. First try the drill with a wedge, then a 7-9 iron. When confidence and mastery is attained, work up to using a driver at full speed. Goal The goal of this drill is to increase your Blast Factor and develop a feel for the movement necessary to create maximum velocity at the point of impact, by forcing lower body stability into the impact area. This drill will help you hit the ball farther and straighter with less stress to your body.

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What is Power Index?

Power Index is a score between 0 and 100 that indicates how “powerfully” a golf ball is hit. Power Index uses the mass of the golf club, Swing Speed, and Downswing Time, to calculate how much momentum (or kinetic energy) is transferred into the ball at impact, assuming that the ball was hit on the clubhead’s sweet spot.

Why is Power Index important?

Watch the video to learn why Power Index is important and how it can affect your game.

What should Power Index be?

Goal Ideal goal is 100/100 Pro Average 80 to 95/100 Amateur Average 50 to 80/100 Metric Tip Power = mass * velocity 2. Alternate swinging the lightest club in your bag with the heaviest. Stress your body with heavy and light clubs in order to increase your Power Index. Swing as quickly as possible, and make 5-10 repetitions with each club weight. 1. Pay no attention to where the ball goes. Instead, focus on swinging as quickly as possible while maintaining balance.

How do you improve Power Index?

—————————————————————– Drill: Medium – Heavy – Light – Medium —————————————————————– Problem Power Index is not as high as it possibly could be because of low Swing Speed, peak Swing Speed occurring prior to impact, Downswing Time is too slow, or the golf club is too heavy for your body to control efficiently, resulting in a loss of distance. Solution 1. Place feet in the prescribed Base of Support (see Base of Support drill) and body into proper posture (see Posture Stick drill). This will allow the torso to rotate efficiently around a neutrally aligned spine. 2. Then make a series of swings with a driver of different weights: 9 swings gripping the club normally 18 swings with a headcover on the driver (or swing a driver 20% heavier than your current driver) 18 swings with the grip end of the club facing the ground (or swing a driver 20% lighter than your current driver) 9 swings gripping the club normally Perform this drill once a day. Focus Keys Swing as fast as you possibly can on every swing while maintaining a posture of strength. First, perform this drill without hitting a golf ball. Then, as you master the drill, add the ball for impact, but pay no attention to where the ball goes. Goal The goal of this drill is to stress your body with overweighted and underweighted clubs in order to increase your Power Index.

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What is Efficiency Index?

Efficiency Index is a score between 0 and 100 measuring a swing’s efficiency. Efficiency Index uses Energy Transfer and Velocity Direction to provide the golfer with a single number that summarizes the swing’s efficiency.

Why is Efficiency Index important?

Watch the video to learn why Efficiency Index is important and how it can affect your game.

What should Efficiency Index be?

Goal Ideal goal is 100/100 Pro Average 80 to 95/100 Amateur Average 50 to 80/100 Metric Tip 1. Properly sequence the backswing and downswing movements of the golf swing from the ground up to create an efficient release pattern and maximum clubhead velocity at impact. 2. Poor balance is the major cause of an inefficient swing. Swing with your eyes closed, and focus on your balance from address to the top of the swing and then all the way to the finish. Start slowly, focusing on maintaining your balance, then gradually add speed, and begin to swing faster.

How do you improve Efficiency Index?

—————————————————————– Drill: Step Swing —————————————————————– Problem Efficiency Index is not optimized because of low Energy Transfer or Velocity Direction, resulting in a loss of distance and accuracy. Solution 1. Place feet in the prescribed Base of Support (see Base of Support drill) and body into proper posture (see Posture Stick drill). This will allow the torso to rotate efficiently around a neutrally aligned spine. 2. Orientate your stance back from the ball-target line. 3. Imagine that each foot is standing on the rail of a railroad track. 4. Step your trail foot forward on the rail, and then make a backswing while maintaining pressure on the ball of your foot and flex in your hip, knee, and ankle. 5. Holding this backswing position, step your target side foot on the target rail then make a downswing, maintaining pressure on the ball of the target foot and flex in your hip, knee, and ankle. This completes 1 repetition. Perform drill 2×10 repetitions. Focus Keys Deliberately move through each step as if doing Tai Chi. (Rushing through this drill will not reap the same rewards.) Goal The goal of this drill is to increase your Efficiency Index score by properly sequencing the backswing and downswing movements of the golf swing from the ground up to create an efficient release pattern and maximum clubhead velocity at impact.

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What is Energy Transfer?

Energy Transfer is a score between 0 and 90 indicating how efficiently kinetic energy is transferred from the golfer’s body to the clubhead from the start of the downswing to impact. When a golfer properly sequences energy production from the ground up, throughout the kinetic chain (ground to pelvis, pelvis to torso, torso to arms, arms to club) and into the ball at impact, peak Swing Speed and Club RPM will occur at impact, indicating no wasted energy.

Why is Energy Transfer important?

Watch the video to learn why Energy Transfer is important and how it can affect your game.

What should Energy Transfer be?

Goal Ideal goal is 90/90 Pro Average 70 to 90/90 Amateur Average 50 to 70/90 Metric Tip Energy Transfer is how efficiently you create and transfer energy from the ground up to result in a powerful swing. 1. The goal is to shorten your backswing length and to move quickly on the downswing to a balanced finish. 2. Stress your body with a shorter backswing and a quicker transition to the downswing to enhance your Energy Transfer.

How do you improve Energy Transfer?

—————————————————————– Drill: Short Response —————————————————————– Problem Energy is not transferred as efficiently as possible from the ground up, resulting in an early release and loss in power and accuracy. Solution 1. Place feet in the prescribed Base of Support (see Base of Support drill) and body into proper posture (see Posture Stick drill). This will allow the torso to rotate efficiently around a neutrally aligned spine. 2. Swing the golf club into Power Zone (a position in the backswing where the lead arm is parallel to the ground and the shaft is at a 90* angle to the lead arm). 3. Pause and hold the Power Zone position for 2-3 seconds. 4. Then, without pumping or creating a bigger backswing, use your feet, lower body, and core to hit the ball as far as you can. This completes 1 repetition. Perform drill 2×10 repetitions. Focus Keys Pause for a few seconds once you reach the Power Zone position to prevent using momentum and to load the stretch phase of the cycle, which will eliminate the effects of this drill. Avoid making a larger backswing after pausing in the Power Zone position. Goal The goal of this drill is to develop an efficient transfer of energy from the lower body to the upper torso to the arm segment, resulting in maximum clubhead velocity at impact.

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What is Velocity Direction?

Velocity Direction is a score between 0 and 10 based on the velocity direction of the clubhead in relation to the horizontal plane as it approaches impact.

Why is Velocity Direction important?

Watch the video to learn why Velocity Direction is important and how it can affect your game.

What should Velocity Direction be?

Goal Ideal goal is 10/10 Pro Average 5 to 10/10 Amateur Average 0 to 5/10 Metric Tip The goal with the driver swing is to groove an efficient Velocity Direction, hitting the ball on a slight upswing to optimize distance and accuracy. 1. The optimum angle of attack for the driver is an upward Velocity Direction of 5 degrees to 7 degrees. 2. Place the ball in the correct ball position to allow for an upward Velocity Direction. 3. Maintain an athletic posture, and hit the ball squarely.

How do you improve Velocity Direction?

—————————————————————– Drill: Teed High 3 Woods —————————————————————– Problem The clubhead is approaching the ball at too much a downward vertical angle, or too much upperbody side bend away from the target causes the clubhead to approach the ball at too much of an upwards vertical angle, both of which cause a loss in distance. Solution 1. Place feet in the prescribed base of support (see Base of Support drill) and body into proper posture (see Posture Stick drill). This will allow the torso to rotate efficiently around a neutrally aligned spine. 2. Grab a 3-wood and the longest golf tee you can find. 3. Tee the ball as high as possible, then hit the ball on a low 30-degree trajectory. This completes 1 repetition. Perform drill 2×10 repetitions. Focus Keys Maintain an athletic posture, and hit the ball squarely. Avoid clipping the tee below the ball or making a divot. Avoid hitting the ball as high as possible. Goal The goal of this drill is to groove an efficient angle of attack, hitting the ball on a slight upswing, to optimize distance and accuracy.