Here we ago again with my .02
1) Practice practice practice (ok Iverson) ...fine we all know that, and no, some of us can't get 600 rounds in.
2) The club should NOT dictate the speed. That is ridiculous. You're telling me that when I put a brand new R9 TaylorMade in my bag, that my swing tempo that I spent all winter "Practicing" on is dramatically changed for one club and now I've got to wail with it like a banshee ? No ! You need to allow the player to control how fast they want to swing, and this must be built into the meter. Your swing should typically be consistent, with the odd time that you take a rip it it.
3) The characteristics of the club / shaft are designed for certain swing speeds. So if your club head speed is under 100 mph, don't expect to get extra distance with an R9 extra stiff shaft ! Also, if you are an amateur, don't expect to even have a swing speed over 100 mph. The reverse is applicable too, using a 100+ mph swing speed with a medium shaft will result in a shorter and off target shot.
So..... enough of the ranting Weirsy what are your suggestions !!!
1) Let the player dictate the swing speed. The further you go back, the faster it will come back.
2) The amount you can go back should be reflective of your status. Hack could swing up to say 90 mph, Amateur up to 100, Pro up to 115. So that means, don't expect to be launching them 300 yards as an amateur. And don't write back saying you can crank them out over 300 in real life. Ya... at a buck sixty five and my 12 inch pythons I hit a pretty deep ball, but give me 10 balls at the range and 1 might go over 300. There are players on the PGA that still only average 280.
3) Give us some options with the clubs. Shaft stiffness, ratings etc so we can match our swing and speed comfort level with the club characteristics.
4) Yes... better clubs make it easier to hit the sweet spot, 460 CC's worth at max, so forgiveness should not go down.
5) The sweet spot, the line, whatever ...should also be variable. It should get slightly bigger as you get better. Not by your status, but by actual swing statistics, and a driving range would help in this aspect. As you consistently hit the line or near, the line should gradually increase or decrease. I'm not talking about a sweet spot an inch long here, but maybe to a defined max. Also, upgraded clubs should give you a slightly bigger sweet spot.
6) How I'd like to see the swing meter.
|pro|ama|hac|
| dr
| |
fd |
a) Tier defines swing speed range.
b) Sweet spot is variable depending on your consistency and upgraded club..... issue right now is the laggy meter
c) You should be able to move the sweet spot left or right depending on whether you want to draw or fade. Hit the sweet spot, get your desired shape.
My .02 is still not allowing me to upgrade my driver...... where's the free credits I asked for WGT !