If I had my way, the PGA Tour would publish physical statistics for all its players.
The tale of the tape for golf: height, weight, neck, shoulder width, biceps, thighs, finger distance from floor, calves, shoe size and arm span.
It is arm span – finger tip to finger tip, with each arm extended to the side – that fascinates me most.
With a wide arm span and wide swing plane, it is much easier to create a shallow path to the ball. The clubhead will remain closer to the ground for a longer period of time. That’s the power move I want. To accomplish this, I’m signing up tomorrow for arm transplants.
Just kidding. Still, my arms are short (33-inch shirt sleeve) even though I’m 6-foot-2 in height.
Tiger Woods appears to possess long arms. Jack Nicklaus does not, but he is the exception to what appears to be a general rule: The best golfers have longer arms.
Whenever I am asked if there will be another Tiger, I answer without hesitation, “Yes. Tiger generates clubhead speed of about 125 miles an hour with a driver on the course, but long-drive participants often get up around 150. If one of these giants with a huge arm span were to learn to control his drives, watch out.
I know, I know: He needs a short game as well, but I’m just assuming that eventually someone with power will display the same work ethic and finesse as Tiger around the greens.
Desire? Confidence? That’s another matter, but I’m optimistic that the future of competitive golf will include more and more stouthearted players.
I happen to believe that basketball players will start flocking to golf in the future. I believe they will make a big impact – big arm spans, big turns, big drives, big potential. I can spot that basketball-player swing a mile away.
A tale of the tape certainly would help me understand why certain types of players have certain types of swings.
I have a steep swing and need irons with a lot of bounce. My wedges, for example, are old Ping ISIs with an enormous amount of bounce.
If I try to use wedges with less bounce, sometimes on short shots or touch shots I will swing almost completely underneath the ball. This is the calling card of the steep swinger, with a motion that appears to go up as much as it goes back on the takeaway.
I’ve tried and failed to shallow out my swing. What do I want for Christmas? A new swing plane – from steep to shallow, from over-plane to on-plane.
Don Trahan, father of two-time PGA Tour winner D.J. Trahan, teaches a steeper up-and-down swing rather than a more rounded, rotational swing. While I understand the principle, I have trouble wrapping my mind around it. Still, I know it fits my steep motion.
A tale of the tape also would help me understand why some golfers are longer off the tee than others. A shallow swing with speed can be a nuclear power plant.
My kingdom for a larger arm span, which would make it easier for me to alter my swing.
Being realistic, I guess I’m stuck with what I’ve got. Welcome to my wimpy little world.
Posted: 2/18/2008
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