In golf, no other aspect of technique influences a player’s handicap more than the precision of club-face impact location. A well-struck ball travels with optimal speed, spin, and direction, while even slight mis-hits can significantly reduce distance and accuracy. No matter the power behind your swing, inconsistent contact leads to unpredictable outcomes, making precision paramount.
*Eric Henrikson is a key figure at Ping Golf, serving as an engineer with a focus on innovation and club design. His work at Ping involves testing and optimizing golf equipment to improve player performance, using data-driven methods.
There are many studies that show some moves or features of the golf swing that are supposed to be common to all great golfers. However it seems you can always find a swing that is exception to the rule. Showing that these rules are not absolute. At least in classic golf game, where precision is the main point.
For example, there are weird swings in professional golf that go against almost any rule out there of a so called standard golf swing. Amongst them Jim Furyk’s and Eamonn Darcy’s “chicken wing” swing, Jim Thorpe’s helicopter follow-through, and, Josh Broadaway’s cross handed swing!
Tom Stickney posted an article at GolfWRX where he tested golfers of various handicaps for their impact precision. Below are pics of their impact locations—5 shots each.
Handicap 30
Handicap 25
Handicap 20
Handicap 15
Handicap 10
Handicap 7
Handicap 5
Handicap 0
Tour Pro
The lower the handicap, the smaller—and closer to the sweet spot the impact pattern. No exception to the rule here! To improve your scores, improve your impact location!