SuperSpeed Golf - 2023 Forum Review

[gavinski91]

4 hours ago, StrokerAce said:

I have a set of superspeed sticks and I'm a bit nervous about using them during the season. I don't want to mess up my tempo.

I'll be interested to see if the testers are concerned about this. Do you take the new "fast" swing to the course right away or are you tuning that and holding on until you're ready and confident?

For me that is the biggest question going into this test. I'm sure that there are swing changes that could get me more speed on the rader, but would result in lost accuracy or control. I suspect it's going to be a back and forth of finding what produces the best speed in training, then tweaking that swing on the driving range to something that produces a desirable ball flight, then going back to speed training to get more gains with those changes. It helps that there's a range close to my office, so it's pretty easy for me to jump out for half an hour at lunch and hit some balls.

[GolfSpy AFG]

I'm looking forward to following this gents.  If any of you keep Strokes Gained data, I'd definitely be interested in some before and after on that front too, in addition to the standard swing speed gains you'll no doubt report.  In my experience, there's definitely some potential to spray it a bit on course at first, but then some acclimation occurs and the newfound distance pays off.

[Berg Ryman]

So, a note that my intro is now up and ready to be read by you fine people. But I also take this chance to jump into this thread before heading off on vacation add my .02 to this question

7 hours ago, StrokerAce said:

I have a set of superspeed sticks and I'm a bit nervous about using them during the season. I don't want to mess up my tempo.

I'll be interested to see if the testers are concerned about this. Do you take the new "fast" swing to the course right away or are you tuning that and holding on until you're ready and confident?

I honestly have no concerns of this, Stroker. For me tempo is a natural rhythm and speeding up that rhythm doesn't change it in my opinion. I think of it in terms of musical notation, as a former music minor in college. If I have a bar of quarter notes (4 beats in a measure), it doesn't matter if that's 60 beats a minute or 240 beats a minute, 1 measure is 4 beats regardless. The speed of the measure changes, but what's in the measure doesn't.

That was a very tortured analogy to say, I'm bringing what ever speed and whatever swing I have through the testing, no fear. I'm only coming to embrace that speed and learn to grapple with it on the edge of control. 

[MsWalkrOfSky]

16 hours ago, StrokerAce said:

I'll be interested to see if the testers are concerned about this. Do you take the new "fast" swing to the course right away or are you tuning that and holding on until you're ready and confident?

My swing is currently a work in progress. I come over the top too often with my swing; it's the main focus in my lessons right now. I think I'm in some ways constantly tweaking, so added speed and muscle will hopefully just increase control with my more accurate swings, and may increase accuracy in my "big" swings. Looking forward to seeing how it ends up working out

[StrokerAce]

10 hours ago, Berg Ryman said:

So, a note that my intro is now up and ready to be read by you fine people. But I also take this chance to jump into this thread before heading off on vacation add my .02 to this question

I honestly have no concerns of this, Stroker. For me tempo is a natural rhythm and speeding up that rhythm doesn't change it in my opinion. I think of it in terms of musical notation, as a former music minor in college. If I have a bar of quarter notes (4 beats in a measure), it doesn't matter if that's 60 beats a minute or 240 beats a minute, 1 measure is 4 beats regardless. The speed of the measure changes, but what's in the measure doesn't.

That was a very tortured analogy to say, I'm bringing what ever speed and whatever swing I have through the testing, no fear. I'm only coming to embrace that speed and learn to grapple with it on the edge of control. 

Well said! Enjoy Vermont and look forward to your review.

[fixyurdivot]

On 5/16/2023 at 12:06 AM, gavinski91 said:

Hi everyone! Gavin here, excited to be back on another test, especially one that should help improve the worst part of my game! For those of you who don't recognize my facepalm profile photo, I'm 31 years old and live in the far Northwest corner of Washington State (about 5 miles from the US-Canada border) with my wife and our dog and cat.

I’ve been around golf for most of my life, but didn’t start playing seriously until 2016, after I finished grad school. Prior to that I played a lot of team sports, and the biomechanics from growing up playing baseball and hockey are still evident in my swing today – a 10-finger grip and out-to-in path that hits a high baby fade when my swing is going well, and a badly blocked slice when it isn’t. Right now I'm sitting at a 14.0 handicap, but I think it's possible to get that down into the single digits with some commitment to practice and improvements in the right areas.

Off the tee at Wine Valley Golf Club in Walla Walla, WA. : Thin2win

I think any review of the SuperSpeed system will inherently dive into questions of both fitness and mechanics. My personal approach to exercise is that it is a means to an end, the end in this case being able to enjoy my hobbies, of which golf is one. My other hobbies include rock climbing, backcountry skiing, mountaineering, and trail running, so my fitness routines tend to focus on building and maintaining a strong aerobic base via running, hiking, and other cardio-focused exercises (I don’t know when the last time I visited a gym was). Right now I’m weighing in at around 6’1” and 195 lbs. Given the lack of golf during the winter season in my area and the direction my training takes, the result is that it takes a few months at the beginning of each golf season before I get my speed back up to where it was at the end of the previous year.

Me nearing the summit of Arete des Cosmiques in Chamonix, France.

As far as my golf game goes, Arccos stats show that I get better the closer I get to the hole.

Most of the strokes lost off the tee for me are actually due to penalties. Over my last 15 rounds I’ve hit 46% of fairways, and 31% of greens in regulation. My driver clubhead speed sits around 105 mph, so when I hit a fairway I’m usually in a good spot to hit the green with a short iron, but when I miss the fairway the ball goes a long ways offline (often into the water or out of bounds). Research on SuperSpeed claims that most golfers will not only gain speed and distance, but also greater accuracy from improved mechanics. My goal is to gain 10 mph of clubhead speed, while also hitting more fairways, by the end of the training protocol.

I’m going into the test with an open mind, but have two main questions. The first is What will the speed progression look like? I suspect that it won’t be a linear improvement, but I plan on putting together graphs to visualize how the training protocol impacts my swing speed (both on standard driver swings, and on what I call my “long drive” swing). In an age of instant gratification, if it takes multiple weeks before improvements are noticed I would expect a lot of people to not stick with the program.

The second question is How easily will swing mechanic changes from the training protocol translate to on-course performance? Since swinging the sticks obviously only measures swing speed, and not swing path or where you hit the ball, I can see how a change to swing mechanics that leads to more speed could lead to less accuracy. As I stated earlier, my training philosophy is that gains made in the gym need to translate to improved on-course (or on rock or snow) performance or it’s not worthwhile, so tracking that will arguably be the most important part of the test.

I'll leave you with this little piece of Pacific Northwest golf, and hope to see you often in this thread!

 

When I saw your name in the tester group, I immediately recalled #18 tee shot at Appletree and thought; "yea, this guy needs more swing speed" .  And why do I suspect they'll be an unreported Willis brothers speed contest somewhere along the line .  Have fun with the test, look forward to seeing your numbers.

[tommyb1683]

Hey everyone, just a quick update I have gotten my SuperSpeed package and have put an update in my testing page. Here is the link to go check it out.

Unboxing & First Impressions

I actually got the package yesterday and had an internal struggle. Stay up late and open it or wait till the morning. Go check out my update to see what happened!!

[gavinski91]

How am I supposed to get any work done the rest of the afternoon?

[fozcycle]

On 5/17/2023 at 8:00 PM, Getoffmylawn said:

I'm looking forward to following this gents.  If any of you keep Strokes Gained data, I'd definitely be interested in some before and after on that front too, in addition to the standard swing speed gains you'll no doubt report.  In my experience, there's definitely some potential to spray it a bit on course at first, but then some acclimation occurs and the newfound distance pays off.

Thanks …lawn, I use Shot Scope so I do indeed have before “Strokes Gained” .  I have captured the last 15 rounds and will report it.

[BobBC78]

On 5/17/2023 at 8:00 PM, Getoffmylawn said:

I'm looking forward to following this gents.  If any of you keep Strokes Gained data, I'd definitely be interested in some before and after on that front too, in addition to the standard swing speed gains you'll no doubt report.  In my experience, there's definitely some potential to spray it a bit on course at first, but then some acclimation occurs and the newfound distance pays off.

I use Shot Scope to track my Strokes Gained data, which I will be happy to share. When I add my unboxing/intial impressions information, I'll add that data as well. My practice is to benchmark against a 15, based on that being my index goal. 

[fozcycle]

As a side note, I ordered a practice net for my backyard. At just $50 I thought, why not?  It came in today, said 10 minute setup, took me 30 minutes…..anyone else have one of these?

 

[Madden B]

Just now, fozcycle said:

As a side note, I ordered a practice net for my backyard. It came in today, said 10 minute setup, took me 30 minutes…..anyone else have one of these?

 

My Grandpa has that same net in his garage and it works great and has held up to a lot of abuse. Me and 4 of my cousins hit into a lot, so it has been well used and I don't think Papa has had anything break on it. I have a different brand but I think that they are pretty much the same. Enjoy!

[bumpandrun]

On 5/17/2023 at 6:45 PM, gavinski91 said:

For me that is the biggest question going into this test. I'm sure that there are swing changes that could get me more speed on the rader, but would result in lost accuracy or control. I suspect it's going to be a back and forth of finding what produces the best speed in training, then tweaking that swing on the driving range to something that produces a desirable ball flight, then going back to speed training to get more gains with those changes. It helps that there's a range close to my office, so it's pretty easy for me to jump out for half an hour at lunch and hit some balls.

I don't find myself over swinging at all and I started while I was playing. I just find that I've learned how to incorporate more speed into my normal swing. I try to make an actual golf swing as hard as I can when doing the training. I don't just swing hard.

[Berg Ryman]

Alright everyone, unboxing and thoughts on the unboxing as well as some initial thoughts about why I got the set I got have been added to post 1. Also, everyone's favorite thing, photos added!

[tommyb1683]

On 5/22/2023 at 1:35 PM, fozcycle said:

As a side note, I ordered a practice net for my backyard. At just $50 I thought, why not?  It came in today, said 10 minute setup, took me 30 minutes…..anyone else have one of these?

 

Thats a pretty good price, let me know how well it works. I have been looking into these types of nets but dont want to break the bank buying one. 

[sirchunksalot]

3 hours ago, Berg Ryman said:

Alright everyone, unboxing and thoughts on the unboxing as well as some initial thoughts about why I got the set I got have been added to post 1. Also, everyone's favorite thing, photos added!

I had the same set sent to me during the review I was part of and just want to say that you'll see some speed increases even with the senior set, old man. 

I had a hard time gaining speed during the first protocol and honestly let it get to me. I think it was something like 1.6 mph and I think I was an outlier. I would also encourage you to continue on through at least protocol 2, I know this is a six week test but I personally saw huge gains after that second protocol. 

For anyone wondering if it'll mess up your tempo and swing, I would say it won't. I think one of the genius things SuperSpeed does is improves your sequencing. 

Have fun with this test, everyone! You'll all be bombing drives in no time at all. 

[Berg Ryman]

3 minutes ago, sirchunksalot said:

I had the same set sent to me during the review I was part of and just want to say that you'll see some speed increases even with the senior set, old man. 

I had a hard time gaining speed during the first protocol and honestly let it get to me. I think it was something like 1.6 mph and I think I was an outlier. I would also encourage you to continue on through at least protocol 2, I know this is a six week test but I personally saw huge gains after that second protocol. 

For anyone wondering if it'll mess up your tempo and swing, I would say it won't. I think one of the genius things SuperSpeed does is improves your sequencing. 

Have fun with this test, everyone! You'll all be bombing drives in no time at all. 

There's a reason I have it as a 2023 test... and beyond. I'm willing to go the distance here, even if the gains are slow at first. The road to better golf and more speed is never in a straight as a line as we wish sometime.

[fixyurdivot]

On 5/22/2023 at 10:35 AM, fozcycle said:

As a side note, I ordered a practice net for my backyard. At just $50 I thought, why not?  It came in today, said 10 minute setup, took me 30 minutes…..anyone else have one of these?

 

That looks like a pretty nice set-up. Do you plan on making a larger hitting mat, one you can stand on?  

[fozcycle]

On 5/23/2023 at 4:53 PM, fixyurdivot said:

That looks like a pretty nice set-up. Do you plan on making a larger hitting mat, one you can stand on?  

Yes, after I get used to it….

[Sluggo42]

Ok, I added my initial impressions to my intro thread, with some pics and thoughts to share.

 

[Sluggo42]

On 5/17/2023 at 11:38 AM, StrokerAce said:

I have a set of superspeed sticks and I'm a bit nervous about using them during the season. I don't want to mess up my tempo.

I'll be interested to see if the testers are concerned about this. Do you take the new "fast" swing to the course right away or are you tuning that and holding on until you're ready and confident?

Hi Stroker,

that’s a good question. My interpretation is that it isn’t an instantly faster swing. It’s a minimum of 5 weeks to get “fast”. I swung them for the first session and then played the next day. I didn’t notice anything honestly, just had a worse day than normal, but that was more due to a lot of shots landing in really crappy lies. I always try to hit it hard with my driver, and irons more controlled. 
my hoe is that it gradually works in to the point of not really noticing it, but your suddenly just hitting the ball a bit further than normal.

im actually thinking 5 weeks isn’t much more than a warm up, and I plan on swinging fast for months and months with the system.

but, this is just an opinion at this moment…, and I would start using your set immediately if I were you… IMHO

[StrokerAce]

1 hour ago, Sluggo42 said:

Hi Stroker,

that’s a good question. My interpretation is that it isn’t an instantly faster swing. It’s a minimum of 5 weeks to get “fast”. I swung them for the first session and then played the next day. I didn’t notice anything honestly, just had a worse day than normal, but that was more due to a lot of shots landing in really crappy lies. I always try to hit it hard with my driver, and irons more controlled. 
my hoe is that it gradually works in to the point of not really noticing it, but your suddenly just hitting the ball a bit further than normal.

im actually thinking 5 weeks isn’t much more than a warm up, and I plan on swinging fast for months and months with the system.

but, this is just an opinion at this moment…, and I would start using your set immediately if I were you… IMHO

Thanks for the follow-up.

I've started using them but am trying not to do it on days I play. I have about 60-70 yards in my backyard where I hit wedges and after I go through the protocol I definitely notice a change for the better. 

I read somewhere that the opposite hand swings weren't really useful. Do you do those also?
They're not part of the Stack program...

 

[Sluggo42]

2 hours ago, StrokerAce said:

Thanks for the follow-up.

I've started using them but am trying not to do it on days I play. I have about 60-70 yards in my backyard where I hit wedges and after I go through the protocol I definitely notice a change for the better. 

I read somewhere that the opposite hand swings weren't really useful. Do you do those also?
They're not part of the Stack program...

 

Absolutely- they are specific about using the non-dominant- 

it’s a little goofy, and slower, but they say it gets easier, and actually could get as fast as dominant.

This guy with TheStack is definitely speaking his opinion, but I don’t know his education, nor any scientific study that would support his “opinions”. If I was testing his system, I would follow his instruction. Buuuuttttt, I’m not, so I will stick with the instructions from the guy who is a University Professor and Researcher with a PhD in Biomechanics. 
again, this is my opinion, so do what you feel is best for you!

[Sluggo42]

On 5/17/2023 at 3:45 PM, gavinski91 said:

For me that is the biggest question going into this test. I'm sure that there are swing changes that could get me more speed on the rader, but would result in lost accuracy or control. I suspect it's going to be a back and forth of finding what produces the best speed in training, then tweaking that swing on the driving range to something that produces a desirable ball flight, then going back to speed training to get more gains with those changes. It helps that there's a range close to my office, so it's pretty easy for me to jump out for half an hour at lunch and hit some balls.

My approach is to use my exact swing, and not alter it to gain more speed. I know I can go faster with the John Daly swing, but that’s not my everyday swing. So I’ll just use the same swing and try to make it faster with the system.

that’s my opinion only, and I support whatever way you decide to “get it”!

cheers

[Berg Ryman]

Looking to get in some baseline swings tonight, and maybe film the dynamic warmup video for you. As someone with little balance the clock taps and squat twists should be something to see...

[BobBC78]

Did my baseline swing today and edited my initial post with the relevant information.

[BobBC78]

23 hours ago, StrokerAce said:

Thanks for the follow-up.

I've started using them but am trying not to do it on days I play. I have about 60-70 yards in my backyard where I hit wedges and after I go through the protocol I definitely notice a change for the better. 

I read somewhere that the opposite hand swings weren't really useful. Do you do those also?
They're not part of the Stack program...

 

 

FWIW, Sasho MacKenzie is a very highly regarded biomechanics professor at Francis Xavier University in Canada, as well as being an advisor to PING and FootJoy. He is also one of the founders of The Stack system, which clearly does not use a non-dominant swing as part of its training as Super Speed does. In an odd way, I am looking forward to the physical and mental challenges of doing the non-dominant swing, which I view sort of like how purposely hitting massive hooks and slices on the range can improve one's strike. 

Edited May 26, 2023 by BobBC78
clarity

[MaxEntropy]

Re: the non-dominant swings. I know there has been debate on this all over the innerwebs, but, as I recall superspeed made the point you always want to balance your workout (e.g. you'd never just do curls for your right arm) as part of the reason for doing them. This argument makes a lot of sense to me. Personally, I liked the non-dom swings and I got the point that it was very nearly as fast as my dominant side even though it feels awkward as all get out.

[Sluggo42]

1 hour ago, MaxEntropy said:

Re: the non-dominant swings. I know there has been debate on this all over the innerwebs, but, as I recall superspeed made the point you always want to balance your workout (e.g. you'd never just do curls for your right arm) as part of the reason for doing them. This argument makes a lot of sense to me. Personally, I liked the non-dom swings and I got the point that it was very nearly as fast as my dominant side even though it feels awkward as all get out.

I was a switch hitter many, many years ago when I played ball, but the left handed golf swing isn’t natural like swinging a bat was.. not sure why

[MaxEntropy]

1 hour ago, Sluggo42 said:

I was a switch hitter many, many years ago when I played ball, but the left handed golf swing isn’t natural like swinging a bat was.. not sure why

I was decent left handed but never tried in a game, mostly just having fun in practice. Since doing superspeed and getting more comfortable with it, I'd love to play with a lefty and try one of their clubs just to see what would happen.