Body Type/Hitting or Swinging?

[tradekid]

Dabbled with the Yellow Book a long time ago. Eventually sold it on Ebay (Got all my money back). After finding more websites with forums I have the Yellow Book again and I am back full time with TGM.

I've always considered myself to be a swinger. I'm about 5'11" but I have long arms for my height. I'm a 4.5 index and I have a 110mph average swing speed with the driver. I attribute this to being able to generate more speed by using centrifugal force. On the flip side of this long arm condition, I think this is why I could never bench press a lot of weight compared to other movements back in my younger days. My long arms put me in a mechanical disadvantage because the bar had to move a greater distance and I also could not employ leverage to the bar.

Would this hold true when applied to the golf swing? Longer armed players better suited to swinging and shorter armed players to hitting?

[MizunoJoe]

I am short with short arms and can't come close to my Swinging results with Hitting. I use a max lag snap release type Swing.

[Theodan]

There may be more "potential" for a taller person as a Swinger, if speed is the only concern. The radius of the swing is the distance from the leading shoulder to the clubhead. Given the physics of centrifugal force, the longer the radius, the faster the outside point is moving. Everything else being equal, 45 inch drivers develop faster cubhead speed, than old 43 inch drivers.

But I said "potential". There has to be maximum execution.

I think there are a number of factors which go into choosing the Basic Stroke Pattern. Relative weighting has to be done. What is important to you ? Accuracy, distance, control, basics of your current swing, ability to execute...etc? Particular performance results are not inherent to the Stroke Patterns. But there is a good chance, that performance results will differ for you (and me and others).

In tradtional terms, I am longer with a leftsided swing (read Swing), but much more accurate with a rightsided swing (read Hit). I'm sure that there are many people who are the opposite.

A 6' 4" Long Distance competitor with triceps the size of my thigh, could have a tough decision. Albeit, one I wouldn't mind having. (5'10" 180 lbs)

charlie