Technical question: speed of club while swinging.

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MrT
Posts: 172
Joined: May 24th, 2021, 6:48 pm

Technical question: speed of club while swinging.

Post by MrT »

After playing for about 1 year (RTS, Pro-level) I could never really exceed 191.7 kmh (119.2 mph) over this period. Several times I got that speed, but never exceeded it. Today I began my transition to RTS Champ-level and in less than 1 hour of playing I achieved head speeds with my drive of 195.7 kmh
or 121.7mph. And, while 195.7kmh was my best, I exceeded 194 kmh at least 8 times.

Could it be chance? Maybe, but the fact that I did that in just one hour after 1 year on not being able to do better than 191.7 makes me wonder.
In fact, after that, I went back to Pro-level to check whether maybe I am having one of those special days. Nope! Could not go over 191.4kmh, despite trying probably close to 40-50 times in a row.

So, you can probably guess my question. Is club speed somewhat related to the level one plays? I.e., if I play Champ or Elite, should I expect higher club speeds?
Honestly, I was not even thinking about this possibility, but that would be fantastic because I think that one aspect where Links is a bit "behind the curve", is the length of shots. 20 years ago driving over 300 yards was not common at all. Now 350 yards are nothing to brag about among pros. And some shots go over 400 yards by quite a bit. That is impossible on Links unless one drives downhill and with a tail wind. I am noticing that courses are getting longer and longer, but with the drivers not changing that makes it hard to emulate what is going on in real life where club technology surely has not stood still. I have always been trying to reach the 200kmh, but today it marked the first time that I have begun to think it is even conceivable.

It does not change much for me, but it was a wonderful surprise. Not having the red bar is only limiting me for the short game as I do not have the reference points built in my hand movement with the mouse yet. But, other than that, driving was great, maybe even more fun without the red bar. In particular if club speeds go up, I am all :thumbup:

Cheers.
pmgolf
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Joined: August 27th, 2019, 2:41 am
Location: near Richmond, VA

Re: Technical question: speed of club while swinging.

Post by pmgolf »

I rely on the red bar for my short game, so I will probably never go beyond Pro RTS, but I've heard that you can hit the ball farther at Champ and Elite, but more precision is needed than at the Pro level. My best, average drives go around 275 yards and I can deal with that. The real-life Pros can hit the ball a long way, but no changes have been made to Links since 2007 and they weren't hitting it as far back then. There's nothing magical that's going to keep Links distances up with the new Pro distances - right?

Pete
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MrT
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Joined: May 24th, 2021, 6:48 pm

Re: Technical question: speed of club while swinging.

Post by MrT »

Yes, I have heard that the original Links program has been "lost" or "forgotten" in some drawer by someone who perhaps passed away or is no longer into Links. So, what you heard seems to confirm what I saw earlier today...

I am 285 yards on average with RTS Pro.. Longest drive ever 393 yards at Kapalua (downhill and tailwind), but if as you say, one can hit further with Champ level, I am going for it full time!! Hooray!
The first time, and only time, I reached a par 4 green in one shot, my "little guy" started to jump up and down.. I was totally surprised. Never seen the little fellow behave like that. But with the setting normally used, it is very very hard to reach a par 4 in 1 if it is any further than 310 yards...
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MrT
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Joined: May 24th, 2021, 6:48 pm

Re: Technical question: speed of club while swinging.

Post by MrT »

Yes!!! Augusta Hole # 3.. Hit the drive a 195kmh and got on green at first shot!!!!! A speck of wind in the right direction, but not much....This is golf!! Boom-Boom Golf! My favorite.
shagboy
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Joined: August 27th, 2019, 1:28 am

Re: Technical question: speed of club while swinging.

Post by shagboy »

Did you make the putt for eagle?
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MrT
Posts: 172
Joined: May 24th, 2021, 6:48 pm

Re: Technical question: speed of club while swinging.

Post by MrT »

Nope.... I set the level to Elite (hence no grid). difficult pin placements and I also elected to use the designer's conditions which must be Fc/Fc or Mc/Fc and managed to get a birdie. I got on green, but the pin was not close to where the ball landed.

I think that what pm_golf told me is now confirmed. In Champ/Elite I can hit 194-195 kmh but, as soon as I revert to Pro, 191kmh is about the best I can muster. Also, I did not notice any difference in speeds between Champ and Elite level of playing.

Champ level is doable, will take a bit to get used to the short game without the red bar, but it can certainly be done. Elite I am not sure I want to go there: a display is not like human eyes and it is difficult to aim without top views. Also, greens without a grid look mostly flat to me and I needed to study the green but also recall the situation from past games on that course. It becomes a real work or maybe my eyes are not "eagle" materials as they used to be.

I went into the rough on purpose a few times. At Champ level, it is not necessarily the end of the world, but I probably need to experience a few more courses were roughs penalize players more. I was so concerned about roughs killing me that a few times hit so hard and sent the ball 50 yards past the hole. Some courses naturally penalize more than others from going on rough even at Pro level only.

Frankly, playing Champ vs. Pro, from what I saw, is not worse than going from M/M to Mc/Mc. If anything, I think it is actually less trouble to learn to play at the Champ setting than going from, say M/M to Mc/Mc. It will take a bit to develop the right hand movements in RTS (not sure how it works in Classic Swing), but gaining a bit of extra speed and distance from shots is worth it. Right now I am slicing the ball a bit more than in the Pro level setting. However, not having to look at the red bar is frankly liberating. I am looking more at the course.I even discover details that before I never saw!

I am also trying to transition to Sc/Fc and M/Fc permanently to get an even more realistic feeling for the game. However the outcome here may vary more than a bit. There is well documented issue: quite a few courses are not really meant to be played at that speed. And some of the courses I like are old and not designed with anything but the basic conditions in mind. I happen to like the Brabazon at the Belfry course (which is ancient) for instance. I set to the designers' conditions and the balls on greens felt like they had brakes. Then I went to Mc/Mc and it was more natural, but a couple of holes had pin placements that did not work. But this is a story we all know.
pmgolf
Posts: 1097
Joined: August 27th, 2019, 2:41 am
Location: near Richmond, VA

Re: Technical question: speed of club while swinging.

Post by pmgolf »

MrT - you mentioned that you liked Brabazon at the Belfry, so I put together a little tournament for you. Download this:

https://www.dropbox.com/s/hac27difimuz3 ... t.zip?dl=0

unzip it and put the files into a folder on your PC. Take the 4 .LTS files from the .ZIP and put them in your /Saved Games/ folder - they were set up using the latest version of "dhbelfry final_locked.crz".

A. Open the Links game. Click "Play Golf", then "Email Tourney" and find the /Links 2003/Saved Games Folder/. When you find it you should see the 4 .LTS files that you put in there. The round 1 .LTS file has R1 in the name. Select it and click on the "Open" button. The 1st round at Belfry-Brabazon has conditions that are nw Mc Fc (wind/firmness/speed). Click the "Play Offline" Button. (2nd: B F Fc, 3rd: G M Fc, 4th: B Mc Fc)

B. Now you are at the Players button. Add the player you want to use for you. Then refer to the .ZIP file and from it, add the .REC record for the pmgolf-LSPN player with R1 in the name. You will have to choose an animation for that player. Then add the .REC record for the SS player with R1 in the name. You will have to choose an animation for that player, too. All 3 players will be playing the same conditions and will be using the same pins. Click to record your round if you wish. (if you get any messages about you having to use the pins that the recorded rounds used - it's ok. You will be doing that.)

After the round you can save any stat files, plus give the .REC file for your player a name and include the round number. Play Rounds 2, 3 and 4, repeating A and B for each round. After the last round, you will have played the 2020 World Tour Event for Brabazon at the Belfry. That's what it's like to play Tournaments at LSPN.NET - except in those tournaments you don't get to play head-to-head like you have just done.

Pete
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MrT
Posts: 172
Joined: May 24th, 2021, 6:48 pm

Re: Technical question: speed of club while swinging.

Post by MrT »

Thank you pmgolf... I will do that as soon as I deliver a work for a client. Then I will have some time
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Adelade
Posts: 1346
Joined: August 27th, 2019, 10:24 am

Re: Technical question: speed of club while swinging.

Post by Adelade »

Since Pete didnt specifically mention it: One of the great values (the greatest, if you ask me) in these LTS rounds that he share (and when playing in his tour on LSPN), is that all pins are carefully hand-picked to be enjoyable on those faster green speeds, which is absolutely fantastic for anyone who likes realistic pro play green speeds and realistic fairness :thumbup:
Finished Courses - Main: Amedal (fictional), Nine Bridges (real)
Other: Austin, Sheshan, Kauri Cliffs, Le Golf Nat. Updates: Whirlpool, Royal Lytham, Royal St George's, Chicago, Chambers Bay, Munchen Nord E
Working on: 2 fictional courses + a couple things...
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