Swing AnalysisSwing AnalysisA frame-by-frame review of today's pitching-wedge swing at Crystal Springs, aimed at the flag from a two-stick alignment station. It covers set-up, tempo, head motion and impact, and compares it with his first wedge report. It closes with simple next steps.
Bottom line: this is the best-sequenced swing in André's logbook so far. The tempo measures about 2.8:1, up from ~2:1 in every earlier report and close to the tour's 3:1. The ball now sits in the middle of the stance, which was Priority 1 in his first wedge report, and the set-up uses a proper two-stick station aimed at the flag. André rated the shot himself as a very good one, and the swing backs that up.
What's left is small and clear. The head drops about 4–5 inches between address and impact, and most of that happens already in the backswing as the lead knee kicks in. The top is still high and long for a wedge.
~2.8:1 rhythm, ball centred, alignment sticks on the target line.
Keep the head at its address height through impact: quieter lead knee, same knee flex.
A shorter backswing for distance control, the real goal with a wedge.
30 frames per second, so each time is accurate to about ±0.03 s. Takeaway starts at 24.27 s, the top is at 24.87 s, and impact is at about 25.08 s.
| Group | Backswing | Downswing | Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| André (today) | ~0.60 s | ~0.22 s | ~2.8:1 |
| André (PW #1, Sept 19) | ~0.63 s | ~0.28 s | ~2.2:1 |
| PGA Tour (Tour Tempo, "24/8") | ~0.80 s | ~0.27 s | 3:1 |
| LPGA Tour | ~0.80–0.90 s | ~0.27–0.30 s | ≈3:1 |
Tour figures: John Novosel, Tour Tempo. One frame either way moves the ratio between ~2.5:1 and ~3.2:1, so read it as "close to 3:1".
What it means: the backswing took the same time as before, but the downswing is quicker and more connected. That's the first swing in six reports that breaks the 2:1 pattern.
Nine key positions, filmed down-the-line from behind the ball, slightly elevated. The target is straight into the picture.
P-numbers follow the standard 10-position swing model.
One stick runs along the target line just inside the ball; the other points at the middle of the stance. The ball sits at the cross, centred between the feet.
The white line is the top of the cap at address, and the gold line is the front of the brim. The camera didn't move. Distances are estimated from his body size in the frame, so treat them as ±1 inch.
| Checkpoint | PW #1 · Sept 19 | PW #2 · today | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ball position | ~3/4 toward lead foot | Centre of stance | Fixed |
| Tempo | ~2.2:1 | ~2.8:1 | Big step |
| Alignment | Not visible | Two-stick station on the flag | New habit |
| Head | ~3 in toward target (face-on) | ~4–5 in down, ~½ in toward ball (down-the-line) | Keep working |
| Top of swing | High hands | High hands | Next |
| Finish | Full, held | Full, held | Constant |
The two videos use different camera angles, so the head numbers measure different directions and aren't directly comparable.
Neither clip shows a launch-monitor screen. The second clip shows the target green, flag and 60-yard marker, but not the ball's landing.
| Metric | LPGA Tour avg | PGA Tour avg |
|---|---|---|
| Club speed | 70 mph | 83 mph |
| Ball speed | 86 mph | 102 mph |
| Launch angle | 25.6° | 24.2° |
| Spin rate | 8,076 rpm | 9,304 rpm |
| Landing angle | 48° | 52° |
| Carry | 107 yds | 136 yds |
Classic TrackMan PGA Tour and LPGA Tour averages tables (pitching wedge). From his iron ball speeds, a PW carry around 105–115 yds is a reasonable expectation, to be confirmed on a monitor.
Confidence: high on tempo, ball position and head height, which are measured; moderate on alignment, because of the camera angle.
Same camera spot as today. Pause the video at address and mark the top of the cap on the screen. Hit 10 wedges trying to keep the cap on that line until the ball is gone.
Feel: "the lead knee points at the ball, not past it."
Stop the lead arm at about 10 o'clock and note the carry. Then try 9 o'clock.
Two swing lengths give two reliable yardages.
Whatever you thought about on this swing, keep it. A "back-2-3, down-1" count locks it in.
It's the best tempo measured so far.
Use the same two-stick cross for every club.
It fixed the ball position on its own.
Next session: the same down-the-line spot plus a face-on view at chest height, and a launch-monitor photo if one is available.