“What exactly does the P3ProSwing do?” “How do you use P3ProSwing software data to work toward toward your perfect swing?”
Everyone understands that P3ProSwing is a golf swing analyzer and a golf simulator, but what do all of those numbers down the side of the screen tell you?  Here’s how to read your swing statistics.

Maximum hit distance depends mostly on two things: club head speed and the angle of attack.

What is the best Angle of Attack?
The Angle of Attack defines whether the club head is traveling toward the ball with an upward angle, a downward angle, or level to the ground when it moves through the impact zone.

Essentially, some golfers hit up on the ball, some hit down on the ball, and a few golfers swing so that the club head is traveling level with the ground when it hits the ball. 

What should you strive toward in your swing?

Negative (Downward) Angle of Attack: Perfect for Irons

A downward angle of attack (represented by a negative number within the P3ProSwing software) is when your club head is coming down at the golf ball just before impact, and moving below the ball after impact.

This is your most common situation – since most shots on the course are not teed up.  For irons, you want a down angle of attack. A steeper angle of attack with irons adds backspin and helps the ball elevate.

You might be tempted, when the ball is positioned on the ground, to hit with an upward angle of attack. Avoid at all costs! You’re thinking that trying to “lift” the ball off of the ground will help. Just DON’T do it.  This causes weak shots that do not travel as far, because back spin is reduced and does not create enough lift to carry as far.

Positive (Upward) Angle of Attack: Perfect for Drivers

An upward angle of attack (represented by a positive number within the P3ProSwing software) is when your club head is traveling below the ball and moving upward through impact.

With woods, you want a slightly upward angle of attack.  The only time an upward angle of attack should occur is if the ball is elevated off of the ground, such as on a tee or the ball sitting high up in fluffy grass.

Zero (Level) Angle of Attack:
Your golf swing could produce a zero angle of attack, meaning that the club head is traveling level with the ground at impact. A level swing isn’t all that common, or really all that desirable really.

If you’re interested in the Clubfitting aspect:
The angle of attack in your natural swing plays a large role in clubfitting and club selection.  Each golfer’s angle of attack is a product of their swing characteristics. Some golfers develop different angles of attack into the ball as a result of various individual swing habits and characteristics.
Your angle of attack is important in figuring out the best driver loft for you, because your personal angle of attack metric has a big influence on the dynamic loft of the club head at impact.

• An upward angle of attack increases the dynamic loft and increases the launch angle of the shot for any given static driver loft.
• A downward angle of attack decreases the dynamic loft and lowers the launch angle of the shot for any given static driver loft.

The more positive (or upward) your angle of attack the more you may want to stay near the lower end of the loft range. The more negative (downward) your angle of attack, the more you may want to stay near the higher end of the loft range for your swing speed.

So that’s that!  I included a section on clubfitting because we get a great deal of clubfitters buying the P3ProSwing because of the accuracy in angle of attack and toe/heel height among other things.  But that’s another post for another day.  What do you think? 
-Monique

Tags: angle of attack, golf, golf instruction, golf simulator, golf simulators, golf software, golf swing, P3ProSwing, virtual golf

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