Smash Factor isn’t just a great name for an indoor golf centre, it’s a key piece of information that will help you improve your game.

The technical definition of Smash Factor is simple; Ball Speed divided by Clubhead Speed. For example, if you’re swinging a Driver at 100mph and your ball leaves the Club Face at 150mph you get a Smash Factor of 1.50. Essentially Smash Factor is the amount of energy transferred from the club head to the golf ball. The higher the smash factor the better the energy transfer.

Using a Driver as an example, you should aim to achieve a smash factor near 1.50. If your Smash Factor is lower it’s likely due to the location of the strike on the face. To achieve the maximum Smash Factor the ball must be struck precisely in line with the clubhead’s centre of gravity.

As loft increases Smash Factor decreases. There is a very technical mathematical equation that describes this but we won’t bore you with the details. Just remember that a good Smash Factor for a scratch golfer using a pitching wedge (about 45 degrees of loft) is 1.23, much lower than a driver. Here's the PGA averages for Smash Factor by club as a reference point.

One of the excellent features of the View software used at Smash Factor is that you can see the exact location where the ball strikes the face – just check the image. Learning to strike the centre of the face more consistently will make an amazing difference to your ball striking and to the distance you achieve from each club.

Looking at the strike location will also help you understand your tendencies – for example you might have a heel strike bias. Once these tendencies are understood you can try out some solutions to move the strike more central. Our Pros can help with these adjustments and drills to improve your strike quality.

Next time you’re at Smash Factor check out your Smash Factor!