Swing AnalysisSwing AnalysisA frame-by-frame review of the October 28 pitching-wedge swing at Mariners Point, measured with the full reference frame (grid, center lines and diagonals), plus the complete range-screen readout. Third wedge report, and the first with ball-flight data.
Bottom line: a strong wedge. 115 yds total, 113 carry, 89.2 mph ball speed, above the LPGA Tour pitching-wedge averages, with a 26-yd apex and a soft 47° landing.
The swing is compact and repeatable: ~1.9:1 tempo, hips holding their depth, a held finish. The constant is here too: the head drops about 6 inches by impact. The bigger story is gapping: the wedge flew only 3 yds shorter than the 9-iron hit the same day (116 carry).
113 carry beats the LPGA wedge average (~107) and lands soft at 47°.
Keep the cap on its address line; the dip starts in the first 0.25 s of the backswing.
A lower 9-iron launch should add ~8–10 yds and restore a clean step over the wedge.
| Metric | André PW (Oct 28) | André 9-iron (Oct 28) | LPGA Tour avg (PW) | PGA Tour avg (PW) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ball speed | 89.2 mph ★ | 92.2 mph | ~86 mph | 102 mph |
| Club speed (est.) | ~67–69 mph | ~66–67 mph | ~70 mph | 83 mph |
| Carry | 113 yds ★ | 116 yds | ~107 yds | 136 yds |
| Flat carry | 113 yds | 115 yds | — | — |
| Total | 115 yds ★ | 117 yds | — | — |
| Launch angle | 28° | 27° | ~25° | 24.2° |
| Apex | 79 ft (26 yds) | 78 ft | ~23 yds | 29 yds |
| Landing angle | 47° | 47° | ~48° | 52° |
| Curve | 15 ft left | 6 ft left | — | — |
| Hang time | 5.2 s | 5.2 s | — | — |
| Proximity | 79 ft | 73 ft | — | — |
★ first pitching-wedge ball data (reports #1–#2 had none), so these set the baseline. The total updated from 114 to 115 as the ball stopped. Club speed isn't on the screen: at a typical wedge smash of ~1.30–1.33, 89.2 mph of ball speed means about 67–69 mph. Curve direction read from the brighter arrow (reflections on the panel). LPGA wedge figures are approximate.
What it means: the wedge is doing its job: a high, soft-landing ball that carries past the LPGA average. Put next to the 9-iron, though, the two clubs fly almost the same: 3 yds apart in carry, with the same apex, landing angle and hang time. The 9-iron is the one underperforming: its 27° launch is wedge-like.
30 frames per second, so each time is accurate to about ±0.03 s. Takeaway starts at 4.37 s, the club reaches the top at ~4.83 s, and impact is at ~5.08 s.
| Group | Backswing | Downswing | Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| André (PW #3, Oct 28) | ~0.47 s | ~0.25 s | ~1.9:1 |
| André (PW #2, Oct 11) | ~0.60 s | ~0.22 s | ~2.8:1 |
| André (PW #1, Sep 19) | ~0.63 s | ~0.28 s | ~2.2:1 |
| André (9-iron #1, Oct 28) | ~0.50 s | ~0.25 s | ~2:1 |
| PGA Tour (Tour Tempo, "24/8") | ~0.80 s | ~0.27 s | 3:1 |
Tour figure: John Novosel, Tour Tempo.
What it means: the backswing is shorter than in his earlier wedge reports (0.47 vs 0.60 s). Letting it finish, as in PW #2, brings back his best wedge rhythm (2.8:1) without losing speed.
Nine key positions, filmed from behind at an angle (down-the-line side). The target is into the picture.
Photos are numbered in the order they happen in the swing.
Impact close-up: club arriving with the ball at rest, ball launched one frame later, then gone.
Club: Pitching Wedge, read from the "P" sole badge André shows at the end of the clip. Logged as report #3.
| Measure (vs address) | Top | Impact | Reading |
|---|---|---|---|
| Head, height | ~4½ in down | ~6 in down | Fix same dip as PW #2 and 9-iron |
| Head, toward ball | ~4 in | ~3 in | Watch moves with the dip |
| Hips, depth (toward ball) | ≈ 0 in | ~1 in back | Good no early extension |
| Hips, height | ≈ same | ~2 in up | Watch legs straighten slightly |
| Hands at impact | — | ≈ address spot | Good back to address |
| Club | Carry | Total | Ball speed | Launch |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 7-Iron | 144 yds | 147 yds | 104 mph | 22° |
| 8-Iron | no report yet | |||
| 9-Iron #1 (Oct 28) | 116 yds | 117 yds | 92.2 mph | 27° |
| Pitching Wedge #3 (today) | 113 yds | 115 yds | 89.2 mph | 28° |
Gap check: 7-iron → 9-iron is 28 yds, but 9-iron → wedge is only 3 yds. A typical step is 10–12 yds per club. The wedge numbers look right; the 9-iron is launching like a wedge (27°). With the head staying level and the hands ahead, the 9-iron should climb toward ~123–125 carry and open the gap.
At address, note where the cap sits against the background. Keep it there until the ball is gone. 10 slow swings, then full speed.
Hit 5 of each, alternating. Goal: 9-iron launch under 25° and a 10+ yd carry gap.
Let it complete (~0.6 s) as in PW #2: "one-and" up, "two" down.
Confidence: high on ball flight (range screen) and tempo (frame by frame), moderate on head and hip distances.