Does swingweight matter???

[AmeliasDad]

I'm considering a couple of racquets that have swingweights considerably lower than I am used to in a racquet. The frames' actual weight are close to what I've used in the past but the swing weights are about 20 pts lower than what I'm used to.

The 2 frames I'm considering buying are the Babolat Pure Storm (non-tour) and the MG Radical MP. Both have swing weights of 312 & 315 respectively. These swingweights seem a tad on the low side as I'm used to frames in the 330-340 swingweight area.

A couple of summer back I used the Wilson nTour that weighed around 10.7 ounces (PS weighs 10.9, MG Rad weighs 11 ounces) but it had a swingweight of 330. How can one racquet weigh more and swing lighter.

I guess my questions are (1) Does swingweight matter more than actual frame weight and (2) what are the consequences of having a stick that's swingweight thats too low?

[pow]

Swingweight definitely matters, it's one of the most important aspect of a racquet to me.
You could change the swingweight a little with some lead tape.

[bertrevert]

Too low? You'll leave balls short, and you'll swing your arm out of your shoulder socket during serves - if that doesn't happen then ok... you'll just be a bit early on all your shots. Sure you will adjust, but the rules of thumbs apply - carry and swing as much as you can. And arrive at that or adjust over time.

[Ross K]

It matters but of course you can't look at a frame's swing weight in isolation. Other parts of the equation include the racket's static weight, balance and how many pts h/light the frame is (or isn't), stiffness, head size, string pattern, etc. It can take a while to know the kind of stats and figures that suit you personally - and even then, TBH, it can still be a bit confusing.

[TW Professor]

Originally Posted by AmeliasDad

I guess my questions are (1) Does swingweight matter more than actual frame weight and (2) what are the consequences of having a stick that's swingweight thats too low?

Go here:
http://twu.tennis-warehouse.com/lear.../contents.html

Then click on the swingweight and weight graphs on the right. Also, click on the "Racquet Specs and Power" link on the left side of the screen.

Bottom line: Swingweight matters more to power potential than any other measured spec. Since power potential also correlates to control and comfort, it is also important to these (see: http://twu.tennis-warehouse.com/lear...rformance.html).

[fuzz nation]

I found out just how much swingweight mattered to me when I went on a major racquet search a couple of years back. I thought I needed something lighter, but ended up making hay with frames that are around 13 oz. - certainly heavier for me! While I'd love to be able to simply boil it down to a number, I've found that, at least for me, swingweight is a bit of an intangible, but I know it's right when I feel it on the courts.

Finding the elusive "right fit" can be tricky business and while I was in search mode, I learned to look a lot more at the listed static weight and balance of a frame for guidance while taking those swingweights on the spec sheets with a grain... well, make that a shaker of salt. A few of them turned out to be so far off that they seemed to be just drawn out of a hat.

I've always been more comfortable with a heavier racquet and when I tried a few lighter ones during my search, I had a good time with one or two, but eventually I realized that I needed the heft that I was used to. I learned a lot in my process and hopefully you will, too. I kept notes on the different demos that I tried and that turned out to be handy for the sake of reference down the road. One caution: if you are used to a hefty racquet and decide to try out a significantly lighter one for a bit, take your time to settle in with it before you rush out to do battle. Like one of our pals above already noted (bertevert), it can be easy to really overswing when you go a lot lighter, especially on the serve. Be careful to keep your shoulder in one piece.

[Ross K]

Originally Posted by fuzz nation

If you are used to a hefty racquet and decide to try out a significantly lighter one for a bit, take your time to settle in with it before you rush out to do battle. Like one of our pals above already noted (bertevert), it can be easy to really overswing when you go a lot lighter

I've just just discovered this actually, having gone from heavier, high sw frames to a frame with a sw in the region of 311... well, it really is an adjustment initially.

[iplaybetter]

i think it is one of the most important specs on a stick

[Agent Orynge]

Originally Posted by bertrevert

Too low? You'll leave balls short, and you'll swing your arm out of your shoulder socket during serves - if that doesn't happen then ok... you'll just be a bit early on all your shots. Sure you will adjust, but the rules of thumbs apply - carry and swing as much as you can. And arrive at that or adjust over time.

I use a 12.5+ oz. Vantage frame and I swung my arm out of the shoulder socket anyways...