Heavier, stiffer throat favors Eastern grip users. Lighter, flexible throat favors Western grip users
from TaihtDuhShaat
Racquets are sold with heavier throats for a number of reasons.
1) stiffness - a lighter throat usually flexes more, reducing the power level and increasing the bite or spin of the racquet. Consumers want easy power with light SW's, so the manufacturer stiffens and weights the throat to increase power without increasing SW.
2)SW - Manufacturers try to keep the SW low for the consumer so the racquet is easy to swing, but also stable and not overly HL. A good way to do this is by adding weight to the throat. It makes the racquet feel more stable without reducing the power level too much. This is at the expense of a uniform string bed. This makes the bottom of the bed much more reactive than the top.
So light throats are only beneficial if the player will use higher sw's (~342 and up), and like some flex to the racquet. Then they can also enjoy the benefit of a more evenly powered string bed.
Another thing to consider is modern vs. traditional swing style.
One could argue that the swing dynamics heavier throats are better suited for eastern forehand grips and lighter throats more towards western because a heavier throat with lower SW will make for a racquet head that swings faster with the hand.
Now the trick for me is finding a frame that has a light throat but is also fairly stiff. I believe I have found a frame like this. More to come later.
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Tim Prapong on
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This excellent summary explains to me why I prefer the Head Youtek Prestige Mid to Wilson's BLX 6.1 Tour. I use a 2/3 Western grip and sometimes, a full Western grip forehand and a 2/3 semiwestern grip on the backhand. I want a faster racquet head speed and I don't want the head to feel stiff. I want plow but I also want pocketing.
But the new Wilson Pro Staff BLX 95 interests me because they have slimmed the throat down, added more flex and lightened the hoop. All I have to do is add lots of lead to the top of the hoop and I would have something like my Youtek Prestige Mid, but with the advantage of a 16x19 pattern for more spin and a more stable but slim box beam.
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Permalink Reply by Joe B. (BP, CA) on
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What do you think of the POG Mid? Prince Rebel is a little too dense for my taste, with a 18x20 pattern, same with BLX 95 and Prestige.
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The old Prince Oversized Graphite with the green stripes? I really like that racquet, but the Mid even more. The balance and stiffness and thin beam were really good. Alot of guys used that racquet back in the 1989 high school team I was on.
I tried one maybe five months ago for reminiscing. It had a Kevlar/Alu hybrid. I thought it would feel horrible, but it definitely played well. The racquet guy strung it low, so the Kevlar wouldn't be bad on the elbow.
Oversize will give you more kick and spin for sure. Last year, I had a Prestige Classic Oversize. Also, the Head Radical Trysis Oversize. Talk about monstrous kick serve!
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I have an oversize, and liked it initially. But it gets a bit unwieldy compared to my exo3. Been thinking about getting a mid, as the 14x18 pattern might still suit my style, but the small head is scary! Thanks for your opinion, highly valued as always. :)
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Is that the pattern on the Prince Graphite Mid? No wonder I liked it then. :)
Get a mid for your one hander. Keep your head at ten o'clock, let the shoulders swivel and fire away. You might try keeping the arm straight at first. Then when you get accurate, like after six months, you can start moving over to a more semiwestern, western grip and bend the elbow in the windup and take it higher.
Look at Edberg's straight arm method with Eastern grip first. That's how I started hitting them. After awhile, you need to bend the elbow for the higher ones with a semi western grip. You'll never see Edberg hit one above his head. He went to the slice backhand in those cases.
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