[BerntR]

I am not sure whether I understand everything that has been said about centripetal force & accelleration in this thread.

But there is one thing I know: Centripetal force doesn't produce swing speed. It only keeps it. It's an excellent energy storage device that enables us to keep what we have already put in there while we add some more....

But even a rope handling technique is more than centripetal force. We are not pulling our rope from the swing centre. We are pulling from a point that is forward of the swing centre (from left shoulder or left hand, depending on which part of the swing we look at).

The total force applied to the club at any point prior to impact can be decomposed in a radial (centripetal) component and a tangential component. And the little tangential force component has the same direction as the ball at - at least in an uncompensated swing. And that's the part that increases swing speed and adds energy to the swing.

PS:
I tried to post an illustration, but wasn't successful. Hope the text is clear without it.