Anyone try trimming their driver shaft a bit on the butt end in an attempt to gain better control. I have heard that most Tour players play with shorter than standard Driver shafts...not sure if this is accurate or not. Would love to hear from the expert club fitters on this one as well as anyone who has tried it.
I shorten a heap of drivers for most average golfers. 45" is great if you can middle it every time but a 44" driver is often longer on average than a 45" because of the better control.
It is important to forget what you see on TV and concentrate on what gets your ball further, straighter and into the hole faster
hg:
I've been playing with a 44" driver for 7 or so years and found it to be the best thing I could of done. For every 1/2" you miss the sweet spot you lose 7% of the distance value of the club not to mention the lack of control you suffer too. It may sound strange, but whatever swing speed I lost in the length I made up for by hitting it solid. It worked for me!
Pat
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"Practice mechanics into a feel, play a feel into computer dependability."
I have played a 441/2 for the last 2 years.Some manufacturers spec their shafts at 46!.
Just remember if you are trimming to add weight to the head to get the swingweight back up.
Back in the day...I played a 11 degree Mizuno persimmon with a 42 inch x100 True Temper Dynamic Gold shaft. I have NEVER hit anything more consistently. I flighted the ball nice and low with a good bit of run, but of course I did not hit it as far at the oil can I am currently hitting! I was the only fella still using a persimmon headed driver in tournament play (1994 ish)...I may have kept on playing with it...but the head blew up on the 16th tee at Chenal C.C! I still have what is left of it...sentimental I guess. I remember the days of persimmon and squishy balata...at least you had some gear effect to work with. Shorter...stiffer...more loft...mmmmm....I'll be back!
Tom Wishon's books speak to this very subject---that the average driver length on tour is 44 1/2 " and most amateurs should be playing drivers about 43 1/2" ----gives you more control of the club, more shots coming off the sweet spot and thus, more distance. (as you folks have noted). Guess it's time to get rid of my 45 3/4" Adams driver!
I'm not Bob the Builder so bear with me! Based on my average swing speed with a driver 105-110 mph (I can hit 115!) I am in the stiff flex range, correct? My question is: The stiffer the flex given your ability to stress it when loaded (the shaft being loaded in this instance ) the greater the clubhead velocity, yes? The reason I mention this is that I have pretty good success with shafts stiffer than my range. I've got a buddy who has lead pipes in his irons? I feel like I can still stress those shafts if I am deliberate when loading, especially when hitting (sometimes I hardly feel the shaft loading when I am swinging) Thoughts?
I'm not Bob the Builder so bear with me! Based on my average swing speed with a driver 105-110 mph (I can hit 115!) I am in the stiff flex range, correct? My question is: The stiffer the flex given your ability to stress it when loaded (the shaft being loaded in this instance ) the greater the clubhead velocity, yes? The reason I mention this is that I have pretty good success with shafts stiffer than my range. I've got a buddy who has lead pipes in his irons? I feel like I can still stress those shafts if I am deliberate when loading, especially when hitting (sometimes I hardly feel the shaft loading when I am swinging) Thoughts?
Would like to hear some input on this also. I think it's a function of how you load the shaft. I used a V2 X-stiff (counter balanced) most of 07 but didn't hit it as far as I thought I should (my Driver SS is in that 105 - 100 range). I'm actually experimenting with an R flex now and my dispersion in the monitor and the range seems to be the same as with the X, but my distance seems to be increased (we'll see if it translates to the course). But I use a swinging motion and have pretty smooth tempo. A strong loading hitter probably has a different profile of what will work shaft-wise.
) the greater the clubhead velocity, yes? The reason I mention this is that I have pretty good success with shafts stiffer than my range. I've got a buddy who has lead pipes in his irons? I feel like I can still stress those shafts if I am deliberate when loading, especially when hitting (sometimes I hardly feel the shaft loading when I am swinging) Thoughts?
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