Short Drivers

[StrokerAce]

At the end of the day aren't we talking about 1 inch? That's not very long at all...about the length of my middle knuckle to my fingertip on my forefinger

 

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[Wedgie]

I actually kept stats on my driver before I cut an inch off taking it down to 44.25". Keep in mind I play tight fairways in Rhode Island before I get crushed. Before taking an inch off my FIR was 23%. After I took an inch off FIR is 71%. Average distance up 4 yards after cutting the shafts down and no OB in 9 rounds post shafts reduction. This has lead to GIR up 27%. My longest drives are shorter than before but I am consistently +/- 10 yards where I used to be +/- about 40 yards.

 

As great as cutting the shaft has been my putts per round are up 6. Pfft!

 

 

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[Shankster]

At the end of the day aren't we talking about 1 inch? That's not very long at all...about the length of my middle knuckle to my fingertip on my forefinger

 

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True. I'm going 2" so we'll see what happens. I'm guessing I GAIN distance and accuracy. I'll hit 2 gamers, one with the driver Shaft and one with the 3 wood shaft.

 

 

- Alan

[Wedgie]

I should add I had 11 grams of hot melt added to the head. Before I did that I pulled the hell out of the club.

 

 

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[ole gray]

At the end of the day aren't we talking about 1 inch? That's not very long at all...about the length of my middle knuckle to my fingertip on my forefinger

 

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Hell mine is two inches long and yes I have big feet too

 

 

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[coachdoc]

I agree that the length definitely affects the accuracy, but its not the only factor that factors into distance. The shaft is a major influence to both accuracy and distance. The shaft should have the flex best suited to your swing and swing speed so that when fitted they work together to maximize impact at contact with the ball. Lots of factors must be considered for best results, its not just the club length. Get ALL your clubs fitted and your clubs will play with greater consistency and your drives will go longer and be more accurate.

 

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[BIG STU]

... I ordered the heavier weight with my Fly Z as I play it at 44.25". I have had this discussion with many of the OEM's at the Show and while none would go on record, virtually every engineering VP or associate I talked to was in favor of shorter driver lengths. They threw Sales/Promotions under the bus as the culprit. Where most of us (and many pro's) will hit a 44-44.5" almost as long as the 45"+ and in most instances hit the shorter driver consistently longer, an Iron Byron can still pound it out there a few yards farther. And that is how the OEM's make their marketing claims. If for instance Cobra didn't offer a "standard" length driver, Callaway could easily claim their Epic is "substantially longer than Cobra drivers". We have to remember most golfers aren't forum savvy and just want the longest driver. 

 

... And speaking of Cobra, you can order their F7 and F7+ drivers with two weights to offset the 44.25" length. 

Yep you pretty much nailed it all in that post. I also have to remind myself from time to time as you said "most golfers are not forum savvy"

[BIG STU]

I agree that the length definitely affects the accuracy, but its not the only factor that factors into distance. The shaft is a major influence to both accuracy and distance. The shaft should have the flex best suited to your swing and swing speed so that when fitted they work together to maximize impact at contact with the ball. Lots of factors must be considered for best results, its not just the club length. Get ALL your clubs fitted and your clubs will play with greater consistency and your drives will go longer and be more accurate.

 

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First off welcome to the forum and I think I have given you your first like. With all of that said you are 110% correct. I am a big proponent of getting properly fitted by a good fitter. I am lucky in that aspect that I am able to do that myself. Like you said there are a lot of factors. IMHO shaft flex point profile and weight play a big part

[dadivots]

Personally I go by feel. I have to feel that head throughout the swing. On the 915 I did add about 4 grams of lead tape in the heel. On the Homna I have not yet. I am still dialing that Homna in some. It is not actually etched in stone that you have to add weight. Sometimes getting it shorter and lighter can be the ticket. Personally I do not swing weigh my personal clubs even though I have a SW machine. I go strictly off of feel and what the ball does

Me too. At 44+ sometimes its a lighter shaft that does the trick to feel the clubhead. Sometimes not.... As I tinker less and less anymore its all about accuracy and less on D weight now.

As an aside when a player shoots a stellar round as Perez did at the players I will usually go see what I can find on them. His site lists his callaways (PXG now?) with the driver at 44 + 1/4 and his 3 wood 42 + 1/4. Proof is in the pudding and of course distance has never been a problem for most of these guys.

Still not a bad thing to hit your spot in the fairway, literally, and then go help your buddies look for their ball slightly ahead of yours right OR left in the junk. A friend finally asked me how I keep hitting it 6 to 10 yards from the 150 poles on the many blind and dog leg par 4s at our thursday track. I took his driver and set it next to mine. His "WTF dude" was pretty funny.

[Espo]

As you age we find distance is not as important as accuracy. Example how many times do you outdrive your playing partners and get beat on the hole or tie on the hole because you did not get on in regulation. Your drive may have ended up just off the fairway in the rough and your playing partners found the fairway. Distance looks good and feels good but the winner of the hole is not always the longest off the tee.

 

 

 

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[Shankster]

So the 3 wood shaft is 77 grams, and the driver shaft is 55 grams. Or at least that's what it says on them. I'm thinking at 55 grams the damn thing is just too light. It feels like I'm swinging a piece of string. Can't wait to get on the range. Heavier and shorter. From my test swings my transition feels a lot better. Even if I lose 5 yards if the ball does what I tell it to more often it's time to upgrade the whole thing.

 

 

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[Liberty Ball Markers]

I'd be surprised if you lose distance (unless you were consistently hitting center face before). Center on short > miss hit on long...

 

 

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[chisag]

I'd be surprised if you lose distance (unless you were consistently hitting center face before). Center on short > miss hit on long...

 

 

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... That is the formula's for longer drives. A good swing with a 44" shaft hit dead center will go farther than a 45" shaft hit just a little off center. Davis Love III said when he wants to hit a big drive he slows down his swing just a fraction and concentrates on perfect contact. I know early in his career playing a persimmon wood, he did a drill where he took a full swing driving that ball only 100 yds. Obviously he really had to slow down his swing to accomplish that and when he hit 10 in a row in the center he moved to 150, 200, 250 and when he got to 300 he was missing the center of the face too much to hit 10 in a row. Attempting 350 he might only hit the center a few times creating some huge drives but also the most errant tee shots. It is a great drill. 

[Shankster]

Check out my "don't change a thing" post!

 

The 3 wood shaft is staying in the driver! Or one just as heavy or heavier at 43.5" - 44"!!

 

 

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[ole gray]

Check out my "don't change a thing" post!

 

The 3 wood shaft is staying in the driver! Or one just as heavy or heavier at 43.5" - 44"!!

 

 

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I'm thinking the heavier shaft may help some when cutting off an inch. At least that's what she said last night

 

 

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[Shankster]

I'm thinking the heavier shaft may help some when cutting off an inch. At least that's what she said last night

 

 

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Teed that one right up for ya! Hahahaha 🤣🤣

 

 

- Alan

[Shankster]

Would that make it play more like an X flex? 3 wood shaft in a driver?

 

 

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[ole gray]

Would that make it play more like an X flex? 3 wood shaft in a driver?

 

 

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This old boy hasn't seen an X - Flex in several years now... lol

[McGary6]

I play a 44.5" driver and have noticed a significant difference in accuracy. My distance has suffered about 5 yards, if any. That is a small price to pay for hitting from the short grass on my second shot.

 

 

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[Shankster]

I am getting a lower ball flight with a crap load of roll. Wish I lived by a Links course over the pond. I really hate trees on my golf courses. Unfortunately I also live in the middle of a National Forest, and both Golf courses near me are on the outskirts of the forest and cut right out of the trees.

 

I played a Links style course in Va, and that one on Saturday was not very wooded. Need to get to Bandon!

 

 

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[PlaidJacket]

I've wanted to experiment with a shorter shafted driver. I may do that if my SLDR ever falls apart or something. It's 45.25" I believe. About a year a ago I marked the grip on my driver with a piece of tape and just gripped down to try and replicate a 43.25" shaft length. I can't really remember my thoughts or if it worked or not. Probably did ok. I have noticed many LPGA players gripping way down on their driver. I assume it doesn't really matter. I mean why wouldn't they just have a shorter shaft put in?

I normally grip down about 1/2" on all my clubs anyway.

[ole gray]

I am getting a lower ball flight with a crap load of roll. Wish I lived by a Links course over the pond. I really hate trees on my golf courses. Unfortunately I also live in the middle of a National Forest, and both Golf courses near me are on the outskirts of the forest and cut right out of the trees.

 

I played a Links style course in Va, and that one on Saturday was not very wooded. Need to get to Bandon!

 

 

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Have you added any weights are lead tape to the back of your driver?

[Shankster]

Have you added any weights are lead tape to the back of your driver?

Nothing. Although I have no way to tell the actual loft or "perceived loft", swing weight might actually be a touch more than with the stock driver shaft, but I like it, and might try to add some weight. But it works great now.

 

 

- Alan

[Crashtestdummy]

It's very simple.

 

Accuracy doesn't sell.  Length does.

 

 

I like accuracy. I can't score unless I hit fairways. However, spin and trajectory numbers can't be too out of whack so you have to get a driver that has reasonable numbers. 

[StrokerAce]

I like accuracy. I can't score unless I hit fairways. However, spin and trajectory numbers can't be too out of whack so you have to get a driver that has reasonable numbers.

Why can't accurate length sell????

 

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[ole gray]

My Cobra F6 driver came at 45 inches which is not like some drivers at 46.5. It still felt a bit off for me so  I recently whacked an inch off and now it's at 44 inches.  I'm REALLY enjoying this driver at 44 inches. I have yet to order any weights to adjust swing weight however I added some lead tape.  I must of done something right with the amount added because yesterday, I was driving the ball above and beyond my normal......  Fairways are fun to play out of.   Especially my own fairways...  

[jayjay0808]

I play a 44 3/4 but I am not in need of swing speed. I will say that shortening the shaft on the driver for the average amateur will actually allow them to hit it longer due to better contact

[StrokerAce]

I play a 44 3/4 but I am not in need of swing speed. I will say that shortening the shaft on the driver for the average amateur will actually allow them to hit it longer due to better contact

 

logically, this makes perfect sense.  longer drives will only happen if you hit it in the center of the clubface.  if you don't hit the center of the clubface it doesn't matter how long the shaft is.  

 

shorter shafts make it easier to return the club to the ball so that it hits the center of the clubface.

 

there's obviously A LOT more that goes into it, but, in theory - for high/mid hcp players - shorter shaft = center face contact = longer shots = more accuracy

[jayjay0808]

logically, this makes perfect sense.  longer drives will only happen if you hit it in the center of the clubface.  if you don't hit the center of the clubface it doesn't matter how long the shaft is.  

 

shorter shafts make it easier to return the club to the ball so that it hits the center of the clubface.

 

there's obviously A LOT more that goes into it, but, in theory - for high/mid hcp players - shorter shaft = center face contact = longer shots = more accuracy

 

You just hit the nail on the head!

[Shankster]

I felt like I had to stand a mile away from the ball. I never actually measured the stock Shaft. But now what am I supposed to do? The driver is amazing with the 3 wood shaft. Now I have no 3 wood shaft. Switch them as needed till I get one? Can't do that according to the "rules".

 

Leave the driver at home and play the 3 wood? Leave the 3 wood at home and play the driver. Ahh!

 

 

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