Driver Weight Forward or Back?

[chisag]

... My driver experiment is over. My favorite and most dependable driver is the Fly Z with a 16gm weight in the rear position. The engineers at Cobra called this the Hot Set Up and virtually every one of them used the same configuration with the lone exception playing the LTD. But I decided to experiment with my F6 using the front weight position. I hit my longest drive in many years, a 330 yd'er that was downwind and also caught a little slope about 310 out. I was using the front weight position because it was a very windy day and wanted less spin and a lower flight into the wind but that downwind drive really got my attention. 

... As a 100 mph smooth swinger a 300 yd drive is very rare for me so I decided to chase the distance for several rounds. There is a very good reason the most successful drivers from Cobra, Taylor Made, Ping, Titleist and Callaway all have their weight low and far back. After 5 rounds it was obvious the weight in the rear of the F6 is just much more forgiving of slight mishits than it is with the weight forward. Yes, the weight forward produced my longest drives but it also produced my shortest drives. And the longest drives with the weight back were not that far behind the longest drives with the weight forward and more of them were in the fairway. 

... There are certainly better ball strikers than I that can take advantage of the F7+/M1 with the weight forward and of course those high trajectory/high spin players that have little choice. But for most of us, the ability to take advantage of the weight low and back while still maintaining mid to low spin with a mid to high trajectory is why this current crop of drivers are performing so consistently.  

[BIG STU]

I am also a proponent of weight down low and back. But a lot of it depends on the kick of the shaft too. Right now I am experimenting with a Homna G1-x that has the weight in the back but can not get it to perform as consistant as the 915 for me. Yep there are so many variables though with so many weights,shafts and settings

[jaskanski]

I've been dabbling with this concept for several months myself too. I agree that weight low and forward (a la SLDR) produces very low spin drives with plenty of distance - but it comes at the expense of being very loft specific and unforgiving compared to other driver with weights moved to the rear. 

The latest trend in Tmag drivers has since dropped the low and forward "loft-up" campaign in favour of newer designs with weight shifted backwards. The M2 seems to out-selling the M1 by some margin, not only due to the price, but also down to the launch data we're getting back. Even those who opted for the M1 tend to have the best numbers with both weights pushed back as far as possible.

I see my best numbers with weight back and a tip stiff profile with loft matched to my swing. For the curious out there, I recent got my best drive with a SLDRs 10 degree with a Matrix 6m3 Black Tie and custom weights to the sole - but it was a bit of a pig to control or shape shots with. Much better consistency was achieved with a Titleist 910 D2 with 9.5 degree loft and an Aldila RIP. Similar shaft profiles, with possibly the RIP being a tad stiffer. Forgiveness with the 910 was much better and shots were easier to flight. 

I guess the key to either driver was to get the loft matched to your swing and shaft profile - in order to get the best numbers. But others combinations may more workable and forgiving - it depends on what you want on the day. Me, I'll take distance all day long at my age (50) but I still like to hit certain shapes for certain holes - and spin is the only answer for that.

[chisag]

I am also a proponent of weight down low and back. But a lot of it depends on the kick of the shaft too. Right now I am experimenting with a Homna G1-x that has the weight in the back but can not get it to perform as consistant as the 915 for me. Yep there are so many variables though with so many weights,shafts and settings

 

... Finding the right shaft is always key. With all the shaft technology available to vary torque, spin, kick point and tip stiffness I have found shafts that are just about mid everything works best for me. Rogue Black and AD-MT6 are my two gamers. 

[revkev]

I do better with the weight low and back also. 

 

I did game a SLDR for a while - I had to loft way up - It was great when I was hitting it well but very bad when I wasn't swinging well. 

[mrsmith123]

A lot of the weighting effectiveness is dependent on angle of attack as well. For example, if you are a person who believes in swinging with a descending angle of attack with driver (hitting down on it) then a driver with weight forward and higher loft is beneficial. If you have an ascending angle of attack (hitting up on it) then weight back and low with lower loft is more beneficial.

 

A lot of the physics of golf is all opposing forces.

 

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[Dr Strangelove]

My experience is the same as chisag.  My swing speed is 100.  I had an awful time with the SLDR when switching from the R1.  The Ping G25 and Cobra Fly Z are without a doubt easier to hit.

[chershey]

I just switched the weight from the back to the front on my EPIC SZ and have been killing the ball on the driving range. I'm not going to be able to test it out on the course until July 1, but right now I'm liking it that way. We'll see how I hit when I'm under pressure.

[Thatginger96]

The SLDR gave me my best numbers I think I have ever gotten, but it was so low spin that my mishits just fell out of the sky. What I like about my Ping G30 Ls tec is that my spin remains constant even on bad hits. It's not as low of spin as the SLDR was, but it can get that low if it's hit right. So once again my strike will over ride anything that the club is capable of doing.

 

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[McaseyM]

For me, weight back in my Fly Z+, but that came from a fitting (and apparently lets me keep my tees)

 

 

 

 

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[GolfSpy_APH]

Same here weight back for the fly z+. I find it feels softer and when the weight is forward it feels amazing when struck well, but like a brick when mishit. So weight back and at 10.5 it's been set and I have a very consistent driving distance if not far. It feels so hot off the face when caught well and as soon as it's hit I know. They fitted me weight forward to keep spin down but fairways are more importance then distance for me, hence the switch back

 

 

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[bullldog]

I have become (last few years) a low ball hitter. For chitz & giggles bought me a 14* SLDR & I'm surprisingly hitting it really well.