Shortening the shaft to 43.5 inches

[chisag 12,151]

40 minutes ago, Tsecor said:

I have played with a 44" and a 44.5" and the differences are radical for me. I recently went BACK to the 45" and I'm hitting the ball much further than the other 2 combos. I did gain some accuracy when i dropped shaft length, but the distance loss was noticeable.

 

... While I certainly do not doubt your personal experience, you are much more of an anomaly. Two really good video's where shorter drivers were actually longer. 

 

 

 

[Tsecor 494]

14 minutes ago, chisag said:

 

... While I certainly do not doubt your personal experience, you are much more of an anomaly. Two really good video's where shorter drivers were actually longer. 

 

 

 

Anomaly? nah. The average off the shelf driver is 45.5" to maximize distance. Shorter drivers are more for control. Even PGA tour pros talk about that. I went to a shorter shaft for that very reason, but went back to the 45" after i worked on my swing a bit more.   The bottom line is its all about maximizing driver head speed for distance and that can be achieved many ways.

That's the reason why people are fitted. Some can get max distance with a 43.5" shaft like Tiger used to use, others cant.  I could post 50 videos which show longer shafts = more distance but that's not the point.  Its all about what works for you. There is no standard son the use of the term "anomaly' doesn't really fit here.  

[chisag 12,151]

... Those of us that have taught golf, fitted golfers or designed drivers (Tom Wishon) pretty much universally agree that a shaft shorter than 45" results in consistently longer drives. Accuracy is just an added benefit. First, most golfers hit the center more often with a 44.5" shaft or shorter, maximizing distance. 2nd, many actually swing a shorter driver faster as 45" and longer is unwieldy. And lastly spin numbers for most golfers are more ideal with a shorter shaft. I am not sure you watched the video's I posted. 

... I was amazed that ALL the engineers from Cobra played a shorter driver because they hit it farther, hence the Cobra Tour Length option. Again, I am not calling you out and you obviously hit a longer driver farther, but 20 more yards means there are other things at play other than physics because an extra 1/2" when hit perfectly does not add 20 yds. In the end the only thing that matters is what works best for any given player and I agree getting fit is the best way to find out. 

[CarlH 5,280]

@chisag:  So, what's the physical change to a driver if you simply cut 1" off the butt end on an existing driver?

[chisag 12,151]

9 minutes ago, CarlH said:

@chisag:  So, what's the physical change to a driver if you simply cut 1" off the butt end on an existing driver?

 

... Depending on what kind of shaft you are playing, change will be minimal other than losing swing weight and stiffening the shaft a little. For some that will be unnoticeable and for other it will be a big change. Cobra's Tour Length adds heavier weights so the shorter shaft maintains the same swing weight. Adding weight can also brings the shaft back to it's original flex as the heavier head offsets the stiffening of he shorter length. 

... I always think it is best to choke down 1" on the grip of your current driver to see how the shorter shaft works for you. If it feels great and produces excellent results you can just cut and re-grip. But most will need to start adding lead tape to get back the feel and flex. So add a little tape and hit several balls and see how it works. Then just keep adding tape until it feels right and gives you the performance and feel you want. Sometimes it is that last strip of lead tape were you say to yourself "OK, that's too much" so just remove and you have your driver. I will add doing this at the range is a good start, but fine tuning should take place on the course, preferably a practice round where you can hit a few drives off each tee. Most of us know it is one thing to groove your driver swing hitting many shots in a row at the range compared to only one swing on the tee in a round, hence the fine tuning on the course.  

[blackngold_blood 4,613]

I have played drivers with lengths varying from 43.5-45.5” over the last few years. What I have found is one length for a player isn’t necessarily the right length for every driver head/shaft combo they may play.

For example, just because you hit your current driver well at 44” doesn’t mean your next one will be a good fit at that length. The correct length for every driver you play should be the one that allows you to hit the center of the face the most often. Not the one that you hit the furthest or even necessarily the one you hit the straightest, although the second one is important. If you can’t hit the center consistently you are losing yards and accuracy.

 

On another note, playing a shorter length(when necessary) and adding weight back to the head(in the correct place), will usually add distance through ball speed because of more center face contact and more mass hitting the ball. A lot of people forget that they can help negate some the loss of ball speed going shorter by adding mass back to the head of the club

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using MyGolfSpy

 

[Tsecor 494]

2 hours ago, chisag said:

... Those of us that have taught golf, fitted golfers or designed drivers (Tom Wishon) pretty much universally agree that a shaft shorter than 45" results in consistently longer drives. Accuracy is just an added benefit. First, most golfers hit the center more often with a 44.5" shaft or shorter, maximizing distance. 2nd, many actually swing a shorter driver faster as 45" and longer is unwieldy. And lastly spin numbers for most golfers are more ideal with a shorter shaft. I am not sure you watched the video's I posted. 

... I was amazed that ALL the engineers from Cobra played a shorter driver because they hit it farther, hence the Cobra Tour Length option. Again, I am not calling you out and you obviously hit a longer driver farther, but 20 more yards means there are other things at play other than physics because an extra 1/2" when hit perfectly does not add 20 yds. In the end the only thing that matters is what works best for any given player and I agree getting fit is the best way to find out. 

ive seen those videos before and of course there are other things at work..as stated....worked on my swing was the #1 issue.  Im not saying i disagree with your view. I also stated i played a 44" as well, so that is a full inch.  I'm sure you are a great teacher and fitter, And i don't think you are calling me out, its just a discussion. I'm not offended or anything, I'm just saying your opinion is one of many on the subject.  but like i said, there are 50 videos out there that show the opposite.  The shorter shaft didn't work for me and there are 1000's of people out there who can say the same.   Here is just one article talking about golf shaft length and what their testing showed. This isn't an absolute either, its just shown because their testing was the opposite of what you posted. 

https://progolfnow.com/2019/05/02/golf-tips-driver-length-accuracy/

 

 

 

[chisag 12,151]

... Fwiw, I have never thought or stated a shorter shaft is better for 100% of those that play golf. Just the majority. I just haven't seen the video's claiming average golfers hit longer shafts farther. Robots? Absolutely as of course a longer shaft will produce more distance than a shorter shaft with all things being equal. It is the all things being equal that puts the fly in the ointment. But I think the article you linked said it well  "In fact, a shorter shaft should help you find the sweet spot more often and may even add distance. Who thought the simplest of golf tips could make such a difference."

[Tsecor 494]

2 hours ago, chisag said:

... Fwiw, I have never thought or stated a shorter shaft is better for 100% of those that play golf. Just the majority. I just haven't seen the video's claiming average golfers hit longer shafts farther. Robots? Absolutely as of course a longer shaft will produce more distance than a shorter shaft with all things being equal. It is the all things being equal that puts the fly in the ointment. But I think the article you linked said it well  "In fact, a shorter shaft should help you find the sweet spot more often and may even add distance. Who thought the simplest of golf tips could make such a difference."

yea, that stuff makes sense. The article also spoke to faster clubhead speed which can be achieved multiple ways. Nothing is an exact science I guess 

[Ajm 1]

I cut my driver down to 43.5 sim max I’m hitting more fairways and changed the grip to offset weight put a 9 gram shaft pin in plus switch the weight out 28 grams instead of 18 to offset best decision I made actually gained distance because of strike location and accuracy drove a par 4 green yesterday 300 before that I was 250 guy all my drives over 265 270 range and before I didn’t add the extra weight to offset def made a difference I couldn’t hit past 230

[RobbyT 60]

It would make the swing weight a ton lighter and also make it a bit stiffer, so you would have to add a good bit of lead tape.