Modern Drivers Missing Right

[Jake Marty]

Hello,

I recently came back from a lengthy hiatus and started playing again. I’m currently gaming older clubs I played in high school 15 years ago. I am playing an old Taylormade R7 quad that, on paper, is entirely wrong for me. I’m a high swing speed (115mph) high ball hitter and it has a stock reg shaft and 10.5* loft. I actually hit it really well with a nice baby fade but I feel like I’m losing distance by hitting it so high and also losing forgiveness playing a smaller, 15 year old driver. I’ve recently picked up a Taylormade M5 and a cobra Radspeed and started hitting massive 75 yard slices. I can’t keep the ball on the planet until I go back to my old Taylormade, even after adjusting to a draw setting. Both drivers were bought used with aftermarket shafts. My question is, has anyone experienced this going from older to more modern drivers? Can shafts make that big of a difference? I’m wondering if playing such a weak shaft has helped close the face for me and straightened out my shot. Fwiw, I hit all my clubs with a baby fade, I don’t slice any of them. 
 

Thanks,

Jake

[cnosil]

Could be swing, shaft, head, or a combination of all those things.  Some things  that would influence: head weight, shaft weight, shaft profile, driver settings,  grip weight, grip size, head properties, and how you respond to all of it.  Ideally need to see data from a launch monitor.

[RickyBobby_PR]

Lots of data points missing here.

Lets start with club setup.

what shaft are you playing to include weight and flex?

what loft is the m5 set at? 
 

Where on the face are you making contact?

does the ball start right and continues to go right? Or does it start on target then curves right? Or does it start left of target and curves right.

do you have any launch monitor data?

[Hook DeLoft]

As others have said, there are a lot of variables.  I will say shafts can make a big difference. 

[garyt1957]

As others have stated, are the new drivers R flex or stiff? Do you have them set up so the face is open?

[fixyurdivot]

On 1/9/2022 at 9:36 AM, Jake Marty said:

Hello,

I recently came back from a lengthy hiatus and started playing again. I’m currently gaming older clubs I played in high school 15 years ago. I am playing an old Taylormade R7 quad that, on paper, is entirely wrong for me. I’m a high swing speed (115mph) high ball hitter and it has a stock reg shaft and 10.5* loft. I actually hit it really well with a nice baby fade but I feel like I’m losing distance by hitting it so high and also losing forgiveness playing a smaller, 15 year old driver. I’ve recently picked up a Taylormade M5 and a cobra Radspeed and started hitting massive 75 yard slices. I can’t keep the ball on the planet until I go back to my old Taylormade, even after adjusting to a draw setting. Both drivers were bought used with aftermarket shafts. My question is, has anyone experienced this going from older to more modern drivers? Can shafts make that big of a difference? I’m wondering if playing such a weak shaft has helped close the face for me and straightened out my shot. Fwiw, I hit all my clubs with a baby fade, I don’t slice any of them. 
 

Thanks,

Jake

Welcome to MGS forum @Jake Marty.  I too tend to hit baby fades as my typical ball fight; particularly 7i and up the bag.  I also was a late to the party player in moving into modern drivers.  I played a Callaway GBB up until 5 years ago when I finally could no longer stand the wire brushing (all in fun) from friends that I needed to "up my game".   The GBB was my first move from persimmon.  I picked up a used Callaway Razr-Fit from a store in Tempe that included a "quasi-fitting".  It hit longer but still tended to have far too many dramatic high and right results.  I then was chosen as a tester for the PING G410P and went for another fitting to determine which loft and shaft.  You can read about this in the hyperlink.

To be fair, I started playing lots more at the point of joining MGS (coincided with retirement) and being selected for this test - and believe the majority of my ball flight control/improvement came as a result of working swing mechanics.  Your case is interesting in that you say going back to the R7 gets you back to a more controllable ball flight.  This suggests to me that certain aspects of that driver head and shaft are just better matched to your swing.  I would strongly urge you to consider investing in a fitting session with a competent facility/fitter.  I recently had a full bag fitting at TrueSpec and tested the G410P and the stock Alta CB Red shaft against several newer drivers and shafts.  None of the new heads offered gains worthy of the cost but the KBD TD shaft did;  a bit more distance and tighter dispersion.  I just don't think this subtlety would be found without launch monitor technology and someone who knows how to use it.

I was a club fitting skeptic until late but now see the benefit... on the course where it matters.  Get fitted .

[Kansas King]

I agree with others that you probably need to see a fitter or a pro.

I would say that if the R7 was poorly fit to you and you got used to it, that you're swing is maybe a little off now that you are getting more appropriate equipment. Most golfers tend to adjust to the equipment they have over time, regardless of how poorly it fits. If you swing 115 MPH but played with a senior flex driver for a year, you would adjust to get the most out of it. This very well could be some adjustment pains as much as the new clubs may not be a good fit.