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Outgrown...

post #1 of 15
6/4/12 at 11:00pm
Thread Starter 

Hello all,

 

After a year and a quarter of playing I have outgrown my 10.5* driver. I am not swinging any faster but my contact is pretty good. I have a 90mph swing speed...not fast...but...straight. 

 

I have hit every current, and one to two year back models, of the 9.5* driver out there... Here are the ones that felt good and went long and straight.

IMAG1279.jpg

 

Nike VR-S. Last year I tried to hit this...and had some cool right angles (ie ultra hozel rocket like movement). But today it went really straight without much effort.

 

IMAG1283.jpg

Liked this one but the sound was a little weird... not quite tin can or beer can but not a solid sound. Long and straight, though. I actually hit this side by side with the G20 and liked it quite a bit better.

 

IMAG1286.jpg

 

 

I never thought that I could hit this one. I shanked the daylights out of last years model ... last year.  I hit it straight right at the get go and it felt solid. Not like swinging a wall or anything ... in fact it swung a lot like the Adams I have. Same type of feel but with a more solid contact and lower trajectory.

 

What is your opinion? Two of these are adustables one isn't. If I get the adjustable version I am not interested in tinkering. Once it is working for me I will use it that way until I outgrow it or get old and need to make adjustments on it. 

 

So, what do you think? Any particular one? etc...

 

Thank you in advance:)

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post #2 of 15
6/4/12 at 11:10pm

Haven't hit the Nike, but have the other two, and all should be fine.  It's not like you're asking about the Hammer.  Those are all fine drivers, it's all about what feels good for you.

 

On a related point, are you sure you need a 9.5˚ driver?  I'm no expert for sure but I feel like from what I've read around here from more knowledgable guys as far as equipment specs most players with 90mph driver swing speed probably aren't getting optimal launch angle from a 9.5˚ driver.  Others feel free to correct me if I'm wrong.

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post #3 of 15
6/4/12 at 11:39pm
Thread Starter 

Yeah, I had the same thought when I went in to fit Sunday. I am consistently losing 30+ yards. I saw the ball flight comparison. It looked, to my untrained eye, that it had a similar flight pattern / height as my 5 wood. The guy said it resembled a 8 iron... but...

 

I am getting plenty of, at least while trying today, launch angle. . . not as much as the 10.5. I tee'd it up a bit lower than normal and then hit the 10.5*. Still a good deal higher than the 9.5 or the 9. The thought was to get one of the adjustables to help with launch angle when I get older and can't get enough launch angle going ...

 

but...

 

so you think I should stay with the 10.5*?

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post #4 of 15
6/6/12 at 12:42pm
Thread Starter 

Ok. After thinking through the concept of adjustable drivers and their uses, and much reading that is mostly a little out of date, I have come to a conclusion...if you are a tinkerer you might not want one. If you are a solid ball striker you may or may not want one. If you have issues with your swing you probably should fix the issue and then decide.

 

I strike the ball well and have a natural swing. I don't have a ton of club head speed (90ish) and I rarely slice it. I can, however do a bit of a bleeder right or left ...  I am moving to the 9.5* driver. Now the question is... which one? 

 

After much research the 910D2 seems like the right kind of adjustable driver. I can close, open it, or leave it neutral. Also, I can lower it .75* loft and raise it 1.5* loft. What other clubs will do this same thing? I read where the Taylormade R11S has 43 adjustment variables. Ohh, no. Not for me. My thoughts are that I will get one and have it adjusted by the pro and then not mess with it until my ball flight is not getting enough air, or launch angle, or if I get to the point that I am always ... multiple rounds ... hooking it or slicing it and the pro says it's time to make a change...

 

Likely this will be my last driver to purchase. I am just trying to think ahead.

 

Are there other clubs I should go hit before I make this decision?

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post #5 of 15
6/6/12 at 1:12pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by MrFreeze View Post

Ok. After thinking through the concept of adjustable drivers and their uses, and much reading that is mostly a little out of date, I have come to a conclusion...if you are a tinkerer you might not want one. If you are a solid ball striker you may or may not want one. If you have issues with your swing you probably should fix the issue and then decide.

 

I strike the ball well and have a natural swing. I don't have a ton of club head speed (90ish) and I rarely slice it. I can, however do a bit of a bleeder right or left ...  I am moving to the 9.5* driver. Now the question is... which one?

 

 

The purpose of an adjustable driver is not to correct a flaw, but to ensure a better and more "custom" fit for each particular person. I have used them for years. I set them, then leave them alone. Thus with an "off the shelf" driver I can customize it to suit what I want or need more specifically.

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post #6 of 15
6/6/12 at 1:40pm

It sounds like we're in roughly similar circumstances.

 

Last year I returned to the game after a few years off and have been building a sensible(-ish) swing through regular lessons with my club pro, so that the driver I bought initially (a TaylorMade Burner Superfast) was becoming less suitable. The pro and I felt that the regular shaft was slightly too flexible and was introducing some inconsistency.

 

About a month ago I went him for a fitting using Trackman and eventually bought the 9.5 deg Titleist 910D2 with a Diamana Kai'la stiff shaft. The Titleist was the only club I tried, because I'd used a friend's and liked it: the fitting was purely to find the right shaft.

 

The adjustments aren't a panacea for a bad swing, but they do have a noticeable effect. I've changed the settings to add 0.75 deg loft and one level of draw: it's simple enough to note the effect over a practice session and round or two and the adjustment is trivially easy. Now, while I can still hit the occasional woeful hook/slice, I feel much more in control of my drives and I haven't lost any distance: around about the 220-250 yards range depending on conditions and occasionally longer when the planets are all in line.

 

I made the same calculation as you: this will be my last driver for a long time and I wanted one that could be adapted as my swing continues to improve, rather than a quick fix. Now I've chosen these settings, I'll stick with them for some time, but I'm also conscious that my swing is improving (it should be, I have enough lessons and I spend a lot of time practising...) and that for example, I may find that in future I can cope with / would benefit from lowering the loft again.

 

I'm really happy with the club and would recommend it, as long as you get the right shaft, of course.

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post #7 of 15
6/6/12 at 1:45pm
Thread Starter 

Thanks Brookter and Iacas. My thoughts exactly.

 

Now the question is... which ones do both loft/lie adjustments...Hmmm

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post #8 of 15
6/6/12 at 5:05pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by MrFreeze View Post

 

 

Now the question is... which ones do both loft/lie adjustments...Hmmm

 

They're tied together.

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post #9 of 15
6/6/12 at 11:12pm
Thread Starter 

So while we are on the subject... what is an appropriate vertical launch angle for a 9.5* neutral setting driver?

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post #10 of 15
6/7/12 at 12:19am
This thread doesn't make a lick of sense. How the hell does one "outgrow" loft without gaining head speed, changing angle of attack, spin etc., etc. b3_huh.gif
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post #11 of 15
6/7/12 at 12:37am

I love my Titleist D2. Don't necessarily be so quick to go to a less lofted driver. For me, with a club head speed of 100+MPH, a Titleist D2 10.5 set at 11.25* gives me optimum distance. If I set it at standard 10.5 I lose about 10 yards. If I set it at 12 or 9.75* I lose about 15 yards. 

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post #12 of 15
6/7/12 at 1:38am
Quote:
Originally Posted by xmanhockey7 View Post

I love my Titleist D2. Don't necessarily be so quick to go to a less lofted driver. For me, with a club head speed of 100+MPH, a Titleist D2 10.5 set at 11.25* gives me optimum distance. If I set it at standard 10.5 I lose about 10 yards. If I set it at 12 or 9.75* I lose about 15 yards. 

So .75* of loft makes that big of a difference to your swing? How do you know that the actual loft when you have it set is 11.25*? How do you know when it's set @ "standard" that it's actually 10.5*?
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post #13 of 15
6/7/12 at 2:18pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by LBlack14 View Post

So .75* of loft makes that big of a difference to your swing? How do you know that the actual loft when you have it set is 11.25*? How do you know when it's set @ "standard" that it's actually 10.5*?

Thats the loft Titleist says it is. Guess I can't be 100% sure but I do know when I go from the standard A1 setting to D4 which adds .75* of loft I see an increase of about 10 yards.
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post #14 of 15
6/9/12 at 12:21am
Thread Starter 

I guess that my ball striking is better I just don't have the back to turn and haven't figured out, yet, how to get more club head speed.

 

I chose the 910D2 and am quite happy with it. Thank you all for your help.

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post #15 of 15
6/24/12 at 10:05pm
Thread Starter 

I finally got to go out and hit the new club. Wow. Gorgeous, long, and straight. Good investment. Thank you all...

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