Optimizing Driver Distance

Hello,

Over the past 4 months I have taken Trackman Combine tests and, I really want to know what has caused me to lose 30 yards of driving distance while gaining 1 mph of club head speed.

Yesterday: Longest Drive with Roll - (234 yards)

Four months ago: Longest Drive with Roll - (264 yards)

I'm not sure what caused this huge lose of distance (30 yards).

My thoughts are that maybe I'm hitting to far up on the ball (attack angle is too high), since the drives four months ago had an average launch angle of 12.8 and the current average launch angle is 16.7. A 4 degree shift.

My other idea is that I need a different shaft, maybe I should switch over to a shift shaft (Currently have regular) now that my club head speed consistently gets to around 95-94.

On average, you've gained 5 yards of carry, and your longest drive in the first session flew only 5 yards past your longest in the second. So TrackMan was crediting you with a lot more roll out the first time around. Too much, in fact. There is no way you're going to hit it 265 yards with a 94 mph club speed -- unless you're playing on an airport runway. So the answer to your question is the environmental settings on the monitor were changed between the two sessions, and the second is just more realistic.

Thanks @Stretch that makes sense, but on a Combine test wouldn't Trackman generate the same environmental settings since everyone in the world is comparing how far they're driving to one another? Also, since I carry the ball about 215 at 94 mph how far should the carry be a 100 mph swing speed?

To be honest, I don't know how standardized the Combine test is. I would imagine it must allow for manual normalization per monitor, since people all over are hitting under different conditions (altitude, headwind etc.) that need to be compared to each other apples to apples, as you say.

Your optimum driver numbers at any swing speed are going to depend on your angle of attack. 100 mph at 5 degrees down: launch 9.5 degrees, spin 3683 rpm, carry 222 yards. 100 at 0 degrees (level): launch 11.9 degrees, spin 3057 rpm, carry 235 yards. 100 at 5 degrees up: launch 15.1 degrees, spin 2583 rpm, carry 247 yards.

Roughly.

1) spin rate is about 800 rpm's faster. I would say your first one your hitting down on the ball, and the 2nd your hitting more up on the ball. Attack angle doesn't correlate to launch angle that much. Actually a positive attack angle can cause a lower ball flight because your swing is flatter, instead of steeper. Steeper attack angle can cause a high shot, its strange but with a driver it does. The old way to swing was to have a low lofted driver, high spin rate golf ball, and hit down a bit with the driver. This caused higher rates of spin, and increased carry. Now more players are using higher lofted drivers, a shallower swings (close to a positive attack angle), lower spin golf balls. This decreases backspin, increased carry.

2) your "Side" factor is about 10 feet different, but really if you look at the individually, if you take that 83.8 out of the 2nd set, your looking at a much lower number. If i had to say, your swing is an over the top swing, and you aim right and pull the ball back left. I would say your drives are very much straight, but now your having a hard time, and hitting big slices. The reason your Left is 14.6 in the 2nd set, and your nearly 30 feet right in the top set of numbers. The more your hit it left or right, the less your hitting it towards your target.