When Is Too Long "Too Long"?

[golfer2b2000]

Over my past 40 years as an amateur club builder, I have tried just about everything.Longer clubs, shorter clubs, lighter clubs and heavier clubs. I know that every golfer is different, and just like DNA profiles, no two swings are alike.

 I believe, and this is just my opinion and understand that this does not fit everyone, that the swingweight, and also the overall weight of a golf club is very important. I also believe that consistancy, is the name of the game. Stay in the fairway, stay out of trouble and be a good putter, and the game will be more enjoyable. I have went from my average drive being 275 carry to now to be 215 yards carry. We all get older, and that in fact does limit the things that we were able to do. 

I am swinging a driver that is 47 inches long, and has a swingweight around a D-8. I have found that if I increase the length, which will also change the swingweight and make it heavier, that I don't try to "kill the ball". I have lost very little distance, but have definitly gained consistancy. It is very hard for me to "swing easy" with a driver that is 45 inches long, with a swingweight of D-0 or so. I seem to always to want to reach out for that little more, which usually causes a slice, or a push to sometimes a duck hook. I reshafted my Titleist AP-2 irons with a True Temper TT Lite shaft and made them an inch longer. Now I dont seem like I am always going after the ball, and can swing much smoother, and if I do hit the ball wrong, it is a shot that I can live with.

 I know that clubfitters put in a lot of scientific theory into a set of clubs, and do a very good job at fitting people, but I have been to numerous fitting and not once has swingweight been mentioned. Most people put their trust, and guidance into a professional club fitter. And they are trained to help you, But I know for myself, that I prefer a slightly longer club, with a bit heavier swingweight. I am only 5'6" tall, and am 66 years old, so as you can see I am not very powerful, and have lost my distance. But I have created a smoother swingpath, and more consistancy. This leads to better scores. I just purchased a set of Titleist AP-3's and I will be reshafting them the same as my AP-2's. But this time I am going to go 2 inches long. I am sure this will be too long, but I will find that out after I alter them. Afterall, it's easier to shorten a club, that to lenghten it..

  So what are your thoughts... 

   Thank you

[WUTiger]

Here's a tip from the Golfworks Clubmaking Academy: 

Often used in fine-tuning driver... if a person has consistency problems, put a face decal on the driver. Have the person hit 10 shots. If the impacts are scattered all over the decal, chances are the person has a driver that's too long.

As for the 47" driver... back in the prior century, I broke the steel shaft in my persimmon-headed driver. Standard driver length back then was about 43.5" inches. Just for fun, I had the clubsmith put in a shaft 48" long.

• The good news: the ball really went a long way, often total distance of 270 yards - with persimmon head!
• The bad news: the ball sometimes went deep into the trees, and my second shot was a chip shop back to the fairway.

In late August, I had the clubsmith trim it back to 43.5" long. (It heavy swingweight was also hard to swing along about hole #17.

[onthehunt526]

Your swingweight might be at D-8 with a 47” driver, but you could’ve gotten the swingweight to that with a 45-46” driver. Especially with the modern heads having different weight configurations.

[ScottF]

I’m 65 and trying to find a way to get some of my length back. I’m going to try and “cheat” my way back by starting with longer, stronger lofted, irons. My current irons are 10 years old. Am I wrong in thinking new clubs are going to make a big difference? I like the way I’m swinging now, without coming out of my shoes on every shot, I can hit it pretty straight with high ball flight, just not very far.