Shorten My Driver?

[Larrh7]

I have a standard length Taylor Made M6 driver.  Seems a little long for me.  I'm 69 years old and don't seem to get it through properly.  I him my 3 wood almost as far and much straighter.  Swing speed is around 85.  I thought about taking the grip off and shortening it a couple inches.  Anyone ever do this? I know it could  change the swing weight.  Would I be better off to just get a new shaft and cut it down? Thanks . 

Edited December 15, 2021 by Larrh7

[boogielicious]

  On 12/15/2021 at 3:41 PM, Larrh7 said:

I have a standard length Taylor Made M6 driver.  Seems a little long for me.  I'm 69 years old and don't seem to get it through properly.  I him my 3 wood almost as far and much straighter.  Swing speed is around 85.  I thought about taking the grip off and shortening it a couple inches.  Anyone ever do this? I know it could  change the swing weight.  Would I be better off to just get a new shaft and cut it down? Thanks . 

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If you shorten it that much, the swing weight and feel of the club will change dramatically. Try just choking up on it an inch and see if that helps. Also, get some impact tape or a dry erase marker and see if you are hitting the sweet spot on the face consistently. That may be the issue. A little practice on center face contact could really help.

[mohearn]

I've got a M5, and for experimentation, I wrap a piece of blue masking tape around the handle so I consistently choke up the same.  (It's so hard for me mentally to wanna use all of the driver length. )

FWIW, I also have TM fairways, and swapped my driver and 3-wood shafts, just to see.  I did hit my driver more consistently with the shorter shaft (albeit not as well as my better strikes from a longer shaft, which is what is to be expected I suppose). 

Don't know if that helps. I'd personally hesitate to cut it unless I was pretty sure.

 

[Typhoon92]

I didn’t see what loft you are playing the M6 at but my guess has to do with swing speed and loft of the clubs.  I bet u hit the 3 wood as far/further because it’s 15 degrees.  At 85 mph, that’s gonna work better than say a 10.5  degree  loft.

Don’t cut it down.  You could try what was suggested in choking down an inch but I think it’s a loft/speed issue.

When I was a kid, I could kill a 3 wood and didn’t even bother carrying  a driver.  I didn’t have the swing speed for it.

Edited December 17, 2021 by Typhoon92

[RWC]

At 69, I had similar questions and issues with my 45" length G30 driver (12 deg). Luckily I was able to swap out the shaft from my G30 3 wood into the driver. I had to increase the club weight to get resulting swing weight back to D-1. My average distance for the season was within 2 yards of the driver with standard length shaft, but the fairways hit were up 20% with the shorter shaft. For me the 3 wood shaft is a keeper!

[Typhoon92]

  On 12/21/2021 at 11:54 PM, RWC said:

At 69, I had similar questions and issues with my 45" length G30 driver (12 deg). Luckily I was able to swap out the shaft from my G30 3 wood into the driver. I had to increase the club weight to get resulting swing weight back to D-1. My average distance for the season was within 2 yards of the driver with standard length shaft, but the fairways hit were up 20% with the shorter shaft. For me the 3 wood shaft is a keeper!

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Just an FYI, the 3 wood shaft is NOT just a shorter driver shaft.  It’s a totally different shaft because of things like head weight of a 3 wood etc…

Good that it works for you but I would t want anyone reading that to think it’s just a cut down driver shaft.

[boogielicious]

  On 12/22/2021 at 4:49 AM, Typhoon92 said:

Just an FYI, the 3 wood shaft is NOT just a shorter driver shaft.  It’s a totally different shaft because of things like head weight of a 3 wood etc…

Good that it works for you but I would t want anyone reading that to think it’s just a cut down driver shaft.

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Graphite shafts are usually tipped for fairway woods. You can use the same shaft, but it is first trimmed at the tip to adjust for the head weight difference, then butt trimmed for length. Generally though, fairway wood shafts are heavier.