Distances with different driver lofts

[svchiefs19]

say that i average 280 yards with my 10.5* driver. how much farther would i hit the ball on average if i had a 9.5* driver? is there a big difference?

[denver_nuggs_15]

say that i average 280 yards with my 10.5* driver. how much farther would i hit the ball on average if i had a 9.5* driver? is there a big difference?

It really depends. Ballflight, spin, launch angle, etc. all determine how far the clubs would go. I would guess that if the 10.5* goes

too high and you get 0 roll, then the 9.5* may go 5-15 yards farther (just a guess), but it's very hard to give a good answer here. The other thing is that your 10.5* may not actually be 10.5*. From what I've heard, many drivers' actual lofts (measured) are not the same as their written lofts (what it says on the club). Your driver might be a 12* or a 9* or 10.5*...without it being measured, your problem is very hard to answer. In my experience, switching from a 10.5* to a 9.5* (both written lofts) increased my distance by about 5 yards. If you get fitted, I'd expect better numbers.

[tonyy]

I think you might get a max of 5-10 yds more. From my experience, the distances on my driver were the same with different lofts (9* and 10.5*). The higher loft gave me a high ball flight with a lot of carry. Of course roll was greatly reduced. With the lower loft, my drives were penetrating and somewhat low with a lot less carry, but the roll out equaled out. So, my distances were the same, just the variables changed. This was from my experience, it may be different for you though.

[walfice]

You wouldn't necessarily gain any distance. You may just increase the side spin on your drives an end up in the rough more often. You may lose carry distance. There are too many variables to make an accurate prediction. Best thing to do is use the same shaft in a 9.5 and 10.5 and see the results.

[Dub]

Lot of variables.....but a 280 yard average is smoking!!!

[bIGwIRE]

You wouldn't necessarily gain any distance. You may just increase the side spin on your drives an end up in the rough more often.

Wrong...

A lower driver loft does not increase side spin. Side spin comes from your swing and angle of your club at impact. A higher driver loft will increase the amount of back spin possible, which may help to mask some of the side spin, but the amount of side spin will be the same with the two lofts. More back spin will result in your ball spining on an axis closer to vertical, but the sidespin was a result of your swing, the extra loft will just help hide it better.

[walfice]

Bigwire, I said MAY increase the side spin. I also said there are too many variables to make an accurate prediction. Just giving the op ideas of what to expect by changing to a 9.5

[bIGwIRE]

Bigwire, I said MAY increase the side spin. I also said there are too many variables to make an accurate prediction. Just giving the op ideas of what to expect by changing to a 9.5

Could you back that up? Because everything I've read says a loft change has

no chance of increasing or decreasing the accual side spin. Only the amount of back spin would change with your loft choice. Where the loft choice affects how the ball's sidespin changes the ball's flight is that with more backspin, the effect of any given sidespin is lessened. Specifically, a ball actually doesn't feel the effects of sidepsin and backspin separately -- the ball only feels the effect of spin, it is just a question of what angle the spin rotates on. Consider a ball hit with a short iron (something like an 8 or 9 iron) with 8000 rpm of backspin and 500 rpm of sidespin. This is equivalent to 8015.6 rpm of spin on an axis tilted at 3.57 degrees off of vertical. The lift force from the spin works in that direction. Instead of the lift force pushing on the ball straight up and down, it it pushing mostly up but slightly to the side, too. Now, compare that with a driver hit with 2500 rpm of backspin and 500 rpm of sidespin. That is equivalent to 2549 rpm of spin on an axis titled at 11.31 degrees off of vertical. The lift force is directed more than 3 times as far off of the vertical, even with the same amount of sidespin. So, the more loft a club has, the more backspin is generated which reduces the effects of the sidespin in terms of how much the ball will slice or hook. This is because will more backspin, the spin axis is going to be closer to vertical. Being the club with the least loft, this effect is the most pronounced in drivers. If you are plagued with sidespinning shots, going to a higher loft can be the difference between being on the edge of the fairway rough or being in the trees or OOB, so that part of your statement is true, but the side spin will stay the same.

[walfice]

Maybe I should have worded it differently, instead of saying 'increase sidespin' I meant it may exaggerate a slice, fade etc

Being the club with the least loft, this effect is the most pronounced in drivers. If you are plagued with sidespinning shots, going to a higher loft can be the difference between being on the edge of the fairway rough or being in the trees or OOB, so that

That is the point I was making.

[bIGwIRE]

Maybe I should have worded it differently, instead of saying 'increase sidespin' I meant it may exaggerate a slice, fade etc

Yeah, your ball flight will be less forgiving with the lower loft, due to the axis the ball is spinning on.

[1dayIllBaPro]

check you spin, lauch angle, ball flight. I used 9.5* driver before, but it gave me high 2000 rpm. So I changed to 8.5* driver, and I now have only about 2100-2300 rpm. I suggest go try different driver with different loft on a lauch monitor. Let see what happen.

Funny thing, I bought my 8.5* taylormade TP driver from golf smith, the lauch monitor showed I hit 350 yards !!!!.....I started laughing. I didn't believe it, but I love the feel and sound, so I bought it. and I love it !!!

[DJYoshi]

say that i average 280 yards with my 10.5* driver. how much farther would i hit the ball on average if i had a 9.5* driver? is there a big difference?

you may not hit it further with a 9.5. your 10.5 may be the optimal loft for you giving you the best spin rate, launch angle, etc. I used to use a 10.5 and avg'd 265 - 270. I went to a 9.5 and i'm about the same....but for me it's a more consistent and controllable face... but do know that when you lower your loft...your results on mishits are magnified. a controllable hook or fade in a higher loft may turn out to be a wicked hook or slice...