Shaft Question (Driver)

[nickel_aTm]

I've got a Titliest 909D3 (8.5*) with the Aldila Voodoo (stiff) that comes from Titleist.  My swing speed with the driver averages in the 98-103 range.  But in the ball fitting monitor my launch angle was in the 17*-18* range with RPM's 3100-3400.  Launch angle and spin rate are both obviously too high.

If I simply put in a shaft that's the same weight as this Voodoo but with a higher kick point, will that improve things enough?  I don't have the money right now to go for a full driver fitting, plus drop another $300 on a top-of-the-line high performance shaft.

Thanks in advance for any thougths.

[Stretch]

The high launch is much more likely to be a result of your swing characteristics than the shaft characteristics. To launch an 8.5 degree driver that high, you have to be adding a ton of loft, either by catching the ball very much on the upswing or by flipping the club into impact. This is also why the spin rate is somewhat high -- more effective loft = more backspin. So the short answer is that swapping out the shaft probably won't provide you with a quick fix.

[Nyper]

I agree with Stretch.  That launch angle is high for that club.  Even with a higher kick point, I don't think you'll lower the launch angle much.  I think you should save the money and work on swing changes.  Perhaps you could put the money towards a lesson or two.  Tell the instructor your goal is to lower your launch angle.  He'll be able to help you..

If you really want to try a new shaft, try a Pro Launch Red.  You can get them fairly cheap.

[delav]

Great answers by stretch and nyper already here.  As said, that launch angle is very high for an 8.5 degree head.  The spin numbers aren't bad, and will likely improve if you work on impact position.

I'm also playing an 8.5, and I dropped my launch angle from ~14 to 12 degrees with a new shaft after a fitting while lowering my spin a few hundred RPMs.  A 17 degree launch angle is 3-wood territory, and a shaft isn't the right fix in this case.

[nickel_aTm]

Thanks for the responses, guys.  I feel stupid admitting this, but I didn't think about the fact that those launch angle numbers and spins rates were from about six months ago.  After that time, I took a look at my swing on video and noticed that I was setting up with a slightly closed club face.  I think that without conciously trying to do, I was "holding on/scouping" through the hitting zone to compensate and get the face square at impact.  That would cause the higher launch angle and coming across would obviously add spin as well.

Once I realized that, I opened the face to square or slightly open -- allowing me to more aggressively "roll" through impact -- and I've hit the ball better overall since making the change.  I need to go back to Golf Galaxy this weekend and see what the launch monitor says now that I've made the adjustment.

[delav]

  nickel_aTm said:

Originally Posted by nickel_aTm

Once I realized that, I opened the face to square or slightly open -- allowing me to more aggressively "roll" through impact -- and I've hit the ball better overall since making the change.

Post up a recent video if you can.  Aggressive 'rolling' is likely flipping as well, and creates extra work/timing for you as the golfer.  Take a look at a few tour swings and watch their hands and forearms after impact.  Hitting a draw doesn't require manipulation of the clubface.