Explain this one to me....

[Valleygolfer]

Lexi Thompson plays a 7.5 degree Cobra Amp driver with Fujikura ZCom Six shaft, X-FLEX. She hits it 255. Now I am not a mathematician but something doesn't add up here... I can't imagine she has the swing speed for a X stiff shaft.

[iacas]

Lexi Thompson plays a 7.5 degree Cobra Amp driver with Fujikura ZCom Six shaft, X-FLEX. She hits it 255. Now I am not a mathematician but something doesn't add up here...

I can't imagine she has the swing speed for a X stiff shaft.

The official stats disagree with you.

[MS256]

She hits it farther than that:

1	Nicole Smith	274.88
2	Lexi Thompson	270.38
3	Daniela Iacobelli	268.28
4	Brittany Lincicome	268.24
5	Yani Tseng	267.91

Plus average driving distance is always lower than a player's ability to hit the long ball when they have a green light.

[Valleygolfer]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Valleygolfer

Lexi Thompson plays a 7.5 degree Cobra Amp driver with Fujikura ZCom Six shaft, X-FLEX. She hits it 255. Now I am not a mathematician but something doesn't add up here...

I can't imagine she has the swing speed for a X stiff shaft.

The official stats disagree with you.

Well according to the article in GD they listed her out at 255. Had I seen this prior I would have been okay with the numbers.

[Golfingdad]

Don't be fooled by the guidelines for flex.  I hit it better with an x flex and only have a 107-ish SS.  Further, I saw no drop-off in distance from my S-flex shaft I used to have.

Also, not sure if you've seen her swing, but that girl puts A LOT into it.  She is barely in contact with the ground at impact.  Pretty sure if she loosened her laces a bit, she could make the cliche "swinging out of her shoes" come true.

[saevel25]

Shaft flex should only be considered as one of the last fitting options. Basically it hardly effects the numbers. All shaft flex will do is slightly increase or decrease launch angle, and slightly increase or decrease spin. This can influence distance, but its not going to be overly significant compared to hitting the ball solidly.

When your looking for a shaft, look at the overall weight of the shaft, and the bend profile. Then fine tune with flex and torque.

[Valleygolfer]

Shaft flex should only be considered as one of the last fitting options. Basically it hardly effects the numbers. All shaft flex will do is slightly increase or decrease launch angle, and slightly increase or decrease spin. This can influence distance, but its not going to be overly significant compared to hitting the ball solidly.

When your looking for a shaft, look at the overall weight of the shaft, and the bend profile. Then fine tune with flex and torque.

Bend profile is consistent with flex. I tested out shafts and found that a straight extra stiff limited distance but the borderline stiff/Xstiff maximized my distance. I have to disagree here and say shaft flex first which generally includes weight and then loft adjustments.

[saevel25]

Here's the thing as well. How do you know if a stiff made by Graffloy, is the same measured stiffness from Aldila, or project x? You don't, all you see is X-Stiff. There is no number, its just a label. Heck, a stiff shaft from Graffloy might be a project X-'s regular.  This is why I rather look at other metrics, that are actually measured and consistent between brands, than something that isn't.

[Dave2512]

FWIW the GD What's In the Bag feature lists 255 as carry distance. I realize this is the internet, where everyone hits it 300, but I don't think people realize how far that is.

[iacas]

FWIW the GD What's In the Bag feature lists 255 as carry distance. I realize this is the internet, where everyone hits it 300, but I don't think people realize how far that is.

255 carry and 270 total are not incongruent with each other.

[Valleygolfer]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dave2512

FWIW the GD What's In the Bag feature lists 255 as carry distance. I realize this is the internet, where everyone hits it 300, but I don't think people realize how far that is.

255 carry and 270 total are not incongruent with each other.

I guess I mistyped, I am not sure it said carry but that could be the case. What is "incongruent"?

Edit: I looked online and the "*" next to the yardage may mean carry distance. I don't have my magazine here...

[Dave2512]

255 carry and 270 total are not incongruent with each other.

Didn't say it was. I only mentioned it because I read the magazine today before work, it definitely states 255 is carry. If I'm not mistaken the official stats for average drive are measured start to finish not where it first makes contact with the ground. If I am wrong and her carry is 270 then I need to head to the range. Though I saw her outdo that when she was here for Solheim Cup but it is CO so...In the same issue it features Sang Moon Bae and his average drive is 290 ( I think).

[iacas]

Didn't say it was.

I didn't say you said it was. I was simply pointing out that 255 and 270 are probably both accurate. They back each other up as reasonable.

Many people seem to assume that "quoting and responding" means disagreeing. I agree and post supporting evidence or opinions frequently. This was one of those times.

[Dave2512]

I didn't say you said it was. I was simply pointing out that 255 and 270 are probably both accurate. They back each other up as reasonable.

Many people seem to assume that "quoting and responding" means disagreeing. I agree and post supporting evidence or opinions frequently. This was one of those times.

Sorry I am crabby today. My aging dog is having incontinence issues and after reading GD I spent the rest of my time before work cleaning up piss.

[MS256]

FWIW the GD What's In the Bag feature lists 255 as carry distance. I realize this is the internet, where everyone hits it 300, but I don't think people realize how far that is.

Ah...Carry distance. Different animal than driving distance. My apology to the OP if carry distance is what he meant.

I agree with you that most people overestimate their carry distance and many don't really even know what their carry distance is.

There is a 285 yard par four where I play (slightly uphill). Between the length of the grass, the slope in front of the green, and the soft soil there is no rollout and if lucky you may get a small bounce or two when it's dry. It is amazing how many people come to the course for the first time that consider themselves pretty long hitters and are very surprised that they can't carry that green.

Of course some can but it takes a pretty good poke.