Heavier Driver / Driver Shafts for High Handicaps

[Entropy]

Hi everybody.  I was in the market for a new driver as I was having a lot of difficulty hitting my ping g20 straight.  My miss was a huge banana ball slice and I know it was because I was coming over the top.  I eventually found my way to a Taylormade R1 TP with a 65 gram shaft (swing weight D4) and it is noticeably heavier (my g20 has a swing weight of D3)and as a result has really helped me get my swing on path and now I'm hitting them nice and straight.  I think a lot of amateur golfers would benefit from overall heavier shafts / clubs for this exact reason, yet premium higher weight shafts like the Aldila RIP phenom in my R1 seem to always be marketed towards the lower handicap players.  What gives?

[k-troop]

Interesting results, and I'm glad the shaft worked for you.

I don't see a D3/D4 swingweight change being "noticeably heavier" (or even noticeable) to most players, and 65 grams is still pretty light for a driver shaft.  It's not the lightest out there, but it's pretty light.

As for heavier shafts being marketed to better players....  I think that the "better players" shafts these days (i.e. 75-95 grams for a driver shaft) are the "normal" weights of 5-8 years ago.  The trend with companies like (for example) TaylorMade is to make really long and super light (45-65 grams) shafts to try to help the average player get more clubhead speed.  It works--you will get more clubhead speed, but whether you can control a 46-1/2" driver with a 55 gram shaft is another question altogether.

[Mr. Desmond]

I know a guy who takes a stiff, 65g shaft and gets his head weight to D7-8.

What happens is that he's softened up the flex and made the head a sledgehammer.

I tried his driver on the range for about a dozen swings, and it was extremely consistent - nice little draw - it brought down the ball flight, but was still long.

What that taught me is that a balance exists - you need to find the head weight that fits you. I put an extra gram of weight in the toe and  2 more in the heel of my R1, and it seems to work at D4, which is the stock swing weight - my shaft length is 45 inches, and my shaft is 57g.

So a heavier shaft may not be the answer, it could be some lead tape on the head. I also put 2g of lead weight on my 3Deep that I use off the tee - it helped.

[duotone]

Interestingly I'm going to be testing this concept in the Spring. I'm going to get a new driver head, and probably a stepless steel shaft (125grams) and see what happens. I have a late wrist release and I know the swing weight on this is going to be huge, but at this point it's merely an experiment.

[Mr. Desmond]

Interestingly I'm going to be testing this concept in the Spring. I'm going to get a new driver head, and probably a stepless steel shaft (125grams) and see what happens. I have a late wrist release and I know the swing weight on this is going to be huge, but at this point it's merely an experiment.

Seriously?

I mean, even freakin' Tiger Woods does not use a steel shaft …. any longer.

Neither does any other Tour Player to my knowledge.

[David in FL]

Interestingly I'm going to be testing this concept in the Spring. I'm going to get a new driver head, and probably a stepless steel shaft (125grams) and see what happens. I have a late wrist release and I know the swing weight on this is going to be huge, but at this point it's merely an experiment.

Why? What are you expecting/hoping to accomplish?

[duotone]

I understand. Here's an interesting thing.... I have a group of guys I ride and race mountain bikes with. A number of years ago I told them I was going to make my bikes into single speed mountain race bikes. They reacted just like you just did. After about six months of me kicking their butts they all followed along with their own single speed bikes. Then a year later I told them I was getting a fixed gear road bike. And this time they thought I was nuts! Six months later a few of them got their own fixies after watching my back side for far too long. I'm still riding my fixie and SS mountain bikes and doing so has made me a much more proficient rider. So, my goal with the is to make me a more proficient swinger of the golf club, not the longest, but to swing the club correctly. If I feel the need to, I can always switch shafts.

[Mr. Desmond]

I could understand your reasoning if anybody else did, or several touring pros used steel shafts. But they don't. So to be a rebel just for the sake of being a rebel doesn't make a lot of sense But people will do what they want to

[duotone]

Oh no... It's not about being a rebel. Like I said, it's about getting my swing right and then I can always change my shaft later. Thanks Tony

[David in FL]

Oh no... It's not about being a rebel. Like I said, it's about getting my swing right and then I can always change my shaft later. Thanks Tony

I don't know of any shaft that will improve your swing.....

[iacas]

I don't know of any shaft that will improve your swing.....

They can inasmuch as what I'll talk about now: I prefer heavier shafts too or my contact and clubface control starts to suffer from a lack of "head feel" or "shaft awareness" or whatever.

[Mr. Desmond]

Oh no... It's not about being a rebel. Like I said, it's about getting my swing right and then I can always change my shaft later.

Thanks

Tony

Golfers use heavier graphite shafts that fit their ability/swing, can add weight to the head, and counterbalance the shaft to gain more control of their swing. I guess … that's the only way I know of describing it.

[duotone]

I could understand your reasoning if anybody else did, or several touring pros used steel shafts. But they don't. So to be a rebel just for the sake of being a rebel doesn't make a lot of sense But people will do what they want to

[quote name="iacas" url="/t/71198/heavier-driver-driver-shafts-for-high-handicaps#post_922996"] They can inasmuch as what I'll talk about now: I prefer heavier shafts too or my contact and clubface control starts to suffer from a lack of "head feel" or "shaft awareness" or whatever. [/quote] This is precisely what I'm talking about. Shaft awareness.

[Mr. Desmond]

This is precisely what I'm talking about. Shaft awareness.

I think it's the 125g steel shaft to which most ask, "Why?"

Unless you are a man of steel, there are plenty of inexpensive graphite shafts of 85g, you can add lead weight to a head, and counterbalance in the grip to add total weight and not suffer a significant distance loss yet have plenty of control.

[dbwood]

Just some food for thought:

Not sure how to post you tube links so if this doesn't work it's a Roy Nix clip called "Driver Fitting School - How weight is used in fitting".

[duotone]

Great video. Thx

[saevel25]

They can inasmuch as what I'll talk about now: I prefer heavier shafts too or my contact and clubface control starts to suffer from a lack of "head feel" or "shaft awareness" or whatever.

I agree. I had a Ping G10 for a while, with a light shaft. I couldn't feel that club at all. I got a very heavy driver shaft and put lead tape on that driver. I really like my Titleist driver (heavier golf head), and a heavy golf shaft.

I really do think most golfers should go with a heavier golf shaft. Its just easier feel and control in the swing.

[Bunkerblaster]

On 11/24/2013 at 4:01 AM, duotone said:

I understand. Here's an interesting thing.... I have a group of guys I ride and race mountain bikes with. A number of years ago I told them I was going to make my bikes into single speed mountain race bikes. They reacted just like you just did. After about six months of me kicking their butts they all followed along with their own single speed bikes. Then a year later I told them I was getting a fixed gear road bike. And this time they thought I was nuts! Six months later a few of them got their own fixies after watching my back side for far too long. I'm still riding my fixie and SS mountain bikes and doing so has made me a much more proficient rider. So, my goal with the is to make me a more proficient swinger of the golf club, not the longest, but to swing the club correctly. If I feel the need to, I can always switch shafts.

You must not ride trails with more than a 5% grade. A fixie would be very slow going down hill on a 10% slope at 35mph on the rocky trails in the west, unless you take your feet off of the pedals and then your man parts would be extremely upset.