Help ... took 1.5 inches off my driver.

[Dave]

Howdy folks,

I'm coming off a 2 year lay off from the game and cut 1.5 inches of my driver (taking it from 45.5" to 44") in an effort to gain some more control from the tee.

Here's the problem, 3 or 4 drives a round now will slam way right (I'm right handed). I'm not a slicer of the ball and I wonder if I changed the swing weight on the club so much it's causing this problem. Should I add lead tape to bring the swing weight back up? If so, how much and where should I add it?

Thanks for your help.

[powerfade]

Howdy folks,

Just take it in for a regrip and have them add the 1.5" back on. They add it to the butt end so you'll never know.

[TitleistPosterBoy]

^^^^i agree

Although you are a 20 hdcp some im guessing it could just be in your swing. I know when I had a hdcp around 20 id hit some bad shots from time to time. Who knows. Thats why we love this game

[indacup]

Howdy folks,

You did good by recognizing added club length reduces consistency.

For 95% of male golfers, 45.5" is too long....Tom Wishon who holds more golf patents than any man on the planet advises all club makers to be stingy in allowing any customer over 44" in total length. Therefore, the problem most likely isn't so much the fact that you cut the club down, but how you are (or not) compensating for the length and weight change. Normally, I've found the readjustment hurdles being either swinging too fast due to weight change or coming out of the swing too soon.... Before you make any dramatic changes, pu some masking tape on the face of the driver, hit a few balls and look and see where the impact marks are...I'm willing to bet you'll find them towards the lower toe portion of the face.

[Everardo]

I'm not a slicer of the ball and I wonder if I changed the swing weight on the club so much it's causing this problem.

Could definately be a problem, however not seeing your swing I can't make a fair evaluation...it could be the arrow or the archer

Should I add lead tape to bring the swing weight back up? If so, how much and where should I add it?

Let's assume a few things.

• Driver head weight 200g
• Shaft weight (raw) 65g
• Shaft balance point mid
• Grip weight 55g.

Your swingweight at 45.5" would roughly be D4 now by cutting the club down to 44" you have made the swing weight C7 . So you would have to add about 12g to the head However I recommend you see a quality fitter in your area and then a swing coach to help you get back into the game. Just my 2 cents.

[Dave]

Appreciate the replies. I'm listing myself as a 20 hdcp but I only have a handful of rounds under my belt so far (I used to play to a 10 hdcp). Parred my first 3 holes yesterday, but a couple of bad drives and a couple of "snowmen" later make it hard to salvage a decent round.

The driver in question is a Adams Redline 10.5 degree, stiff. It does feel quite a bit lighter now and I'd guess it makes me want to swing it faster. "Shanking" your driver a few times a round sure doesn't help your game much.

[indacup]

Could definately be a problem, however not seeing your swing I can't make a fair evaluation...it could be the arrow or the archer

These numbers are wrong.

There is no driver head in production that weighs 250 gms......the average weight is 198-204. So let's say his driver hear is 200 gms, his total swing weight was closer to D5.1...and chopping it off down to 44" would bring it down to a swingweight close to C8.2.But swingweight differences in my opinion are over-rated..static swingweight means more....and this differential is not as dramatic to his senses as the difference in length. Which is why I suggested he take more swings and identify where the impact is being made.

[Everardo]

HA! That's what I get for replying at 1am half asleep. Yes sw would be about D4 and C7. Oy veh