Pros and Cons of adjustable drivers

[9wood]

Adjustable drivers are being manufactured by a variety of companies these days and golfers are asking what are the pros and cons to these adjustable drivers. After doing a bit of research, it appears there are few if any cons other than the extra weight at the hosel. If there is any other con it is in the fact that the manufactures factory setting is usually the best setting for most golfers, there the need for an adjustable driver may possibly be unnecessary for the majority of golfers. As for myself, I own a Callaway Big Bertha adjustable driver and while I do like it pretty much, I do dislike the added weight at the hosel.

What's your opinion of adjustable drivers?

[Mr. Desmond]

Good topic.

I know Tom Wishon caused controversy when he, and this is from memory, stated that the adjustments do not actually add loft, etc. with some(?) adapters. It seems adapters work differently. Some adapters close or open the face angle to adjust height; others attempt to keep the face angle square. How they do it, I do not know.

At the same time, I have found the adjustments do make a difference in flight in evidence from a Trackman, and my instructor interpreting the results. On the range, I do see a difference in the flight window.

My recent experiment with the new Callaway GBB, and Callaway advising me what to do, tells me the adjustments can make a difference depending on your miss. I can miss on the toe with driver, and Callaway said (to paraphrase), "Okay, adjust the perimeter weighting (or other weighting with another driver), so the weight is towards the toe (fade position). That will expand the sweetspot in that direction."

It worked. Instead of extreme right to left on what I imagine are toe hits, since I can't feel them any more because the weight is towards the toe, I get a gentle draw. Center hits tend to go straight... that is when I'm playing or practicing outside on a weekly basis.

I have also found, interestingly, when I have a counterweight in the grip, I get a higher flight. I take them in and out, and it's the darndest thing. I can't explain it, although someone else is welcome to take a shot at it.

Thanks.

[saevel25]

I like them. I recommend you figure out your preferred setting and leave it there. 

[jamo]

I don't really think there are any cons.

[mvmac]

After doing a bit of research, it appears there are few if any cons other than the extra weight at the hosel.

OEM's have actually done a pretty job at minimizing the weight the past couple years (at least in PING and Callaway's case).

The only con that comes to mind is that they're typically more expensive than non-adjustable driver.

[DrvFrShow]

Adjusting the loft seems to work pretty well, and the sliding weight on the back of the club seems to work well, too. Also the ability to move weights from heel to toe and from toe to heel seem to work well. I think these work well for fine tuning a club when the player uses a neutral face.

My question about the draw or fade settings is this: if one already uses a strong grip with a driver like they do with every other club, what is the point of having a preset draw club face? If one aligns that club face square to target and uses their same grip would it make any difference at all?

[SavvySwede]

Adjusting the loft seems to work pretty well, and the sliding weight on the back of the club seems to work well, too. Also the ability to move weights from heel to toe and from toe to heel seem to work well. I think these work well for fine tuning a club when the player uses a neutral face.

My question about the draw or fade settings is this: if one already uses a strong grip with a driver like they do with every other club, what is the point of having a preset draw club face? If one aligns that club face square to target and uses their same grip would it make any difference at all?

I believe the lie angle would be slightly different. That's why moveable weights are much better feature in my opinion, you can actually feel some difference.

[Jackal66]

I usually keep my adjustable clubs close to the stock setting.

 

What appeals to me is the quick shaft change.  Usually someone, or a shop will have a shaft and offer to let me hit in in my club to see how I like it.  Sometimes, I will try as many as 6 or 7 different shafts before settling on the best one for me.

 

Jack

[Baog]

Good topic.

I know Tom Wishon caused controversy when he, and this is from memory, stated that the adjustments do not actually add loft, etc. with some(?) adapters.

The gist of Wishon's comments are that if you sole your driver at address, you are only adjusting the face angle, not the loft (N.B., this does change the effective loft). If you hover your driver, aligning the face with your target, then you can adjust loft but not face angle. You can't change both independent of each other with an adjustable hosel.

I think it has the potential to be useful under either style of address because both loft and face angle are important factors in ball flight.

[boogielicious]

I like adjustments. You get to optimize your launch conditions.

[alleztom]

I like the idea, as well, that shops can stock less inventory and tweak the driver for the player, rather than having all the different combinations of heads, or worse not have these combinations.

[ghalfaire]

I guess I am sort of neutral on the subject, but don't own an adjustable driver.  I would suppose most find the settings that suit them and then don't change it.  The one con I know is it does increase the cost of the driver and certainly makes it more complex (meaning reliability is decreased albeit maybe not any significant amount). I am sure for some the advantages like being able to quickly change shafts and etc. are worth the cost increase.  I suppose  it might make the driver easier to resell as was pointed out to me on a similar thread a few years back.  

[inthehole]

I like basic fade, neutral, draw adjustments ... NOT the crazy amount of adjustments on the current generation of drivers.   My swing is so variable, I was drawing it too much earlier in the year, so had to set it neutral.  Worked great for a few months.    Then during the last half of the year, I was consistently fading it too much, so I'm back to draw biased setting now.  

I like to set the driver so I have a TWO WAY miss ... meaning the ball has an equal chance of going slightly right or left.  I like hitting it straight, not consistently fading or drawing.    Having adjustability is a tremendous asset for us weekend hackers with crappy non-repeatable swings ...

[saevel25]

Here is a good explanation on at least Titleist's Surefit hosel. 

"If you change the setting to A4 (as a RH), you mechanically add 1.5° of loft to the driver.  If you sole the driver, the face can close because of the ground contact point.  Most players will then take the face and square it, and by squaring it, adding the 1.5° loft.  If you change the setting and do not square the face, you will hit the club with a closed face angle and the ball will go left."

If I had to rank the most influential aspects of adjustable drivers. 

1. Weight Adjustment
2. Loft
3. Lie Angle

Shifting weight can seriously impact ball flight through gear effect. You can take a lot of curve off the ball if you shift the weight to the heel or toe depending on your shot shape. 

1-2 degrees of loft can take up to 500 rpm's of spin off the driver. Given high launch, low spin is the optimal choice. 

Lie angle minimal effect on the driver because of it's dynamic loft at impact. Less loft means less effect by lie angle changes. You always see irons being able to be changed for lie angle. PING has a huge system dedicated to it. Yet they don't have it for their driver. If PING doesn't fit you for lie angle for your driver then it's not overly important. 

 

[vangator]

My next driver purchase will be an adjustable driver.  My wife just gave me the go ahead to buy one!  I really need to grow a pair.

I have a Ping K15 which is set up to help eliminate a slice.  It promote a draw by adding weight to the heel and closing the face angle.  I couldn't pass up the price (new at $70 clearance at Dick's).  I thought I could compensate.  It is just too tough.  I can't break the habit of soling the driver.  I can't consistently hover the club with all the other things to think about.  I will now give it to my son-in-law who does slice the ball.  If it were an adjustable driver, I could tweak it until I could have confidence in hitting it.

Plus, I think I want an adjustment that will open or close the face.  Sliding weights would probably work as well.  I've never had a problem with the loft.  I play a 9.5* and like the trajectory.  But having that adjustment could open my eyes to a better ball flight.  A higher loft is generally a straighter ball flight and more carry.  It would be nice to be able to tweak that as well.

[DaveP043]

I think a big part of the push towards adjustable drivers (along with fairway woods and hybrids) is marketing.  Many many of us believe we can solve our problems with equipment changes, and we hear lots and lots about custom fitting for the pros, and its all filtering down to the mass market for golfers.  I do believe it can help to be properly fit, and if you can work through your adjustments with a competent professional, I think you'll be better off.  That said, I now own adjustable driver, and have not touched the adjustments for a long time.   One significant advantage that I see is the potential to try a number of different shafts without replacing the entire club.  For tinkerers, that can produce substantial cost savings.   

[rkim291968]

I now have 3 different driver shafts.  Sure beats buying 3 drivers for shaft experiments.  

[spusa]

I just bought a Callaway X2 Hot driver and have this question:

Is there a need to test the adjusting screw before every use to make sure it's stayed tight, or is that a non-issue?

Thanks!