Senior survey on driver loft

[ThumbtackR9]

Just wondering what different degree loft drivers some of the seniors on here are using and what shaft.  Senior shaft or regular or stiff.  For now I am going to bite the bullet and have a driver made.  I lost count but I think I have 8 different drivers from over the years.  They go from 9.5 to 13.5 in loft.  I bought a Callaway X2 hot off ebay because it had been shortened.   I like the way the shorter club feels but the swing weight is way ( 16 or points off) off.  Too light.  I came home and put some lead tape on the head but I think I am just going ahead a get a new driver made.  Don't know exactly what I want.  I may ask the fitter if he can reshaft my X2.  It is a 10.5 but I can go to a 9.5 ,  11.5 and 12.5.  I like the looks of the head also so maybe I can use it.  I just don't want a really long shaft.  RIght now I think he measured it at 43 1/8.  I would like to not go more than 44"  I have always heard the older we get the more loft we need.  I have an old Taylor Made Burner 9.5 draw with a Taylor Made stiff shaft I bought at Academy years ago and it seems I can hit it about as well as anything else I have.  Just wondering if anyone has any information on their clubs.  I am 70 with a half bad left shoulder.  I know my swing speed with a driver can't be more than 75 or 80 and wouldn't surprise me if it is less.  Any suggestions appreciated.  Thanks

[DaveP043]

I'm 61 and still playing reasonably well.  I'm playing a Titleist 910 with a Diamana Kai'li Stiff shaft.  The base loft on the driver is 9.5, and I've adjusted it up 1.5, so t should be right at 11.  I don't imagine that my experience is that much help to your situation, I suggest you just trust the club fitter.

[WUTiger]

I have a Callaway XR16 Pro, 10.5*, set to open face. The shaft is Fujikura Speeder Evolution II TS 665 Graphite - R.flex - 63 grams... Low-mid torque, midkick.

When I got fitted, turns out I was closing down the face on followthrough with higher torque shafts. So, I have an R-flex, slightly heavier tour spec shaft.

This has really straightened out my tee shots. The fitter said if can be a bit less handsy, I could reset the clubhead from open to square.

I used this set-up when I won the prize for long drive in last fall's club championship. (Didn't win anything else, though.)

I've used pro or tour driver heads with slightly heavier R.flex shafts in the past, but I've struggled with pro or tour heads in fairway woods. The 815 Alpha FWs fall on the line between pro and standard, and the high-launch head weighting has made them a go for me.

[Hacker James]

Fitter.....period!   That being said, I also have learned that conventional wisdom is an oxymoron as far as the notion that seniors need higher lofts. While many do, many do not. As for adjustable drivers, there is really no such thing as an adjustable loft but merely the lie and face angles are adjusted to present an optic that equates to what a loft change would do. The same can be accomplished with how you hold the club. It is counter intuitive in these clubs that a closed face equates to a higher dynamic loft.  After experimenting with my adjustable driver from Tour Edge, I have found the standard setting of 9.5 works best. The club is actually cut to a 9.5 degree loft, but the loft and lie angles allow stated adjustments from 8.5 to 12 degrees with a couple in between denoted as Upright. 

Edited July 29, 2017 by Hacker James

[David in FL]

30 minutes ago, DaveP043 said:

I'm 61 and still playing reasonably well.  I'm playing a Titleist 910 with a Diamana Kai'li Stiff shaft.  The base loft on the driver is 9.5, and I've adjusted it up 1.5, so t should be right at 11.  I don't imagine that my experience is that much help to your situation, I suggest you just trust the club fitter.

I'm 59 and play this exact driver/shaft but leave it at 9.5*.

[chilepepper]

60, playing a Nike covert 2 ,reg kurokage shaft , set at 9.5 neutral. 

[RandallT]

Simple poll added.

[WUTiger]

Posted my stuff earlier, but didn't mention age which is 66.

[ThumbtackR9]

Thanks for all the comments.  We only have one fitter here where I live.  He owns his own golf shop and has been in business for 17 years.  He seems to be knowledgeable from what I have talked to him.  

I watched a couple of videos on you tube by Tom Wishon.  I understood a little of it.  He had one on about the adjustable loft and it sounds alot like what Hacker James said in this post so when I get fitted I am not going with that.  I don't have tons of money to spend on a driver and I am not sure how to go about buying one and getting fitted.  I think I will go ahead and do a bag fitting for everything except the putter.  I guess on the driver he will tell me what loft, lie  shaft, type grip and so forth.  I should have the option of what head and shaft I want to buy and what grip I like and I guess he will put it together.  I am going to try and go one day next week.   I just wonder with me being a high handicapper will I really be able to tell a difference in my drives with a fitted driver.  I'll keep everyone updated.  

[arturo28mx]

I use regular shaft. 60 years old, 5'9", average build.

 

[ThumbtackR9]

Yeah I'm 5'8" regular build.  Weigh 170 myself.  Be 71 next month.

[ThumbtackR9]

What are some of yall's swing speeds?  I am going next week for a fitting.  Looks like most of you that listed your clubs use a 9.5 or 10.5 degree driver.   I am curious what the swing monitor will say what I should use.  I'll post my information after I get it done.

[DaveP043]

Its been years since i was on a monitor, but I remember my driver speed being in the low 90s. From other correlations, that seems reasonable for my normal carry of 230 to 240 yards.

[David in FL]

10 minutes ago, DaveP043 said:

Its been years since i was on a monitor, but I remember my driver speed being in the low 90s. From other correlations, that seems reasonable for my normal carry of 230 to 240 yards.

Last time I was on a monitor, a couple of years ago, I was right at 95.  I carry 225-230ish....

[ThumbtackR9]

I am going to make an appointment to get on the monitor.  Hope I am not wasting my money.  The guy said he would do a full bag fitting for 100.00 which isn't bad I don't think.  What I really want to know what driver specs I should be hitting and firons also but mainly the driver.  I do fairly well the the irons just my driver killing me.  I don't necessarily want a brand new driver and would be satisfied if he could use one of my driver heads and maybe change the shaft or if he has a used driver he could fix me up with.  I just can't pay 500.00  or 600.00 or more for a driver right now.  I'll just have to do the fitting and go from there but like I said it is mainly the driver I am concerned about.  I feel almost positive I will fall in the senior shaft bracket.  I just can imagine me swinging more than 75 or 80 with a driver.  I'll just have to wait and see.