What is your driver loft?

[Casualgolfer]

  On 7/21/2018 at 3:52 AM, 1badbadger said:

This is true.  I play a 12* driver, and it's not too much loft.  In the thousands of golf ball fittings I have done, I can count on one hand the number of players that launched the ball too high.  Almost everyone launches the ball too low and would benefit from a higher lofted driver.

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Unless you are like me lol. Even with a 5 degree driver I was launching the ball too high with high spin rates but that is a swing fault of mine. I am working on creating a positive angle of attack but still can hit moon balls even with my 4 degree driver. 

[jmanbooyaa]

TM 2017 M1 10.5 lofted up to 12.5. 

[iacas]

  On 7/19/2018 at 3:23 PM, billchao said:

If you're hitting off the center and it's launching low, you need more loft, but you knew that already since you were able to try a different driver 

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Or a better swing.

More loft will create more spin too.

[scotth]

  On 7/21/2018 at 11:38 AM, iacas said:

Or a better swing.

More loft will create more spin too.

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Maybe.  I'm never going to say I have a perfect or pro like swing, but feel pretty happy with it right now. 

Would like to think if it was a swing issue when I took the lesson mentioned earlier in the thread with the sole reason for the lesson to figure out if it was a driver issue or swing issue that the pro would have addressed any issues he saw in swing or setup.  

Not trying to be a smart a$$, but if it was a swing issue would drives suddenly be much better with a higher loft than my driver during lesson?  I really have no clue.  

I am sure there are better golf instructors than the person I am take lessons from, but not anywhere closer than 75 miles.  

Edited July 21, 2018 by scotth

[Piz]

@scotth How is the trajectory with the Orlimar 14?

[scotth]

  On 7/21/2018 at 1:34 PM, Piz said:

@scotth How is the trajectory with the Orlimar 14?

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Good.  Pretty much exactly what you want.  The pro mentioned if I could get my current driver do follow that trajectory I would be in great shape.  As it is, the 10 degree driver (which I built and has the same shaft as the Orlimar) at it's peak is probably 15 - 25 feet lower than the Orlimar.

I don't know what swing speed was last summer, didn't have any place to measure it, but I think it is slower.  Last summer was hitting this driver much better with a much better trajectory.

Edited July 21, 2018 by scotth

[billchao]

  On 7/21/2018 at 1:29 PM, scotth said:

Not trying to be a smart a$$, but if it was a swing issue would drives suddenly be much better with a higher loft than my driver during lesson?  I really have no clue.

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If your AoA isn't high enough, your launch angle with a lower lifted driver will be too low with less spin. Low launch and low spin is not a good combination for distance. Changing to a higher loft will immediately increase your launch angle and spin numbers assuming everything else equal.

I agree with improving the swing, but I assumed because you went to an instructor that you were getting regular instruction. I didn't realize you only went to get a driver evaluation.

[scotth]

  On 7/21/2018 at 1:44 PM, billchao said:

I agree with improving the swing, but I assumed because you went to an instructor that you were getting regular instruction. I didn't realize you only went to get a driver evaluation.

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I do get pretty regular instruction from him.  About 6 or 7 last season and 4 so far this season.

Last lesson all we worked on was the driver since it seems to be the biggest problem.  Last season launch angle was much higher and as a result drives were longer.  As I mentioned earlier had major back issues and didn't play for 15 years and know these days swing speed is much slower.  

Also pretty sure swing speed is slower this summer than last year and been working on increasing that overall and also more exercises to protect back to increase speed.

[1badbadger]

  On 7/21/2018 at 4:46 AM, Shindig said:

Do you attend a lot of golf ball fittings or are you someone who fits people for golf balls?

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I was an equipment tech with Bridgestone for almost 10 years, so I actually conducted golf ball fittings for players of all abilities.

[Lihu]

9 degrees. Tip shortened by an inch. Lower spinning and the straightest I’ve ever driven balls.

[1badbadger]

  On 7/21/2018 at 11:13 AM, Casualgolfer said:

Unless you are like me lol. Even with a 5 degree driver I was launching the ball too high with high spin rates but that is a swing fault of mine. I am working on creating a positive angle of attack but still can hit moon balls even with my 4 degree driver. 

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This is a common response that I hear quite a bit.  Even with a positive angle of attack, it's virtually impossible to launch the ball too high with a 4* or 5* driver.  Look at it this way...a player with a 100 mph swing speed should ideally launch the ball at about 13*.  There is about 1* on either side of that which is still considered acceptable, so we're looking at 12-14*.  That means the launch angle would need to be at least 15* before it would be considered to be too high.  That would require a 5* positive AoA with a 10* driver, which is a lot.  And it's hard to have that much of a positive attack angle and spin the ball too much.  I don't know what your actual swing speed is, but you see what I'm saying.  

But I do feel your assessment of high spin rates is correct.  What happens is excessive backspin causes the ball to balloon, so in an effort to lower the trajectory players start teeing the ball lower or using lower lofted drivers and hitting down on the ball which actually launches the ball even lower and creates more spin.  Check this out:

 I'm sure your trajectory looks more like the blue line.  Working on creating a positive AoA like you mentioned is a great way to lower your overall trajectory!

[Casualgolfer]

  On 7/21/2018 at 9:13 PM, 1badbadger said:

This is a common response that I hear quite a bit.  Even with a positive angle of attack, it's virtually impossible to launch the ball too high with a 4* or 5* driver.  Look at it this way...a player with a 100 mph swing speed should ideally launch the ball at about 13*.  There is about 1* on either side of that which is still considered acceptable, so we're looking at 12-14*.  That means the launch angle would need to be at least 15* before it would be considered to be too high.  That would require a 5* positive AoA with a 10* driver, which is a lot.  And it's hard to have that much of a positive attack angle and spin the ball too much.  I don't know what your actual swing speed is, but you see what I'm saying.  

But I do feel your assessment of high spin rates is correct.  What happens is excessive backspin causes the ball to balloon, so in an effort to lower the trajectory players start teeing the ball lower or using lower lofted drivers and hitting down on the ball which actually launches the ball even lower and creates more spin.  Check this out:

 I'm sure your trajectory looks more like the blue line.  Working on creating a positive AoA like you mentioned is a great way to lower your overall trajectory!

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Swing speeds a few weeks ago were upper 120's and low 130's. I was ballooning drives with my Titleist but I believe I have lowered spin tremendously with my lower lofted drivers. I have been working pretty hard on hitting more up on the ball and can hit the ball really high when I want to. Flights on my normal shots looked much like the red line there. Distance has increased a lot as well.

[DrMJG]

upper 80 ss, 10.5 on driver 14º on 3w which I often use off tees.

 

[Shindig]

  On 7/21/2018 at 8:35 PM, 1badbadger said:

I was an equipment tech with Bridgestone for almost 10 years, so I actually conducted golf ball fittings for players of all abilities.

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Awesome, I loved those.  I'll avoid getting further off-topic.

  On 7/21/2018 at 8:53 PM, Lihu said:

9 degrees. Tip shortened by an inch. Lower spinning and the straightest I’ve ever driven balls.

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How did you come to those specs?

[Lihu]

  On 7/22/2018 at 2:53 AM, Shindig said:

Awesome, I loved those.  I'll avoid getting further off-topic.

How did you come to those specs?

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My driver shaft split at the hosel again, the salesman told me clubs only have a 2 year life, I wasn’t going to spend $30 on shipping to Callaway and back so I had the tech cut the shaft at the tip and ended up with a 1” tip shortened driver that I previously butt shortened by 1.75” for $10. Went to the driving range and never hit straighter with my driver before. My longest drives with the full length were longer of course, but losing at most 20 yards gained me 10 yards average carry according to Mevo with range balls. That, and I could tell where they land. 😂

If you swing anywhere north of 100mph (actual swing speed), you’re better off tip cutting stock shafts. 👍 

Edited July 22, 2018 by Lihu

[Shindig]

  On 7/22/2018 at 2:24 PM, Lihu said:

My driver shaft split at the hosel again, the salesman told me clubs only have a 2 year life, I wasn’t going to spend $30 on shipping to Callaway so I had the tech cut the shaft at the tip and ended up with a 1” tip shortened driver that I previously butt shortened by 1.75”. Went to the driving range and never hit straighter with my driver before. My longest drives with the full length were longer of course, but losing at most 20 yards gained me 10 yards average carry according to Mevo with range balls. That, and I could tell where they land. 😂

If you swing anywhere north of 100mph (actual swing speed), you’re better off tip cutting your shafts. 👍 

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Thanks.  Clubs with a two year life, eh?  I think I have four clubs in my bag older than that, and I'd have a lot more if I hadn't gotten irons last year.  Hmm...

I don't swing north of 100 mph yet... but the SuperSpeed did come in, so maybe I will before too long.  

I'd ask to try your driver if I get to that speed but I am not optimistic I'd be able to hit it.

[Lihu]

  On 7/22/2018 at 2:27 PM, Shindig said:

Thanks.  Clubs with a two year life, eh?  I think I have four clubs in my bag older than that, and I'd have a lot more if I hadn't gotten irons last year.  Hmm...

I don't swing north of 100 mph yet... but the SuperSpeed did come in, so maybe I will before too long.  

I'd ask to try your driver if I get to that speed but I am not optimistic I'd be able to hit it.

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Unless you’re left handed, I’m not either 😂

But if you were fit at the store, and you find your drives to be too spinny, I would consider tip shortening them. It raises the kick point and stiffens the shaft a bit. Not as much as the sales people will say, but a little bit.

I just lucked out I guess, but I don’t really feel like fitting is quite all that magical.

Your Super Speed sticks and similar products will do a lot more for your driving than a new shaft or driver ever will. I expect kick back on this statement, but that’s what I’ve found anyway.

[Shindig]

  On 7/22/2018 at 2:34 PM, Lihu said:

But if you were fit at the store, and you find your drives to be too spinny, I would consider tip shortening them. It raises the kick point and stiffens the shaft a bit. Not as much as the sales people will say, but a little bit.

I just lucked out I guess, but I don’t really feel like fitting is quite all that magical.

Your Super Speed sticks and similar products will do a lot more for your driving than a new shaft or driver ever will. I expect kick back on this statement, but that’s what I’ve found anyway.

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I have no idea what too spinny would even be or how I'd notice.  But I'm generally happy with my driver... especially now that I've adjusted the SureFit, which brings us back to the thread topic.  It lowered the loft, but more importantly adjusted the bias of the club to avoid those far-left misses.