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Driver length?

SuperStroke
I cut my driver in my second set in Little Rock (2009 Nike Str8fit DYMO 10.5*) from stock 46.5 to 44 last month. Played 65 holes or so since. Probably teed off with it 20 times or so (more than I would normally because I am curious) plus probably hit 100+ balls on the range with it.

The guy who cut it used to work on the senior tour as an Adams tech and before played some on the Champions tour (he's 72). After the cut, he adjusted the swingweight with hot melt and he put it low and in the center of the head.

I am absolutely loving this driver. My swing thought is take it back smooth and long and really load the wrists and then swing and release the lag at the ball. This length is making it really easy to do and I am bombing it. 250+ carry. And STRAIGHT. My FIRs are up from about 35% to about 60%. and I am finding I can actually work the ball for the first time. The other day I teed it high, tilted my shoulder for a high launch and hit 260 yards over a 100' tree into the middle of the fairway on a par 5.

It may not be for everyone but if you hit a good 3W and struggle with the driver (that was me), cutting the shaft and getting the swingweight right is definitely something I would recommend experimenting with.
 
Food for thought:

http://www.golfdigest.com/golf-equipment/2007-10/golftechdriver

You can find articles supporting both ideas (to cut or not), but this is a test of golfers of varying skill between their driver and 3 wood and the results were that most were not better off or more accurate off the tee with the 3 wood.

Perhaps cutting down a driver gives you the best of both worlds though (more control from the shorter shaft with a bigger, more forgiving head).
 
-CRW- said:
Food for thought:

http://www.golfdigest.com/golf-equipment/2007-10/golftechdriver

You can find articles supporting both ideas (to cut or not), but this is a test of golfers of varying skill between their driver and 3 wood and the results were that most were not better off or more accurate off the tee with the 3 wood.

Perhaps cutting down a driver gives you the best of both worlds though (more control from the shorter shaft with a bigger, more forgiving head).
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If one is wild with the 3W, teeing off with it is not going to be a help relative to a wild driver. If you are wild with the driver but hit the 3W accurately, then teeing off with 3W would be smart. In fact, for scoring, the smartest thing is to tee off with a club that one can reliably get into the fairway.

But most of us tend to think not of our average shot but our best shot when teeing off. I'm not entirely knocking that - having a positive perspective is important - but if the club you hit has you deep in the trees a lot of the time, it might be time to re-think the strategy. As Einstein said "Insanity: trying the same thing over and over again expecting a different outcome."

For me, the thing I tried was cutting down my driver from 45.5 to 44 and it has been a revelation and a game changer. I am both longer and more accurate. I can really load a lot of lag on the 44 that I never could control and get square with a 45.5. I was hitting my driver on the range today and I had a SEG on my face. I was hitting it LONG and at things. I was hitting draws and fades when I wanted. When I teed it on # 1 which was a 370 yard par 4, hit it STRAIGHT down the fairway into territory I had rarely experienced. When I lasered the pin from the ball I had 65 yards to the pin. That happened all day.

For me, I tend to use lag to generate clubhead speed and distance. The 44" driver lets me do that. My wrists aren't strong enough to do that with a 45.5" driver. A co-worked was watching me hit drives last week after work and he told me that every time I really cocked my wrists and loaded them, the ball just went a mile. When I got tentative and didn't, I lost distance.

In the article, they start by quoting Christina Kim (she's ranked 52nd in the world). I wonder how long her driver is?
 
I figured it would be fun just to try a crazy short driver shaft just to see so I'm going to just swap my Bertha 3w shaft into my alpha and see what happens lol. At 33" it's going to feel ridiculously short i bet haha
 
I went the other way from 45.5 to 46 and love it, I was a bit concerned but it just feels great as it is. I gained some distance but doubt the .50" had anything to do with it.
 
I'm thinking of adding length to my driver, around 2"
 
Just measured my driver and it's 46" from grip end to furthest bottom part of driver head. I thought it was already cut down to like 45" but I was obviously wrong.

Thinking I will chop off 1.5" today to get it playing at 44.5" with the opportunity to go shorter if needed.
 
Driving the best I've ever been these couple of weeks because the shaft is cut down and now plays just below 44". Center cut beats slight more distance.
 
46" and I will never play shorter again.
 
Plin said:
Driving the best I've ever been these couple of weeks because the shaft is cut down and now plays just below 44". Center cut beats slight more distance.
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Is shaft just below 44" from butt to adapter end or measured from butt to club head bottom?
 
Dr RosenRosen said:
As someone that is shorter than you (I'm 5' 9" on good days...:D), I am really contemplating cutting down my driver to 44". How does cutting a driver affect swingweight?
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It changed it of course, but it was ordered custom at that length, so it was correct, I'd guess through hot melt. I did a little lead tape to the heel (as I also have) just to help square that big head a little more. Just three small pieces so not a lot. My fitting was very extensive this time around, with a Callaway fitter, so we did every single club.
 
#Cookie said:
Just measured my driver and it's 46" from grip end to furthest bottom part of driver head. I thought it was already cut down to like 45" but I was obviously wrong.

Thinking I will chop off 1.5" today to get it playing at 44.5" with the opportunity to go shorter if needed.
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Have you tried choking up 1.5" first and testing that out? Maybe put a piece of tape on the grip to remind you? Or, does the extra 1.5" effect swing weight?
 
staticline said:
Have you tried choking up 1.5" first and testing that out? Maybe put a piece of tape on the grip to remind you? Or, does the extra 1.5" effect swing weight?
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I have choked down with success but part of the issue for me is simply not remembering to do that consistently. I really am missing all across the face right now so hopeful that shortening will help me find the center a bit more often.
 
#Cookie said:
I have choked down with success but part of the issue for me is simply not remembering to do that consistently. I really am missing all across the face right now so hopeful that shortening will help me find the center a bit more often.
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There is no doubt shorter has me hitting the center of the face a lot more often. I hit 100% of the fairways last round when using driver and I have never done that in my life. My fitter talk to me a lot about the reason the OEM(s) are selling off the rack at the lengths they are now and the fact being it is too long for a huge percentage of people. Made a big difference to be 42 inches on my 3 wood as well.
 
I've shortened my new driver to 44.75 yesterday. I'd already cut my old one to 44 a couple of weeks ago, which I really liked, but I gave the new one a try at 46. Didn't work out, as the tee shots have been awful so far.
 
#Cookie said:
Is shaft just below 44" from butt to adapter end or measured from butt to club head bottom?
Click to expand...
The total shaft and head is measured out to be below 44" I have done this incrementally till I've found the sweet spot so to speak. My miss was consistently on the heel, the shorter shaft really changed the game for me. All the reps at the demo days were surprised, but really I don't care what is the " optimum" length, this is the best driving I've had and I'm sticking with it. Choking down doesn't help with the swing weight and consistent length, cutting to your length ultimately is the way to go.
 
I have a Nike VRS Tour 2.0 I cut it down 1.5 inches (not sure what the measurement was before.....I believe it's 45.5 or 45.75). I played with it in my 9 hole league yesterday. I hit 5 out of 7 fairway!!! That is unheard of for me. I normally spray the ball right or pull it left. I feel like I have more control and confidence with the club. I'm 6'2" and my wrist to floor is 37.5 At first it felt really weird. For anyone that is on the fence with doing this I would highly recommend it.
 
I have the Callaway 815 alpha in a motore speeder 665 sriff shaft. I was playing it stock and had a bad miss hugh right which was a result of coming over the top

I then proceeded to try out the Black Tie In stiff and hit it better but still was coming over the top

I proceeded to cut the motore speeder 665 down to 44.5" and I hit 10/12 fairways...unheard of for me - great launch and very little dispersion very very happy with the driver now!

Tap it in.....
 
Jman said:
46" and I will never play shorter again.
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Strange as it may sound, I added length to my XR driver, back to the 46" standard and I gained yards and have been hitting it great. Just goes to show trying different lengths is a good thing, even though this goes against my fitting numbers.
 
Sometimes it's more about swing weight and shaft of choice than it's strictly length.

If it works, run with it
 
Trevor68 said:
Other than the fact that it is the stock lengh, why not go 47' or 48'?


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BC I'm not a Long Drive guy, or Bulldog. :alien:
 
HoosierGolfer said:
Strange as it may sound, I added length to my XR driver, back to the 46" standard and I gained yards and have been hitting it great. Just goes to show trying different lengths is a good thing, even though this goes against my fitting numbers.
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I agree abouy trying differnt things. I don't believe in following manufacturers guidelines. According to Ping I should be + .5 inches on.my irons. I added 2 inches to every iron in my bag and am hitting them great.

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45.75" is working very well at the moment, but I am pondering going a bit longer.
 
As I'm thinking about this, could the shorter drivers have lower swingweights? Effectively backweighting the club. Could the people finding success with shorter drivers also find that success with a 45-1/2" and a D0 or C9 swingweight?
 
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