What are the pros/cons of a lighter feeling driver?

Scoots McGee

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I'm not very experienced with different golf equipment, but I absolutely love the feel of my current R7 CGB Max driver. It feels so much lighter that most other drivers that I have swung(regular R7, Nike SUMO, R11, and a few others).

So my questions are, 1) s it actually THAT much lighter than all the others I've tried, or is it just in my head, and 2) If it is lighter, are there any pros/cons to that?
 
Some faster swinging players may feel like they need to slow the swing down to hit a lighter diver. I do love the knew Cleveland Superlites though, but I'd get a heavy shaft with it.
 
Lighter driver makes me feel as though I don't have to swing as hard, however, it is really easy to get the club off line
 
Tried the superfast 2.0...super light and actually super fast, but not sure if i gained any distance. I almost feel like swinging a heavier club puts a little more muscle behind the ball.
 
It's important to get the right shaft head combo which keeps the club in balance. The new lighter weight Cleveland drivers offer you three different models which are different in their own right. It's best to demo if possible and if not, make sure you listen to the link below which has tons of good info to help you make an educated decision.
THP Radio – Club Fitting
 
I think with a lighter driver I'd do a lot of twisting of the club on the downswing. Swing would probably get out of sync because it feels like your not swinging anything.
 
I think with a lighter driver I'd do a lot of twisting of the club on the downswing. Swing would probably get out of sync because it feels like your not swinging anything.

I thought so too for a long time. My swing speed has actually crept up higher than a year ago. It's due to some technique changes this past week and three months of hard gym work. Dent if I were you, I would try one of the newer Cleveland drivers. They have the C Kua Miyazaki top end shafts which makes all the difference in the world!
 
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I thought so too for a long time. My swing speed has actually crept up higher than a year ago. It's due to some technique changes this past week and three months of hard gym work. Dent if I were you, I would try one of the newer Cleveland drivers. They have the C Kua Miyazaki top end shafts which makes all the difference in the world!

Are they reccomended even with 100+ swing speeds Gray?
 
Thanks for the info, and I will be sure to check out that link Ole. Seems like it might just be down to personal preference?
 
If the purpose is to play better golf, then changing to a lighter driver isn't going to cut it. Last year, I made a conscious decision to change my bag composition to all "light". I have been playing a stiff project riffle shaft for the past 10 years and felt I am loosing distance due to my age and recent shoulder operation. And I was a decent 12 before the change.

Well, I do believe you need a consistent swing weight in the bag, so I went all out and changed my Titleist 909D driver and 909F 3W to Matrix Ozik 5 as 4 was not available at the time. Three hybrids with Fujikura FIT-ON MAX and my Mizuno MX300 4-P (not risking my MP-30 with rifle) to NIPPON NS 750+SensiCore as I broke a few True Temper GS 75s; I did not change the two wedge shafts as they need the weight in the short game that require finesse and didn't change the putter (I'm not that crazy). Later in the season, I further changed the Driver to the TaylorMade SuperTri with the Matrix Ozik shaft that was used on the Superfast model.

The results from the changes was amazing. But, not without a few adjustments.

With lighter shaft, you tend to swing faster, therefore, you have to adjust the timing to synchronize with the body turns ad release. But, this is an easy adjustment compares to the others.

With lighter shaft, I found that I tend to swing the club out from my normal path, this took a while to adjust as swing has to be a more flatter as I have found out with such dramatic weight reduction in the clubs.

The club heads are now much easier to feel during the swing and the tendencies is to be a bit more aggressive in the swing, thus, the tempo changed a bit, which cause some accuracy in the beginning. Tempo is not easy to master but, not impossible with more range time and collect statistics during the round to identify the true effect.

Longer clubs have more impact than the shorter clubs, after weight change.

Swing confidence increased as a result of a bit more aggressive tempo and easier to put the club on plane. Since in the older heavier clubs, if you are off plane in the back swing, you are done. The lighter club actually allow some forgiveness coming down with the better feel of the head position and easier to "manipulate/correct", not recommended, but, if you must put the club face square on impact, I found that it is "easier" or more "confident" to do so.

Once I got used to the lighter clubs, I got a bit greedier... However, it was after 6 months and averaging 3 rounds a week.

I now use a 46 inch driver, a SuperTri with Matrix Ozik and I am bombing the drive down the fairway passing my last years average about 10-20 years. And my iron 5-7 yard longer and dispersion is much less and I feel more solid hit.

But, I started to see more draw tenancy in my shots. Not by design. I think it is all cause by increasing the club speed by about 3-5 mph, on a warm day, maybe 5-9 mph.

I actually has more eagle chances using long irons as second shots where I was not able to in the past. It was hard to be aggressive with my old regular MP-30 with rifle. I feel I can have a more "control" shots.

The release is of course much better, as a result less dispersion and more accuracy, thus, increase confidence; hence swing tempo a bit quicker and faster club speed.

The challenge was the first 3 months as I had no idea what impact and swing changes to expect, it was difficult because now the whole bag are consist of light clubs, by design. I did not allow myself to have a chance to have a backup club with 100% total commitment. I have to admit, it was a struggle, for a long time. Some of my playing partners doesn't bear to watch me playing the new clubs with some disastrous results. But, I keep telling them and myself that they are just transition and interim results which will improve very soon.

The weight changes did affect my precious short game for a while as my 52/60 and some times 52/64 wedges weights did not change, much to my surprise that the short games was affect without changing my wedges and putter. But, I did figure out the essence of subtle differences in tempo and acceleration and practice more than enough to ensure confidence for on course play. Now the short game also improve due to more aggressive tempo compares to the old. More confidence I guess.

I was a solid 12 and at one time I drop to 18 and now I am back to 12 and I can fell I am getting better (more confident). It took 12 months.

I recently went to a swing analysis session and the computer tells me I need a True Temper DG extra STIFF shaft for my irions which weights in at 132+ gram per shaft. But, when they gave me such club, the computer tells me now I need a True Temper XP stiff. Which means the club speed actually decreased when I use the computer recommended weight club. If you ask me, does fitting work? I will tell you "NO".

My conclusion is that, you cannot just choose a lighter driver and expect a big change for your game.

I still believe you need to be fitted, but, now you actually can choose total weight and make sure you get fitted for "light weight" shaft through out the bag. And like switching ski to snow board, if you are not committed to the concept and give it time, it will not be successful. Because, some (4) of my friends decided to give the light clubs a try and in less than 10 rounds, they all went back to the old clubs with the exception of one that follow through the changes like me and now he is bombing 5-20 yards more than his old clubs with other benefit. Which is, we actually have less back and finger pains. This is hard to prove scientifically, but, we both swear we felt much better on the second day compares to before post round.

Hope this helps!

tiger168
 
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