We've launched the new forums! Read more here

Driver length?

Girardcorp

Girardcorp

Well-known member
Joined
Oct 21, 2013
Messages
11,004
Reaction score
98
Location
Appleton,WI
Handicap
16.1
Real simply can anyone tell me why I can't hit a driver any further than my 3 wood? I hit the most amazing drives off the tee with my Cobra f6 3 wood set to 13.5. I end up about 235 with roll. If I pull the driver out and hit it perfect I get a few yards further. Today it was set to 10.5. I actually tried two different drivers and they were within feet of each other. The 3 wood 2 yards back.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
Probably a combination of a number of things including hitting the driver too low, not quite as good of contact (smash factor), etc
 
JB said:
Probably a combination of a number of things including hitting the driver too low, not quite as good of contact (smash factor), etc
Click to expand...
Sounds like I need some launch monitor time.
 
JB said:
Probably a combination of a number of things including hitting the driver too low, not quite as good of contact (smash factor), etc
Click to expand...

This ^^^^^

It's also the shorter 3 wood and total confidence you have in it. I used to have the same issue but rangled in my driver.
 
Girardcorp said:
Real simply can anyone tell me why I can't hit a driver any further than my 3 wood? I hit the most amazing drives off the tee with my Cobra f6 3 wood set to 13.5. I end up about 235 with roll. If I pull the driver out and hit it perfect I get a few yards further. Today it was set to 10.5. I actually tried two different drivers and they were within feet of each other. The 3 wood 2 yards back.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Click to expand...

How much longer is your driver than your 3 wood? I had my old K15 driver out today which I had shortened to 44" and was around the center of the face with a couple exceptions. I'm thinking about shortening my F6+ down to 44, maybe 43.5.

Try hitting driver choked down to where your 3w plays and see if your length improves.
 
I experienced the exact same problem last year before I made one simple change. The simple change I made was in how I was positioning my ball. I simply moved my ball more to the left than in the past, almost in front of my big toe on my left foot. What that has done for me is to give me more loft on my drives which has translated into longer distances with my driver.
 
Most people, including some Tour players, swing a 3 wood with a better rhythm and tempo than they do a driver.
 
DG_1234 said:
Most people, including some Tour players, swing a 3 wood with a better rhythm and tempo than they do a driver.
Click to expand...

Can you further explain this?
 
JohnSinVA said:
How much longer is your driver than your 3 wood? I had my old K15 driver out today which I had shortened to 44" and was around the center of the face with a couple exceptions. I'm thinking about shortening my F6+ down to 44, maybe 43.5.

Try hitting driver choked down to where your 3w plays and see if your length improves.
Click to expand...

Literally 2 yards further.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
blugold said:
I know a guy at a local course with a good range and a really good launch monitor.
Click to expand...

Haven't seen or heard from that guy in almost 4 months. I guess I need to initiate that conversation.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
JB said:
Can you further explain this?
Click to expand...

For most of us, addressing the ball with a driver brings to mind thoughts of "hit it hard" or "hit it long". This typically results in a swing tempo which is faster than the player has with his shorter length clubs. Consequently, quality of ball contact as well as accuracy suffers. And it's not just the driver. Throughout the bag, as the clubs get longer, from wedge to 7 iron to 4 iron to driver, most players begin to think more about achieving distance, and these thoughts may harm swing tempo.
About 20 years ago I was at the driving range watching the late , great, Payne Stewart work through his entire bag of clubs. He was the only one who actually maintained the same silky smooth swing tempo and rhythm from sand wedge all the way up to his driver. It didn't change, no matter which club he was swinging. And that is extremely rare. In fact, the other Tour players, his peers, stopped to watch him strike shots.
I remember Tiger's last British Open victory, which he won without swinging driver. That change in his bag set up helped his swing tempo (for every club within his bag) all week long.
The OP of this thread is somewhat unique in that he willing to forgo driver and play tee shots with his 3 wood. Consequently, he is comfortable with it and has come to recognize the distance it provides is good. Most amateur players , at just about every par 4 or par 5 tee box, grab the driver. This type player often claims that his driver is "more accurate than the 3 wood". I expect the reason is that he very rarely swings the 3 wood off tee boxes, and as such he is not comfortable doing so. I think that if a player gives 3 or 4 wood, or low lofted hybrid, or driving iron, a try off lots of par 4 and par 5 tee boxes, he will soon realize the distance is good and that swinging less than driver helps achieve his best swing tempo (for all the clubs within the bag).
 
Last edited:
Girardcorp said:
Haven't seen or heard from that guy in almost 4 months. I guess I need to initiate that conversation.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
I can send you his number. ;)
 
DG_1234 said:
For most of us, addressing the ball with a driver brings to mind thoughts of "hit it hard" or "hit it long". This typically results in a swing tempo which is faster than the players uses with his shorter length clubs. Consequently, quality of ball contact as well as accuracy suffers. And it's not just the driver. Throughout the bag, as the clubs get longer, from wedge to 7 iron to 4 iron to driver, most players begin to think more about achieving distance, and these thoughts may harm swing tempo.
About 20 years ago I was at the driving range watching the late , great, Payne Stewart work through his entire bag of clubs. He was the only one who actually maintained the same silky smooth swing tempo and rhythm from sand wedge all the way up to his driver. It didn't change, no matter which club he was swinging. And that is extremely rare. In fact, when he was on the range the other Tour players, his peers, stopped to watch him strike shots.
I remember Tiger's last British Open victory, which he won without swinging driver. That change in his bag set up helped his swing tempo (for every club within his bag) all week long.
The OP of this thread is somewhat unique in that he willing to forgo driver and play tee shots with his 3 wood. Consequently, he is comfortable with it and has come to recognize the distance it provides is good. Most amateur players , at just about every par 4 or par 5 tee box, grab the driver. This type player often claims that his driver is "more accurate than the 3 wood". I expect the reason is that he very rarely swings the 3 wood off tee boxes, and as such he is not comfortable doing so. I think that if a player gives 3 or 4 wood, or low lofted hybrid, or driving iron, a try off lots of par 4 and par 5 tee boxes, he will soon realize the distance is good and that swinging less than driver helps achieve his best swing tempo (for all the clubs within the bag).
Click to expand...

3 wood is accurate and "far". Driver had more dispersion and only marginal distance. At this point from the white tees I see no benefit to being 237 with driver vs 235 with 3 wood and right in the center. If i commit to a driver I need it to at least be farther and as consistent.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
I went out last night and played 9 and just tried to hit smoothly etc.. When taking a nice easy swing with the driver, i got exactly the same distance as my 3 wood. Ugh. Time for a lesson... Smash factor/efficiency is definitely at play here...
 
Girardcorp said:
I went out last night and played 9 and just tried to hit smoothly etc.. When taking a nice easy swing with the driver, i got exactly the same distance as my 3 wood. Ugh. Time for a lesson... Smash factor/efficiency is definitely at play here...
Click to expand...

Were you able to tell where on the face you were making contact?
 
Thought I needed 45+ inches in driver to get more distance. That only works if you consistently make good contact and other factors are optimal, including tempo/sequencing.

Getting more distance with consistency and launch at 44.25 inches.
 
Girardcorp said:
Real simply can anyone tell me why I can't hit a driver any further than my 3 wood? I hit the most amazing drives off the tee with my Cobra f6 3 wood set to 13.5. I end up about 235 with roll. If I pull the driver out and hit it perfect I get a few yards further. Today it was set to 10.5. I actually tried two different drivers and they were within feet of each other. The 3 wood 2 yards back.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Click to expand...

I was in the same boat - not really seeing the distance gains from my driver over a 3 wood, to the point where I have rarely pulled driver out of my bag in the last year. For me, I think part of this was confusing "smooth swing" with "effort". Sure, you need smooth swing mechanics to generate club head speed. But with a longer club, you also need to make sure your lower body is working harder than with shorter clubs. It's simple physics - need to counter balance those added forces that a longer club produces.

So in letting my lower body slack off by trying to "swing the same swing" as my other clubs, I was having issues not coming through the ball and getting too "armsy" with my swing, producing weak fades/slices. Now I'm back to the mindset of trying to crush the ball (while maintaining good swing dynamics from the ground up). I'm finally seeing some encouraging results - getting that extra 15 - 20 yards of carry over my 3 wood that I haven't seen in a while. My instructor has noticed the difference in my swing - that mostly I'm going at it harder (without rushing my transition) and the ball is going longer and straighter.

So my simplistic answer - you're not generating enough club head speed with your driver. Yeah, good contact is critical, but good contact with equal (or less) club head speed isn't going to get you the distance gains you want to see. Do what the driver is designed to do - rip it.
 
Last edited:
I've only watched you hit a handful of drives, but, from what I saw, JB nailed it with "too low". I believe you could easily pick up 20+ yards with a bit more launch.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-N920A using Tapatalk
 
I still think 45 is way too long for most of golfers. Even fairway woods. I recently cut my 3 wood to 42" from 43" and still goes far with more control. Shorter length will find more sweet spot IMO.
 
I think there is a right long club, for every golfer, and that club is not necessarily a driver. I use a 3 wood. I hit it 260-270 with an occasional bomb. That's plenty.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top