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Driver woes, fixed! I think ...

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stylo

stylo

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I find it hard to understand that I need to choke down on my Adams Speedline F11 about 1.5-2 inches to get optimum results (distance and aim). This has a super long 45.875" shaft length...

I did a search and found on this forum and other golf forums too that the standard lengths of drivers are wayyyy tooo long nowadays .... sure the extra length adds extra distance .. that's if you connect and that's a big IF.

I've always choked down on my hybrid and fairway wood but never considered choking down on the driver ... why ? I guess I expected 300 yard bombs off the tee (I hit nowhere near that, I am exaggerating) because the driver had that extra long shaft - long shaft means further drives right ?!

I am 5'10" and it seems that I have slightly longer than average arms so choking down with my woods was just common sense - just wish I thought of doing it earlier with my driver.

For anyone that may be having issues with their driver but none of their other clubs, I suggest choking down to see if this works for you. I tried everything ... did all the one legged drills, the half swing drills ... my balls are finally going straighter and further now with some consistency with my new choked down grip.

At least for now, my driver woes are fixed. I think.
 
Good to hear! Its usually the simple things that make a big difference.
 
Good advice. I actually hit longer drives when I choke down since I make better contact.
 
I find that i have lost some distance on those shots that hit flush but there just isn't the consistency as when choking down.

granted a pro would be able to hit any length shaft but for hackers like me, geez ... they should have the following driver shaft options:

Long shaft - for hard to hit drives but occasional long bombs (25 yards further than last year's model)
Shorter shaft - for those hackers who actually want to improve their game and hit consistent straight shots
 
stylo said:
I find it hard to understand that I need to choke down on my Adams Speedline F11 about 1.5-2 inches to get optimum results (distance and aim). This has a super long 45.875" shaft length...

I did a search and found on this forum and other golf forums too that the standard lengths of drivers are wayyyy tooo long nowadays .... sure the extra length adds extra distance .. that's if you connect and that's a big IF.

I've always choked down on my hybrid and fairway wood but never considered choking down on the driver ... why ? I guess I expected 300 yard bombs off the tee (I hit nowhere near that, I am exaggerating) because the driver had that extra long shaft - long shaft means further drives right ?!

I am 5'10" and it seems that I have slightly longer than average arms so choking down with my woods was just common sense - just wish I thought of doing it earlier with my driver.

For anyone that may be having issues with their driver but none of their other clubs, I suggest choking down to see if this works for you. I tried everything ... did all the one legged drills, the half swing drills ... my balls are finally going straighter and further now with some consistency with my new choked down grip.

At least for now, my driver woes are fixed. I think.
Click to expand...

This works on multiple clubs for different reasons but I would much rather have my shaft butt trimmed to play to the length I am chocking down at vs choking down for one simple reason and that is the grip is shaped smaller to a larger diameter at the top and that could affect some things or feel even vs having a 45" driver or so and not choking down and having your hands placed properly around the grip that may feel a little better and I tend to only choke down when needed on the fairway or 70 yards and in shots or if it is needed after my driver or tee box shot! I would not want to constantly choke down! If it is working for the time being that is great though, i would just go ahead and get your driver butt trimmed to where your preference is when choking down!
 
That's a great point ! that's my next step.

I've read a ton of threads on here discussing chopping the butt end of the club and consequently losing swingweight (3 points for every 1 inch removed IIRC) and needing you to add lead tape to the club head to make up for it.

But then others say not to add lead weights as the swing weight change will be negligible so until I read something conclusive, I may need to stick to clubbing down :(

It looks so silly having 1.5 inches of the butt sticking out but what the heck, I'll do it if it helps me hit better for now !
 
I had a spot on my monitor and it made it look like you had a 48.875" shaft and I was thinking no kidding you need to choke down but even at 45.875" it is a bit long. Glad you figured it out.

I was doing long drive for a bit and had a 51" shaft on a driver. It was so hard to hit, it seemed to take years for the head to come back around. If I did connect on it though the ball would go 400+ yards. I cut it down to 47" and it was much more controllable but lost a bunch of distance.
 
stylo said:
That's a great point ! that's my next step.

I've read a ton of threads on here discussing chopping the butt end of the club and consequently losing swingweight (3 points for every 1 inch removed IIRC) and needing you to add lead tape to the club head to make up for it.

But then others say not to add lead weights as the swing weight change will be negligible so until I read something conclusive, I may need to stick to clubbing down :(

It looks so silly having 1.5 inches of the butt sticking out but what the heck, I'll do it if it helps me hit better for now !
Click to expand...

You can have swingweights of clubs customed to your needs! When I get drivers custom ordered that are the same length no matter what i can choose whatever swingweight I desire! Also look how many pros have lead tape on their clubs.....not all of them but good ol phil has them on the wedges at times! I wish I was in golf school awhile so I could point you in the correct direction but go to a club builder and tell him your desired swingweight and desired club length and he will tell you what he can do for you!
 
stylo said:
That's a great point ! that's my next step.

I've read a ton of threads on here discussing chopping the butt end of the club and consequently losing swingweight (3 points for every 1 inch removed IIRC) and needing you to add lead tape to the club head to make up for it.

But then others say not to add lead weights as the swing weight change will be negligible so until I read something conclusive, I may need to stick to clubbing down :(

It looks so silly having 1.5 inches of the butt sticking out but what the heck, I'll do it if it helps me hit better for now !
Click to expand...

Also you can counterbalance with leadtape in the grip area or lead inserts, it is also affected by different grip weights....sometimes reshafting may need to be done but I am sure you can get what you want and not be with the wrong swing weight...look up changing swingweights to a club , there is so much good reading material out there to learn about! Weight distribution is swingweight not the actual weight of the club so there is a lot that plays into the swingweight of a club and how to get to where you want to be the proper way!
 
There is so much more technicality than for manufacturers to just increasing the length of the driver shafts ...

It just screws up guys like me trying to get consistent at the game.

There's absolutely so much reading material on length/swingweights .. and best for me to get an understanding before chopping anything. Going to the pro is also an option as he 'should' be able to tell you exactly what you need.

Just sux having to modify a driver after you've shelled out good $ for it. Not everyone playing the game is expected to know to get their driver's custom made to them especially when salesmen push off the shelf drivers to you.

I swear those flight machines at the shops are not 100% truthful. How I hit it off the mat and my numbers on the computer did not 100% translate onto the golf course!
 
stylo said:
There is so much more technicality than for manufacturers to just increasing the length of the driver shafts ...

It just screws up guys like me trying to get consistent at the game.

There's absolutely so much reading material on length/swingweights .. and best for me to get an understanding before chopping anything. Going to the pro is also an option as he 'should' be able to tell you exactly what you need.

Just sux having to modify a driver after you've shelled out good $ for it. Not everyone playing the game is expected to know to get their driver's custom made to them especially when salesmen push off the shelf drivers to you.

I swear those flight machines at the shops are not 100% truthful. How I hit it off the mat and my numbers on the computer did not 100% translate onto the golf course!
Click to expand...

HAHA buddy they are as non truthful as it gets...they can help determine what is better then another for you but I have golf pros that work at dicks and friends who work there as well and the pros jack the launch monitor up to as high as 40 yards higher...watching guys that carry the ball 295 on the monitor is hilarious....I get to go in and actually use the launch monitor not jacked up but if it is not a 3d doppler radar monitor like a trackman it is not going to be but maybe 85% or so accurate! It is worth knowing your specs though atleast! I was going to go for the heck of it to a full ultimate fitting day at a regional titleist fitting center in texas and it was almost 2k dollars!!! I was going then just get fitted for my 913 and decide what shaft and what not worked best and they wanted $150 for a driver fitting...and nothing went towards the purchase...I laughed and said no thanks you...the fairway wood, iron, wedge, putter fitting and driver was like 700 for the whole bag! The ultimate fitting down in texas was a lot different and if your going to use that same equipment for 5 years maybe its worth it or if your going pro, but as long as you hit off a lie board and know your specs with what you need.

Such as upright or flat irons or standard vs longer then standard and such, that is going to answer enough questions to then get you into irons you like the feel of and try some different shafts and clubs at surefit carts or demo days for free! Maybe pay 30 bucks or so for a general fiting but most places like golf falaxy and stuff put the money towards the purchase of a set! You do have to watch it as they will jack the monitors and you get on the course and wonder where the 300 yard drives went!

Asking a pro and club builder though about swingweight stuff and what you prefer if you know your swing weight prefeences is not a scam really, a cost per club to change and what not and they can measure your swingweights on your clubs if you like the feels but do not know the swing weights of them!

I buy and try a lot on the course which I like the best and have my irons and shafts I know I like and try different combos and with adjustable drivers especially like the R1 if you cannot find the setting best for you , well then there are some problems, but knowing your swing speed and numbers is helpful too to determins what shafts and clubs promote the best results but like I said I rather buy and try on the course and see real results!
 
good job dude
 
Just wanted to add that I purchased my irons, I was set up on the Mizuno Swing DNA shaft/machine.

The figures it spat out worked out well for me - and were spot on. The shafts I ended up with were perfect (TT dynalite gold xp) with the JPX800 Pro and the demo 6 iron yardage was spot on to my usual yardage with the set of clubs i was using at the time and is correct also to what I hit on the course with them now.

so yeah, just wanted to clarify that not all the machines / analysis is rubbish but the one that i used to buy my driver WAS definitely a load of crock.
 
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