Can a Driver’s club head make a big difference?

[v.man]

I would imagine it could make a tremendous difference, but I've seen you hit that driver multiple rounds and I'd certainly try to stick with that formula or as close to it as possible. I'm in the same boat as you so this should be an interesting journey to watch unfold with you.

That was my thought originally. But, I do believe that combination of shaft and head can make a huge difference. I'm excited that my CPC fitting in a couple of months will allow me to try several shaft/head combinations in the search for the best fit for me, and hoping that my RIP 70 Alpha shaft will be in that mix. If it isn't, I would always wonder "what if".

What happens if you find a great shaft for you that is low launch and low spin and you love the feel. Then you switch to a low spinning deep head. Unfortunately too many are doing this now and then assuming a club head does not work for them. We fit someone last year for a great combination in the Amp Cell. Then they switched to the SLDR and thought the shaft would still be great. Sadly, they were hitting shots too low.

I know so many that assume that the shaft is the more crucial part, but I would be willing to bet that I can show a bigger difference in driver heads via launch monitor than shaft changes for many many people.

Interestingly, a Bridgestone ball fitter told me last year that I was playing a low spin head and a low spin shaft, so I certainly didn't need a low spin ball. He was explaining to me why he had just fit me for the B330-S despite my swing speed being under 105. I had the preconceived notion that the RX would be better for me, but that's for a different discussion. It brings to mind another question, however. Is a low spin/low spin combination of shaft/head a bad one? My current set-up certainly produces great accuracy/control for me, but perhaps I'm sacrificing some distance.

Lots of great discussion in here, and I'm learning a good bit, which was my goal for originally posting.

 

[JB]

Completely dependent on the person swinging it v.man.

 

[ryebread]

Disclaimer: I'm not a fitter. I don't claim to be.

I've owned an awful lot of drivers in different combinations. I was a big IMIX guy for a while and owned multiple heads and shafts. That let me isolate the head versus the shaft fairly easily.

I personally think it is swing, grip, head then shaft in order of importance. If you can't grip it, it doesn't matter what you've got sitting down there.

One thing people overlook with respect to the head is that it is the thing that people look down at that is adjacent to the ball. A lot of the swing piece is mental, so having a setup that is visually appealing and confidence inspiring will help. If you look down and think that the driver is too shallow and you're going to idiot mark it or that it is too deep and doesn't offer you the lateral forgiveness, then I can almost guarantee that you will not hit it well. I don't care what shaft is in it.

Based on my experience, find a head you like, then dial in the shaft you like. If you want to swap heads, be ready to have to potentially swap shafts in order to get the same level of performance.

 

[VA. Vince]

I have quite a bit of money tied into shafts. I am currently playing the Cobra Amp Cell and have 3 shafts now for this head. Kusala white, blue and the AD/DI6. All 3 play different with this head. With the white, I can miss way right but in general it's a nice high flight with a nice fade. The blue, I usually will not miss right unless it's just a horrid swing but I will snap hook it on ocassion. Typically it's a strait to slight draw ball flight with a mid launch. The AD/DI, lower launch and very hard to miss right or snap it left. More of a slight draw to dead strait with a lower launch. Of the 3 the DI feels pretty stiff compared to both the white and blue and a big difference in launch.

 

[bellairemi]

A lighter swingweight may or may not produce more clubhead speed - for some people it can force them out of the slot and they are less efficient. Suffice it to say something works and I suspect your distance is coming from more centered contact rather than a clubhead speed increase.

So am I right in assuming that a lighter swing weight will produce more clubhead speed which would make sense why I get more distance, and the heavier swing weight for my partner gives it more MOI for her.

 

[bellairemi]

You could check your numbers with your driver pretty quickly on a Trackman and determine if you are leaving much distance on the table. I will say as a fitter though that I would need to see some pretty big improvements in the numbers to recommend someone moving from a driver in which they have great confidence.

That was my thought originally. But, I do believe that combination of shaft and head can make a huge difference. I'm excited that my CPC fitting in a couple of months will allow me to try several shaft/head combinations in the search for the best fit for me, and hoping that my RIP 70 Alpha shaft will be in that mix. If it isn't, I would always wonder "what if".



Interestingly, a Bridgestone ball fitter told me last year that I was playing a low spin head and a low spin shaft, so I certainly didn't need a low spin ball. He was explaining to me why he had just fit me for the B330-S despite my swing speed being under 105. I had the preconceived notion that the RX would be better for me, but that's for a different discussion. It brings to mind another question, however. Is a low spin/low spin combination of shaft/head a bad one? My current set-up certainly produces great accuracy/control for me, but perhaps I'm sacrificing some distance.

Lots of great discussion in here, and I'm learning a good bit, which was my goal for originally posting.

 

[SmoothC83]

Be it the shaft or the head that is making the difference. I would give just about anything...ok maybe not anything...but I would give up a lot to actually see the benefits of having a true professional fitting that actually gave me an ideal pairing of head and shaft. Oh perfect combination, one day you will be mine, oh yes, you will be mine.

 

[adamw238]

What happens if you find a great shaft for you that is low launch and low spin and you love the feel. Then you switch to a low spinning deep head. Unfortunately too many are doing this now and then assuming a club head does not work for them. We fit someone last year for a great combination in the Amp Cell. Then they switched to the SLDR and thought the shaft would still be great. Sadly, they were hitting shots too low.

I know so many that assume that the shaft is the more crucial part, but I would be willing to bet that I can show a bigger difference in driver heads via launch monitor than shaft changes for many many people.

I had this exact same thing happen with my speeder 6.2 when I went from the RFE to the SLDR. Resulted in me getting rid if the driver because the ball never got up.

Heads do make a bigger difference for me for sure.

Rap-a-tap Tappin' on my SG4

 

[v.man]

You could check your numbers with your driver pretty quickly on a Trackman and determine if you are leaving much distance on the table. I will say as a fitter though that I would need to see some pretty big improvements in the numbers to recommend someone moving from a driver in which they have great confidence.

I hope to use my current set up as a base line to compare numbers in my CPC fitting. Your advice is spot on and it would normally take something special to make me switch. In this case though I'm being sponsored by Callaway in the Morgan Cup and will be playing their gear through the bag . They've got a great product line for 2014, and I'm hoping to get a driver set up as good as my current or better.

 

[Castor Hades]

I positively can say the head makes a difference. I've hit several heads with the exact same shaft, not similar shaft. But the same individual. Some heads I love some I hate, and he numbers support that.

 

[Scrap Iron]

I think a driver head is the most important part of the club. I think people overthink shaft choice. I'm not saying people shouldn't put in time and thought into a shaft and find the right paring but it's very easy to overthink it. I drive myself nuts with looking at shafts.

 

[Castor Hades]

I think a driver head is the most important part of the club. I think people overthink shaft choice. I'm not saying people shouldn't put in time and thought into a shaft and find the right paring but it's very easy to overthink it. I drive myself nuts with looking at shafts.

I thought before it's all about the head, then I was like it's all about the shaft, but now I believe you can overthink both of them. It's the combination, that's why fitting is important. But, if I were to choose only one component of the two, I'd like to choose the shaft. 60/40 for the shaft.

 

[Scrap Iron]

I thought before it's all about the head, then I was like it's all about the shaft, but now I believe you can overthink both of them. It's the combination, that's why fitting is important. But, if I were to choose only one component of the two, I'd like to choose the shaft. 60/40 for the shaft.

I'm 70/30 for the head but agree you need to find a nice harmony between the two.

 

[wholejobs]

The advise I got from my fitter was to pick the head that you like first.... for me this was size and looks along with feel and sound. Depending on the head, the shaft can be fit to suit your requirements. I ended up with a higher initial launching shaft that is low spin and a lowish launching head. Not a combo I would have chose off the shelf but it works. SHifting shafts to different heads will give different results. You need at least one constant to make an informed decision

 

[bellairemi]

Excellent fortune for you - I would think with the entire Callaway lineup at your disposal, you won't have a problem finding one that matches/exceeds what you have.

I hope to use my current set up as a base line to compare numbers in my CPC fitting. Your advice is spot on and it would normally take something special to make me switch. In this case though I'm being sponsored by Callaway in the Morgan Cup and will be playing their gear through the bag . They've got a great product line for 2014, and I'm hoping to get a driver set up as good as my current or better.