Increasing Loft Without Closing Clubface

[TMAdidas]

I recently picked up an 8* TM Sim head because it was too good of a deal to pass up. That being said, I typically play my driver at a higher loft than 8*. I'm aware that increasing the loft on a driver will also close the club face, and am wondering if there is any way to offset or neutralize this so that I'm not predisposed to hitting a draw? My two thoughts were:

1) Set the Sim weight to the fade setting to offset the closed face.
2) Install the grip a couple degrees open so that the face is neutral.

Am I thinking about this all wrong, or is there a best way to increase loft while maintaining a neutral face angle?

 

[Matthew]

I always thought increasing loft was opening the face but admittedly not familiar with the TM adapter.

 

[-CRW-]

Just grip the club with a square face as opposed to gripping it with the club grounded/soled. It will negate some, maybe even most, of the face angle change. The loft change will still be intact to some degree because the adapter changes the angle the shaft enters the club head.

I always thought increasing loft was opening the face but admittedly not familiar with the TM adapter.

No, the OP is correct. Increasing loft closes the face angle and decreasing loft opens the face angle. But that is mostly dependent on grounding the club before taking your grip.

This is why for a few years some OEM’s produced drivers with adjustable sole plates. To try and offset some of these changes.

 

[M2Giles]

Just loft up and test from there. The SIM is pretty fade biased. Use the neck and sliding weights to get dialed in from there.

 

[TMAdidas]

Ok thanks for the tips! I naturally would just square it at impact, but I use ribbed grips, so the alignment of the grip with the head naturally has an effect on my position at address.

 

[M2Giles]

Ok thanks for the tips! I naturally would just square it at impact, but I use ribbed grips, so the alignment of the grip with the head naturally has an effect on my position at address.

Until you get it dialed, I recommend using a round grip. Especially with you knowing that you will need will need to play with it a little to get right.

Right now most players on tour (I know we shouldn't always look at their setups) have the club in an upright setting, and reduce the weight in the front track and increase the rear weight to stabilize it a little. A not insignificant number of players are playing a lower loft and lofting up as well.

 

[TMAdidas]

Good advice. No point is wasting an extra 10 bucks on a grip before it's dialed in haha. Super pumped to have this in the bag and just wanna make sure I'm not ruining it by getting to funky with the setup haha.

 

[M2Giles]

Nope, definitely not ruining the club by getting it tweaked for your ball flight. That's the purpose of fitting or in your case dialing in your club

 

[GolfMT36]

You might want to watch this. Have not seen a better explanation of how and why an adapter does what it does. Also not all drivers fall closed automatically. Some remain pretty straight when soled.

 

[Tywithay]

Have you hit it yet? Some heads launch higher, regardless of loft. I remember the Bertha V-Series was practically a lob wedge for me, regardless of how far I turned it down.

 

[TMAdidas]

Thanks for the video, I'm about to give is a watch!

And I have not gotten a chance to hit it yet. Still waiting to get the TM adaptor put on at the local pro shop since I had the Srixon tip on the shaft before. Hopefully within a couple days!

 

[Summit]

You're not physically adding or removing loft with the adapters. The way they work is by turning the face one way or another, when you then square up the face, you are manipulating loft.

Question to the OP, what are you needing more loft for? Have you hit the club set at 8*? What are you currently seeing with the ball flight? There are other things we can do to change flight without changing loft.

 

[TMAdidas]

You're not physically adding or removing loft with the adapters. The way they work is by turning the face one way or another, when you then square up the face, you are manipulating loft.

Question to the OP, what are you needing more loft for? Have you hit the club set at 8*? What are you currently seeing with the ball flight? There are other things we can do to change flight without changing loft.

Good to know. I'm not too familiar with how the adapters work, outside of what I just learned in that video. I've hit it at 8* and I would like a bit higher of a launch angle to maximize carry. What are some of those other things that can be done (outside of teeing it up higher or swapping a shaft)?

 

[Summit]

Good to know. I'm not too familiar with how the adapters work, outside of what I just learned in that video. I've hit it at 8* and I would like a bit higher of a launch angle to maximize carry. What are some of those other things that can be done (outside of teeing it up higher or swapping a shaft)?

You can look into a different ball, adding some weight to the rear of the club can also help (no guarantee as I don't know how you react to weight), like you mentioned a shaft swap can also help.

 

[erock9174]

Snag a 9* or 10.5 head and loft it down. That will open the face up.

 

[TMAdidas]

You can look into a different ball, adding some weight to the rear of the club can also help (no guarantee as I don't know how you react to weight), like you mentioned a shaft swap can also help.

Is there a big difference between tungsten weighting/lead tape, and hot melt? I was thinking of throwing a few grams of tungsten weighting on the back to help with that center of gravity, but know most tour guys use hot melt.

 

[Summit]

Is there a big difference between tungsten weighting/lead tape, and hot melt? I was thinking of throwing a few grams of tungsten weighting on the back to help with that center of gravity, but know most tour guys use hot melt.

Hot melt is a clean ( I only say clean because you can't see it, it is a messy substance) but it's pretty much permanent. I always say to start with some lead tape or heavier weights in drivers that have removable weights.