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Is short the way to long?

SuperStroke
lightningbolt44 said:
Everyone that I saw and did the math on went down but I do apologize for the generalization if some went up.
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Mine pretty much stayed the same with a slight improvement with the new club, but I think that was a club head issue versus a shaft issue. Either way, with the extra length I gained 5-6 mph club head speed on average and a ton of carry.

Mine are the top 7 highlighted:

5A6E1E25-16EE-405A-B56C-476E095AEB6D_zpsfnbbde0p.jpg
 
I haven't had time to look though the entire thread, so let me apologize in advance if this has already been posted:

http://www.milesofgolf.com/blog/golf-shafts/fitting-a-driver-for-shaft-length/

This is a basically the results from some Trackman testing that a shop did in 2012. The results were probably not all that shocking. Some testers had better distance with shorter drivers; some had better distance with longer drivers. And some had better dispersion with shorter drivers, while others had better dispersion with longer drivers. There's a similar study that a guy from Canada did that's on mytrackman.com with very similar results, but I can't figure out a way to link it.

I can't vouch for the merits of any of the testing and am just throwing it out there without comment because I thought it was an interesting read.
 
bigskyirish said:
I haven't had time to look though the entire thread, so let me apologize in advance if this has already been posted:

http://www.milesofgolf.com/blog/golf-shafts/fitting-a-driver-for-shaft-length/

This is a basically the results from some Trackman testing that a shop did in 2012. The results were probably not all that shocking. Some testers had better distance with shorter drivers; some had better distance with longer drivers. And some had better dispersion with shorter drivers, while others had better dispersion with longer drivers. There's a similar study that a guy from Canada did that's on mytrackman.com with very similar results, but I can't figure out a way to link it.

I can't vouch for the merits of any of the testing and am just throwing it out there without comment because I thought it was an interesting read.
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It is an interesting read. These 10 golfers were all 0-10 handicappers so it was done with golfers that have much more grooved swings than the average bogey golfer.

There were some big outliers in this study but on average the 44.5" drivers went 265.1 yards vs. 264.5 yards for the 45.5" drivers. 8 out of 10 hit the shorter driver straighter but only by 1.8 yards. This just reinforces that there is no right length, you must get fit properly!! I think most golfers just buy drivers off the shelf and play whatever the OE length is.
 
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-CRW- said:
Mine pretty much stayed the same with a slight improvement with the new club, but I think that was a club head issue versus a shaft issue. Either way, with the extra length I gained 5-6 mph club head speed on average and a ton of carry.

Mine are the top 7 highlighted:

5A6E1E25-16EE-405A-B56C-476E095AEB6D_zpsfnbbde0p.jpg
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Are all of these yours and the ones that are highlighted are the best?
 
adamw238 said:
Are all of these yours and the ones that are highlighted are the best?
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No, just the 7 I mentioned. Those are a mix of all the guys at the UST event.
 
Shouldn't weight, both of the shaft and the head be factors when choosing length as well? I know swing weight is a feel sort of thing but there is probably a good reason most clubs come somewhere in the D0-D5 range.
 
GolfFest said:
Shouldn't weight, both of the shaft and the head be factors when choosing length as well? I know swing weight is a feel sort of thing but there is probably a good reason most clubs come somewhere in the D0-D5 range.
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Definitely, with actual weight, IMO. Again, it's really subjective to the player. Some people feel more comfortable swinging a 46" 83g shaft. Ask most teaching pros and they'd say that's too much for the average golfer.

Swing Weight is a perceived feel that's based on preference. I like my irons to be around D4-D5 because I feel like I am more controlled. When I built this last set they were at a D2 and I was a flippy machine. I'm not sure what my driver is at right now. When I trimmed it down I added weight down the shaft until it didn't feel so light that I was swinging outbid control.


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here is a chance to get it direct from UST if you have questions..

 
Played all day today chocking up on my shaft and drove the ball really well. Wayyyy straighter and just as long.
 
Question: If I was to cut my shaft 1.5 inches, would I have to add any weights to the clubhead to balance it out?
 
Only if you had a specific swing weight (E-1 or D-3) you liked. Other wise, swing away.
TMAdidas said:
Question: If I was to cut my shaft 1.5 inches, would I have to add any weights to the clubhead to balance it out?
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So I look at the numbers you posted and I wondering if you are pleased with those numbers?
-CRW- said:
No, just the 7 I mentioned. Those are a mix of all the guys at the UST event.
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TMAdidas said:
Question: If I was to cut my shaft 1.5 inches, would I have to add any weights to the clubhead to balance it out?
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Freddie is correct. 1.5 is a lot and you would probably feel a difference. Each 1/2" is about 3 SW points so if you had a driver that was D2 and cut 1.5" off the new SW would be C3ish. It's all about what feels right, but a C3 for me would feel about the same as one of my daughter's clubs. Again, it's all about what feels right for you


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Today, I went to the range and tried choking my 45.5 inch driver by 2 inches. I decreased my SS about 5 mph, but my center contact improved substantially and my launch angle improved from around 10 degrees to 15. Quite a bit straighter.
I am playing a tournament on Friday and I think I am going to continue choking it. Even If I lose 20 yards of the tee, I am a lot more relaxed knowing the ball will stay in the short stuff.
 
I was planning on buying a new driver anyway, so I cut my current 46" driver down to 44" a month ago. Didn't add weight to the head, just gave it a try. The reg flex was too soft for my liking, so any stiffness added, how little of a difference that might be, was an added bonus.

It feels great. I feel I have a lot more control over the head, and that confidence allows me to swing a bit harder, which combined with hitting the sweetspot more often, translates to higher ball speeds and an increaded distance. My accuracy has gone up, and the misses that do occur aren't so severe as they used to be.

My new driver has a 45.75" stiff shaft. I'm not cutting it down straight away when it comes in, will probably give it a month and then decide if i'm going to cut it down as well.
 
This might not be a fair test but I took my Callaway Razr Fit 9.5 driver with a Matrix Xcon-6 shaft at 44.5 inches in length with me to the range to compare to my Double Black Diamond 9 degree with a Rogue 60 110msi at 45.5 inches in length. First thing I noticed is the confidence I felt looking at a 460 cc head with 44.5" shaft. It just looked so easy to hit and I was catching them in the sweetspot very consistently. I nailed a few and those one hopped then hit the back fence (I'm not sure how far that is). I switched to the DBD and the difference of one inch is actually shocking. You really notice it. I hit the DBD and definitely not catching it as flush consistently but it was still one hopping into the back fence and when I caught it, the balls were hitting the fence first.

I'm thinking it wasn't a fair test because the DBD is just so long and was fitted to me. I want to try it with a 44.5" shaft but I'm hesitant to chop my Rogue or aftermarket Fubuki ZT. I wish I had kept the one that came stock.

Decisions, decisions....
 
So here is the thing that I never really understood. I get that cutting the shaft from the butt end decreases swing weight, 1/2 inch is 3 SW. So in order to increase your swing weight up you have to add the missing weight to the head. Why is it that the weight goes to the head and not to the butt end where you took the weight off?
 
There is no hard fast rule that states the added weight goes on the head. Its the easiest place to put the lead tape with out major alterations to the club. If you added weight to the back of the club, you would have to remove the grip and find some way to adhere the missing weight back to the club. I suppose you could use lead tape but I have not heard of people adding weight this way. Maybe give it a shot and see what happens. But you will need a new grip is this is the route you go.
Cjgolf25 said:
So here is the thing that I never really understood. I get that cutting the shaft from the butt end decreases swing weight, 1/2 inch is 3 SW. So in order to increase your swing weight up you have to add the missing weight to the head. Why is it that the weight goes to the head and not to the butt end where you took the weight off?
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Is short the way to long?

CJ's question is something I never understood either. If someone could dumb it down for me that would be great.


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Sorry Freddy answered while I was typing.
 
Tadashi70 said:
There is no hard fast rule that states the added weight goes on the head. Its the easiest place to put the lead tape with out major alterations to the club. If you added weight to the back of the club, you would have to remove the grip and find some way to adhere the missing weight back to the club. I suppose you could use lead tape but I have not heard of people adding weight this way. Maybe give it a shot and see what happens. But you will need a new grip is this is the route you go.
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Would adding weight in the form of counter weight be a way to go? For example the secret grips that had the weights in the grip.
 
If you are trying to return the club to its original swing weight, then no. If you are just trying to add weight, then yes. I'll be honest with you. You will never notice the difference if you take off a 1/2 inch or even an inch off the butt end.
Cjgolf25 said:
Would adding weight in the form of counter weight be a way to go? For example the secret grips that had the weights in the grip.
Click to expand...
 
I play a 44" driver. Have for years, it's my best club. I asked Harry Arnett during his AMA session a few weeks ago if they had any plans to offer a sub-45" driver at any point but he initially didn't respond. I followed up and he said no. I assume it's because they can't make the distance claims with a shorter shafted driver.
 
I'm using a 44.5" driver right now and I have one with a 46" shaft on the way (X2 Hot). I'll bring them both to the range on my lunch break next week and see what sort of differences there might be with distance and accuracy.


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