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Why grooves on drivers?

SuperStroke
superhawk

superhawk

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I've always wondered this. If the object is to hit it straight and far then why the need for grooves on drivers if you want to eliminate spin?

I see that long drive makers like Krank, Bang, and SMT don't put grooves on their drivers but the other companies do. Why?

And have you tried or use a driver from these companies?
 
It's aesthetic.
 
Interesting topic


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JB said:
This is the only reason, Hawk is right.
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I think this may have been something Mr. Boccieri talk about when I had my call with during the Heavy Driver testing. I can't remember if I asked him, or he brought it up, but I know he made it a point to say the grooves on a driver don't do much, although I'm thinking he made a comment about them adding some structural strength over a flat surface. I know this is true of many things made from sheet metal. There are often bends or forged impressions to make the surface a little more rigid.
 
I had read a long time ago that a company called Liquid Metal held a patent on the concept of a no-groove driver. Anyone who is doing it now is paying a licensing fee to do so. Most grooves near the sweet spot on new drivers are painted on if there are any there at all.

Travino would talk about putting vaseline on the face of his driver to reduce side-spin which would also increase distance. No grooves = less spin.
 
If you look at most driver faces, the sweet spot is almost bare. A few dots here and some short lines so I agree with Hawk, aesthetics. I have played with some old cats in Myrtle that used to hustle and they said Vaseline was used a lot on driver faces way back in the day.
 
Interesting post. I had never thought of this until now. Thanks!
 
^Yeah me neither... But now it has piqued my curiosity!
 
I hit my driver so long that I can drive even the longest par 5, so I need the grooves to spin the ball enough to land me on the green for that albatross putt.
 
With a company having a patent on the grooveless face, I'm assuming thats why Titleist has grooves only on the heel and toe side of the sweet spot and not in the center, to avoid the licensing fee?
 
I believe grooved drivers were more practical 10+ years ago when the heads were smaller and it was possible to play a driver off the deck. It was desirable to have some backspin on the ball if you wanted to get it to stop on a green in that case. I'd say that era ended with the Titleist 975 and TM Burner. Any of you guys hitting your modern drivers off the deck these days?
 
So have any here used or tried any drivers from Krank, Bang, or SMT?
 
Cayuga1210 said:
I believe grooved drivers were more practical 10+ years ago when the heads were smaller and it was possible to play a driver off the deck. It was desirable to have some backspin on the ball if you wanted to get it to stop on a green in that case. I'd say that era ended with the Titleist 975 and TM Burner. Any of you guys hitting your modern drivers off the deck these days?
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I will do it if I have a very good lie in tall rough, so as it acts like a tee, and I'm out like 250+ on a par 5.
 
Cayuga1210 said:
Any of you guys hitting your modern drivers off the deck these days?
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I have an old Taylormade R540XD that I can hit off the deck pretty well...but I stopped carrying it years ago. It came in handy when it was windy and having to hit into the wind on a par-5. I have very little success with any other driver I've tried to do this with....


I came across this link (http://www.worldshottestdrivers.com/driver-shaving-p/whd-dshv.htm) while looking into why drivers have grooves. I've seen softball bats get shaved to increase their pop and allow small guys to hit bombs--at the cost of the durability (and legality) of the bat. First time I've seen someone do this to a driver.
 
superhawk said:
So have any here used or tried any drivers from Krank, Bang, or SMT?
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I hit the Krank Rage on a range for a while one day. (One of my buddies is a distributor.) Would have bought it there if I had the money. Very nice driver. Wasn't used to to it, so wasn't squaring it up as well as I could. Straight blocking most shots, but no spin off the face, straight blocks. Definitely recommend hitting it if you ever get a chance.
 
I think it is only for looks I dont think the groove pattern on a driver can really catch the ball. It probably wont be long before more major oem's start going with a blank face and sell it as a low spin driver.
 
Cayuga1210 said:
I believe grooved drivers were more practical 10+ years ago when the heads were smaller and it was possible to play a driver off the deck. It was desirable to have some backspin on the ball if you wanted to get it to stop on a green in that case. I'd say that era ended with the Titleist 975 and TM Burner. Any of you guys hitting your modern drivers off the deck these days?
Click to expand...
I only use my driver on the tee box.
 
i believe that there are web sites/companies that shave club faces down to a thinner measurement which would remove the grooves but im not sure if the club would still be conforming after this proses
 
It always confused me why some manufacturers put grooves on the sides of the face but not in the middle where the ball is struck. Makes me thing it is aesthetics.
 
superhawk said:
So have any here used or tried any drivers from Krank, Bang, or SMT?
Click to expand...

I used to play a Bang Mellow Yellow.
prodimage.asp


On this shaft....

prodimage.asp



I really liked it and could hit the snot out of the ball.
Yes, I got teased a lot about the big bannana club on the first tee.....but only on the first tee.
I would just grin, tee it up and rip it.
When the ball exploded off the face and went 25 yards past anyone else, the teasing stopped.
I played that club for 2 years, then the face cracked.
 
Drumdog said:
I used to play a Bang Mellow Yellow.
prodimage.asp


On this shaft....

prodimage.asp



I really liked it and could hit the snot out of the ball.
Yes, I got teased a lot about the big bannana club on the first tee.....but only on the first tee.
I would just grin, tee it up and rip it.
When the ball exploded off the face and went 25 yards past anyone else, the teasing stopped.
I played that club for 2 years, then the face cracked.
Click to expand...

There's nothing mellow about that yellow- it hurts my eyes.
 
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