Longer Driver Shaft - 48 Inches

Lions81

Well-known member
Joined
Nov 20, 2013
Messages
13,462
Reaction score
9,068
Location
MI
Handicap
3
Those of us that have been in the Shaft Up events have seen that Danny plays a 47 inch driver shaft. 48 is the longest legal length allowed. He says it adds distance for him and he can still hit the center of the face. Now he is obviously an extremely good player, and hitting the center of the face with a club that long is much more challenging. Has anyone tried it? Would you try it? I'm strongly considering getting one to try. I mean we all like more distance right?
 
Have tried it - have tried it in the Helium. Results were terrible for me but center strikes were LONG. I cut it back down after two weeks.
 
Have tried it - have tried it in the Helium. Results were terrible for me but center strikes were LONG. I cut it back down after two weeks.

Man I wish you'd have saved it and sent it to me for some experimenting, haha. I would have to imagine that would add several mph to the club head speed.
 
Those of us that have been in the Shaft Up events have seen that Danny plays a 48 inch driver shaft. That is the longest legal length allowed. He says it adds distance for him and he can still hit the center of the face. Now he is obviously an extremely good player, and hitting the center of the face with a club that long is much more challenging. Has anyone tried it? Would you try it? I'm strongly considering getting one to try. I mean we all like more distance right?

His current one is 47", and he likes it. As you said, he hits the center more often than not and his last driver (Cobra F8+) and current Srixon 785 are pretty darn forgiving with his swing path being good. It certainly helps that he hits Rogue 3 wood about 250 carry.
 
For someone with superior control who needs some extra SS for distance, I think it can be advantageous if you still find the center of the face somewhat often.

For me, though, it has no application and aside from a giggle swing, I would never try it. The difference between stock 45.5" and y gamer length 45" is staggering enough.
 
His current one is 47", and he likes it. As you said, he hits the center more often than not and his last driver (Cobra F8+) and current Srixon 785 are pretty darn forgiving with his swing path being good. It certainly helps that he hits Rogue 3 wood about 250 carry.

Thanks, updated first post. Have you tried one that long?
 
I have not tried and have no interest in making the game harder on myself than it already is. I'm fine with my distance off the tee and the extra length seems like it would be much harder to control
 
I have not tried and have no interest in making the game harder on myself than it already is. I'm fine with my distance off the tee and the extra length seems like it would be much harder to control

You might get your shot to try it anyway, haha. I'm pretty convinced I'm going to try it.
 
Ha! I can’t control the driver I’ve got now. I don’t need the length, and I’d rather have control so it’s a firm no for me.
 
You might get your shot to try it anyway, haha. I'm pretty convinced I'm going to try it.

I mean it would be fun for sure to take a few swings just cant imagine it would make it in the bag for the course. Who knows though in the right hands it could be a weapon
 
Thanks, updated first post. Have you tried one that long?

Yes sir I have. Once I get a little over 46", I tend to end up automatically moving my hands to make it shorter.
 
I haven't tried and don't think I would. The longest driver shaft I have that I play once in awhile is 44 1/2, I generally play 43 1/2- 44
 
I mean it would be fun for sure to take a few swings just cant imagine it would make it in the bag for the course. Who knows though in the right hands it could be a weapon

I'm only carrying 13 clubs at the moment. 2nd driver, opposite JB style? One at 48 and the other at 45 haha. Wide open fairway, let the 48 big dog eat
 
I found a deal on a cheap 48" shaft for my LTD so I gave it a shot.

When the stars align, it adds a lot of distance. However, I'd say it probably cut my accuracy almost in half. If thats what you're going for, do it. My biggest gripe was just that the swing weight was sooooooo weird, the head felt like an anvil. My goal is to get it swapped over to my Bridgestone head and pack it on scramble outings.
 
I have not tried and have no interest in making the game harder on myself than it already is. I'm fine with my distance off the tee and the extra length seems like it would be much harder to control

Oh god it is much harder to control.
 
I'm only carrying 13 clubs at the moment. 2nd driver, opposite JB style? One at 48 and the other at 45 haha. Wide open fairway, let the 48 big dog eat

No opposite, you still have a long one and a short one, right? Cmon esquire, you are smarter than this : )
 
I found a deal on a cheap 48" shaft for my LTD so I gave it a shot.

When the stars align, it adds a lot of distance. However, I'd say it probably cut my accuracy almost in half. If thats what you're going for, do it. My biggest gripe was just that the swing weight was sooooooo weird, the head felt like an anvil. My goal is to get it swapped over to my Bridgestone head and pack it on scramble outings.

Ya that is something I thought about too. I will talk to him before I do it. I know he is playing a very light weight shaft (49 grams) so maybe that helps?
 
Ya that is something I thought about too. I will talk to him before I do it. I know he is playing a very light weight shaft (49 grams) so maybe that helps?

I'm not sure how much heavier the longer shaft is, I'm sure that adds to it, but in the swing it felt like someone had filled my driver head with sand.
 
I have a 48 inch driver in the collection. I tried it a few times but just couldn't seem to get it back to square and was leaving everything off to the right.
 
I've been wanting to try a long driver shaft myself. However, I'm not expecting to like it, or really use it, so I'm not excited about spending the money on something I might take to the range once in a while.
 
I did for a little while. I think it was 47". The misses were just off the planet when I was off. Currently have one at -1/2"
 
Back when it was legal, I had a driver that I absolutely loved. It was an old Callaway Warbird head on a 50 inch steel shaft.
I could really blast that thing and had surprisingly good control with it.

My current shaft in my Callaway GBB Epic is an inch and a half over standard length.
 
I'm not sure how much heavier the longer shaft is, I'm sure that adds to it, but in the swing it felt like someone had filled my driver head with sand.

The extra actual weight is nothing, 2 or 3 grams. The swing weight increase just makes it feel heavier.
 
Being only 5'2" tall, I'm going to weigh in - my driver is 45", longer than most of the guys taller than I am swing. Maybe it's my swing, but I don't have much trouble with it at that length. I'm not sure how that is analogous to my height to someone taller though.

On a side note, not to threadjack, but is the maxium length allowed is 48", does that mess up anyone over 6'6" or anything?
 
On a side note, not to threadjack, but is the maxium length allowed is 48", does that mess up anyone over 6'6" or anything?
I've wondered about that myself as I'm 6'6". My driver is 46.5" though I don't remember ordering it special. I did get fit for it a few years ago at a local Golf outlet but it wasn't special ordered. My irons are definitely longer than standard. My old Ping i20's were 1.5" over and my new Cleveland LHB's are 1" over. I did buy my 3W off the rack so it isn't over length and I seem to hit it better than any other fw club I've ever owned.
 
Back
Top