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Are you lofting up?

Nippon Shafts
Im not really, "lofting up". Ive played a 10.5 for a while now and dont plan to change that. Even if I decided to embrace that latest golf marketing scheme of, "lofting up", all I need to do is adjust my driver, not buy a new one. :banana:
 
I have an older thread where I was swapping shafts to get a 9.5 degree driver with low flight up, and a 10.5 degree with high flight down. It worked but I never got the distance that my stock 10 degree Big Bertha gives me. I was trying for 10-20 more yards. I believe a big factor is how much of your energy is being turned into spin vs distance.
 
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I wasn't before, but I am now. I was playing a 9.5 RFE and recently purchased a used R1 to hold me over until my Alpha arrives. I put the R1 at 10.5 for S&G and to quote the PureStrike commercial, "Holy Moses!". I'm going to loft the Alpha up and rock out!
 
I must be crazy...I played my Covert last week set at 8.5° neutral and hit the longest, straightest drives I've ever hit. I know i'm battling a flip through impact - maybe once I dial my swing in more a higher loft will be necessary for me...or maybe not. The beauty of adjustable drivers.
 
I've always had the best results with 10.5. Until a fitting results tells me different, that's what I'll play. Need to remember that lofting up is not the answer for every driver.

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Are you lofting up?

Smallville said:
I lofted up in 2009, before it was cool! I had a 12.5° driver from Giga Golf and in 2010 I had a 12° Cleveland Launcher.
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Me too, although not quite that high. My 10.5 R11 has been sat at a couple of notches higher since virtually the day I bought it.

It is funny though how I've read countless articles saying amateurs play with too little loft in their drivers, and hardly anyone listened. All of a sudden, Taylor Made tell people to loft up and everyone starts doing it :lol:
 
Not lofting up. Started using 10.5* from the start and never have changed.
 
Still at 9.5 here. I tried the SLDR but didn't see any improvement over the R1v2. I did see more accuracy at higher lofts but I'd rather hit a 3w if there is danger instead of setting up my driver for 3w duty.
 
I lofted down because my spin was way too high and was launching too high. I am at 8.75* now and launch at about 14*.
 
I used to always play a 9.5 with the ball teed up pretty high and basically at my left big toe... got great distance but would too often balloon one or hook/slice if I didn't make perfect swingpath/face angle contact... I got a graffaloy bimatrix low launch shaft and cranked my loft up to 10.5-11, and moved the ball back in my stance teed lower... I lost just a smidge of distance but ended up with arrow straight to baby draw ballflight on 99% of my shots. And now if I want to step on one a little I can choke up an inch and a half and swing for the fence and gain 10-15 yards still in the fairway.

I have yet to try a TM SLDR but I plan on testing one out when I get a chance...kind of interested to see how the different weighting combined with loft would work for me.
 
Slightly but not really. Pretty happy with my distance and ball flight
 
I wonder how much of this lofting up is marketing. Aren't most retail drivers a higher loft than what is stamped on the head? Unless you get the loft checked maybe you've been lofting up the whole time.
 
I have tried using more loft but I hit the ball high already so it just adds spin and leads to a huge loss of distance. I have been testing drivers and the best distance numbers have came with a Titleist 913d3 7.5 and a 72g Diamana Whiteboard D+.
 
I figured I would bump this thread since it is already in existence. I finally got around to lofting up to 11.5* since having my first adjustable driver for a full year. I wanted to go to the range and experiment with it before going out on the course and I am immediately regret not doing it quicker. I had my first round of this year yesterday and I lofted up to 11.5* just for the hell of it and I have not seen my driver perform any better. Every drive, the ball didn't want to come down AND it was a very penetrating ball flight. I think I gained at least 10 yards of carry if not 20 yesterday and this was in 50 degree weather.
 
I recently lofted my fly z up from 10.5 to 12 and did not have a great round with it. On the monitor it looked like a no brainer. However it just was way off on Friday. I loved the flight and results on the monitor but maybe it is just a learning curve.

I am wondering if going higher loft and a stiffer shaft might help me.


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I went from a 10.5 to a 14 for accuracy. I did 6 simulator sessions with the two clubs this winter. The 14 degree driver was 3 yards shorter, but much more accurate. I only played 6 rounds this year, but I'm averaging 10 fairways a round. Last year it was 6 or 7. So the 14 degree driver is doing it's job.

Later,

John
 
I usually play to 9.5 but I've found the trajectory too balloony. I'm now experimenting with 9 degrees and lower.
 
I think your swing determines the "loft up" method. If you do not produce enough spin to keep the ball in the air then you need to loft up. The new heads, in general, are such low spin monsters that many people, including the Pros, are playing higher lofted drivers.
 
My current driver and my last one are 12*. Previous to that, I was playing an X2Hot 10.5* on the +2 setting. Far better accuracy and flight with the higher loft for my swing.
 
Yes, I do .... my useful driver is 13 - 14 degree. I only have one swing which is my long iron swing. I apply the same swing to hit a driver, and success !
 
I have read that more loft equals more forgiveness but it's a design charctoristic I don't understand.
 
I am currently playing a 13.5* head, I have turned down to 12.5*. Why? I honestly don't know. I have never put this to a test on a launch monitor or simulator. For some reason I think it gives me better overall distance.

I have days where I think I would be better off with 20 yards extra roll over 10 yards extra carry...... but then think that the extra carry would always be there, whereas the extra roll could be 20 yards one day, 10 yards the next, and always be a variable.
 
I lofted up with the SLDR a few years back, I think it was an interesting concept to try and achieve 17* launch and 1700rpm. Getting fit at the ECPC showed me that my ideal launch is just over 14*, and that was achieved with a 10.5* GBB head turned -1D.
 
blugold said:
I'm at 12° and every time I see all that face, I get warm and fuzzy inside.
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Same - but mine's more of a tingly feeling.

I rented a set while on vacation earlier this year and the set had a 9º driver. Felt like I was using a 2x4.
 
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