With all other things being equal, has anyone tested purely the swing speed increase/decrease using say 44",45",46",47",48" shafts of all the same type to find where swing speed stops increasing? Not interested on ball contact info just curious on your findings with just swing speed.
Anyone tested optimum shaft length swing speed?
Isn't this just physics? Wouldn't it continue to increase if everything else stayed constant?
I think it depends on the person. Before a few swing changes, I'd swing a 44" driver faster than anything longer due to issues with my swing. Now, that's not necessarily the case, but I'm sure there's a break-even point where speed starts to suffer because sequencing is no good.
I don't think you're going to find one cutoff though - Brooke Henderson is playing a 48" driver in the LPGA, and she's 5'4".
- Admin
- #7
You are correct. THP has tested this both internally and at a THP Event on the range with FlightScope.
Based on averages we saw an increase the entire way with each increment.
Agent Jay
Grandaddy Alumni
With a constant swing speed, but increase in shaft length based on pure physics, you should see a minor increase in distance.
IF you increase your shaft length, the odds are you'll decrease your smash factor. With you being a low cap, your swing should be more consistent that most. So, chances are you'll square up the face better and hit center/sweet spot more often. So, you might be able to pull off a 46" shaft compared to a 15 cap that might be more consistent with a 43" driver that he can control better. My GUESS is you won't see much more than a 1 mph hour increase in club head speed. However, if you can get MORE consistent contact (Smash factor) with a 45" shaft where you might get less with a 47" shaft...then it makes sense to buy a 45" shaft that will keep you in play and longer.
Does that make sense?
My swing speed goes up when I go from 44.5" to 45.5" but my ball speed is slightly higher with the shorter shaft, due to a tighter impact area on the face. I also hit the shorter shaft straighter. My arms are at least an inch longer than most other 6' males(my span is 6'3") so I already have extra built-in length to my swing arc.
- Thread starter
- #10
Interesting. So would if someone say typically plays a regular flex 44" driver shaft with a 90mph driver swingspeed and swaps the same exact shaft for the 48" version, should they have to go up to a stiff or even x stiff flex to produce the same flight? I heard 1" of increase was about 1/2flex, is that correct?
Golf 'N Gator
Formally HoosierGolfer
Distance is GREAT if you can control it. I play a super short driver by today's standard's, but it is all about accuracy for me. If I could hit as many FW's as I do with a short driver with a 48 inch driver, I'd switch, but I'm just not that good.
Typhoon
Well-known member
I think you're right about the 1/2 flex per 1" increase. Also, once you get up over 46" you want to go down a degree in loft per inch gained.
I've tinkered with this being a low handicap guy that finds the center of the face most of the time. First off I'm 5'5" and 140 lbs. A 44" driver goes nowhere for me. 45 - 46" looks, feels and performs well. I tend to play my driver between 45.25" and 45.75".
Now for the LD clubs I have...
At 47" I can go down in loft and see gains from an LD set up. Increase in clubhead speed while being able to find the center of the clubface pretty consistently. Not as consistent as my playing driver length and nothing I'd play a round of golf using, but good for LD.
I found at 48" I'm not good at all...swing speed goes down. Not sure why... with me maybe leverage? Maybe swingweight?... it just doesn't work. Its like night and day from 47" to 48".
I normally play a 9 degree driver and my LD driver's are 6-7 degree.
Typhoon
Well-known member
Yes, I went up in flex but not crazy. My playing driver is a Ping G30 LST X flex 45.75". I tend to use a shaft that is a soft X or a " stiff" S in my playing driver. For instance the proforce v2 66x works nice, the Aldila Phenom 50X too. The Aldila Alpha ( red eyes) and grafalloy Blue I do in Stiff. One shaft that's right in the middle for me, and it makes you look at the tip/launch design is the HOF Sadlowski shaft. I love it in Stiff but was just "Meh" for me in X.
With my 47", I go full on X. I have a HOF Patriot LD ultra that is X and an Aldila Phenom 50 TX as well as an Accuflex ProLD XX. The ProLD plays soft.
So I like to think I go up a half to 3/4 of a flex. Something that worked out well, sort of an experiment was I took a HOF patriot shaft in Regular flex and tipped it 2"...got it up into the X range for the tip but gave me a good middle of the shaft "kick".