Are shorter driver shafts better

I ran the idea by him of shortening my shaft to make a more accurate driver, but he. Going shorter ended up producing even better results on the course than on the simulator. So i went to my friends at petes golf shop to find out if using a driver with a shorter shaft could actually make a difference. Many tour pros are opting for a shorter driver shaft these days, but why. We address why longer shafts dont actually produce longer. Im 57 with shoes on and bought a 9 d2 about a year ago. Measure the length that you want to shorten on the shaft.

Jan 12, 2012 the argument for playing a shorter driver has never been about distance. A shorter driver, he said, encourages center contact on the clubface, which leads to longer, straighter drives. Also does a shorter shafts allow more consistent control. That is the main reason you can hit a 8 iron better than a driver.

For this video, weve used the gc quad launch monitor to gather real world data comparing two identical clubs that only differ in shaft length. Aug 20, 2015 having tested a few golfers with shorter shafts it seems to me that each golfer has a threshold length an ideal length that gives them the optimal combination of speed and accuracy. This raises the immediate question, why is a relatively tall, obviously highly skilled player using a shorter than standard driver. If you choked down so it plays like a 44 inch shaft, would it go further, the same, or shorter than if you had a shaft cut down to 44 inches and didnt choke down at all. But as i noted drivers have also gotten lighter and longer than ever and for me, i cant swing these clubs consistently. Youll find it easier to hit the sweet spot with a shorter shaft, and you. Jan 31, 2017 the stock driver length of most manufacturers taylormade, callaway ping, cobra these days is 45. Why shorter driver shaft higher swing speed tiger woods uses a driver that is very short 43. Theres probably a lesson there for a lot of people.

Hi ive been looking around for a new weapon to greet the spring and been trying different setups for a new driver. Decided that consistency was more important so went shorter. For the past few months, ive knowingly been flouting the 14club rule by carrying two drivers. Wed jan 15, 2014 by dave phillips drivers generally come standard at 4546 inches in length, the longer the driver shaft the potential exists for more distance, theoretically your swing arc would be wider and therefore you could create more speed. The truth about golf shafts that every golfer should know. Dec 01, 2019 those with already fast swingspeeds are more likely to enjoy the control benefits of shorter shafts while higher handicappers with slower swingspeeds may be better off with the distance a longer. Looking at the two pictures to the right, the top image is from a driver with a 45.

For the driver test, they hit seven drives each with a 50, 60, and 70 gram shaft, all using the same head. However, a shaft that fits you well could allow you to deliver a better, more consistent strike, thus producing less axis tilt. A heavier shaft may help smooth smooth out your tempo and hit the ball better. A shorter driver shaft increases the likelihood of a golfer making better contact off the center of the driver s face. Jan 21, 2014 almost all pure shots were ten yards longer with the regular shafts, it wasnt even close. While i agree that many people could do with a shorter driver im still a huge advocate of getting fit. A shorter shaft was probably suggested to help you with more consistent contact with the sweet spot which will lead to more distance and more consistent drives. Jan 15, 2014 will a shorter driver give you more distance. Use our fitting wizard to find the right driver shaft for you. A short driver shaft may help you hit a straight shot better and also hit the center of the face more than you usually do. Each player went through two different testing sessions one with a driver, one with an iron. Its probably a good idea for the vast majority of amateurs, but cutting the driver shaft down is not the final word. For some that threshold could be 46 while for others they perform best with a 42 driver. The suggestion as ive always interpreted it is that a shorter driver will be more accurate, and because youre better able to control the club, and find the sweet spot, more often, average total distance could actually increase.

Kenny given that the average length of an off shelf graphite shafted driver is 45 and steel shaft is 44, then why did the club manufacturers decide to go. There are players on the pga tour using lighter driver shafts with swing speeds upwards of 115120 mph. From the data, i presume that due to my high % of better shots my averages distances are quite similar and i feel like i have so much better control of the stick. A recent golf test i dont remember where, showed amateurs hitting the longer shafts 45. Tall golfers have found that theyre able to play well with a 44 inch driver while shorter players are better off using a 43 driver. Hit your fairway woods more consistently dlance golfd. Jul 30, 2019 you might be surprised that most pros have an average driver shaft length of 44.

The question ive had in the back of my head is what can i do to make my driver just a bit more accurate. Jan 07, 2015 if you want a shorter driver length to test for better consistency and control, start by cutting the length of the present driver shorter from the grip end of the shaft then add some lead tape to the head to get the headweight feel back up to where you can definitely feel the presence of the head as you start the downswing. This is another area of getting fit for the right driver that will require a little bit of testing to see what feels most comfortable to the player, and the kinds of results it. The shaft flex in fairway woods should be slightly softer than the driver shaft and slightly stiffer than a hybrid. Proper length shorter is better weight and flex can give you more distance, accuracy and consistency. A shorter swing along with limited shoulder and hip turns will likely lead to a lack of depth thus limiting speed and also the possibility of poor path into impact. Swing speed, launch angle, spin, smash factor, etc. A shorter shaft doesnt necessarily mean that you will lose any distance like someone mentioned.

The more often a golfer hits the center of the driver s face, the more consistency they will see in their driving accuracy and distance. Accuracy, feel explain why some pga tour players have gone. Remove the grip from the driver using a hook blade or a utility knife, as well as the grip tape on the shaft. Accuracy, feel explain why some pga tour players have gone to heavier driver shafts. Use leverage to your advantage golf swing tip being short of stature doesnt mean you cant be long off the tee. So it easy to start hitting high shots that spend too much energy going up and not enough going forward. Driver shaft length is shorter better than standard length. Mar 28, 2016 the quest for a more accurate driver everyone wants to find out how to have a more accurate driver including me. When we realized that we had never tested the concept of shorter driver shafts being more accurate. The best 2019 driver and shaft combinations true fit clubs. Most people do not lose clubhead speed with a shorter driver, but they make better contact and hit the ball straighterin other words, they hit the ball more accurately and farther with a shorter club.

Perhaps more than anything else, added shaft length has increased driver distances. So there has to be a reason why these shorter drivers go farther, right. How proper club fitting can help you gain yards, improve. Sep 25, 2018 weve had this discussion ad naseum so the answer is yes. May 28, 2018 as you might expect at this point, there are always exceptions. Oct 30, 2012 now, to your question, no shaft can really reduce axis tilt.

The common wisdom is that heavier shafts are for accuracy, lighter shafts are for distance, but, our test shows that isnt always true. Thinking about cutting my driver shaft down an inch. Com equipment insider jonathan wall takes a look at rory mcilroys callaway apex mb irons. Of course we hear about the random tour guys who use much shorter drivers because its news. Driver shaft length is shorter better than standard. Moreover, a short shaft helps you gain better control. Those with already fast swingspeeds are more likely to enjoy the control benefits of shorter shafts while higher. I play a driver thats a half inch shorter than stock shafts on that model. With the new trend of shortened driver shafts on tour right now, a question came to my mind. Accuracy, feel explain why some pga tour players have gone to. Theres no consistent pattern, and that has a lot do with the shaft being a little too long for that particular. A shorter driver could be beneficial because it is typically easier to hit.

I was curious about this, as i know a lot of manufacturers make stock driver shafts in the 45 to 46 range, but most touring professionals use a 44. All things being equal, why would a longer shaft be longer than a short shafted driver if both have equal specs. When i bought it the salesman recommended a diamana blue shaft. Ian woosnam stands all of 54, but the 1991 masters winner aka the wee welshman could positively pound. Anyone ever shorten their driver shaft for more control. Many have heard that a shorter driver shaft can increase their. In the march hotlinks, club expert tom wishon wrote that one key to real improvement with the driver comes from a shorter length. Once again, we feel that the shaft is of critical importance to getting optimum performance out of any club, but especially the driver. This helps create a more consistent swing as the added weight creates a similar feel to your driver since the shaft in the fairway wood is 1. Some players are able to swing a 43 inch driver at a faster rate than a 44 inch driver although there are those who swing a 44 inch driver better. Can a shorter driver shafts say from 44 to 42 help or aid in driving the ball more consistent as opposed to longer shafts.

You might be thinking well wouldnt a driver with a longer shaft go farther. Finau is an excellent example of a player that makes a very full turn and creates a lot of depth in his swing but his overall position of his shaft at p4 is in a shorter position. Im not talking about better shafts certainly, they are better today. Can a shorter driver shafts say from 44 to 42 help or aid in driving the.

The quest for a more accurate driver practical golf. After a comprehensive overview of my stats last year i came to the conclusion that if i want to get to the next level as a golfer, i am going to have to hit more greens, and that all starts with how i position myself off the tee. Don, i think that was a great experiment, and agrees perfectly with the articles and the clubfitter, tom wishon, i referenced in my column. Oct 27, 2010 driver shaft length is shorter the way to go. Its not really any straighter, and one thing i didnt think about was the shorter lever makes the ball climb faster.