# Getting correct driver shaft length



## turkish (Oct 15, 2015)

So my driver has been on naughty step for a while now. I have been practicing with it and can't get along with it.

After speaking to someone they reckon my driver is probably too long for me to control.... when I went into American golf I explained I was looking to be fitted for a driver- I was basically taken out and the guy looked at my current swing speed then decided on a stiff shaft.

He then gave me about 4 different drivers- I liked the Titleist 915 but when I asked about shortening the shaft he said he wouldn't recommend as I would lose distance....

Now I am 5 7" so a bit on the short side- at the start of the season I could go rounds where I hit it ok but a lot of the time it was very wayward(hence why it's now on the naughty step).

I have been playing my 3 wood as I Carry it about 210-215 to roll out about 230... my driver on a good strike was about 230 carry and would roll out about 250-260. It can be the difference of making GIR on longer holes but weighing it up vs my 3 wood it was just costing me too many shots on a bad day whereas my 3 wood is a lot more dependable.

BUT I paid Â£300 for it and want to get along with the big dawg so much- When I grip down I do feel a bit more control but don't always remember to do this. I think I would like to shorten it but wan't to know the correct length- how can I work this out?

Obviously don't want to shorten it too much


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## Piece (Oct 15, 2015)

turkish said:



			So my driver has been on naughty step for a while now. I have been practicing with it and can't get along with it.

After speaking to someone they reckon my driver is probably too long for me to control.... when I went into American golf I explained I was looking to be fitted for a driver- I was basically taken out and the guy looked at my current swing speed then decided on a stiff shaft.

He then gave me about 4 different drivers- I liked the Titleist 915 but when *I asked about shortening the shaft he said he wouldn't recommend as I would lose distance....*

Now I am 5 7" so a bit on the short side- at the start of the season I could go rounds where I hit it ok but a lot of the time it was very wayward(hence why it's now on the naughty step).

I have been playing my 3 wood as I Carry it about 210-215 to roll out about 230... my driver on a good strike was about 230 carry and would roll out about 250-260. It can be the difference of making GIR on longer holes but weighing it up vs my 3 wood it was just costing me too many shots on a bad day whereas my 3 wood is a lot more dependable.

BUT I paid Â£300 for it and want to get along with the big dawg so much- *When I grip down I do feel a bit more control but don't always remember to do this. I think I would like to shorten it but wan't to know the correct length- how can I work this out*?

Obviously don't want to shorten it too much
		
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Maximising what you get from a driver is about how and where you hit it on the face. If it's found that you are not hitting the centre or sweetspot regularly, cutting the length may assist, depending on the shaft in question. Some tour pros use short shaft lengths so they can hit it better and consequently longer.

I would advise going to a decent fitting place that has ideally GC2 HMT to show you where on the driver you're hitting it. The fitter will advise from the data what your options are regarding shaft length. You don't what to be cutting the shaft if you're not sure what's really going on!


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## Keeno (Oct 15, 2015)

Does your 3w shaft fit into your driver head?  If so I would give that a bash.

As you have said yourself, 30yards shorter is a lot better than 3 off the Tee.  

Stick with the 3 wood, less penalty shots, lower scores, more confidence and your'll enjoy yourself better.


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## MrO (Oct 15, 2015)

I had the same issue. Bought a new G30 driver with stock shaft and it felt like a broom handle. Felt very uncomfortable with standing that far away from the ball during rounds. I was then subconsciously standing at a more comfortable distance away but was way too near for what the shaft would allow so I was getting big outside to in cuts and the majority of tee shots would slice. 

I then then switched to the shorter tour shaft and can now stand close enough to feel comfortable with out taking the club on a big inside to out cutting line.

Bubba reportedly uses a 44.5 inch driver shaft. No doubt he would use a longer Shaft if he could increase distance whilst maintaining control. The fact he does not means it's ludicrous ping sell weekend golfers stock shafts at 45.75 inches. 

I also read Luke Donald and Sergio both use drivers with shorter length shafts more in line with their height.


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## MendieGK (Oct 15, 2015)

Mine is 1.5inches shorter than standard. I'm 6ft 4. I don't need the extra distance so it made sense.

Have you tried gripping down the driver and giving that a go? Would save butt trimming it for the time being....


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## BTatHome (Oct 15, 2015)

So much variance with driver lengths and swing weights from the factory though. Changing length 'could' change the swing weight for better or the worse depending on each club your testing.

Callaway XR - 46"
Cobra King - 45"
Taylormade M1 - 45.5"
Ping g30 - 45.75"
Titleist 915 - 45"

Changing shafts can also have a huge change in how well you can hit the ball, I remember tying the standard Aeroburner and finding it too light, but a 5g heavier shaft and it felt much much better!

It's a minefield


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## Jimaroid (Oct 15, 2015)

Bubba's shaft is 44.5 inches (fnarr, etc.) and I've been led to believe that most tour pros have shorter driver shafts than you'd get off the shelf. I cut mine down to 44.25 from 45.5 and it made a noticeable difference. More control and better strike = more fairways and more length.

Someone will no doubt be along to talk about swingweight changes but I ignored all that guff because I can hit the ball much better than before so don't care.


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## Stuey01 (Oct 15, 2015)

He then gave me about 4 different drivers- I liked the Titleist 915 but when I asked about shortening the shaft he said he wouldn't recommend as I would lose distance....
		
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That theoretical extra distance isn't much use if the driver never comes out the bag because you can't trust it...


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## IanG (Oct 15, 2015)

Gripping down the shaft an inch or so works for me with little or no loss of average distance. As others have said above hitting the middle of the face is key. I don;t feel the need to chop the shaft down - tho' it would make it easier to get in the car boot!


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## One Planer (Oct 15, 2015)

My Titleist 910D2 plays to 44.5" and I've not noticed much drop in distance.

Saying that. Stock playing length on the D2 was only 45"


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## shewy (Oct 15, 2015)

I did an experiment a while back, bought a Cobra LD and cut it down to 43", the same as a 3 wood, I'd say probably 10 yards shorter than than my best drives.
Something to be said for shorter shaft and better strike, it did feel super light though.


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## daverollo (Oct 15, 2015)

You absolutely have the wrong length driver for your circumstances:

I can't take credit for this, cut and paste from Tom Wishons' site 

*Myth #7*
The Longer the Length of a Driver,the Farther Youâ€™ll hit the Ball!

_This topic really is a sore point with me because so many golfers cannot hit their driver to the best of their ability because of it. If you wander into any golf retail store, youâ€™ll notice that the menâ€™s drivers from all the golf club companies are between 45 1/2 and 46 1/2 inches in length. Yet, in every year from 2005 through 2012, the average driver length among all players on the PGA Tour was 44.5 inches. Now, does that not strike you as being slightly odd? 

I mean, here are the best players on the planetâ€”players for whom distance off the tee is absolutely critical to their chances for successâ€”and they are routinely using drivers that are shorter than the ones that are being peddled off the rack to you!

Let me tell you another story. For almost the entire 20th century leading up to the 1980s, the standard driver length for men was 43â€, for women 42â€. Did humans all of a sudden get 3â€ taller starting in 1980? Nope. What happened was simply a result of competition to sell more golf clubs in an overcrowded golf equipment industry, and to do so at the expense of the vast majority of golfersâ€™ potential for playing proficiency. Every golfer on the planet thinks that a longer driver length means a higher clubhead speed, which in turn means more distance. The fact is, the only golfers who actually do experience a higher clubhead speed from a longer length when they hit the ball are golfers with a later to very late unhinging of their wrist-cock angle on the downswing. Thatâ€™s maybe 25% of all golfers, if that.

The next problem also deals with percentages, but this oneâ€™s far more certain. Among 100% of all golfers, the longer the length of the driver, the more chance they have of hitting a higher number of off-center shots. That fact right there is why the average driver length on the PGA Tour has been 1 to 2 inches shorter than the length of the drivers being sold off the rack to you and your friends. Even the pros, as good as they are, know they cannot hit a longer length driver as consistently solid and on-center and as accurate as one a little shorter.* In my estimation from over 30 years of Clubfitting research, the drivers presently sold off the rack in shops are too long for 90% of the men and 98% of the women golfers who buy them*. Let me tell you precisely who can successfully use one of the 45 Â½â€ to 46 Â½â€ drivers that populate every golf store on the planet.

If you are a golfer with a smooth tempo, if you swing with an inside/out to square swing path, have a late release of your wrist-cock angle, and a good sense of swing timing and rhythm, then you are in luck. Go right ahead with my blessing and use that pole. If thatâ€™s not your swing, then go get a new driver fitted and built from scratch; only this time get it not only built to the right length for your swing; but also get the shaft, loft, face angle, grip size and swingweight thatâ€™s also best for your swing.

The pros on tour know they canâ€™t hit the length of the driver you bought off-the-rack as consistently on center or as straight as they can one that is shorter. Believe me, theyâ€™ve all tried because they all know how valuable another 10-15 yards off the tee could be to their bank account. They also know how tough it can be to grow their bank account when theyâ€™re hitting their second shot with the ball sitting in four inches of rough. The irony is that here you are hitting most of your drives on the toe or heel, watching the ball slice into the trees, praying you can make that one good swing out of ten with your driver that is 2â€ longer than the average tour playerâ€™s driver and thinking the whole time that itâ€™s your fault. So, how do you know what is the right length for you?

The way a good clubmaker determines proper length is by first measuring the distance from your wrist to the floor and referencing that dimension to a chart to obtain a starting point only for what will be your driver length recommendation. After that, the clubmaker looks at your swing path, tempo, release and your golf athletic ability to determine if your best length is a little longer, the same or maybe even a little shorter than what the chart starts out saying.

WRIST TO FLOOR MEASUREMENT FOR INITIAL CLUB LENGTHS
Wrist to Floor Driver Length 5-iron Length
27" to 29" 42" 36 1/2"
29+" to 32" 42 3/4 37
32+" to 34" 43 1/2 37 1/2
34+" to 36" 44 38
36+" to 37" 44 1/4 38 1/4
37+" to 38" 44 1/2 38 1/2
38+" to 39" 44 3/4 38 3/4
39+" to 40" 45 39
40+" to 41" 45 1/4" 39 1/4
41+" to 42" 45 1/2" 39 1/2
over 42" 46 and up 39 3/4 and up

Note: the wrist-to-floor measurement is used as the starting point only for determining club lengths for the golfer. Final length determination includes adjustments based on the golferâ€™s swing path, swing plane, downswing tempo, point of release and overall golf athletic ability. To obtain the measurement, wear flat sole shoes, stand comfortably erect, shoulders perfectly level, arms hanging relaxed at the sides. The measurement is made from the major wrist crease at the base of the palm of the upper hand in the grip on the club. Notice that these are all decisions that are best made by an experienced custom club fitter working face to face with YOUâ€”not by the marketing and sales departments at some club company 1000 or more miles away_


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## turkish (Oct 15, 2015)

Thanks for that; I've sent my club pro a message asking for his input and charge for consultation and doing it.

Quick Question the 3 wood I have is also the 915- the shaft in that is 43".... with it being adjustable pretty sure you can just take off and screw back in is this the case?

Also I imagine 3 wood shafts and drivers shafts to be a good bit different; with the 3 wood being thinner and lighter- would it be a worthwhile experiment trying the 3 wood shaft in it? Don't wanna end up breaking the thing right enough


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## swasterix (Oct 15, 2015)

Been through exactly the same mate. 

Im also 5' 7", and was struggling for consistency with the big dog. On the advice of my pro, I chopped 1.5" off the end of my driver (SLDR, stock stiff shaft). Result was more consistency, and longer drives, due partly to the better control, but also I would suspect more confidence. 

Do it!

Edit: I did experiment with gripping down on it for a few weeks prior to biting the bullet so I would recommend doing this first. If it works, it's a pretty straightforward DIY job.


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## Region3 (Oct 15, 2015)

turkish said:



			Also I imagine 3 wood shafts and drivers shafts to be a good bit different; with the 3 wood being thinner and lighter- would it be a worthwhile experiment trying the 3 wood shaft in it? Don't wanna end up breaking the thing right enough
		
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A 3 wood shaft will be heavier than a driver shaft in the same model.


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## turkish (Oct 15, 2015)

Region3 said:



			A 3 wood shaft will be heavier than a driver shaft in the same model.
		
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Ok- do you think it would be worthwhile to try it?


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## Keeno (Oct 15, 2015)

turkish said:



			Ok- do you think it would be worthwhile to try it?
		
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Yes, it'll be well worth while.  Especially over the winter months


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## Region3 (Oct 15, 2015)

turkish said:



			Ok- do you think it would be worthwhile to try it?
		
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Who knows?

If it doesn't work you've lost nothing so no reason not to try.


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## Foxholer (Oct 15, 2015)

Jimaroid said:



			Bubba's shaft is 44.5 inches (fnarr, etc.) and I've been led to believe that most tour pros have shorter driver shafts than you'd get off the shelf. I cut mine down to 44.25 from 45.5 and it made a noticeable difference. More control and better strike = more fairways and more length.

Someone will no doubt be along to talk about swingweight changes but I ignored all that guff because I can hit the ball much better than before so don't care. 

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Indeed, Swing Weight is likely to change.

But it only takes a couple of swings to get used to the 'new' feel, even if you don't bother adjusting.

Tha additional length was really only a marketing gimmick - for Robot measurement of the 'additional' length!


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## UlyssesSky (Oct 15, 2015)

Foxholer said:



			Indeed, Swing Weight is likely to change.

But it only takes a couple of swings to get used to the 'new' feel, even if you don't bother adjusting.
		
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What also will change is the shaft flex, since a shorter shaft is relatively stiffer than a longer one. So depending on the flex of the un-cut shaft, this may play a role as well. If e.g. the shaft is almost too stiff before it gets cut, it may well be too stiff once it is shortened.




			Tha additional length was really only a marketing gimmick - for Robot measurement of the 'additional' length!
		
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And for the rare occasion when someone manages to hit the sweet spot and absolutely rips one. Which then serves as proof that the driver is actually longer and he just needs to practice more to get the best out of it.


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## evahakool (Oct 15, 2015)

Like Daverollo I also read Tom Wishon article, makes a lot of sense.

I had my driver cut down last year and lost a few yards but was consistently much straiter, I also brought a jetspeed 3and 5 wood and found the shafts in them to long so I had them shortend as well.

There is a article in last months mag about shaft lengths you might find interesting.


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## GreiginFife (Oct 15, 2015)

UlyssesSky said:



			What also will change is the shaft flex, since a shorter shaft is relatively stiffer than a longer one. So depending on the flex of the un-cut shaft, this may play a role as well. If e.g. the shaft is almost too stiff before it gets cut, it may well be too stiff once it is shortened.
		
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Would that be true for butt trimming rather than tip trimming? I was always taught that tip trimming affects flex hence tipping for flex butting for length.


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## williamalex1 (Oct 15, 2015)

The standard wheelie bin will take a 44 inch driver[ diagonally ] no problem :smirk:


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## 3565 (Oct 15, 2015)

http://youtu.be/egIhbNTuylY

video about shorter shafts and butt trimming and the effect it has if you shorten the shaft.


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## Region3 (Oct 15, 2015)

GreiginFife said:



			Would that be true for butt trimming rather than tip trimming? I was always taught that tip trimming affects flex hence tipping for flex butting for length.
		
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It hardly affects it at all IMO, certainly wasn't enough for me to notice.
The thing I did notice though was swingweight.

Just looking on club manufacturers websites it seems that the difference in swingweight between mens and women's drivers is around 7 swingweight points.
If you cut 1" off the shaft you go 6 swingweight points lighter.

Whether that would be a bad thing for some people I don't know


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## Fish (Oct 16, 2015)

My Black Tie Matrix was cut down to a 3w length when I was fitted by TaylorMade at the Belfry last year for my SLDR, those that have played with me will tell you I don't really lose any significant distance with it and I'm up and around if not further than the average handicap golfer driver distances and due to the shorter length I have much more control of the clubhead which I didn't at full length.


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## Trojan615 (Oct 16, 2015)

I managed to acquire a replacement shaft from the mizzy tour van for my 850 driver.... Needed an inch off the tip. Really noticed the diff , negligible distance loss but a lot more tighter dispersion


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## HomerJSimpson (Oct 17, 2015)

It may be a cliche (certainly from my keyboard) but why not invest in a lesson and get to learn to use the one you have. I'm not certain playing around with the shaft length will make too much difference if you are still not swinging it properly


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## evahakool (Oct 17, 2015)

HomerJSimpson said:



			It may be a cliche (certainly from my keyboard) but why not invest in a lesson and get to learn to use the one you have. I'm not certain playing around with the shaft length will make too much difference if you are still not swinging it properly
		
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I assume you read the link about Tom Wishon thoughts about length of shafts in drivers so I'm struggling to understand why you think getting lessons is the best way forward.

I would have thought the first step is to make sure you have the correct length of shaft in your driver, getting lessons with a driver the wrong length would IMO be a waste of money.


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## HomerJSimpson (Oct 17, 2015)

evahakool said:



			I assume you read the link about Tom Wishon thoughts about length of shafts in drivers so I'm struggling to understand why you think getting lessons is the best way forward.

I would have thought the first step is to make sure you have the correct length of shaft in your driver, getting lessons with a driver the wrong length would IMO be a waste of money.
		
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The issue I have is that irrespective of what shaft and what length you have, if you put a bad swing on the driver, it'll still be a bad shot. Technique and technology have to marry


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## daverollo (Oct 17, 2015)

HomerJSimpson said:



			The issue I have is that irrespective of what shaft and what length you have, if you put a bad swing on the driver, it'll still be a bad shot. Technique and technology have to marry
		
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So is that the stock answer to 90% of posts about equipment you'll give? 

Absolutely, anyone who wants to improve should consider investing in lessons, but many amateurs have repeatable swings, flaws and all. The OP asked a good question to which some insightful answers have been given.

When you consider tour pro's rarely exceed 70% fairways hit, us ammys need all the help and insight going!


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## evahakool (Oct 17, 2015)

HomerJSimpson said:



			The issue I have is that irrespective of what shaft and what length you have, if you put a bad swing on the driver, it'll still be a bad shot. Technique and technology have to marry
		
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That's true to some extent, but if your using the wrong technology ie a shaft that is to long then technique and technology will never marry.

Would it not make more sense to get a driver with the right length and then get a lesson? :thup:


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## GreiginFife (Oct 17, 2015)

HomerJSimpson said:



			The issue I have is that irrespective of what shaft and what length you have, if you put a bad swing on the driver, it'll still be a bad shot. Technique and technology have to marry
		
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So my understanding of this cutting the driver shaft down thing is that it's to improve control by making it easier to put a good swing on it...
The longer the shaft, the less easy it is to control movement of the mass at the end of the lever, this is one of the reasons that many amateurs struggle with long driver shafts. Look at how successful the Cobra Long Tom driver was... 

So contrary to your theory the need for a lesson is effectively negated by just simply making it easier to get that better, more controlled swing on the driver. 

Strangely, getting lessons isn't the answer to all of the questions relating to how to hit a ball better and with more ease.


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## 3565 (Oct 17, 2015)

Played golf for years and maintained a reasonable standard and I've always had lessons from some good Pro's over the years. Not been the best driver of a golf ball, a better iron player then woods. It wasn't till I went to a Wishon club fitter 2yrs ago that he gave me his driver 43.50", but it felt really solid in the hands, and i saw on the impact tape one high one toe one heely and with a hmmm he said ok, let me do something, came back passed me the driver back, it felt the same solid feel when I waggled it as before, I knew it was shorter then my MP630 by quite a bit, and looked the same shaft as before. 

Couple of practise swings, then hit one............ I swung the club round back to him and said 'that's right out of the middle' he looked and asked hit another..... I did and did exactly the same as before, he looked and said 'the cheque will be in the post?' When I looked at the impact tape the red circle in the middle of the club face the 2 balls imprint did not break the red line at all. 

The shaft, was the same playing profile as his 43.50" length, he just put a 44" shaft in the head. So I have 2 drivers that have 44" shafts, I'm getting a new driver head and shaft combo soon and that will be 44" 

having a good technique is all well and good and I'm playing off 2-3 hc, but if you have not got the right length shaft, and having the ball impact inconsistently on the club face, your not going to be consistent. And that's one thing I read a lot on this forum, consistency!


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## HomerJSimpson (Oct 18, 2015)

GreiginFife said:



			So my understanding of this cutting the driver shaft down thing is that it's to improve control by making it easier to put a good swing on it...
The longer the shaft, the less easy it is to control movement of the mass at the end of the lever, this is one of the reasons that many amateurs struggle with long driver shafts. Look at how successful the Cobra Long Tom driver was... 

So contrary to your theory the need for a lesson is effectively negated by just simply making it easier to get that better, more controlled swing on the driver. 

Strangely, getting lessons isn't the answer to all of the questions relating to how to hit a ball better and with more ease.
		
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I'm not arguing that shorter shafts will give you more control. I get that. However the problem of not controlling the club head, having a poor swing path etc, doesn't go away and with minimal loft 8-12 degrees on average, there's still marginal room for error


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## Odvan (Oct 22, 2015)

Went out today on mi tod in these blustery conditions. After watching a GM vid about driving into the wind I was teeing it higher than normal. BUT something I've never done before was to also really grip down on the driver, my right thumb at the very bottom of the grip.

Well, blow me, it worked like a dream. Was creaming them into the wind and the spin was minimal as I was really focussing on hitting on the up, something I found so much easier to do. Hit all but 2 fairways with the driver and those were just in the first cut. Distance loss was none existent, into the wind I'd say I got more. It certainly helped me find the sweet spot for sure.

Went to see the pro after as to his thoughts on butt trimming it and we agreed that I should have another couple of knocks gripping down before we took anything off it, if indeed we should.

A very interesting experiment for me and looking forward to my next knock.


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## ger147 (Oct 22, 2015)

Got a driver fitting booked with Scott Gourlay. Quite happy with my G30 but want a shorter than standard shaft.

Should be a fun day.


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## evahakool (Oct 22, 2015)

ger147 said:



			Got a driver fitting booked with Scott Gourlay. Quite happy with my G30 but want a shorter than standard shaft.

Should be a fun day.
		
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Keep us posted on your fitting, will be interesting to hear what Scott thinks of shorting a driver.


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## garyinderry (Oct 22, 2015)

Odvan said:



			Went out today on mi tod in these blustery conditions. After watching a GM vid about driving into the wind I was teeing it higher than normal. BUT something I've never done before was to also really grip down on the driver, my right thumb at the very bottom of the grip.

Well, blow me, it worked like a dream. Was creaming them into the wind and the spin was minimal as I was really focussing on hitting on the up, something I found so much easier to do. Hit all but 2 fairways with the driver and those were just in the first cut. Distance loss was none existent, into the wind I'd say I got more. It certainly helped me find the sweet spot for sure.

Went to see the pro after as to his thoughts on butt trimming it and we agreed that I should have another couple of knocks gripping down before we took anything off it, if indeed we should.

A very interesting experiment for me and looking forward to my next knock.
		
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If only someone had told you to try teeing it higher before...  :rofl:


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## MadAdey (Oct 23, 2015)

Being told that you would loose distance by shortening the driver is correct, but in theory only. The longer the shaft the further the head travels so accelerating to a higher speed, meaning a higher club head speed giving a higher ball speed. higher ball speed equals more distance. That's the theoretical lesson over.

In reality you will probably hit it further with the shorter shaft as you have more control, so getting a better strike. Using smash factor proves this scientifically. Smash = Ball speed/Head Speed. Optimum smash factor is 1.5 with a driver.

Longer shaft might get you up to 110 clubhead speed, but the poor strike might mean on average your at a 1.3 smash giving you 143MPH ball speed.

Shorter shaft might drop your head speed down to 105, but a better strike on average at say 1.45 smash will give you 152.25 ball speed. Which is going to hit it further and straighter and more consistently.


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## Odvan (Oct 23, 2015)

garyinderry said:



			If only someone had told you to try teeing it higher before...  :rofl:
		
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But 'they' had never told me to grip down


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## Andy (Oct 23, 2015)

ger147 said:



			Got a driver fitting booked with Scott Gourlay. Quite happy with my G30 but want a shorter than standard shaft.

Should be a fun day.
		
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You won't get longer than 44 1/2" off Scott. He's good.


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## ger147 (Oct 23, 2015)

Andy said:



			You won't get longer than 44 1/2" off Scott. He's good.
		
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44 or 44.5 was what I had in mind instead of the 45.75 stock shaft in it at the mo, but obv Scott knows best hence the trip to see him.

And I would not expect to see my longest drives getting any longer but fully expect my average to increase as I should have a much better chance of more consistent strikes due to the easier to control driver.


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## turkish (Oct 29, 2015)

An update on this thread- went and collected my now 44" driver and went to the range last night. 

I can't advocate it enough what a difference... I thought it would be marginal but the dispersion was night and day.... Couldn't really work out distance as was a bit foggy the distance it was going so will find that out on course.

Still sliced the odd one but even they weren't as bad as my usual bad slice. Shots were either a small fade down the middle or a slight pull left so have booked a lesson for next week to work on the swing but also to find my optimum settings on the 915.

My bad shot was still popping it up in the air by skying it which is a fault I had before so that's something I need to work on... Spoke to someone who said just tee it lower but I don't wanna do that as it can just bring out a slice easier I'm led to believe


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## 3565 (Oct 29, 2015)

turkish said:



			An update on this thread- went and collected my now 44" driver and went to the range last night. 

I can't advocate it enough what a difference... I thought it would be marginal but the dispersion was night and day.... Couldn't really work out distance as was a bit foggy the distance it was going so will find that out on course.

Still sliced the odd one but even they weren't as bad as my usual bad slice. Shots were either a small fade down the middle or a slight pull left so have booked a lesson for next week to work on the swing but also to find my optimum settings on the 915.

My bad shot was still popping it up in the air by skying it which is a fault I had before so that's something I need to work on... Spoke to someone who said just tee it lower but I don't wanna do that as it can just bring out a slice easier I'm led to believe
		
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I can't advocate this enough, we're all playing with a shaft too long.........in our drivers that is. 

More importantly get some Scholls powder foot spray and use it on the face to see where the ball contact is.


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## turkish (Oct 29, 2015)

Yeah I've got my Mrs dry shampoo which does the trick too


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## virtuocity (Oct 29, 2015)

turkish said:



			My bad shot was still popping it up in the air by skying it which is a fault I had before so that's something I need to work on...
		
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Used to be the master of skied shots.  You should have seen the state of my RBZ!!!!  Stay behind the ball



turkish said:



			Spoke to someone who said just tee it lower but I don't wanna do that as it can just bring out a slice easier I'm led to believe
		
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It can encourage a downward strike, slice city.  Orange over pink tees for me!


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## woody69 (Oct 29, 2015)

turkish said:



			An update on this thread- went and collected my now 44" driver and went to the range last night. 

I can't advocate it enough what a difference... I thought it would be marginal but the dispersion was night and day.... Couldn't really work out distance as was a bit foggy the distance it was going so will find that out on course.

Still sliced the odd one but even they weren't as bad as my usual bad slice. Shots were either a small fade down the middle or a slight pull left so have booked a lesson for next week to work on the swing but also to find my optimum settings on the 915.

My bad shot was still popping it up in the air by skying it which is a fault I had before so that's something I need to work on... Spoke to someone who said just tee it lower but I don't wanna do that as it can just bring out a slice easier I'm led to believe
		
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Skyed shots from the driver are mainly caused by you getting ahead of the ball causing a downward strike. Add a little right lean away (if you are r/h golfer) and think about hitting up. 

[video=youtube;yZOkHLQkHzc]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yZOkHLQkHzc[/video]


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## turkish (Oct 29, 2015)

LOL beat you to it just watched this earlier- yeah I know why I do it I think I just need to work on it more and yeah dave I have a bag full of Orange tees that I hadn't been using.

Just need to practice finding the bottom of that arc more!!!


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## Mark_Aged_42 (Oct 29, 2015)

Just be be clear, when we talk about driver shaft length, what are the end points? 
I have a Titleist 910, the shaft needs regripping, and I have been thinking of chopping off 1".


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## turkish (Oct 29, 2015)

They took an inch off the Butt- the pro told me an inch will be fine but anymore will probably affect the swing weight and stiffness too much


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## Jimaroid (Oct 29, 2015)

Mark_Aged_42 said:



			Just be be clear, when we talk about driver shaft length, what are the end points?
		
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http://www.randa.org/en/Equipment/Protocols-and-Procedures/Clubs/Club-Length.aspx


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## moogie (Oct 29, 2015)

ger147 said:



			Got a driver fitting booked with Scott Gourlay. Quite happy with my G30 but want a shorter than standard shaft.

Should be a fun day.
		
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Has this happened yet.....??


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## ger147 (Nov 10, 2015)

moogie said:



			Has this happened yet.....??
		
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Yes - session with Scott was last Saturday and I've just picked up my altered driver which is now an inch shorter than before.

Haven't hit it yet so have no feedback but I've also taken Scott up on his one and only suggestion re. working on hitting my driver better so we'll see how that goes.


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## Leereed (Nov 10, 2015)

Iam 5'2 so not a big lad. My driver and 3 wood are normal length.i have had lessons off two different pro's and I have asked them both if it would be a good idea to shorten it.Both said no it's fine.....my irons are about 3/4 of an inch shorter.


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## HomerJSimpson (Nov 10, 2015)

Leereed said:



			Iam 5'2 so not a big lad. My driver and 3 wood are normal length.i have had lessons off two different pro's and I have asked them both if it would be a good idea to shorten it.Both said no it's fine.....my irons are about 3/4 of an inch shorter.
		
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How well do you hit the driver? What sort of FIR do yo get? If it's a decent number (for you) why change? If you feel you miss too many fairways go back to both or either and ask them to expand on their answer and why they wouldn't cut down to improve accuracy


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## Leereed (Nov 10, 2015)

HomerJSimpson said:



			How well do you hit the driver? What sort of FIR do yo get? If it's a decent number (for you) why change? If you feel you miss too many fairways go back to both or either and ask them to expand on their answer and why they wouldn't cut down to improve accuracy
		
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I have a swing speed of 98 to 105 mph.hit with a small fade and hit about 50% of fairways easily and the others won't be along way off.And carry about 220 yards.


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## Leereed (Nov 10, 2015)

And they both said that with the driver at address I do stand far away from the ball. but the club comes back on plain.


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