Are lower lofted drivers harder to hit?

[Deke]

Hi forum.As my club is fairly open and windy,I am feeling the need for a lower ball flight,especially with my driver.I know that I could just get a low flight shaft,but I am tempted to buy a cheap low loft driver to see if I can achieve a lower flight with more roll.Will it be much harder to hit given the same swing? I am thinking 9 deg or so? I can close the face of my Cobra S3 to the same loft,would I be better doing that,and accepting a fade instead of my usual draw? Cheers.

 

[FairwayDodger]

My driver is 9 degrees and I hit it pretty well but still fairly high. I adjusted it to lower loft for a while but didn't really get on with it. Not sure if I just had a bad day and should have stuck at it - will probably have another go at some stage.

If your driver's adjustable you've got nothing to lose by experimenting with it.

 

[kev_off_the_tee]

Hi Deke,

My Yonex is a 9 deg with a very stiff shaft, which REALLY flies low which worked well in high winds.

Because of how low it was/is, I've gone for a higher loft driver with a softer flex and am getting good results and hitting the ball straighter and higher than before.

For me I think my success is partly down to concentrating more and what I'm doing (setup & weight transfer) rather the difference in club but I haven't had the Yonex out since I got the Nike so cant be sure.

 

[HawkeyeMS]

It's not just about loft, it's about spin rate. My driver is set at 9.25 degrees to keep the spin rate down. Sounds like you need a trackman session.

In answer to your question, I tried lofts of 8.5 to 11.25 and didn't find the lower lofts any harder to hit.

 

[Deke]

Thanks for the input good forum folk! I think I will try a wee range session (as soon as my damn chest has healed) with my S3 set to closed.I am still tempted to get a custom fit session but as of yet don't have the funds for a new big dog(and my Cobra S3 is still very new). A cheap 9deg of ebay is still hard to ignore however! Will it be harder to make good contact compared to my 10.5 deg?

 

[kev_off_the_tee]

Will it be harder to make good contact compared to my 10.5 deg?

shouldn't be. if the shaft suits your swing, the clubface would be in the same position no matter what the loft

 

[brendy]

8.5 degrees here on my R11s, I dont find it any harder to hit over my older G15 9 deg driver from a couple of years back. I still hit it fairly high too.

 

[noble78]

I used to have a 11.5 degree nike driver which was going way too high, especially on my course which is next to the sea and hitting it into the wind was a nightmare for me. I have now changed to the ping rapture which is 9 degree and i am hitting it loads better, i keep it quite alot lower into the wind which is giving me more distance

 

[Alex1975]

It's not just about loft, it's about spin rate. My driver is set at 9.25 degrees to keep the spin rate down. Sounds like you need a trackman session.

In answer to your question, I tried lofts of 8.5 to 11.25 and didn't find the lower lofts any harder to hit.

This ^ it's spin rate rather than loft so as you say in the OP, a different shaft is really the answer but to answer your actual question - loft inherently gives forgiveness or ease of strike, hence your PW is easier to hit than your 5 iron but that far up with a club with so little loft, it won't make much difference at all. Pop to AG and ask to try whatever driver in a 9, 10 & 11 degree and see if you can tell much difference.

 

[Foxholer]

Shouldn't be harder to hit. But more susceptible to sizeable fades/slices (in particular) if the swing is a shade out-to-in.

 

[Deke]

Cheers for all your posts,some interesting points! My swing is a bit in to out,and my usual shape is 10-15 yard draw so it sounds like a lower lofted head,combined with a lower flight shaft might do the trick? Does a lower spin rate come from the head,shaft,or both?

 

[Doon frae Troon]

In my day we just teed the ball a bit lower and struck the drive a fraction more on the upswing.

 

[Deke]

In my day we just teed the ball a bit lower and struck the drive a fraction more on the upswing.

I have tried a lower tee Doon,but I hit the driver much better when half the ball is above the crown.

 

[FairwayDodger]

In my day we just teed the ball a bit lower and struck the drive a fraction more on the upswing.

I suppose next you'll be claiming you shaped shots and managed your way round the courses instead of just blasting everything 300+ yards...... like wot we do nowadays... ahem.....

 

[Deke]

I suppose next you'll be claiming you shaped shots and managed your way round the courses instead of just blasting everything 300+ yards...... like wot we do nowadays... ahem.....

If only FairwayDodger! I wish!

 

[Alex1975]

In my day we just teed the ball a bit lower and struck the drive a fraction more on the upswing.

There is more than one way to skin a cat and more than one reason for a high ball flight.

Oh and it is still your day...

 

[HomerJSimpson]

Not wishing to be a harbingour of doom, I've been told by several good teaching pros and more than one tour pro that the amateur would benefit from a higher launching driver to optimise carry, especially in the winter. I can see where you are coming from trying to go lower but I'd talk to a pro first and then check your figures on a monitor

 

[Deke]

I get your point and agree Homer,but I am keen to actually try a lower lofted driver as i wont be getting rid of my S3 anyway,it will be just a bit of fun! Closing the face and de-lofting my S3 seems like a logical step no?

 

[Deke]

Indeed does anybody who owns an adjustable driver with loft options have a success story when de-lofting?(apart from Hawkeye!)

 

[Snelly]

The answer to the original question is yes, drivers with lower loft are harder to hit and that is a fact.

Common sense really.