Does length matter?

[seochris]

So I have a ping G driver on a 33.5" Grafalloy PFC shaft and was hitting it great. As usual just want more a got fitted with a G430 Max with a Ping stock shaft at 45" Stiff.
I also have a G30 in Spain with a 45" True Temper Grafalloy PFC shaft in it and hit that fine as well.
Anyway the 45" ping shaft/G430 was/is a disaster. So many off centre hits.
So put a Grafalloy shaft in the 430 and there was an improvement but not fantastic. Then payed again with the 33.5 shaft in the G driver and was flushing them...Great.
Question: Is it the shaft length or the head that's the problem?

 

[Deleted member 23344]

Do you really mean 33.5” … or should that be 43.5”?

 

[seochris]

Do you really mean 33.5” … or should that be 43.5”?

Yes apologies...43.5!

 

[patricks148]

Wow you are back, blast from the past.

How's it going, what are you upto now?

 

[Bratty]

I've never liked the Ping stock shafts and have replaced them each time. Some like them, but they don't seem to suit me.
Which is the third "G driver" you are referring to, by the way?

 

[seochris]

Wow you are back, blast from the past.

How's it going, what are you upto now?

Hiya....well as you know went to Abu Dhabi then retired in 2017. Now split my time between UK and Spain.
Currently in Spain for a month or so....

 

[seochris]

I've never liked the Ping stock shafts and have replaced them each time. Some like them, but they don't seem to suit me.
Which is the third "G driver" you are referring to, by the way?

So its a G and a G430 in the UK and a G30 in Spain.
Ive had the Ping shaft cut to 43.5 but have not tried it yet.
Will be playing with the 45" G30 tomorrow so will see how that goes. It used to go fine so maybe its my swing that pants!

 

[Bratty]

I'd forgotten they started with G!
As I said, the stock shafts haven't ever been friendly to me, so you may find the same, even when shortened.
Good luck with it though.

 

[KenL]

Yes apologies...43.5!

I thought, for a minute, that the legend Ronnie Corbett was back with us.

 

[KenL]

You are much more likely to hit the middle of the face with a shorter driver.

 

[Rlburnside]

Plenty of advice online this is just one of many, manufacturers gradually increased length of driver shafts just to promote marketing of more distance to the detriment of most amateur golfers imo.

 

[Crow]

The stock length for a driver used to be 43 inches.
If we went back to smaller heads then probably it would be again.

 

[jim8flog]

My own experience of Ping shafts was that I have stiff in my G425 3 wood and the other recommended choice was a Tensei orange in reg which I bought initially.
My TM driver and other graphite shafted clubs have reg in them.

Without knowing your specific Grafalloy shaft my own experience of Grafalloy (prolite) is that they play on the stiff side of reg.

 

[Orikoru]

Do you really mean 33.5” … or should that be 43.5”?

I had visions of him swinging a putter shaft around with a driver head on the end of it.

 

[seochris]

So by way of an update played yesterday with the 45" G30 and was hitting it great so really no idea now. Is there much difference in weight between the G30 and the G430 max?

 

[KenL]

So by way of an update played yesterday with the 45" G30 and was hitting it great so really no idea now. Is there much difference in weight between the G30 and the G430 max?

Possibly. The head in my G430 LST feels very heavy compared to the Callaway driver it replaced.
I have the tour shaft which I don't think is counter-balanced. The CB shaft might make the head feel lighter.

 

[seochris]

By way of some feedback on this...Bck in Spain now with my 45" G30 driver. Smashing it. So went for another fitting today...different fitter. So the Ping stiff shaft (my original purchase) was pants. 45 or so inches. Tried a bunch of shafts and heads including TM, Cobra and Call.
Eventually the best shaft for me was the Ping stock regular in a G430 Max, 9 degree. Compared to the G30 it was at least 10 yards or so more carry. So just ordered a stack regular and let's see what happens.

 

[Imurg]

Possibly. The head in my G430 LST feels very heavy compared to the Callaway driver it replaced.
I have the tour shaft which I don't think is counter-balanced. The CB shaft might make the head feel lighter.

Ping driver heads have always been, a bit heavier than "standard " as Ping have always wanted to increase MOI at the expense of a little distance - hence the CB shafts are quite common.
The 430 is supposed to recreate the 425 MOI but have a weight much nearer the norm...