Driver head/shaft- advice desperately needed! Long post- apologies

[jamielaing]

I have decided that this is the year to trade up to a new driver in the hope to improve dispersion and maybe a little more distance.

From the starting point that I know I should be custom fit and many will say go to a fitting centre I do have a couple of issue with that;

1) There's no fitting centres where I can compare different brands
2) I have paid for a fitting at a fitting centre before and left suitably unimpressed by what I was told

Anyway, my dilemma! I need to bring spin and launch angle down. Swing speed is sitting around 112-115mph with ball speed of 155mph.

I went with the Taylor Made M3 in mind and was recommended 7.5 degree loft, weights to the front with Project X hzrdus black 75 x stiff. This was done inside with a computer so I went to a range to see the flight.

I got this set up given to me and went to a bay and hit a load of balls and was pretty happy with the results. The guy asked me if I wanted to order and I said I would think about it as I feel maybe I could get ball flight lower by using the 8.5 head cranked down rather than the 9.5.

This is when the chap told me that I should just use a lower launch shaft- Project X hxrdus yellow 75 x stiff, which surprised me as I was told the black was the lowest launching.

Into the fitting bay we went and, as they did not have the shaft for a TM club I had to use an Epic head. As I hate Callaway this wasn't ideal but I went on to absolutely crush it perfectly shot after shot.

Which brings me to my questions-

Does anyone know which of those shafts is the lowest launching?

Can I trust that I like the TM head and the yellow shaft without trying them together?

Should I discard my dislike for Callaway and just buy the Epic?

Answers on postcards please......

 

[User101]

You can't be that far from Archerfield, our ass pro got fitted for a driver there last week and they had the lot, Ping/Callaway/TM/Titleist.

*edit* 115mph swing speed, wowsers, that's mighty impressive.

 

[jamielaing]

You can't be that far from Archerfield, our ass pro got fitted for a driver there last week and they had the lot, Ping/Callaway/TM/Titleist.

*edit* 115mph swing speed, wowsers, that's mighty impressive.

That's a shout actually, I will give them a call and see if the have both shafts and both heads.

 

[clubchamp98]

What’s the problem with Callaway.?
I would have a driver made by anybody if I crushed it!

 

[MendieGK]

They’re both low spin with different kick points. Depends on your transition as to which one will be better.

One note - Your smash factor is really low, even with the lower swing speed of 112 you mention that gives you a factor of 1.38. That will be killing your dispersion and distance. If you can up that you’ll add 10yd easily - you’ve got tour average swing speed but are 12mph ball speed down

 

[Jacko_G]

You're in Edinburgh, therefore I'll tell you two words.

Scott Gourlay.

No need to look elsewhere, he's your man.

 

[jamielaing]

What’s the problem with Callaway.?
I would have a driver made by anybody if I crushed it!

I've just never liked them and not keen on the look of them. Stupid I know, but if you don't feel right over the ball....

 

[jamielaing]

They’re both low spin with different kick points. Depends on your transition as to which one will be better.

One note - Your smash factor is really low, even with the lower swing speed of 112 you mention that gives you a factor of 1.38. That will be killing your dispersion and distance. If you can up that you’ll add 10yd easily - you’ve got tour average swing speed but are 12mph ball speed down

I think the computer was saying 1.42 a few times, to be honest this is something I've never paid attention to but I will have a look into it a bit more.

Thanks for the info, is either lower launch/ lower spin that you know of? Or are the differences more subtle than that?

 

[jamielaing]

You're in Edinburgh, therefore I'll tell you two words.

Scott Gourlay.

No need to look elsewhere, he's your man.

I've heard good things but also that he is pricey?

 

[MendieGK]

I think the computer was saying 1.42 a few times, to be honest this is something I've never paid attention to but I will have a look into it a bit more.

Thanks for the info, is either lower launch/ lower spin that you know of? Or are the differences more subtle than that?

Its purely ballspeed divided by club head speed. Perceived max with driver is about 1.51. Basically you’re not getting great efficiency from your good club head speed.

i think it’s more subtle - if you’re a hitter, then Black will launch lower, if you’re a swinger (keys in the bowl), then it would probably be yellow.

have you tried any of the Tensei shafts? Or the speeder? I’ve suffered from high spin (club head speed is about 122 on average) and these 2 are great

ive heard a lot of good things about Scott, don’t know about cost, but what’s £50-£100 if your going to spend £400 anyway...

 

[MendieGK]

 

[the_coach]

155mph ball speed from that chs is indicating there is a tad of an issue with strike location goin on

so maybes AoA & dynamic loft issues there also - as has been said those speed #'s puts the sf (or efficiency #) depending which type of launch monitor you were on at 1.38 which if looked at by a real good specialist fitter there would need to be an emphasis more on a shaft that helps you find strike at the sweet-spot a bunch easier (yep that is a thing a specialist fitter can help with)

as it's about delivery & launch conditions - that's what is goin to give you the most help - it's not solely about getting the lowest spinning shaft as that might result in strike location still being not center enough as the flex points could still deliver that shaft to give you a way too low contact on the face but with a high dynamic loft so the spin rate would still be way too high even though the shaft was a 'super low spin' type

for instance it could be you'd need a tad softer stiff flex that is tip stiff or an x flex that is tip soft

a driver head is only a tool - sure you got to have it fit the eye somewhat - but no point in it fitting the eye but it deosn't give the best results

conversely if there's a driver head that at first might not exactly fit the eye if when fitted with a decent shaft for you you can stripe a ways down fairway & stay on the short stuff more than 50% of the time then that driver head starts to look pretty good

just holding out for a good looking driver head that gives the longest distance but is only on the short stuff occasionally then that's not so much use

given that a bigger issue is dispersion wouldn't rule out the new ping g400 max fitted with the right shaft either
have a look at this vid although it's not exactly where you are they touch some of the points I speak to here

[video=youtube;gnSIRErlS2s]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gnSIRErlS2s[/video]

 

[Jacko_G]

I've heard good things but also that he is pricey?

You pay for what you get. You get access to hundreds of different shafts and brands, his knowledge and time. He carries a lot of brands now. TM, Mizuno, Callaway, plus smaller "designer" brands.

Well worth speaking to the man.

 

[patricks148]

Next time i need Irons i shall be going to Scott. might cost but i think it would be worth it.

 

[Foxholer]

Those shafts have similar attributes, but are quite different in 'makeup'/design!

Black is fairly traditional, but Yellow is 'Backweigted' (also known as Counterbalanced). Yellow has more of the overall shaft weight nearer the grip. Supposedly, counterbalanced/backweighted is 'better' for one-plane (google Jim Hardy for proper definition as lots of garbage spouted about 1 vs 2!) swingers. I happen to be a 'natural' 1-planer' trapped' in a 2-planer (almost certainly hockey 'sticks rule' caused) downswing!

So basically, it's the 'balance' of the shaft that differs!

Oh! And others have stated...Scott Gourlay seems to be THE man in your neck of the woods! Not experienced him myself, but several low-cappers that I know are huge fans!

If you only have to go 1 time to get the correct setup, that's probably actually (admittedly, still considerable) money well spent! That's certainly what I found when I went to Precision many years ago - though it didn't stop me continuing to dabble!

At your level, it's likely to be even more beneficial!

 

[User101]

Does he just have a fitting bay rather than an open area where you can see proper ball flight ??

 

[patricks148]

Does he just have a fitting bay rather than an open area where you can see proper ball flight ??

i think its just a Trackman in a bay. The big positive he has over anyone else is he can do any shaft in any clubhead, which most places just can't provide.

 

[Jacko_G]

Does he just have a fitting bay rather than an open area where you can see proper ball flight ??

Fitting studio where he dials you in. We then went out onto the course and I hit a few balls from a tee box where I got to see flight etc. He's not cheap but his knowledge is second to none.

 

[jamielaing]

Booked in with Scott Gourlays for a fitting. I take it the other guys he works with are equally as good?