Driver Shaft Length.

[Qwerty]

Has anyone any insight into why driver shaft length alteration doesn't come as standard when we're fitted for a driver?

Are the shafts actually made oversized so they can be trimmed so far from the butt without altering performance ?

Im just baffled that most pros use shorter than standard driver shafts yet Johnny the club golfer at 5'5 could walk away from most so called fitters after spending £300+ on 1 club with a shaft that is probably way to long for him.

Its standard with iron fittings, why not drivers?
Given the price of new drivers is it a simple service we should be offered?

 

[dufferman]

Has anyone any insight into why driver shaft length alteration doesn't come as standard when we're fitted for a driver?

Are the shafts actually made oversized so they can be trimmed so far from the butt without altering performance ?

Im just baffled that most pros use shorter than standard driver shafts yet Johnny the club golfer at 5'5 could walk away from most so called fitters after spending £300+ on 1 club with a shaft that is probably way to long for him.

Its standard with iron fittings, why not drivers?
Given the price of new drivers is it a simple service we should be offered?

I went to the Callaway Kings of Distance day at The Belfry this year. They were fitting drivers and most people were being told that a shorter shaft is best.

I have recently been fitted for a new driver shaft and it's quite long... I'm tempted to get it cut down a bit, just to see what difference it makes. Problem is, once it's been cut, it cant' really be made longer!

 

[turkish]

I agree. I took an inch off my 915... I actually wanted to take 2 inches off but was told it will alter the flex too much

 

[Junior]

Clubhousegolf offer it as a service now so I think some retailers (outside of the custom fit specialists) are cottoning on. I agree with you, most people would benefit from a shorter driver shaft.

 

[Deleted Member 1156]

A decent clubfitter will/should fit you for length of shaft as well as flex/loft/lie etc. If they don't then they are not doing the job properly.

 

[UlyssesSky]

I'm tempted to get it cut down a bit, just to see what difference it makes. Problem is, once it's been cut, it cant' really be made longer!

There's two options:

1. Grip down.

2. Get another shaft e.g. off ebay. Either buy a shorter shaft or a cheap one you can then cut down to experiment. Just make sure the shaft has a similar flex and weight.

 

[dufferman]

There's two options:

1. Grip down.

2. Get another shaft e.g. off ebay. Either buy a shorter shaft or a cheap one you can then cut down to experiment. Just make sure the shaft has a similar flex and weight.

Yeah see thats what I was thinking, pick up a similar shaft and give it a go.

I guess gripping down is just as good an idea.

 

[Qwerty]

A decent clubfitter will/should fit you for length of shaft as well as flex/loft/lie etc. If they don't then they are not doing the job properly.

Im taking it your talking about the likes of the Specialist fitters etc, the kind of places that charge extra for a full on comprehensive fitting.
I just think all the other retailers that offer a so called fitting should follow suit, I just don't see why it isn't already an option given the fact it's such a simple procedure and the potential difference it could make.

Most iron fitting carts nowadays come with variable lengths for each shaft option, is this something the high end club fitters offer, do you try out Drivers with the shorter shafts or is shortening recommended after trying the standard length ?

 

[Deleted Member 1156]

I think you get what you pay for really. The specialist fitters offer better VFM though than people think as they will often not charge if you order stuff through them.
Regarding shortening of shafts, it isn't a problem (within reason) as you can always put an extender plug back in if you don't like the results of the shorter shaft but I wouldn't recommend taking anymore than about an inch or so off the length of a driver shaft and yes, it will have a very slight effect on the flex of the shaft but you'd have to be a pretty consistent striker of the ball to notice.

 

[MendieGK]

To be fair to TaylorMade, when they were doing fittings for the M1 they were offering alterations as standard with the choice of any of the shafts (admittedly they got rid of the TP versions and just charged everyone the more expensive price).

I ordered my shaft 1/2 shorter and also got it tip trimmed to make it stiff.

 

[dufferman]

I ordered my shaft 1/2 shorter and also got it tip trimmed to make it stiff.

1/2 shorter? So around 23 inches? How much distance did you lose vs control gained?

 

[ManinBlack]

I went to the Callaway Kings of Distance day at The Belfry this year. They were fitting drivers and most people were being told that a shorter shaft is best.

I have recently been fitted for a new driver shaft and it's quite long... I'm tempted to get it cut down a bit, just to see what difference it makes. Problem is, once it's been cut, it cant' really be made longer!

Yes it can, with a shaft extender. Recommend you search for "shaft extender" on Google, not "Butt Plugs", you get some odd results with the latter.

 

[MendieGK]

1/2 shorter? So around 23 inches? How much distance did you lose vs control gained?

my bad.

would still be longer than most though

 

[dufferman]

Yes it can, with a shaft extender. Recommend you search for "shaft extender" on Google, not "Butt Plugs", you get some odd results with the latter.

I'm going to get a written warning for Googleing that at work, you know.

 

[dufferman]

my bad.

would still be longer than most though

With the forum average driving around 360 yards, no wonder you're off 2.8!

 

[3565]

Longer the shaft is, the more club head speed, which equates to more yardage gained to the magic 30yds by the new club over your old and hopefully a sell.

Mines 44" and I will never go back to longer shafts as they don't really gain you that much TBH.

 

[shewy]

I'm surprised someone has not chimed in with swingweight yet!
Reason I play a titleist is it's 45" which is a good 3/4" shorter than the others I was trying.

 

[ruff-driver]

How am i supposed to reach the horizon with a shorter shaft !

pfft, stick with the whaling stick #quest for400

 

[MadAdey]

Longer the shaft is, the more club head speed, which equates to more yardage gained to the magic 30yds by the new club over your old and hopefully a sell.

Mines 44" and I will never go back to longer shafts as they don't really gain you that much TBH.

To be honest I'm not 100% convinced that the longer shaft equals more distance. I'm not saying that there is not some truth behind, but not from what I found.

I'm playing about with getting an M2 driver and was finding that I wasn't generating anymore than distance than with my SLDR. I tried multiple shafts and got my spin down to a good level by having the same shaft as I use now, a Black Tie. Then out of curiosity I put my shaft into the M2 as I knew it was 1" shorter. All of sudden I was hitting 15-20 yards further.

What I would say with regards to what I found was that the standard M2 shaft felt too long and I did not feel in control of it so was holding back slightly. But with the shorter shaft in I felt like I could swing it with more confidence and so was swinging it better.

So just maybe a shorter shaft can actually hit the ball further if it means you are getting a better strike on the ball.