Flex rating for improved height?

[RGDave]

Hi. I hope someone can offer some thoughts.

I own two drivers which both launch the ball a similar way. One is 13 degrees with pro-launch red, the other 12 degrees with V2. Both regular. Mostly I use the 12 (Wilson Spine) because it's very hard to hit a bad slice. I pull a few (sure) but sometimes coax out a small draw with a nice one.

Anyway, I still think I could get a little more height.

I tried a 12 degree Cleveland Launcher today with a Gold A-flex shaft and it seemed to go very well. Trouble is, I didn't hit enough for sure. Certainly more carry it would seem. I used the R-flex version for a few holes about a year ago and it was also nice.

So my question is,

What might be the downside of playing senior flex?
Am I likely to lose the few really solid drives (up to 250) I hit with reg flex in return for better carry?
Does "flex" rating alter the dynamics (in terms of dynamic loft) or should I not see it that way?
If my research is correct, the Fuji' Cleveland Gold A-flex is seriously lightweight, but I can't find anything on torque or kick-point etc.

Many thanks.

 

[Imurg]

The Fujikura Flightspeed Gold shaft in the Launcher has a soft tip to get the ball in the air easily. Has a fairly low kickpoint too. If I remember, the torque ratings are printed on the shaft.
I'd have thought the A flex would be a bit too soft for you and maybe launch very high....

 

[RGDave]

So would very high eventually cost me distance?
Clearly on my Sunday best drive, I'm getting pretty ideal trajectory, but I wonder if there's any cure to getting over some of the pesky overhanging trees that cause me trouble.

Today, instead of a 4 iron off the 16th I went with a driver and hit it sweeeet, but it clipped the tree that almost everyone else goes over....including members of my group that generally hit all the same clubs (iron wise) as me.

 

[kid2]

This might be a stupid reply Dave.
But have you tried teeing it a little higher and moving the ball forward a little more...
Get most your right side and head behind the ball at address.....

 

[brendy]

For what it is worth, the prolaunch red is designed to lower trajectory.

 

[RGDave]

For what it is worth, the prolaunch red is designed to lower trajectory.

Yes. That's what is odd about matching it to a 13 degree head.
It works though.

 

[RGDave]

This might be a stupid reply Dave.
But have you tried teeing it a little higher and moving the ball forward a little more...
Get most your right side and head behind the ball at address.....

Nothing stupid about it kid.

I tee it up level with left heel and "lean" a bit to the right. The club grounds itself (well, grazes the turf) 5-10cm before the ball, so I'm fairly sure I'm catching it "on the up".

The simple answer would be to create more backspin with more clubhead speed.....but once I start lashing at it, the tempo and consistency suffers.

I hit 4 or 5 spot on today, but certainly didn't get the ball up much on the average/poor ones.

 

[RGDave]

PS. If anyone picks up this thread again, I thought I might actually start by going for the loft before shaft, so I tried out 2 x 13 degree drivers today.
Not a jot of difference. Although they sounded and looked better than Mr Wilson Spine, they didn't go higher or further.

Back to the original idea then.....