Frankenwood...type thing...?

[tsped83]

I’m idly wishing away the hours at work, whilst contemplating creating a monster. A monster for the tee. I shall explain…

I’ve just yesterday purchased a SLDR Mini 14’, tried it at the range and loved it. The shaft length/head combo give me confidence and I was swinging it well, seeing a nice forward flight. Probably hit around 30 balls with it, and only one shocker. It just went straight, straight, straight. (Off the deck it was OK too, despite reading reviews to the contrary). Compare it to my G15 and it was night and day for accuracy. When the driver gets spanked, it goes well, invariably though, it does not. Control is a problem.

So, taking the length of the Mini (43.5”, let’s round it to 44”) and applying that to the G15 would give me what exactly? What effect (if any) does chopping the shaft of a driver actually have? Will I even notice besides the shorter playing length? Stiffer? Softer?

I’ve also been reading an awful lot of material put out by Tom Wishon recently, and he strongly advocates playing shorter drivers for us mere mortals in order to get the best combination of distance and accuracy. The G15 is 45.75”, so a significant amputation would be required.

If the Mini goes OK in its first outing this weekend, I may make a Frankenwood out of the G15. Accuracy is a premium at our course, length not so, and I’m not concerned about losing 10 yards on a drive anyway. Bring me the fairway sir!

If cash, patience and expertise were no object, I’d probably look to get fitted for a Wishon driver in a shorter shaft, but impulse and curiosity would of course win out and I’d want to create a monster myself. If I could take a driver to play at 44”, a nice classical looking 430cc head, with uber forgiveness then I’d be in business! Does such a beast already exist? Can I easily create one?


Any thoughts, experiences, hopes and dreams kindly appreciated.

 

[fundy]

I had a session a few days ago to look into the option of shortening my driver shaft to gain some extra control. The initial approach was to try the 3 wood shaft in my driver and see what the impact was.

This was done on a GC2 with my 12 degree SLDR head set at 11.5 degrees for both shafts.

The driver shaft is 45.5 inches Black tie x flex. The 3 wood shaft is 43.5 inches Blueboard x flex.

The results were for me very interesting. My average clubhead speed dropped from 113mph average to 106mph average. However, because my smash factor improved greatly (more centred hits) my ball speed and distances changed very little (carry went from 263 av to 261 av). Spin levels for both shafts were quite similar albeit it felt as though I was hitting it higher with the 3 wood shaft. Dispersion went from 27 yards to 19 yards if you take out one outlier from both data sets.

Next step is cutting down a matrix driver shaft a couple of inches for me to see if this provides the right ball flight as well as the improved control I want

 

[Region3]

Chopping almost 2" off an off the shelf driver will make it around 10 swingweight points lighter and I'd be surprised if you liked how it felt.

Just curious, but if you don't mind losing a few yards why is the SLDR mini not the answer to your prayers?

 

[tsped83]

Chopping almost 2" off an off the shelf driver will make it around 10 swingweight points lighter and I'd be surprised if you liked how it felt.

Just curious, but if you don't mind losing a few yards why is the SLDR mini not the answer to your prayers?

I'm hoping it will be mate, but the idea of creating my own version is appealing (slow day at work).

Fundy I'd not considered a 3W shaft in driver to be honest but that is perhaps a better and less messy idea than taking out the hacksaw. Would a 3W shaft make it play slightly stiffer, generally speaking?

 

[fundy]

I'm hoping it will be mate, but the idea of creating my own version is appealing (slow day at work).

Fundy I'd not considered a 3W shaft in driver to be honest but that is perhaps a better and less messy idea than taking out the hacksaw. Would a 3W shaft make it play slightly stiffer, generally speaking?

Didnt appear to no, the 2 shafts have similar characteristics and flexes and played pretty similar. Be interesting to see if its better with a cut down and properly weighted shaft though

 

[Foxholer]

I'm hoping it will be mate, but the idea of creating my own version is appealing (slow day at work).

Fundy I'd not considered a 3W shaft in driver to be honest but that is perhaps a better and less messy idea than taking out the hacksaw. Would a 3W shaft make it play slightly stiffer, generally speaking?

Nah! If the SLDR Mini performs, then simply sell the G15! Too much hassle adjusting the Driver and it would end up a 'throw away' job. Plenty of demand still for 'normal state' G15s still.

 

[Pin-seeker]

Wow golfers really are geeks
But sadly I enjoyed reading this thread
Think I'm going to have to try the SLDR mini.
I've seriously fallen out with drivers,I love hitting my 3w off the tee but wouldn't mind a few more yards.

 

[tsped83]

Wow golfers really are geeks
But sadly I enjoyed reading this thread
Think I'm going to have to try the SLDR mini.
I've seriously fallen out with drivers,I love hitting my 3w off the tee but wouldn't mind a few more yards.

Haha, too true my friend.

Really looking forward to bashing the Mini on the course with real balls on Saturday. Lovely to hit! Obviously this will lead to an epic fail come the weekend.

 

[Pin-seeker]

Haha, too true my friend.

Really looking forward to bashing the Mini on the course with real balls on Saturday. Lovely to hit! Obviously this will lead to an epic fail come the weekend.

Not too many SLDR mini's on eBay.
Watching a couple so will see what kind of money they go for.

 

[Pickles]

Theres a couple of things to consider when going with these experiments.

Clubs like the mini driver or three deep are excellent for those who feel comfortable with a smaller head and shorter shaft. The smaller head also enables the COG to be placed a little easier which can lead to higher launch, lower spin etc. The downside is a smaller surface area to hit the ball with.

Shortening a driver can considerably affect flight for a few reasons but primarily angle of attack. The shorter the shaft the more upright plane and generally steeper angle of attack reducing loft. It may only be a small amount but it can make a difference. Particularly for those with out to in path issues.

An alternative would be to source a higher lofted driver than the current G15 and then cut the shaft down or install a new shaft. Once you have the swingweight correct you should be good to go. A sensible experiment is to try your G15 going down the grip a couple of inches and see how you fare. Not the best comparison but worth a go first.
HTH

 

[Oddsocks]

I've followed this thread as I wanted to see the outcome as I created my own monster hybrid last year with great success.

Mine experement started after reshafting the amp driver with a motore f1 65g stiff flex shaft, this played around 1" shorter than the stock rip 55g stiff but offered a better flight and a tighter dispersion. Following on from that re shaft I fancied playing slightly with the amp 3 wood, it was already a great club and would often be used a go to club when the swing was a little off and 95% of the time would produce a consistent shot which is what we're all after. I managed to locate a matching f1 65g stiff shaft in the same length as the other f1 and this was going to be chopped to 3w length to go again, £20.00 later I had a 3w around 1/2" shorter than the stock length but OMG what a weapon. 18 months on it was recently tried back to back against an sldr mini and out performed it with the 2 different lofts and 2 different shafts that I tried.

Rather than mess around with the g15, I'd personally find a head you really like with a removable shaft where you can play with shafts are your own leisure, the most that you will ever lose is a shaft,

 

[tsped83]

Rather than mess around with the g15, I'd personally find a head you really like with a removable shaft where you can play with shafts are your own leisure, the most that you will ever lose is a shaft,

A good suggestion, my only issue would be that if I found a driver head I liked, with a removable shaft, am I limited to what shafts I could try because of the adaptor thingy? Bit of a novice in this regard...

 

[Oddsocks]

A good suggestion, my only issue would be that if I found a driver head I liked, with a removable shaft, am I limited to what shafts I could try because of the adaptor thingy? Bit of a novice in this regard...

Not at all, I purchased the f1 for the 3w fitted with a titleist adaptor, £20 later the local club builder had swapped the titleist adaptor for a cobra . You can also buy cheap adapters on eBay for as a little as a fiver

I'd personally try and go for something mainstream, as you will find shafts more readily available fitted with the adapters which will reduce the labour costs in having adapters swapped.

Titleist, Taylormade, or cally being the most common.

 

[tsped83]

Just back from the range, giving the SLDR Mini a second run out...

The verdict...postpone my Monster creation for a little while perhaps. This Mini is a beauty! Initially I couldn't peg it up so was just hitting it off the mat. OK, not bumpy fairway conditions but it goes so well. When I did get it pegged up (a little high), it was nothing but straight. Caught one flush out of the toe and it still flew well and straight. I am a fan.

As for the adapters OS, yes I think this could be the way to go. I'll see how the Mini fares at the weekend off the tee, but the shorter shaft is so appealing.

 

[Oddsocks]

Makes ha wonder how the mini would be with a shorter shaft

 

[Bobirdie]

Cant see you not being happy with the mini driver. Best club ive bought in a while. I havent lost any distance with it compared to a driver. Consistently out the middle.

Tried cutting down my old drivers a while back and never liked the feel of any of them

 

[Bobirdie]

Play mine with quite a high tee aswell. Probably in driver position in stance. Seems to work consistantly well

 

[tsped83]

Play mine with quite a high tee aswell. Probably in driver position in stance. Seems to work consistantly well

I play it off the front foot like driver, maybe a ball or so closer to middle. As for teeing it up, a blue/red castle tee me thinks.

 

[Bobirdie]

I play it off the front foot like driver, maybe a ball or so closer to middle. As for teeing it up, a blue/red castle tee me thinks.

had a play around with mine when i got it and i reckon i am teeing it around white castle tee height.

 

[duncan mackie]

had a play around with mine when i got it and i reckon i am teeing it around white castle tee height.

Ball position, and to a degree tee height, will depend a little on the loft and whether you prefer to swing it like a driver from the tee (and change from the fairway) or just treat it the same ...

personally I have a 16 and play it normally (as opposed to up and forward for a driver) which gives me a similar launch and trajectory to my 10.5 driver. There's no right answer - it's very much what works for you.