harpo_72
Journeyman Pro
Used the set up again this evening, think i will keep it going, hitting it well and into accessible places.
High loft drivers with low spin shafts any views?
- Thread starter harpo_72
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Hacker Khan
Yurt Dwelling, Yoghurt Knitter
Saw an interesting video from Mark Crossfield where he was deliberately hitting his driver from the middle and then from the bottom and top a bit. And then he compared the launch angles. And his conclusion was basically that unless you are a very good golfer the launch angle changes quite a bit from wherever on the driver face you hit the ball. So concentrate more on getting a repeatable swing and middling the driver every time instead of worrying too much about launch angles.
And he seems to think that shafts make a very limited amount of difference to the average golfer as well.
I fully admit to being a Crossfield fan boy, but I think his app a great for reviews, tips and also cutting through a lot of the bull talked about in golf, especially by the manufacturers.
And he seems to think that shafts make a very limited amount of difference to the average golfer as well.
I fully admit to being a Crossfield fan boy, but I think his app a great for reviews, tips and also cutting through a lot of the bull talked about in golf, especially by the manufacturers.
harpo_72
Journeyman Pro
I like his stuff as well, he gets some critism for saying stuff is similar, but in the end he is right. No one is going to produce something totally of the wall as they are more likely to fail.
As for my golf swing, it's quite repeatable, I make notes on my set up and practice a lot. I agree the shafts make very little difference if you are looking withing a specific parameter, companies offer up shafts that virtually have the same tendencies, you then pick the one that fits your budget or that is closest to what you require.
As for my golf swing, it's quite repeatable, I make notes on my set up and practice a lot. I agree the shafts make very little difference if you are looking withing a specific parameter, companies offer up shafts that virtually have the same tendencies, you then pick the one that fits your budget or that is closest to what you require.
I'm not sure about the technicalities of shafts but I can't see how a low spin shaft is a low spin shaft?
I think the variables are so complex with each swing I think the majority of us amateurs would be absolutely fine with the modern regular shafted drivers.
Coincidently I took my 3 drivers out last night for an experiment....
The R1 10* TM stock stiff shaft,
TM superfast 9.5* TM Matrix Ozik regular shaft
Ping Rapture V2 9* Diamana blue stiff
Decent shots with each and found about 20yds difference between a centre strike and off centre hits with 2 drivers, However the regular shaft had centre hits everytime, same one I used at Wentworth, Gibbo will confirm how I was striking that club in the fitting.
I think the variables are so complex with each swing I think the majority of us amateurs would be absolutely fine with the modern regular shafted drivers.
Coincidently I took my 3 drivers out last night for an experiment....
The R1 10* TM stock stiff shaft,
TM superfast 9.5* TM Matrix Ozik regular shaft
Ping Rapture V2 9* Diamana blue stiff
Decent shots with each and found about 20yds difference between a centre strike and off centre hits with 2 drivers, However the regular shaft had centre hits everytime, same one I used at Wentworth, Gibbo will confirm how I was striking that club in the fitting.
Foxholer
Blackballed
And your point is?
BrizoH71
Tour Rookie
I had a brief Callaway fitting last Thursday.. don't know how long these things usually take, but it was in association with American Golf, and I had 30 minutes with the guy.
Hitting my current 10.5 regular shafted driver, I was struggling to get a high ball flight, and according to him low spin rates, which was hindering the ball getting higher into the air and keeping it there. Can't remember the exact numbers, but the average carry with my driver was around 175 yards with my swing speed around 84mph and spin rate circa 3000.
He gave me an X-Hot to try, fitted with a hard-regular shaft at the same loft. SS increased to 88, carry distance increased to around the 200 yard mark. He then swapped the shaft for the stiff shaft, no appreciable increase in SS, but launch angle and spin rate was up and carry distance moved to around 220 yards; I clattered the back fence on one occasion - undoubtedly a lucky strike! Most importantly, I was hitting them straight - much straighter than I do with my current driver, with dispersion only around 11 yards; I'm all over the place with my existing driver.
I was a bit baffled by all the science of it all tbh, but it shows me that I should be thinking about investing in a new driver!
Hitting my current 10.5 regular shafted driver, I was struggling to get a high ball flight, and according to him low spin rates, which was hindering the ball getting higher into the air and keeping it there. Can't remember the exact numbers, but the average carry with my driver was around 175 yards with my swing speed around 84mph and spin rate circa 3000.
He gave me an X-Hot to try, fitted with a hard-regular shaft at the same loft. SS increased to 88, carry distance increased to around the 200 yard mark. He then swapped the shaft for the stiff shaft, no appreciable increase in SS, but launch angle and spin rate was up and carry distance moved to around 220 yards; I clattered the back fence on one occasion - undoubtedly a lucky strike! Most importantly, I was hitting them straight - much straighter than I do with my current driver, with dispersion only around 11 yards; I'm all over the place with my existing driver.
I was a bit baffled by all the science of it all tbh, but it shows me that I should be thinking about investing in a new driver!
harpo_72
Journeyman Pro
There are a few things that I try to be open minded about, this high loft thing is one, but I am open minded about shafts and specs that suit me. Now a lot of shaft stuff for me is feel, I know when my swing is over loading and I know when it is under loading. The ball flight can confirm it but generally it's feel. The feel for me is perceived at the tip, although the butt stiffness is the main transmission point and that is critical in choosing shafts. If the numbers all are similar then the feeling is similar. However I know I can get away with a lower torque number if the club head is heavy or the shaft is a regular, this is information I have gained through constantly phaffing around. So no I don't shy away from regular shafts and head directly to the stiff shaft shelf, I want all the info available and then I will hit it and make a decision from there.
Now there is a tendency to head towards lighter shafts 55g or less, but low weight can affect strength because your losing material, having said that though there seem to be some very good shafts coming and on the market. The usual problems light shafts give are the dispersion numbers, swing speeds increase and distance is gained, swing weight is another issue, so perhaps someone who knows what they're doing is required! The aspect that I have touched on briefly is head weight, a heavy head can make a shaft tip more active and change the whole feel of a shaft, but getting this information is really difficult.
What I am trying to achieve here is the numbers we associate with a good or optimum drive, I.e. 2400-3000 rpm of spin and 12-14 degrees of launch... But I am doing it in another way, in that I am finding the launch in the head and not the shaft kick point. More loft equates to forgiveness, so the easier it is to play, or we would all play 4 degrees or less and super spinning shafts to generate ball flight.
Now there is a tendency to head towards lighter shafts 55g or less, but low weight can affect strength because your losing material, having said that though there seem to be some very good shafts coming and on the market. The usual problems light shafts give are the dispersion numbers, swing speeds increase and distance is gained, swing weight is another issue, so perhaps someone who knows what they're doing is required! The aspect that I have touched on briefly is head weight, a heavy head can make a shaft tip more active and change the whole feel of a shaft, but getting this information is really difficult.
What I am trying to achieve here is the numbers we associate with a good or optimum drive, I.e. 2400-3000 rpm of spin and 12-14 degrees of launch... But I am doing it in another way, in that I am finding the launch in the head and not the shaft kick point. More loft equates to forgiveness, so the easier it is to play, or we would all play 4 degrees or less and super spinning shafts to generate ball flight.
harpo_72
Journeyman Pro
As for most amatures would be okay with a regular shaft, yes but you need the choices, so that you can find that exact shaft. Just popping up to a stiff spec is the easy option for an off the shelf driver.... So look at what you like, look at the numbers (all of them) decide why you like it and then look around.
Hacker Khan
Yurt Dwelling, Yoghurt Knitter
Here's the video
[video=youtube;lNTo_yRCxPw]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lNTo_yRCxPw[/video]
[video=youtube;lNTo_yRCxPw]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lNTo_yRCxPw[/video]
Foxholer
Blackballed
Then there's not really a lot of point being in the discussion.
Seems to me, you are in the (fortunate?) position of being able to hit the ball well with quite a reasonable range of shafts. It's highly likely that you unconsciously adjust and that the Superfast w Ozik (Altus?) Regular swung 'easily' produces the most consistent results. If that's the case, stick with it and there's no need to consider anything else. Blissful ignorance works fine!
However, I'd bet you actually did notice a slight difference - in feel at least - between all the 3 sets of combinations.
Tom Wishon, who knows a bit about golf club design, asserts that for most golfers (all except 'late hitters') the actual FLEX of the shaft doesn't make much difference - except to its FEEL.
@Harpo. Torque is important - at least to me - and the lower the better. For me, a higher torque shaft will leave the face open at impact should I sing my style of harder - so high fades tend to result!
RGDave
Money List Winner
I don't know what a low spin shaft is, but I do understand what I'm trying to do with my driver.....get to the max distance for my swing speed. 
I do this with a 12 degree driver. I can't see most people wanting to try more than that, not unless they genuinely swing it slower than me.
Launch angle and backspin* is key. I need more of it* - most people need less.
I do this with a 12 degree driver. I can't see most people wanting to try more than that, not unless they genuinely swing it slower than me.
Launch angle and backspin* is key. I need more of it* - most people need less.
harpo_72
Journeyman Pro
that was my initial criteria, until I started noting down what I liked, and the feeling I was getting.
Hence the intense investigation.
as the OP asked for views I gave my views as its a forum, isnt that what its for, I could have done the same as you and used google
I dont do 'easy' on any driver swing so not sure where that assumption comes from, the torque on a reg isnt as tight as a heavy stiff job so it could be more inconsistent, however, peoples swings are more inconsistent that shafts and thats the crux of it.
yes I have tried some serious driver shafts with a few well known fitters, I dont change my swing for shafts, consciously or otherwise
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harpo_72
Journeyman Pro
Finally got to watch this, missus groans about golf stuff!
I understand what he is saying, and I can also see it being an issue for golfers who have learnt the game with these big driver heads. I learnt on the small driver heads, so hitting out the middle or high or low is not an issue ( I can change my tee height and move the ball up or down the face). I know some people are reading this and saying this bloke is just arrogant and can't he just see that x club off the shelf is good enough for him. Which is a fair comment but based on a sweeping generalisation and lack of information. I have played the game for 24 years, achieved cat 1 status, been a nomadic golfer for 11 years.
