How much difference does 0.4° make?

[Orikoru]

The knowledge of anyone who's done a proper driver fitting, or any kind of testing on a launch monitor would be beneficial here. I have done neither.

I was just thinking about the adjustment setting on my G30 driver, I have it set to +1 which puts it at 11°. The other day I hit quite a few drives that came out high so I'm thinking of knocking it down for a friendly round tomorrow, and obviously I'll see how it goes. The next setting down is +0.6 which puts it at 10.6°. I was just wondering, 0.4 degrees difference between the two settings just sounds infinitesimally small to me. Can it really make that much difference do you think?

As I say, anyone who's used a launch monitor, have you ever adjusted a club by less than half a degree and actually seen a noticeable difference?

 

[patricks148]

just try it and find out

 

[Orikoru]

just try it and find out

Predictable. Cheers.

 

[Garush34]

Why did you change it from the standard to +1? I would think it would be better to play it at the standard to notice a difference in flight.

 

[Orikoru]

Why did you change it from the standard to +1? I would think it would be better to play it at the standard to notice a difference in flight.

Oh, I always used to prefer 12° drivers before I got this one, as my swing isn't really rapid and I seemed to get more carry and more distance. I got this G30 and it's default is 10, highest it goes is 11 so I set it to that.

Me aside though, I was more wondering if any players with a more consistent swing than me, who had maybe used a launch monitor in the past, could say if you should really see any difference from such a small adjustment. 0.4° just sounds like nothing. But it must do something otherwise they wouldn't bother having that as a loft option on the club? I dunno, just thinking allowed and passing time on a quiet afternoon really.

 

[Deleted member 21258]

My strike and dynamic loft is not particularly consistent and this affects flight more than playing around with anything less than 1 degree.

That is what I found when I have played around with lofts and launch monitors. Also different driver head launch differently(maybe down to lofts being different and MOI)

 

[Orikoru]

My strike and dynamic loft is not particularly consistent and this affects flight more than playing around with anything less than 1 degree.

That is what I found when I have played around with lofts and launch monitors. Also different driver head launch differently(maybe down to lofts being different and MOI)

Yeah, that's what I'm thinking for me as well. I'm going to try it tomorrow, but any perceived results could be noteworthy, or could just be caused by some other variable.

You're right too, even at 11 degree this driver seems to launch a bit higher than my old Taylor Made did at 12.

 

[Garush34]

Oh, I always used to prefer 12° drivers before I got this one, as my swing isn't really rapid and I seemed to get more carry and more distance. I got this G30 and it's default is 10, highest it goes is 11 so I set it to that.

Me aside though, I was more wondering if any players with a more consistent swing than me, who had maybe used a launch monitor in the past, could say if you should really see any difference from such a small adjustment. 0.4° just sounds like nothing. But it must do something otherwise they wouldn't bother having that as a loft option on the club? I dunno, just thinking allowed and passing time on a quiet afternoon really.

Fair enough, like you say they wouldn't put it on if it didn't do anything. I suppose it will all depend on how to deliver the club as to whether the change will have much difference. As subtracting loft will also open the face slightly. As your playing a friendly round just try it different and hit a couple drives and see what you get then maybe even try going down to the standard setting and see if you notice more of a difference, I think you'll see more of a difference with a bigger change.

 

[jim8flog]

It could be about the same as having the ball about a quarter to half an inch outside of it's normal position.

Maybe someone will do the maths and tell you exactly (probably need the shaft length for an exact calculation)

so two fiths of five eights of ............ difference in actual use.

 

[patricks148]

Predictable. Cheers.

but what works for someone else isn't necessarily going to work for you is it, why be rude, again trying to help you.

 

[duncan mackie]

That particular 0.4° will have negligible impact on whether your drives "come out high".

However, visually it may impact how you set up to the ball, and that in turn may impact how you swing - including factors that will impact your launch conditions significantly.

My money is on the latter, combined with a whole load of 'on the day' stuff that really dictates how most handicap golfers perform day to day...

 

[Deleted member 15717]

That particular 0.4° will have negligible impact on whether your drives "come out high".

However, visually it may impact how you set up to the ball, and that in turn may impact how you swing - including factors that will impact your launch conditions significantly.

My money is on the latter, combined with a whole load of 'on the day' stuff that really dictates how most handicap golfers perform day to day...

Is the correct answer.

Player will override most clubhead settings in delivery

 

[User20204]

You're a high-ish handicapper aren't you ? if so, then I say it makes no odds to you whatsoever. You aren't a consistent enough striker of the ball for it over the piece to make any odds. That's not a criticism of your ability btw, just saying it how it is.

 

[Deleted member 23344]

As a high handicapper (24), my swing is inconsistent enough that any slight adjustment would probably be lost in the swing variation ... would imagine that you (as a 20) might possibly be the same. But, as someone else said, try it and see ... and, of course, report back.

On a similar note, I have always used a 13 degree driver because, although lessons virtually cured my slice, the higher loft also helps to avoid it. Tomorrow, I’m playing a friendly round with an adjustable driver (10.5 +/- 1) to see whether I can still keep it straight at either 10.5 or 11.5.

 

[dronfield]

You're a high-ish handicapper aren't you ? if so, then I say it makes no odds to you whatsoever. You aren't a consistent enough striker of the ball for it over the piece to make any odds. That's not a criticism of your ability btw, just saying it how it is.

I too am a high handicapper and this is prob a fair comment - often no two days appear the same re ball striking.

I would be inclined to leave the driver at the highest loft available on the grounds that loft is friendly, and just put the skied shots down to it being one of those days where you were fractions off at impact.

Persist with highest loft available, but perhaps experiment with tee height and / or ball position.

If no improvement have a driver lesson - your pro wil quickly identify the issue.

Rich

 

[chrisd]

That particular 0.4° will have negligible impact on whether your drives "come out high".

However, visually it may impact how you set up to the ball, and that in turn may impact how you swing - including factors that will impact your launch conditions significantly.

My money is on the latter, combined with a whole load of 'on the day' stuff that really dictates how most handicap golfers perform day to day...

Is the right answer. It's likely that when you change the settings that you will not deliver the club in the same way you were before the changes, always assuming you deliver a reasonably consistent delivery in the 1st place. So the suggestion that you "just try it and find out" is probably the best advice

 

[trevor]

I remember going to the range one day to see what difference altering my driver settings would have. I think mine goes from 9 to 12 degrees. Started at one end of the range and hit a few balls in every different setting until I got to the other end. Hit some good drives and some not so good but could tell no difference in the different settings. If I ever need a new driver or wood don’t see any point in paying out extra for something adjustable.

 

[HampshireHog]

I lowered my 10.5 M4 from the Std Loft down to the lower setting at the weekend not sure what meant in terms of degree change but the loft was visibly lower. I definitely got a flatter ball flight and it if anything I hit it with a bit straighter. Only downside is the grip now looks stupid upside down.

 

[Orikoru]

but what works for someone else isn't necessarily going to work for you is it, why be rude, again trying to help you.

Ok, sorry, but I did already say I was giving it a go tomorrow. I wanted to get people's general opinion on how much difference half a degree of loft actually makes, and see if anyone had backed that up with statistical data. It's not all about me you know!

 

[HomerJSimpson]

Wasn't so long ago that TM (?) were saying the future was to loft up. That seemed a short lived marketing line but is there anything in that, especially in the current conditions with dew on the grass first thing. Would more carry help more players of mid-high handicaps get more distance? I did have my driver down at 10 degrees and put it back to the default 10.5 and definitely getting it higher but wondered if going up to 11 would help. Doesn't increasing the loft open the face though?