Loft increase on its own or with closed face? Beginner with Tendinosis.

[Dilly75]

I am new to golf, been playing about 3 months. Ive been getting on ok but the more effort I put into getting more distance the more I get some pretty impressive aerobatic slices.

So I went for a lesson, we were back to basics and my grip was changed etc. Coach said forget distance improvement at this stage, which I understand.

I practiced about 4 weeks then went back Friday for my second lesson. It was horrific, I just couldnt hit the ball even off the tee. No idea if im nervous infront of the coach or if its because the practice area is straight up a steep hill but I couldnt produce enough hits for him to really comment. Very embaracing and disheartening. I played at my local course the next day again and was back to my ok self, so Im big time off lessons for a bit.

I had a good discussion with the coach and he suggested increasing the loft of my driver, its a Srixon Z545 10.5°. Now the thing is loft is increased at the same time of closing the face. I said doesnt that mean i am tweaking the club to correct my slice rather than fixing my slice? He said yes but you want to hit the ball dont you? (he wasnt being sh*tty!)

My son has a Ping G5 12° but I have also got a Ping G10 9°. My son has almost certainly a faster swing than mine, he generally hits straight and very high. So he is going to try the Ping G10 9°. This might lower his hits and give him more distance.

So I have two options. I can use his Ping G5 12°. I used this on Saturday and can hit it ok for me. Or i can stick with my Srixon and adjust it by closing the face up to 2° which I have read raises the loft up to about 1.25° which would make it about 11.75°, 12° for arguments sake.

Adjustable drivers are obviously the norm these days but whats your thoughts for someone this new to golf making club adjustments to counteract poor swing?

And thats the issue here. I suffer a sort of tendinosis disorder. It never stops me doing anything but comes and goes in flare ups. A bit like gout. For example I have had planter inflamation in my left heel for a couple of months and i always have painful ribs. This means I am struggling to have a nice relaxed swing because I am essentially in discomfort a lot of the time. You wouldnt ever think I am in pain or notice anything if I didnt tell you but think about walking with a little blister on your heel etc, you counteract and your not 100%. Thats what Im against in ribs, heel and a bit in neck and shoulders. On a positive, I do think the actual act of playing golf is making me more flexible and having a positive effect on flexibility vs pain.

So what would your advice be based on my current club options?

Many thanks.

 

[Neilds]

The clubs are adjustable to help the golfer, why wouldn’t you use the tech the is available? When you get better and no longer need the adjustment, set it back to ‘standard’

 

[Dilly75]

I suppose that's my concern. Can I get better and put it back to standard. Or will I be instilling bad habits and then struggle to remove them in time. Because I'm playing better due to the club not my learning.

 

[Backsticks]

The driver will make no difference to impressive aerobatic slices. They are entirely to do with your swing. 1 degree or two closed from the loft or angle adjustment is not a factor for you.
The best thing is to forget anything to do with equipment or driver adjustments and just focus on your game.
Even once you become more consistent, you will realise that the difference of a degree or two is almost imperceptible. And for the moment, it most certainly is, and only distracting you thinking about it.

 

[Dilly75]

Appreciate your honesty @Backsticks it's very helpful. Regarding adjustable equipment though it makes me think from your comments that even for competent players it's a waste of time and a bit of a gimmick.

 

[jim8flog]

As you have already notice changing the loft on some drivers also changes the face angle
This does not happen with Titleist and Callaway adapters.

Personally I would borrow the Ping 12deg and use it until you are more confident. 10.5 is a good loft for someone with an average swing.

I share your pain and know the problems.

 

[Alan Clifford]

As you have already notice changing the loft on some drivers also changes the face angle
This does not happen with Titleist and Callaway adapters.

Personally I would borrow the Ping 12deg and use it until you are more confident. 10.5 is a good loft for someone with an average swing.

I share your pain and know the problems.

I don't understand this face angle thing. If changing the loft closes or opens the face, surely you just rotate the shaft slightly in your hand?

 

[Dilly75]

@jim8flog I had to think about this aswell. But assuming the shaft is a straight stick. In relation to this straight stick the club head is rotated backwards to kick up the face and raise the loft. The club head is also pulled inwards to close the face in relation to the straight stick. The adjustments are relative between club head and shaft obviously. But I also agree with you if at address you rest the club head on the turf behind the ball at what you feel is perpendicular to your target then effectively where you are standing has moved not the club head.
So is this how it works, it moves you? ie on a macro level closing the face moves you slightly to the left and forward. Youve got me thinking now!

@Backsticks did state that the effect is virtually non existent for players of my ability, or lack off. But it must be noticeable or by now the golfing public would have called the bluff of all these adjustable clubs.

 

[RichA]

I'm not an expert, but have had more than my fair share of driver woes with slicing and failing to just get the ball high and straight to give it a chance.
As a mid-handicap weekend warrior who plays with a very good and helpful golfer, I have recently found that the simplest way to maximise my driving is to tee it up a little higher and adjust your swing and position to just make sure you are hitting up on the ball and making contact with the centre of the face. Only increasing driver loft just encourages you to carry on sweeping the ball fairly flat and hitting low straight drives or high slices. If you're hitting up on your drives then a couple of degrees of static loft doesn't make that much difference.
Maybe go to a pro who uses tech or experiment yourself at a range that's not facing a hill.

 

[Backsticks]

@Backsticks did state that the effect is virtually non existent for players of my ability, or lack off. But it must be noticeable or by now the golfing public would have called the bluff of all these adjustable clubs.

A degree up or down means nothing in terms of whether a ball is hit well, badly, or its direction. It isnt noticeable, but the golfing public prefers to buy an illusion that it is, and the manufacturers do their customers a disservice suggesting a such tweaks will 'dial in' performance.

For the very good golfers, launch conditions can be modified to optimise height, distance, or spin. But that that extends to being relevant to the golfing performance of the average player is just doodoo. No beginner will struggle with their driver because it is a degree open, or 2 degrees high or whatever. None.

 

[Dilly75]

Cool. In that case the majority of my good old cheap clubs like my Ping Zing irons, Ping Bergen putter and older Callaway wedges are perfect. The only bad thing about my golf is me. I think I'm going to start my own second hand club website with the slogan "when your this sh*t who needs tech"

 

[Backsticks]

Exactly, those are all fine.

Others have beaten you to the business idea though ! See golfbidder, replay, etc.