macca64
Q-School Graduate
And failed, had a fitting for a slider. x2hot, and another tm thing, forgot wot is was now, fitter tried his best, swapping shafts and set ups but no joy, finaly accepted I will never be one of the big boys,
Tried t o buy a bit of distance,
- Thread starter macca64
- Start date
Distance isn't everything. I only average around 235 yards and would rather have 10% more accuracy than 10% more distance. At my level I can use my shots wisely and don't need to go attacking the long par fours with all the trouble they have around the greens. Playing off the short grass rather than the trees always preferable
macca64
Q-School Graduate
Very true, just thought a bit extra would be good, pretty straight so no issue with that,
MC72
Assistant Pro
Try not to grip the club as tightly as you currently do, the video in the link below may also give some other points for you to consider & try which may give you more distance through better technique.
http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=zLApkfTZZug
http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=zLApkfTZZug
ManinBlack
Tour Winner
And failed, had a fitting for a slider. x2hot, and another tm thing, forgot wot is was now, fitter tried his best, swapping shafts and set ups but no joy, finaly accepted I will never be one of the big boys,
Don't know what the pro tried but you may find this interesting, the view of a scientist
http://www.tutelman.com/golf/ballflight/launchOptimize.php
He says the two most important factors are:
1. Finding a length of driver you can hit out of the middle consistently, and
2. Getting the optimum launch angle
According to him, anything else will not add more than a few yards. He also thinks most folks use drivers that are too long & I tend to agree with him, having experimented with both longer & shorter than standard drivers.
macca64
Q-School Graduate
Both interesting thanks,
BTatHome
Tour Winner
Not sure 10% better accuracy is worth having, if your missing fairways then 10% would get you on to most fairways. 
Not sure 10% better accuracy is worth having, if your missing fairways then 10% would get you on to most fairways.
You get the gist though. To be honest, most of my fairway misses are only just in the semi and nothing too wild (we won't talk about the 5th yesterday where at one point I was looking at 7 off the tee
)the_coach
Journeyman Pro
most important to getting optimum distance for the particular driver swing motion, whatever the club head speed that's particular to a player.
first you have to be able to find center with a strike, hit off center & you immediately lower ball speed by upping the spin rate on the ball, ball flies higher doesn't travel as far forwards.
ball travels optimum distance by the most efficient transfer of energy at collision -clubhead to ball at the lowest possible spin rate.
lowest possible spin rate achieved by having an upwards AoA with a positive dynamic loft & a launch angle thats greater than the static loft of the driver. ideally looking for a launch angle that's over 12º
the lower the difference between the dynamic loft at impact & the launch angle, so a narrow spin loft angle, the less the spin rate will be, so optimum ball speed & optimum distance.
first you have to be able to find center with a strike, hit off center & you immediately lower ball speed by upping the spin rate on the ball, ball flies higher doesn't travel as far forwards.
ball travels optimum distance by the most efficient transfer of energy at collision -clubhead to ball at the lowest possible spin rate.
lowest possible spin rate achieved by having an upwards AoA with a positive dynamic loft & a launch angle thats greater than the static loft of the driver. ideally looking for a launch angle that's over 12º
the lower the difference between the dynamic loft at impact & the launch angle, so a narrow spin loft angle, the less the spin rate will be, so optimum ball speed & optimum distance.
RGDave
Money List Winner
Makes sense to me.
I'd love to squeak out another few yards, but as my current experiment into uncharted swing territory has proven, I can get round perfectly well and under handicap with a 5 wood and a bunch of irons 6-SW.... IF I'm hitting it straight and better.
I've not even looked at a new driver since my Bridgestone ball fitting 2 years ago. Using their "science" which might be intended to sell balls, I admit... the pro/fitter/bloke said "this is the maximum you can achieve" with your swing speed. The only way to get more speed (presumably) is to have a longer (yet longer) shaft or improve my swing. He suggested either of my drivers (12 Ping or 13 Mizuno) was a close to ideal, just with a little higher launch. He was right too.
I've not hit a driver in 6 weeks (2,000 practice balls, 15+ games). I don't actually know what to expect.
dufferman
Journeyman Pro
I think distance off the tee is the only time distance matters. Being able to hit an 8 iron 165 yards to a green or a 6 iron 165 yards to a green doesn't make much difference to me. Hitting a 5 iron 190 yards or a 4 hybrid doesn't really make a difference to me.
However, hitting a drive over a pond on our 17th straight 230 yards carry, or aiming to the right of it to carry only 200 yards does make a big difference for position & 2nd shot.
But I hit my driver average 320 yards so I guess I'm one of the lucky ones.
However, hitting a drive over a pond on our 17th straight 230 yards carry, or aiming to the right of it to carry only 200 yards does make a big difference for position & 2nd shot.
But I hit my driver average 320 yards so I guess I'm one of the lucky ones.
shewy
Journeyman Pro
you know all these people who say distance doesn't matter well I've got to disagree.
When your playing off comp tee's and your 30 yards behind everyone it makes a huge difference, give me a 7 iron over a 4 iron/rescue any day, it's just added pressure to shoot your handicap.
Now back to the op, I've tried to buy a better game especially length, you can't do it, you may sneak 5 yards here or there but in the end the manufacturers have pretty much maxed out technology due to the limits put on them by the R&A. If you've been custom fit then that's the best you'll get.
Personally I've gone down the fitness and technique route, better technique with better fitness then at least I'll give myself a chance.
When your playing off comp tee's and your 30 yards behind everyone it makes a huge difference, give me a 7 iron over a 4 iron/rescue any day, it's just added pressure to shoot your handicap.
Now back to the op, I've tried to buy a better game especially length, you can't do it, you may sneak 5 yards here or there but in the end the manufacturers have pretty much maxed out technology due to the limits put on them by the R&A. If you've been custom fit then that's the best you'll get.
Personally I've gone down the fitness and technique route, better technique with better fitness then at least I'll give myself a chance.
ManinBlack
Tour Winner
I play with a few people who don't hit it that far and the reason is simply that they don't hit it very hard. I'm not saying you should swing yourself off your feet but, with the driver, you do need to give it the hardest clout you can without losing control. When I'm faced with a long par 4 I try to give it a bit extra. Sometimes I middle it & get a valuable extra 15 yards. Other times I get an off centre hit which goes about as far as a normal drive. It's worth the risk in my view if it makes the difference between a 3 wood & a 5 iron or hybrid. In his "Five Fundamentals" book Ben Hogan said he sometimes hit the driver as far as he possibly could. Good advice, I think.
Foxholer
Blackballed
I'm a 'Yes and No' to this issue.
Of course I'd like to hit another 20 yards - and I may have just found the tools to do that - but it's not the be-all/end-all. I play with a guy, off the same handicap, who is consistently 40+ yards longer than me! Slightly depressing at times, but different strengths! And it's surprising how the known requirement to have an accurate mid-iron and short game actually encourages you to acquire that - and the number if times it happens on the course does too. I'm pretty good with a 3-wood off the deck too, but a lot of that is down to the number of times I actually get to use it in any round!
agreed.
Take our SI 1 hole at the weekend, playing partners both 7 cappers hit poor drives and I absolutely nailed mine (no idea how lol) we are usually within a few yards.
They were hitting a 5 iron and hybrid into a tough green, I had a smooth 9 iron to 10 feet.
The key is hitting the fairway consistently but with a decent distance i.e 250yds with roll. No point in being on the fairway but hitting a 3 wood into an average par 4, give me a 9 iron out the rough anyday
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