Any golfers in the house? I have a question... (1 Viewer)

[Vincent_S]

I use a 10 degree driver(have been for many years) and was looking to try something different. I told my buddy I was going to get a 9 degree and he said I would slice with it because of the lower loft. Does anyone know if this is true and why? Not sure if this makes any difference but my swing speed has been clocked in the 120's. I would imagine that it gets slower as the day progresses(sp?). Thanx for any help!

 

[Patrick Sun]

The lower the degree of loft, the more flatter the driver face is to the target, and this causes shots to peel away (slice) if you are prone to slice. Raise the loft on a club face, and the ball gets launched at a higher angle, which reduces the possibility of the ball slicing into the woods.

 

[John Watson]

I have never golfed in the house.

I'd break too much glass.

But I do putter around a bit

 

[Joe D]

The majority, if not all of the golf publications that I've read have said to use a high degree of loft in the driver, so if anything you should try out an 11 degree club.

 

[brentl]

The flight of the ball is NOT only dependant on the clubface. The shaft also plays a large park.

You see high, mid, and Low flex points in popular shaft.

I've got an Integra driver with a UST proforce 65 shaft. The driver is a 9 degree driver, and I get a higher launch and on this driver than I do on my Tight Lies. and it's a 16degree!!

Brent

 

[Mike_Mig]

I had a 10 degree driver and had the chance to try a 7.5 degree one. A few years I tried an 8 degree and just couldn't get it anywhere near the fairway. The 7.5 degree is a Great big bertha titanium that I was getting a great deal on so I took it. I hit it much better and straighter than my old 10 degree. I have always figured that the shaft on the 7.5 allowed me to hit it better than the 8 degree. Just try it and see, you should be able to find one to hit at a range or play a round with.

 

[Bruce Hedtke]

As you go lower and lower with lofts in clubs (especially drivers), you remove more backspin from the ball. That backspin that you impart with higher lofted clubs helps defeat sidespin. If you don't hit with alot of sidespin (or enough to make you a habitual slicer), then going with a lower lofted driver can be a great way to pick up distance without sacrificing accuracy. If half your drives are banana balls, don't bother with a lower lofted driver. Instead, go the other way and get a higher lofted club for more control.

Plus, with todays drivers, I don't know why anyone would go with less than a S (stiff) rated shaft. My feeling is to go with the strongest shaft available, especially if you swing over 90 mph. With the size of todays clubheads and the tendency to put the weighting in the sole of the club, they overpower regular rated shafts too easily and the clubface opens producing a slice.

Bruce

 

[Tom Meyer]

All of this is correct and though you didn't say what your handicap/average score was, I'd add that if you're swing speed is in the 120s, you're probably swinging too hard !! That's Tiger Woods territory and it takes a pro with a precision tuned swing to control such velocity. Lay off a bit to around 100-105 and you'll see your control go way up. Odds are you won't see much of a loss of distance, either, if you get a new driver like a Titleist 983 or Taylor Made 540/80. I myself am a 7 handicap, am 5'8", swing speed of ~100mph and have been hitting my new 983k about 250-260 on the fly & probably 275-280 after a roll (can't really be sure as I haven't played a round with it yet but will this thursday)

 

[Ryan Peter]

I recommend finding a good 3 wood. Even Tiger Woods hits his better than his driver.

 

[Dick Smyrak]

My swing speed is around the same, friends say they have to look away when I hit because their back may go out! I would make sure you have the stiffest shaft possible because when you are coming down that fast on plane the whip alone creates many mistakes and mis-hits.

 

[Mike Wladyka]

Vincent,

Why do you want to make a loft switch? if it is just to try something new, don't switch...Stay with 10 degree if you are happy with your ball trajectory...All the lower loft will give you is a lower ball flight, and not necessarily more distance or control...i used to use a 10 degree, but i hit it too high, so i switched to a 9 deg. and hit it perfect, as far as ball flight is concerned...Ball flight is the key to distance...lower isn't better, unless you play at "the old course"...you want the ball to penetrate the air and cut through the air, not balloon up...remember that on the ball gets most of its distance in air, you want it to stay up, but not balloon...hopefully that makes sense

BTW, i am a 6 handicap...and since swing speed is the big thing here, mine is anywhere between 105 and 120 depending on how hard i want to hit it, at normal power about 110 is good for me, but after making a bogey, maybe it creeps to 120 and for me 110 swing speed = 275-290 yards, most of that is in the air...since it never seems to stop raining

like the others said, get a super stiff shaft for 120mph

 

[Vincent_S]

Thanks for all the replies! Something else I should have added in my orginal post is that I don't have a problem with slicing. Maybe one hole in a round of golf. I can hit it straight and the 10 degree goes up kind of high IMO. So I was thinking if I could lower the ball flight a little maybe I could add some yardage. BTW I shoot very high 80's to mid 90's. I always use a stiff flex.