Quote:
Originally Posted by RickinMA  Thanks Lyle - this is the info I'm looking for - do you have any data on different balls you can share? I figure even if it's based on someone else's swing, it'll probably give me a sufficient data point
The fitting was inside (a dome with about 100 yrds for the ball to fly)
and the fitting was done with the Srixon range balls they had at the dome - they weren't in bad shape, but they're still range balls
I have to imagine range balls spin a whole lot less than a proV or B330 and probably significantly less than say a Bridgestone e5 or other similar balls
I think I have two options if I want to maximize my driver distance
1) play a lower spin ball (which I'm not thrilled about because I like some spin around the green)
or
2) buy a new driver that will give me a similar launch angle but lower spin rate to try to create a lower angle of decent with my preferred ball or balls so I can get some roll out of my drives (currently all carry)
being a member of this forum, we all know I'll be buying a new driver... but the question is, which one and with what specs - say I were to pick up another driver similar to the r5, I would think I'd need to decrease loft slightly - I know I got the highest ball speed with the ProLaunch shaft so I wouldn't want to mess with that, but I also know that loft will have the largest effect on launch angle and distance- so how much loft to I drop? .5*?
Or - if I went with a different design - Say the Geek DCT or Wishon 919 for example. I've read the DCT is low launching for it's loft. So would I look for a 10.5*? The 919 is said to launch higher than it's stated loft by up to 2* compared to the Wishon 525 because of it's center of gravity (similar to the hi-bore I guess) so would I go with something around 9*?
Sorry about the long post - just hoping to figure this out without returning to the fitter
Thanks for any input |
In my view, you must try the driver with the balls you are going to play with when you get fitted. Unfortunately, fitters are fitting you with whatever balls they have on hand rather than with the one you play. I went through a similar experience during fitting. I asked to be fitted using my golf balls, but the fitter refused. I subsequently refused to be fitted!
I agree with Lyle that the ball you play makes a big difference when it come to spin rates. Your fitter has taken your money, probably sold you the driver too, when he should have known that on the course using your driver the results will be different from the range results. You can draw your own conclusions from this!
Launch monitors are far from perfect and even when the measured/calculated results are close to actual ones, they depend on a number of factors. The calculated spin rates are measured with the balls you actually hit and also whether the balls are correctly placed on the tee. When the lines drawn on the balls are not aligned correctly, the measured/calculated spin rates are going to be incorrect, even though your swing path, angle of attack and your swing speed is the same swing after swing!
As far as driver specs are concerned, there are tolerances in manufacture that are acceptable. These tolerances may vary manufacturer to manufacturer or even within models of their clubs. EG your 10.5* driver may have an actual loft of 10.1*. The 10* driver you may buy, could have an actual loft of 10.3*. Similarly the face angle of the driver will have a +-tolerance. the one you have cold be +* and the one you will buy could end up having a -* from ideal face angle. So go to an open range/course/open space and try drivers you like with your own balls, that you can collect later. And if you can, buy the driver you demo-ed rather than order a new one (referring to the tolerances I mentioned above).
Whether you go back to your fitter or not is up to you, but I would take his advise with a grain of salt.