Loft on my driver...too much?

[Nate Adams]

Hey Folks,

I've got a question regarding my driver. I'm a 13ish handicap and shoot in the low/mid 80s most of the time. I hit the ball fairly straight and have what I think is normal distance when hitting my irons.
My driver is another story.....I'm playing a new Taylor Made r7 with 10.5 degrees of loft. Even when I hit the club well, it seems I'm not hitting the ball very far and the ball's trajectory is very high. I'll admit, I do have a rather compact backswing and probably a low to moderate club-head speed at impact.
I got my current driver from my father-in-law (who works in a pro-shop) for a "steal" but now I'm starting to wonder if it might not be the stick for me.
Any ideas regarding this problem? Thanks in advance...

Nate

[Pa Jayhawk]

Really need more information. Do you know your swing speed? I am simply guessing this may go back to the shaft and not the loft without having further information. My experience with the TM drivers I have used is that the stock shafts have a high launch. What type of shaft is on the club? If you do not know your swing speed, how far do you hit your other clubs? Unless you have a Swing Speed in excess of maybe 105-110 mph, 10.5* should work O.K. On the other hand, a shaft with a lower launch may help. For example, I played a 9.5* TM Firesole with a stock shaft. I now hit a 10* G2 with the Aldila NV-65 Shaft which provides a much lower Launch than the TM. Not saying Alidila is the way to go, as many player hate them, but there are many others out there that may give you a lower launch angle.

[JEFF4i]

Aye, what's the swing speed. I'm assuming it's the RE*AX so what tip does it have, what flex.

As said, if you swing 100+, that may be a problem, but it could be a collection of things. Personally I swing around 110, use an 8.5 Mid Tip Stiff Flex. I tried out the different tips and flexes and it just all worked the best.

[Nate Adams]

Thanks guys.....

Sorry I don't have all the needed data.

The shaft is Re*Ax, mid-tip, "R" flex.

Not sure about swing speed.....I'm currently serving a sentence in Abilene, TX (USAF) and there is just one golf shot in town.....and I'm not sure of their computer capabilities. If I were to guess, I'd say slower as opposed to 100+ mph.

hope this helps......

Nate

[JEFF4i]

Well, it would make sense with that combo that it might go a little high. What is your average drive distance?

[ezra76]

If it's the original R7 or the 425 you can move the 10's or 12's up front for a lower ballflight.

[Garrett]

My swing speed is 109 and I play a 10*. I think the shaft is more important for swing speed. The loft is more important for swing angle. I used to hit a 8.5 degree Ping G5. Now with my 10* I am hitting the ball much further and higher!!

[JEFF4i]

Yeah, my combo was pretty much a happy medium with shaft and degree. The 8.5 is a bit low, but the medium tip makes up for it.

[gwlee7]

Your TM 10.5 driver most likely has a "true" loft of somewhere around 12.5*. Independent research on name brand drivers has shown that the loft stamped on the sole plate is usually 2* lower than the true loft. The reason, the "name brand" companies know that the average male golfer needs two things: 1) to have a higher launch angle in order to hit the ball better off the tee. 2) to look good having a "lower lofted" driver in the bag. So, TM, Calloway etc. stamp 9* on 11* drivers and then sluff it off to "manufacturing tolerances" in the fine print.

You are NOT hitting the same driver that the pros are .

[FKA19]

Originally Posted by gwlee7

Your TM 10.5 driver most likely has a "true" loft of somewhere around 12.5*. Independent research on name brand drivers has shown that the loft stamped on the sole plate is usually 2* lower than the true loft. The reason, the "name brand" companies know that the average male golfer needs two things: 1) to have a higher launch angle in order to hit the ball better off the tee. 2) to look good having a "lower lofted" driver in the bag. So, TM, Calloway etc. stamp 9* on 11* drivers and then sluff it off to "manufacturing tolerances" in the fine print.

You are NOT hitting the same driver that the pros are .

and where did you get this from ? please dont say its an assumption

[dave.]

Its absolutely 100% that pros get clubs that have finer tolerances and are checked carefully in the tour vans,and its entirely possible that some off the shelf clubs are out,sometimes by quite a bit.

[Nate Adams]

Okay.....so where are we?

Do I reshaft the driver or E-Bay the thing and get another one?

If I did elect to put a new shaft on it, what should I be looking for?

Again, I'm 41...5' 10''.....195 pounds and I don't really hit the ball that far.

Another issure I've discovered is here in West Texas, the wind howls quite a bit. Hitting my drives high is putting my ball up in the wind allowing all sorts of bad things to happen.

Thanks for the input....

Nate

[gwlee7]

19handicap,

I can't find the exact article at the moment but will post it (or the link) when I do. It is not just an assumption on my part. I would be willing to bet that you could take your driver to a reputable club maker to be checked and it's loft will be higher than what is stamped on the sole plate.

[JEFF4i]

Nate, what r7 is it? I'd say keep it, because a lower loft with a lesser swing speed in going to cost you distance regardless, so no point in getting a lower lofted just for the wind.

Also, I'd say the best route is just reshaft it to something you like, make a regular flex but is a bit stiffer(i.e. Aldila).

[ManchesterGolfer]

How do you have the weights set? Get the heavier weights up front to get a lower lauch angle that's what there their for. If you have already tried this then go down the reshafting line, look for something with a mid to high kick point, Aldila NV or Grafalloy NT give them a try for a start. Probably favor the Aldila if you have a slower smooth swing.