Driver loft and ball flight.

[TEA Time]

I bought an 8.5* driver to replace my old 10.5* because I figured lower loft meant lower ball flight, which means less balls plugging in the soggy fairways of the Pacific Northwest. So far, this appears to ring true. I found a 10.5* on craigslist that I might like to own. My question is this:
-Assuming the same swing and angle of attack (which I don't remember) how much more elevation could I expect to gain by jumping up 2 degrees of loft on a driver?

My average technical specs with a 9.5* test driver (if it helps) :
113mph swing speed
166mph ball speed
13* launch angle
2400rpm ball spin

Much obliged.

 

[azgreg]

Same shaft?

 

[Rockford35]

Have your 8.5* driver digitally lofted. You'd be shocked how close it probably is to 10*. And, how close your 10.5* loft will be closer to 13*.

R35

 

[TEA Time]

Same shaft?

Exact same.

Have your 8.5* driver digitally lofted. You'd be shocked how close it probably is to 10*. And, how close your 10.5* loft will be closer to 13*.

R35

Ok. But my question is how can I expect my ball flight to differ by adding two degrees of loft.

 

[nututhugame]

So what is your expensive hook/block machine anyways?

 

[trumb1mj]

If I'm playing less loft (9* or less) I tend to try and help the ball into the air more--more of a lifty swing. I recently switched back to a 10.5* driver and have a much more level swing and a much more pentrating ball flight.

When I've messed around with loft I was trying to achieve between a 11-13* launch angle and found it much easier to do with more loft.

The higher loft for me is actually a lower ball flight because of my swing tendencies. Definitely try both out and see what your tendencies are.

I'd be interested to hear your tendencies, too. Are you a sweeper or digger? Do you have a lot of spine tilt at impact?

 

[Gaijin_Golfer]

To me, it's irrelevant. A ball is going to plug in a fairway with either. The deciding factor should be launch angle and spin, which is decided by more than just loft.

 

[TEA Time]

So what is your expensive hook/block machine anyways?

8.5* Callaway Octane Tour with a ProjectX 6.0. It was expensive when I bought it.

 

[TEA Time]

If I'm playing less loft (9* or less) I tend to try and help the ball into the air more--more of a lifty swing. I recently switched back to a 10.5* driver and have a much more level swing and a much more pentrating ball flight.

When I've messed around with loft I was trying to achieve between a 11-13* launch angle and found it much easier to do with more loft.

The higher loft for me is actually a lower ball flight because of my swing tendencies. Definitely try both out and see what your tendencies are.

I'd be interested to hear your tendencies, too. Are you a sweeper or digger? Do you have a lot of spine tilt at impact?

Interesting. Thanks for the input, I'll definitely consider it. I have a long sweeping path. No idea on spine angle, it's probably hunched quite a bit

 

[BigJim13]

Interesting. Thanks for the input, I'll definitely consider it. I have a long sweeping path. No idea on spine angle, it's probably hunched quite a bit

I have found that I hit the ball high with an 8.5,9.5 or 10.5* head. At most I noticed maybe 10-15 FT higher flight with the 10.5 vs the 8.5 with the 9.5 landing in the middle of that height range. I got the best distance with a Maltby 8.5 and Okato shaft. I needed to be swinging well and hard though. The 9.5 was only slightly longer than my 3w, hence the change to 10.5. I find with a 10.5 head and the Okato shaft I get the best carry and it's not THAT much more than the 8.5 or 9.5 in height so I will still get decent rollout eventually.

I hope this helps and makes sense!

 

[indacup]

I bought an 8.5* driver to replace my old 10.5* because I figured lower loft meant lower ball flight, which means less balls plugging in the soggy fairways of the Pacific Northwest. So far, this appears to ring true. I found a 10.5* on craigslist that I might like to own. My question is this:
-Assuming the same swing and angle of attack (which I don't remember) how much more elevation could I expect to gain by jumping up 2 degrees of loft on a driver?

My average technical specs with a 9.5* test driver (if it helps) :
113mph swing speed
166mph ball speed
13* launch angle
2400rpm ball spin
Carry distance 270.4

Much obliged.

Okay....so bear in mind there is a LOT of variables we cannot equate...i.e. wind speed, Altitude, Angle of impact, balls...etc.....So lets assume all the other variables are similar...

113 mph at a 9.5 should get you around 165.9 mph but a launch angle of only 8.5...so you must be really swinging up on the ball if you are getting 13*...or else you are a victim of the OEM industry standard that any claimed loft can have a tolerance of 1.5*

Basically two degrees difference in an industry that claims 1.5* either way is acceptably would be tough for me to buy into.....now if you can get fitted or at MINIMUM get the loft specs confirmed, then we'd have some direction here.

The one thing that cannot be denied is your swing speed of 113....so here's what you would TECHNICALLY see in TRUE different lofts.

8.5 - Carry distance: 265.0
9.5 - Carry distance :270.4
10.5 - Carry Distance: 271.0

If ya think of it...a single gust of wind, a bounce in the ground..... can change everything I mentioned...as well as the hardness of your fairways....etc

PLease feel free to ask/call me if ya have any questions...but it almost seems like you might be doing fine, right where ya are!

 

[TEA Time]

Okay....so bear in mind there is a LOT of variables we cannot equate...i.e. wind speed, Altitude, Angle of impact, balls...etc.....So lets assume all the other variables are similar...

113 mph at a 9.5 should get you around 165.9 mph but a launch angle of only 8.5...so you must be really swinging up on the ball if you are getting 13*...or else you are a victim of the OEM industry standard that any claimed loft can have a tolerance of 1.5*

Basically two degrees difference in an industry that claims 1.5* either way is acceptably would be tough for me to buy into.....now if you can get fitted or at MINIMUM get the loft specs confirmed, then we'd have some direction here.

The one thing that cannot be denied is your swing speed of 113....so here's what you would TECHNICALLY see in TRUE different lofts.

8.5 - Carry distance: 265.0
9.5 - Carry distance :270.4
10.5 - Carry Distance: 271.0

If ya think of it...a single gust of wind, a bounce in the ground..... can change everything I mentioned...as well as the hardness of your fairways....etc

PLease feel free to ask/call me if ya have any questions...but it almost seems like you might be doing fine, right where ya are!

Nice! I downloaded an excel spreadsheet called eSwing and am getting about the same numbers that you have. It estimates that 2 degrees of loft adds about 10-12' of altitude. As for launch angle, I guess I'm hitting up on it more than I realized. The fitter said that 11* was optimal but 13 was still good.

Thanks for all the info!