Has anyone shortened their driver?

[SiberianDVM]

I have a problem with the accuracy of my driver. Forget this aiming for the "left/right side of the fairway" crap, I'm talking aiming down the middle and hoping it lands somewhere not OB. Most of my misses are left (pulls, hooks, or a combination).

Tom Wishon says that for a 36" wrist to floor measurement (me), the driver should be 43.5-44". Of course, we all know that standard drivers are 45-45.5".

Anyone playing a shorter than standard driver?

 

[DaveE]

I've been thinking about trying this too. Although, as a fellow pull hooker I don't think it would solve that. Since I've made a effort to smooth out the swing and really get my junk through I don't do that anymore. Well, I almost never do that anymore.

But I do think it would interesting to try a shorter driver to see if I'd be more accurate.

 

[Pa Jayhawk]

You know, I have always heard that the Ping G2 comes with a longer than normal shaft. I'm not sure if I am just not measuring this properly or what, but my G2 that I purchased with the stock Aldila NV 65 shaft is not a 45" shaft. The best I can tell, it is probably a 44". Not sure how far you measure, but from the end to the where the tip enters the club under the hosel and ferrell is only 43.5".

If it were a 45" shaft it would have to extend past the bend in the head. Is the length of the shaft where it enters? If so, the stock NV65 (or at least mine) on the G2 is 43.5"

 

[ualtim]

Both of the drivers in my bag are at 44 inches. I tried a 45 inch driver for a while several years ago and ended up making all of my drivers 44 inches or 43.5 inches. My accuracy is much better with the 44" drivers compared to the 45". With adjustable weight technology available, swing weighting issues with shorter drivers are avoidable.

 

[SiberianDVM]

Not sure how far you measure, but from the end to the where the tip enters the club under the hosel and ferrell is only 43.5".

I measure from the base of the head (imagine it sitting on the deck) to the end of the grip. The G2 I had was 45.5".

My Exotics is 45".
My 983K is 45".
My Integra is 45".
My Louisville persimmon is 44.25". Maybe I'll try it this weekend.
My old Hogan Radial steel-shaft is 43", but the grip is too slick to hold.

 

[EnglishGolfer]

I find it's quite a psycological thing. Irrespective of the length of the shaft, gripping two inches down on it gives me much better results. If I had my driver shortened I somehow doubt that the results would be the quite so consistent. Also by keeping them relatively long it give sme the option to grip the end when trying to smash the core out of it.

 

[goatster]

im not sure of the length of my driver.but its stock for TM580XD.though an interesting point is you notice the guys on the LDA used to use 50"&52" for more distance but they also said with a shaft that long it takes awhile to be able to hit it and your swing has to be very consistant or your in deep shot.

so it would make sense that a shoter shaft would be more accurate.your 9 iron is usauly more accurate then your 3 iron.with the combo of a shorter shaft and more loft the ball dosent hook or slice as much.

 

[lildudejds]

i shortened my hippo down....big mistake...i sliced like crazy, had no distance, and it was just innaccurate....some of it was that it is a crappy driver, but still shorening it when it had a stiff shaft and my swing speed is NOT for stiff shafts, it was a big mistake.

my regular flex, normal length launcher hits it just right(not right the direction, right the approved right)

 

[trob]

The perfect club now has a driver and the two things they did to stop your slice is

a) add loft

b) Shorten the driver


I was thinking of doing it but I'm to stubborn to believe I can't learn to hit my driver.

 

[David B]

though an interesting point is you notice the guys on the LDA used to use 50"&52" for more distance but they also said with a shaft that long it takes awhile to be able to hit it and your swing has to be very consistant or your in deep shot.

I believe that this has changed now... they tend to stick with the 48" maximum shaft length specified by the USGA. They were getting a bunch of flak because they were using 'suped up' (non-conforming) drivers, making their long drives less impressive. So they dropped down to within the USGA rules, hoping that it will truly show how athletic they really are.

I think the world record for long drive is something like 536 yards with a tail wind...

Speaking of long drive, I have a Taylor Made TB2 7.5* forged driver with a 47.5" AS-135 shaft up on ebay that's ending tonight (an Art Sellinger long drive model) if anybody's interested (sorry... that's the end of my plug).

 

[SiberianDVM]

I tried choking down on the driver a bit last night at the range. Seemed to help get some of my pulls more on line, BUT I still managed to hook the first 3 balls into the woods.

I plan on playing a rather short, older course today. I may not even hit driver.

 

[David B]

I wonder if the swingweight of your driver might be a bit on the heavy side. I couldn't hit my old TB2 driver worth a damn, but so far I've been doing quite well with my R540XD (i.e. the ball goes straight at least half the time), and it feels like it's a couple swingweight points lighter than the old one. Of course it's only 44" and my TB2 was 45.5", so that could also be the difference... shorter, and lighter swingweight.

Hopefully you get it figured out... I've been in the same position, so I feel for ya'.

 

[ualtim]

If you do decide the shorten your driver, your swing weight will decrease unless you add weight to the head or down the shaft. If you clubhead is feeling too heavy, you might be better off not increasing the weight, but if you like your current swing weight you will need to add some weight to offset the shortened shaft.

 

[SiberianDVM]

It's D2, just like most of my clubs. I played today gripping down about an inch, and hit the best drive of my life: 280 yards with roll to the front edge of a blind par 4, 295 yards (short course).

We won't talk about the 3 I hit OB on the previous hole.

 

[What'saScore]

I normally slice like a bastard. Was out hitting into the field across the road, and just for the hell of it i choked up on my driver a couple of inches. Hit about a half a dozen dead straight, and those that sliced were not anywhere near my normal banana balls. Going to try it my next out.