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Need shaft length advice for woods

SiberianDVM

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Jul 25, 2005
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After an absolutey miserable tournament Saturday, I need to make some changes. Based on my WTF measurement of 36", I think my woods are too long, and that is contributing to my difficulties hitting these clubs off the deck.

Dana Upshaw made my 5iron exactly 38", so based on that and my WTF, I need to do some butt chopping.
Driver, currently 45", cut to 43.5" to 44"
3wood, currently 43", cut to 41.5
4wood, currently 42.75", cut to 40.5"
3hybrid, leave at 39.5"
4hybrid, leave at 39"
5iron, 38"

I realize the swingweights will get all messed up, but I will lead tape them until I can have the heads reweighted.

Do any of you club fitting gurus think these lengths are too drastic?
 

indacup

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Jun 1, 2007
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I can't believe Dana set you up in woods those lengths...unless you specifically asked for them that length?

Before cutting them down, have you tried gripping down first and simulating how they would hit when cut down?
 
OP
SiberianDVM

SiberianDVM

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Dana didn't do the woods, he did irons only. These are woods that I have had put together here. I had him make me a 43.5" CT250FC driver that I hit well, but I hate the sound as compared to my 905R.

Dana did reshaft all my irons, and still insists that I should be able to hit the 3 and 4 irons, the turkey. :)

I can hit the woods fine off a tee, but I suck trying to hit them off the grass. I have tried gripping down, but that feels awkward to me and the butt end keeps hitting my gut. :)
 

RickinMA

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Feb 3, 2007
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... I need to do some butt chopping.

I realize the swingweights will get all messed up, but I will lead tape them until I can have the heads reweighted.

I think adding that much weight will loosen up the flex of the shafts quite a bit. Didn't you have an issue with a stock shaft that had the frequency of an A or L shaft? it would probably be best to go back to Dana for a driver fitting and once you have that as a reference point, you could dial in your other woods

the lengths seem a bit short for a 36" WTF, but it will all depend on your swing
sorry I can't offer anything better
 
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SiberianDVM

SiberianDVM

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I just dug a pair of ancient 3 & 5 woods out of the closest. Real wood, with steel shafts. They measure 42.5" and 41.5". I'll take them and my 43.5" driver to the range tonight before I start any hacking on my graphite and steel models.
 

mddubya

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Nov 6, 2007
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After an absolutey miserable tournament Saturday, I need to make some changes.

Hate to hear you had a bad tournament experiance also. I need to make some changes also, but I'm afraid mine are all between my ears, :laugh: But I hope you figure out what will help you.
 
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SiberianDVM

SiberianDVM

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Mine are between the ears as well, but I can't easily do anything about that, so I'm changing clubs instead. :)

Saturday I shot a 104. Sunday I played a tougher track and shot a 87. Stupid game.
 

Pa Jayhawk

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Dana Upshaw made my 5iron exactly 38", so based on that and my WTF, I need to do some butt chopping.
Driver, currently 45", cut to 43.5" to 44"
3wood, currently 43", cut to 41.5
4wood, currently 42.75", cut to 40.5"
3hybrid, leave at 39.5"
4hybrid, leave at 39"
5iron, 38"
According to Wishon's book, your 5i and Driver lengths would be ideal for a person with a wrist to floor measurement of 34 to 36 inches (actually he has 43.5 for the driver and 38 for the 5i to be specific). He then goes on to say that you should have at least a 3* change in lofts in the FW's. If you have a 44" driver, start thinking of a 43" 3W or even 1/2" less if you have trouble getting the 3 in the air off the deck, or even as low as 42". Then do a 1" change between a 3,5,7, or 9.

Not sure how the hybrids would come into play here as they generally have shorter shafts.

May be worth thinking of getting Wishon's "The Search for the Perfect Golf Club" if you want to nail this down and get a lot of useful detail. What I mentioned is on Page 157, and the chart for the driver and 5i and driver lengths base on wrist to floor are on 147.
 

mddubya

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Nov 6, 2007
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Mine are between the ears as well, but I can't easily do anything about that, so I'm changing clubs instead. :)

Saturday I shot a 104. Sunday I played a tougher track and shot a 87. Stupid game.

The way I played Saturday I would have been tickled to have shot a 104 and would have killed to have shot an 87. It's to painful to even type what I actually shot. What makes me so mad is that 30 minutes before I tee'd off I was on the driving range and hitting the ball beautifully, 30 minutes later I step onto the tee box and couldn't find my swing for $hit all day long!
 
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SiberianDVM

SiberianDVM

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Success!!!!!!!

Had the driver cut to 44", 3 wood cut to 42.5", 4 wood cut to 41.5". Next longest club is 3 hybrid at 39.5"

Hit all of them at the range tonight, and sweet spot contact was much improved. All slice removed from 4 wood, even off the deck, and now I even have a little draw. Hitting this club was a joy tonight, compared to the dread I usually have when I have to hit it.

I can now use the same swing for irons, hybrids, and fairway woods. Yippee!!!!!
 

dave.

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I had all my irons adjusted to TLT specs, and not one needed to be swingweight adjusted, they all felt fine. My WTF is 34.4" and I'm 5'9", the 5 iron is 37.5", however, I cut my 3 wood down to 42.5 but left my driver at 45. Your woods really are quite short but if yo get control then thats great. I did from a shorter driver but hated the distance drop
 
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SiberianDVM

SiberianDVM

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I had the woods cut before I got the TLT specs. The lengths I had them cut fall right between his recommendations for Skilled and Less Skilled.
 

warbirdlover

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I "added" length when I had my 3-wood built and am hitting it great. I've kind of "pushed the envolope" on driver length though. The Ping G2 is 46-3/4" and I'm not hitting that good this time of year. I hit the 45" drivers very well in Kentucky. I also had new shafts put in the Nickents at a little longer length and I'm hitting those well also. I think everyone is different and shorter length does not help everyone. :)
 
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SiberianDVM

SiberianDVM

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I think everyone is different and shorter length does not help everyone.

True, but not everyone is the same height or has the same wrist-to-floor measurement, either.

I'm vertically challenged with a WTF of 36" so a shorter club makes sense for me. I did not notice any loss of distance last night, and the shots were all much straighter.

The true test will come in my next tournament. :)
 

dave.

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WBL, remember, your arms are like 4" long with tiny hands sticking out of the end, you look weird tbh, no wonder you needed added length.
 

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