• Welcome To ShotTalk.com!

    We are one of the oldest and largest Golf forums on the internet with golfers from around the world sharing tips, photos and planning golf outings.

    Registering is free and easy! Hope to see you on the forums soon!

Wanted: Low spin driver info

bwalker19

CPGA Professional
Feb 18, 2008
48
0
The YS-6 and for that matter the entire YS series is much "whippier" than their stiffness tells you, and has a lot more torque.

As far as the v2 goes, i'm going to look into it for the exact measurements but going from the stiff to the regular is going to change the kick point (marginally) as well as the torque, which is why your buddy is saying it "feels" better. Based on his swing speed, if it is available to him, get him to try something with an Aldila NVS (orange) in a 85-S range or an NV (green) in a 75-S range. Obviously being put in the bore through titleist head is also going to make any shaft feel "boardier" than many other heads on the market.
 

bwalker19

CPGA Professional
Feb 18, 2008
48
0
His SS averages 108. He had a GD YS-6 (stiff) but didn't like it much. He then tried the V2 (stiff) in his 905 but it "felt" too stiff for his likes so he switched to a Regular and likes the feel much better.

First of all, the YS-6 and for that matter the entire YS series is much "whippier" than their stiffness tells you, and has a lot more torque.

As far as the v2 goes, i'm going to look into it for the exact measurements but going from the stiff to the regular is going to change the kick point (marginally) as well as the torque, which is why your buddy is saying it "feels" better. Based on his swing speed, if it is available to him, get him to try something with an Aldila NVS (orange) in a 85-S range or an NV (green) in a 75-S range. Obviously being put in the bore through titleist head is also going to make any shaft feel "boardier" than many other heads on the market.
 

daveperk

Well-Known Member
Jan 23, 2008
18
0
He already tees the ball lower than most I've seen in an attempt to combat his high drives. He does play the Pro V1x or HX 56 Tour. He plays the 76g V2 but he plays an R-flex due to the bore through Titleist. He still hits it very, very straight. Last time I caddied for him one guy in our group just started calling him "Vanilla" because of his boringly straight drives.
I think you are dead on with a higher COG head. He needs to move to that to get better results. He has very little roll with his drives.

If he's a 3 cap, he probably swings the driver 105mph or better. That means he probably needs at LEAST a stiff shaft with a high kick and firm tip. Maybe an X shaft is needed. Proforce's chart recommends X be considered even at 105mph driver head speed.

So he's probably TWO shafts too soft, let alone the consideration of tip and kickpoint.

I had the same problem, too much backspin even with 8.5 loft, and when I switched shafts and went to 9.5 the drives got longer, because of less backspin.

COG affects launch angle but probably not backspin... that's more about the arrival angle of the clubface, which is about shaft deflection.

I have 112 mph driver head speed in the radar box, and I"m going from S with firm tip to X. Still too much deflection for me even with firm tip and high kick S by Fujikura. I can hit my X three wood straight as a string, but the S driver is kind of wild, and hard to hit in the center of the clubface.
 

LyleG

gear head
Aug 10, 2006
6,388
28
Country
Canada Canada
If he's a 3 cap, he probably swings the driver 105mph or better. That means he probably needs at LEAST a stiff shaft with a high kick and firm tip. Maybe an X shaft is needed. Proforce's chart recommends X be considered even at 105mph driver head speed.

So he's probably TWO shafts too soft, let alone the consideration of tip and kickpoint.

I had the same problem, too much backspin even with 8.5 loft, and when I switched shafts and went to 9.5 the drives got longer, because of less backspin.

COG affects launch angle but probably not backspin... that's more about the arrival angle of the clubface, which is about shaft deflection.

I have 112 mph driver head speed in the radar box, and I"m going from S with firm tip to X. Still too much deflection for me even with firm tip and high kick S by Fujikura. I can hit my X three wood straight as a string, but the S driver is kind of wild, and hard to hit in the center of the clubface.


Dave,

Welcome to shot talk.

I do agree with you on a few points and disagree on a few. I do agree he most likely could use a stiffer shaft, but without LM numbers or seeing his swing I cant even say this for certain. I have an average driver swing speed of over 105 mph, play off a low 4, and use a soft tipped R flex shaft in my driver. Generalizations when it comes to shafts very rarely work out imo.

The most important part of a club in relation to spin rates is loft. Nothing else comes close. Forward shaft deflection at impact wont ever be more than 2*.
 

LeftyHoges

I've got the pants that'll make you dance!
Supporting Member
Jun 11, 2007
2,384
183
Portland, VIC, Australia
Country
Australia Australia
Also very important to find out exactly which Titleist driver he is playing. If he's playing the 905 T that is the problem right there. That was the lowest COG head of that Titleist range. I had a high ball flight aswell until I switched to the 905 S with Proforce V2 in stiff. Absolutely perfect now.

And like the others have said, tee the ball up. The lower the tee, the steeper the angle of attack and balls will balloon like crazy with this setup.
 
OP
bames

bames

Purchased a better game
Supporting Member
Jan 8, 2006
1,979
315
Utah
Country
United States United States
  • Thread Starter
  • Thread starter
  • #21
Also very important to find out exactly which Titleist driver he is playing. If he's playing the 905 T that is the problem right there. That was the lowest COG head of that Titleist range. I had a high ball flight aswell until I switched to the 905 S with Proforce V2 in stiff. Absolutely perfect now.

And like the others have said, tee the ball up. The lower the tee, the steeper the angle of attack and balls will balloon like crazy with this setup.

He plays the 905S. So which has more affect on the launch angle? Lower ball and less loft on clubface or angle of attack (ie tee ball higher).
 

dave.

Well-Known Member
Mar 20, 2005
5,926
2
I still stand by my first post, stiffer shaft, angle of attack, tee height, or a combination of all three. I would start with that before buying anything considering its an 8.5 905 and V2 and a V1x, thats a low spin combination already. To get no roll , the flight would give the game away, ie it would 'fizz' off the face and start to balloon, even wind behind.

I see several pros on a regular basis and the one you notice is they hit their drives lower than anyone at the range, 2 of them from very low tee heights. One uses a Fuji 95 Pro in an 8.5 D2, no torque, very stiff and weighs a tonne, it feels like the mist stabkle shaft in the world to hit.

If he wants roll, he should hit it lower and figure out how to do it, and from what you have posted I bet its technique and not equipment.
 
OP
bames

bames

Purchased a better game
Supporting Member
Jan 8, 2006
1,979
315
Utah
Country
United States United States
  • Thread Starter
  • Thread starter
  • #23
I still stand by my first post, stiffer shaft, angle of attack, tee height, or a combination of all three. I would start with that before buying anything considering its an 8.5 905 and V2 and a V1x, thats a low spin combination already. To get no roll , the flight would give the game away, ie it would 'fizz' off the face and start to balloon, even wind behind.

I see several pros on a regular basis and the one you notice is they hit their drives lower than anyone at the range, 2 of them from very low tee heights. One uses a Fuji 95 Pro in an 8.5 D2, no torque, very stiff and weighs a tonne, it feels like the mist stabkle shaft in the world to hit.

If he wants roll, he should hit it lower and figure out how to do it, and from what you have posted I bet its technique and not equipment.

I think there is merit here, Dave. He had a 905R but played only two rounds with it before he went back to the 905S looking for less spin. He is a "compact" guy and a Hogan afficianado. I feel like he has a relatively flat swing already but there must be something he does to put that much spin on the ball. Everthing except for the R flex V2 (but it is in a bore-through) says low spin. Maybe there is a shaft/head combo out there that would help more? I don't know. Swing change is probably going to show the most results.
 

dave.

Well-Known Member
Mar 20, 2005
5,926
2
Bames,

'swing change' may be a bit excessive! He may just need a minute change in tee height, a tiny move forward, a very very small change to his angle of attack (ok that bit may be harder)

If he forgets equipment for a bit and just goes to the range trying to hit the ball on a lower, flatter flight, and see what happens, he sounds more than good enough to figure it out himself.

Has he had the loft checked? Who knows, it might not be 8.5. I've recently seen a Titleist head measure 11.6 degrees, yet it was supposed to be 9.5.
 
OP
bames

bames

Purchased a better game
Supporting Member
Jan 8, 2006
1,979
315
Utah
Country
United States United States
  • Thread Starter
  • Thread starter
  • #27
Bames,

'swing change' may be a bit excessive! He may just need a minute change in tee height, a tiny move forward, a very very small change to his angle of attack (ok that bit may be harder)

If he forgets equipment for a bit and just goes to the range trying to hit the ball on a lower, flatter flight, and see what happens, he sounds more than good enough to figure it out himself.

Has he had the loft checked? Who knows, it might not be 8.5. I've recently seen a Titleist head measure 11.6 degrees, yet it was supposed to be 9.5.

Wow, that is really off (11.6 - 9.5). I'm glad to hear you also don't think a "swing change" is necessary. I would have a tough time telling a guy with a swing like his that he needs to "change" it. I do know that he is not a pompous idiot because he will ask for advice on his mechanics from time to time though, so I'm going to bring it up and see if he can hit it "lower".
 

bwalker19

CPGA Professional
Feb 18, 2008
48
0
So I spent some time thinking about your buddy's situation, and here's what you've told us:

*he is in the top 30% for distance in these events you caddy for him
*he hits a lot of fairways
*he has been referred to as vanilla by fellow competitors because of his smooth swing
*he is a 3 hcp

Maybe I'm the only one thinking this and I know it from experience because I used to be that guy, sitting at a 2-3 cap wanting to hit the ball lower and have it run out farther. 10-20 yards of roll and a consistantly lower ball flight is not going to make him go from a 3 to a 0 or +. I understand the appeal of hitting these pretty drives that run out forever, but at the end of the day we still play this game to get it in the hole in the fewest amount of shots right?

If your buddy is willing to spend $500 on a new driver everytime he hits a high straight 290 yd drive down the middle of the fairway, does that really make sense? Take the $500 and get some short game and scoring lessons. Because thats clearly where his problem is.

Plus he needs to realize if he's going to change his driver and find something he hits lower and farther, he's going to have to change all of his intended target lines, because he's either going to have trouble flying that bunker/pond or he's going to run through the fairway.

Just my 2 cents.
 
OP
bames

bames

Purchased a better game
Supporting Member
Jan 8, 2006
1,979
315
Utah
Country
United States United States
  • Thread Starter
  • Thread starter
  • #30
So I spent some time thinking about your buddy's situation, and here's what you've told us:

*he is in the top 30% for distance in these events you caddy for him
*he hits a lot of fairways
*he has been referred to as vanilla by fellow competitors because of his smooth swing
*he is a 3 hcp

Maybe I'm the only one thinking this and I know it from experience because I used to be that guy, sitting at a 2-3 cap wanting to hit the ball lower and have it run out farther. 10-20 yards of roll and a consistantly lower ball flight is not going to make him go from a 3 to a 0 or +. I understand the appeal of hitting these pretty drives that run out forever, but at the end of the day we still play this game to get it in the hole in the fewest amount of shots right?

If your buddy is willing to spend $500 on a new driver everytime he hits a high straight 290 yd drive down the middle of the fairway, does that really make sense? Take the $500 and get some short game and scoring lessons. Because thats clearly where his problem is.

Plus he needs to realize if he's going to change his driver and find something he hits lower and farther, he's going to have to change all of his intended target lines, because he's either going to have trouble flying that bunker/pond or he's going to run through the fairway.

Just my 2 cents.

I appreciate that. And it is good advice. However, he is already taking lessons. Which you had no way of knowing. And he really doesn't care about the $500 - he just wants to try something different to see how it affects his drives - if in fact it does. So I thought I would see what everone thought on low spin drivers. Thanks for all of the responses. I think he is going to try the Hibore XL Tour 8.5* possibly with a Diamana Blue X-flex. We'll see!
 

🔥 Latest posts

Top