• 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!

Who's using a short driver?

MIKE1218

Top Bloke
Dec 21, 2006
3,485
6
I have played all my drivers this year at 44.5" except for a brief stint with a r7 425 that had a dynamic gold at 43". I find 44.5" to be much more controllable with no loss of distance than 45 or longer.

I installed a ul540 in the 425tp I just picked up from bigjim at 44". I haven't hit it very extensively yet, but I've only missed the center on 2-3 shots out of around 25. Most of them have been nice power draws of 5-10 yards. I can't tell the distance so far, but if it's going to be this consistent it might be my gamer next year. We will see.

Anyway, who is playing a driver shorter than 45"?
 

ezra76

Well-Known Member
Feb 5, 2006
12,412
16
Mine is at 44.5 and I think that's from the factory unless it was a special order. I didn't realize until I was using a club/distance table and my iron distances were off. I thought it was 45. I've hit some offcenter but not by much.
 

keithpbz

Well-Known Member
Nov 18, 2007
242
0
My backup driver is 43" and i only lose about 5-10 yards but i hit it alot straighter than my everyday driver, but i hit the ball to high with it and on windy days it can be trouble
 

MCDavis

The Plaid Duffer
Staff member
Moderator
Oct 19, 2006
13,633
5,195
Sanford, NC
Country
United States United States
When I had the G5 reshafted, it was "cut down" so to speak from stock size to 45". I like that length much better. If I shaft again, I might try 44.5".
 

JArmour

Go VOLS!
Jan 2, 2008
1,069
0
I have found the same thing. My tour burner is at 44.5. When I'm on the course or at the range probably 1 out of 10 is out the sweet spot.

Not saying only 1 of 10 is a bad shot but they're all hitting the the right spot on the driver face.
 

BigJim13

Well-Known Member
Staff member
Moderator
Aug 13, 2006
11,840
3,154
I have played all my drivers this year at 44.5" except for a brief stint with a r7 425 that had a dynamic gold at 43". I find 44.5" to be much more controllable with no loss of distance than 45 or longer.

I installed a ul540 in the 425tp I just picked up from bigjim at 44". I haven't hit it very extensively yet, but I've only missed the center on 2-3 shots out of around 25. Most of them have been nice power draws of 5-10 yards. I can't tell the distance so far, but if it's going to be this consistent it might be my gamer next year. We will see.

Anyway, who is playing a driver shorter than 45"?

Glad to hear that head is working for you.

There was a big article in this months Golf Magazine with Anthony Kim. They analyzed his swing and then took 3 amateurs and had them choke up the 2 inches that he usually does. They lost about 2-3mph SS, lost anywhere from 2-10 yds distance but gained a TON of accuracy.

The next driver I have will play at 44".
 

twofast2s

Well-Known Member
Dec 30, 2006
1,292
2
my driver is at 44.5" and i short grip it. not as much as Anthony Kim per se, but i short grip about 1"

my 3W/5W is playing 2" shorter and irons are 1" shorter. still get good distance even w/ 2-3* weakened loft.
 

David Hillman

Well-Known Member
Apr 15, 2008
836
0
Question: What, if anything, is the significant difference between shortening the club and just choking up? Watching Kim throughout the Ryder Cup, I kept wondering why he doesn't just have someone chop an inch or two off those clubs.

( My driver is just shy of 45", and I grip it at the top... but I need distance more than control with it. My 3w is 2" short, but I hit it straight and short, so I'm going to lengthen it to standard. My irons are 3/4" long, but I choke down on them to about standard length. I'm all over the map. )
 
OP
MIKE1218

MIKE1218

Top Bloke
Dec 21, 2006
3,485
6
  • Thread Starter
  • Thread starter
  • #10
Question: What, if anything, is the significant difference between shortening the club and just choking up? Watching Kim throughout the Ryder Cup, I kept wondering why he doesn't just have someone chop an inch or two off those clubs.

( My driver is just shy of 45", and I grip it at the top... but I need distance more than control with it. My 3w is 2" short, but I hit it straight and short, so I'm going to lengthen it to standard. My irons are 3/4" long, but I choke down on them to about standard length. I'm all over the map. )

If you choke down the grip will feel smaller. To get the same feeling you would have to build up your grip with extra tape.
 

Pa Jayhawk

Well-Known Member
Nov 15, 2005
7,196
62
Country
United States United States
My last was 44.5". This one is 44".

I think that is likely about the right length for me and the length recommended for a wrist to floor measurement of 36" to 37". You may also want to look at the length of your woods as well. Wishon recommends a 3w that is 1.5" shorter than your Driver, 2" if you have control issues. Then 1" increments from 3-5-7-etc. Another reason I like the TEE's, they come with a shorter shaft length than most. By cutting my driver that came only 45" to 44" it seemed to fall in suit with my 4w of 42.5" and 41" 7w. It also required adding less weight to bring the SW back, and part of the reason I only went down to 44.5" on my old driver which came 45.75".
 

Skiddlydiddly

Well-Known Member
Jul 17, 2007
308
0
Mine's 43", and my driving has improved ALOT since I built it. I've mostly lost my slice, gained a ton of distance (don't know exact distances, but it's quite a bit longer.)
 

BrandonM7

Well-Known Member
Nov 23, 2007
1,156
2
I have a CT250 at 44", but I don't hit it any more consistently than my 3DX at 45.5" or L4V at 45". I guess over the years I've learned to control a longer shaft...




Yeah, that made my wife laugh, too.
 

🔥 Latest posts

Top