Driver Shaft Length

Re: Driver Shaft Length

Lou G — Tue, 04 Dec 2012 15:12:54 GMT

[quote user="AJAR"]

Hi Shawn and Cameron,

Is it possible to be fitted for shafts at this length? I am very interested to try lengths shorter than 44.5" but I'm not sure it is possible anywhere. I was fitted at Oceanside for a 44.5" length but haven't pulled the trigger on the 913 series driver because I would really like to see my numbers with shorter shafts. Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks,

Joseph.

[/quote]

I have something that would be a bit related. I have my 910F 19* fairway and 910H 21* both 1" shorter than stock; to maintain the swingweight, I installed a Winn Lite Dri-Tac oversize grip (it is 26g vs 52 for the standard rubber grip). Both clubs are 1.5* upright lie angle (D3). They have A flex shafts so the shortening by 1" make them feel pretty good. I tried this with a 910H 24* with regular flex and it ended up feeling stiff.

Also, I have a TM Burner HT Draw driver that is 44.5" (stock length is 45.75") and it has a Winn Lite Dri Tac grip. I also played Superfast 5-18, 4-21, 6-27 before going to Titleists and had to cut them 1" to hit properly so I installed the Dri Tac grips.

Winn Lite Dri Tac are offered by Titleist according to the brochure.

I'm thinking about a 910D2 12* with Bassara A flex and setting it up as 44". My thought is to play it at the D3 or C3 setting.

As far as 44" drivers go, I've played 3 of them before - 975D 10.5, 983K 10.5, TM R580 and G2 10.5. Remember these had considerably flatter lie angles vs the newer drivers so I either hit a power fade or a very high trajectory on a perfectly straight shot.

Truth is most pros use 44-45" drivers but with a heavier shaft. In the Titleist brochure, the heaviest shaft available in regular flex is 81g (I think Aldila NV) and S/X was 96g (ProForce 96). The Bassara driver shaft is 50g. Given that 9g in shaft weight change = 1 swingweight point, the ProForce 96 would almost accomodate a 1" shortening of the driver without changing the grip. If you happen to be blessed with large hands, a midsize grip is 67g so that kills 2 swingweight points.

The standard driver head weight is 7g. The heaviest is 12g. Given that 2g = 1 swingweight point, you could shorten the shaft to 44.5" without changing the grip.

Here's the mathematics on using the light grip. It saves ~ 72g of club weight vs a standard grip and heavy shaft with the same swingweight.

Re: Driver Shaft Length

AJAR — Tue, 04 Dec 2012 12:19:15 GMT

Hi Shawn and Cameron,

Thanks,

Joseph.

Re: Driver Shaft Length

Lou G — Mon, 03 Dec 2012 23:45:03 GMT

[quote user="Cameron D"]

Shawn,

Just make sure you have your golf shop request that length (41.5"). We will be able to build it that short, just understand that it will feel extremely light due to the effects that length will have on swing weight.

Cameron

1-888-TITLEIST

[/quote]

Even with my math exercise in my last post I came up with approx D1 swingweight using 42.5" shaft length, Winn Lite Dri Tac grip, 12 gram head weight and ProForce 96 gram shaft. At 41.5" that would be about a C6 swingweight. He would probably have to hit it a degree flat in lie angle to maintain the same swing.

Re: Driver Shaft Length

Lou G — Mon, 03 Dec 2012 22:16:34 GMT

[quote user="Shawn K"]

Anyone know how short Titleist will make a driver shaft? I have a 41.5-42" shaft currently in my driver and I have tried, but I can't hit a STD length driver as straight or consistantly as 41.5-42". I really want to buy a 913, but if I cant get one this short, im afraid to say, it probably wont be making its way into my bag. Only club n the bag that isnt Titleist

Note: Current VR Pro 9.5* PX 7B3 6.5 41.5"

[/quote]

Cathi or one of the others feel free to jump in. It is doable with the heaviest shaft, lightest grip and heaviest head weight. I have a Burner HT Draw driver with 44.5" shaft and I used a Winn Dri Tac oversize grip. I also had a G2 driver with 44" shaft and Excel RF grip that came in at a C8 swingweight. I also carried some Superfast fairways and hybrids that I shortened 1" from stock and used a Dri Tac Lite grip and these came in at D1 swingweight. I have my 910F 19* fairway wood at D3 setting with 41" shaft and Winn Lite Dri Tac oversize grip, 910H 21* at D3 setting with 39" shaft and D3 setting and Dri Tac Lite oversize, 910H 27* with 38.5" shaft and Excel RF midsize grip, AP1 7 and 8 irons 1* upright with -1/2" shafts and Excel RF midsize grip, AP1 9 and PW and SM4 52-12 with standard grips and 1* upright and -1/4" shafts, and SM4 60-10 standard shaft and 1* upright. It is a tad oddball but it works for me (the swingweights of the 5W to 9 iron are at D1, the PW and 52 are D3 and the 60 is D5). Also, my old Eye 2 irons were 1/2" shorter than stock at Blue Dot lie angles with Excel RF grips and they came in at C9 swingweight. Another thing in my golf club experience is that I have a couple steel shafted persimmon clubs (10 wood and 34 hybrid) that I had to put Golf Pride Tour Wrap midsize grips on to tame swingweight (with Excel RF they came in at D9 and the rubber grips brought them to D5). As you can see, I've tinkered with clubs.

Assume a standard 52 gram grip and 7 gram head weight and a Bassara 50g shaft on a stock club. The heaviest weight is 12g. I also sighted Winn Dri Tac Lite (22 g) in the custom options. You would have approx 8.5 swingweight points that could be compensated for in a shorter shaft by grip and head weight alone. Also, it takes a difference of 9 grams in shaft weight for a 1 swingweight point difference. The heaviest shaft in their catalog is Proforce V2 96 (96g) That would be 13.5 swingweight points that can be compensated for. For every 1/2" you shorten the club, you remove 3 swingweight points from the club. Most golfers can't detect a difference of 3 swingweight points so 42.5" would the shortest you could go on a driver and not have a noticeable diff in feel from stock. You can also flatten the lie angle to something around 1* flatter than your current driver.

I'm 6'1". with a wrist to floor height of 35.5" I played with steel shafted persimmons basically over 35 years so I had a bit of adjustment using graphite shafted fairways and hybrids. I have been playing a 37.5" 5 iron, 36" 8 iron and 35.5" 9 iron since then.

Re: Driver Shaft Length

Cameron D — Mon, 03 Dec 2012 21:44:22 GMT

Shawn,

Cameron

1-888-TITLEIST