Driver Distance Calculator

I found this on the internet:

http://probablegolfinstruction.com/fpp-v4.0-single/golf-club-form/club-calculator.htm

I don't use the recommended loft for my driver swing speed. But as an optimal driver distance calculator, is this calculator spot on? What do you think guys?

Not familiar with that site but from just a quick look it seems overly simplistic. Dynamic loft is more important than static loft since it includes the varied influence of the individuals swing.

If you know your launch numbers, this is a better site to get distance information out of:

http://flightscope.com/products/trajectory-optimizer/

[quote name='craniac76' timestamp='1411929084' post='10200379']
I found this on the internet:
[url="http://probablegolfinstruction.com/fpp-v4.0-single/golf-club-form/club-calculator.htm"]http://probablegolfi...-calculator.htm[/url]

I don't use the recommended loft for my driver swing speed. But as an optimal driver distance calculator, is this calculator spot on? What do you think guys?
[/quote]

Too many other variables to simply make a blanket optimal distance based solely on swing speed. The distance estimations with 10 degree loft and blanket optimal loft recommendations for a given swing speed without knowing a golfers angle of attack also makes those estimates inaccurate.

The Flightscope Trajectory Optimizer is the best tool I have found for estimating optimal numbers for a given ball speed (keep in mind this gives no insight into efficiency).

I'm calling BS if for no other reason than what I do on the course doesn't match what this app says. Per the app, I'd carry a 10* driver 263 and roll it out to 284. I do better than that with an 8.5* driver set at 7.75* already.

I use a ruler...

It's off ... I have at least 30-40 more yards than what that app is giving me ... I'm an easy 300 yd guy.

[quote name='Stuart G.' timestamp='1411932923' post='10200677']
Not familiar with that site but from just a quick look it seems overly simplistic. Dynamic loft is more important than static loft since it includes the varied influence of the individuals swing.

If you know your launch numbers, this is a better site to get distance information out of:

[url="http://flightscope.com/products/trajectory-optimizer/"]http://flightscope.c...tory-optimizer/[/url]
[/quote]

I have seen the tool. Too many variables I don't know.... like Launch Angle (h) and Altitude.... Spin Axis....

Do you know what I should put on those variables?

[quote name='DickieThon' timestamp='1411944019' post='10201641']
I'm calling BS if for no other reason than what I do on the course doesn't match what this app says. Per the app, I'd carry a 10* driver 263 and roll it out to 284. I do better than that with an 8.5* driver set at 7.75* already.
[/quote]

Don't take the recommended loft seriously. But the optimal distance is kinda close for me.

[quote name='craniac76' timestamp='1411962431' post='10203569']
[quote name='Stuart G.' timestamp='1411932923' post='10200677']
Not familiar with that site but from just a quick look it seems overly simplistic. Dynamic loft is more important than static loft since it includes the varied influence of the individuals swing.

If you know your launch numbers, this is a better site to get distance information out of:

[url="http://flightscope.com/products/trajectory-optimizer/"]http://flightscope.c...tory-optimizer/[/url]
[/quote]

I have seen the tool. Too many variables I don't know.... like Launch Angle (h) and Altitude.... Spin Axis....

Do you know what I should put on those variables?
[/quote]

Sorry, the only way to find out is to get on a good quality launch monitor. That's the only way to get a good optimal driver fitting.

[quote name='Stuart G.' timestamp='1411976999' post='10204029']
[quote name='craniac76' timestamp='1411962431' post='10203569']
[quote name='Stuart G.' timestamp='1411932923' post='10200677']
Not familiar with that site but from just a quick look it seems overly simplistic. Dynamic loft is more important than static loft since it includes the varied influence of the individuals swing.

If you know your launch numbers, this is a better site to get distance information out of:

[url="http://flightscope.com/products/trajectory-optimizer/"]http://flightscope.c...tory-optimizer/[/url]
[/quote]

I have seen the tool. Too many variables I don't know.... like Launch Angle (h) and Altitude.... Spin Axis....

Do you know what I should put on those variables?
[/quote]

Sorry, the only way to find out is to get on a good quality launch monitor. That's the only way to get a good optimal driver fitting.
[/quote]

Well IF I had a launch monitor, I wont need that online tool, will I?

Speaking about Launch Monitor, can that device be repaired when they are broken? If the warranty is only one year, and that device is broken after a year, what can you do?

[quote name='DickieThon' timestamp='1411944019' post='10201641']
I'm calling BS if for no other reason than what I do on the course doesn't match what this app says. Per the app, I'd carry a 10* driver 263 and roll it out to 284. I do better than that with an 8.5* driver set at 7.75* already.
[/quote]

Likely you have positive AoA.

[quote name='craniac76' timestamp='1411962431' post='10203569']
[quote name='Stuart G.' timestamp='1411932923' post='10200677']
Not familiar with that site but from just a quick look it seems overly simplistic. Dynamic loft is more important than static loft since it includes the varied influence of the individuals swing.

If you know your launch numbers, this is a better site to get distance information out of:

[url="http://flightscope.com/products/trajectory-optimizer/"]http://flightscope.c...tory-optimizer/[/url]
[/quote]

I have seen the tool. Too many variables I don't know.... like Launch Angle (h) and Altitude.... Spin Axis....

Do you know what I should put on those variables?
[/quote]

Altitude shouldn't be difficult.

Launch angle is very important. You may experiment with different LA to check how it changes the distance for given swing speed.
Sadly, I think only Trackman or Flightscope could give you a true LA and spin numbers. That said there are methods to estimate LA - after all it's simple geometry.

[quote name='craniac76' timestamp='1411980055' post='10204099']
Well IF I had a launch monitor, I wont need that online tool, will I?
[/quote]

It's fairly common for folks to get basic input numbers from a visit to a fitter or retail store and then use the on-line tool to validate the distance numbers from the store LM's (which are not always accurate) and also to go through some "what-if's" to see how variations in increasing/decreasing the loft and spin will really effect the distances and help then choose what they might want to focus on during the next visit to the store.

[quote name='tradpl' timestamp='1411982199' post='10204135']
[quote name='DickieThon' timestamp='1411944019' post='10201641']
I'm calling BS if for no other reason than what I do on the course doesn't match what this app says. Per the app, I'd carry a 10* driver 263 and roll it out to 284. I do better than that with an 8.5* driver set at 7.75* already.
[/quote]

Likely you have positive AoA.
[/quote]

Yeah I'm around +4 or 5 AoA. I've tried 10* drivers and they go laughably high with my swing.

That calculator's definitely off. Using my swing speed alone it says my max distance is between 260 and 265. In reality I tend to drive a ball anywhere from 255-275 (depending on quality of contact). The Flight Scope Trajectory Optimizer confirms this when I plug in the numbers from my last driver fitting about two years ago. Given that my driving distance hasn't really changed much (at least not on good contact), I'd say the numbers are still accurate.

the only thing I really saw on there were adverts. Tells me I should be at 13.1 for max carry and 11.4 for max carry + roll. When I went through the whole "loft up" campaign I kept getting shorter and shorter the higher loft I went and then the pro finally relented and said my 9* was best. I think a great salesperson could have gotten me to buy a new club but he couldn't find a reason for me to switch. Just wish I waited 2-3 months before buying my Jetspeed... haha... would have saved a few buckaroos and gotten a free 3 wood to boot.

[quote name='tradpl' timestamp='1411982412' post='10204143']
[quote name='craniac76' timestamp='1411962431' post='10203569']
[quote name='Stuart G.' timestamp='1411932923' post='10200677']
Not familiar with that site but from just a quick look it seems overly simplistic. Dynamic loft is more important than static loft since it includes the varied influence of the individuals swing.

If you know your launch numbers, this is a better site to get distance information out of:

[url="http://flightscope.com/products/trajectory-optimizer/"]http://flightscope.c...tory-optimizer/[/url]
[/quote]

I have seen the tool. Too many variables I don't know.... like Launch Angle (h) and Altitude.... Spin Axis....

Do you know what I should put on those variables?
[/quote]

Altitude shouldn't be difficult.

Launch angle is very important. You may experiment with different LA to check how it changes the distance for given swing speed.
Sadly, I think only Trackman or Flightscope could give you a true LA and spin numbers. That said there are methods to estimate LA - after all it's simple geometry.
[/quote]

What should I put for altitude? What is usually a good number for optimal distance?

About LA, there is vertical LA and horizontal LA. I think I know my vertical LA, but what is a horizontal LA?

Altitude - depends on where you live and play. Zero will give the distances if you were at sea level. If you are at a higher elevation, you're actual distances will be more.

Horizontal LA is the left/right directional miss (from push/pull or open / closed face). Most just use zero. Note that's just the starting direction, if you want to see the results of side spin, you have to change the spin axis.

The linked calculator has only one input: club speed. We all know that the two most important factors for distance are ball speed and launch angle. Ball speed is corelated with club speed, so OK, if somebody's smash factor is more or less average - it is OK to replace ball speed with club speed.

But launch angle is a different story. As I understand it is a function of loft and Angle of Attack (AoA). So it is impossible to tell what is the optimal loft for given club speed - when we don't don't what is the AoA. Again, for people whose AoA is close to zero the estimation may be correct, but the more positive or negative the AoA is - the estimation given by the calculator will be more and more off.

That's why DickieThon was given a completely wrong suggestion - his AoA is massively positive, so he needs less loft than it it suggested by the calculator. Which, of course, he perfectly knows.

I'm leaving aside spin optimalization, because speed and LA are much more important.


PS Actually tha authors of the calculator have written all of this in a small print:
[i][b][size="2"]The values calculated assume contact with the ball is made at the bottom of the swing. [/size][/b][/i]

It means: we've assumed AoA=0.

When I put Jamie Sadlowski driver swing speed (148 Mph) in that calculator, it gives 6.5 degree loft. That's exactly what he used when he won the long driver contest. I remember he had a Cobra Speed Pro D driver. Then when he signed with Callaway, he also had a 6.5 degree X Hot Pro driver. Now I think he has a 5 degree driver and he hasn't won in 3 years.

I also saw a youtube video of a Teaching Pro reviewing some drivers. He gets about 270 yards average in total distance. His driver SS is 110 Mph. That's exactly what this calculator gives for optimal distance for that swing speed. But the recommended loft is off.