Natalie Gulbis driver loft?

[rockinar]

I thought that the faster you swing, the lower loft club you should use?

 

 

Natalie Gulbis Driver Setup:

 

Driver: Taylormade r7 425 TP, 7.5 degrees of loft * ball: Callaway HX Tour Clubhead speed: 95 mph * ball speed: 145 mph * Average driving distance: 251.4 yards

 

 

 

Her swing speed is about the same as the average guy, but the loft on her club is something Long Drivers would use. Can someone explain why it would make sense for someone with only an average swing speed and ball speed to be using such a low lofted club?

 

It would seem to me that it would be pretty difficult to hit a 7.5 loft club with only a 95 MPH swing speed with any accuracy.

[mat562]

There are lots of factors that determine the most apropriate driver loft for a player. Clubhead speed is one factor, but the players' angle of attack, launch angle, spin rate, shaft and desired ballflight are all things that go into the mix when determining the most appropriate loft choice to achieve the best flight.

 

Albeit many LPGA players achieve modest clubhead speeds they often groove a markedly upward impact action, and thus find a lower loft is appropriate to achieve the best trajectories on their drives. Many LPGA players also look for a low flight that maximises rollout and gives them the best distances with the limited ballspeed and carry distances from their raw swinsgspeed numbers.

 

It's more complicated than I just made it (hence all the trackman data and launch monitors these days) but that's pretty much it in a nutshell. Gulbis is one of quite a few LPGA players who habitually use lower lofts in their drivers.

[tommytom11]

kind of funny she doesn't use a TM golf ball

[PMAC]

She does use the TP Red...this week in Canada she was....

[kencanuck]

I have no idea if this is true or not but I was speaking with a person supposedly in the know who mentioned that the LPGA fairways are "hardened" for play so that the ball rolls further...maybe one explanation? Lower loft providing the potential for more roll out?

 

Ken

[Hifade]

She uses the TP Black ball (that's straight from her). Also, her driver has always read 7.5* but is cranked to actually play at 8.5*. Again, this is not speculation or something read in a magazine, but rather straight from her.

[Naffiliate]

wonder if it changed when she started seeing Butch?

[Siwash23]

There are quite a few LPGA players that play low lofted drivers . . . there are more factors than swing speed as mentioned above. Also, they most likely are not playing for optimized carry. They want optimum distance and they need quite a bit of roll.

 

 

Also, this looks like old info as I am sure she has not used the 425 in over a year and she would not be using an old model Callaway ball. This looks like info from before the TM ball even came out.

[Naffiliate]

WITB from http://nataliegulbis.com/all_about_golf/in_the_bag.aspx

 

TaylorMade - r7 Burner driver (7.5 degrees) and 200S steel 3-wood (12 degrees)

Rescue dual hybrids (14 and 16 degrees)

TaylorMade irons (4-Lob Wedge)

TaylorMade wedges (54 and 60 degrees)

Hammy putter

TaylorMade TP Black ball

Sky Caddy Range Finder

Also in the bag:

Gum, tic tacs, lip balm, tape, sharpie pen, umbrella, swing weight, a dozen golf balls, eight golf gloves, 40 tees, hand warmers, rain suit, rain bag cover, protein cookies, 10 health bars, packets of electro mix (water additive and supplement), two bags of assorted nuts and raisins.

[LOVE4LPGA]

>>> eight golf gloves <<<

 

Do pros swap their gloves much in a round?

 

I know a new or newer glove is WONDERFUL. Actually makes my shots straighter.

 

:)

 

Or so I think.

[davewalji]

Just a Thought, Her golf swing has a massive head dip in it, surely that would increase her angle of attack resulting in a higher launch angle. Therefore by decreasing her driver loft, it will give her a better launch angle and more roll.

[richaong]

Saw her today and she was playing tp black ball.