Spinny Driver Question

[uW0tM8]

Hey all,

I'm currently playing a Ping G400 LST 8.5* set to 9.1* w/ Accra TZ6 M5 at 44.5", and I have a dilemma: I'm striking the driver very well and love the feel (active feeling but still very stable), but my launch and spin are way too high. Probably well over 3000 rpms and launch is a minimum of 15*. I play the Bridgestone Tour B XS and am sure I could switch balls to something lower spinning, but I don't think it'll be enough to get my launch conditions where they need to be. Does anyone have any alternate shaft recommendations or possibly a solution that doesn't involve switch shafts? Thanks!

[numberonecoog]

oof. I was here. I was delivering the club with the face wide open. That seems crazy. There is more here than an equipment issue

[keith723]

Did you try lowering the loft? If you're launching it that high, that should help get your launch into a better window and lower the spin. I demo'd TZ5 and TZ6 and even though they are supposed to be low spin, they definitely were not low spin for me. Everyone is different. I've had really good success with Project X. Evenflow T1100 White was good and HZRDUS Black has been even better. The White still has some good feel to it, but wasn't as straight for me. The Black has been insanely good. It's a little rigid but doesn't bother me and I've never hit anything straighter and more consistently in the center.

[Myherobobhope]

100%. I was coming o we the top and fixing it with quick hands... launch and spin were terrible... working on path still, but have significantly improved launch parameters.

[PGizzle]

Hit the driver on the range without a glove, you'll get better feel for the tempo and kick from the shaft. Also use an alignment rod laying on the ground outside the ball on an inside to outside path. Then the first couple holes don't use a glove with the driver. It should slow you down enough to get under control from the get go before you ramp it up.

[storm319]

Definitely sounds like a swing flaw than an equipment issue. Likely flipping and adding dynamic loft at impact which is a recipe for high launch and spin.

[uW0tM8]

I appreciate the input, but definitely not this. I can hit fades, draws, dead straight, you name it. I have an aggressive transition and swing the club 117. I think it's just the shaft might not be the right fit unfortunately, even though I love the feel.

[BB28403]

The Matrix Black shafts are good at fixing this. The black Ozik line, affordable too since they went out of business.

[Valtiel]

A shaft can only be responsible for so much in terms of spin. If you are well over 3,000 then you are not getting back under 3,000 with a shaft change UNLESS your strike point changes at the same time. For 117ss, 15* launch is pretty high. Combine that with high spin and you're likely just delivering too much loft and/or striking slightly low in the head. This is almost always the case with high speed players and the solution is some combination of less static driver loft, raising strike point, and fixing whatever is going on with your delivery mechanics that is creating so much delivered loft. Sometimes this is created by hitting excessively up on the ball and catching it low, which is a recipe for higher launch and spin, or some degree of "flipping" creating too much dynamic loft at impact. Without swing video it will be up to you to self diagnose, but I would highly recommend staying away from trying to buy a solution here.

[Stuart_G]

Yes, agree. Most likely high dynamic loft delivered (too much forward shaft lean at impact). Find an LM that gives dynamic loft to confirm.

Not uncommon when a player tries to increase the AoA and hit up on it more w/o the proper instruction to do it correctly. First simple thing you can try is to move the ball a bit further back in your stance, maybe even tee it lower. Basically if you are trying to force a higher AoA, don't. At least not w/o some good instruction to help you do it without increasing the dynamic loft.

Another thing you can try is to play around with some lead tape. Sometimes adding to the head weight or maybe even shaft weight (which can be simulated by adding lead tape to the shaft instead of the head) can slow down or delay the release a little bit and help reduce that dynamic loft. It's a cheap test and if it doesn't work it's easy to take the tape back off to get you back where you were.

But if you love the feel of the shaft, then that's usually the last thing you should change.

[cugolf14]

Have to agree with what's being said regarding it being a swing issue. Only other thing I would throw out there is maybe the launch monitor was off. I'd go try to get numbers again, maybe off a different monitor just to see what it says.

[GooseHook]

The TZ6 is labeled as a mid/mid-low type shaft, but shaft changes are too much of a wildcard. Maybe a lesson to work on delivery so you can loft your driver down? If you can turn that head down to 8 degrees or whatever, you should be around 13-14 degrees of launch and 2300-2400 spin.

[Howard_Jones]

for drivers we can as a guideline use the formula Launch angle = Dynamic loft x 0.84, so if your launch is 15*plus, its 15* / 0.84 = 17.85 or lets say 18 of dynamic loft (minimum).

Dynamic loft is Static loft, plus angle of attack, plus forward shaft bending, so unless you have a VERY positive angle of attack, its a swing flaw where you flip it and cause to much dynamic loft.

Since i doubt your AOA is above plus 5, we are only at 14* with static loft, and its not unusual that the shaft can deliver up to 4* if its to the softer end, but it seems like a swing flaw and flip, maybe with a low impact on the face, so also pay attention to where on the face you make impact since the absolute ruler of spin on drivers is vertical gear effects due to impact vs COG.

You will need a Trackman test (or similar) who measure both club and ball datas to see what the problem really is, but always pay attention to impact height on the face,

[uW0tM8]

Thanks for all the feedback everyone! I appreciate the input. Howard made a comment about lowering dynamic loft and having a higher strike point, and this might be the case. When I hit a fade, I typically hit more down on the ball than when I go for draws and have a lower launch angle. It also gives me better launch characteristics.

[ShowMe]

I'm not a club fitter and seemingly have the minority view on this, but I've always found that the best "feeling" shafts for me are also the ones that result in the highest launching and spinning drives.

A Blueboard "feels" great to me, but gets my spin up close to 3,000.

A Whiteboard feels boardy and not as good, but gets my spin down to 2.400.

Hence I play the Whiteboard even though it doesn't feel as good. My approach is never to adjust my swing to fit the shaft. Rather, I adjust the shaft to fit my swing.