How much distance have you lost by going shorter driver length?

[mizunotpz]

For those of you who have gone shorter than 45-45.5. How much distance have you lost, have you gained in accuracy?

[Aviador Naval]

I have been at 44.5” for years.  Gained both distance and accuracy - but most importantly consistency.  Hitting the center of the club face just a smidge above the middle is a million times more important than an extra 1-1/2 mph clubhead speed.

Edited February 27, 2021 by Aviador Naval

[mizunotpz]

22 minutes ago, Aviador Naval said:

I have been at 44.5” for years.  Gained both distance and accuracy - but most importantly consistency.  Hitting the center of the club face just a smidge above the middle is a million times more important than an extra 1-1/2 mph clubhead speed.

Yes, and should be easier to fint a good swing path with a shorter shaft as well, which should produce better strikes. Im gonna try 44 this season. Very curious about the result. Have been working on my technique as well so hoping for a positive result.

[lefthack]

I was thinking if taking some off mine, but all the talk of swing weight has me thinking maybe not. I think constancy would offset.

[Londoner]

When you guys go shorter do you do anything about swing weight?

Edited February 27, 2021 by Londoner
Typo

[Londoner]

1 minute ago, lefthack said:

I was thinking if taking some off mine, but all the talk of swing weight has me thinking maybe not. I think constancy would offset.

 

Snap. 😀

[Pmookie]

44 minutes ago, mizunotpz said:

For those of you who have gone shorter than 45-45.5. How much distance have you lost, have you gained in accuracy?

I have lost zero distance, and gained SIGNIFICANTLY in dispersion. I went from 46.5” to 45” and I’m not looking back. Even my misses on the head are less punishing. The key is making sure your head weight is correct for the shorter shaft....

[A.Princey]

43.5” here, no distance lost. Much better center-face contact.

[Pmookie]

11 minutes ago, Londoner said:

When you guys go shorter do you do anything about swing weight?

Yes. You have to add weight to the head, either by changing-out weights for heavier ones, adding hot melt, or even just lead tape. Definitely have to add weight!!!

[mizunotpz]

Im gonna add leadtape. Try without first and then add as much as needed.

[mizunotpz]

1 minute ago, A.Princey said:

43.5” here, no distance lost. Much better center-face contact.

How much weight did you add to the head?

[mizunotpz]

16 minutes ago, lefthack said:

I was thinking if taking some off mine, but all the talk of swing weight has me thinking maybe not. I think constancy would offset.

try to pick up another shaft. So if you dont like it you can just sell that shaft and go back to the original.

[Kid B]

For me it's hard to say.  I switched from a 46" Nike to a 44" SIM and gained 8 yards, but that might have just been a situation where the clubhead was holding me back.  That Nike was old, and it wasn't a great fit for my swing, but I loved it.

 

I topped out with the SIM and swapped to a 45.75 G425 about 3 weeks ago.  Whenever the Pings came out.

At first, it was a loss of yardage.  Not just because I was offline, but it was hard to make the same contact at first.  About 300 swings and a lesson later, I'm making much better contact. My accuracy is roughly equal, but I gained 6 yards of carry, probably from the difference in speed.

 

But- I was fit for the Ping, and I sort of cobbled the SIM together myself.  I had help, and access to a swingweight scale, but it was far from ideal.

I think if I'd been properly fit for the 44" SIM there wouldn't have been much difference when I switched to the G425.  At least not this quickly.

 

My advice is to get fit, especially if you're significantly changing up the length of a driver.  You won't have to worry about swingweight, where to trim the shaft, stiffness... any of it.  Then get at least 1 lesson with the new club, and you should be golden

[mizunotpz]

If you cut a driver 1 inch you loose 6 swing weight points. So then you have to add 1.6 grams per swing weight but that only counts if you were fitted to the swing weight of your driver. So therefore its hard to know how much to add. I will just go by feel and strike on the face.

[A.Princey]

4 minutes ago, mizunotpz said:

How much weight did you add to the head?

Went from 3g weight to a 14g one, and have about 10g of lead tape in the sole slot by the face.

[mizunotpz]

3 minutes ago, A.Princey said:

Went from 3g weight to a 14g one, and have about 10g of lead tape in the sole slot by the face.

so 21 gram added? How did you come up with that number?

[lefthack]

7 minutes ago, mizunotpz said:

try to pick up another shaft. So if you dont like it you can just sell that shaft and go back to the original.

 

That's actually what I did. I got a lighter shaft that I am trying stock length against the stock shaft, then I will decide to cut one and try again.

[Jace_bkr]

7 minutes ago, mizunotpz said:

How much weight did you add to the head?

You loose 3 swingweight points for each 0.5" you shorten the club. so if you shorten an inch you’ll be loosing 6SW points.

 

roughly 2g per point so if you butt cut an inch add 12g to the head. 

[mizunotpz]

1 minute ago, Jace_bkr said:

You loose 3 swingweight points for each 0.5" you shorten the club. so if you shorten an inch you’ll be loosing 6SW points.

 

roughly 2g per point so if you butt cut an inch add 12g to the head. 

its 1.6 actually with driver. 2 gram is for 4 iron.

[ode]

44.5" is long for me.  43.75-44" is where I like to be.  Yes I weight up the head and play a heavier shaft, that's what feels the best.  On average my drives are going to be longer, as center face contact and directional control are better.  If I do lose any SS it's negligible vs. 44.5".

[Jace_bkr]

10 minutes ago, mizunotpz said:

its 1.6 actually with driver. 2 gram is for 4 iron.

Thanks for clarifying.. I went from the standard 45.75 down to 44.75 on my SIM, replaced the 12g weight with a 24 & the thing is absolute $$$ now.. was awesome @ 45.75 and I hit it well just not consistently... @ the shorter length I hit the center more consistently, hitting more fairways and gained 2MPH ball speed which was only about 4 yards but that better dispersion is where it’s at.. 

Edited February 27, 2021 by Jace_bkr

[Haig]

I went to 44.5” and will never go back. I didn’t lose any distance but my accuracy greatly improved. Luckily the driver I have had changeable weights so I went 10g heavier and it got the driver to D2 which felt perfect for me..

[mizunotpz]

Just now, Haig said:

I went to 44.5” and will never go back. I didn’t lose any distance but my accuracy greatly improved. Luckily the driver I have had changeable weights so I went 10g heavier and it got the driver to D2 which felt perfect for me..

how much did you cut it?

[mantan]

One the best drivers I ever owned was an R5 shorted to 44 inches.  I didn't lose any distance at all.  As others have said, it was worth it for the consistency.

 

Some of the previous PING drivers I owned I ordered at a shorter length and desired swingweight.   I wish it was an easier process to do it after the fact.

[mizunotpz]

9 minutes ago, ode said:

44.5" is long for me.  43.75-44" is where I like to be.  Yes I weight up the head and play a heavier shaft, that's what feels the best.  On average my drives are going to be longer, as center face contact and directional control are better.  If I do lose any SS it's negligible vs. 44.5".

I have bought a 75 gram shaft to replace the 65 gram shaft that came with the driver. Its a ping G410 though and from what Ive read all Ping G410 plus drivers came with a weight plug under the grip. My new shaft is a fairway wood shaft so not sure if they also had a weight plug under the grip.

[Haig]

2 minutes ago, mizunotpz said:

how much did you cut it?

I went from 45.5 to 44.5. The driver was D3 before I cut the inch off and with the 10g additional weight it came D2.

[wcdixon]

1 hour ago, mizunotpz said:

For those of you who have gone shorter than 45-45.5. How much distance have you lost, have you gained in accuracy?

 

Cut my Rogue down to 44.5" and added two strips of lead tape to middle bottom of clubhead...perhaps it 'should' be a little heavier but feels good. It's money now - 10 more yards distance and much better dispersion. 

[mizunotpz]

1 minute ago, wcdixon said:

 

Cut my Rogue down to 44.5" and added two strips of lead tape to middle bottom of clubhead...perhaps it 'should' be a little heavier but feels good. It's money now - 10 more yards distance and much better dispersion. 

so 2 strips, like 4 inch lead tape all together?

[wcdixon]

2 minutes ago, mizunotpz said:

so 2 strips, like 4 inch lead tape all together?

Sorry, should have said....two 1 1/2 inch strips = 3 inches all together.

[chipa]

I had a 45" 88 gram graphite but have am trying a steel 43.5" shaft. I have a radar and from what I've seen the shorter shaft hasn't lost any clubhead, it has increased. I am only 5'6" maybe that has something to do with it.