What driver length are you playing?

[mxskier]

My current gamer G400LST is 45" but I am going to go with the SIM2 and Nemesys shaft which is counterbalanced, so I'm thinking of going to a 45.5" to get a bit higher base swing weight and also pick up a bit of club head speed with the longer shaft. The 1/2 inch could maybe help me get from 110 to 112-113, which could be nice.

 

I'm curious, what length are you playing? Have you changed in one direction or another? And if you did, how did your strike pattern and performance change?

[Myherobobhope]

Played 46... current shaft is 45 cause I bought it here... I want to go longer.

 

have a 43 inch driver built with a 12 degree head for reasons.

[xandersingh]

For me personally i've found 44.75 to be a sweet spot for me. Never played over 45 inches because I just seem to lose control at longer lengths, and I dont like to choke up.

[Springsteennut]

Right now It’s 45.5. I’m 5’5” and I am seriously considering shortening it to 44.5 or 44. I choke up normally a couple of inches and my control is much better with no distance loss. I’ve shortened my irons and it’s just so much comfortable for me to swing without choking up so why not the driver too.

[lefty1978]

I currently play at 45", but have played anywhere from 43.5" to 46" over the years. I believe 45" to be perfect for my swing.

[lefthack]

Currently playing 44". Still playing with swing weight.

 

<edit> just recently cut about an inch, maybe inch and a half to 44".

Edited March 20, 2021 by lefthack

[NRJyzr]

43.25" to 43.5".  My point of diminishing returns for driver length and swingspeed appears to be no longer than 43.5", and maybe shorter.  

 

Took me a few years to accept that after it was demonstrated in a fitting, but I've finally moved in that direction over the past few years, and have seen improvement in tee game consistency.  Which I've badly needed, LOL.

 

The hard part....  I've always preferred heavier driver shafts, the added weight is a nice component to shorter clubs, and they're harder to find these days.  And not getting any easier.

 

[lefthack]

3 minutes ago, NRJyzr said:

43.25" to 43.5".  My point of diminishing returns for driver length and swingspeed appears to be no longer than 43.5", and maybe shorter.  

 

Took me a few years to accept that after it was demonstrated in a fitting, but I've finally moved in that direction over the past few years, and have seen improvement in tee game consistency.  Which I've badly needed, LOL.

 

The hard part....  I've always preferred heavier driver shafts, the added weight is a nice component to shorter clubs, and they're harder to find these days.  And not getting any easier.

 

 

I keep going back to Tiger playing 43.75 but I don't think another 1/4" would be all that different. Then again I didn't think taking an inch off would almost remove my slice entirely,neither. So maybe.

[Drivingrangehero]

I found I am best between 44-44.5 and currently play an Aldila Xtorsion Copper 60TX at 44.25 in a 9* Ping G410lst with a 20 gram headweight. 
 

The shorter length allows me to be very straight off the tee. If I go over 45” I tend to hit blocks to the right. 
 

After doing Howard’s DIY driver fitting, I have never been better off the tee than I am now.

[grm24]

44.5" on one. 45" on all others.

[JDMRN81]

About 44 3/4”.  Seems to give best control while still maintaining speed.

[Bobb3rdown]

Usually play 45", the shaft I recently purchased plays 45.5". only one round. Didn't drive it any worse tbf, actually had a one was miss which was a pleasant surprise. Will continue to play at 45.5" for a while I think.

[PowderedToastMan]

Currently 44.5", but am experimenting with a 47" build. 

[lefthack]

1 hour ago, Drivingrangehero said:

I found I am best between 44-44.5 and currently play an Aldila Xtorsion Copper 60TX at 44.25 in a 9* Ping G410lst with a 20 gram headweight. 
 

The shorter length allows me to be very straight off the tee. If I go over 45” I tend to hit blocks to the right. 
 

After doing Howard’s DIY driver fitting, I have never been better off the tee than I am now.

 

What is the total club weight?

[Lasorcier]

47 for me

[mizuno player]

45

[muniman]

My G400 Max/ AD DI combo plays at 44.5". I seem to control it better than I  did when I  played it at 45".

[IL2AZ]

45.5

[Drivingrangehero]

50 minutes ago, lefthack said:

 

What is the total club weight?

Yeah. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ 

 

The grip is a winn midsize at 49 grams

 

The shaft is listed at 67 grams before it’s 44.25 current playing length  (64 grams?)

 

The head is a standard ping G410 LST 9 degree loft, I don’t know what the head weighs. It shows that the head weighs 208 grams (assuming no deviation through tolerances )  on their website, but I don’t know if that is with the original weight (it came with a 14 g weight) or without, also I don’t know if that is with the adapter or not? 
 

if the adapter isn’t added, then someone else may have that info. I couldn’t find it on their web site

 

i think 208 is without a head weight, since different lengths and shafts have different standard weights. Mine came with a Tensei Orange CK  75x and a 14 gram weight

 

i currently have an 18 and a 20 gram weight. I have the 20 gram in now. 
 

208g head

20g headweight 

64g? shaft (was 67, but plays shorter)

49g grip 

adapter? 

 

341g minus adapter? ¯\_(ツ)_/¯  I’d just be assuming, I don’t have a scale. 

 

 

 

[lefthack]

I just ordered a 70g shaft and will cut it down to play at 44.5 so my total weight SHOULD be about 340g. My 3 wood is 354 so it isn't that heavy.

 

I got a digital scale off Wish for almost free that seems to do a good job.

[mogc60]

I played every driver 44.5 for 15 years with at least a 70 gram shaft. I’m 46 now and last year went to 44.75 and just started using a Srixon ZX7 at 45” with a 64 gram shaft. Results have been great, seems a bit easier to max out my speed and no real change in contact. 

[sac42c]

Was 44.25" for 2 years, recently went to 46" after USGA said they are looking at going to 46" as a new max. Still suck, but hit it slightly further so I guess that's good.

[Red4282]

5 hours ago, mxskier said:

My current gamer G400LST is 45" but I am going to go with the SIM2 and Nemesys shaft which is counterbalanced, so I'm thinking of going to a 45.5" to get a bit higher base swing weight and also pick up a bit of club head speed with the longer shaft. The 1/2 inch could maybe help me get from 110 to 112-113, which could be nice.

 

I'm curious, what length are you playing? Have you changed in one direction or another? And if you did, how did your strike pattern and performance change?

You likely wont see 2-3 mph swing speed with half an inch extra. Might get 1 mph. The nemesys is heavily counterbalanced, like almost 5 sw points, so if you do half an inch you might need to add 2-4g of headweight too.

 

i just went from 45.25 to 46 and put a ventus black in, and so far its been fantastic.

[MikeW2]

Going longer this year but for me that is 43” to 44”. Hadn’t played more than once a year for a long time until last summer. I couldn’t control the ball if I even hit it solidly with the 45.5” shaft that was in my driver. Messing around at the range I put a 5 wood shaft into the driver head and voila, solid contact, a nice trajectory, and pretty straight drives with the added bonus of more distance. Really worked to get my swing back to where it used to be and by the end of the year felt I would be able to handle a little bit longer club, so we’ll see how it goes.

[Mob]

I have been at 44.5 inches for the past 10 years or so.  My typical driver miss is off the heel, so longer shafts lead to worse results for me.

[roxald]

I play mine at 45” and I’m 6’4”.

Upright lie.

 

Rox

Edited March 20, 2021 by roxald

[byoshio82]

45” best blend of Accuracy and distance for me. 6’2” with short arms! Flattest lie angle possible! 

[Gtyler14]

45 for the last 2 season and will keep it there. I’ve played 44, 44.25, 44.5, 44.75 and then 2.5 seasons ago I switched back to 45. I had better control with 44 so I played it for years and slowly backed up to the longer length. Finding the best shaft for me made it easier to go longer and still be accurate but it took a little adjusting to. I couldn’t game anything longer than 45. Tested 45.5 at a fitting and I couldn’t get comfortable with it at all.

[Drivingrangehero]

2 hours ago, Red4282 said:

You likely wont see 2-3 mph swing speed with half an inch extra. Might get 1 mph. The nemesys is heavily counterbalanced, like almost 5 sw points, so if you do half an inch you might need to add 2-4g of headweight too.

 

i just went from 45.25 to 46 and put a ventus black in, and so far its been fantastic.

I compared my Ping G410 lst with 44.25 inch Xtorsion Copper 60TX and a 20 gram weight to a stock Callaway  Maverik and a stock Taylormade SIM and my highest single ball speed came from the SIM, but I had less than 2 mph difference between the 3 clubs for the highs. My highest overall ball speed came from my Ping, with less than 2mph between all 3 clubs. What really stood apart was the dispersion and overall distance. My Ping was the longest overall, because I hit it in the fairway the most. The SIM was by far the worst off the tee for me, even though I hit my longest drive with it, and had the highest ball speed. I could not turn it over and hit a few blocks right. I had to aim left and play a fade, which I am not accustomed to doing. 
 

For me, the differences in highest individual ball speed and longest individual drive were eclipsed by dispersion. In fact my was overall ball speed and overall distance was highest the Ping at 44.25 inches

[Red4282]

2 minutes ago, Drivingrangehero said:

I compared my Ping G410 lst with 44.25 inch Xtorsion Copper 60TX and a 20 gram weight to a stock Callaway  Maverik and a stock Taylormade SIM and my highest single ball speed came from the SIM, but I had less than 2 mph difference between the 3 clubs for the highs. My highest overall ball speed came from my Ping, with less than 2mph between all 3 clubs. What really stood apart was the dispersion and overall distance. My Ping was the longest overall, because I hit it in the fairway the most. The SIM was by far the worst off the tee for me, even though I hit my longest drive with it, and had the highest ball speed. I could not turn it over and hit a few blocks right. I had to aim left and play a fade, which I am not accustomed to doing. 
 

For me, the differences in highest individual ball speed and longest individual drive were eclipsed by dispersion. In fact my was overall ball speed and overall distance was highest the Ping at 44.25 inches

For many including yourself you will see thats the case. I think there are certain instances where going longer can be beneficial without too many drawbacks. Its about the build and the fit. Im 6’5” and accustomed to longer play lengths so it makes sense in the driver too. Also, when i made the switch to a longer club i dropped 12 grams in shaft weight, which helped keep static and swingweights down.