Help me choose the right driver loft and shaft

[johnm65]

I am looking for a new driver and really like the Ping G10 and Rapture after demo'ing several drivers. I love the look, feel and hit them pretty consistently. The problem is choosing the right loft and shaft.

 

1. What is the club existing set up? Current driver is an old TM 320 ti 9 degree with stock stiff shaft

2. What type of swinger are you? smooth, 90 mph driver

3. What is your handicap and on a scale 1-10 how consistent is your swing? handicap is around 16-18 mostly due to need for short game practice and one or two "blow-up" holes a round.

4. What is the the problem w/ the existing set up? Looking for new 460cc driver for more forgiveness, distance, and consistency.

5. Have you ever had a launch monitor session before? A couple of short ones see below

6. What are you trying to change or achieve on your new set up? Better accuracy, consistency and distance.

7. Have you had any dynamic club fitting before? Lie angle? Ping Silver dot +1/2" I am 6'2" with 38.5" WTF.

 

I tried the G10 in the stock TFC Reg and ProLaunch Red and the Rapture in the stock TFC and the VS Proto at the PGA Superstore. All were 10.5 degree heads and shafts in Regular flex. My swingspeed is around 90 with the driver. My launch angles were all in the 17-20 degree range and spin rate was 4500 - 5000!! The Prolaunch and VS proto brought it down to the lower end of those ranges but was still very high.

 

I have hit these several times on an outdoor range and really liked the trajectory (high but seemed to carry) which has me really puzzled with the numbers I got on the launch monitor. Is the difference good balls vs. range balls?

 

Where do I go from here? For my swingspeed everyone and everything I have seen recommends a 10.5+ degree driver. Do I need to try the 9 degree heads? I really don't like the feel of stiff shafts. I tried the stock stiff in the G10 and it felt like a board and I lost distance so I feel pretty confident that a regular shaft is the right one for me.

 

Any help is appreciated. Thanks.

[johnm65]

Surely someone can give me an idea here. What is a launch angle in the high teens and spin over 4500 telling me? If I had too steep an angle of attach wouldn't my launch numbers be lower? I don't think I'm steep- I tend to be a "picker" with little to no divot with my irons.

 

I plan to try some 9 degree next time just to see what happens.

[Awalkspoiled]

This is usually associated with an early release - all wrist angle gone by the time you get your hands to hip height. If you can fix it (and if that's the issue) you'll gain at least 10 mph clubhead speed.

 

That's IF the monitor numbers are accurate, which I don't think they are. 17-20 launch would look really noticeable on the course. Did you try your own driver in the LM? ALWAYS do that - gives you a baseline for comparison since no LM is really a perfect simulator of on-course performance.

[schlebrock]

Definitely go down to a 9.0° loft (stay with regular flex) and compare your launch numbers. Something to consider too is that Ping G10 drivers are about 1.0° higher than stated flex (according to the Ping Wrx dept.) so that 10.5° degree driver you hit was actually more like 11.5°. FYI, my 10.5° G10 was digitally measured at 11.3°.

 

Hope that helps.

[johnm65]

Thanks for the replies. I may indeed have a little "early release" in my swing. I am taking lessons and it is something that we have seen a little on my iron swing.

 

I did not hit my current drive at on the monitor. At the range, the 10.5 Pings had a slightly higher flight than my current 9 degree TM 320. The trajectory was only a little higher with the 10.5 and seemed to be a better, longer carrying trajectory. I was definitely carrying the G10 farther than my current driver at the range. I only noticed an issue on a day when hitting directly into a 20-30 mph wind which probably is only normal.

 

I plan to continue the lessons to improve my swing and may schedule an actual launch monitor fitting to get some better information. I think I will also try the 9 degree on the range just to satisfy my curiousity.

 

Thanks again.