Got a dose of reality today

[BFC]

If launch monitors don't lie............

I had an interesting, and eye opening, launch monitor session today. I had some time to kill in a golf shop that a buddy works at, it was slow and the launch monitor was sitting there all alone sooooooooooooo..................I'd figure why not put it to good use :D

My bag is set so I wasn't looking to buy, so I figured I'd just get some launch numbers, see if those lesson are paying off. To kill 2 birds with one stone, might as well try a bunch of drivers that I've never hit before.

So I go in the demo rack and go nuts. I grabbed an FT-i tour, G10, Burner TP, D2, Hyper X tour and a Sumo 5000 and an LV4. All 9*ish with the stock S shafts. Hit about 10/15 drives with all of them using a mix of TM TP blacks and reds. I'm a 10h with a fairly consistent swing, short game is where I drop most strokes.

Here are the #'s avg. I dismissed the high/lows.

SS 102 to 106
BS 144 to 151
carry avg 255
LA 9* to 12* (the rubber tee was a bit low to my liking)
Spin 2400 to 3000

Number were right in line with what I expected, except that I was pleasantly surprised by the spin numbers.

What really shocked me was that for all intent and purpose, THERE WAS NO REAL DIFFERENCE IN PERFORMANCE BETWEEN ANY OF THE DRIVERS OR SHAFT!!!!!! :shok: :shok: I can guarantee you that my swing will produce more variation that any of the clubs ever will between them.

Sure I liked (looks and feel) some more than others and the FT-i was the straighest of them all. But If you were just to look at the data numbers, you would have been hard pressed to notice when I was switching clubs.

I know Frank Thomas as been telling us for a long time that most current drivers will perform the same if struck in the sweet spot , they have to, they are made to the same COR specs. I know better than to doubt the man but I guess deep down I did. I just proved it to myself and just saved a bunch of money!!!

This is not say that my launch stats could not be improved a bit by finding the ultimate shaft/head combo and more practice on my part. But, although I take the game seriously and I'm always trying to improve, ence the aforementioned lessons, it proved to me that unless your swing is really consistent in path and speed and you ball striking is way up there, stock EOM shaft in the proper flex and lenght will be just fine for the vast majority of recreational golfers and that, after today, includes me.

I will not be spending an additional $200 or more on exotic shafts anytime soon or looking to buy a new driver. Lessons and range balls baby! :wacko:

[SwooshLT]

Nice find on your part............ the differences however for me would be; sound/feel and playability......... If none found then you are set!!!

[mr.beasley]

so, a 1000$ shaft wont fix my game? i dont believe it!!! :wacko:

seriously though, always a good thing to find out!

[SDGolfing]

Well i think the thing to remember here is you have very typical average golfer numbers as far as swing speed ball speed etc. Most clubs are built to average players thus why you are seeing ideal findings across the board. For a better golfer with a higher swingspeed those off the rack drivers are not going to produce optimal results. They will spin way too much. I find that the shaft is the most important part of fitting a driver the heads are just what feels comfortable with some forgivness associated with different models and spin charateristics.

 

Bottom line...an indoor launch monitor with a rubber tee is not going to tell you much. Getting outside seeing the ball flight consitancy etc is where the rubber meets the road. I would bet my life if you did this testing outdoors you would have a clear cut favorite of the group.

[BFC]

Well i think the thing to remember here is you have very typical average golfer numbers as far as swing speed ball speed etc. Most clubs are built to average players thus why you are seeing ideal findings across the board. For a better golfer with a higher swingspeed those off the rack drivers are not going to produce optimal results. They will spin way too much. I find that the shaft is the most important part of fitting a driver the heads are just what feels comfortable with some forgivness associated with different models and spin charateristics.

 

Bottom line...an indoor launch monitor with a rubber tee is not going to tell you much. Getting outside seeing the ball flight consitancy etc is where the rubber meets the road. I would bet my life if you did this testing outdoors you would have a clear cut favorite of the group.

 

And that's what I said, I'm an average Joe. Most golfers are. As a matter of fact , I'm a better golfer than most recreational golfer as a 10 H, which is not saying much. I read a lot of post on here by people with 15/20h asking about whiteboards vs blueboards, Oziks bla bla bla bla.......

 

Most people get fit on a launch monitor, at least "average" golfers do. Like I said in the post, unless you are a consistent, high SS ball striker. EOM shafts in the proper flex will fine as they are more consistent than our swings. I would not get $200 worth of performance improvement out of a high dollar shaft.

 

And I do have a favorite, posted that too. Like I said, I know that fiiting can be done to a minutia but what I'm saying is until your swings quit being like snow flakes, ie no two alike, put you're money in practice /lessons, not on shafts. There's probably three threads right now asking "what shaft will help keep my hook/fade in check....." if you need anything held in check, it's not shaft that's causing it.

 

That's all I'm saying.

[Forged in Japan]

What kind of launch monitor were you hitting on?

[themouth1]

Well i think the thing to remember here is you have very typical average golfer numbers as far as swing speed ball speed etc. Most clubs are built to average players thus why you are seeing ideal findings across the board. For a better golfer with a higher swingspeed those off the rack drivers are not going to produce optimal results. They will spin way too much. I find that the shaft is the most important part of fitting a driver the heads are just what feels comfortable with some forgivness associated with different models and spin charateristics.

 

Bottom line...an indoor launch monitor with a rubber tee is not going to tell you much. Getting outside seeing the ball flight consitancy etc is where the rubber meets the road. I would bet my life if you did this testing outdoors you would have a clear cut favorite of the group.

 

 

I would guess you haven't worked in retail before. His numbers much better than the average guy that walks into your shop. They are average on here but the people on here don't fit the average :wacko:

[jebb]

BFC,

 

Really interesting post and confirms much of what I thought previously.

 

Always the Indian and rarely the arrow unless you are really badly suited to something and it doesnt fit properly.

 

It is why I am going with lessons all the way from now on. A $1000 dollar driver wont cover up a lousy swing.

[BFC]

What kind of launch monitor were you hitting on?

 

No clue.

[Ghost_Orchid]

TP Reds are low spin balls...I cannot hit them high, they roll forever though.

[stasek]

This is exactly why I keep going back to my MacGregor Eye-o-matic with cheap Penley Tour Spec X-stiff shaft in it :wacko: It does everything I ask of it for well under $100.

[Metalhead]

Custom fitting Should get you optimized to the right driver to your swing...meaning to maximize each variable to as close to ideal as possible(of course having a consistant swing help this!!)- And without having a skilled set of eyes(with an open range and trackman) and good club fitter. Your results with be pretty flat......but in the right hands the difference will blow you away! Getting the right shaft profile, weight, flex, bend point, head, loft together is an art form, and the guys who do it well are amazing!