Balls for a high loft driver

[LeafsFanNL]

Hi,

 

I just switched from a A Flex 10.5 TourEdge Geomax Bazooka to a 13.5 degree Ping G10. My swing speed is right about 80 mph, maybe a smidge more. Last year with the 10.5 I mainly played Nike Juice, DT Carry, DT Roll, and some HT Hot. The Juice seemed to go the farthest with a fairly high trajectory, but did they slice!!. DT Carry went in a similar fashion, probably a little higher but not so far. They also sliced pretty bad as well. I hardly lost any of the DT Roll, but my trajectory was low, and I am pretty sure I lost distance. The HX Hot, went even straighter, but they were low, and short. I dont tThink I could properly compress them.

 

I was teeing up the balls quite high, and forward with these balls.

 

Last fall I read, "The Search for the Perfect Driver," by Tom Wishon, this led me to order the Ping, and to get it at 44 inches. According to his recommendations I am planning to tee the ball lower this year so I contact the sweet spot, and probably an inch or so further back.

 

I am wondering if anyone else has done a similar thing, and how did it affect the ball they played. I am wondering if that since I'll be getting more back spin off a higher lofted driver will I want a higher spin ball like maybe the DT Carry, or might the DT Roll work better. I guess I am wondering if high spin or low spin is the way to go.

 

As of right now I'll experiment with

 

DT Roll

DT Carry

E6+ (I picked up a dozen, but have never used them.)

 

 

Any other seem like good choices for me?

 

HB

[gdu]

I would check out the e6+ and the e5+

[Oldnavycdr]

I have a similar swing speed and gaming a G10 12*. I tried Wilson Zips and love 'em! Good carry, don't seem to run off into the woods as much, and great feel around and on the green. Cheap, too.

[turnbowm]

The Wilson Fifty is my favorite low-compression ball and is an easy recommend. Nice, soft feel at impact and off the putter with better-than-average greenside spin/control in the "value" ball category. If you need more wedge spin, the Wilson Zip might be a better choice.

 

As for the e6+, I've found it to be long & straight off the tee, but it's a bit too "lively" around the green for my taste. As always, YMMV.

[LeafsFanNL]

Thanks for the help gents.

 

HB

[parpar41]

I combine the G10 12 degree driver with the D2 feel balls - works great for me.

 

Hey LeafsFan: I have not read the Wishon book, but I decided on the 12 degree loft in the driver based on the GD article last year setting out the data that those of us with average swing speeds ( less than 90 mph?) will get about 10 more yards of CARRY with a 12 degree loft over a 10.5 degree loft.

 

You went from 10.5 in the touredge driver to 13.5 in the Ping : did you experiment with the 12 degree loft in the G10 at all ? If so, what were its advantages and disadvantages over the 13.5 degree??

[Bobbers]

The Precept Laddie Extreme and, if you're not too proud, the HX Pearl might be worth consideration.

[LeafsFanNL]

I combine the G10 12 degree driver with the D2 feel balls - works great for me.

 

Hey LeafsFan: I have not read the Wishon book, but I decided on the 12 degree loft in the driver based on the GD article last year setting out the data that those of us with average swing speeds ( less than 90 mph?) will get about 10 more yards of CARRY with a 12 degree loft over a 10.5 degree loft.

 

You went from 10.5 in the touredge driver to 13.5 in the Ping : did you experiment with the 12 degree loft in the G10 at all ? If so, what were its advantages and disadvantages over the 13.5 degree??

 

 

In Wishon's book, there is a chart which references swing speed with driver lofts, giving resultant carry distances. It gave me 13.5* as being near ideal, although 12* was good too. I decided to go for the 13.5* to get the benefits of more backspin/less sidespin. I'll check the chart later and give you some figures for 80 mph ss.

 

Where I live, there is no way for me to experiment with either driver, so this will be interesting come this spring.

 

As an aside, the driver was ordered with a soft regular or A flex, and at 44 inches in length for better control.

 

HB

[LeafsFanNL]

I combine the G10 12 degree driver with the D2 feel balls - works great for me.

 

Hey LeafsFan: I have not read the Wishon book, but I decided on the 12 degree loft in the driver based on the GD article last year setting out the data that those of us with average swing speeds ( less than 90 mph?) will get about 10 more yards of CARRY with a 12 degree loft over a 10.5 degree loft.

 

You went from 10.5 in the touredge driver to 13.5 in the Ping : did you experiment with the 12 degree loft in the G10 at all ? If so, what were its advantages and disadvantages over the 13.5 degree??

 

 

What is your ss?

 

HB

[LeafsFanNL]

here is the info for 80 mph

 

9* 170yds

11* 179yds

13* 184yds

15* 186yds

17* 187yds

 

these figures are based on a level angle of attack

[parpar41]

here is the info for 80 mph

 

9* 170yds

11* 179yds

13* 184yds

15* 186yds

17* 187yds

 

these figures are based on a level angle of attack

 

Thanks for that info; I am assuming those are the numbers in the Wishon book. I certainly know a number of golfers who hit their 3W ( 15 degree) farther than their 10.5 degree driver; consistent with the numbers above.

 

I will try to dig our the golf digest article from last year; My recollection of their numbers was that for average swing speeds, the maximum carry distance ( not carry plus roll distance) came with 12 or 13 degrees of loft; any higher lofts resulted in higher trajectories and reduced carry distance.

 

I'm curious; at what point or at what loft does the Wishon book say that distance starts to decline?

[parpar41]

Last fall I read, "The Search for the Perfect Driver," by Tom Wishon, this led me to order the Ping, and to get it at 44 inches. According to his recommendations I am planning to tee the ball lower this year so I contact the sweet spot, and probably an inch or so further back.

 

I just thought of one more thing that may be of interest to you that would seem to be consistent with the Wishon book and distance numbers. Cleveland sold a "two Wood" version of the Hibore XL: 16 degrees of loft and a stock 44 inch shaft with the same size driver head.

 

It might be fun to pick one up cheap on Ebay to compare it against the 13.5 degree G10 with the 44 inch shaft. I'm sure the G10 is a better club than the Hibore 2 wood , but it could still be an interesting experiment.

[LeafsFanNL]

I'm curious; at what point or at what loft does the Wishon book say that distance starts to decline?

 

the highest loft in the table is 17*.

 

For the 80 mph the distance doesn't decline.

 

The table shows swing speeds from 50 mph to 120 mph if I recall. I'll post the 90 mph values in a little while

[LeafsFanNL]

90 mph

 

9* 205

11* 211

13* 213

15* 213

17* 211

[parpar41]

Here are the data in the February 2008 Golf Digest ( the "Hot List" edition) on the fold out page for Drivers. GD used Touredge Geomax drivers at 75 mph and 95 mph and measured using a Trackman:

 

75 mph - carry only

 

9* - 154 yrds carry

10.5* - 160 yrd

12* - 169 yrds

14* - 168 yrds

16* - 174 yrds

 

the total distance ( carry plus roll) at 75 mph was maximized with both 12* and 14* at 192 yards. Stated another way, at 16* the 75 mph swinger started to lose overall distance [187 yrds total], according to Trackman data.

95 mph - carry only

 

9* - 209 yrds carry

10.5* - 229 yrds

12* - 234 yrds

14* - 229 yrds

16* - 226 yrds

 

The total distance (carry plus roll) at 95 mph was maximized at both 10.5* and 12* at 242 yards. Stated another way, at 14* of loft the 95 mph swinger started to lose overall distance [233 yrds total].

 

 

Now that you have told me about the Wishon book, I wonder if GD chose 75 mph and 95 mph to avoid direct comparison with the wishon data ( at 80 mph and 90 mph)

[LeafsFanNL]

Sounds reasonable

[LeafsFanNL]

As an update,

 

I am going to try the following balls that I have

 

DT Roll

DT Carry

Hx Hot

e6+

 

I am tempted to pick up some NXT Extreme.

 

I am hoping that I will settle on a ball from this group and play it for a while to get accustomed to all of its properties especially around the green

 

HB