It's gotta be the shaft....right?

swomack · February 17, 2013

Since I'm getting no love in the main Club Tech forum I thought I'd post here with my peeps. My swing speed on a driver is 95-97.

I recently went to a big box store to compare the new drivers out there. For the most part it went as I expected. I am currently gaming a Ping G20 and also have a Titleist 910D2. I compared those to Taylormade R1 and RBZ, Calloway Razr fit Xtreme, and a few more.

Some fit my swing better than others but there was no big revelations...until I hit the R1. Let me preface by saying I have nothing from Taylormade. I am definitely not a fanboy. In fact, other than adjustability, I don't think there is anything special about the club head.

I avg around 245 yards with my driver. I did about the same with all the drivers except the R1. Within a couple of swings I was consistently hitting it 258 - 265yds. My best two drives were over 270.

Can a different shaft truly give me that kind of change?

My gut feel was that I somehow stumbled across the perfect shaft for my not so perfect swing. I wouldn't believe it so I kept switching clubs but no matter what the R1 was killing it. My mishits were going as far as my current driver.

I have been fitted by a very reputable fitter but even then I think there is only so much you can test. There are so many variables in a person's swing.

I just hate that it was the R1 because it is so expensive. I would get the old RBZ and put this shaft in but it is not available for that.

I have noticed that a similar Aldila RIP Phenom shaft is available in the R11s. I guess I'll have to try that one out as well to see if it is close enough.

Any thoughts?

johnnythunders · March 7, 2013

Buy the R1. When you find something that works,go with it. It might be the shaft and you could try other clubs with the same shaft but I think it is probably the combination of head and shaft that is right for your swing.

myspinonit · March 7, 2013

I think you said it yourself- "' I guess I'll have to try that one out (R11s) as well to see if it is close enough." I suggest a side by side with the R1.

It's cheaper now, and if you don't try it, won't you wonder when you pay your Visa bill at the end of the month if you would have saved a bunch of dough buying the R11s?

I haven't hit the R1, but have read that one needs a bit more loft than for the R1 than the R11s, so you might consider that in the settings for the R11s in your test.

Swingie · March 7, 2013

R1 is really good, against my wishes too...

myspinonit · March 7, 2013

[quote name='Swingie' timestamp='1362687442' post='6565733']
R1 is really good, against my wishes too...
[/quote]
lol I probably should have added that I love my R11s and am afraid to try the R1 in case I like it a lot more!!

Colej · March 7, 2013

At 97mph swingspeed you are doing really good to get 245 yards. To get it up to 270 yards you have to increase swingspeed to around 105. I am not saying that couldn't happen but it is unlikely. What I am thinking is someone "juiced" the launch monitor or it needs calibrated.

Stuart_G · March 8, 2013

[quote name='Colej' timestamp='1362709518' post='6568099']
At 97mph swingspeed you are doing really good to get 245 yards. To get it up to 270 yards you have to increase swingspeed to around 105. I am not saying that couldn't happen but it is unlikely. What I am thinking is someone "juiced" the launch monitor or it needs calibrated.
[/quote]

He was trying all the clubs on the same LM.

It could be the shaft but it could be the head or some weight factor or even some combination of the two. Next time have them pull the shaft off the R1 and put it in the RBZ head right there in the store. If the improved performance continues in the RBZ head, then you can be pretty sure it is the shaft. Then try the R1 w/ the RBZ shaft. It's not super conclusive but it will help you figure out how much is the head and how much is the shaft.

VTHOKIM · March 8, 2013

Sounds like it was a great combo for you. Don't buy without testing the R11 head and shaft combo bc it could be completely different.

Colej · March 9, 2013

[quote name='Stuart G.' timestamp='1362735495' post='6569621']
[quote name='Colej' timestamp='1362709518' post='6568099']
At 97mph swingspeed you are doing really good to get 245 yards. To get it up to 270 yards you have to increase swingspeed to around 105. I am not saying that couldn't happen but it is unlikely. What I am thinking is someone "juiced" the launch monitor or it needs calibrated.
[/quote]

He was trying all the clubs on the same LM.

It could be the shaft but it could be the head or some weight factor or even some combination of the two. Next time have them pull the shaft off the R1 and put it in the RBZ head right there in the store. If the improved performance continues in the RBZ head, then you can be pretty sure it is the shaft. Then try the R1 w/ the RBZ shaft. It's not super conclusive but it will help you figure out how much is the head and how much is the shaft.
[/quote]

I read the post and it says he went to a big box golf store. Are the LM's accurate there? No they are simulators they are not true LM's (in most cases). I have been there and been hitting drivers before and the guy helping says hey you hit the ball pretty good even without the "boost" on. What it boils down to is that they can turn the machine up to add yardage anytime they want. Maybe they would rather sell all R1's? Turn it up on the next driver he hits. Show him that he hits it further and we make sales every time.

deck · March 9, 2013

I'm guessing with a 95-97 swing speed there is no way to be getting 270. That is my average speed as well. I am max with tour conditions roll 255.

What store were you testing them in? I did mine at a dicks sporting goods and saw the numbers of 270+ one day. I know it was crap. Lol. I asked the pro and he got on and checked the numbers and guess what?!! They were juiced up. Dropped them back down and I was back to my numbers.

I'm guessing you like the weight of the shaft which I believe is 55 grams. Based on our speed I can usually a shaft that weighs less than 65. Try to go somewhere that you can trust or have someone in the store there who will be honest with you.

I ended up with a R1 shafted with an ad di 6. Such a great combo for me. Smooth and fits my swing perfect.

If you really think its the shaft pm me and I have one I would let you use to do some comparisons on. It's shafted with an R1 tip already.

I don't know if you know this already but R1 and stage 2 tips work in the same heads but are not compatible with the R11 and rbz heads.

swomack · March 11, 2013

Just to put my final word on this topic, I went to my fitter. He is Randall Doucette at the Faldo Institute here in Orlando and he does an incredible job. I told him about the results and he immediately had doubts. I'm not saying I ever thought I could hit 270 with my swing speed but I was more interested in the relative difference between my driver (Titleist 910D2) and the R1.

Randall told me to come by one afternoon and we could compare them all on the range with his setup which is properly calibrated and top notch. I compared the R1, the RBZ Stage2, and my 910D2 all with similar settings. No matter what I did I always got better readings with the Titleist. Better launch angle, lower spin rate, better smash factor.

When will I learn to avoid getting sucked into the marketing vortex of industrial grade BS? Don't take this as an insult to anyone's driver selection. I'm just saying that if you get a proprer fitting and apply that to a quality club you are about as good as you will get short of major swing improvements.

Instead of getting a new driver/fairway/whatever every year I'm going to use that money on some lessons and range time.

swomack · March 11, 2013

Just to put my final word on this topic, I went to my fitter. He is Randall Doucette at the Faldo Institute here in Orlando and he does an incredible job. I told him about the results and he immediately had doubts. I'm not saying I ever thought I could hit 270 with my swing speed but I was more interested in the relative difference between my driver (Titleist 910D2) and the R1.

Randall told me to come by one afternoon and we could compare them all on the range with his setup which is properly calibrated and top notch. I compared the R1, the RBZ Stage2, and my 910D2 all with similar settings. No matter what I did I always got better readings with the Titleist. Better launch angle, lower spin rate, better smash factor.
<p>When will I learn to avoid getting suck