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Forum Thread of the Day: “Bigger impact for a high handicapper: Shorter shaft or new driver?”

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Today’s Forum Thread of the Day comes from Therty who is having major issues with his driver. A 20-handicapper with a two-way miss, Therty asks fellow members should he go to a shorter shaft (46″ currently), or splash out on a premium driver ( SLDR 430 currently).

Here are a few posts from the thread, but make sure to check out the entire discussion and have your say at the link below.

  • Therealpatgiles: “Getting fitted is key. I was the same person you are last year. I got fitted for irons and dropped about 10 strokes per 18 holes. This year I got fitted for a driver, hit about 6 of 10 fairways with the driver, misses are in the rough instead of on the next hole. A lesson or two to work on swing mechanics would probably benefit greatly.”
  • bulls9999: “Shorter shaft for sure… 44.5-45 tops (don’t cut down too much, you’d be amazed at how much of an effect that 0.5-inch has). Also, play around with shafts, the shaft/head adapters allow you to pick up different versions of a shaft to test which one is better suited to you. I have had Project X velocity PxV in Stiff, Reg, and Sr, and increased ~15 yards with each one from Stiff->Reg->Sr, but my dispersion was most with Sr, so I’ve dropped back to Reg. Now I’ve landed on a Speeder 565 Reg which I really like, but it’s a bit soft, so I’m thinking either 565 Stiff 655 Reg or would fill the bill as the alternate pairing in that series. I’ve finally got my driver(s) worked out for 2019.”
  • RainShadow: “Try choking down an inch. This will in effect counterbalance the club a little and will likely improve your consistency. This has helped me immensely throughout my bag, actually.”
  • NRJyzr: “I say both. A new-to-the-OP driver would be a good idea, for reasons already stated. And, I’m a big believer in going with shorter drivers, but I’d look at going no longer than 44″, with 43.5” being a good target. Slap some lead tape on it to get it suitably weighted and off you go. I like the idea mentioned above of an older Ping, something nice and forgiving, not expensive. A Rocketballz or RBZ Stage 2 could be good, also, or perhaps an R11S, all of which should be pretty reasonably priced. Lot of options in the TM world, and a LOT of shafts to swap in and out. Some very good options from the last few years in the Cobra world, also (personally a big fan of the Cobra stuff, but trying not to shill for them too much, lol)

Entire Thread: “Bigger impact for a high handicapper: Shorter shaft or new driver?”

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Gianni is the Managing Editor at GolfWRX. He can be contacted at [email protected].

4 Comments

4 Comments

  1. HDTVMAN

    Nov 30, 2019 at 1:46 pm

    1. Get rid of the SLDR
    2. Get a 460cc driver, preferably the Ping G400MAX 10.5°
    3. Cut the shaft down to 44.5 or 45″. Always best to order the driver from the factory to a shorter spec…cutting a driver down 1″ drops the swingweight by 6. You may need to add weight with lead tape, or the factory will send it to you with the correct specs.

  2. MB

    May 9, 2019 at 6:59 pm

    Gotta,

    Agree with Geoffrey SDLR was a POS i watched people @ my course get fitted for them and 2-3 weeks later out of the bag SOLD. TM F&^%#*@ up’d with that Model.

    • David Lehmann

      May 10, 2019 at 12:50 pm

      I disagree that SLDR is a “POS”. One just has to be able to hit it. I currently and for always will game a 430 SLDR. That being said.. a 430 SLDR is not for the higehre handicapper. Try the SLDR in a 460 if you are a higher capper.

  3. Geoffrey Buchanan

    May 9, 2019 at 12:00 pm

    First of all, the SLDR 430 was nearly impossible to hit for good player let alone a 20 handicapper! It was a terrible driver, so both is the answer. New driver and in some cases a shorter shaft might help.

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Equipment

Coolest thing for sale in the GolfWRX Classifieds (4/18/24): Ping PLD Limited Anser – 1988 Open Championship – #2 of only 88 Made

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At GolfWRX, we are a community of like-minded individuals that all experience and express our enjoyment of the game in many ways.

It’s that sense of community that drives day-to-day interactions in the forums on topics that range from best driver to what marker you use to mark your ball. It even allows us to share another thing we all love – buying and selling equipment.

Currently, in our GolfWRX buy/sell/trade (BST) forum, there is a listing for a Ping PLD Limited Anser – 1988 Open Championship – #2 of only 88 Made.

From the seller: (@DLong72): “Ping PLD Limited Anser – 1988 Open Championship – #2 of only 88 Made. ?: $1150. ?? 100% milled collectors item from the limited releases commemorating when Ping putters won every major in 1988 (88 putters made). This was the model Seve Ballesteros used to win the 1988 Open Championship. Condition is brand new, never gamed, everything is in the original packaging as it came. Putter features the iconic sound slot.

Specs/ Additional Details

-100% Milled, Aluminum/Bronze Alloy (310g)

-Original Anser Design

-PING PP58 Grip

-Putter is built to standard specs.”

To check out the full listing in our BST forum, head through the link: Ping PLD Limited Anser – 1988 Open Championship – #2 of only 88 Made

This is the most impressive current listing from the GolfWRX BST, and if you are curious about the rules to participate in the BST Forum you can check them out here: GolfWRX BST Rules

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Inside Collin Morikawa’s recent golf ball, driver, 3-wood, and “Proto” iron changes

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As you probably know by now, Collin Morikawa switched putters after the first round of The Masters, and he ultimately went on to finish T3.

The putter was far from the only change he made last week, however, and his bag is continuing to change this week at the 2024 RBC Heritage.

On the range of The Masters, Morikawa worked closely with Adrian Reitveld, TaylorMade’s Senior Manager of Tour at TaylorMade, to find the perfect driver and 3-wood setups.

Morikawa started off 2024 by switching into TaylorMade’s Qi10 Max driver, but since went back to his faithful TaylorMade SIM – yes, the original SIM from 2020. Somehow, some way, it seems Morikawa always ends up back in that driver, which he used to win the 2020 PGA Championship, and the 2021 Open Championship.

At The Masters, however, Rietveld said the duo found the driver head that allowed “zero compromise” on Morikawa’s preferred fade flight and spin. To match his preferences, they landed on a TaylorMade Qi10 LS 9-degree head, and the lie angle is a touch flatter than his former SIM.

“It’s faster than his gamer, and I think what we found is it fits his desired shot shape, with zero compromise” Rietveld told GolfWRX.com on Wednesday at the RBC Heritage.

Then, to replace his former SIM rocket 3-wood, Morikawa decided to switch into the TaylorMade Qi10 core model 13.5-degree rocket head, with an adjustable hosel.

“He likes the spin characteristics of that head,” Rietveld said. “Now he’s interesting because with Collin, you can turn up at a tournament, and you look at his 3-wood, and he’s changed the setting. One day there’s more loft on it, one day there’s less loft on it. He’s that type of guy. He’s not scared to use the adjustability of the club.

“And I think he felt our titanium head didn’t spin as low as his original SIM. So we did some work with the other head, just because he liked the feel of it. It was a little high launching, so we fit him into something with less loft. It’s a naughty little piece of equipment.” 

In addition to the driver and fairway wood changes, Morikawa also debuted his new “MySymbol” jersey No. 5 TP5x golf ball at The Masters. Morikawa’s choice of symbols is likely tied to his love of the Los Angeles Dodgers baseball team.

Not enough changes for you? There’s one more.

On Wednesday at the 2024 RBC Heritage, Morikawa was spotted with a new TaylorMade “Proto” 4-iron in the bag. If you recall, it’s the same model that Rory McIlroy debuted at the 2024 Valero Texas Open.

According to Morikawa, the new Proto 4-iron will replace his old P-770 hollow-bodied 4-iron.

“I used to hit my P-770 on a string, but sometimes the distance would be a little unpredictable,” Morikawa told GolfWRX.com. “This one launches a touch higher, and I feel I can predict the distance better. I know Rory replaced his P-760 with it. I’m liking it so far.” 

See Morikawa’s full WITB from the 2024 RBC Heritage here. 

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Why Rory McIlroy will likely use the new TaylorMade BRNR Mini Driver Copper at the RBC Heritage

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Although we spotted Rory McIlroy testing the new TaylorMade BRNR Mini Driver Copper last week during practice rounds at the Masters, he ultimately didn’t decide to use the club in competition.

It seems that will change this week at the 2024 RBC Heritage, played at the short-and-tight Harbour Town Golf Links in Hilton Head.

When asked on Wednesday following his morning Pro-Am if he’d be using the new, nostalgic BRNR Copper this week, McIlroy said, “I think so.”

“I like it,” McIlroy told GolfWRX.com on Tuesday regarding the BRNR. “This would be a good week for it.”

 

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According to Adrian Rietveld, the Senior Manager of Tour at TaylorMade, the BRNR Mini Driver can help McIlroy position himself properly off the tee at the tight layout.

Here’s what Rietveld told GolfWRX.com on Wednesday:

“For someone like Rory, who’s that long at the top end of the bag, and then you put him on a course like Harbour Town, it’s tough off the tee. It’s tight into the greens, and you have to put yourself in position off the tee to have a shot into the green. It kind of reminds me of Valderrama in Spain, where you can be in the fairway and have no shot into the green.

“I’m caddying for Tommy [Fleetwood] this week, so I was walking the course last night and looking at a few things. There’s just such a small margin for error. You can be standing in the fairway at 300 yards and have a shot, but at 320 you don’t. So if you don’t hit a perfect shot, you could be stuck behind a tree. And then if you’re back at 280, it might be a really tough shot into the small greens.

“So for Rory [with the BRNR], it’s a nice course-specific golf club for him. He’s got both shots with it; he can move it right-to-left or left-to-right. And the main thing about this club has been the accuracy and the dispersion with it. I mean, it’s been amazing for Tommy.

“This was the first event Tommy used a BRNR last year, and I remember talking to him about it, and he said he couldn’t wait to play it at Augusta next year. And he just never took it out of the bag because he’s so comfortable with it, and hitting it off the deck.

“So you look at Rory, and you want to have the tools working to your advantage out here, and the driver could hand-cuff him a bit with all of the shots you’d have to manufacture.”

So, although McIlroy might not be making a permanent switch into the new TaylorMade BRNR Mini Driver Copper, he’s likely to switch into it this week.

His version is lofted at 13.5 degrees, and equipped with a Fujikura Ventus Black 7X shaft.

See more photos of Rory testing the BRNR Mini here

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