50 replies to this topic

[Leftygolfin]

Just curious as to what the most common length driver shaft is on the PGA Tour.  Watching the US Open it appeared that alot of guys had shorter drivers then I am use to seeing.

Also, Does anyone know the length of shafts for Bubba Watsons, JB Holmes and Tigers Drivers??  Just curious.  I have been experimenting with Driver lengths a little and thought I would see what some of the Big Boys are hitting.  Thanks guys!

Edited by Leftygolfin, 20 June 2006 - 08:12 AM.

[pitchmaster1224]

Tiger's is 45...tv makes the drivers look smaller than what they really are. I believe the avg. is around 44.5 or maybe 45

[Gxgolfer]

Leftygolfin, on Jun 19 2006, 08:40 PM, said:

Just curious as to what the most common length driver is on the PGA Tour.  Watching the US Open it appeared that alot of guys had shorter drivers then I am use to seeing.

Also, Does anyone know the length of Bubba Watsons, JB Holmes and Tigers Drivers??  Just curious.  I have been experimenting with Driver lengths a little and thought I would see what some of the Big Boys are hitting.  Thanks guys!

Here are the PGA Tour Stats.  Though disputed by some because of the way they calculate them, its still used as a metric.

http://pgatour.com/stats/r

[golfernut78]

Gxgolfer, on Jun 19 2006, 11:07 PM, said:

Leftygolfin, on Jun 19 2006, 08:40 PM, said:

Just curious as to what the most common length driver is on the PGA Tour.  Watching the US Open it appeared that alot of guys had shorter drivers then I am use to seeing.

Also, Does anyone know the length of Bubba Watsons, JB Holmes and Tigers Drivers??  Just curious.  I have been experimenting with Driver lengths a little and thought I would see what some of the Big Boys are hitting.  Thanks guys!

Here are the PGA Tour Stats.  Though disputed by some because of the way they calculate them, its still used as a metric.

http://pgatour.com/stats/r

i think he might be asking about driver shaft length and not driver distance.

[ekim133b]

Golfdigest mag said bubbas is 44.5 and he is 6' 3"
I'm only 5' 10" so I'm getting mine cut to 43.5
I also heard the average length of shaft on tour is also 43.5

[villa]

Tigers is 45, J.B's is 45 and Bubbas is 44.5.

There are a few guys out there using a longer shaft (Phil and Vijay have both experimented, and Michelle Wie uses a 46) but as ekim133b said, the average is about 43.5.

There's still a lot of guys on tour who were around when it was only steel shafts and I think a lot of them have kept the lengths the same.

I'll just add that Jarmo Sandelin used to use something along the lines of 51-52 inches on the European Tour. He stood it next to Ian Woosnam and there wasn't a big difference!

[Leftygolfin]

I would just think that if the pros on tour are using under 45 inch drivers that most of us golfers would be better off with a shorter driver. I am a very long hitter with a 45" driver but the control is pretty bad.  I have just started experimenting with a shorter driver as I have always used the 45 inch driver.  Cut one down to 44 inches and it feels pretty good to me and the distance isn't a lot different.  Im 6 ft tall and it does feel a little more controlable and Im quite a bit better with ball striking.  Any other comments??

Edited by Leftygolfin, 20 June 2006 - 10:55 AM.

[ingster1]

I've read that the current average driver shaft length on the tour is 44.25" or so.  You can also search through Golf Digest's What's In the Bag online and read about driver lengths.

I also read that some players (including Philly Mick) were playing shorter length drivers at the US Open hoping to improve accuracy.  Certainly didn't help much.  

[Hairpie]

I've always played them at 44.5".....Much more consistent ball striking and control with no noticeable distance loss....

[Jer-Jer]

I'm 5' 8" and 44" is perfect.

[taylormadefan]

Leftygolfin, on Jun 20 2006, 10:54 AM, said:

I would just think that if the pros on tour are using under 45 inch drivers that most of us golfers would be better off with a shorter driver. I am a very long hitter with a 45" driver but the control is pretty bad.  I have just started experimenting with a shorter driver as I have always used the 45 inch driver.  Cut one down to 44 inches and it feels pretty good to me and the distance isn't a lot different.  Im 6 ft tall and it does feel a little more controlable and Im quite a bit better with ball striking.  Any other comments??

I'm firmly convinced that shorter shafts are better for 99% of golfers.  Center contact will ALWAYS create more distance than swing speed generated by length since it's so much more difficult to hit the center with a longer shaft.  I don't think most people realize how big of a difference a shat that's a 1/2" shorter is and how much better their contact will be.

[golfr03]

what kind of things will happen if, say, I cut mine down to 44"

I mean swing weight and things like that, not as much in the distance category

[Hairpie]

you will lose around 3 sw points for every 1/2 inch you take off the butt......

[KingOAces]

Anyone see the test done in GolfTips Mag where they tested a 47 or sumin inch driver a 45" (new Standard) and a 43.5(old standard) and the 47 was tested to be longer AND more accurate. This is completely against what i have been hearing and from my experience with longer and shorter clubs. Anyone hear of this?

KinG

[bioman]

Any updates?  I had a chance to swing a 44" driver and it seem'd a lot shorter than my 45" driver when holding it.  I haven't had a chance to hit it yet.

[pollo]

This quickly turned from a PGA Tour driver length thread to a "I play a xx" driver" thread

[TheCapedAvenger]

if, by quickly, you mean "sometime in the middle of 2006", then yes. very quickly indeed.

[boon44]

    

[Smythe]

If anyone cares, I have had looked into driver shaft length a lot and found some interesting things.

The average driver length manufacturers make now are 45" because of the introduction of graphite shafts and the egotistical driver distance that many short drivers of the ball.

I hit my driver on average 300yds so driving distance hasnt been a problem it was the accuracy... I tried using the "Anthony Kim" (choke up) method about 2"... I heard him say you will in turn make better ball contact which can equate to better distance, so in essence you would not lose any distance just gain accuracy.

Well it worked and have been choking anywhere from 1"-2" with my driver which is around 44"-43".

So anyone debating to cut down the driver shaft, choke up almost as much as you can and maybe put some tape (I used athletic tape and remembered i had to put my left pinky on it) to know exact length on the range. Maybe even use it on the course like I have.

Hope this helps anyone who needed it :-D

[liveagua]

Leftygolfin, on Jun 19 2006, 10:40 PM, said:

Just curious as to what the most common length driver shaft is on the PGA Tour.  Watching the US Open it appeared that alot of guys had shorter drivers then I am use to seeing.

Also, Does anyone know the length of shafts for Bubba Watsons, JB Holmes and Tigers Drivers??  Just curious.  I have been experimenting with Driver lengths a little and thought I would see what some of the Big Boys are hitting.  Thanks guys!

All I can comment on is what I have played with from my buddy who works on a Tour Van. Everything he has that are "shaft pulls" play anywhere from 44-44.5...nothing plays 45. He builds a lot of clubs for a lot of different players and they all play shorter drivers.

[mypalcollin]

300 on average you said. I'd refrain from using numbers because that hardly sounds believable. 300+ every time. So what you told us all is that, watching you swing, club head speed is 120 and contact is perfect.

Back to topic: Switching driver heads recently I had the shaft pulled from my J33 10.5 and put into a SUMO 8.5. Shaft came out at 44" and I wasnt paying attention about the bore depth of the nike. Feels like a long 3 wood that i am pleased with after hitting it on course.

[Golf-Junkie]

Jer Jer - 44 makes sense.  Im the same height but have been playing a 45 inch driver and my control is terrible.  Just ordered an i15 with a 44.5 inch Kai'li (wrist-to-floor measurements suggest 1/2 under standard).

Anyone know what length of shaft Anthony Kim, Rickie Folwer, and (fill in the blanks - any other 5'8" golfer) Justin Leonard play?

[PixlPutterman]

LOL isnt sergio at like 42 or something

[Golf-Junkie]

Can't seem to find any data on shorter guys, but here's Robert Karrlson's equipment.  His driver length is 45.00 inches.


Details on the Titleist equipment in Robert Karlsson’s bag:

================================================

Ball: Pro V1x

Driver: 909D2 (9.5°, Aldila RIP 80X, 45″)

Fairway: 909F3 (13°, Grafalloy ProLaunch Red X, 43.25″ tipped to length)

Fairway: 909F3 (18°, Grafalloy ProLaunch Red X, 42.25″ tipped to length)

Irons: MB (3-P, 1° weak loft (5-P), True Temper Dynamic Gold SL X100, +1″ length, +2° lie)

Wedge: Vokey Design Spin Milled C-C TVD 54 (at 53°, True Temper Dynamic Gold SL X100, 37″ length, 66° lie)

Wedge: Vokey Design Spin Milled C-C TVD 58 (True Temper Dynamic Gold SL X100, 37″ length, 66° lie)

Putter: Scotty Cameron Tour Newport 2 GSS (4° loft, 37″ length, 71° lie)

Grips: Golf Pride New Decade Multi-Compound 60R (Red/Black, 2 extra wraps)

[Zorblack]

Not entirely on topic but...

Lets talk TaylorMade; stick with me.  So if the average pro shaft is 45".  

• SuperTri is 45.75
• 09' Burner is 46.25
• Burner Superfast is 46.5

TaylorMade claims 1.5 yards longer distance from shaft length over the 09' Burner.  If the shaft length is proportionate to distance +/- and everybody cut down their drivers to 44" we would only lose 15 yards.  Most people would probably benefit greatly from doing so.  I know my driver is 44.5 and I like to choke up about .5" - 1" and I get great control with no percieved distance loss.

My two cents.

On topic.  I hear the average is 44.5" - 45".

[Yepyukon]

The trend has been to make the shafts lighter and longer to generate more swing speed / pendulum effect. A lot of guys on tour play a shorter driver because they want accuracy. However, I can assure you this is not what the majority of people buying clubs want. I see it day in and day out. The question: "Would you prefer distance or accuracy?" Answer: "I want more distance, I am usually pretty straight with my driver." Then they proceed to hit 10 shots all over the screen...and buy the driver that goes the longest OB.

Most golfers could benefit from a driver to their specifications. That could be 42" or 46" really. I have played around with sub 45" shafts but I cannot create the same feel as a 45" driver and actually lost accuracy. Then again, I am not on tour.

[srockafe]

Say I cut down a driver and want to bring the swingweight back up.  Do you place the tape up by the grip or down on the sole of the head?

[offapex]

saw a video of a club fitter who does DJ Trahan's clubs. He said that unless you're 6'2" you shouldn't be using a 45" driver.

[srockafe]

Say I cut down a driver and want to bring the swingweight back up.  Do you place the tape below the grip or down on the sole of the head?

[Russ757]

Sergio was 43.75" if I remember his WITB