112 replies to this topic

[cybercats]

I am convinced that adjustable drivers are destined to be the bane of amateur golf.  I warn you.  Don't be taken in by all this adjustable driver mumbo jumbo.  Don't do it!  Ping resisted as long as it could.   I get the feeling Ping knows it's bad for your golf game, but now that they've become all the rage, Ping capitulated.  After all, there's a limit on COR and size now, so what's left to sucker us in?  

Now why are they so bad?  Every time you hit a drive that is less than perfect, you will start questioning the settings.  I saw a solid driver of the golf ball go completely mental when he missed two fairways.  He shot the worst round of his life.  He even took out his little tool at the turn and fiddled with it.  Now how do you think he did on the back nine?  

I urge you, if you're in the market for a new driver, great prices can be had on a Ping G15 or other late model non-adjustable drivers.  Just get fitted for shaft and grip and let er' rip.

However, you gotta hand it to the club manufacturers.  They have all of us golf equipment junkies salivating over these things. And the manufacturers that also sell balls are making a killing on all the extra balls that will be lost with this "game improving" drivers.

[Boogaloo_Jones]

Even though we have the ability to adjust the settings with the newer drivers, I'm pretty sure not many tinker with the settings daily.  I think the draw of the adjustable drivers is it helps golfers fight what their main miss is, whether its a hook or slice, it helps.

[tomg1969]

Sounds more like operator failure than the fault of the club to me

[MtlJeff]

I'm literally the first guy here to crap on OEMs for just about anything. But i don't buy that adjustable drivers are bad. I own a 910FD 13.5 wood that i was more then happy to close the face on. How many times do people say "i like the driver but the open face isn't for me" or vice versa...or if you make a swing change and need to lower or raise the loft now you don't need to buy a new club or even a new shaft.

people who go mental adjusting the settings have only themselves to blame.

my only complaint about adjustability is it's a bit harder on the used market. It's a bit more difficult to just buy the club and swap shafts. You need to buy adapters, have a club guy who can work with them etc...or pay a lot to buy one straight from the OEM.

[Illest]

Seems iffy to me to actually adjust the loft etc mid-round...just asking for more issues

[Hehateme]

I play the Ping Anser driver, and have never put a wrench to it!

[KYMAR]

I am reconsidering them...(Final Jeopardy theme song).......Nah, I still like them.

[duffer987]

So the plea is 'Manufacturers please save us from ourselves'?

Having options are great - especially with easily trying different shafts. If people get carried away with it, they only have themselves to blame for what it does to their swing or their bank account.

[Fourmyle of Ceres]

The new Nike driver covers 8.5-12.5 degrees of loft with "left", "right" and "neutral" ball flight settings. All in one SKU. That is not as much a boon for golfers as a boon for Nike and its retailers. Just think they can cover lefties, righties and a Tour head with just three items in inventory. And since the lefty and righty heads use the same shafts, less than a dozen shaft options cover 99% of retail buyers. That's awesome from a business standpoint.

[cybercats]

I expect some derision here and welcome all feedback.  If you are a daily visitor to this equipment forum I think that makes you very susceptible to the "adjustable curse"  because you are someone who is always looking for the quick fix.  Anyways, that's where I put myself.  I LOVE golf equipment perhaps more than I love golf.  

How many of you have had a similar experience to my friend I mentioned in my OP?  How many LOVE your adjustable drivers and never tinker with them?

[Cwing]

Adjustable drivers are meant to be used to fit the club. They are not the end all. I had a Machspeed sq. once set I never changed it.

[tmfool]

3degrees closed face and weight in heel changing COG - helping more casual golfers, than hurting

guy takes a few lessons - improves his swing - wont have to buy a new driver
just make slight adjustment to face angle

[longbal30]

I usually adjust them open, and never touch the adjustment again. The feature is useless to me.

[SilverBullets]

I think it's funny I keep seeing Taylormade post the settings of their pro's R1 drivers... Most of them are set to Neutral anyways.

The only adjustability I like and think is good for the average golfer is the loft.  I have a low trajectory so being able to take my 910 and bump it up .75*, as with the fairway woods, really helps me get closer to a optimal launch.

[Qegurezi]

I've set my R11 DOT as low as it goes and never change it. The only changes are shafts going in and out, again on the low setting.

[highergr0und]

So you think the thought of needing to change a setting trumps all the golfers that are able to essentially give themselves the highest and best level of fitting with an OTR club?  I won't go as far to say as adjustable clubs have totally helped lots of golfers, but they give them a shot for success.

If you're starting to blame the club's setting after a bad shot then you've got a mental issue.  What about if you go buy an open head and hit a slice?  Would you question your purchase?  Or a 10.5 and hit the ball too high?  Would you bang your head against the wall because you should have bought a 9*?

[Shaank0]

Fourmyle of Ceres, on 13 January 2013 - 08:20 PM, said:

The new Nike driver covers 8.5-12.5 degrees of loft with "left", "right" and "neutral" ball flight settings. All in one SKU. That is not as much a boon for golfers as a boon for Nike and its retailers. Just think they can cover lefties, righties and a Tour head with just three items in inventory. And since the lefty and righty heads use the same shafts, less than a dozen shaft options cover 99% of retail buyers. That's awesome from a business standpoint.

Im thinking the same thing, its not going away, and everyone else is gonna follow suit with nike's adapter, you literally cover everything with 3 products. thats money in the bank not wasted on extra crap

[avguy]

My Two drivers are indeed adjustable, but the reason I wanted to play them is purely from self fitting myself into a shorter club, like Wishon and a few others have recommended for the Driver.

Remember the Golden Bear reportedly played a Driver shorter than today's average 3W of 43.5 in.

In both my 910 D2 and Razr Fit, I knew I could easily order pre tipped/gripped shafts already cut down to play these clubs around what I prefer at 43.-5 to 44 in.  And the biggest factor in choosing each club - I could interchange the removable screw headweights on my own to bring back the correct feel (SW) in playing them shorter than stock.   I now have two custom fit drivers for length/ shaft/ grip that I would only replace someday with other drivers that have removable swingweight screws, adjustable hosels, and readily available prepped shafts.

I really don't think about the "other" settings each club offers.  Because I bought the 910 used and it was a 9.5, I needed it changed for 11 deg, but that's it for my tinkerings.

Edited by avguy, 13 January 2013 - 08:44 PM.

[Ri_Redneck]

longbal30, on 13 January 2013 - 08:29 PM, said:

I usually adjust them open, and never touch the adjustment again. The feature is useless to me.

Apparently not totally useless, you adjusted it open. I also prefer an open face and have had a hell of a time finding what I like till these drivers came along. I like clubs and have many drivers. Some adjustable and some not. All are fitted and perform similar for me and I rotate them depending on my mood. Don't plan to sell any of them, but I do still want a few more.

If you don't like adjustability, then don't buy it.

BT

[TMBob]

We all welcome members thoughts. Let's get you up to date with PING.

PING has always been more of a leader and then a follower as much as they can. PING was the last company to go to metal woods and were left in the dust by that choice and if you remember correctly those wood woods were quite a bit different.  PING until recently never used ferrules on irons, even though they do not matter. PING has always been unconventional when comparing to the rest of the OEM's. PING was the last major OEM to jump on board with adjustable woods and now look, only the i20 is the non adjustable line left and we all know we will see that change in January 2014.

So your feeling that PING thinks it is bad, my guess is incorrect. By being last aboard, PING is doing what PING does.

Of course, I love adjustable not because of just this, but because it can be done with shafts and weights. Example I dialed a guy in and provided him different feedback with his driver in less then 30 minutes yesterday. I also enlightened him on what I was doing and why. He was a person who paid money to get fitted and left the driver the way they told him to play it. To me, that TMPC fitter did not go he extra mile in his fitting which I did in less that 30 minutes....Gotta love adjustability.

[deck]

Love the fact that you can switch shafts at demand now. That's my biggest draw to them.

[naplesgolfer1]

Ive owned many adjustable drivers - Ive never played them on anything but neutral!

And swapping shafts is the big attraction for me.

[cybercats]

Am I the only one who's played with someone who started tinkering with his adjustments mid-round, or at least talked about needing to adjust something?  I doubt it.  I'm not doubting that many of you better players (probably all that't on here) benefit somewhat from these new drivers.  But I'm telling you, for the rest of us (yes, me included) it will be detrimental.  The weekend hacker is just looking for every excuse to not have to go take a lesson.

  Someone who said "if you don't like it, don't buy it" ,  well, I don't and I won't.  But furthermore, it pains me to have to listen to my partner talk about how he needs to close the face 1 degree more or he's got the wrong shaft in it for the windy conditions.  Seriously, am I the only one who's had to endure this new phenomenon?

[puttingmatt]

Adjustability is your friend !!!  Allows for a more personalized fit !!!
Love the Titleist 910, and my forged irons. All can be adjusted if needed !!!

[KYMAR]

You had to "endure" it? it "pains" you?  Really? What was so painful about that?

I simply do not see how your chop buddy's indecisiveness concerning the setting on his driver it is an indictment of the equipment. This is one guy tinkering with his setting (when he shouldn't be) and is evidence of nothing. And as far as the ability to change out shafts for different wind conditions, that's perfectly legit I don't get the criticism of that at all.

[Coheed]

Sorry but I don't agree with the OP.

Where as I can bend the loft and lie fairly easily on my irons, which are built as 'standard' or to fit 80-85% of the golfers out there; I am not 'standard'. And I shouldn't be expected to tailor my swing to 'standard' clubs either.

I know changing lie angles on drivers and fairways is possible, this is usually done by an experienced club builder and/or OEM. But for a majority of golfers out there, this isn't an option. The fact that I can now EASILY change the lie and loft angles to tailor my swing and/or preferences is a huge advantage. Tinker, set it and leave it. It also makes getting fit for a driver/fairway a lot easier.

My 2 cents

[tomg1969]

If somebody is going to blame equipment for a bad shot (we've all probably done it at least once...hahaha) if not adjustability they will find something else to blame. Shaft too stiff, shaft too soft, too much spin, too little spin, hits too high, hits too low, slices, hooks etc.

The list of equipment related excuses that a golfer has at his or her disposal is endless....

[nochrome]

I have personally always been a player that picked up a club, put it in the address position and could tell if I liked the look or not and by extension, if it would work for me or not. Over the years, have tried many shafts and through trial and error, found which profiles fit my swing and preferences for feel and stayed in those general guidelines. If an adjustable club allows a player to do this in less time and expense, then I am all for adjustability. Personally, I feel that  adjustments should be more to fine-tune a ball flight for a reasonably repeating swing and not as a crutch or band-aid for a flawed motion.

[Thrillhouse]

KYMAR, on 13 January 2013 - 09:30 PM, said:

You had to "endure" it? it "pains" you?  Really? What was so painful about that?

I simply do not see how your chop buddy's indecisiveness concerning the setting on his driver it is an indictment of the equipment. This is one guy tinkering with his setting (when he shouldn't be) and is evidence of nothing. And as far as the ability to change out shafts for different wind conditions, that's perfectly legit I don't get the criticism of that at all.

I believe I can be of assistance with the pain issue.

I've taken to hiding in the shadows at various driving ranges observing the patrons. When I see people pulling out the wrench to adjust their drivers I run out of the shadows, kick the adjuster in the nuts, steal the wrench and run off.

So you see how painful it can be.

[cybercats]

It's PAINFUL when I want to say, "dude, it may not be the driver adjustment, it may be that you took the club back 40 degrees past parallel with both arms flailing like rubber bands!  Adjust your thinking and get a lesson."

However, I've learned that people really don't want a lesson on the golf course, especially from me when I have my own set of hang-ups.