Equipment
‘Hit a 43.75-inch driver (LST G425) today – Wow!’
In our forums, our members have been reacting to an eye opening post from WRXer ‘RoyalMustang’. ‘RoyalMustang’ recently had the opportunity to hit a 43.75″ driver, and it’s fair to say that the experience was a far different one than they were expecting.
@Royal Mustang:
“Today, I had the opportunity to check out (30-day return policy) a 43.75” Ping LST with a Tensei AV 65 White TX shaft. I expected accuracy to be up and my ball speed to be off. Boy, was I wrong!
I compared it against my ST200 w/Atmos 6X Black, playing at 44.75″, both on the range and on the course. I have my “normal” distances on the Mizuno when struck well: typically carry 265-280 with ideal ball flight.
I didn’t have more accuracy with the LST; I still had a couple of snap hooks, but I was able to dial in a bit more of a “finish left for a controlled fade” swing later on. The swing weight on that club is around D2. I need more swings to really determine how accuracy is going to work out.
I did have better distance; I don’t think it was hitting the club better, as I tend to get very good strikes on the Mizuno when I swing well. I just had a bit more carry on the LST. Without a launch monitor it is impossible to say, but it felt like with the smaller club, I was able to control my sync a bit better and generate more clubhead speed. The loading, setting, and generating pressure from the feet all seemed to work a bit better.
On the course, in similar conditions, I was a good 12-15 yards past where I normally hit my Mizuno when I get all of it. Again, I don’t think it is the head (as I had a 425 LST and sold it); it has to be the length of the club, or perhaps the AV white TX, which I have never played before. I have hit a ton of drivers over the past few weeks, and nothing even came close to knocking off the Mizuno, but this one just might.
So, FYI, I wouldn’t automatically discount a shorter club as being shorter on the course. Perhaps you will find that it gets you more in sync with your swing and refines your tempo a bit. For me, it is all about being in the fairway, but that requires a swing that is synced up well and in balance. Perhaps the shorter club does the trick for me.
Also, the AV 65TX does not feel stout in any way. It may be the shorter shaft again allowing me to load it properly.”
And our members have been sharing their thoughts on ‘RoyalMustang’s’ post in our forum.
- NoTalentLefty: “I like life experiences like this. It was the same for me going to 44.25 and 44.5-inch drivers. Both were far better numbers than a 45.5 and 45.75-inch drivers.”
- sg1: “I play at 44″ and make centred contact far more often than I did playing at 45.5. Sure you lose a couple of mph head speed, but the better ball speed makes up for it. I know why drivers have gone that long, but I’m not sure it’s lead to an overall improvement in how most people play.”
- GerogiaHacker: “Once you shorten the driver and want a heavier head, you can get some head weight by dropping grip weight. Try the golf pride tour 25. gets you 25 grams. Standard grip is 48 to 51 grams. It has worked well for me. way more control of the head allowing for many more center-face hits!”
- mallrat: “A little over a year ago, I went to a 44” driver shaft on accident. Loved it. A month ago, I went down to Bandon and decided to stop hitting the 45. Whatever in the bag for the 1st round. 2 fairways hit and no distance gains at all, actually lost yardage because of off center hits. Next morning woke up and put steady Eddie back in. Ten fairways on Pacific in the morning and 11 on Bandon in the afternoon. Not switching up again. For those that want to try a shorter shaft just buy a stock shaft off eBay or something off Callaway Preowned and cut it down.”
Entire Thread: “Hit a 43.75-inch driver (LST 425) today – Wow!“
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- How to use lead tape on your driver – GolfWRXers discuss
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Whats in the Bag
Adam Scott WITB 2024 (May)
- Adam Scott what’s in the bag accurate as of the 2024 CJ Cup Byron Nelson.
Driver: TaylorMade Qi10 (10.5 degrees)
Shaft: Fujikura Ventus Blue 6 TX
Driver: TaylorMade BRNR (13.5 degrees)
Shaft: Fujikura Ventus TR Blue 7 TX
5-wood: TaylorMade Qi10 (18 degrees), TaylorMade Stealth 2 (18 degrees
Shaft: Fujikura Ventus TR Blue 9 X, Fujikura Ventus TR Blue 9 X
7-wood: TaylorMade Stealth (21 degrees)
Shaft: Graphite Design Tour AD DI Black 9 X
Irons: Srixon ZX Mk II (3), Srixon ZX5 Mk II (4), Srixon ZX7 Mk II (5), Srixon Z-Forged II (6-9)
Shafts: Graphite Design Tour AD DI Hybrid 105 X (3), True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue X100
Wedges: Titleist Vokey Design SM10 (50-12F, 54-08M), SM9 (LW), WedgeWorks (LW)
Shafts: True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue X100 (48-54), S400 (LW)
Putter: L.A.B. Golf Mezz.1 Proto
Ball: Titleist Pro V1
Grips: Golf Pride Tour Velvet
See the rest of Adam Scott’s WITB in the forums.
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Whats in the Bag
Pierceson Coody WITB 2024 (April)
Driver: TaylorMade Qi 10 (9 degrees)
Shaft: Mitsubishi Tensei 1K White 70 TX
3-wood: TaylorMade Qi 10 Tour (15 degrees)
Shaft: Project X HZRDUS Black 80 TX
Irons: TaylorMade P790 (3), TaylorMade P7MC (4-6), and TaylorMade P730 (7-PW)
Shafts: True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue X100
Wedges: TaylorMade MG4 (50-09SB, 54-11SB, 58-08LB)
Shafts: True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue S400
Putter: TaylorMade TP Reserve Juno
Grips: Golf Pride Tour Velvet
Ball: TaylorMade TP5x
Check out more in-hand photos of Pierceson Coody’s WITB here.
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Equipment
Why Ben Griffin is making the surprising switch to a Maxfli golf ball
Ben Griffin might be a little too young to remember some of the iconic Maxfli golf balls that won on tour, but that isn’t stopping him from putting the newest Tour X ball from the brand in play. Today, Maxfli and Griffin announced an exclusive partnership that will see the PGA Tour player using the company’s four-piece golf ball.
While Griffin might be the first PGA Tour player to put a new Maxfli golf ball in play, he isn’t the first profesional golfer to do so. Lexi Thompson has been playing the Maxfli Tour golf ball on the LPGA Tour since the beginning of the 2024.
View this post on Instagram
We caught up with Ben at the CJ Cup Byron Nelson in Texas this week to ask him about the new ball switch.
“I was able to finally get my hands on some and try it and immediately I saw faster ball speed with the driver, which is always something every golfer wants to see.
“Then I had to test a lot around the greens and test irons, test spins, test everything like that. Basically, I came to the conclusion that I thought this was probably one of the best golf balls for my game.
“And so I decided to make it official and partner with them and very excited to help kind of launch this golf ball and see where it takes us.”
Griffin’s ball of choice is the Maxfli Tour X, a four-piece golf ball that is made for highly skilled players that want consistent distance off the driver and spin around the green. An updated core design helps add the ball speed that Griffin mentioned and two ionomer mantle layers separate low spin driver shots from higher spin iron and wedge shots. Maxfli uses Center Of center-of-gravity balancing to ensure each ball has consistent flight in the air and roll on the green. Like all golf balls on tour, the Tour X features a cast urethane cover for maximum performance, and it has a tetrahedron dimple pattern to enhance aerodynamics.
It is exciting to see a golf ball at a lower price point — $39.99 at Golf Galaxy — being used by a top 100 ranked player in the world like Ben Griffin, and equipment junkies will be keenly watching his performance with the new ball.
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geohogan
Dec 30, 2021 at 6:23 am
Tip diameter determines maximum length limit for consistency of golf shafts.
For 0.335 inch tip diameter, the limit is 45 inches.
T
Dec 29, 2021 at 10:38 pm
I like the thought of this, I may have to try it in 2022.
B
Dec 29, 2021 at 2:51 pm
While your max ball speed won’t be there, virtually always for mid to high handicappers the average ball speed is higher.
Kgolf
Dec 28, 2021 at 2:22 pm
Why stop there? Keep cutting it down until you are scratch.
Jeff
Dec 29, 2021 at 11:47 am
Internet award of the day
Ronnie Mundt
Dec 28, 2021 at 11:32 am
We’ve reached the part of winter where drivers are starting to get shortened. 64 degree wedges and 2 irons added to the bag in the weeks to come. The dark winter is upon us…….
Stan
Dec 28, 2021 at 11:43 am
Ronnie from the stern show?