Equipment
Forum Thread of the Day: “Bigger impact for a high handicapper: Shorter shaft or new driver?”
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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- 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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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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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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Adam Scott what’s in the bag accurate as of the 2024 CJ Cup Byron Nelson. Driver: TaylorMade Qi10 (10.5 degrees)...
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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.
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.
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.