Match Your Driver Loft to Your Ball Speed
That’s right, I said ball speed, not swing speed. The old measure of fitting driver lofts and shaft flexes was to look at swing speed and tempo. The new measure of fitting driver loft is to accurately measure ball speed and spin rate. Ball speed is determined by a number of factors, most importantly club head face elasticity (C.O.R.), shaft flex and tip stiffness, and ball type. For a given swing speed with your driver, the maximum ball speed you can achieve is about 1.6 to 1. So for a swing speed of 100 mph your maximum driver ball speed will be 160 mph. At 10 mph ball speed your optimum launch angle that gives you the most carry distance will be between 12 to 13.5 degrees. This means you would play roughly a 9.5 degree driver to achieve this launch angle. Most golfers that we test on the TrackMan II have a ball speed of 125 to 135 mph, which means they should be playing a 10.5 to 11 degree driver.
Play the Right Ball For Your Ball Speed and Spin Rate
There is a reason why there are so many golf balls on the market today. Every golfer should match the type of ball they are playing to their swing speed and spin rate. If your ball speed is under 110 mph, you should play a soft, high spin ball to get more loft and carry distance.
Shafts Are A Big Factor in Launch Angle and Spin Rate
If you think you need a light weight, stiff flex, low kick point, low torque shaft to hit the ball a mile, think again. In addition to launch angle, you need to consider the overall weight, swing weight, shaft flex, shaft stiffness profile, and tip stiffness. There is a dramatic difference between shafts made by Aldila, Fujikura, Grafalloy, MATRIX and others in terms of which one best suits your game. By testing your swing on the True Temper Shaft Lab to determine optimum shaft flex, and then using the TrackMan II to test several different shafts, we can determine EXACTLY the right shaft for you. The new Grafalloy BiMatrix Prototype shaft used by Tiger Woods and Bubba Watson, for example, can reduce spin rates as much as 30% giving more distance at higher ball speeds.
Select the Correct Shaft Weight
If you think graphite is better for you as you get a little older, don’t put yourself on the porch just yet. While lighter weight graphite shafts can create more clubhead speed, your swing may get out of control and cause you to actually LOSE distance and accuracy. By properly matching the weight of the shaft to your swing dynamics, you can actually pick up a full club length distance in your irons.
So there you have it, if you want to hit the ball farther this year, match your lofts, golf balls, and shafts to your swing. With the right head, ball and shaft you will be hitting the ball farther and straighter than you ever have before!
If you would like to determine the proper equipment for your swing to get more distance, call D’Lance Golf and schedule a time on the Golf Achiever or TrackMan II Launch Monitor by calling(303)730-2717.
Loading ...
