Driver angle of attack means EVERYTHING for getting more distance. In our last ten driver fittings, 6 golfers had a negative attack angle and were giving up 12 to 30 yards! Here is what happens with a negative attack angle that robs you of distance.
First, spin is increased dramatically, especially if your swing is a little outside to inside. Second, your launch angle is not optimized because you are more than likely hitting the ball towards the top of the clubface. This also creates a lower efficiency rating (smash factor) meaning you get less ball speed for your swing speed. All of these factors are robbing you of distance off the tee.
So, two factors contribute to getting a more positive angle of attack. First, swing and/or ball position changes can have a dramatic affect on angle of attack. By positioning the ball slightly more forward in your stance, you give yourself an opportunity to hit the ball on an ascending angle. Another key swing technique is to lean your spine a little more towards your trailing leg and then swing around your spine, up and through the ball.
Second, by putting a shaft with a slightly softer tip section to allow more forward lean of the shaft at impact can improve angle of attack by at least 2 degrees! This reduces spin up to 600 rpm and can give you 15-25 more yards! But you really need to test this on a launch monitor to make sure you get these type of results. It is also important to make sure that the tip of the shaft is not TOO soft which can cause an increase in shot dispersion! All of these relate to your swing direction and consistency of ball striking.
In our driver fittings, we concentrate on optimizing ALL factors that contribute to distance, accuracy and consistency. Those are efficiency (smash factor), launch angle, and spin rate. If we can improve your angle of attack along the way, it makes optimizing your distance AND accuracy that much easier!
Dan Sueltz
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