What shaft SHOULD you use? Incredible results!!
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 2 ต.ค. 2024
- Just an Average Golfer giving unbiased opinions on all things golf, product tests, Golf travel vlogs and golf news!
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Come on mate, no man wants to admit his shaft is an inch shorter than everyone else's! 🙈
@@landongeorge706 wow! Where is all this nonsense spam coming from on TH-cam?
Unless it’s extra stiff 😂
Not surprised at the results Andy. I started gripping down on every club in my bag last year and noticed an instant improvement in strike and consistency with no loss of distance at all.
Thats interesting
@@TheAverageGolfer except the putter, putting is still a mystery to me.
@@TheAverageGolfer I think a test with a 60gram Stiff, one inch shorter… would interesting….what would the dispersion and ball speed look like. This is a great test, I saw a similar video by a club maker, using foot powder, lead tape and choking down on the club. Once you dial in your contact position.. take it to the fitting… it is a good place to start. This is a little bit more challenging if you need or require a longer stick…
The most important thing for distance is hitting the center of the clubface. Shorter works better because you can control the strike consistently . If you could control the strike better with a longer shaft, it would fly longer.
Men try to win arguments by leavi ng 1/2 the facts out and women win arguments by leaving all the facts out. Studies show slower swi ngers hit it farther with longer shafts.
Great comparison...Gamed the G410 plus last year with the Alta 55 Stiff 1” short and have never been more confident in a driver ,hit more fairways than ever ! 🍻
Similar experience for me. I game a 44" Driver shaft... way better dispersion and increased distance because I'm finding the middle with more confidence. I imagine it's different for everyone and worthy of testing.
Great test, Andy. Very eye opening. I think you’re correct with the shorter shaft, you hit it more on the sweet spot. For me that would make a big difference. I would try anything to hit it more in the middle of my driver, including a shorter shaft. Great stuff!
Among some of the best videos on TH-cam regarding golf. Thank you.
Spot on mate !! Excellent content and very interesting!!
I’m now using a 50g stiff shaft which I never have used before and never thought I would use !!
I was 60g and above !! But just shows you what a custom fit can unearth 👍
Been sporting a -1 inch shaft for 2 years. Will never go back. Much more control
My wife says that 😅
glad i saw this today....tomorrow i am going for a fitting for a driver / a fairway wood or two / and a hybrid......will for sure try an inch shorter for all.....i am 5'7 and 56 years old swing speed of around 90 - 94 with driver...leaning to the Ping G425 in all of them and gonna for sure try out the 7 wood cause of your previous review of that club....again great video...cheers from Canada
Great video, I’m having a fitting next week, my first in 8 years and I’m taking your advice and going with an open mind with clubs, shafts , etc. thanks
The swing weight on the shorter shaft probably changed by 3 or 4 swing weight points. I would like to see how the short shaft performs if you add weight to the head keep the same swing weight.
Sporting a 44.75 inch shaft and hitting it longer than ever.
Same here and more accurate
Great video. I as a mid handicapper got fitted last year. Tested various but went for the 1 inch shorter shaft in 55g regular.
Most data was comparable (launch, spin etc) but got more distance, better dispersion and ball speed in the shorter one. Probably mostly down to improved confidence but helped me no end.
This is the exact video I needed although would've been nice to see what the stiff done. That driver is something else and with the shaft selections available I think it will be the best seller this year. I use a 45 inch driver so the 1 inch shorter is perfect for me.
Great vid Andy!ive been tinkiering with these as well and found exactly the same exept the lighter shaft gave me too much spin as my spin is already on the line...therefore i was lauching higher and losing carry but also fading more often...
Never been consistent enough with a driver to be confident in having a fitting, but over the years I've bought a few ladies drivers and the lighter, shorter shafts have felt better for me. Interesting video as always, keep them coming 👍
If it works then great Steven
@@TheAverageGolfer Driving distance has always been an issue, so definitely something to work on. Watching your videos is inspiring me to try and play more this year - once we can.
Really good and interesting test! These are the tests we average players need. Keep doing these shaft tests as this one!💪🏻
Trying to sell a guy on the benefits of a shorter shaft is a tough sell 😳🤣
hahaha so true
A stiff shaft is good for control though
longer is better in everything, my friend..no shrimps allowed in golf
@@goutfromfriedokra7099 💯👊🏼
@@TheAverageGolfer Hi I’ve just subscribed to your channel having seen you pop up from time to time. What got me interested was your coverage on PXG. I saw recently that you had the 2021 0211s in your bag but more recently I see you have gone to the callaway apex. How come you have moved away from the 0211s ?
Also what device do you use to gather your dry ball data ? Love the content though 👍
I went from 46" to 45" and gained yards and dispersion.
Good to hear
A 46" driver...? Jesus. lol.
@@MXJEFF94 - I use a 47 inch driver, but that is because I have a high waist and relatively short arms which puts my hands farther off the ground. I am more accurate, more consistent, and more comfortable with it than I ever was with standard length clubs (all are long).
@@bobpegram8042 short arms long pockets your fellow golfers tell me 😂
Great videos as always, minimal fluff and good information.
I play 44.5 inches and my accuracy has been incredible. I gained distance on top of it. Going on 2 years now with no plans to try and and go long again. Also play regular flex with a 100mph driver speed. If someone wants to try it just butt trim a inch off. If it doesn't work out add a extention back in to get the stock length back. I did add a couple grams to the head in order to maintain the feel I like.
Great advice! What distance do you get now? If I can't hit the centre of face and get a good efficient strike then long shaft benefits are unseen for me. I'm Shite with a long shaft
@@stuboy13 245/50yd is pretty much my standard distance. Like I said before I have no interest in 45.5 inch drivers anymore. The tour average is 45 inches(creeping up over the last few years) so the extended length crap is all marketing. Most people would be much better off playing a inch less than they currently are unless making center contact every time isn't a issue. Some people don't notice the swing weight changes but others do. Lead tape or heavier weights (if available) will do the job. Adding 3 grams back to the head was enough for me to be comfortable with the feel again. Cobra sells a tour length driver each year for its flagship models, 44.5 inch.
Andy, I for some unknown reason found this informational video very interesting. Thank you for making my old gray matter start lighting up again with more questions 🤯😳
You hear so many people say that a shorter shaft results in less ball speed and thereby less distance but if strike improves as a result, the speed of the club face more than makes up for it. That is as long as strike is your issue.
Thanks. I enjoy your videos and perspective, as our swings are very similar. I agree it is worth the money to get properly fitted clubs. It definitely helps from the confidence perspective!
Been thinking of getting shorter shaft Andy...you have def made my mind up now great video cheers
One of the lads I play golf with, who's a low single figure handicap, has a shorter shaft, and his driving is so consistent. He thought he'd lise distance, but being in play was more important. He really hasn't lost any distance, and before the lockdown, he was playing really good golf. I'm thinking of shortening my driver shaft, but will need to test it first.
When I got fitted for my Ping G400 we went with a 1” shorter shaft and my results we similar....more distance and much better dispersion.
Good experiment! Do you have any data on whether a one inch shorter shaft is "better" than just choking up an inch on normal length shaft?
I went for lessons and was advised to try softer flex shafts, the results were so visible everybody was commenting on the results and performance
I’ve been using a 3 wood length shaft in my drive for years now, it really makes finding the fairway off the tee really easy plus I only loose 5 yards distance over all from using a regular driver shaft with is around 260 yards carry.
very good idea. can't get my silly slicing friend to try that.
Excellent info!!! What an eye opener!! Thanks for sharing! 🙏
I experimented with old shafts in the past and discovered that cutting an inch from the top or half inch from the bottom, as well the grip weight, changed the characteristics of the shaft. Some worked , some didn't. Thank god they were old shafts.
I like your hat. That hat must cost more than the driver. Lol
Great video Andy and love how you relate to us average golfers. I got interesting results couple weeks ago when I got fitted as well. My best combination of spin, dispersion, launch angle and still maintaining ball speed/carry was with a heavier stiff shaft cut down 1 inch, tipped a half inch - 105 club speed. My fitter analyzed my launch angle, swing path and apex to determine the best shaft for me and the tiny amount of club speed I lost going shorter was more than made up for with better spin and launch angle so that my carry was still better by nearly 10 yards than the longer shaft. I never would’ve been able to come to those conclusions without the proper fitting. Keep up the great work!
The shaft I have in my current driver is absolutely fantastic! But during lockdown boredom I have bought the same shaft but 10 grams lighter. Can't wait to see if it makes a difference!
Good luck!
Out of interest, what was the playing length of the driver with the 1 inch shorter shaft? 44.5?
I play my current driver at 45, half inch shorter than standard but find I strike more toe side very often, very rare from the heel. Tempted to try a 44.5 to see if it helps bring strike more central.
I play a 46" driver only because I hit it constantly in the center and tried shorter shafts but don't hit it in the middle as often. I would like to see smash factor also on your chart
V interesting would have been nice to see a 1" longer shaft... I went into 1" longer in my g400max and my new driver just b4 lockdown both give greater distance with no real dispersion concerns.. we can all smash it left and right with any club 😃
i have been using a three wood shaft in my driver for a couple of years, and it works.
Good to hear
Andy, liked the video but had a question. What was the swing weight difference between the standard length 50g shaft and the 1” shorter 50g shaft?
Interesting results. Great info!
I have used a Reg three wood shaft in my R15 with not much if any loss in distance to the stiff driver shaft. I think I get a more consistent strike with it
This always annoys me !!!!! You do know you should never grip a club at the top of the grip always 1/2 too 1inch from top of grip. Do the test again and see the results cheers 👍
I used to use a 60g x-flex, 43.5” but dispersion was all over. I changed to a 70g, s-flex, 43.5”. 105-108 club speed. Impressive that you can generate 146-147 ball speed with a 96 swing. At 108 I’m only seeing 152. Could that be down to the driver head, or is it my swing?
Another great subject, I cut down my f7 driver and use f8 1 length irons,I also cut down the 8 iron down to wedge to produce a more consistent performing set,I love thr 4 iron hybrid,shorter shafts are the answer.
Anthony Kim used to choke down significantly on his all shots and produced enormous smash factors and distance. I choke down on my driver about 2” and hit longer and straighter than ever. Cutting down the shaft can alter the sw so much so be careful.
Curious...driver shaft length? Been experimenting with doing it. Thanks.
True David, but I found that if it is done to a slightly heavier shaft it should not be an issue, at least that has been my experience. I’m currently gaming a Diamana Ahina 72 stiff cut down to about 44.5, which I initially thought would be way too short and also have an affect on sw (my ss is around 105-108 mph). However I have never hit the ball more consistently, dispersion-wise and distance-wise. Yes, many things are relative here, but again that has been my own personal experience, tbh the best thing to happen to my driving in a long while, but to each their own. Good luck to everyone seeking more fairways and consistent & respectable distance💥🏌️♂️🙌
Choking down alters the swing weight just the same.
Very interesting, I’ve just ordered that exact shaft - 50g, 1” shorter - can’t wait to try it at the weekend.
Did u try that shorter shaft in your fitting Ray?
@@ianchisholm9215 it’s arriving today, going to try it on Saturday.
@@Ardee1312 good luck. Reason I ask is am struggling to get a fitting which has shorter shaft to be sure before purchase
@@ianchisholm9215 Hi Ian, the one I’ve bought is from a demo kit, so they must be around. Perhaps American Golf can help but, if not, your local pro can get one in, I’m sure.
Great video Andy I've never played a driver , as never got on with one . After coming back to golf and finding all the different youtube channels with all the reviews ,info ,lessons I bought a mini driver on the fact that most videos said they where more of a fairway finder being in the shorter bracket. This follows your results of the video the only difference between the two clubs is yours still uses a head you would normally use and a shorter shaft where the mini drivers have a higher loft as well
Really interesting results there Andy. Not what I would have expected. The most interesting was the 1" shorter shaft
Could you please test the short Callaway B21 fairway woods? Up to 7wood.
With a 1 inch shorter shaft you should put extra weight in head to match the swing weight. I was fitted with 60 g Stiff Hzrdus Smoke 1 inch shorter plus 4g extra weight in head.
Andy I'm 6.1" and have used 44.5" in the past but now I'm using 45.5" and honestly i get no difference in dispersion at all. I feel more confident with the longer shaft to be honest
Thats why everyone should test for themselves Darren
@@TheAverageGolfer very true Andy forgot to mention i gamed 65g shafts based on my swing speed and perception but last year got a proper fitting and results increased dramatically by moving to a 50g shaft. Like you said test results don't lie
@@darrenbell6376 Really is interesting how much difference it can make
It’s all down to the individual and his/her swing. The new hot trend is counterbalanced drivers. So the manufacturers put a 40-50 gram shaft in a driver for Seniors and then add weight to the butt of the shaft to counter the head weight. WHAT A CROCK! At 75 and an 11 index, I use a 70 gram Senior flex shaft and hit the ball a descent distance (200-230 yards) and the dispersion is excellent, hitting 12 or 13 fairways out of 14 in a normal round.
Should have used impact tape as well to show strike.
Shorter shaft should give you tighter dispersion I’d think.
Thanx for the data on the Epic driver head as I use the exact one with a regular flex and shaft length and in the beginning sliced a lot till I set the head loft and lie which has made a huge difference. Am still fine tuning my lofts and lies only due to injuries and limitations with my shoulders and left hand wrist. I love the game and the advances technology has made towards golf clubs being adjustable for the average ardent golfer like myself an absolute blessing! Very interested in shortening my grip an inch and see how that goes after watching this demo.
Your 96 mph is average for your age as you get older it drops significantly. At my age down to 85 to 90 at my best in M flex now a little more kick in shaft. Loft 12 degrees, 49 grams probably my last driver for ever, happy with that.
Don't forget to those that think they can trim off 2" off the butt of the driver, it will change the swing weight massively. Get a club builder to do it who can add the necessary weight to the head and keep the 'feel'.
After a LOT of trial and error I keep going back to the KuroKage TiNi 60 gram R for drivers. I've tried it in many heads and it's a great fit for me so far. I only swing 90-95, but hit 9º drivers because I tend to hit the ball high. Lighter/whippier shafts and lighter heads don't work for me with the woods, even though on paper it looks like they "should." (They do work in the irons, though!) The KuroKage produces a nice medium flight. It feels on the firmer side of regular to me, which works just fine. Now I need to get that speed up a tad and work on delivering less loft at impact, too, probably.
Always wondered if the light shaft would give me longer drives.
I swing my driver at similar speeds to you. I use a 40 gram regular shaft. I carry 220 meters! It is how you load the shaft when you swing. I found this shaft by accident after swinging a standard 60 gram stiff. I tried an Epic with a 40 gram senior shaft and bombed it pass all the other shafts. Then after a while I have just changed to a air speeder 40 gram regular to keep the dispersion tighter.
So it would be nice to know what the difference in swing weight was for each combination. I have found that lower swing weight can improve club head speed.
I think you should ask Moncler for sponsorship with them Bennie hats
That’d make me buy one
I've been playing my drivers at 44.5 or 44.75 for years. I hit it much more solidly and just as long on average. I'm a 5 hc and don't see how anyone can control a 46" driver. The pros can't because they are all around 45" or less with a few exceptions. And it doesn't matter if you're tall because I'm 6'2" and have no issue with it.
Very interesting stuff. What about the feeling for the driverhead, was it better with the lighter shaft?
Felt great
Are the shafts low spin or mid spin???
You were on the right track but you should have show the smash factor - this is what normally happens when you go for a slightly shorter shaft
This just proves what I saw in a Wishon video from like 5 years ago. Your swing speed isn't high enough for the shaft flex rating to play as big a part as it might for others.
Also watched an old Doc Griffin fitting video and part of his fitting process was testing different shaft lengths on the driver. His customer had the same results as you saw here.
Very good info and more proof why a proper fitting is so important 👌
Did the shorter shaft feel any better on the swing Andy. And more importantly would you feel more confident with it. Great video mate cheers
Yes I loved it and felt more in control
@@TheAverageGolfer i have just begun your video.
Please take your short driver testing one step further.
Make it three inches shorter and give it to a 18 handicapper.
6 years ago. I cut 3 inches off my G25 and never looked back.
Also. When set to 12 deg. I hit it strait-ish. At 10.5 I spray it right and left.
If pro's only go up to about 46 inches. What makes everyone think a mid to upper handicapper can hit a 45 in constantly.
Please try it at 43 inches.
Thanks
Not only does the shorter shaft give you more control it plays stiffer and much lighter, example I have three shafts for my SLDR 430 a 1 inch short proforce 69g swing weights at c8.8, a kujoh 65g standard length swing weight D0.6 and a speeder 47 g uncut at 1" long swing weights at whopping D3 the heavist shaft being shortest is lightest , thspeeder was outfor the first time today and was producing banana balls, likely to be cut down.
Interestingly, I’ve been struggling with the Rogue sub zero driver. A couple of weeks ago as an experiment, I got an old driver out of the cupboard, TaylorMade Burner with a fujikura 50g stiff shaft. I cut 2 inches off the shaft! I love it, I love the light feeling, I love the confidence the shorter club length gives me but most of all I love the fact that it goes straight almost every time I hit it. Oh, and it doesn’t appear to have lost any distance. I’m now temped to cut 2 inches off the Rogue 🥴
Did you do it? If not, maybe try 1 inch at a time. Would love to hear the results! 👍
@@sixstringsdown1 No I didn’t. I used the shorter driver till I worked out my problem, basically confidence and tempo where my issues. I’ve since switched back to my full length driver and it’s ok(ish). I still use the shortened driver if I’m having a bad day, still works 👍
@@HampshireGary That is why it's called "THE CRUEL GAME"!
Those carry yardages are impressive. My head speed runs 105-107 and top out at maybe 250 carry.
Curious as to what the swing weight is of each of the builds you tested. Would have to believe the shorter shaft swing weight if not reweighed would drop about 6 swing weights.
With my regular Epic driver I had the shaft shortened from the standard 45.25" to 44.5" and I saw no real loss of distance but a big improvement in control. Since then I have definitely improved my swing (sadly still a long way to go) and could probably go back to the longer shaft but we change when it feels so comfortable.
The weight of the shaft is interesting. I play a 62g cut down slightly so probably a 60g shaft in regular with a swing speed at the time (I am working on increasing in speed) of 95-96 mph. The idea of playing a lighter shaft simply wasn't presented as an option when I got my Epic driver some 4 years ago.
Great video. Surprise on the numbers. I'll have to check it out!👍🏌⛳😀
You and me both
Andy, so happy to see your test. I'd like to try the Epic Speed with Project X Smoke IM10 50g shaft cut down to 45".
Perhaps a silly question but can 1” shorter but achieved by choking down? Thank you - great vid.
You should be gripping down the shaft a half to an inch you shouldn’t be gripping it at the top just my opinion
In an un-scientific, miniscule limited data, human interface test, the difference in carry distance is so nominal, there is no real takeaway from this video. I think the only real takeaway is if you want to get fitted for shaft, schedule a fitting with a golf pro. I would say that a fitting is for fine tuning but if you have a flex (Senior, Regular, Stiff, X Stiff) and it matches your swing speed and you still are not hitting fairways, it is probably more about your swing and less about the shaft
You should test the Autoflex
Do you know how much difference in swing weight? Did the shorter shaft feel much lighter? You'd be going from D3 to C7, seems like a big difference!
You have to add weight back to get the swing weight where it was. I used to use lead tape but most drivers now have weights that you can change. Golf works sells replacement weights for most drivers. You can calculate how much weight to add per inch removed in length.
Hi Andy. How exactly do you measure shaft length?
Reduced by 1 inch driver, 1/2 inch 3W & 5 W my Ping 400 ……distance + , more fairways , close dispersion.
Anyone gone down to 43.5? Or 43"?
Andy I'd like to see you do the same test with the Epic Max SL. That's My Golf Spy's most wanted driver. But I went with a light shaft and 1" shorter last year with a mavrik standard.
I will do this
Andy if you say it’s straight down the middle - down the middle it is. It would be interesting to see if you were putting a draw or fade on them ! I have gone to a 50g stiff shaft from a 70 and got a big improvement.
Yes we will see that shot shape soon
Interestingly, the shorter shaft produced 20% less spin than the 50g Reg and 26% less spin than the light flex shaft with similar dispersion.
Great review, Andy - I had a Callaway Fusion Big Bertha driver that has a shorter shaft and surprised how more accurate it was, but didn't see any distance gains. Agree what you say - try different options at a fitting!
Average Tour player driver is inch shorter than 45.5 - 46 shafts.
That was true even a few years ago but it's changing quickly. The average tour driver length is now up to 45" and some guys are as high as 46". They can still hit the middle of the face at that length.
The benefit in going shorter for amateurs is strike consistency. Also weaker golfers need a lighter swingweight than standard driver head weights offer so going shorter is an easy way to get there.
Very interesting Andy .. what was the length of the shorter shaft ?
Not surprised at all. I dropped my Driver to 43" 2 years ago. Way easier to keep on line. I'd gladly give up 10 yds for accuracy. But I didn't.
I'm thinking of this. Did you add lead tape to head? I know a lot of pga tour players have played 44 - 44.5".
@@stuboy13 Nope............ Gaming a Ping G400 Driver, 3 Wood, 5 Wood. Pretty happy with weight/feel.
Awesome! I mean it works for Rickie Fowler! I'll try it out when the golf clubs open up
@@phildiegidio4658 did you also go shorter than normal in your 3 wood and 5 woods as well ?
@@GOLFADDICT65 I did. 3 wood is 42”, and 5 wood is 41”.
They always say use the longest shaft possible that you can hit solid. That might be 46 inches....that could 42 inches.
Great video as always. How tall are you?
Love your show but standard means nothing anymore and flex means nothing anymore most people are going by CPM and length of shaft
Definitely something to look at when I go for a fitting maybe the shorter length would suit me, as always a great video
"No skippin' to the end either." LOL. Hilarious.
Please include the Hazardous label of the two 50 gram R shafts ( standard and 1” shorter).
Interesting results Andy. Food for thought. Thanks.
Just shows you buddy 🙏
Sure does
@@TheAverageGolfer we were told if you add length on your shaft your supposed to hit it further ho hum ,thanks 🙏
Middling it more often by using a shorter shaft probably more benefit to average golfers than (possible) ball speed gain from the longer shafts fitted as standard by most manufacturers these days. Good video Andy!
Your spot on
Great video Andy,I put full trust in my club fitter,and shafts turn out to b spot on👍🏌️⛳
Nice to have a good custom fitter Mark