Sergio Must Be Wrong?

Recently I saw some information in one of the golf magazines saying that Sergio (we all know who he is without saying his last name, right?) has switched from playing a 105 gram shaft in his driver to an 85 gram shaft. The information also noted that the length of his driver is 44 inches.


So I wondered why he would do something so different than the say golf club companies seem to want us to do with our drivers. I mean, does he not know that....

1. Drivers are supposed to be at least 45 to 45-1/2 inches long and maybe longer??

2. Driver shaft weights are supposed to be 65 grams, 55 grams, even down to 45 grams??


If my granddaughter, who is 2 years old, could understand golf clubfitting, she would say to me "Silly Gramps!" She would let me know that the vast majority of PGA tour players do not play the long drivers that are sold in stores. She would let me know that for a number of players heavier shafts feel better, swing better, and produce better results.


If all of the folks on the PGA tour could play longer drivers and control them they would. But they don't. Is there not a message there that is clear?


Recently I redid a driver for a female, cut her shaft length from 45 inches to 43 inches, put in a lightweight soft flex shaft - AND she is hitting the ball 15 yards longer and with more consistent results.


Maybe she talked with Sergio before she came to see me.....


The Fit Is IT!!

Tony

Higher IS Further!!

At the AGCP Roundtable 5, we had the treat of listening to Tom Wishon (Tom Wishon Golf) talk for about 2 hours on things he has learned from working in the golf club business for about 40 years.


He noted his belief that the top 3 factors that have a major influence on driving distance are (in order of importance):

1. Driver loft
2. Driver length
3. Driver MOI/Swingweight


I believe that shaft flex and shaft flex profile are also important in fitting for distance - but I think Tom's point is that the three factors above play the Most important role in obtaining more distance.


The more I have thought about this in the past month, the more I agree with him. I recall one of the best driver fittings that I have ever done, and what I did was put the player into a 13 degree driver with a 43 inch length. This was for a player over 70 years old who I do not think has ever hit his drives 200 yards - but he could with this club.


I also think about what I see from the "big boys" on the PGA Tour. I do not think you ever see drives that are low and boring any more - they all fly high and carry long. All of their drives fly significantly higher than I know my drives do.


But the majority of drivers that we see in stores are still 9.5 degrees, 10 degrees, 10.5 degrees of loft. Maybe good for players who have 100 plus mph swing speed, but most of us are well below that.


Do not be afraid to test 13 and 15 degree drivers - the final results may surprise you!


Tony