Instruction
Use caution when “Lofting Up”
By now, most golfers have forgotten the sound and feel of a wooden driver against a balata ball, not to mention how small the original metalwood drivers were compared to today’s multi-material, adjustable behemoths.
It’s funny, but when I ask my students what they remember about their old metal drivers they always talk about how little loft they had. I too remember that when I could “hit” the 7-degree Burner Driver from TaylorMade I thought I had reached the pinnacle of golfdom. Today, I don’t think I could even make contact with that low of a loft anymore, not to mention hit a fairway with it! I like the bigger club heads, no doubt.
Of course back then, golf balls tended to spin much more than they do today, and the center of gravity was located much higher in the head than it is on today’s drivers. That necessitated the super low lofts, but now all that has changed.
This summer, TaylorMade came out with a super low-spinning driver, the SLDR, which has changed the driving game for the masses. And later this week, Callaway will release its low-spin driver head for 2014, the Big Bertha Alpha. I’m not discounting the technology from any other manufacturers, but these two models are proving to be the two of the lowest-spinning heads on the market. And I’ve found that low-spin drivers can be advantageous for many golfers.
TaylorMade in particular is preaching that golfers should “Loft Up” with its SLDR driver, and has launch marketing campaigns that show that said professional used to use “x loft” but now uses much more with the SLDR and now hits it farther. The campaigns go on to say that if golfers don’t create enough spin to keep the ball in the air for the proper amount of time, they must increase their launch angle through loft to gain yardage. The lack of spin with these drivers coupled with the added height will also cause the ball to run more when it hits the ground, because the lack of backspin will stop the ball from climbing too much into the air and landing too vertically.
While all this is 100 percent true, there is one thing that golfers MUST control, or “lofting up” will not help them as much as it does other people. In fact, it might even cost golfers some yardage if they do not pay attention to the facts below.
The mark above is one that is too low on the face. Most of the ball is below the center line of the driver, which will cause the following things to happen with the launch monitor numbers below.
- The ball will tend to launch too low: 13.6 degrees for this ball speed.
- This low impact point causes the ball to have too much backspin: 3133 rpm in this case.
- The added loft with increased backspin will cause the ball to “climb” too much to its apex. See the bell curve look from launch to apex?
- It’s not the 96.7 feet height that is the problem. It’s the fact that the ball started low and “spun” up to its peak height.
- This added height will cause the ball to fall out of the air too vertically, landing with an angle of descent above 40 degrees. That decreases roll.
So, for golfers who tend to hit the ball low on the face consistently, adding loft creates more backspin and a steeper landing angle. That will reduce roll upon landing and they will NOT hit the ball as far as they’d like. The key for them is to alter their vertical impact so the higher lofted driver can perform more optimally!
Here you can see the old mark on the lower portion of the face and the new sample one I hit on the upper portion of the face a touch above the center line. When golfers hit the ball high in the vertical part of the face, they will see that the ball has less spin, more height and will have a shallower landing angle. Let’s check out the launch monitor numbers on this shot vs the previous one shown earlier.
- This shot has less spin: 2395 rpm.
- This shot launched higher off the face of the driver and thus had a higher overall height.
- This ball’s landing angle was a touch high at 43 degrees — not bad, but under 40 would be more optimal — due to a touch more spin than I’d like. But I did still get 19 yards of roll.
- A 260 carry will work for this clubhead speed, but optimal launch/spin conditions could equate to 266 carry and 299 overall if the spin was down a touch and the angle of attack was a touch higher.
So, when you hit the ball higher on the face with your driver you’ll get added launch, more overall height, lower spin, greater carry and a shallower angle of descent. That all equates to MORE distance, period! That’s why I like low spin drivers, provided golfers hit them on the right part of the face.
The LPGA Tour is kicking off its 2026 season this week at Lake Nona Golf and Country Club in Orlando, and the pros are dealing with something most Florida golfers rarely face: freezing temperatures.
“It’s colder here than in the UK at the minute, which is a first,” said England’s Charley Hull during Wednesday’s media day at the Hilton Grand Vacations Tournament of Champions.
Even Lydia Ko, who lives at Lake Nona, seemed surprised by the cold snap. “We’re pretty much getting to below zero in celsius here, which maybe in other parts of the country they would be thankful, but when you’re in Florida it is a little bit of a surprise,” she said.
If the world’s best players are adjusting their games for cold weather, recreational golfers should, too. Here’s how to play smart when the mercury drops.
Understand What Cold Does to Your Game
Before you change anything, you need to know what you’re fighting against. Cold air is denser than warm air, which means your ball won’t fly as far. Period.
Hull noticed this immediately during practice rounds at Lake Nona. She mentioned hitting a gap wedge into the 18th hole during a previous win but needing a 4-iron during Tuesday’s practice round. That’s a difference of four or five clubs for the same shot.
Action item: Expect to lose 5-10 yards on every club in your bag when temperatures dip below 50 degrees. Plan accordingly and don’t be stubborn about club selection.
Layer Up Without Restricting Your Swing
Hull admitted she wore three pairs of pants during practice. While that might be extreme for most of us, staying warm is critical to playing well in cold conditions.
Your muscles need warmth to function properly. When you’re cold, your body tightens up and your swing gets shorter and faster. Neither of those things help you hit good golf shots.
Action item: Wear multiple thin layers instead of one bulky jacket. Look for golf-specific cold weather gear that stretches with your swing. Keep hand warmers in your pockets between shots. And don’t forget a good hat because you lose significant body heat through your head.
Take More Club Than You Think You Need
This is where ego gets in the way of good scores. When it’s cold, the ball doesn’t compress as well off the clubface. Combined with denser air, you’re looking at serious distance loss.
The pros at Lake Nona are dealing with a course that measures 6,642 yards but plays much longer this week. If they’re adjusting, you should too.
Action item: Take at least one extra club on every approach shot. In temperatures below 40 degrees, consider taking two extra clubs. It’s better to fly the ball to the back of the green than to come up short in a bunker.
Adjust Your Expectations on the Greens
Cold weather affects putting in ways most golfers don’t consider. The ball is harder and doesn’t roll as smoothly. Your hands are cold, making it harder to feel the putter. And if there’s any moisture on the greens, they’ll be slower than normal.
Ko mentioned that she still sometimes reads the greens wrong at Lake Nona despite being a member for years. Cold weather makes that challenge even tougher.
Action item: Hit putts more firmly than usual. The ball needs extra speed to hold its line on cold greens. Take a few extra practice strokes to get a feel for the speed before you putt.
Embrace the Mental Challenge
Hull said something interesting about cold weather golf: “I like the mental toughness of it.”
That’s the right attitude. Everyone on the course is dealing with the same conditions. The player who stays patient and doesn’t get frustrated by the extra difficulty will come out ahead.
Action item: Lower your expectations by a few strokes. If you normally shoot 85, accept that 90 might be a good score in 40-degree weather. Focus on solid contact and smart decisions rather than perfect shots.
Warm Up Longer and Smarter
This might be the most important tip of all. Cold muscles are tight muscles, and tight muscles get injured easily.
World No. 1 Jeeno Thitikul revealed she’s been protecting a wrist injury that bothered her late last season. Cold weather makes those kinds of injuries more likely if you don’t prepare properly.
Action item: Spend at least 20 minutes warming up before your round. Start with stretching, then hit easy wedge shots before working up to your driver. Keep moving between shots on the course to maintain body heat and flexibility.
The pros at Lake Nona this week will adapt and compete at the highest level despite the cold. You can do the same at your local course by following these tips and keeping a positive attitude.
PGA Professional Brendon Elliott is an award-winning coach and golf writer. You can check out his writing work and learn more about him by visiting BEAGOLFER.golf and OneMoreRollGolf.com. Also, check out “Playing Through” now on R.org, RG.org’s partner site, each Monday.
Editor’s note: Brendon shares his nearly 30 years of experience in the game with GolfWRX readers through his ongoing tip series. He looks forward to providing valuable insights and advice to help golfers improve their game. Stay tuned for more tips!
Brooks Koepka is back on the PGA Tour, and whether you love him or hate him, the guy knows how to win when it matters. After his LIV Golf stint, the five-time major champion returns this week at the Farmers Insurance Open.
What makes Koepka fascinating? He doesn’t fit the mold. His swing isn’t textbook. He doesn’t obsess over mechanics. Yet he’s won three PGA Championships and two U.S. Opens, regularly making it look easier than guys with prettier swings.
So, what can average golfers learn from someone who treats the game so differently? Quite a bit.
Stop Overthinking Every Shot
Koepka describes his approach as “reactionary” rather than mechanical. While most tour pros grind over swing thoughts, Brooks sees the target and hits it. No mental checklist.
This might be the most valuable lesson for weekend golfers who’ve watched too many YouTube swing videos.
How to actually do this:
On the range, hit five balls where you stare at the target for three seconds prior to addressing the ball. Don’t think about grip or stance. Just burn that target into your brain. You’ll be shocked at how pure you hit it when your brain focuses on where the ball is going instead of how you’re swinging.
Next time you play, give yourself a rule: Once you pull the club, you’ve got 15 seconds to hit. Koepka is one of the fastest players on tour because he doesn’t give his brain time to sabotage him.
If you feel tension in your hands at address, you’re trying to control too much. Koepka’s grip pressure is famously light. Loosen up until the club almost feels like it might slip, then add just enough pressure to hold on. That’s your swing thought: soft hands, see the target.
This approach works better under pressure. When you’re standing over that shot with water left and OB right, the last thing you need is a mental checklist. See it, feel it, hit it.
Play to Your Strengths (Even If They’re Not Pretty)
Koepka uses a strong grip that wouldn’t pass muster in some teaching circles. But he’s built his game around what works for him, elite driving distance and recovery skills. He doesn’t try to be someone he’s not.
Here’s how to build your game like Brooks:
Look at your last five rounds and figure out where you’re actually gaining strokes. Bombing it off the tee, but can’t hit greens? Lean into it. Play courses where distance matters more than precision. On tight holes, grip down on your 3-wood instead of trying to thread a driver through a keyhole you’ll miss seven times out of ten.
Koepka knows he can scramble, so he’s not afraid to miss greens. If you’re deadly from 50 to 75 yards, start leaving yourself those distances on the par 5’s instead of going for them in two every time.
Know when to take your medicine. Koepka in the trees at the PGA? He’s punching out to 100 yards, not trying to bend a 6-iron around three oaks. You’re in the rough with a flyer lie and water short? Hit your 8-iron to the middle and move on. That’s not playing scared, that’s playing smart.
Save Your Best for When It Counts
Here’s a wild stat: Koepka’s putting average in majors is often more than a full stroke better per round than in regular events. He elevates when pressure is highest.
How does an amateur tap into that gear? It’s not about trying harder, it’s about caring differently.
Here’s what actually works:
Decide which rounds matter to you. Club championship? Member-guest? That annual trip with college buddies? Circle those dates and treat them differently. Koepka doesn’t care much about regular tour events, but majors? That’s when he locks in.
Two weeks before your big round, change your practice. Stop beating balls mindlessly. Play nine holes in which every shot has consequences. Miss the fairway? Hit from the rough on the next hole too. Three-putt? Twenty push-ups. Koepka’s practice intensity ramps up before majors because he’s rehearsing pressure, not just swings.
Develop a between-shot routine that resets your brain. Koepka is famous for his blank expression after bad shots. Try this: After any shot, take three deep breaths while walking, then find something specific to notice, a tree, a cloud, someone’s shirt. That’s your reset button. By the time you reach your ball, the last shot is gone.
The Bottom Line
Brooks Koepka’s return reminds us there’s no single path to success in golf. His “substance over style” approach proves that results matter more than looking good.
You don’t need a perfect swing; you need a reliable one that holds up under pressure. You don’t need to hit every shot in the book; you need the shots you can count on. And you don’t need to play great every time; you need to play great when it matters.
Welcome back, Brooks. Thanks for the reminder that golf is ultimately about getting the ball in the hole, not winning style points.
PGA Professional Brendon Elliott is an award-winning coach and golf writer. You can check out his writing work and learn more about him by visiting BEAGOLFER.golf and OneMoreRollGolf.com. Also, check out “Playing Through” now on R.org, RG.org’s partner site, each Monday.
Editor’s note: Brendon shares his nearly 30 years of experience in the game with GolfWRX readers through his ongoing tip series. He looks forward to providing valuable insights and advice to help golfers improve their game. Stay tuned for more tips!
Blades Brown made a big impression last week in the California desert, and not just because he’s only 18. He put up numbers that would catch any weekend golfer’s attention. Most of us won’t hit 317-yard drives or find 86% of our greens in regulation, but there’s a lot to learn from how Brown managed his game at The American Express.
Here are three practical lessons from his performance that you can use on your own course this weekend.
Step 1: Give Priority to Accuracy Over Distance Off The Tee
Brown’s driving stats are impressive. He averaged almost 318 yards off the tee, ranking 12th in the field. More importantly, he hit 76.79% of his fairways, tying for fourth place in the tournament.
Think about that ratio for a second. Brown could have swung harder, chased more distance and tried to overpower the course. Instead, he played smart golf and kept his ball in play.
Your Action Item: Next time you’re on the tee box, ask yourself a simple question before pulling the driver. Do you need maximum distance here, or do you need to be in the fairway? If there’s trouble lurking or the hole doesn’t demand every yard you can muster, take something off your swing. Grip down an inch. Make a three-quarter swing. Do whatever it takes to find the short grass. Brown’s approach illustrates that fairways lead to greens, and greens lead to birdies. He made 22 of them last week, along with an eagle.
The math is simple. When you’re hitting three out of every four fairways like Brown did, you’re giving yourself legitimate looks at the green with your approach shots. That’s when scoring happens.
Step 2: Commit To Hitting More Greens
This is where Brown really separated himself. He hit 62 of 72 greens in regulation, an 86.11% clip that tied for first in the entire field. Read that again. An 18-year-old kid tied for the lead in one of the most important ball-striking statistics in professional golf.
How did he do it? By keeping his ball in the fairway (see Step 1) and giving himself clean looks with mid-irons and wedges.
Your Action Item: Start tracking your greens in regulation. You don’t need a fancy app or a statistics degree. Just mark down whether you hit the green in the regulation number of strokes. Par 3s in one shot. Par 4s in two shots. Par 5s in three shots.
Once you know your baseline, set a goal to improve it by 10%. If you’re currently hitting five greens per round, aim for six. The beauty of this approach is that it forces you to think strategically about club selection and shot shape. Brown’s strokes gained approach number was positive (0.179), meaning he was better than the field average. You don’t need to be perfect. You just need to be on the dance floor more often.
When you hit more greens, you eliminate the need for heroic short game shots. Brown only had to scramble 10 times all week, and he got up and down 70% of the time. That’s solid, but the real story is that he rarely put himself in scrambling situations to begin with.
Step 3: Minimize Mistakes And Stay Patient
Here’s the stat that jumps off the page: Brown made only three bogeys all week. Three. In four rounds of professional golf against the best players in the world.
He also made just one double bogey. That kind of clean card doesn’t happen by accident. It happens when you play within yourself, avoid the big miss and trust that pars are never bad scores.
Your Action Item: Before your next round, decide that you’re going to play boring golf. No hero shots over water. No driver on tight holes just because you can. No aggressive pins when there’s a safe side of the green.
Brown’s performance shows us that consistency beats flash every single time. He didn’t lead the field in any single strokes gained category, but he was solid across the board. That’s how you post numbers and cash checks.
Give these three steps a try. Your scorecard will thank you.
PGA Professional Brendon Elliott is an award-winning coach and golf writer. You can check out his writing work and learn more about him by visiting BEAGOLFER.golf and OneMoreRollGolf.com. Also, check out “The Starter” now on R.org, RG.org’s partner site, each Monday.
Editor’s note: Brendon shares his nearly 30 years of experience in the game with GolfWRX readers through his ongoing tip series. He looks forward to providing valuable insights and advice to help golfers improve their game. Stay tuned for more tips!
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Jimk
Jul 9, 2014 at 5:23 am
Just so that people are aware, the tour pro with the most efficient Driver distance is Bud Cauley. He is a shortish guy with around 110mph swing speed. He has the 3rd best carry efficiency and the best total distance on tour, relative to his Clubhead speed. Bud uses a Titleist 910 D2 with 7.5 degrees of loft. He simply hits up on the ball more than most pros and is fairly accurate as he can shape the ball consistently well. Finished 4th recently as well at the Greenbrier Classic. The most important factor in any Driver is finding the fairway. Hogan once went 70 holes without missing a fairway, using a driver that appeared to have almost no loft on it, very heavy and very stiff. It wasn’t uncommon for him to hit every fairway and every green in regulation…amazing, considering that he was a long hitter for his time. Fairways and scoring is what matters most. Find a driver that finds the most fairways and you will shoot your best results. I wouldn’t like to try hitting a draw with a driver that is maxed out at 1700/17 for straight shots, the ball would fall out of the sky far too soon with numbers more like 1300/13. I have tried, tested and played many different drivers over the years and these experiences has taught me to find a driver that I hit fairly straight, lose minimal distance when I try to fade the ball or draw the ball, and it looks and sounds good. Sound for me is massive. When you find a driver with the correct loft (for you) where distance loss is minimal when shaping the ball left or right, then that club is maxed out for your swing. Different drivers have different lofts that work best for me. Only someone like Moe Norman can hit a driver straight every time, so find a driver that you can shape the ball into the fairway and stick with it. A good Driver is like a good partner, find one that gives you the least drama, least amount peaks and valleys in your life, sounds and looks good, and stick with it 🙂
1badbadger
May 7, 2014 at 10:27 am
Guys, look past the difference in swing speed for a moment and don’t focus on the distances…pretend that those numbers aren’t even there. When looking at launch data, there are many numbers, and I’m not saying they’re not important, but some are more important than others. The one that can affect your trajectory and results the most is the backspin rates. Sure, it’s good to have an ideal launch angle and smash factor, but those things won’t make up for too much or not enough spin. Spin trumps everything, and Tom showed how much difference there is in spin between hitting the ball in the proper spot vs. slightly low. I think it’s eye opening. My misses are almost always low on the clubface…I rarely catch one too high on the face, so this catches my attention. Many players would look at that first impact mark and consider it perfect…it’s right in the middle of the club! But knowing how much the spin can spike is important. When spin gets 500, 800, 1000 rpms higher than ideal, it will cause your ball flight to be inefficient and there is a loss in performance. Sometimes it’s not as noticeable as others (windy conditions tends to magnify it for example) but it has an effect. The thing to take away from this example is how much the spin can increase if impact is slightly low…just think how much it would be if impact was another groove or two lower!
Neil
Apr 29, 2014 at 8:47 pm
Nicely written. However, I get from the article that you believe the second shot went further because of a more center hit. The spin was definitely lower because you hit it in the center of the club face instead of on the bottom. However, your club head speed on shot #2 was 10 mph more than shot #1. This is the number one reason your shot went further. 10MPH club head speed difference is huge.
Scott
Apr 30, 2014 at 12:23 pm
Hey, Let’s not let facts get in the way of the results. How about adding onto the article for people that hit the ball all over the club face that the ball will fall out of the sky with the lower spin drivers? In all that I have read and experienced, lower spin will equal lower distance for a number of players.
Nick
Mar 3, 2014 at 10:56 pm
Optimal launch conditions are created when the CG of the ball impacts the face above the CG of the driver. From a physics perspective, the CG projects through the face at a point that is perpendicular to the actual CG of the driver.
Low/forward CG drivers are, in fact, more forgiving in terms of ball speed, launch angle and spin rates because the CG projects lower in the face than back of high CG drivers. In layman’s terms, a greater percentage of the club face on a low/forward CG driver will produce high launch/low spin characteristics than a traditional back or high CG driver.
Kev
Mar 1, 2014 at 4:55 pm
Thanks for doing this! I would love it if the manufacturers would have a template for their drivers with the robot data. Obviously they have it.
Have data for various swing speeds, and as you point out its importance- data for impact on various points on the face, including high middle and low center, toe, heel, etc. They could also publish for their stock shaft and an alternate shaft. Would make life a lot easier.
But in the interim, what you are suggesting here is a simple test we can all try with our drivers and a launch monitor- with face tape, hit with about the same swing speed while teeing it high middle and low.
I see the swing speed disparity as an issue. It’d be great to see the same swing as best as you can, even +/- 3mph. 10mph is a big difference and 106mph is great, btw! In reality, if you have the control to hit the face low, center and high at say 90, 95, 100, and 105 and wouldn’t mind posting those pix and data, you would, in addition to settling the matter once and for all re: spin, perhaps also win the Pulitzer prize for outstanding golf journalism (should they ever offer one, one day.) 😉
Willy
Feb 13, 2014 at 2:14 pm
Instead of picking the artical apart you should take notice of this! Go hit 10 putts out of different places on the face and see the difference the ball travels.. Exactly the same principal
Shallowface
Feb 13, 2014 at 1:49 pm
I never did that Tom. I’ve been reading your writings here and elsewhere for years and have always appreciated them.
I simply asked for more examples, and am looking forward to seeing them.
Being called a troll (not by you) for asking a question is pretty aggravating too.
Tom Stickney
Feb 13, 2014 at 9:59 am
Also….if your need is only carry distance I would stay away from lower spinning drivers such as the sldr or alpha.
Shallowface
Feb 13, 2014 at 2:00 pm
What little time I’ve gotten to spend on launch monitors shows I have too much spin (often approaching 4000). Too downward of an AoA.
But, I’m able to make the adjustment of hitting up on it and it hasn’t made any difference.
Thinking about trying something in the 11-13 range with an X flex. I’ve seen some success stories with this combo, even with people that didn’t have the clubhead speed one would normally associate with an X. It’s about the only thing I haven’t tried.
Trouble with me, it’s gotta be a cheap experiment. 🙂
Nick
Mar 3, 2014 at 10:42 pm
If you struggle with a negative angle of attack, you probably have a out-to-in path as well. Try a shorter, heavier shaft.
You can test this at your local golf shop. Put a fairway wood shaft in a driver and see if your launch monitor numbers improve. If they do, then cut your driver down to something in the 44-44.5″ range. It will improve your distance and consistency.
Rob
Feb 12, 2014 at 2:38 pm
Thank you, all information if liked.
But, don’t buy into the trolls.
Just keep giving the info.
How about the numbers from the small old driver in the pix and the
beginning?
tom stickney
Feb 12, 2014 at 3:16 pm
Thanks…found that photo on the net. Wish I had it to compare…would be fun. Just need a better player to hit it other than me! 🙂
tom stickney
Feb 12, 2014 at 12:36 pm
I’m pointing out the facts of impact location that pertain to ANY clubhead speed. I will be putting up two similar swing speeds to show you the same things happen for anyone that doubts this process.
In the future please do not suggest that I lack credibility because you are 100% off-base! I do these article for FREE for you to read in order to better educate the golfwrx.com readers. I don’t have to spend my valuable time writing, but I choose to so that YOU can be a better golfer.
Martin
Feb 12, 2014 at 7:02 pm
If you put your words out there on a subject a lot of people have opinions about I guess you will always risk being criticised 🙂 I should know. I have been a journalist for 20 years now…
David McCuiston
Feb 12, 2014 at 1:09 am
I’ve read that in the past that Taylor Made consumer model drivers loft were under reported to help golfers get away from too low of lofted drivers.
Do we know if the SLDR drivers are more accurately labeled loft wise? The loft up campaign seems like the might get away from understating the loft. Perhaps they have to get people used to the idea first. The correct launch angle is more important I guess, than what the actual loft is.
Tom Stickney
Feb 12, 2014 at 8:24 am
That I don’t know but I will say that if you want to buy a new driver take a few heads to your local repair shop to see what the actual loft is so you can compare apples to apples
Jeff
Apr 29, 2014 at 3:15 am
Where would you recommend getting actual lofts checked on driver heads in palm desert? Would the pga superstore or Golfsmith be able to do it or would you be able to recommend someone. Also I read an article by Bronson Wright, a club fitter out of Orange County, and apparently they also check COR on the driver faces as some come several points shy of the limit. I haven’t heard of anyone doing this in palm desert but I’d be interested to check to see how big the cor dispersion is.
Lee
Apr 30, 2014 at 2:35 pm
There are some great video’s on youtube from the TM Tour van where they open a draw and there are all the heads – hand selected, measured 8.1, 7.9, 8.2…. .5/1 closed, open etc. This is what the pro’s get surely in 2014 our $/£ is good enough to get the same service?
Shallowface
Feb 11, 2014 at 7:01 am
In Example 1:
231.8/96.0=2.41
248.9/96.0=2.59
In Example 2:
260.2/106.2=2.45
279.2/106.2=2.63
Not saying that the idea in this article isn’t valid, but the two examples offered don’t prove it. The distance differences are almost entirely due to the clubhead speed.
Love that old Burner driver! Hard to believe, but a lot of us played pretty darn well with that tiny clubhead.
Tom Stickney
Feb 11, 2014 at 10:08 am
Will be adding examples that are closer in speed soon.
KK-DBAG
Feb 12, 2014 at 6:53 pm
The club speed is irrelevant in the samples shown. I believe tom is trying to show that where the ball makes contact on face drastically changes ball flight pattern due to the high loft/ more spin if struck low on face. Regardless of SS, where the ball comes off the face can totally change spin characteristics (more or less RPM’s) and in turn changes shape of how the ball climbs and how it falls….appreciate the analysis Tom
kev
Feb 10, 2014 at 11:11 pm
word of caution when trying to hit higher on the clubface of a driver…..you will fracture the face on the upper edge.
Tom Stickney
Feb 11, 2014 at 12:44 am
I wish I had enough power to have that happen! Ha. Agree. Try to keep the entire ball just under the crown of the driver.
Andrew
Feb 10, 2014 at 10:56 pm
While I agree with the premise that overlofting the club will most definitely create problems if the player is not impacting the ball properly, those two swings have a swing speed difference of 10 mph. That isn’t just simple swing-to-swing variation either. That is the major factor in creating those distance numbers you used.
Tom Stickney
Feb 11, 2014 at 12:45 am
These were two sample swings showing the usual issues with improper vs proper impact points.
MJ
Feb 10, 2014 at 9:48 pm
The SLDR is a great driver. The technology is very cool to me as I am an engineer and this stuff interests me. I got my 9.5 a few months ago. I went to the range and found that I was hitting it pretty solid by leaving it on std and 1 tick towards draw. I went over to see my buddy who has a good launch monitor (a CG) to test it on. By the time we finished, I had dramatically lowered my spin and raised my launch. We got relatively close to the 17/1700 (couldn’t get the launch up enough). Some minor swing adjustments could help this. I ended up on higher and one tick from all the way at fade! So I am hitting an 11 degree driver. I am a +3 and like the article says I have always hit low lofted drivers. I had an 8 degree R11S last year that was turned down to 7 degrees. I increased my distance a decent amount (not dramatically) but my accuracy really improved.
I was thinking that I was going to balloon this thing on the course but that was not even close to the case. I hit 71% of the fws the first day out. I am going to get it looked at next week by a guy with a Trackman to see if my descent angle is okay as well as other variables.
By the way, I am also going to get that new Alpha driver. It is great! I hit it the other day and liked the way it felt. I will compare the two and see.
Tom Stickney
Feb 11, 2014 at 12:46 am
Can’t go wrong with either one…
Martin
Feb 10, 2014 at 7:29 pm
Nice add for the SLDR driver! 🙂 I bet you wont put a SLDR with any of the crappy stock shafts TM offers in your bag!? Of course its nice to see a straight drive roll down the fairway, but I prefer to work the ball with my driver, more spin helps me control the shot better, and if I dont try to hit it as hard as I can everytime, I get the amount of spin i prefer: longer carry, less roll and the ball have a better chance staying in the fairway and I can still reach the greens. This talk about added length from the tee makes the golf equipment companys go nuts about finding balls that spins less and drivers and fairwaywoods that decreases spin. This trend wont help recreational golfers play better. It hasnt so far! And I am running out of great spinning and soft golf balls like older Pro V1s.It is really annoying…
Tom Stickney
Feb 10, 2014 at 8:37 pm
There are new softer spinny balls coming out as I type…very low compression ones you might like.
Recreational golfers are not gaining the benefits of the low spinning drivers bc they cannot control their impact points.
David McCuiston
Feb 12, 2014 at 12:58 am
I’ve noticed the large drivers tend to feel the same across the face. Probably due to having better spring effect all the way across. The older smaller Tour Burner drivers made it easier to tell when you hit the sweet spot.
I tend to hit all over the face with the large face drivers to a degree, it seems this may be due to feedback feel? What’s to be done, practice more with impact tape or talcum powder on the face?
Is it possible it is harder to hit the sweet spot on larger drivers?
Daniel R
Feb 10, 2014 at 6:15 pm
In the first example the club path is -6.7, this is not only an indicator of an over the top move, but an EXTREME over the top move. The second example has an club path that indicates the club came from the inside properly. Coming over the top leads to slicing, ballooning and a much higher spin rate. These two swings are a stretch for comparisons sake.
tom stickney
Feb 10, 2014 at 7:24 pm
Coming over the top can also lead to low darting hooks as well which might have little spin
luke keefner
Feb 10, 2014 at 5:58 pm
I live in the northeast, it never stops raining so roll doesn’t even come into the equation. Doesn’t spin keep the ball in the air longer and allow the ball to carry farther? My club head speed is around 100mph and I have to dig my ball out of the sloppy fairways. This is all a moot point for me. Winter will never end here…
tom stickney
Feb 10, 2014 at 7:25 pm
If conditions suggest all carry then, yes, you need a touch more spin to keep the ball in the air longer with all things being equal.
NG
Feb 10, 2014 at 4:37 pm
SLDR is the best driver on the market, period. I was using 8.5 and now I’m using 10*. I consistently miss it low on the face which is why I decided to purchase SLDR because it spins less and impacts low on the face spin more. If you strike it low on the face I’d encourage all golfers to purchase an SLDR!LOFT UP IS THE REAL DEAL!
tom stickney
Feb 10, 2014 at 5:21 pm
NG…I’d have to agree 100%. I have not tested the alpha from callaway so I’ll be interested to see how it does compared to the sldr. But anything that reduces spin for the higher ball speed player is a wonderful thing.
NG
Feb 12, 2014 at 4:34 am
Like it Tom!
Paul
Feb 10, 2014 at 6:16 pm
Isn’t this the opposite of what the article just explained? Lower on the face produces more spin, right?
NG
Feb 12, 2014 at 4:33 am
Correct Paul, however SLDR is the lowest spinning driver on the market from any spot on the face. Therefore Sldr will reduce spin on miss hits making it more efficient and essentially complimenting a negative aspect of impacts low on the face…
Scott
Feb 10, 2014 at 3:05 pm
How much lower spin are these clubheads actually?? Does anyone have real numbers and real comparisons? It doesn’t appear to me that anyone on tour is hitting it any longer with these heads than before.
hebron1427
Feb 10, 2014 at 5:09 pm
I hit an R1 and SLDR with the same shaft, same swing speed (within a few MPH). Ball speed was 165 with the R1 and 169 with the SLDR. Launch angle was 13-ish with both. carry distances were the same, but R1 spin was 3700 RPM and SLDR was 2650. Obviously, the total distance was dramatically different.
tom stickney
Feb 10, 2014 at 5:20 pm
Scott–
They are hitting the ball longer with less effort which tightens their dispersion patterns and makes the drivers worth their weight in gold.
Micah
Feb 10, 2014 at 1:40 pm
So your student miss hit the ball but got a Smash Factor of 1.51? I would agree that his spin was way too high but it seems in my limited knowledge that the spin would have more to do with the difference in attack angle or dynamic loft. The student’s landing angle was also better.
I would really like to see more data. It would elucidate your point much better if you had your student correct the impact point on the face and you also hit shots yourself that were high on the face, in the proper spot, and low on the face and showed those numbers.
With the limited data provided I’m not sold on your argument but I’m intrigued by your thesis. I hope you don’t feel like I’m trolling, I enjoy your writing, I just want more information.
tom stickney
Feb 10, 2014 at 2:03 pm
Smash factor isn’t an accurate indicator of compression. You can snap hook it and get a sf of 1.52 at times. Hopefully you could spend a few minutes on a launch monitor with some dr sholl’s and you’ll better understand the launch/spin issue. I’ll try to publish some shots with me hitting lower on the face, it’s just a timing thing with my schedule etc. 🙂
Conrad
Feb 10, 2014 at 2:39 pm
cant you get a Sf of 1.55 if you hit it off the toes. as the toe is swinging its adding speed?
snow52
Feb 12, 2014 at 1:35 pm
Tom – can you comment on the smash factor of the first example? I thought the maximum SF was 1.50. Thanks for your great articles.
Martin
Feb 10, 2014 at 1:00 pm
Would have been a better demonstration of the concept with more similar swings.
tom stickney
Feb 10, 2014 at 2:03 pm
Will try to hit more shots and upload…thanks
tom stickney
Feb 10, 2014 at 12:55 pm
teeing it higher and lower can help…you’ll need to experiment.
Mark
Feb 10, 2014 at 12:40 pm
Doesn’t the fact that the 2nd example had 10 mph more clubhead speed make as big of a difference (or more) than the impact spot on the club face? Would like to see this example with same clubhead speed for truer comparison.
tom stickney
Feb 10, 2014 at 12:49 pm
You are correct…this was a student swing versus one I did for comparison. The fact remains that vertical impact is key.
jabrch
Feb 10, 2014 at 12:39 pm
Great explanation Tom! Thanks. Love your work on WRX!
johnleg
Feb 10, 2014 at 12:30 pm
Doesn’t the effect of roll of a curved face somewhat help the effect of higher backspin lower on the face? The roll should, in theory, help de-loft the club on lower than centerface shots.
tom stickney
Feb 10, 2014 at 12:50 pm
Vertical gear effect accounts for the low launch but the high spin is caused by the impact point.
GJR
Feb 10, 2014 at 12:22 pm
Hi Tom,
I just went to a huge local event in the Twin Cities and hit my Ping G20 9.5* Tour Stiff against the SLDR. (Just a quick back ground on me – I’ve been golfing for only 5 years and have never broken 80. I’m a mid 80’s average score.)
Overall the distance was almost exactly the same, but, the SLDR produced lower spin. Apparently I was spinning around 4500 and getting about 283 total distance with my Ping. But with the SLDR my spin was apparently around 2200, same launch angle, but my distance was 280.
I’m not expecting you to dissect my swing, but my driver club head speed is 105 average (103-107). The Taylor Made rep was telling me that the lower spin was much better for me and while he wasn’t pressuring me at all to buy the driver, he was obviously trying to get me to understand that it was a better performing driver for me.
I’m still trying to understand things like launch angle, spin rate, etc, and how that correlates to my swing. I’m mainly self taught and when I’m at the range I just go by feel and ball flight.
This is a very long winded way of asking – Why would I want to consider switching? Don’t I ultimately care about accuracy and distance? If it’s all the same does spin really matter in my case?
tom stickney
Feb 10, 2014 at 12:53 pm
Spin always matters…if you are spinning your ping 4000 rpms you are leaving yardage in the bag! I personally don’t care what driver you play as long as you have optimal launch conditions (within reason) but 4000 is WAY too much. 🙂
GJR
Feb 10, 2014 at 1:10 pm
Thanks TS!
nik dallos
Feb 10, 2014 at 4:59 pm
Was the golf expo this last weekend? Where did they have it?
GJR
Feb 11, 2014 at 10:06 am
Nope, no golf expo. It was a Taylor Made fitting party for a local golf reality show called ‘Hack To Jack’ and I’m trying to get onto the show. It was held at the Minnesota Golf Academy. The actual Twin Cities Golf show is this weekend at the Convention Center. I’ll be there Friday afternoon.
Jon Ryzinski
Feb 10, 2014 at 12:16 pm
Great article Tom!
How does the 17/1700 Taylormade claims to be optimal really stand up? Is that really optimal, or is it’s basis relying on specific factors from the golfer (such as AoA, clubhead speed, etc…).
We hear a lot about the 17/1700, but i’m curious if that is what I should be striving for. Thanks!
tom stickney
Feb 10, 2014 at 12:54 pm
Thank you…17/1700 has been proven by swing robot testing and is starting to be adopted by golfers…only time will tell if this can be done by the masses. If the brains say it’s optimal then I’d say it works, but can YOU make it work? That’s the question that remains to be answered by all of us.
Mike
Feb 10, 2014 at 12:16 pm
Teeing it high should help offset hitting to low on the face?