Help (Golf Related)

[silverbear]

I nutted a 6 iron shot about a week ago.... I had 205 to the pin, but I was a little worried about hitting a 4 iron into a green (didn't think I could stop it). So I decided to lay up, hit a 6 iron. Since I decided to lay up, I further decided to relax a bit more than usual and take an "easy" shot.

The thing took off like a rocket. I watched it climb, climb, and then climb some more. At the point where it normally stops ascending, it just kept climbing. I couldn't believe it. I watched it land (elevated green, so I couldn't see where if it was on the green or not).....and I flipped over my club to make sure I hit the right club. Sure as ****, I did. 6 iron. I walk up to the hole and my ball was over the green. 215 perhaps.

I went to the driving range with my dad later that night; tried about 50 shots, couldn't replicate it.

You may have gotten what we call a "flier", a ball that gets just the right (wrong) amount of grass between the clubhead and the ball and takes off like a rocket...

Were you hitting from light rough??

That ball stayed in the air forever. Sweetest shot I've ever hit.

As Roy McAvoy said, the tuning fork went off in your loins??

I'll look some of this stuff up.... The Ping rep I talked to when I sent my club in said the same thing: avoid steel, go with graphite....

That's an oversimplification, I think... if you want a bit more distance, the graphite will give it to you... if you have enough distance, but would like to keep it in the fairway a bit more often, steel's your ticket...

The only graphite shafted clubs I have are my driver and my putter, the rest are all the True Temper Dynamic Gold steel, in the S500 flex (just a step below the X flex)...

 

[Vintage]

You may have gotten what we call a "flier", a ball that gets just the right (wrong) amount of grass between the clubhead and the ball and takes off like a rocket...

Were you hitting from light rough??

Fairway. It was right next to the rough though....another 6" and I'd have been in the rough.

That's an oversimplification, I think... if you want a bit more distance, the graphite will give it to you... if you have enough distance, but would like to keep it in the fairway a bit more often, steel's your ticket...

The only graphite shafted clubs I have are my driver and my putter, the rest are all the True Temper Dynamic Gold steel, in the S500 flex (just a step below the X flex)...

We were talking specifically about my driver.

All of my irons are steel, including my SW. Putter is also steel.

Only graphite shafts I have are Driver and 18* hybrid.

My Driver has the PING TFC 100i (stiff) shaft.

My hybrid has the Proforce V2 Hi Launch shaft. Can't remember exactly what type it is....but the shaft is mostly gold. When I bought it, he asked me what club I'd use from 150 out. I hate being 150 out.... its either a full 9 iron shot, or a soft 8 iron. So I told him that...and its what he handed me...and I hit it well.

 

[silverbear]

Fairway. It was right next to the rough though....another 6" and I'd have been in the rough.

It still could have been a flier, but it's more likely when you're hitting out of light to moderate rough... another possibility for a flier is if you're playing early in the morning, get just the right amount of dew between the ball and the clubface and the ball can come out hot...

We were talking specifically about my driver.

OK, be aware that standard length for a steel shafted driver is 43 inches, while a graphite shafted driver is generally 45 inches... that's a problem for me, since I'm 5-9, but at your height you should be able to adapt to it pretty easily... it might be a little rough at first, though, as you get used to being slightly further from the ball... the advantage is that a longer shaft creates a longer swing arc, which translates into even more clubhead speed at impact...

My hybrid has the Proforce V2 Hi Launch shaft. Can't remember exactly what type it is....but the shaft is mostly gold.

ProForce is a graphite shaft... here's some info on it from the manufacturer's website (the manufacturer is a company called UST, for United Sports Technologies)...

V2 High Launch Woods

FOR THE PLAYER SEEKING A HIGHER BALL FLIGHT, MAXIMUM BALL SPEED AND RESPONSIVE FEEL

Proforce V2 High Launch uses the same high modulus materials and tour-proven technologies found in all Proforce V2 models. Players can expect a higher launch condition and maximum ball speed from the more active tip section. While the optimized torque in the V2 High Launch produces a responsive feel and excellent spin rates for the ultimate in shot-shaping control. The Proforce V2 High Launch is available in 52 to 76 gram shaft models. MSRP = $95.00

Spec Information
Stiffness Profile Tip
Product Code Flex Weight Torque Launch Butt OD Butt Mid Tip Parallel Tip OD Length
5500 A 52 g 4.5 High 0.610 " 230 5.5 20 4.0" 0.335 " 46 "
5500 R 53 g 4.2 High 0.615 " 243 6.3 22 4.0" 0.335 " 46 "
5500 S 53 g 4.2 High 0.615 " 261 7.1 24 4.0" 0.335 " 46 "
6700 A 63 g 3.8 High 0.600 " 241 5.8 23 4.0" 0.335 " 46 "
6700 R 64 g 3.8 High 0.600 " 256 6.4 24 4.0" 0.335 " 46 "
6700 S 65 g 3.7 High 0.600 " 270 7.1 26 4.0" 0.335 " 46 "
6700 X 66 g 3.7 High 0.600 " 285 7.7 28 4.0" 0.335 " 46 "
7600 R 74 g 2.8 High 0.605 " 257 6.4 24 4.0" 0.335 " 46 "
7600 S 75 g 2.8 High 0.605 " 272 7.1 26 4.0" 0.335 " 46 "
7600 X 77 g 2.8 High 0.605 " 286 7.8 28 4.0" 0.335 "

So, there are 3 separate HighLaunch models-- the 5500 series, the 6700 and the 7600... the 5500 is the lightest shaft series, the 7600 the heaviest... but the 7600 has the least torque, the 5500 the most... the 7600's torque is really pretty good, the 6700's is perfectly acceptable, the 5500 is a little too torque-y for my taste...

According to Ralph Maltby's GolfWorks website, the High Launch has a low to mid flex point, and a medium to soft tip... to be honest with you, it probably won't be too long before it's the wrong shaft for you; right now, it will help you get the ball up a bit easier, but I think you generate a little too much clubhead speed for any soft tip shaft... you want a mid to high flex point, and a medium/stiff tip...

For your driver, again using the GolfWorks catalog specs (Ralph Maltby is one of the foremost golf club designers and repairmen in the world, I have sent more than one of my sticks off for him to work on over the years), I went looking for graphite shafts with low torque, a mid to high flex point and a medium to firm tip... again, this is because of the clubhead speed you're already generating... I am staying away from the high launch shafts, since they all have lower flex points and softer tips, and tend to have more torque... this is to make it easier to get the ball up in the air, and you've already got the ball teed up, you ought to be able to get it in the air pretty easy... if you were talking about reshafting any of your other clubs, I might look for different specs, since you're still having a problem with getting all your shots up like you want to... with each of these 3 shafts, the specs are for the stiff flex:

Aldila NV75-- 2.8 degrees torque, 78 grams total weight... Maltby's price, 67.99...

Aldila NV85-- 2.6 degrees torque, 88 grams total weight... Maltby's price, 67.99... this is the least torque-y shaft, but also the heaviest...

Note, the NV75 is NOT the same thing as the NVS75, and the NV85 is NOT the same thing as the NVS85... the latter are high launch version of these shafts, with different torques, different flex points, different tip stiffnesses...

Grafalloy Saber MOI (Moment of Inertia)-- 2.8 degrees torque, 57 grams total weight... Maltby's price, 39.99... not only is this the cheapest of the 3 shafts, it's also the lightest... I think if you had the choice of all 3, I'd go with this one for you... the torque is good enough, the weight is excellent, and the price is right...

Of course, these prices do not include installation... if you can hold off until winter, you can ship them to Maltby, and he'll install the shaft for you for 19.95 plus the price of the shaft... his people do quality work... you can check out his website at www.golfworks.com, he sells every component that goes into a club, and even all the tools you'd need to set up your own club repair shop (which can be a VERY lucrative side business if you're good with your hands)...

You might check out their grip section while you're at it, regripping clubs is very cost-efficient... if you play in a lot of humid weather, or if it rains a lot where you play and you still like to get on the links, look for a cord grip... it's a little rougher on your hands, but it's a lot less likely to slip in your hands in the course of a swing... I could probably teach you to regrip your own clubs in a few short paragraphs, it's VERY easy... you're on the big side, if your hands are also large you'll want a grip that's 1/16th to 1/8th of an inch oversized...

The biggest brand i golf grips is Golf Pride, but alternatively, if you'd prefer a softer feel, Winn makes a nice grip that feels a lot like leather, rather tacky...

If you're feeling particularly self-indulgent, or if you feel like getting a divorce, you could go with the Grafalloy Axis graphite shaft; it "only" costs 275 bucks, just for the shaft... buy two, I'll put the other one on my Titleist 975J...

When I bought it, he asked me what club I'd use from 150 out. I hate being 150 out.... its either a full 9 iron shot, or a soft 8 iron. So I told him that...and its what he handed me...and I hit it well.

He did that to get a gauge on your clubhead speed...

As you're starting to learn, there are all KINDS of variables that go into golf club design... the vast majority of golfers, even good golfers, know about little more than the basics-- shaft type, shaft flex, grip type, loft, lie...

But you also have swingweight, static weight, face progression, bulge and roll on the woods, grip SIZE (most golfers are using the wrong grip size, Ping is about the only manufacturer I can think of that offers consumers a choice in grip size right out of the box)... and each of them, even the most insignificant little detail, is important when it comes to fitting a player... a properly fitted golf club can help your game no end, a poorly fitting one will only help you struggle...

Any class A PGA pro has had courses in golf club fitting... some of us aced the course, LOL...

 

[Nors]

I reshafted my Ping Eye two with stepless Brunswick Precision rifle shafts. Have them also in my new Taylor Mades. Great shaft that is supposed to bring dispersion pattern in on shots for consistency.

Stiffnes is critical - need to fit your swing.I always had a stiff to extra stiff as my normal tendency is to hook the ball. The extra stiff makes it much harder to do that and I want to play a controlled power fade. Go to right side of tee box and rip it left center of fairway. If a hook is in order I adjust my stance - close it and take the club away a tad more inside. Ball placement on drive also can assist hooking or fading. Move forward to fade and a hook trick is just move your hands say 1/2 inch forward and jou just closed the driver making hooking easier.

I find fading irons much easier than hooking. Just open up stance, move ball forward and take club more straight back. Long irons easier to work, it's almost impossible to hook or slice a wedge of any signifigance. Sometime a trouble shot from woods or around obstacle requiring working the ball say 20-30 yards at 50-120 yards, you are better served taking a 4 iron and taking a half swing at it than maybe try to go over or work a Wedge or 9 iron.

Another Tom Kite tip and this works but takes a lot of balls to do. Practice this a lot first.

Say you are 200 out and need to hook a ball 30 yards to get on green around tree. Take iron and aim it at where you want ball to go arond tree. Then take your body and legs and aim as if you were going to shoot right at target. Try this hook and fade. And then just put on a normal swing. It's amazing.