Driver loft - Is more right for you?

The bad news, most people buy their driver either based on what is the newest, what the pro player is using, or on the mis-information that launch angle reduces backspin and will correct hooks and slices and give the most control- wheeew, that was a mouthful! I get that some golfers enjoy having the latest and greatest and spending $600 for a new driver annually, I don't. I want to score lower and lower.

“Here are 3 steps I have used that should work for everyone who has not gone for an actual club fitting.”

1. Head down to your nearest golf store simulator and assess your club head speed.

(For an estimation, determine which club you use to hit a 150-yard shot. If you use a 6-iron, then your club head speed for a driver will normally be between 84 and 95 miles per hour. If you use a 7-iron, it will be between 95 and 104 mph; if you use an 8-iron or 9-iron, it will be between 105 and 115 mph.)

2. Simply put, the higher your club head speed, the lower the loft you can use. 9 degrees, should be at least over 100 mph, 10-11 degree 90 mph. Now this is in lieu of an actual fitting, but a good guide.

3. Now here is the fun part, try different drivers within your loft specs with the same shaft stiffness and torque. (Head down to that store early one morning on a week/work day, so that you are not hogging the bays!).

How different ball speeds need radically different launch and spin conditions in order for you to maximize your distance output. This makes a solid case for getting your driver fit to you swing mechanics. If you don’t, you could be losing serious distance and roll-out.