9.5 or 10.5 Please Help!!

[lafrenz75]

YO! I would like your input on what is the best loft for developing distance. Do you prefer a penetrating low trajectory or a high carrying ball trajectory. It seems like these new drivers promote the ball carry to stay afloat instead of the days of the Titleist 975D. For example, the classic 7.5 x-stiff 975D Tiger driver is antique. But the reason why I am stating this is because my Titleist 9.5 905s creates too much back spin. But I wonder if a 10.5 will be less susceptible to back spin. I see drivers that launch higher than mine but crush 30 to 50 yards in front of my ball, and I hit the ball a solid 250 to 260+/-. But its a dissapointment when I hit 220 since I get back spin and a high lift instead. Do these new 460 drivers have more launch and carry? And if they do, does that mean that a lower loft is obsolete? Please recommend a brand name driver too!

[wildwilly911]

Re: 9.5 or 10.5 Please Help!!

more loft more back spin more back spin more lift, you have to many things that come into play, swing, angle of attack, swing speed, shaft flex. theres no magic club out there. go to a golf shop and try out some drivers with different lofts shaft flexes, find a place that has a ball launch monitor, then youll be able to see what fits you best.

[lgskywalker37]

Re: 9.5 or 10.5 Please Help!!

willy is right i wold reccomend going somewhere with a launch monior fitting on a demo day maybe.
http://www.golfdigest.com/search/ind...chmonitor.html

but generally speaking the harder you hit the less loft you need/want (if you have correct attack angle)


i have seen theese stats before:

Ball speed Optimum launch Optimum spin
130, 14 to 16, 3500 to 3800
140, 13 to 15, 3300 to 3550
150, 12.5 to 14, 3000 to 3300
160, 12 to 13.5, 2750 to 3200
170, 11 to 12, 2500 to 2700
180, 9.5 to 10.5, 2350 to 2600
190, 8.5 to 10, 2000 to 2400
200, 7 to 9, 1950 to 2150
210, 6 to 8.5, 1700 to 2000

i think 150 ball speed is usually comparable to about 260 yds drive or 110 swing speed

but agian, thoose are just averages everyone has a different swing and there are too many varible as wild stated like attack angle, shaft flex (shaft kickpoint location can be a facor as well ie. tip stiffness is usually less spin lower launch high or butt end shaft stiffness usually leads to high launch high spin) you can cave a Xstiff shaft with high kickpoint and it will give you high launch high spin. (though generally speaking the stiffer the shaft the lower the kickpoint gets, but you can usually find a reg stiff with low kick and a stif shaft with high kick

but too much back spin can be a huge problem and distance killer.... but, too little backspin can lead to more side spin and slices and hooks.

but if you have a 9.5 and are hitting it too high i would guess that you are swatting at the ball or have some other kind of swing flaw and maybe too decending or glancing blow or out to in or a combination of one of thoose.

as wierd as it sounds teeing the ball higher can lead lower trajectory and to more distance becaue you hit it on the top of the face and that imparts less backspin.

http://members.cox.net/gregjwillis/LESSON1.htm

that can help with swatting if that is a problem.

hope any of that helps

[LowPost42]

Re: 9.5 or 10.5 Please Help!!

Please don't confuse driving distance (carry+roll) with carry distance.

If you're hitting it 260, then it's quite likely that you're carrying it 240.

The two main factors are launch angle, and angle of attack.

I carry the ball 240 with a 100 mph swing speed, and a negative angle of attack. To offset this, I use a 14° driver. The reason I haven't gone to a 16° driver is because the Canadian season is coming to a close, and I plan on making swing changes over the winter.

[BrianW]

Re: 9.5 or 10.5 Please Help!!

To obtain maximum driving distance you should be looking for a high launch angle with low spin, you get the low spin by using a modern low spin ball. A 10.0 10.5 deg driver is just about right for this.

[LowPost42]

Re: 9.5 or 10.5 Please Help!!

To obtain maximum driving distance you should be looking for a high launch angle with low spin, you get the low spin by using a modern low spin ball. A 10.0 10.5 deg driver is just about right for this.

Low spin is also achieved by using a lower lofted club. However, you have to have tour-type swing speeds and ball contact in order to use lower lofted clubs and still generate the proper amount of spin. Most golfers (most, not all) are leaving distance in the bag because they're hitting tour-style lofts with hacker-style launch angles.

The reason Bubba Watson hits it so far is because he uses a low lofted driver, but hits way, way up on the ball with a ridiculous swing speed. So his launch angle makes up for the lack of spin the low lofted head generates. His angle of attack is something ridiculous like +6°

[BigdazUK]

Re: 9.5 or 10.5 Please Help!!

I have an 8.5 Driver. It's my best club in the bag. It suits me really nicely. I hit a 300 yarder up hill into the wind last week. Amazed everyone. It's a shame i chunked my PW to the green really. I know that doesn't help but i though i'd mention it.

[xtanda]

Re: 9.5 or 10.5 Please Help!!

probably also the stiffness of the shaft need to be matched to the swing speed. I usually used stiff shaft for avg 100mph, but when using the regular flex (same loft) it goes very high almost without roll at all.... club fitting is important

[baliga]

Re: 9.5 or 10.5 Please Help!!

I am a high handicap player. But i have noticed that the shaft makes a lot of difference. It is as much inportant as deciding a suitable loft. You have to try to get a shaft that suits your swing. I improved my driving accuracy when I changed over to stiff shaft (even though my swing speed has not changed).

[AussieGolfBoy]

Re: 9.5 or 10.5 Please Help!!

i went from 10.5 down to a 8.5d. after playing with that club for 2 months i wish i still had my 10.5d.

the 10.5 will be easier for the higher handicapper,.. i'm playing off 18. first time recently i hit the 10.5d driver i instantly gained 20m over my 8.5d. 8.5d is good in strong wind. but 10.5 should get u more distance.

if you can get a good swing on teh ball. a 10.5 will keep it in the air that lil longer where as the 8.5 keeps it too low and you start loosing distance..

thats my experience anyway