Lloyd, I think Tom's point is that even with perfectly matched shafts, the shorter driver is easier to hit on-center than the longer driver. This is PURELY a function of length. Longer = more difficult to hit on-center. Now, your point may be valid that a well matched shaft will make it easier to hit a longer club on-center, but it will be even easier to hit a shorter club with a well matched shaft. The distance gain that a 45" driver offers over a 43.5" driver is negligible (probably around 5-7 yards). Personally, I would love to build a shorter driver, but ideally I could get a reasonable swingweight (D2-D4) at 43.5-44" and with a very light shaft (60 grams). This would require a heavier than normal driver head (210+ grams), and that is what I have a problem finding, at least in a model that has the specs I want (450+ cc, ~12* loft).
Tedd -----Original Message----- From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Behalf Of Lloyd Hackman Sent: Wednesday, October 12, 2005 3:44 PM To: ShopTalk@mail.msen.com Subject: RE: ShopTalk: Wishon Short Driver Article Tom Why should I do it with length when selecting the proper frequency shaft provides the best accuracy and distance and the player has already decided to play with the longer club. The primary reason people have had trouble with longer shafts in the past is because no one provided a way of matching the shaft timing except by trial and error, which is not easy and lacks in sufficient choices when using the standard A,L,R,S and X shafts. We have been changing a lot of shafts in the R7's and callaway's and putting the same length shaft back in but at a fitted frequency with great success. I had one player a 5 handicap bring me a new Callaway driver and want me to put a stiff shaft in it. He claimed he could not keep it in the fairway and because the industry would tell him to go to a stiffer shaft or like you would tell him to go to a shorter shaft, he brought me a stiffer shaft to put in the club for him. I told him I don't do it that way because I was not sure that the stiffer shaft was what he needed. I told him I preferred to do a fitting and make a recommendation because when some one is changing a shaft it should be to get the best they can get. I ended up recommending a frequency 7 CPM lower and could only find a shaft at the time to put in the club that made it 5 CPM lower then what he had, he decided to give it a try. He called back two days later and said that he had played 18 holes that day and never missed a fairway!!! llhack > [Original Message] > From: Tom Wishon <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > To: <ShopTalk@mail.msen.com> > Date: 10/12/2005 2:55:47 PM > Subject: RE: ShopTalk: Wishon Short Driver Article > > LLHack: > > Fine Lloyd - you just keep on ignoring the simple fact that longer > length does not match well with golfer athletic ability and does result > in one heckuva lot of avg golfers having one heckuva lot of trouble > keeping the club under control and on a reasonably proper swing path and > plane. Better yet, why don't you do both? Do your chip thing to > satisfy your own beliefs but do it with a length definitely shorter than > 45" for your golfers. > > TOM > > -----Original Message----- > From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] > On Behalf Of Lloyd Hackman > Sent: Wednesday, October 12, 2005 10:44 AM > To: ShopTalk@mail.msen.com > Subject: RE: ShopTalk: Wishon Short Driver Article > > I am sorry but the Wishon article starts right off with the wrong > premise. > He throws in the premise that the shorter the club the better the > accuracy. > He ignores the fact that the real parameter for accuracy is shaft > frequency. If you can match the proper shaft frequency to the players > swing > and get the shaft back to straight and square for him he will then have > the > best combo of distance and accuracy. Of course stiffening or shortening > the > shaft will improve accuracy just because you have restrained the shaft > from > flexing as much and the head moving with respect to the shaft as much. > Timing the shaft with the swing to get it back to straight and square is > the answer. Accuracy is the primary benefit that the player recognizes > when > I fit them. I do not have to change the driver length from what the > player > has ben playing but just select the proper shaft frequency to get the > shaft > back to straight and square. I personally play a 48" driver at my height > of > 5' 10" and confound all of those I play with at how accurate I am. I am > hitting better then 85% of the fairways. > > llhack > > > > [Original Message] > > From: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > > To: <shoptalk@mail.msen.com> > > Date: 10/12/2005 10:01:47 AM > > Subject: ShopTalk: Wishon Short Driver Article > > > > Found this great article from pga.com that Tom wrote on playing > > shorter drivers. > > http://www.pga.com/improve/tips/equipment/improve_wishon080304.cfm > > > > What kind of experience have you guys have building 43-44" drivers? > > -- > > > > John Muir > > shoptalk > > http://clubmaker-online.com > > http://gripscience.com > > http://elevongolf.com > > 810.923.7396 > > > > > >
