Rickie's "new" driver

potbunker

Just saw on The Golf Channel Rickie Fowler has hit 8/10 fairways so far today.
Possible reason?
Driver length is now 43.5" (after much testing) down from 44.5".
He also lofted up due to reducing the length, added weight.....including internal hot glue to hit the swing weight.

Been discussed before here/FGI many times, something for us to seriously consider.

Weirfan

makes sense to me

Typhoon

My God...Fowler is hitting a "thriver"...next thing you know he'll show up on Golfbuzz asking what happened to FGI!

Sneakylong

Is he using the new Cobra F7? The marketing is the 3 new adjustable weights were his idea. He wanted a draw weight (heel). If the shorter driver allows him to hit more fairways watch out. His other stats this year are very good. He's right up there. I believe I saw he's inside the top 10 in driving distance this week. He plays this course well. He just needs to reverse his trend of just playing well on Thursday and Friday and start playing well on the weekend.

PA-PLAYA

When you have in excess of 115 mph club head speed, you have the luxury of chopping a shaft and tinkering with weighting to be a little more accurate.

He popped one out there 313 yards the other day with that 43.5" shaft. He ain't hurting for distance.

I think he has a very nice, compact, powerful golf swing. Never seems like he's overswinging. Surprised he hasn't won more.

Release

PA-PLAYA

He does not need to improve on distance, he needs to be more consistent.

Par4QC

Not sure what this says for Cobra drivers. Now, will they come out with this new club for the public, like their stupid single length irons? Will they now preach that 'short' is the way to go? Will Phil now be trying this?? 😜

Sneakylong

Par4QC

Don't think it says anything about Cobra. It does say something about Rickie.

Weirfan

Par4QC

Seeing as 43 inch drivers were in lay for 50 years , and 45 plus only a recent phenomena. Not a stretch to think that more will make the move

Par4QC

Weirfan But none of these kids were around at that point, and they all grew up using the newer standard. It's what got them where they are and made them rich and famous. Now, they cannot hit/use those same clubs as effectively? ha, it's not the clubs doing it. They're acting like golf forum members.

letthebigdogshunt

Weirfan

Don't forget one reason why they were 43" back then was the head was very, very small compared to today's460CC heads. Small head and compact face would make it a lot harder to hit it consistently at 45/46" of today's drivers.

ode

My LM driver is a 12 deg 919 bent 2.5 deg open, about @ 212g, s2s black 85 (82g actual), 43.75".....Consistently between 98-102 with it, can get up to 104 which is close to my gamer that I use on the course, 10.5 are @208g, Fuji vista tour 75 @ 44.625", consistently between 99-103, can get up to 106. Numbers are way better on the LM with the 919 as it launches higher.....Real world results are different, but anyway the same machine is calculating my ss, so I don't lose much at all by going 7/8" shorter, and roughly 11-12g heavier total weight.

ode

This stupid ass phone and tablet are doing it again when I use the degree symbol it actually puts the word next to it in italics, annoying, 12

Looks like it's only with numbers
1 2*

OK maybe just odd numbers?

Typhoon

Anyone know what the Taylormade Mini Driver was? I don't feel like looking it up.

sdandrea1

Typhoon

I had the Aeroburner model.... 43.5", but the head was little by today's driver standards 253cc

Sneakylong

They showed stats that Rickie and Justin Thomas are pound for pound the longest out there. They both weigh ~ 150 pounds with Rickie 1 inch shorter than Thomas at 5'9".

He smoked his drive on 18. I think they said it went ~ 320-330. Wind is supposed to be up tomorrow, but Rickie says he likes playing in the wind. He's staying away from his tendency for a blowup hole here and there.

And it is a Cobra F7 with the heavy weight in the front position. I've got the F7 and play the heavier weight in the draw position. I measured one the other day (GPS) and it was 255. I'm playing mine with the stock Fuji Pro 60 in R flex at 45.25", loft set at 12*.

On a side note the Cobra F7 hybrids are the best I've played. Not sure if it's the rails or what, but for me they're long and straight.

braveheart

So is the consensus here to give this a try?

Sneakylong

braveheart

The reason Butch Harmon and his son Claude recommended a shorter shaft for him was that he had such a long arm swing. They thought it would shorten his swing thus give him more accuracy. He just started using it on Wednesday. Could be a case of new club-i-tis sort of thing. We'll see. I think Jimmy Walker (another Harmon guy) is down to 42.5" and he hasn't seen the winners circle yet with the shorter shaft.

sdandrea1

braveheart

Tried it - works for me at 43.5" to 44". Much more accuracy and no distance loss for me. Center strikes on most swings.

Par4QC

Sneakylong Jimmy Walker's stats are not good either. 55% accuracy. Distance is fine @ 290.

A win will not make the case for a shorter driver. Never!!

As is always stated on the golf forums, FGI & GB, about TW, just look at this weakass field Rickie is in this week!! In horse racing terms, he's 'the class of the field', and would be bet down way under 1/1.

Sneakylong

Par4QC

It's normally a tough course when there's wind. The wind is supposed to be up this afternoon. Maybe 25 mph gusts.