48 Driver build

DonM · 2019-06-30T21:41:24+00:00

Today I built a 48" driver out of stuff I had laying around. I used a UST 55 Gold R flex shaft that weighed 51 grams. I did not cut it. I installed a Cob...

DonM

I just don't know. One good day, one bad day. Rinse and repeat.

One thing I'm sure of is that there is some length greater than my 44 incher that is worth switching to.

fatshot

DonM
Just a word from my personal experience, Don.... I started at 48 or 47.5, IIRC, after Bernie Baymiller's advice (several years ago). My miss was high and right.....a popup, but a long popup. My good drives were definitely longer.....maybe as much as 20 yards. But, as you say, I felt I was too inconsistent with it, so my solution was to shorten it 1/2 inch at the end of every season when I regripped it. I still have the same driver (an Integra 450 Beta Titanium), and it's still in my bag, but I've settled on 46 inches at the length at which I personally get the best
combination of "some" distance and good accuracy. I've experimented with other drivers (in fact just now completed a sale of a Taylormade M2 that didn't suit me), but this old Integra has stayed in the bag for many years now!

You've started me thinking though.....I could put an extension in the end of the shaft and choke down on the shaft when I want normal accuracy, and go up towards the end when I want to TRY to bomb it on a wide open hole.....the best of BOTH worlds!!!

Rickochet

I got my old DTG 175 back into to play yesterday and hit it very well. It has the DTG UL45 shaft in it. I have two of these heads and an offset one. I have a Diamana 40g shaft in an A flex that came with another club and lengthened it to 47.5 I mistakenly put in the offset head. I am going to pull it an install in one of the non offset heads. Yesterday's round was like running into an old friend. The M2 sat in the bag and whimpered. With a bad back and weak knees I have trouble getting through with the driver. The 175 just seems to be easier for me to swing and more consistant than most. The only bad drive I hit yesterday was one pop up. After switching to a shorter tee I started nutting them in the sweet spot. I think the poon has reawakened. 😛

fatshot

I was watching golf yesterday and scrolling through the different component websites online, and for some reason the name Bernie Baymiller popped into my head. So, I looked up this and other old Bernie B. threads, and the wheels
started turning!

Went down into the basement and found a few old components it have in my "discard" drawer, and came up with an old Integra Beta 450 Titanium head and the Aldila NV 55 gram senior shaft that I had in it at one time. Long story short, it's now drying and waiting to be gripped so I can play it tomorrow. It's 47 inches, weighs D-7, so we'll see what happens. I have low expectations, but what the hell.....I can't drive it any SHORTER than I have been so far this year...!

Par4QC

fatshot Just don't give up on it too soon. I think most here have tried it, but gave up to quickly.
Playing at 45 then going to 47 is a big jump, and will be a big diff in your swing. But why give up if it doesn't work at 47.....,if you don't try at 46.5 or 46😉? The face will tell you the story.
I'm only 1/2 as tall as you are and play my drivers at 46/46.5. 203+g heads, 52g shafts, 50g grips. You can do the math for swingweight.😄

azgreg

fatshot I have low expectations

That's usually when I get my best results.

garyt1957

Bernie's formula was keep it under 300 grams total weight. 200 gram head , 50 gram shaft, light weight 40 gram grip and your golden. Worked for me back in the day.

fatshot

Par4QC Just don't give up on it too soon.

Oh I stuck with it for a long time.....5-6 years at least. I started at 48" but figured out in a hurry that I was too wild with it (A high, long push slice was my miss with it, IIRC). So, at the end of each year when I'd regrip it, I cut off 1/2 inch. I've finally settled on 46 inches, but those were with OEM's. If this happens to work, I'll probably build something better.....there's plenty of LIGHT shafts out there these days!

Typhoon

Funny that this came up today. I pm’d Eguller regarding an LD build

scotts33

And I've gone back to 44"s as my golden playing length. For me center impact yields better distance than the spray and pray. I tend to play older courses with harder to hit fairways and I can't hit miraculous recovery shots. It's punch out and there goes a shot.

Par4QC

scotts33 So to pacify you, do we, that use longer drivers, need to start posting pics of driver faces after a round, in order to show you it is not the length that makes the center contact? 😉Nor FWs hit with such.

You'd make a great mini driver salesperson. 😄 And buyers would be disappointed.

scotts33

Par4QC Nope you play what works for you! Fine with that do what you do.

I'll play what works for me and the majority of the mid to high hdcp players that I work with. I have not seen many lower skilled golfers hit fairways of 40 yards wide with 48" playing length drivers. 60+ yard wide possibly. Also play the correct tee for your tee club IF offered. Golf is a still a game of accuracy first then distance. Reason distance matters is marketing. As Harvey Penick said ""The woods are full of long hitters." Penick emphasizes the importance of accuracy over distance in golf.

I used to be good friends with Bernie and his club where he played was wide open fairways. It makes a huge difference in where you play and how you play golf. Many will play too long of a playing length driver just for that one solid long drive and be 25% fairways hit just for that one drive. Majority don't have the skill level of a pro to extricate themselves out of being 20+ yards out of position in the trees.

Rickochet

I followed Bernie's posts from day one and I had very good success with long and light. Bernie started before the really light heads were available or shafts. I think he found a stock head at about 184g and a 50g shaft. I later built a few long and light clubs with the DTG 175g head and 45g A flex shaft at 48" The key to make it playable to start with the light head and back off your normal flex at least one flex or maybe two to allow the light head to be able load the shaft. I think most that tried it never had success because they used pullouts and heavier heads that never met the long and light concept. I chatted with Bernie many times over the years about this subject and the Neufinder projects. He was a super nice guy.

Par4QC

Rickochet
When you are using an A flex shaft, it is hard to drop down a flex😄. Thus the light heads don't work as well.

I had always used 45.5 drivers. When Almo came out with the No Brainer, I had him find me one that was heavy, which those 1st ones were. He sent me a 206g head, open faced, and I got a special HOF shaft (62g) for it in R flex. Wanting to experiment I went with 47", but soon found that was too long.....shaft was uncontrollable with the head weight. I cut it to 46 and it was gold!! I've been at that length, sometimes just a hair longer, ever since. I've dropped to A flex, sometimes a soft R, as the heads are now around 202-204.

ode

Just say no to a 48" driver. In fact much over 45" is asking for trouble 😉.....there should be a survey given.....have you played a 48" driver ___?, it yes, how long did it take for you to abandon it ___? And, what's your current driver length ___? 🙃

ptjn1201

I've been carrying 47.5" drivers for a few years, rotate between an Epic Max LS and LogicalOne Neuro.X. Have an older Epon at that length, too. If you can get used to it, it's not much harder to control. Maybe a little less consistent, but I've been more solid with it so far this year. It can be a pretty cheap experiment, and you have to decide if the better shots are worth the tradeoff.

Walterjn

I really haven't had anything else. Almost everything I've had has been either 48" or close to it. The 1st 2 drivers I've had were shorter, neither lasted very long.

ode

Looks like Buzz has more in common with WRX than originally thought😆

scotts33

ode Lol I play old man 76 golf mostly persimmon woods real wood woods 43.50" with steel shafts and blade irons with steel with a Manuel de la Torre centered balanced swing. Driver is centered and not played off my inside left heel teeing it up to 4's with low spin driver heads and low spin balls. I am the exact opposite of what the majority of G'Buzzer's are. I'm not saying they are wrong do what you want and I'll play as I want. Golf can be enjoyable in any method as long as you can play in a reasonable time.

I'm out for the walk 2.5 miles 3500 steps or so in the green grass walk and carry 9 clubs in an old 80's Jones single strap bag. Shoot around 40 for 9 2700 yards old style woodland course with narrowish fairway width. I enjoy it and trying to stay in shape.

I believe Bernie from what I remember used Chicago Golf lightweight heads and was trying to help older seniors to make up some lost distance in the community he lived in. BTW from the answers I don't see anyone playing the full 48" playing length all have shortened them some what. Plus whatever you think about the USGA with local rules effective January 1, 2022 in tourneys and elite level of play nothing past 46" playing length is allowed. Not that G'Buzzers are in that realm of golf but it could be a possibility and all should know the rules when they get into that kind of play.

Typhoon

Ok, maybe Scott said it… in a nutshell, if you can’t hit it straight do not go to a 48” driver.

If you’re a smooth tempo short hitter that automatically dinks it 180 down the middle, by all means try going to 48”.

Par4QC

Typhoon If you’re a smooth tempo short hitter that automatically dinks it 180 down the middle, by all means try going to 48”.

This is OK for 'rec' golf. But caution....
A lot of people play tourneys and on leagues that adhere to USGA rules. If using a 48" driver gains you an incredible amount you kind of get used to that. Of course. But when you have to play your standard club, all manner of hell takes over and even the devil himself will not be able to hit it properly.
It is a different swing.

I've tried the 48, 47, but stick with 46 now. Not that anyone will ever call me out for distance, but if I want to play and use my 'favorite' driver in a tourney, I know I'm good to go and what to expect from it.
Just sayin'.....all of golf is mental, ya know?😉

Par4QC

Typhoon in a nutshell, if you can’t hit it straight do not go to a 48” driver.

That may not hold water either.
It is a different swing you use adding 3" or more.

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