High lofted driver - Your opinions

sukkeun

I am going to try 14* driver this Spring. I was able to get one from PXG and not sure what to expect.
I typically used 9.5 or 10 until last year. This is kind of testing new stuff for the hope of consistency with driver.
Anyone moved to high lofted driver? What are your opinions or experience like?
Thank you.

toraider

sukkeun Why don't you tell us your experiences with the 9.5/10* drivers you used last year. How far they went, if you hit them fairly high, if you hit fairly straight.

I know I use a higher lofted club because I have a -2* Angle of Attack, which only means I can't use 9-10.5* drivers since I can't get any air with them. Enjoy the experiment. Also, if generalizing, high loft may be better for slower swing speed.

Toulon

sukkeun

This is all from 8 years ago, as I haven't played since then...

Have a childhood friend who became the club champion at Troy Burne, one of Tom Lehman's courses in beautiful western Wisconsin, who uses a 3-wood as his driver.

The guy consistently hits it 300 yards and straight as an arrow. For some reason, he was having issues with the driver and just decided to take it out of his bag. The club head speed this guy could generate was unbelievable.

I remember offering him to hit one of the two drivers I had in my bag, and he was dead set on his TM 3 wood. Had no interest in ever picking up another driver. I wouldn't either, if I could hit the 3-wood like this guy.

If you can hit it straight and not lose too much distance, why would you ever go back to your 9 or 10 lofted driver? I'd tee off with a 5-wood, if I could hit it straight and true every single time and sacrifice the distance I would get with an incnsistent driver that would put me in peril a high percentage of the time from the tee.

KCee

I tend to like more loft in the driver as my "normal" swing tends to have a negative AoA as well. My first fitted driver was 12 degrees and I later would purchase Wishon drivers hand picked to 11 as that seemed a good compromise for my swing.

I also think it depends on the conditions of where you play. I would rather carry the ball more here in New England, but if I was in Arizona I would probably go for less loft and more roll.

sukkeun

I typically hit around 220-230, medium flight (not too high or not too low), and hit it to right side than straight.
I am not really sure about my AOA. My driver is my major weakness since it is being very inconsistent. Just trying different thing for coming summer. I am in MN so probably don't expect much roll as well as Arizona or Texas. Thanks.

toraider

sukkeun Does your 3W go farther or the same distance as the driver off the tee. This might be a good indication if you need more loft.

Are you right or left handed? Will help decipher your hits to the right of center.

mulegolf

I've used a11.5° or 12° driver for several years now. I also have a 14° driver but rarely use it. The first two I hit about right (height wise) but the 14° I hit higher than I would like unless it's calm wind conditions. Like you, I live in MN, SW MN to be specific. It's always windy out here so the 14° gets very little use. Actually, since I got my XXIO Prime 9 driver it gets no use.

sukkeun

I am right handed...3W would be slightly shorter off the tee. However, I don't use 3W much off the tee.

garyt1957

I hit high loft drivers too high, yet I hit my 15* 3 wood lower than a 10* driver. Why is that?

PA-PLAYA

garyt1957

I'm guessing tee height and face depth.

I know for me that my swing is much more shallow with a fairway wood, more of a level path coming into the ball as to avoid getting really steep and taking a divot aka "“sweeping" and with driver I’m catching it on the face a bit higher and more on the upswing.

pellmell

garyt1957 Perhaps flipping with the driver and not the 3-wood.

DonM

garyt1957 Me too. I'm sure it is tee height. If you tee the ball for a driver, then use the driver swing on your 3 wood, it would probably get up there, assuming you don't miss! 🙂

toraider

PA-PLAYA Agree. Hitting the top half of the driver and the bottom grooves of the 3W?

scotts33

Tee height and AofA is why in general. Add where you play ball in stance with driver. Main reason for added loft is if you are below 90 mph and need spin to carry ball as far as it can more loft will help and less side spin may provide more accuracy.

DC300

scotts33

I agree, I can absolutely hit my 3 wood lower than my driver, with ease, but it’s barely teed up and the AOA has to change or I would flat out miss the ball. 3 wood is my wind slicer, driver is my send it high club.

Spuzz

Toulon I'd tee off with a 5-wood

Not hitting driver is like playing hockey with no slapshots.
It's just not as fun as it could be.

Toulon

Spuzz

I agree, but if you can't hit the driver, or shoot a slapper like Mitch Marner, it's best to pull out a different tool you can be successful with.

In my youth, I teed it with a 4-wood. I could bomb that sucker until I got my hands on a metal driver and then I never used the 4-wood ever again. Man, I loved that old wooden 4-wood. I couldn't hit it poorly. Just so sweet and pure...but you're right. The entire time I was hoping I could do the same with the driver.

Spuzz

Toulon it's best to pull out a different tool you can be successful with.

It depends.
Sometimes a bogey is more fun than a Par
😉

PA-PLAYA

My swing changed over the years. I used to play a 14º driver, but then I gained some weight, struggled with a bad back, and my swing got shorter and steeper for a bit.

Before I took a hiatus back in 2018, I was using a Cally 10.5 adjusted to 12º. I found that to be perfect and easiest to control. I could only hit it about 245-250, but given the tees I played - that was all I needed.

The older I get, the better I used to be...

sdandrea1

My best driver is SWMBO'S PING RHAPSODY 12 degree. Stock ladies flex shaft. I tee it low and when I put a proper swing on it, it flies like a 10.5

Sneakylong

sdandrea1 My best driver is SWMBO'S PING RHAPSODY 12 degree. Stock ladies flex shaft.

I was recently in a local golf shop having some work done. While waiting I went in the hitting bay and hit a few of the clubs they had there. I hit the new Cleveland Halo hybrid and was smoking it. Went to look at the shaft and it was a ladies flex.

I then found one with a regular shaft and liked the ladies flex better. Got me thinking. 🤔