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Date: 22 Mar 2007 10:11:08
From: Zerex71
Subject: Introductory question
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Greetings,
This is the first time I'm writing to the group but since my annual
work golf league is starting up, I wanted to run a few questions by
the group periodically.
I just picked up a brand-new TaylorMade driver with a 10.5=B0 loft. I
took it in the simulator and was consistently hitting higher launch
angles (16=B0-23=B0). I'm an intermediate golfer who's been playing off
and on for about 20 years now. Can anyone tell me exactly what the
point of the loft specification is, from a user perspective? Should I
be attempting to hit the club at its designated loft? I'm curious
about this. Thanks!
Mike
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Date: 23 Mar 2007 18:15:47
From: David Geesaman
Subject: Re: Introductory question
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Zerex71 wrote:
> Greetings,
>
> This is the first time I'm writing to the group but since my annual
> work golf league is starting up, I wanted to run a few questions by
> the group periodically.
>
> I just picked up a brand-new TaylorMade driver with a 10.5° loft. I
> took it in the simulator and was consistently hitting higher launch
> angles (16°-23°). I'm an intermediate golfer who's been playing off
> and on for about 20 years now. Can anyone tell me exactly what the
> point of the loft specification is, from a user perspective? Should I
> be attempting to hit the club at its designated loft? I'm curious
> about this. Thanks!
For a given clubhead speed (most golfers consistently swing at one
clubhead speed), there is one combination of backspin rate and launch
angle that will produce the longest drive.
This angle, IIRC ranges around 13-15° and spin should be 3000-5000rpm.
The actual spin rate and launch angle of your shot will depend on the
loft of the club, type of ball, and how you swing the club. You should
ideally play with the ball type, club specs, and swing to get the
optimal angle. So if you carry a 12° driver you are not trying to get a
12° launch angle. The swing is arguably the best way to adjust your
drive for maximum distance, since usually small adjustments can make all
the difference in maxing out your drive, and swing improvements will
also add clubhead speed.
There is a lot more to be said than that, but that's the idea in a nutshell.
Dave
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Date: 22 Mar 2007 20:56:55
From: Birdie Bill
Subject: Re: Introductory question
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On 22, 1:50 pm, "Zerex71" <Zere...@msn.com > wrote:
> On 22, 1:28 pm, "cja" <c...@excite.com> wrote:
>
>
>
>
>
> > On 22, 1:11 pm, "Zerex71" <Zere...@msn.com> wrote:
>
> > > This is the first time I'm writing to the group but since my annual
> > > work golf league is starting up, I wanted to run a few questions by
> > > the group periodically.
>
> > Welcome to RSG.
>
> > > I just picked up a brand-new TaylorMade driver with a 10.5=B0 loft. I
> > > took it in the simulator and was consistently hitting higher launch
> > > angles (16=B0-23=B0). I'm an intermediate golfer who's been playing =
off
> > > and on for about 20 years now. Can anyone tell me exactly what the
> > > point of the loft specification is, from a user perspective? Should I
> > > be attempting to hit the club at its designated loft? I'm curious
> > > about this. Thanks!
>
> > Loft affects launch angle, but you should not expect them to be the
> > same. In fact, if you said your measured launch angle was 10.5, I
> > would think that unusual. In general, drivers with greater loft are
> > easier to hit straight than those with low loft. Other factors in
> > launch angle are how you swing, and what kind of shaft is in your
> > driver.
>
> > Were you hitting in the simulator for clubfitting, or was that after
> > you bought the club? Launch monitors measure launch angle and spin
> > rate, and a good clubfitter can tell you when the numbers are good. Do
> > you think you're hitting this driver too high?
>
> > - cja
>
> Hi,
>
> Thanks for the quick response. I was under the assumption that the
> club was designed to hit the ball
> at 10.5=B0 away from vertical, but that because of my poor technique/
> swing, I was hitting the ball with a
> steeper angle, consequently causing the ball to go higher and
> shorter. I was averaging 200 yards with
> a roll, +/-. I was hitting in the simulator after I bought the club,
> and had been "fitted" for it last year.
> In other words, we didn't do any real detailed analysis of my
> physique, swing, etc. I basically told them
> what I was looking for and they helped select a club for me. I think
> I'm hitting the driver too high, which
> I think is a lot easier to correct than my previous problem of sending
> all my balls straight and to my right.
> I'm a lefty with a very pronounced rightward "whatever" but it doesn't
> curve, it just goes straight. My feet
> can be in line with the pin and I still tend to put the ball in the
> rough on the right a lot. Almost all of my
> game is zigzag golf, which I'm working hard to correct.
The loft of the club just tells you the angle of the clubface vs the
vertical.
In general, lower lofted clubs tend to have a lower trajectory and the
ball runs more, which may lead to more distance under some conditions.
Higher lofted clubs tend to be much easier to keep in the fairway,
though,
because the extra backspin caused by the loft tends to counter the
sidespin
on the ball, making the ball curve less.
Since you are a beginner, it is a good bet that your technique can be
improved.
A 10.5 degree driver seems about right, I certainly wouldn't go with
less loft
for a beginner. You may want to consider just using a 3W to tee off
with
until your swing gets better.
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Date: 22 Mar 2007 11:50:10
From: Zerex71
Subject: Re: Introductory question
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On 22, 1:28 pm, "cja" <c...@excite.com > wrote:
> On 22, 1:11 pm, "Zerex71" <Zere...@msn.com> wrote:
>
> > This is the first time I'm writing to the group but since my annual
> > work golf league is starting up, I wanted to run a few questions by
> > the group periodically.
>
> Welcome to RSG.
>
> > I just picked up a brand-new TaylorMade driver with a 10.5=B0 loft. I
> > took it in the simulator and was consistently hitting higher launch
> > angles (16=B0-23=B0). I'm an intermediate golfer who's been playing off
> > and on for about 20 years now. Can anyone tell me exactly what the
> > point of the loft specification is, from a user perspective? Should I
> > be attempting to hit the club at its designated loft? I'm curious
> > about this. Thanks!
>
> Loft affects launch angle, but you should not expect them to be the
> same. In fact, if you said your measured launch angle was 10.5, I
> would think that unusual. In general, drivers with greater loft are
> easier to hit straight than those with low loft. Other factors in
> launch angle are how you swing, and what kind of shaft is in your
> driver.
>
> Were you hitting in the simulator for clubfitting, or was that after
> you bought the club? Launch monitors measure launch angle and spin
> rate, and a good clubfitter can tell you when the numbers are good. Do
> you think you're hitting this driver too high?
>
> - cja
Hi,
Thanks for the quick response. I was under the assumption that the
club was designed to hit the ball
at 10.5=B0 away from vertical, but that because of my poor technique/
swing, I was hitting the ball with a
steeper angle, consequently causing the ball to go higher and
shorter. I was averaging 200 yards with
a roll, +/-. I was hitting in the simulator after I bought the club,
and had been "fitted" for it last year.
In other words, we didn't do any real detailed analysis of my
physique, swing, etc. I basically told them
what I was looking for and they helped select a club for me. I think
I'm hitting the driver too high, which
I think is a lot easier to correct than my previous problem of sending
all my balls straight and to my right.
I'm a lefty with a very pronounced rightward "whatever" but it doesn't
curve, it just goes straight. My feet
can be in line with the pin and I still tend to put the ball in the
rough on the right a lot. Almost all of my
game is zigzag golf, which I'm working hard to correct.
Mike
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Date: 22 Mar 2007 20:43:49
From: Rob Davis
Subject: Re: Introductory question
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Zerex71 wrote:
> Thanks for the quick response. I was under the assumption that the
> club was designed to hit the ball
> at 10.5° away from vertical, but that because of my poor technique/
> swing, I was hitting the ball with a
> steeper angle, consequently causing the ball to go higher and
> shorter.
No, the launch angle is typically higher than the loft on the club. I
believe the general recommendation these days is that you launch the
ball at about 12-14* ... but that depends on other things like your
swing speed, where you play, etc. What you're seeing is a little high,
but in the overall scheme of things not too bad. If you're playing "army
golf" (left-right-left-right) then it's probably the least of your
problems 8^).
Rob
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Date: 22 Mar 2007 10:28:46
From: cja
Subject: Re: Introductory question
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On 22, 1:11 pm, "Zerex71" <Zere...@msn.com > wrote:
> This is the first time I'm writing to the group but since my annual
> work golf league is starting up, I wanted to run a few questions by
> the group periodically.
>
Welcome to RSG.
> I just picked up a brand-new TaylorMade driver with a 10.5=B0 loft. I
> took it in the simulator and was consistently hitting higher launch
> angles (16=B0-23=B0). I'm an intermediate golfer who's been playing off
> and on for about 20 years now. Can anyone tell me exactly what the
> point of the loft specification is, from a user perspective? Should I
> be attempting to hit the club at its designated loft? I'm curious
> about this. Thanks!
>
Loft affects launch angle, but you should not expect them to be the
same. In fact, if you said your measured launch angle was 10.5, I
would think that unusual. In general, drivers with greater loft are
easier to hit straight than those with low loft. Other factors in
launch angle are how you swing, and what kind of shaft is in your
driver.
Were you hitting in the simulator for clubfitting, or was that after
you bought the club? Launch monitors measure launch angle and spin
rate, and a good clubfitter can tell you when the numbers are good. Do
you think you're hitting this driver too high?
- cja
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