WIll cutting a few inches on my driver make me drive more consitently?

Question

i'm really having a hard time making consistent shots with my driver, im 5"5 feet tall and my driver is of U.S standard length. how many inches should i take out of my driver?Will the shaft be stiffer when it is shortened?

Answer 1

You must see a custom fitter before making that decision.

Answer 2

Not really.

Answer 3

DO NOT CUT YOUR SHAFT!!!!!!!  Here's what to do my friend. Have one of your buddies hold your driver for you at the range. Get out your 6iron and setup for a swing. Don't address a ball just get into your natural 6iron position. Now, keep everything the same and have your buddy replace your 6iron with your driver. This is the position you should be in to hit your driver. It is perfectly fine if the club lies a little "Toe-up" and it is great if it seems a little back in your stance. Now try to practice swing and return to that position. If it feels off go through the 6iron process again. You should understand that the length of a club is one of it's major components. When you change that you change the club. If you cut 4 inches off of your driver you now have a 4wood with a 10 degree driver head. If none of this works just head over to a golf pro shop and get fitted. They will fit you based on your physical makeup as well as swing tendencies. But in conclusion, most amateurs try to adapt their much more accurate short iron and wedge game to their driver. This is rediculous, the club is ten inches longer. The same set-up is required however amateurs try to keep their waist bend the same. For a longer club you should be more upright and farther away from the ball or else the physics of it won't work. As for height, I know a guy who's a 9 handicap, drives the ball 230 and is 5'2" and plays a standard length driver so height is not an issue. Just trust that you can do it and practice. If you practice enough something will click.

Answer 4

Erm, anything's possible but you are more likey to ruin a perfectly good shaft than cure your driving woes. You dont say what the problems are, so its hard to know whether shaft length is the real issue here.

Generally the only thing you can be fairly sure of is that you'll potentially lose a little distance if you shorten the club. Apart from that you may completely alter the shaft performance in ways we can only guess at without knowing what shaft it is.

Rather than mutilate your driver, first see a pro or have your swing analysed by someone who knows what they are doing. I don't know how good you are, but for most amateurs, inconsistent shots are generally the result of an inconsistent swing.

If its really not your swing, head to a golf store where they have custom fit facilities and try a few other drivers - a good fitter should be able to identify if any modifications are needed.

Best of luck!

Answer 5

Cut off one inch. It will help.

Answer 6

Will the staff be stiffer ... most likely not. You stiffen the shaft by adjusting the tip.

Will having a shorter driver make you more consistent? Perhaps. But it's absolutely going to change the playing characteristics of the driver. The weight to length ratio is going to change the swingweight. It'll feel different. Better perhaps; perhaps worse.

Three thoughts:

First, use a three wood off the tee; it's shorter and more accurate. The USGA's studies show that most amateurs end up hitting it longer with a three wood than a driver.

Second, get fitted and get some lessons before destroying a driver. There could be other reasons you aren't hitting consistently.

Third, The Golfworks makes a driver head designed to be used with a shorter shaft. I have one and it works well:

http://www.golfworks.com/product.asp_Q_p...