# Pleas help with my driving conundrun, PLEASE!!!



## mikefjohnson (Mar 8, 2011)

Hi there, 

could anyone please help me figure out proper shaft/head combo for my next driver. I know the first suggestion will be to go to a monitor and get fitted, and I will at sometime, but I’m looking for any insight you could all provide with the information I provide.
First some background. I have a relatively low driver swing speed of around 85-90 MPH. I don’t struggle with accuracy at all, distance on the other hand is my nemesis. When I do miss the fairway, it’s usually to the left (I’m a righty), and usually not a hook, but more of a pull. The one time I went to a launch monitor I was hitting 9.5/10.5 regular flex drivers, and one thing I really remember is my spin rate was far too high, like high 3000s. This is also evident in real life, as I hit the ball high and it seems to drop out of the sky with no roll. And when I say drop out of the sky, I’m not talking the balls the climb high and seem to travel forever then drop, I’m talking travelling high and falling far too soon and usually netting me only around 215ish. I have never had a problem getting the ball in the air. I currently play a Nickent 9.0 deg 4dx Evolver with a Reg flex Aldila DVS shaft. I actually like the trajectory of this club, but again distance isn’t there.

I am currently considering the Cobra S2, Nike Machspeed Black round model, Adams 9064LS with the Aldila RIP Gamma (Alpha doesn’t come in reg flex), Adams Ultra-Light 4G with the Bassara UL 44g shaft, Adams 9064LS custom built with a Bassara UL 44g shaft.
So here is my conundrum, I think the Adams drivers will help add a couple of MPH, but will the Gamma shaft launch too high? I would really like the lower launching Alpha, but I don’t think my swing speed could handle a stiff. I have read the RIP shafts in the 9064LS are the real deal, so I am certainly attracted to that. The Bassara is also a premium shaft, but is 44g too light, and a torque rating of 5 too high? Of the two heads, seems like the 9064 is lower spinning, which I would think I need. Is it possible that the 9064 head with the light Bassara shaft could be the best for my slower controlled high spin swing? The Nike comes with the fubuki shaft, but it seems it is a “made for”, and not near as good as the actual fubuki shaft, in fact the nike shaft has a torque rating of almost 7 and the actual fubuki of the same model is around 3 or 4, so a completely different shaft.
So what I think I need is a light low spin club head to help with speed, and I need to pair this with a shaft that is light enough to again help me generate club head speed.
So I humbly ask you all, of the drivers listed what makes the most sense, and what other help could you all provide.

One last thing, my distance in my irons is pretty close to most the players I golf with, 150 yd 7 iron and move up or down 10 yds through the iron set, but when it comes to my Driver and fairway wood I lose considerable distance with my partners. I don’t knowingly change my swing, but somehow I seem to be putting way too much spin on the ball.


HELPPPPP!!!!!!!


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## Big Hobbit (Nov 2, 2010)

Hi Mike, and welcome.

Afraid I'd say go where you can try them with the launch monitor. I went down that route a few years back and it made a huge difference. Middle of last year I bought a leading brand without going down the launch monitor route and it was an unmitigated disaster. It lasted 4 months before I "did it properly," and I'm back hitting it out there with the big boys again.

On the issue of branded shafts, like Fubaki and Aldila etc fitted to leading brand drivers; they are actually specifically designed to go with the drivers so don't let that put you off. However, if you are looking for launch angles, kick points and spin rates you need to get fitted properly.

If you are hitting 150yds with a 7 iron there's no reason why you can't knock it out a bit further with the driver but I wouldn't necessarily say its 10 yds between irons. Like you I'm 150 for a 7 but the distance between wedge and gap wedge was 12 yds, whereas the gap between a 3 iron and 4 iron was only 6 yds. I've had the lofts and lies checked and they were the reqd degrees spread but I've had them knocked back to keep the 10yd spread on the long irons.

Good luck


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## Surtees (Sep 11, 2007)

hmmm with all that info I'm still not sure either it is great to read the specs and think this or that maybe good but with out actually hitting your never going to know. I have recently got the nike str8 fit square head and it took a little getting used to but I love it now it has helped with my ball flight straightness (only set on neutral) but it all comes down to what suits you and your swing have tou thought of getting a lesson or two before buying the driver there may be a fault in your swing that is killing your drivers more then your iron shots it maybe worth a try before parting with the money for a new driver.


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