Drivers seem to come standard with a shaft length of 46 or 45 inches yet I read somewhere that both Jack Nicklaus and Greg Norman used a driver with a shaft length of 43". As weekend golfers we are often given the advice to put away our drivers and use a 3 wood especially if we need more accuracy and further that for weekend golfers we can most proably hit our 3 wood as far as a driver. We continue playing our driver because of that big head. Surely the 3 wood is more accurate and more consistent because of the shorter shaft. The question then is, should we not be all shortening the shaft on our drivers to at least 43"? I have a Callaway Titanium 454 which has a 45''shaft.
In article <d3vtos$opt$1@ctb-nnrp2.saix.net>, "The Shark" <kev_nim@yahoo.com> wrote:
Drivers seem to come standard with a shaft length of 46 or 45 inches yet I> read somewhere that both Jack Nicklaus and Greg Norman used a driver with a> shaft length of 43". As weekend golfers we are often given the advice to> put away our drivers and use a 3 wood especially if we need more accuracy> and further that for weekend golfers we can most proably hit our 3 wood as> far as a driver. We continue playing our driver because of that big head.> Surely the 3 wood is more accurate and more consistent because of the> shorter shaft. The question then is, should we not be all shortening the> shaft on our drivers to at least 43"? I have a Callaway Titanium 454 which> has a 45''shaft.
Before you get out the hack saw, try gripping an inch down. If that works, get a new grip put on with an extra wrap of tape and try gripping down another inch.
Then maybe you can get out the hack saw. <g>
-- Alan Baker Vancouver, British Columbia "If you raise the ceiling 4 feet, move the fireplace from that wall to that wall, you'll still only get the full stereophonic effect if you sit in the bottom of that cupboard."
Surely the 3 wood is more accurate and more consistent because of the> shorter shaft. The question then is, should we not be all shortening the> shaft on our drivers to at least 43"? I have a Callaway Titanium 454 which> has a 45''shaft.
I would not conclude that length is the only determinant in the accuracy of a 3-wood. The additional loft helps too.
For years, 43" was considered standard driver length. Then with the titanium and composite heads this allowed for longer clubs with lighter clubheads and other contortions. I think the problem is the driver became an anomaly in a set. I think this leads to inconsistency more than anything else -- we have a hard time hitting drivers like our other clubs because they are completely different from our other clubs.
Shaft length is part of it, but my feeling with clubs and club modifications is you need to look at where a club fits within your entire set. Unfortunately the driver manufacturers prefer you don't.
