If you’re anything like most players, hitting bombs with your driver is something that you love to do. It’s probably half the reason you go out on the course in the first place.
There isn’t anything more exciting than seeing the ball sail far and straight. However, as fun, as it is, hitting the ball fair and straight doesn’t exactly go hand in hand. Don’t get us wrong, clubs are more forgiving than they’ve ever been, but distance and accuracy continue to be a significant debate.
We’ll discuss all of that in this post, but we want to focus on one crucial piece that ties everything together, the driver shaft length.
Driver Shaft Length Effects Both Distance and Accuracy
You may or may not have heard that the longer the driver shaft length, the further the ball can be hit. While this common saying is technically true, we want to stress that players should not immediately go for the longest driver shaft length they can find.
This is because drivers with longer shaft lengths will cause a decrease in accuracy and are harder to control. Several companies have proven that their driver can send the ball up to ten yards further with a longer shaft length. However, what good is that if you end up sending the ball into the woods or the water more?
On the other hand, players don’t want to play too conservatively by using a driver with a shaft length that’s too short. If you’re striking your drives well but feel that the distance you’re getting is not quite what it should be, consider moving up in driver shaft length.
What is the Correct Driver Length for You?
To find the right driver length for you, all you need to do is take a look at where the ball is making contact with the driver’s face. If your hits sit more towards the club’s heel, your driver is too long. Another thing to consider is that the shaft of the driver could be too light for you. One thing you can do to fix this is try choking down on the shaft and see if where you make contact improves.
If you have difficulty seeing where your club makes contact, you can use some face tape. For example, if your hits are primarily on the toe of the club, your driver could be too short. The best spot on the face to hit your driver is slightly towards the toe and slightly above the centerline. This enhances both club spin and speed.
Why It’s Important to Measure Driver Shaft Length
Many believe that clubs come with the perfect measurement right when you buy it. Unfortunately, this is not the case. If you ask any experienced golfer, they will explain how crucial it is to hit a drive on the higher side with a perfect-length shaft.
Of course, a prolonged flight is visually pleasing and better overall, but you cannot apply your talent correctly if you choose a shaft that’s the wrong size. It’s not uncommon for shafts to not match players’ heights right away. However, it’s crucial to know that hitting the ball with a shaft that’s either too long or too short compared to your height will make playing uncomfortable. This inconvenience will cause you to struggle and affect your skills while playing.
One of the best ways you can avoid such feats is to understand the proper shaft length for you.
How To Measure Driver Shaft Length Without The Head?
Measuring driver shaft length without the head is straightforward. Without the head it’s just a solid rod, meaning all you need to find out the length is a measuring tape or flat ruler. Here are the steps to follow:
1: Put the driver shaft in a vertical position.
2: Grab a flat ruler or a measuring tape.
3: Place the ruler or measuring tape at one end of the driver and line up the other end to the opposite edge of the shaft.
Once you find the driver shaft length, you’ll want to compare it to a length that works for your height. Once you do this, go ahead and fix the length accordingly, this should definitely improve your swing.
How To Measure Driver Shaft Length With The Head?
Follow these steps to measure the driver shaft length with the head if you have a shaft ruler. There are two ways you can do it:
First Way:
1: Put the driver onto the shaft ruler. Make sure that the heel of the driver touches the lie angle gauge.
2: Adjust the angle gauge so that the driver’s sole touches the angle gauge’s surface at a parallel angle. The opposite side of the angle gauge should create a conical form that is less than ninety degrees. This is critical and the basis of the USGA method.
3: Go to the end of the driver grip and take a look at where the end reaches.
Second Way:
You can also measure the driver shaft length with the head using a flat ruler like this:
1: Take a flat scale that is forty-eight inches and hold it parallelly behind the driver. Keep both of them touching.
2: Stoop both of them carefully until the sole of the driver’s head touches the ground. In most cases, you’ll need to keep the driver and the ruler together at a forty-five-degree angle.
3: Go to the edge of the grip and take a look at where the end reaches.
Frequently Asked Questions
What Is The Proper Shaft Length For Your Driver?
The proper shaft length for a driver is forty-five inches for men and forty-four inches for women. All of the popular manufacturers will build driver with these lengths since they’re a standard.
What is the Driver Shaft Length Without The Head?
This can be tricky. It’s important to understand that the driver shaft length should be the same for a driver both with and without its head. Being able to measure driver shaft length with the head attached is quite the advantage because it’s more common for shafts to be connected in the first place.
How Is Driver Length Determined?
Driver length is determined by measuring the distance between one end of the driver shaft to the other. You can determine this quickly with a ruler or measuring tape with the instructions listed above.
Can Slice Be Improved By Using a Smaller Driver?
A shorter driver will help you with your slice. Shortening the driver will allow the club head and your body to get in sync in a much easier way. A driver that’s on the longer side requires a much different swing tempo and a lot more coordination. We would like to note that shortening your driver is not a guarantee, but it’s worth a try!
Conclusion
When it comes down to it, the best way to know the proper shaft length for your driver is to measure it against your body. If you’re uncomfortable doing this alone, you can ask someone to help. We would like to mention that these techniques can be handy even if you already have a driver: they can help you determine whether or not your existing driver needs adjustment.
