LOFT IS YOUR FRIEND

As the spring season makes its way into many parts of the northern US and the Masters starts to loom on everyone’s must-watch golf radar, I wanted to write about the new technology that has come out in the driver market for 2013. There are some really great new products from all the major manufacturers this spring, many with new technology that allows players to adjust their clubs to fit their games with changeable hosel and new weight systems. For many low-handicap players, the ability to adjust the clubhead just slightly can make a big difference in the shot patterns and launch angles of any new driver. As many of you know, I make a living selling golf equipment, so I wanted to share with you some information that I have been finding though our demo days in South Florida. Watch your loft! We have been finding that, with many of the new adjustable drivers, the goal has been to lower spin rates to get maximum roll on all drives. Lowering spin rates are great – if you get the ball in the air on the right launch angle. Many players have tried to lower their spin by using lower-lofted drivers. For many, lowering the launch angle too much can actually be detrimental. My suggestion is that if you are thinking about getting a new adjustable driver this spring, find the one that works best for you on a launch monitor. Then, try to add at least 1.5 degrees of loft to the driver with the adjustable settings to see how it changes the characteristics of the ball flight. Once you get your new driver, take it out to play nine holes on a course that you know pretty well with the club set on the standard position, and then on the back nine adjust the driver to have a higher loft. Pay close attention to the distance, launch of the ball, the ball, and the curvature of the shot. You may be surprised to see that the higher-lofted setting may help you game.