Shortening a Driver

[Leftymoose]

Just wondering if anyone can tell me if shortening a driver will increase ball flight or lower it? I just can't wrap my brain around the physics involved. I need to trim my driver down at least an inch, but I already hit a high ball off the tee, just wondering if trimming the shaft will add extra height to my ball or actually lower it (keeping in mind that I keep the same loft in driver head). Any help on the matter would be great, thanks...maybe from some of those club builders we have in the crowd

[Txxxxxxx]

I don't build clubs, but I know for sure you will make the shaft "stiffer" by taking length from it. I don't know how the ball flight will be affected though...

[jvincent]

Just wondering if anyone can tell me if shortening a driver will increase ball flight or lower it? I just can't wrap my brain around the physics involved. I need to trim my driver down at least an inch, but I already hit a high ball off the tee, just wondering if trimming the shaft will add extra height to my ball or actually lower it (keeping in mind that I keep the same loft in driver head). Any help on the matter would be great, thanks...maybe from some of those club builders we have in the crowd

Shortening a driver shaft should not make any direct change to your ball flight. It's possible that if you hit the shorter driver better than the longer one your ball flight might change, but that would be because your swing mechanics have changed.

[Chieflongtee]

Hit a few balls by gripping down 1 inch before cutting it. In my experience it will lower the ball flight and if no weight is added to the head to restore the original swingweight it will stiffen the shaft.

[downhillslider]

You risk the possibility of increasing your swingspeed and improving your swing mechanics like JV said so be careful

[Chieflongtee]

You risk the possibility of increasing your swingspeed and improving your swing mechanics like JV said so be careful

Les. How much swing speed increase approximately? Shorter arc though. But perhaps more consistent centre hits?

[downhillslider]

Depends on the individual. Longer arc with the longer club requires more athletic syncronization to gain the advertized increase in SP, even with an extremly lite shaft. Center hits are the key for distance and a shorter arc will give you a better chance of doing that.

Personally, I went to 44.5" four years ago and went from 101 to 104 mph, but more importantly, center face hits were more the norm and my rithym and tempo improved a ton.

Used a driver in FLA that was just over 44" and found it to be uncomfortable at address thus thtowing of my tempo and timming.

I should also mention that the drivers in question were all flex profiled and weighted for my swing.