Effect of driver length on distance

[rockford35]

You are right:
http://www.usga.org/equipment/protoc...ength_r1_1.pdf

However I think they want to get it down to 46 but not sure though.

Why?

I think an entire arguement against club length has been made in spades here. If you want to go long, fine. But shorter is better. Wouldn't the USGA have the same thinking?

I'm just questioning out loud here....

R35

PS...I swing a 45.5" only because it feels comfortable and I get my best in terms of consistency with it. That, and I'm an idiot...

[sammypvt]

Why?

I think an entire arguement against club length has been made in spades here. If you want to go long, fine. But shorter is better. Wouldn't the USGA have the same thinking?

I'm just questioning out loud here....

R35

PS...I swing a 45.5" only because it feels comfortable and I get my best in terms of consistency with it. That, and I'm an idiot...

There are numerous reports on this and other sites ref length V distance. I can tell you as a former tour pro the following.
I have tested 3 drivers. A 41 inch A 44 inch and A 47 inch. The 41 gives me 102mph with good center contact and around 270 on the fly. the 44 gives me 105mph with reasonable good center contact and flies around the 274 mark, the 47 is no faster than 107mph ss and the center contacts are all over the place and distances are not much different but the flight pattern is much higher. All shafts tested where the Assassin and none where tipped trimmed. I use this setup to show customers that length isnt as important as center contacts. A general rule of thumb is that for every 1 inch of lenth, the ss will increace by around 1 to 1.5mphand distances will increase around 3 foot. The cut off point is where center contacts fade away. I play 44 inch and have no probs. The ave on the tour this year is 44.5 to 44.75. They are all coming down in length and relating to Launch angles and low spins and the tour heads help. The long drive guys use low launch heads on high tees and xxxstiff shafts with low torque, HOWEVER, THEY DONT NEED TO HIT THE FAIRWAYS EVERYTIME. I play with a long drive guy that records 360 yds in comp but he plays a V2 in an SMT head at 45 inches. He knows that the big drives on the course are usually behind trees. They also use different balls than we do and treat the long drives as a joke for money.
Stick to center contacts and easy swings for the short mown green stuff. 44.5 is a lovely length for a good player.