Driver Fitting for Maximum Distances
Speed is not everything, but it is the absolutely decisive basis. TheStack determines a so-called “distance potential”. For this, various assumptions have to be made, such as a neutral angle of attack, which ball is played, but also that you play with a “well-fitting driver”. And the devil is in the detail here.
After several hundred driver fittings in recent years, we can say one thing with certainty: In practically every fitting, the result can be significantly improved. Only in the rarest cases do players already have a very good driver that actually delivers the optimal result. These cases also exist, but they are rare. Therefore, it should be obvious that one should also get fit for an optimal driver. Ideally, after you have reached a point in terms of speed training with which you are satisfied and can play for a longer period of time. Therefore, the motto is: first work on the speed and then get fit for the optimal driver.
When we fit a driver for length, the following important factors usually come into play:
- Chosen driver head
- loft
- Swing weight
- Shaft length
- Shaft weight and flex
The profile of the shaft has to fit the player and enable him to accelerate the club optimally, but also to stay in control. This means that the feeling of knowing where the driver head is located is also very important.
It is also possible to quickly determine the flex, shaft weight and swing weight of the player in advance. For the longest possible drives, the tendency is towards lighter but stiffer shafts with a rather high swing weight. The latter tends to be in the range of D4 to D6 for athletic players. In general, the driver should have a slightly heavier swing weight than the irons. This can be explained simply like this: You probably find it easier to accelerate a hammer (heavy swing weight) than a wooden stick (light swing weight).
When fitting, you then test through different shaft and head combinations. At this point it is mainly about finding the right head, with the right loft and the ideal shaft.
During a fitting, we pay particular attention to the player being able to accelerate the club in a controlled manner (i.e. high club head speed without loss of control). The result should then be a launch window of approx. 12-13° with spin of 2000-2200rpm to achieve optimal results. The driver should also be able to compensate for a player’s actual misses in the best possible way. Ideally, we end up with a driver head that compensates for these errors without large deviations (both in dispersion and loss of ball speed).
One thing is important above all:
Go into a fitting without preconceptions and have no preferences for certain brands. This will limit your choice too much. Just because you haven’t held a Srixon driver in your hand yet doesn’t mean you should automatically rule it out. Also, a look that takes some getting used to (such as with the SIM models) is something you should get used to. You should only go to a clubfitter who gives you the opportunity to test all the popular brands with original components. Examples of this are True Spec Golf or Tour Experience Golf.
Do not do driver fitting on so-called demo days, never work with range balls and only go to fitters who have several brands to choose from and whose head and shaft selection is independent of each other. Unfortunately, many fitters work with “fitting systems” from individual manufacturers. For example, you test a driver from manufacturer A with different shafts than manufacturer B, different shaft lengths, or even if the shafts are identical, not with original shafts or ones that are cut differently and behave differently. In short, they are constantly comparing apples and oranges. In our opinion, it makes no sense to spend 400€ on TheStack as a training device, to invest weeks in your training and then save money on driver fitting.