I got this great question from “Tom” and I had to share it – and my answer – with everyone.
We get this question, or one like it, every day.
So, here’s Tom:
OK, I am a senior player.
Like yourself, I am 5′9″ and I play a 44.5″ driver, but dream of hitting a drive 250 yards.
I have not missed a fairway in nearly a year and I play to a 12 handicap. I am not a power hitter like many players, be it my woods or irons. I average driving the ball between 200 and 220 yards … I play at least two clubs longer than most of the players that I play with. My bag contains all Wilson clubs which I play well for my strength and hitting ability.
Can you suggest anything that would help me improve the length of my distance with my clubs while maintaining the accuracy?
I am already using graphite shafts that are frequency matched for the lower end of the regular flex category. My swing speed for my irons is in the mid 70s and the mid 80s for my driver.
Should I switch to a more flexible shaft?
Thanks, Tom
It’s amazing.
Here’s a guy who is in the fairway for (almost) an entire year!
I totally understand the need for distance. But can we sacrifice direction for distance?
He’s my reply:
You are in a quandary many of us golfers have: distance vs. direction.
Many who are blessed with direction — that is hit it controlled and straight but not far enough — seek more distance, but do not want to give up the accuracy.
Then there are those who have the distance but need help on direction.
Many of these golfers would gladly give up yards for straight arrow shots.
It is just too bad we can’t match up these players for a swap of talents that benefit both.
Now, back to your dilemma.
First, I would not run out and change your shaft to a more flexible shaft (which may work, but I doubt) because you are presently hitting it so straight with your present shaft.
This tells me that shaft has to be pretty close to the right flex.
Heck, you have not missed a fairway in over a year.
That beats the crap out of me and most people that know me say I am the straightest driver they’ve ever seen.
Let’s first look at the length in reference to your driver.
You are using a 44.5 inch driver. I am presently using a 44 inch driver, the longest by 1/2 inch I have ever used. My sleeve length is 35″, which is long for my height. I hit my driver quite straight and OK long for my size and strength.
Notice I am bringing strength into the equation, because more muscles can help swing the club faster. My 3 wood, which I hit even straighter than my driver and real long for a 3 wood, especially off a tee, is 42 inches…way shorter than present standards.
Here is my dilemma, which may apply to you and the solution I am going to give you.
When I swing my 3 wood off the ground and on a tee, at impact, I can feel my arms fully straighten out.
I do not feel straight and, in fact, feel cramped with the driver.
This affects direction and distance, with direction being my primary concern. I am 100% positive that next week, when I go to see my club fitter to pick up a 5 wood he re-shafted (firmer) for me, that my “Big Boy” driver will be wacked shorter by at least ½ inch and maybe even all the way to 43 inches.
So, my first suggestion is cut down your driver to 43.5 at the longest.
Then maybe experiment with another to test an even shorter length.
The key is at some shorter length you will be straight but loosing distance.
The key is still straight but longer. (Note: when you cut your drive down, from the butt, you will likely not change the flex that much, but 1 inch will really change the swingweight. You can fix that by putting on some lead tape strips to get it back heavier. I wrote an article called Magic Dust In Golf which is what I call lead tape. It went out a couple days ago and explains the lead tape magic and how to put it on clubheads.)
Finally, sometimes we just have to accept who and what we are.
I decided many years ago that the only way I can hit it longer is to lift weights and get stronger.
I can barely bench press 125 pounds. I chose not to lift weights, mostly because I don’t have the time, and I decided to accept the fact that I am straight, like being straight and that my swing speed is 102 to 105 with a driver, which is 240 to 250 yards ,will have to be all that I am.
I believe straight is great and my distance for my age is OK.
Also, I live by the rational that even though other players may be hitting less club, I can still hit my longer clubs, fairway woods or any iron better, straighter and closer. I know it and they know it.
So who has the advantage?
I hope these comments help.
Straighter is greater than longer and wronger!
And don’t forget…
You can learn how to start hitting the ball straighter AND longer, without pain, and with a LOT less frustration, in the PPGS:
The Surge!
Tell me what you're thinking... and what part of the golf swing, or this great game... you'd like to know more about. If you want your pic to show with your comment, go get a 
Great Article Don! If I recall correctly it seems that when Tiger was hitting the most fairways and hitting it long he had a 43.5 inch driver.
to get a shorter shaft for better accuracy instead of cutting a club shaft would choking down on it do the same thing
The magic Dust; does help average golf like me, you have to go to driver range ,get a bucket of balls and start justin the weights to fit your need, I help my driving the ball down the fairway a lot from 185-to almost to 280 if I hit it right it goes to 300+ wow, It surprise the heck out of me and I start to work on some of my Irons and it help my drives at least , 8 to 15 yards and help me out on some of my slices on the ball and keep me in played on the fair way instead playing in the woods and first time in my life I’m starting to Eagle a few Holes and par ling a few, still ,I got alot to learn ,but I’m having fun.–Because of Dons Tips Help me a Lot for a guy that don’t have a lot of money in these times,But he help me really love the game I’m 51 year old 6′1” and 230 pounds a Beginner and save a lots of dough not buying new clubs just tune them up, the beginner, and loving it.
What is the best grip for the peak performance swing, vardon, interlocking or baseball? Even though my hands are not small I’m experimenting with the baseball and interlocking grips as I feel I have more control of the club than when using the vardon.
I’M NOT SURE, BUT ARE YOU SUGGESTING TOM HAS HIS DRIVER CUT SHORTER, OR DO YOU MEAN TO CHOKE DOWN ON HIS GRIP? I AM A 35 SLEEVE BUT I’M 6′ 1″. WHAT I DO IS CHOKE DOWN ON MY 44.5 CC460 DRIVER. IT GIVES ME MORE CONTROL. I ALSO STILL HAVE TO KEEP MY RIGHT UPPER ARM IN AGAINST MY SIDE, ESPECIALLY WHEN HITTING A DRIVER.
I asked this same question yesterday, however I am hesitant to butt cut my new driver. Back to the same argument distance or straight. I keep it in the fairway very well, but certainly wouldn’t want to lose distance. Taylormade Burner 09 which is about 46.5″. I have a knockoff tour burner with adjustable weights. If I increase the center weight will that work as well as lead tape?
does choking down work?
cuz ive been doin that with my irons, and ive been hitting greens easily, although i may lose a little bit yardage.
would this work wit my driver?, cuz im pretty bad at using my woods.
Why do you publish all these questions … and NO answers. Other duffers questions ONLY do not do me any good.
Scott
HI DON, I ENJOY UR EMAILS AND TIPS. I HAVE LEARNED A FEW NEW HINTS. I HAVE DROPPED SIX SHOTS IN TWO MONTHS. I HAVE ONLY ONE QUESTION FOR YOU AND THAT IS, SHOULD I CHANGE THE DEGREE OF MY DRIVER.AT PRESENT I AM USING A 10.5 DEGREE DRIVER AND ALTHOUGH IM DRIVING THE BALL CLOSE TO 250 YARDS I SEEM TO BE GETTING FAR TO MUCH HEIGHT IN THE BALL. HAVE YOU ANY RECOMMENDATIONS.
Try it to see what results it will bring.
We recommend the interlock and the overlap grips, we do not recommend the baseball grip.
Good morning Don. It is a very cold morning here in East Texas with a prediction of show by the weekend. Not a time for golf for sure. I was reading some of the postings related to Direction Vs. Distance and I have a comment to make, Since submitting that posting I guess I have fallen off the wagon, At the time I sent that to you I had lowered my handicap to 12 but not long after I was run over by a Mac truck, figuratively speaking. OH I am still hitting down the middle and with a change in irons I am actually getting greater distance. However, I have been stuck on the 200 yard average drive. That is until this past weekend. My son-in-law plays to a -6 handicap. He is an ex professional baseball pitcher who’s average drive is 380 yards. Being the student that I have become I watch everything he does in a round of golf, setup, club selection, even the brand and type of ball. At the close of our 18 holes I finally picked up something I had been missing. When he hits his driver the ball is placed on a line perpendicular to his left heel, the ball is teed up on a 3 1/4″ tee, and he starts his back swing 6 inches behind the tee. The results are amazing as he gets a lot of loft without losing distance resulting in great ball flight. At this point I start talking to myself. When my turn comes to tee up I follow his example; tee height, ball and club head positioning and I swing just as if I were still using the earlier swing. The ball launched with greater height and distance and remained in it normal straight down the fairway flight. Only this time it landed a good twenty yards further and rolled about that much after hitting the grown. Not sure if this is something I can duplicate as I have not had an opportunity to get to the course since then but will let you know how it comes out.
I have your videos and save all of you text messages. You have been a great help. There is still one project that I need to concur and that is your vertical swing. Still working on that.
From the Lone Star State, have a great Holiday Season!
Tom
Distance is essential. Read Hogan: he felt he would get hammered by an opponent that out drove him consistently by 10 yards. The ‘experts’ that tell you accuracy is more important than distance, will probably tell you that money is not important , strive for happiness. Distance is hard to teach, accuracy is simple to teach. Distance requires athletic ability and most don’t have it. Golf popularity is on the wan and this will continue as long as commercialism drives golf ball and club sales, promising more distance, which is a lie for 98 percent of golfers. Longer courses have been a result of this commercialism and is discouraging to 98 percent of players. The USGA has failed golf by allowing commercialism to rule. Now if you are not 6 foot plus, lift weights and cardio train you can’t play a long par four and reach the green in regulation. Golf has become a home run derby and money rules golf. Look for golf to continue to go downhill in popularity and the only folks who play it are women who find it’s a way to get their husbands to spend time with them. I’ve played golf for 7 decades and was a former scratch player. I’m tired of the lies. If you have a good swing, a longer club will help your distance. If you have a bad swing, stay with a short club, or improve your swing.
Head type, shaft length… yadda yadda.. One thing that was NOT mentioned is the TYPE of shaft, the torque and bend point, and weight. The reason the ‘PRO’ golfers hit the balls so far is they have an army of club fitters tuning every aspect of their equipment for them. For us ‘wanna-bee’s, we all need to understand the importance of the clubs ENGINE, the shaft, not JUST the length, but the kick points, high making the ball fly lower, and rolling more, a low kick, making the ball fly higher and land with hardly no roll. It should be said that you should have the stiffest, longest driver shaft that you can control.. this is where going to your local pro shop or retail location and getting on that launch monitor!! DON’T just buy off the rack and expect to bomb it. GET IT FIT for your swing!!
Torque = resistance to twisting on off center hits, high torque resists the most… low, is low of course and the shaft will twist the most.
Kick Point = Low kick point, makes the ball fly HIGH, high kick point makes the ball fly lower. (trajectory)
Weight of the Shaft = the lighter the grams, the more club head awareness you will have, the heavier the shaft, you will feel like your swinging a baseball bat (not good) unless your part gorilla !!.
Hope that helps someone out there.. knowing that helped me pick the correct engine for my driver.
Due to weather, I had just returned to golf after about 9 weeks. It seems that for whatever reason I had lost two areas of my golf, driving and putting. Is this common and what do I have to do to get it back? Thanks Fred T
You have done a super job with the videos I am receiving. Keep it up.