The saying, “it’s not the machine, it’s the operator” is one that we all hear from time to time when we are blaming our clubs for our bad shot. While this may be true on some occasions, it could also mean that you're using the wrong clubs for your swing. With the development of launch monitor technology, we can now see how a club can influence your ball within seconds.
What Club Fitters Look For
Once we have determined your swing speed, there are two numbers that we look at the most when fitting: Launch Angle and Spin Rate.
If we generalize, most people launch the ball too low or have too much backspin on their ball or both with their driver. In 2015, Taylor Made shared their data on how this can influence distance with the PGA of Canada. For someone who has a 120 mph ball speed (80-90 mph swing speed) they should have their ball launch 14-16 degrees with 2200 rpms of backspin.
This means that your old 8 degree driver probably won’t go as far as a new 12 degree driver will. The degrees of loft on the club does influence the launch angle, but it does not mean that a 12 degree driver will launch at 12 degrees. Your swing plays a large roll in this as well.
By launching the ball just 10 degree’s rather than 14, the data shows you will lose 10 yards of distance. The same applies for having too much spin on the ball. If you have 3000 rpms of backspin rather than 2200, you will also lose 10 yards of distance.
What Does This All Mean?
The best way to make sure you have the right driver for you is to come get fit with a launch monitor and an experienced CPGA Pro trained in Club Fitting. We will experiment with different lofts on drivers, as well as different shafts to ensure you are not leaving yards behind. Bring your own driver to the fitting so you can see the difference for yourself!