Let's Talk About Driver Shafts

Hi everyone and thanks for stopping by. I'm in the process of moving right now so we'll let SirPutts handle this post. Tonight he's talking driver shafts as he tackles another email! I am looking at getting a Macgregor Eye-O-Matic driver. Only $49.00, I thought I would get this (decent driver) & play with some …

Hi everyone and thanks for stopping by. I'm in the process of moving right now so we'll let SirPutts handle this post. Tonight he's talking driver shafts as he tackles another email!

I am looking at getting a Macgregor Eye-O-Matic driver. Only $49.00, I thought I would get this (decent driver) & play with some shafts. I am looking at the UST Irod driver shaft. One that will help me get the ball higher but still has little torque to help keep it straight. Am I thinking right????

I hit the ball on a line, not high at all. I hit my driver good, but if it wasnt for roll I would be real short. I thinking right about a low torque shaft & one that has a low kick point to get the ball up but still straight. Do I need to look for one with more torque? What affect does torque have on a drivers loft, if any? I have the Sasquatch in 9.5 with stock Mitsubishi that has 4.5* of torque & still do not hit it as high as my FT-3 with a Prolaunch Blue. 

The one thing I do not like about the Prolaunch is it seems to be a bit bigger around the grip. My friend has noticed this also. He has the Aldila NV shaft & there is some difference.

There are a number of different things that you are going to have to consider here.
 
1. A low torque shaft can help keep the ball straight in the right set up. Today's lower torque shafts are designed for a 460 cc driver head. If you are looking at the smaller 400 cc Eye-O-Matic don't go with a low torque shaft.  Here's the reason: A low torque shaft is good in a large head because it prevents the club from twisting at impact. This means your miss-hits will stay straighter. When a player makes the mistake of getting in to a shaft that doesn't have enough torque they will never be able to square up the clubface properly and will hit everything to the right (for a right-handed golfer).
 
2. Generally low torque shafts have a very firm tip section. A firmer tip section will move the kick point higher up the shaft and produce a low ball flight.  Some of the newer shafts on the market (notably the ProLaunch and the iRod) have been able to actually combine a stiff tip section with a lower kick point to give you the best of both worlds. So while there are a couple of shafts that will offer low torque with a high ball flight, there aren't many.
 
3. Most graphite driver shafts have a butt diameter of about .600 inches. The Grafalloy ProLaunch is right on spec with that and is actually smaller than the Aldila NV by about .015".  It is probably a different size grip that is throwing you off.
 
4. The overall flex of a shaft will also have a big effect on your ball flight.  If you are hitting the ball too low try a more flexible shaft.

If you do decide to purchase this MacGregor driver I would make sure you buy the 460 cc head in at least 10.5 degrees of loft (more if its available). Then you can try some different shaft combinations.

I would rather see you work with the two drivers you currently have as both are much better clubs than the MacGregor.  The FT-3 especially is a good driver and you already have a good shaft in it. I don't know what loft or flex you have in this club but I doubt that you would be able to find any shaft combination in the MacGregor that would outperform your Callaway.

Thanks SirPutts! Feel free to drop us a line. We do our best to get back to everyone! Have a great day and we'll talk to you soon!