Toying with a 2 Driver Setup

Equipment
#1

I’m probably stepping on Jon’s toes again, as I know he’s testing a 47 inch driver and it relates to this topic…

I’m toying with adding a 2nd driver to my bag this season… though my setup is a little different… One of my golf goals is to hit 120mph club head speed (this may also have been how I hurt my back)… at my home course, where I play the majority of rounds, this will allow me to turn a dumb par 5 into a long par 4.

Hole 6 at Hunting Creek CC: It’s a 530-560 yard par five, but the tee shot is down into the valley, with the second shot being blind back up the valley… It’s got a steep slope and heavy rough… Looking at it, my “optimal” play is to carry it about 300 yards and get to the top of the hill… This is my least favorite hole on the course, and I want to break it. Hence the quest for 120 CHS.

Anyways, I was already over 110 mph and I assume I’ll be back in that realm when I can play again… This is great for me on the long par 4s and good on 2 of the par 5s, but leaves me with bad options on shorter par 4s and one of the Par 5s… I’ve always liked having a second tee club, and rarely hit my 3 wood off the ground…

So my current plan is to pick up a 12 degree driver, put a 44 inch shaft in it and hope to have a second tee club that I’m more consistent with… it’s somewhat the reverse of adding a longer driver to my bag, but the exact same concept… I’ll have my 45-46 inch driver for holes where I value length over accuracy and then have a shorter club that has the built in forgiveness of a driver, the added spin (and thus control) from a 12 degree face and hopefully the self control to not try to kill it.

It would be used on 3-4 holes a round most days, with the possibility of more shots depending on wind and how poorly I’m swinging…

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#2

Keep us posted on how it goes! I love the idea, really curious to see how it works out

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#3

I will (hopefully) have my long driver article out next week, but the 2-driver setup is something I plan on starting the season with. As long as it’s legal to have a 47" shaft!

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#4

Yeah, if I had an easy way to get a 47 inch driver, I’d probably go that route, but I don’t feel like spending the money… I have a specific shot in mind at my home course for a 12 degree driver, and I’m hoping my build out is capable of performing it… I have some decent shafts sitting around the house that I don’t mind cutting down, just need to find the right head (I’ll probably just buy a Cobra head, as they should be cheaper and I have the tips for it).

I’ve spent my injured time rethinking my bag, and I’m pretty close to my vision board thus far… Ideally, I’d just buy a 44 inch 2 wood that was 300cc and 12-13 degrees, but that doesn’t exist… I’ve changed up my wedge setup to something I think makes sense… the last real thing to change is my hybrid selection, I just need to figure out what I want (degree wise, length wise) in that slot.

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#5

Any of you worried about the rumbling about the new rule; below?

“USGA/R&A are setting the table for a possible rollback. Proposed changes on newly release distance insight project include a limit on max shaft length (46 inches),”

I have a 46.5” Driver ( which I just bought to [ Bryson Out ] and am worried the USGA will take it away!

I am hoping they will at least put the rule in effect in a couple years; like the did for square grooved irons back in 2010.

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#6

Im not overly worried… I don’t need the speed from a 47 inch driver and was planning on going 46 & 44.

I do have an old 48 inch driver I bought on a whim, though!

I’m curious to read jons article on his testing of a 47 inch driver, though!

#7

I listened to you talking about this in you Podcast, which is great by the way.
What is the name of the shaft company, I looked for them but couldn’t find them.

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#8

Thanks! The shaft company I’ve been working with is called ACCRA.

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#9

I’ve got a House of Forged long drive shaft in my house… 48 inches (it’s in an Adams 7 degree head)… I might have to pull it and put a Callaway tip on hit… then I can go 47 and 44 and really chase some variance!

#10

Jon,
I kept looking for Acro.
How in the heck do you know what to look for. It was a lot easier 20 years ago when I was looking for a Aldila shaft. I looked for my swing speed and how much torque the shaft had. I wanted the least torque I could get, I think it was 2.0 or 20%.
Joe

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#11

Jon talks about it in his podcast, but this shaft was specifically designed to play longer than regular shafts… while most shafts are built to 48 inches, they are designed to have some length cut off at install (either from the butt or the tip, to change how they play).

It’s tough to keep up with modern shafts! I’m a moderate gear nerd, and couldn’t tell you about 1/10th of the shafts on the market… even iron shafts have gotten complicated. It’s an every evolving industry, and it makes things like fitting yourself more of a challenge…

The good news is there are a ton of different options… Aldila has a variety of shafts with a number of different kick points, and it’s not just flex, weight and torque anymore… I’m an Aldila fan and have 5 aldila shafts with different profiles in the house right now… Green, White, Silver, Alpha X and the original Alpha RIP… All weight about the same but play very differently.

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#12

Unfortunately, it’s not that simple. I wouldn’t know what to look for at all if I went at it on my own. I’m going to release the article next week, but you’ll see why pursuing the longer driver shaft really needs the help of a professional to make sure you get it right.

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#13

If it’s good enough for Phil to use to win the 2006 Masters, then it’s good enough for you! I like the out of the box thinking.

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#14

I think it does sorta exist. It’s called a Phrankenwood.

#15

There have been some half assed attempts at 2 woods… the 2 deep is probably the best option out there… there was a callaway 1.5 Bertha as well, but I can’t find one cheap.

Since this is just a one off experiment, and I don’t have a tour van, I’m trying to buy a cheap head and throw a shaft in it… currently winning a $20 auction for an adams fast 10… going to be interesting to see if I can get the swing weight right!

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#16

Jon, what days do you typically release articles? I’m new to your site and I don’t want to miss it.

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#17

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Phase 1 complete (old purchases included to amuse you)… just need to toss a shaft into it!

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#18

Interesting approach. Good luck.

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#19

Good luck to you all who are trying a long driver. My soul is hot hearty enough to try it; I’m pretty skeptical that I can pull off timing/tempo/rhythm to make a longer shaft work for me.

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#20

The bottom purchase of a long driver is sitting in my basement… the top purchase is for a short driver experiment.

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