This is a great question and one that is asked of me many times in this form or other variations such as how can I hit it farther or longer. Length is certainly an important part of playing golf even if one only plays par 3 courses. We all certainly would love to hit it longer. Longer drives means having second shots with less club to hit to the green, which increases our odds of hitting more greens. Then there are many of us who had good length at one time and have seen it diminish with injuries or with us growing older and slower. But never fear, the answer is here and I hold it in my hand. It is an advertising insert in the February 5th issue of Golfweek Magazine.
The title of the ad is the title of this article, 'Where Will Your Distance Come From.' This is an advertisement for a major club manufacturer's new 2010 drivers. Yes, that is plural, and they have two models. The twist for this ad campaign is that they are comparing one VS with the other. The copy is written to describe each club's characteristics to help you determine which one is best for you. Based on the hyperbole (Webster's defines this as exaggeration for effect, not meant to be taken literally) is this really 'HyperBULL?' These drivers are out of this world and making a decision on which one to buy needs the Wisdom of Solomon. Here's the ad. See if you can make up your mind which one to buy.
Where Will Your Distance Come From?
The 2010 —— SuperFast increases clubhead speed and delivers massive distance. Powered by lighter, longer components, and a massive 460cc head with advanced aerodynamics, the 2010 —— SuperFast is built to ignite clubhead speed. Distance comes from speed.
VS
The 2010 —-SuperTri is the only 460cc head with total adjust-ability. You choose the ideal loft, lie, face angle and CG location. With up to 75 yards of L/R adjust-ability, the 2010 ' SurerTri puts ultimate control and power in your hands. Distance comes through optimization.
Note: CG Location is Center of Gravity and L/R adjust-ability is left/Right adjust-ability of up to 75 yards. If one needs to slice or hook a ball 75 yards you have hit the ball close to off the planet.
WOW'¦I am having trouble breathing as reading the descriptions of the speed and power of these massive drivers has sucked the air out of my office and has created a vacuum. These drivers sound like space age rocket equipment. Heck, the SuperFast one sounds like it may even be a reduced size version of the rocket engines for launching the space shuttles. The SuperTri gives us the idea that maybe in fact this is a golf club because it does say that 'it puts ultimate control and power in your hands.' After all, we all know that WE have to swing the clubs, as they do not swing themselves as these adds somewhat imply.
But what about the issue of DISTANCE that both drivers claim to produce from different sources. Does distance come from speed? Or, does distance come through optimization? Or does it come from a combination of both? If distance comes from just one of them, then we don't need both. And if does come from a combination of both, than why did they make two? They should have combined all the features into one really 'SUPERDUAL' Driver.
To answer the question 'Where Will Your Distance Come From' is simply that it comes from you swinging your clubs faster and hitting the ball more solid and straighter. Golfers can only swing longer length and bigger headed clubs longer if they can swing them faster and hit them as solid and straight as shorter and smaller headed clubs. I think it is obvious, as common sense alone tells us that any longer and bigger headed club needs more effort, energy and strength to swing faster and controlled to hit it as solid and straight as shorter and smaller. Why? Because clubs do not have feet or wings or motors to help us add power and speed. Swinging them is all 100 percent provided by us, the golfer.
So, when you can't swing longer shafted, bigger headed clubs faster and with the same control and hit it as solid and straight as shorter shafted and smaller head clubs, you LOSE distance. Add to that you also hit it more crooked and thus shorter and into more trouble. Add to that longer shafts and bigger heads need more effort and energy to swing. And you are the only source of that energy and we do not have an infinite source of energy to play each round. When your energy is running low before the end of the round, swinging these behemoth drivers becomes more difficult and hitting them poorly becomes more likely. All this is counter productive to playing better golf, hitting better shots and shooting lower scores.
Read the ads and enjoy the Hyperbole. Don't let the HyperBull con you into buying drivers that are not fit for you. And if the HyperBull is pulling you like a magnet to your golf shop or super store to buy it, first call or stop by a certified club fitter's shop. Get measured to see if your body specs match those of the Super Driver. I guarantee that for the vast majority of us they don't size up. They way OVERSIZE for us.
The Surge!