Should I Shorten My Driver?

If you are an avid golfer, then there is one thing that you want out of this activity, and that is even more enjoyment when you play. Even if you are very good at golf, there are bad days, and you will often find that how you play has a direct impact on how much you enjoy it. That is why all golfers are constantly seeking ways to improve their skills and play better.

A lot of people try to focus on their own personal skills to become better at golf, but the equipment that you use can also have a huge influence on your ability. One controversial equipment change that could improve your golfing ability is shortening your driver.

In this guide, we’ll be taking a look at some main reasons why you should consider shortening your driver. So, if you want to find out more, then keep on reading.

Measuring Driver Shaft Lengths

Before we take a look at why you may want to shorten your driver, let’s first take a look at how long driver shafts usually are. The length of driver shafts is something that has evolved over the years, and the length has steadily increased.

Driver shaft lengths used to measure 43 inches exclusively, but this measurement has steadily increased all the way up to 46 inches.

So, if you play golf in your spare time, you will find that most driver shafts measure between 45 and 46 inches in length. But on professional golf tours and competitions, like the PGA Tour, the length of driver shafts has held steady at 44.5 inches since the early 2000s.

Even though driver shafts have increased in length over the years, a lot of people believe that a shorter driver is better. They believe that the shorter distance allows you to play golf better, and in turn allows you to enjoy playing more.

So, let’s take a look at some reasons why a shorter driver may allow you to play better.

Should I Shorten my Driver?

Now, let’s take a look at some reasons why you should consider shortening your driver. In our opinion, there are three main reasons why you should consider doing this, so let’s take a look at them in more detail.

Reason One: Better Accuracy

One reported benefit of using a shorter driver is that it gives you better accuracy when you are playing golf. Every person who has tried using a shorter driver alongside a longer driver has reported that their hits were much more accurate with the shorter driver.

In some cases, people have reported 80% accuracy with a shorter driver in comparison to 40/50% accuracy with their regular driver.

A lot of golfers have tried this experiment in multiple different weather conditions, and the shorter driver always comes out on top. This really does beg the question, ‘why has the length of driver shafts been increased?’. But, for whatever reason, a lot of people are starting to use a shorter driver for better accuracy.

Reason Two: More confidence

Another reason to use a shorter driver is that people say it gives you more confidence when playing golf. Due to the inconsistencies that a lot of golfers report with longer drivers, some players have lost confidence in their ability to play the sport and have found themselves second-guessing their own game.

But, as shorter drivers have a better accuracy rate, this allows you to feel more confident in your ability, which, in turn, leads to you playing a better game.

As with many sports, confidence is key when it comes to playing golf. If you lose this confidence, then it can harm your entire game. As shorter drivers have better accuracy, you know that you can put your trust in them, and this will allow you to feel more confident in your ability. Therefore, allowing you to play better.

Reason Three: You Don’t Actually Lose Distance

Finally, you should consider shortening your driver because you do not lose distance by doing this. This is particularly important if you are someone who is constantly seeking additional distance due to your height.

If you are one of these people, then the thought of shortening your driver could be wholly off-putting, because you don’t want to lose the minimal distance that you actually have. But while you technically lose distance by shortening your driver, you don’t actually lose distance.

In technical terms, yes, you do lose distance. Your driver will be shorter and this will impact the distance that you can reach. However, the positive aspects of shortening your driver more than makeup for losing this small amount of distance.

In fact, being more comfortable and confident with your driver, as well as being more accurate, actually means that you don’t lose any distance when it comes to making hits.

How much should I Shorten my Driver?

If these reasons have sold you on shortening your driver, then you may now be wondering ‘how much should I shorten my driver?’. If you have always used a standard length of driver, then the thought of shortening it can be daunting. But, there’s no need to stress.

To ensure that the change isn’t too drastic, we would recommend shortening your driver slowly over a prolonged period. For this, we would suggest that you begin by shortening your driver by an inch. An inch isn’t too drastic, and it is a great way for you to find out if this does improve your golfing ability.

If you find that it works, you could then continue shortening your driver by half an inch. Throughout this process, you will find the driver length that works best for you, and that is when you should stop shortening your driver.

Summary

In short, this has been a complete guide surrounding whether, or not, you should shorten your driver. There have been lots of reports that this change can significantly improve your ability to play golf, so to find out if this change is for you, read this guide.

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