What Happens If Driver Shaft Is Too Long & How To Shorten It?

What Happens If Driver Shaft Is Too Long & How To Shorten It?

Introduction

We all want to hit the ball further, there’s no better feeling in golf than out-driving your golfing partners or dropping bombs from the tee.

If you study what the PGA professionals are doing, you’ll see that many are increasing the length of their driver shafts. Science has told these top golfers that this change will help them to hit the ball longer.

Why is this though, and what happens if my driver shaft is too, is there an optimum, and how do you shorten it? Don’t worry in this article we will do our best to answer every common question to do with driver shaft length.

Driver Shafts And Why The Right Length Is Important: An Overview

A golf driver shaft is the long, thin graphite shaft that attaches to the club head. It’s important to choose the right golf driver shaft length because if it’s too long, you run the risk of hitting your ball too high and chances of mis-hits.

If it’s too short, you may not hit your driver as well and increase your chances of mis-hits.

How To Know If Your Shafts Are Too Long?

If you are having trouble hitting the ball straight, your shaft may be too long. There is also the risk of driving the ball too high. If you are having these issues, there is a high chance that your shaft length is too long for your body, swing curvature, and grip.

All of these problems are listed by Isaias on the Lets Golf Better website. If you switch to a shorter shaft you might find that you get better levels of control over your drives.

Shaft Length Vs Golfer Height Table

Player’s Height	Average Shaft Length
Less than 4’10’’	43’’
4’10’’- 5’00’’	44’’
5’0’’- 5’2’’	44.5’’
5’2’’- 5’4’’	45’’
5’4’’- 5’7’’	45.5’’
5’7’’- 6’1’’	45.75’’
6’1’’- 6’2’’	46’’
6’2’’-6’4’’	46.25’’
6’4’’-6’6’’	46.75’’
More than 6’66’’	47.25’’

How Do You Measure A Driver Shaft?

The best way to measure the driver shaft length is from the front edge of the face of the clubhead to the ground at the address. You can use a measuring tape and measure the length of the shaft from the tip of the grip to the starting point of the club head.

Some driver models can also be unscrewed out of the drivers’ head, this is another easy way of measuring the shaft length. 

43.5 Vs 44.5 Vs 46 Inch Driver Shaft: What Type Of Shots Will It Lead To?

Depending upon the player’s physique and technique, these shaft lengths will produce different results for each. Some will be optimum for your body height, and some will cause you more problems due to a poorly fitting shaft length. 

Let’s look at how the different shaft lengths available influence your golf shot:

43.5’’ Shaft Length

43.5’’ shaft length is ideal for players whose height is just below 5 feet. It is a short shaft length that can produce a good distance and increased roll of the ball. This shaft provides control. The flight of the ball will be a mid-low trajectory and potentially not travel as far. 

44.5’’ Shaft Length

44.5’’ shaft length is ideal for players whose height is between 5’0’’-5’2’’. This shaft produces enough torque for golfers to hit 275+ yard tee shots. It produces optimal spin on the ball. The flight of the ball will be medium.

46’’ Shaft Length

46’’ shaft length is a rather longer shaft, ideal for players whose height is 6’0’’-6’2’’. This length will work best for taller players to generate a good carry distance with optimal spin and mid-high flight. 

 

Will Driver Shaft Length Cause A Slice Or Hook?

Improper driver shaft length can cause you to have less control over your drives, resulting in a slice or hook. To correct this issue, you will need to shorten the driver shaft.

Longer shaft lengths are more prone to hooks or slices than shorter shafts depending on the shot shape of the golfer. If your bad shot is a slice, the chances are the longer shaft will make this even worse and go even further right.

Therefore, a 46’’ shaft length might cause more slices and hooks than a 43.5’’ shaft.

 

Driver Shaft Length: Will You Lose Distance?

If the golf driver shaft length is too long, and you don’t swing the club fast enough this can cause a loss in distance from the tee. 

To correct this problem, it is necessary to shorten the driver to suit your height and swing speed. There are also chances of more mis-hits. There are worries from the PGA Tour, which has recognized that top PGA professionals are switching to longer shaft lengths in their drivers. They have produced a study that proposes to restrict the length of a driver to 46 inches. 

 

Driver Shaft Length: What Will Happen To Shot Height

Two scenarios could change the shot height if you are using an improper shaft length. 

Scenario 1: If you are using a shaft that is too long, the clubface will be positioned too far back on the ball at impact. This will cause your shots to hit a high shot but also potentially wide from your target. 

Scenario 2: If you are using a shorter shaft, and you have a slower swing, it can cause your shots to be lower-flighted and more controlled.  

In this excellent YouTube video from Mark Crossfield he tests the differences in performance with long shafts vs short shafts and it is definitely worth a watch.

 

Driver Shaft Length: What Will Happen To Consistency?

If you’re using a shaft that’s too long, it will cause inconsistency in your golf game.

Golfers whose clubs are too long take extra time to make each swing and can be more susceptible to hitting low or left-to-right shots. If you choose a shorter shaft your game will improve dramatically.

 

Will I Lose Accuracy With A Longer Driver Shaft?

If you choose to use a longer driver shaft the accuracy of your shot will be compromised. Improper shaft length can also cause you to experience more club head speed and wind resistance during your swing.

Shifting your weight and making a full turn in your backswing while golfing will also be more difficult because the driver will not rotate as easily. 

If you’re experiencing any of these issues, it may be time to shorten your golf driver shaft.

 

How Can You Shorten A Driver Shaft?

There are a few ways to do this: 

Using a hacksaw: If your driver shaft has an old-fashioned steel shaft these are not as easy to change over. You will need to use a hacksaw. Firstly remove the grip, then saw the shaft at a 45-degree angle from the grip end. This should be enough to shorten the shaft by 1-2 inches. Make sure to wear gloves and avoid cuts on your hands. Once this is done you can re-grip your club and see the results on the course. 

Use the shaft removal tool provided. Modern drivers today come with removable driver heads. You can use the Allen Wrench tool provided to unscrew the head from the shaft and easily replace them with the new driver shaft. This is very simple, the most important thing to remember is to ensure you fasten the shaft to the driver’s head tightly until it clicks.  

 

Should You Shorten Your Shaft Or Choke Down On The Club

If you’re finding that your golf driver shaft is too long and causing you trouble hitting the ball consistently, one solution may be to shorten it. However, before doing anything drastic, it’s important to consider whether shortening the shaft might be the wrong solution.

To test this theory out before making any drastic changes you could choke down on the grip and see if this makes any significant difference. Choking down on the club will make the club shorter, you will also change your swing plane to accommodate this length difference.

Whatever you decide, as long as you feel better with the adjustment then it’s a good decision. This was recently discussed in a Golf WRX forum where they summarised with the same outcome.

 

Four reasons why shortening the shaft could make things worse: 

• Shorter shafts often don’t spin as freely as their longer counterparts, which can lead to less accuracy and power on shots. 
• Tight chokes cause the club to pull harder on the ground, potentially damaging turf and other property. This can also lead to inconsistent swings and decreased distance.
• Golfers who shorten their shafts often end up losing height off their shots as well, which can make it more difficult to reach premium greens. 
• Lastly, a shorter shaft may simply not be strong enough to handle the rigors of professional golfing – particularly if you’re using a lot of power shots. In these cases, a longer shaft may be better suited.

 

What Will Happen If Your Driver Shaft Is Too Short?

If your driver shaft is too short, you will likely lose distance with your drives, and likely your club head speed will be reduced. Due to this change, there is a chance that your shot height will be compromised, and the spin rate of the ball will reduce.

If you have a faster swing speed there is a probability that you might start to hit hooks and slices because of the hard-hitting and high swing speed.

 

What Kind Of Shots Will A Short Shaft Produce?

If the shaft length is too short, you might lose consistency and accuracy. The ball flight will become low. There will be little to no spin on the ball.

Harder hits and higher swing speed can cause mis-hits leading to hooks and slices. It is recommended by Todays Golfer that golfers should try out a shorter shaft, this might produce better accuracy. They quoted that “There’s a very good reason the average driver length on the PGA Tour is 44.5 inches and not 45.5 or 46.5.”

A shorter shaft could be the answer for you all. We suggest you play with a shaft length that is comparable to your body height for better golf. 

 

What Performance Will A Short Shaft Produce?

If your golf driver shaft is too short, it can impact its performance. With the right length, you will probably hit consistent and accurate shots. However, if the shaft is too short, it will create performance problems for you.

Your shot dispersion becomes inconsistent in distance and trajectory. Furthermore, if you have a faster swing speed shaping the shot will also become difficult as you will find it too short to control resulting in a sub-standard performance in your game. 

 

Driver Shaft Length – What Else Impacts Performance?

Apart from the length of the shaft, shaft flex and shaft weight are also important determinants of your driving performance, let’s look in more detail. 

Shaft Flex

Shaft flex is an important factor along with shaft length. Shaft flex options can be flexible, regular, stiff, and extra stiff. These will be based on your swing speed and playing style, we suggest you choose a shaft that matches your playing ability. Choosing the proper shaft length, and an improper shaft flex will create inconsistency in the shots. 

Shaft Weight

Shaft weight is also important. Based on your swing speed and playing style, you have many options for shaft weight. These start from 35 grams and go up to 80 grams. The lower weight is preferred for slow swing speed and the higher weight is preferred for high swing speed. Be sure to check out our other article on shaft weights and how they can improve your game. 

 

Should You Get A Driver Shaft Fitting

Golfers should always get a driver shaft fitting. Too often, golfers with longer drivers simply shorten their shafts without realizing that this can cause them problems down the road.

The problem with too-short, or too-long driver shafts, is that they cause problems for the golfers. Due to this reason, many golfers stop hitting drivers. We suggest getting a driver shaft fitting with a trained professional for improving your game.

 

Best Driver Shaft For Most Players 

 

Fujikura Ventus Black Driver Shaft

Many professional golfers use Fujikura shafts. With Ventus Black, the shot dispersion is tightened, and ball speed is maximized, regardless of where the ball is struck.

Featuring Fujikura’s new VeloCore technology, the Ventus also features an ultra-stiff tip. Ideal for moderate swing speeds. It generates optimal spin on the ball.

Pros

• Ideal for moderate swing speed
• Tightened shot dispersion
• Maximized ball speed

Cons

• Not a good choice for slow swing speed

 

Conclusion

We hope you have enjoyed our explanation of how driver shaft length can influence your game. There are pros and cons to the different shaft lengths.  If you have a golf driver shaft that is too long, it can be difficult to hit the ball with accuracy.

Fortunately, there are a few simple steps you can take to shorten your golf driver shaft and get back on track.

You should be careful while shortening your driver shaft, if you shorten it too much it could create problems for your game. We would always recommend visiting a trained professional and getting started on measuring for your perfect driver shaft length today!

So what shaft length do you currently have in your driver, do you think this is the right length, let us know in the comments below?