More Driver Distance Through Angle of Attack

[@yadthink]

Ian, your comment at 10:26 about a positive attack angle affecting weight transfer was enlightening and reassuring. I hadn't heard that from anyone else. Thx!

[@ianfraser3194]

Howie Land you’re welcome Howie.

[@apaulmcdonough2170]

Hi, Guys, Good Information, as usual. In terms of "Swing Optimization", one thing I have noticed in those "What's in The Bag" articles, is "the Pros generally tend to hit their Driver TWICE as Far (Carry) as their 9 Iron. Fooling around, I have teed up my 9 Iron (then a second ball with my Driver) and then hit the 9 Iron Ball again with my 9. Usually, for me the 2 9Irons outdistance my Driver by 15 - 20 Yards. Just a fun little test that I have asked friends to try also.

[@davidwilson1107]

Brilliant video guys. So hard to wrap my head around hitting up on the driver yet down on the irons. Pretty sure this is what has turned me into a picker on the fairways.

[@anthonymckenzie7951]

Another super educational video guys! Very telling to see the glaring difference between the launch angles at the same speed. This is exactly the type of info that keeps me locked in on TXG as the best golf channel on KZbin. Great job guys!!

[@clubchampionmedia]

Thanks Anthony!!

[@josephdubiel7129]

I have been playing golf for some time now. I went to a driver fitting and was told my angle of attack was too steep. So,,,,,, they made suggestions and showed me how to lower it. They said they were impressed how easily I adapted to it and all of a sudden it opened up much more power and distance. I then ran with it and applied the stroke to my hybrids and woods. Same result. Dramatic up tick in swing speed, distance and control was good too. And the other thing is the swings are effortless. My golf life changed big time. This is a good video people. Pay attention. Spider Dubiel

[@josephdubiel7129]

My fitter put me onto this angle of attack thing. Then I figured Ian and Matt would have something on this. I cannot stop talking about his. The solid ball strikes, power and ease of swing are amazing with the lower angle of attack. It makes me wonder how many people have too steep of a swing. I just found out about it from my fitter on Tuesday.I adapted quickly to it. I wondered if the lower angle swing would mess me up but that didn't happen. And it works for many clubs, not just drivers. :) Spider

[@markkirk3049]

Your last comment hits home, my angle of attack on trackman is 4.2 up, using an 11.5 degrees Callaway driver, it’s goes high and long, 98% carry, the trackman showed an 16 degree for loft, I have been thinking of going for 10-10.5 degrees , though on some holes, I use a 3 wood or 3 hybrid to not run out of fairway

[@gunnarjinx]

Brilliant video as they all are... i would LOVE to see Matt's difference in hitting Sub Zero with massive weight difference BUT still heavier in the back ... perhaps 2 front, 8 back..... and maybe 6 front and 14 back to see what changes in his swing and hit as the head gets heavier..... distance in the air and accuracy. Thank you both for all your stay-up-late-videos ;) All the best...

[@tomvrabel6811]

Would love to see a comparison between Ping I500 with Titlist AVX ball vs Ping I210 with a Pro v1. Curious what the yardage differences would be!

[@kingshark4645]

would like to see a video on a comparison between a flo' and pured shaft, vs, just a slapped on club head non flo'd and pured

[@clubchampionmedia]

it's on our radar for sure

[@storieswithaly1247]

To speak to your point about lofts etc. I just tried and hot 120 balls on the range, 40 with the ping g 400 max, 40 with the cobra f8, and 40 with the srixon u65 driving utility (4) - though perhaps latter not such a good comparison. Got same distances more or less with each but very high launch with ping g400 max, more mid flight and better shape with cobra and great shape, direction and flight with u65. Launch angles were different on average. And do suffer from negative angle of attack but was deliberately trying to hit of high tees and upward with the two drives. Both drivers 10.5. Certainly when i subsequently changed the loft 1 degree down I had a similar result but better flight than at 10.5 with the max.

[@trentwilliams5836]

Great video guys. I previously used a driver with the wrong loft for me (9.5°). I noticed over time I slowly migrated to playing it a few inches farther inside my front instep than normal in effort to keep it from ballooning. This led me to more of a flat angle of attack. Some days I felt like I was pounding it and the spin would just chew the potential yards up. Accuracy was great, but didn’t feel optimal at all. Fast forward to today. I’m in an 8.5° and play the ball right inside my instep which allows for a much more natural upward attack angle. Spin has dropped as well and the ball flight is much more penetrating.

[@clubchampionmedia]

👍👍 Nice Trent!!

[@eggsmann594]

Nice demo, but why did you not even notice the glaring difference in ' side angle ' ? Minus 4.0 for the positive AOA. What is that, coming across it or from the inside ? I looks like both were fades, but with the red line (-4.0) being more a workable drive....I'm confused. Are positive side angle #s more of from the inside and promote a draw ?

[@steinfonell4915]

Good stuff. Yes there will be some thoughts around the issue...

[@harrykorver9690]

Thank you! I find changing from hitting down to hitting up rather difficult. Getting to level now (on flightscope' from previous 5 or 6 down.. On my way up!

[@ipsc2alpha]

I can’t wait to my next trip to Toronto so I can stop in and see your facility.

[@racht449]

This will be the biggest thing i am going to work on this off season. I know i have always hit heavily down on the ball with the driver for as long as i can remember. I took a trip to the top tracer range this weekend and was only averaging 218 carry with an average of 153 ball speed and a launch angle of 7 degrees. I'm sure i'm leaving a ton of distance on the table here because i hit down on the ball so much.

[@brianmccool9728]

Great video! I've always been confused by the Trackman averages for driver on attack angle and the 'hit' upward mantra. You both explained it exceptionally well!

[@blue_mountains28]

Nice guys thanks. Any way to check this if you don't have a launch monitor?

[@davidwilson1107]

Allan Butler slow mo video by your buddy

[@clubchampionmedia]

Nothing else that would be very accurate to be honest Allan, launch monitor is your best bet if you can visit a shop or demo day that has one.

[@mangoman2148]

Scott Fawcett tweeted out DJ's Strokes Gained stats partway through the final round at Glenn Abbey. He had gained 12 shots on the field through driving & approach shots combined, and 2 shots with chipping & putting combined. When people STILL say 'drive for show', I can't restrain myself. Sadly, I was hitting 4 degrees down on my driver when I was last on TrackMan. I know I'm leaving so much distance on the table, but I'm struggling to find the right swing feeling or drill to hit up on it. This leads to two important fitting questions: I currently use an old Titleist 910 with 72g S flex. My swing speed is around 110. I am spraying it off the planet, and I mean OFF THE PLANET, both left and right. I was thinking it's time for a new driver, for some improved head technology and to move into an X-flex shaft. Some pros and fitters have told me that X-flex could help my dispersion. Is that a reasonable expectation? Secondly, I'm worried that if I get fitted whilst I'm hitting 4 degrees down, then I learn to hit more up on the ball, the head/shaft combo I was fit for will no longer be the optimal set-up for me. How would you approach the situation? Work really hard to improve angle of attack first, then worry about fitting once I've accomplished that?

[@clubchampionmedia]

At your speed and depending on the tempo of your swing, certainly a stiffer profile shaft could be helpful. Make sure you demo some different options as it isn't only the flex rating that will determine a good fit for you. As for your angle of attack, would recommend working on the swing first absolutely. Fitting for a negative angle of attack versus positive would be a very different outcome.

[@mangoman2148]

Thanks for the advice, will definitely try some different shaft profiles. This channel is next level, and the care and time you guys have for subscribers is part of the reason why.

[@joeluvs2danceify]

Yes, I enjoy a good drive. However my greatest enjoyment comes from hitting the ball close with my approach shot. 😎

[@bradquinn4500]

You should only be enjoyed if you make the putt with a good approach shot. That’s what separates pros from amateurs.

[@TheMuffs2004]

My greatest strength is my wedge game. So for me my greatest enjoyment is a great drive that allows me the opportunity to take advantage of my wedge skills to the upmost.

[@KennyGrinols]

Really would have liked to see you guys crank his Driver loft up a few degrees to try and reach the mythological 17/1700.

[@hungry1011]

Would moving the ball up in your stance help?

[@gmiller313]

If continuing this, what happens if you increase too much loft. instead of the 13°, being 18°? Where is the "sweet spot" as far as AOA through testing

[@clubchampionmedia]

Depends on your speed, for a fast player around 11º launch angle is often ideal. As speed decreases more launch angle is beneficial to getting more distance, where a mid-speed player would likely see around 13º launch as ideal. If you go too high, you'll start to lose distance.

[@87stratman]

Could we see a similar test, but change the setting on the driver so that the launch angle is similar?

[@moodswingcafe]

What about tee height? As high as the rules and the person's ability allows? How high is too high? Thanks.

[@clubchampionmedia]

Generally you want to tee the ball up so about half of the ball is above the crown of the driver. You can go a bit higher than that if you want to encourage a more upward strike.

[@peteb185]

when you start popping up the ball, it's too high lol

[@davidcullen3578]

My personal problem comes the more I hit up on the ball the more it effects my fairway woods and odd time into my 4 iron a touch - I start to thin them. Still totally agree this is the way forward for my driving. Side note, I'm looking and looking but struggle to find anyone with GCQuad or HMT in my area (San Fran). Anything your Foresight guys can do?

[@clubchampionmedia]

Foresight has this list on the website of locations/fitters that use their equipment: www.foresightsports.com/get-fit They are very responsive to inquiries so I'm sure they'd be able to help you with finding someone as close to you as possible.

[@oldgold5848]

Top stuff guys!

[@leecorleone]

great stuff as usual.

[@kennethgustavsson1850]

good stuff. If i hit down is good to use a low spinning driver?

[@clubchampionmedia]

Generally speaking yes

[@BillWeiss]

I never even considered the angle of attack when teeing off - just "hit up" and throw "that high" A new piece to fit into the puzzle that is golf! That's awesome! Still wish I started playing 30 years ago... ;)

[@josephdubiel7129]

You might not believe the difference Bill. I am actually shocked.I not only applied it to my driver but my woods and hybrids as well. I am really wondering now just how often a too steep attack is responsible for mis hits. I am thinking quite a bit. It actually unleashed more power and swing speed that I had no idea that I had. Spider

[@gabrielpennington7166]

What’s an optimum tee height and ball position to get your launch conditions at their peak? I know long drivers use a 4” tee and tee up outside of their lead foot sometimes, but in order to maximize distance without becoming overly wild, what setup works best for a fairly high swing speed amateur?

[@jonathanbecker4513]

Great channel guys! Already can easily hit up on it, in fact ,as my swing flaw is in-out, i can tee it up about three inches and have seen it launch on top golf tracer with a solid strike of anywhere between 16 and 20 degrees with the most usually a hook. Ball speed is about 150 with range balls. The loft on my driver is 9. landing angle is as high as 45. So it seems I' m losing some yards. Nobody makes a driver with 6.5 degrees of loft like my old Big bertha of 25 years ago. Can a low launching, low spin shaft help get my launch down? I'm too old and have too many orthopedic issues to change my swing.....maybe just grasping at straws........

[@clubchampionmedia]

You can get the Taylormade M5 or new SIM in 8* turned down to 6.5*

[@MLittrell]

You said that Matt's driver is open thus lowering the loft. With clubs that have the ability to rotate the shaft to add/subtract loft (Ping G400), does this change the swing characteristic of the shaft which might require an adjustment to how you swing?

[@MrHugo1986]

Great video. I’ve been working on AOA and my 9 degree driver at the top tracer range is launching between 15-17 degrees. This feels too high now and maybe too much spin. What are your thoughts? What should optimum launch angle for a 9 degree head be? Thanks

[@adellase]

Does a shorter driver shaft help increase the angle of attack? I went from a 45” shaft to a 45.5” driver shaft and it feels like it’s harder to hit up on it.

[@FlyboyAF22]

Awesome info gentlemen! Bad news for those of us already hitting up with the driver 3 deg though lol. Means I'll have to hit the gym to get more yards! : )

[@carlwinsor3959]

Great vlog again gents can you say roughly what number I should get on pro tracer at the range ball speed is around 145 mph on average plus I am taking into account the range balls there spinney compared to my Z Stars ( just out of curiosity not going to hold you to it LoL ) p s do more shaft tec talk loving my new Oban Airburst ?

[@parnopsiripornpak428]

Good info as always.

[@Breaksandripscards]

I really can’t wrap my head around the fact that this channel isn’t at 1 million subscribers.. this channel has helped every facet of my game so much, to the point like I feel I owe them money...🧐 these guys could put out a 8 hour long video and I’d watch every second

[@kolt2928]

Ian You need to do a series with steel golf shafts on modern woods.

[@redgooner5]

I might be wrong but I read somewhere that tour average angle of attack is -1 with a driver?

[@catgolfer1]

I had the same thing happen to me. All I did was switch to a longer tee. I had been using a standard height tee and barely sticking it in the ground. Half the ball now is above the crown.🐈

[@Barkingtoad1]

Was recently fitted ( sort of ) into epic flash sub zero driver , I apparently have a swing that suits irons not woods , I get around 135 mph ball speed . I was put into the sub zero as I produce a lot of spin with driver was getting 3-4K . Getting 1900-2800 k with sub . I come out to in slightly but the neck is set at 9* D , will the draw setting be hindering me making a slice more common ??

[@davidbaird2696]

great video guys

[@tdougs77]

I'm hitting +5 up with a 10.5, launching 17 degrees (trackman). What would you suggest? I've tried lowering the head down 2 degrees but that's 4 degrees open and It's slice city.

[@michaelduffy7633]

How much does spin loft influence these numbers? Ie hitting 2 or 3 degrees up adding loft.

[@albertofernandez-sanguino3373]

Great vid guys. You're preaching to the converted..... now have a +4º AoA and use a 4" high tee, had to custom make it as there isn't anything this high available on the market...... as a result my strike is much more centred or even slightly above equator. However had to crank down loft to just 8º................. Which leads me to various questions: 1) Why is it amateurs don't use a consistent tee height? The just stab it into the ground and away you go...........In my case use castle type tees, so ALWAYS have the same tee height 2) Why is it most amateurs tee up soooooo low? Have seen people with just 1" high tees and striking it very low on the face. You tell them to tee it up higher........... and they pay no attention whatsoever........ Maybe they'll listen to you guys :-) One final question: How to hit the driver with wind? Cross wind (left to right ad viceversa) and into a headwind. Especially dread a headwind, ball just seems to balloon or stall..... Many thx

[@clubchampionmedia]

Mostly just a lack of awareness Alberto, most golfers don't fully understand how their angle of attack influences things like accuracy and launch conditions. When hitting your driver into the wind, generally speaking you want to keep the launch angle and spin rate down to avoid ballooning. For someone with a low spin driver flight (i.e. 2000rpm or less spin), hitting into a headwind probably doesn't require much adjustment anyway to hit the ball a good distance. Most players try to swing harder and/or more down on the ball into the wind which actually generates more spin and makes ballooning worse.

[@robertlogan6379]

Can Matt say where he felt he had the ball positioned for the up and the down. Also did he vary tee height.

[@clubchampionmedia]

Slightly lower tee height, ball a bit farther back in stance (inch or two) for hitting down

[@Ibizassini]

What would be the difference in distance on a teed up iron (par 3) where attack angle would be less down or even fractionally up?

[@clubchampionmedia]

Generally you'd see a bit less spin and a bit more launch angle.

[@hansidelk6604]

As Monte Scheinblum say: trying to hit up on driver have destroyed so many swings and lead to people having big driver issues. Swing your swing, and let a good fitter maximize what you got.

[@imvincentblair8911]

At 110 club speed, +4 AOA, and still getting 3000 spin on good strikes, would lowering loft from 9.5 to 8.0 help drop down the spin all things equal?

[@JuanGarcia-hr1wf]

Great video Ian and Matt. Recently got fitted for Ping GMAX 10.5 driver with loft increase +1. Based on club head speed of 87mph, my average dynamic loft is 16.4, and launch angle is 14.2. Are those appropriate numbers relative to my clubhead speed? How would I increase my angle of attack?

[@dutchtrublemaker]

if you want increase in angle of attack you should go to a teaching pro, because you will need some swing chances.

[@clubchampionmedia]

That's a good launch angle at your speed Juan, you may already be slightly positive in angle of attack. Best thing to do would be to get an angle of attack number on a launch monitor so you know what your baseline is before making any changes.

[@LordScorpion60]

Great video! I've been struggling to hit up on the ball for a while but after finally getting on TrackMan, I averaged 0.3 up which based on your clarification, could be a few more up in reality. The thing I was looking for in the video but missed was the relation to AoA and dynamic loft... I feel like to hit up even more (1.7 on TM), I have to release the head at low point which adds loft once up into the ball. Most videos say to deloft and hit up to get the best spin loft, but I feel like my wrists or something upstream wants to snap if I try to do that and it feels like I lose a lot of speed in the process. Can you please comment on the "deloft and hit up" theory? Sharing Matt's dynamic lofts for each batch would be awesome too! Thanks again!

[@clubchampionmedia]

The variable you're referring to is called Spin Loft, that's what you want to optimize. You don't necessarily need to deloft your driver with your golf swing or make any swing changes at all, you may just need a lower lofted driver (or crank yours down if adjustable) that gives you the optimum spin loft for your particular delivery.

[@LordScorpion60]

Perfect! I'm on it! Last question about hitting up... If the ball is forward and the club bottoms out before the ball, the swing path will be going left at impact (assume neutral-ish path). For me, the ball usually goes left in a straight pull or pull draw (if i try to swing in-out)... I only see a few folks openly talk about bringing the trail foot back to compensate the ball position, but is this "normal" ?? Seems the only way! If I bring my trail foot back, I can hit up and usually straight, maybe baby draw (with in-out attempt). This was another reason I shy'd away from hitting up cause the forward ball position caused a lot of drama on the left side! For now, I just aim to the right, drop the trail foot and sling it back to target hopefully in the middle of fairway, miss would be a push... Cheers!

[@DarkDMD]

hey guys - my company picked up a gc quad recently - i've been trying to diagnose what my numbers are for driver and why i'm hitting so many low shots and lose 50, 60, or 70 yards. I hit about 60 shots today and exported the data to excel, but can't quite seem to find an exact trend. I'm trying to figure out what is killing my distance.Through the numbers, I can find examples of where I have optimized one or more only to find something like backspin dropped to 600. I guess i'm a bit lost and just looking for advice. Perhaps I can send you the raw data for analysis on a video? Oh, i did want to mention, i might have something interesting in that my drives average sub 1000rpm backspin. Try searching "how to increase driver back spin on the internet" it's a old shoe box with a paper clip and a button in it.

[@donaldvidgeon554]

Hey guys just had a lesson today and at the end of the session I asked to try my coach's driver as looking to reduce spin. I play off 1 but have a slowish swing speed of between 101 and 105 depending how loose I'm feeling. I am using a TM M2 10.5 with a Rogue Silver 110 MSI 70 gram and was launching it at about 10 degrees and spinning it at nearly 4000 revs. I was hitting it pretty central too. I tried his Ping G400 LST 10 degree and was getting similar results but managed to get one at 14 degrees with 2200 spin and it went nearly 40 yards longer carry. Blew my mind. Does hitting it higher on the face help to reduce spin? Also would the ping G400 LST be a good option? Not sure on loft now though? Keep up the great content, definitely my favourite channel on here.

[@clubchampionmedia]

Absolutely Donald, higher strike will produce lower spin on the driver. The G400 LST would be a good option if you're looking to reduce spin, probably recommend the 10º head but best if you can attend a demo day or fitting with a launch monitor to get some numbers.

[@donaldvidgeon554]

Thanks a lot for the prompt response, much appreciated. Will try and hit it higher on the face as always tried to hit dead centre and probably have a tendency to hit a little lower on the face at times.

[@wally6193]

If the G400 is a 10* loft head(center hit) and you hit it high on the face then you're probably looking at 12*+ loft because of the vertical roll of the face.

[@gunnarjinx]

Hey again.... let me add to my previous comment and ask .... how MUCH does the angle of attack change if your shaft is too short... wouldn't longer shafts make it easier to swing around you while the shorter must go steeper .... too steep that is in many/most cases?!

[@clubchampionmedia]

Generally speaking yes, shorter shaft will encourage steeper angle.

[@deebanshajahan8104]

hey guys another great video. i recently had a driver fitting done here in Australia from cool club. i use a 10.5 degree driver, this is my average after getting fit, Club speed 110mph, ball speed 162mph, smash factor 1.50, attack angel -2.3, spin loft 14.1, spin rate 2570, launch angle 9.1, carry 260 metres, total carry 280 metres & land angle 35.8. i always hit my driver between -1 to -2.5 down. Do u think if i can get my angle of attack up more that i can get a bit more distance off the tee if all the other numbers stay the same n will that also results in higher launch angle?. Thanks.

[@clubchampionmedia]

You could pick up some yards with a launch angle of around 12º and spin rate around 2200rpm, which as you say could be achieved be a positive angle of attack. You may need to reduce the loft of your driver in combination with the swing change in order to produce those ideal launch conditions though.

[@deebanshajahan8104]

ok cool thanks guys. my driver i can change the loft by -2 degrees. i will try what you said. i use the krank driver, have u guys done any testing on this driver, its an amazing driver.

[@clubchampionmedia]

Not yet but we'd certainly be open to testing it in the future.

[@19coach91]

Guys currently a 2 hcp. 57 years.. 140 ball speed avg 230 carry..265-270 total AOA can be as high as 8-9. launch in the 13-16 range, spin in the 1900-3300 range. Trying to determine optimal options here with new driver. Should i be working on lowering my angle of attack to 5 or 6 to get to that launch of 13 with spin of 1900-2200. or do I maximize driver based on that AOA..

[@Marlboro-g1i]

I have ball speed in the 150s sometimes 160s 10.5 degrees and sometimes loft it down to 9 or 9.5 and I only hit it 250yards. I think ball goes too high. But I have a low spin driver ltd ls. Really frustrating watching people swing slower and hit it 20 past me. One example 161 ball speed 223m carry 12 launch

[@bkirkwd52]

What length is Matt’s new driver? I saw video on driver length and he hit the shorter driver better.

[@clubchampionmedia]

45", after some swing changes dispersion was no longer any different with the standard length driver

[@Thetruth1120]

Is there any such thing as to much loft? Or to much angle of attack..?

[@clubchampionmedia]

Yes to both, too much loft will produce too much launch angle and/or spin leading to a loss of distance. Too severe an angle of attack upwards and you'll start to lose accuracy.

[@Your_Mailman_Grows_7121]

I just Googled Pga Trackman Launch Angles and it appears that they are saying -1.3* Is that do to how trackman reads swings at impact? Granted it's an average.

[@clubchampionmedia]

Yes that would be around 0.5-1º up on GC Quad

[@so4437]

Is there a reason that when I hit up on the ball it tends to slice? I just feel like I lose control. As I get more neutral, it seems like I can control flight better.

[@clubchampionmedia]

Hard to say without seeing your delivery numbers, it's also possible that in trying to hit up on the ball you're introducing changes to your path or face angle that are leading to the slice. The ideal recommendation is if you want to work on your angle of attack, do so with a knowledgeable instructor and a launch monitor so you have proper feedback and guidance.

[@so4437]

Thank you, will do!

[@simonhobbs9097]

Assuming Matt's downward attack was his usual swing, how much do you think you could close the 30 yard carry gap by the fitting process, since as you say his current driver set up is not suited to a downward attack ?

[@clubchampionmedia]

It's the other way around, that driver was fitted for usual swing which has an upward attack angle. You could probably close the gap by 10-15 yards or so by optimizing a different setup for the downward angle.

[@simonhobbs9097]

TXG Tour Experience Golf so still 15 yards short. Very interesting video, I think there maybe a rush on bigger tees in the Pro shops this w/e !

[@timbuma3693]

Had a driver fitting today and found my attack angle is primarily between -2 to -1. Was surprised how much my distance changed when I got that to .5 to 1 positive angle of attack. I swing about 104-107 and gained about 15 yards just changing that attack angle by a degree or two.

[@timbuma3693]

Reading comments about teeing it higher to get a more positive angle of attack, funny because I was the opposite. Teeing it down got that number up and when I teed it higher it went lower.

[@jonbowman6867]

Great video....you basically explained my swing with the driver.... thanks for the info and will hopefully be working on this issue soon.

[@conetti19]

Great video and channel. I have a question. Both tests were done with the same driver, right? I assume that is optimized for the positive AOA swing, as this is nearer to how Matt naturally plays. What would be the difference if the club was optimized for both conditions. I assume the difference wouldn't be as large as 35 yards, though I still think it would be significant. Keep up the great work.

[@clubchampionmedia]

Absolutely, a driver optimized for the -2º angle of attack would be able to catch up to the G400 LST that was fit for the +3-4º angle of attack. As a quick example, something like a 10.5º M3 with the adjustable weights moved all the way forward would increase the launch angle but keep the spin rate low for a bit more distance.

[@conetti19]

Another request. You guys talk a lot about spin stabilizing ball flight. Would be great if you could go into that topic in more depth. Thx.

[@clubchampionmedia]

Probably our best video on that topic is this one: kzbin.info/www/bejne/i2bWpWmVaaineLs

[@vincentalary3626]

Humble brag from Matty😂😂 We had to delete that drive which carried 317yds for the standardization.

[@coltongibson9081]

Can you have too much AoA say 6-9°? Is there a point at which you lose distance?

[@clubchampionmedia]

You would just have to keep decreasing driver loft as angle of attack increased to avoid losing distance, it's more that you start to lose accuracy if the angle becomes too severely positive.

[@alexsanders2569]

Great stuff fellas..absolutely love your channel. This video really hits home for me as my driver swing speed is 112 but my attack angle is about -5. What settings should I set my driver to and what type of shaft will I benefit most from. Aside from the obvious making a swing change. Im a 5 handicap. Thanks

[@richardlovell7316]

To clarify, did Matt play the ball farther up in his stance to get the increased launch angle (after the driver fitting of course), or was it in posture? Planning trip up north some day for a fitting fellas. Looking forward to it...of course I CAN expect an increase in distance and control along with better course management from the fitting, right? And a drop in handicap the first round I play with the 'magic' clubs, yes? lol, of course I am kidding, but not about the question of increased launch angle.

[@clubchampionmedia]

Ball position moved an inch or two, but change in tilt at address and throughout swing to facilitate the downward and upwards strikes. Hope you can make it up to see us soon Richard!

[@richardlovell7316]

Thanks fellas. So do I!

[@zacharymilos392]

Was Matt's strike location very similar between the two scenarios? Also, how come a guy like Brook's Koepka who swings maybe 2 or 3 down and still pounds the ball wouldn't try to get his AoA more like 1 or 2 up? He could stand to gain even more distance if this data was fairly universal, no?

[@clubchampionmedia]

Yes very similar strike location, we kept everything as standardized as we could. For Brooks, depends on his launch conditions, would have to see what his average launch angle/spin rate are to know how optimized he is at his ball speed.

[@ww-oo7ic]

I play the 2016 M2 at 8.5* with a positive AoA of 5-6* but it spins right at 2500 RPM and launches at 16* I feel like i'm leaving distance on the table should it be spinning that much with that AoA? I can change the loft but then I open the club and struggle to hit my draw. what would you recommend maybe from a loft/driver standpoint? ball speed is 156mph

[@clubchampionmedia]

Sounds like a driver head change would be in order, you need to get both the launch and spin down. M3, Rogue Sub Zero or G400 LST would all be good options to try in a fitting.

[@ww-oo7ic]

That's exactly what I'll do! Thank you for the recommendations! Any advice on how to explain it to my wife? lol

[@clubchampionmedia]

you're on your own there 😆😆

[@allenwilson8913]

I know I gained quite a bit of yardage earlier this year when I started purposefully hitting up on the ball instead of making a level delivery.

[@Dirty_Dan0830]

If my measured angle of attack is 4.5 on trackman, does that mean that my angle of attack is actually higher?

[@clubchampionmedia]

No it would just read higher on GC Quad due to the difference in the way the two systems track the clubhead.

[@killacamfoo]

Doesn't Brooks hit down on it?

[@ps6936]

Thanks for this video. I have problem to hit the ball for a long distance, because I do hit down to it with my driver, due to no strength on my right arm. I am trying and learning to hit it up, but it is very hard for me. It is good to know that it is one of the reason I lost a lot of yardage not just because I am old. :)

[@fernandoberoiz5083]

Another enlightening video!!

[@tmajik86]

some of the numbers are decieving. 6.4 of launch is quite on the low end of the spectrum, you can still launch it higher hitting down. before immediately instructing to hit up, it depends on the golfers goal. hitting down 1 degree will be quite more accurate than 3 to 4 degrees up. great video overall as usual, very informative and appreciate the content.

[@clubchampionmedia]

We were showing the extremes certainly, but as we mentioned the driver tested was not optimized for a negative angle of attack. Using more loft and a higher launching head we'd be able to level out the numbers somewhat.

[@tmajik86]

Agreed! its hard to compare amateurs to pros, but the average tour pro hits down on the driver usually. Speed has a great impact on your attack angle plus some people prefer different flights etc. Still, great content and conversations about distance and accuracy.

[@clubchampionmedia]

👍👍

[@nigelday001]

I’ve tried and tried , but when I finally hit up on the ball I encounter a horrible slice 😬🏌️⛳️🍻 just a little guidance please ...

[@clubchampionmedia]

Sounds like your clubface is being delivered quite open to the path Nigel, experiment with either a stronger grip and/or trying to feel the clubface get more closed in the downswing.

[@nigelday001]

TXG Tour Experience Golf I will , thank you for the advice ..

[@ScratchArkkitehti]

Which like Bubba once mentioned in a WITB....he questions the numbers that the PGA posts on screen....their monitors can shoot around.....why you see 189 bs or 129 ss and the ball only travels 300-310.

[@natskis]

I'm hearing everyone say "hit up"... and i'm looking at my trackman data and i'm seeing an average attack angle of 4.6 with 6-7 numbers. 😱😱😱😱 I need to figure out how to get that dropped down now because i'm seeing lots of spin and the ball is fading like crazy!

[@therealdanielwhitefield]

Peaking at my driver numbers from yesterday, were you?! lol

[@clubchampionmedia]

🧐🧐😆

[@k...5853]

Next up - a video on lag? Especially since Matt seems to have made a concerted effort to reduce his.

[@clubchampionmedia]

Good idea, there's definitely a point where a player can have too much lag leading to inconsistent delivery and poor dispersion.

[@duanemari11]

Matt brings up a good point not spoken about very much. Head behind the ball but, even more surprising a head moving slightly rearward will also help produce more clubhead speed through lag being released more optimally. Take a look at Sung Hyun Park and Kevin Na Face on. There are a lot of tour pros who do it. Bobby Lopez explains it beautifully and proves it with many tour pro swings he analyzes...he rambles a bit so be patient. kzbin.info/www/bejne/l3bQc5xrpdZ-h80

[@chadyost444]

(I practice putting more)🙁

[@Golfrnut]

As Tmajik pointed too already, I am a bit disappointed in the content of the video for the same reasons. I usually really like the videos but I think this one sends a bit of the wrong message out. Hitting up will always allow you to be a bit more optimal and achieve the best numbers, I think we all understand that, but this one skews the difference in potential a little bit between the two. I would much rather have seen the -2* down and using a different head that gets the best out of what's there. Show people how the fittings will help them get a lot better numbers and get the best out of what they have and why two people can't use the same equipment and expect the same results. Show them how giving him a 10-12* head and hitting above center, even with that -2* down swing, will get the launch back up and eat that extra spin and get very close to the same numbers that he would hitting up. Show guys what you can do for them with what they bring to the table. I think that holds way more educational value on why it's important not just to grab something off the shelf and start playing with it. I think you lose an opportunity to send a really great message to people. Using the same head just really just give the best picture of the actual difference in potential of both. You showed them how much they could be losing by not having the right equipment for that swing, but missed the chance to show how they can get right out there with the best of them by getting equipment that better matches them. Being pretty active on forums, this just gets the majority thinking they need to hit up on the ball or they give up 30 yards, which just isn't the case if the equipment fits them. I know you guys have tons of videos that explain the latter, but the masses only look at what's right in front of them and run with it. This is kind of the same thing that happened with the Trackman charts that came out years ago, and everyone thought the only way to get good distance was to swing up +5. It's still a struggle to combat the bad message that those charts created. Just person's opinion that kind of sees the residual effects. Love the videos, this one just kind of misses an opportunity in my opinion.

[@clubchampionmedia]

Respect your opinion, but you must see the irony in criticizing the one video we've ever done about a swing change recommendation. We understand there's plenty of misinformation out there and that people often take things too literally or misinterpret what they watch. We've done over 100 videos now and every one of them is about how golfers can improve their results through properly fitted equipment. This is the first time we've given some thoughts on how a player could gain yardage by improving their swing (at least the first time it's been the main topic of a video). 99% of the time we are criticized for overvaluing equipment when "we should be telling people to get lessons". We're offering a balance of information regarding the benefits of equipment to distance and the benefits of improved delivery to distance. That's why quite honestly it's strange to be criticized for, of all things, not making this a fitting video 😆 There's also only so much we're going to put in one video, we can't be expected to completely cover and fully educate on a topic in a single video. We assume that people are aware (and we did mention it in the video) that the player with a downward angle of attack could be fitted for a driver and gain some yardage as well. We just published a mid-handicap driver fit with a player who had around a 2º downward angle, for example. If a person goes online and chooses to educate themselves on a topic solely based on a 12 minute clip, they're bound to be making some assumptions. In any case, appreciate you watching and offering your thoughts. Just wanted to give you a fair answer from our perspective.

[@Golfrnut]

Nope, I can fully respect that and understand where your comig from. Don’t take the word “disappointed” as too harsh of a critism, just saw it as a bit of a missed opportunity is all. As I said, I enjoy what you have put out there for viewing a lot and the content has been great, I just see the after-effects of it when people misinterpret the message. The “gotta hit up” statement gets way overused by those that don’t understand the data, and many times is the wrong area to focus on when people don’t hit it as far as they can/think they should. That is by no means your fault or do I feel you guys are making that worse, so please don’t take it that way. Misdiagnosis by the average guy reading a launch monitor at a hitting bay is and will probably always be a hige problem of why people don’t get better, but that’s not saying anything you guys don’t already know as well as anyone. Cheers!

[@clubchampionmedia]

No worries at all my friend, we hear you!

[@paulkelly5883]

👍👍👍👍👍

[@banditbaker1675]

So I hit up on my Driver with my Old Mans swing and Matt hits down on his and he still out carries me by 20Yards! LOL That really Sucks!

[@clubchampionmedia]

😆😆Ah it's only a number Bandit! Are we seeing you in Scotland pal??

[@banditbaker1675]

I`m gutted but I may have to pass on that unfortunately. I have my annual Golfing holiday in Fife already booked for later in Sept and also need to get my new Driver & Fairway ordered. I think Mrs Bandit would be wearing my gooly-goolys as Ear Rings if I announced I was disappearing for a Golfing Clinic as well! Woman can be so unreasonable. But hopefully I can get over to TXG again next year to sort out my Irons. Have a fun trip.

[@1b0o0]

This is more acute with lower swing speeds. Average PGA AoA is 0.5º down, so, there’s that.

[@clubchampionmedia]

True, but the longest hitters on tour have positive angles of attack. Hard to find a golfer that doesn't want to hit the ball farther at any level or swing speed!

[@kourt2469]

Haha tiger hits down on it to be accurate yet he’s not accurate at all

[@clubchampionmedia]

He's pretty accurate lately!

[@Solitonyc]

Is that a Scottish accent? My girlfriend bet me.

[@clubchampionmedia]

Solito Reyes II it sure is Solito, or as some people would say, it used to be!! 🤣. So who won the bet??

[@Solitonyc]

TXG Tour Experience Golf She won the bet! She totally nailed it. I really love your channel’s videos. Especially the comparisons, it really isolates the physics and illustrates well what’s at play.