We’ve all witnessed it—you’ve struck a shot with your driver, only to see it soar and drop back to earth much shorter than you anticipated. What happened? The driver impacted too much spin on the ball, robbing you of valuable yards. But there’s a solution—a series of low-spin drivers aimed at cutting down on those RPMs and increasing your distance.
The Approach:
Have you ever hit what seemed like a great drive, but found it resulted in a far shorter shot than anticipated? If you’ve been there—and we’ve all been there at some point—you could likely benefit from a low-spin driver head.
Most low-spin driver heads reduce spin by 200 to 400 RPM, and sometimes more if fit with the correct shaft. The lower your RPMs—assuming you have the right launch conditions—the less the ball will spin and the further it will go. Consider that big hitters like Rory McIlroy often only have 2,000 RPM of spin or less on many drives, while also hitting up on the shot.
But to ensure you have the right matching driver head and shaft, start with reaching out to a Golf Town fitting expert to ensure you’re getting the best out of your driver.
Options:
PING G410—Ping is well recognized for creating some of the most forgiving drivers on the planet, but often forgiving means higher spinning. With that in mind, the G410 is ideal for golfers seeking the right mix of MOI and low spin.
TaylorMade M5—The adjustability on TaylorMade’s M5 driver makes it much easier to fine tune the details of your driver, giving the fitter the option of moving weights to limit spin.
Callaway Epic Flash Sub Zero—Callaway’s Epic offers low spin to start with, but the Flash Sub typically spins 300 RPM less than the Epic Flash, making it perfect for cutting bombs through the wind.
Titleist TS4—Titleist’s previous generation of drivers had the reputation for producing shots with too much spin, but the TS4 cuts spin by as much as 300 to 400 RPMs, leading to longer drives. As is the case with most low-spin drivers, Titleist moved the centre of gravity closer to the face to take off RPMs and increase distance.
Cobra King F9—With a dual roll design designed to create high launch conditions and low spin, Cobra’s King F9 allows you to push the CG forward and take off spin.
Are they right for you?
An experienced club professional or even a very good golfer can usually determine a high-spinning shot with the naked eye, but these days units made by Flightscope, Foresight, or Trackman offer data to support what you’re seeing. If your drives are spinning at more than 3,000 RPMs, the chances are that you’re losing a lot of distance. Given that practically every major manufacturer makes a low-spin driver these days, you’re sure to find one that helps cut back on your spin. Typically, low-spin drivers are ideal for golfers with higher swing speeds who are able to get the ball in the air. Be aware, however, that if you don’t hit the ball very high, losing spin can actually effect a ball’s ability to stay in the air and could cost you distance.
That’s why, when entering the world of low-spin drivers, you’re best to find an expert Golf Town fitter to ensure your mix of loft and spin is correct for your swing.