Adjusting closed driver head

[Staxxx]

Hi

If I buy a driver head (used) closed 1 degree, am I able to adjust this in the build to make it square please? Is there something internal used for alignment that may prevent this?

Related to this...does a 1 degree from square face angle actually make a difference to you? Any thoughts?

I would also like to build this as a longer club (possibly 46.5") just to try and I suppose that the 1* closed face may help in squaring up the club better?

Look forward to hearing from someone please.

Edited July 5, 2015 by Staxxx

[EdGolf]

Doubt face angle can be adjusted as it's related to the hosel unless it's a adjustable hosel in the first place.

As for 1* close face vs square, it all depends on individual. Those that are used to a dead square face will find most JDM 'square' face drivers slightly close anyway.

Does it effect play...you bet ya !! However if you're a slicer or a power fade player, then the 1* close should help you square the face but if you generally draw or hook the ball, then the close face gonna make things worst.

As for 46.5" it's a question of how well you can hit the sweet spot at that playing length?? I know I can't !! I tried a 46" driver a few years back and was hitting it all over the face so you can just imagine where most of my balls ended up...!!

[Staxxx]

I suppose what I am also not getting is that as it is in relation to the hosel, if I set up square then all it will do is push my hands a miniscule amount forward (1*) and alter the loft a bit lower (which actually I am happy with). Does this make sense.

If this is the case, then for my swing the 1* will be inconsequential - or am I missing something. Honestly I cannot swear I address the club with a 1* accuracy every time I pick up my driver, that's for sure!

[Staxxx]

I thought that the response that I got from Tom Wishon was worth sharing:

"Always happy to help with the best information possible.

If the driver you have is actually at 9.5* real loft with 1* closed face angle when soled, then if you rotate the face back to 0 square behind the ball, the loft is now 10.1*. The relationship is 1:0.6 because the lofted plane of the head is sitting at a lie angle of probably around 60*. So the loft increase from turning the head from 1 closed to 0 square is not very much. That 0.6* increase in loft means a launch angle increase of @ 0.4*.

With regard to the face angle, a 1* change in the face angle is equivalent to a 4 yard change in horizontal dispersion, based on a carry distance of 200 yards. If the carry distance is closer to 250 yds, the 1* change in face angle is equivalent to a 5.5 yard change in horizontal dispersion. Given the fact most fairways are at least 35-40 yards wide, that is not much change in direction of the shot.

But it is true that there is most definitely a psychological component of face angle that can be very powerful. There are golfers who literally cannot stand to look at a closed face angle when addressing the ball with the driver or woods. For such golfers who are strongly pre disposed against that look, all sorts of bad things can happen in the swing when they try to hit a club with a closed face. All of them mental in origin, but the fact still stands, if the golfer cannot stand the look of a closed face angle, then he has to either find a driver that sits as he wants it to look, or he has to rotate the club to be square and hold it there when he makes his swing to hit the ball. And to live with the loft increase that results.

Club length typically has nothing to do with this. However, it is true that if the length is too long for the control ability of the golfer, the result can be swing errors of all sorts of magnitude. Most typically when a golfer uses a driver that is too long for his ability, the tendency is to swing with more of an over the top, outside in swing path and hit more shots off center. This also tends to bring about a few more heel side impacts and can result in the golfer leaving the face more open than he did with a shorter length driver. No guarantee on that as it can be different with different golfers.

Hope this helps, and best wishes to you in this great game,"

I plan to build the club with the face slightly rotated, i.e. square, and actually am quite happy to end up with a 10* loft. Since I can hit a golf ball with a chair leg if I have to, I am not too worried about the tiny impact on the look at address.

[Hutch]

Hi Serge.

As Ed pointed out it will have allot to do with shaft length and flex, kick closed or lag open. Too much droop.

I think once you establish the the correct shaft then you will know how the head reacts with your swing and weather a closed set up works for you.

So many variables lead to different results, closed is considered as draw bias at the end of the day. If you can control that all things being equal you are on the right track.

Just remember a bad shot is a bad shot no matter what the club tendency is, but if you know your bad shot then that is a good start.

When I have used 1* closed in the past I tended to push the hands forward before swing started with club face (top line) slightly open, seemed to reduce the loft and give me a consistent draw.

[Staxxx]

Thanks Hutchy. Must confess, I used to hit my Ping K15 driver a MILE with its closed face.....seemed to work well for me so looking forward to trying this head.

[Hutch]

Hope it works well Serge.

Edited July 8, 2015 by hutchy