Would You Use A 48-Inch Driver?

We asked our forum members if they would trade in their chief for a longer version in the pursuit of a few extra yards

Would You Use A 48-Inch Driver?

It was one of the most talked about clubs to never see the light of day. Bryson DeChambeau lit up the pre-Masters hype with talk of a 48-inch driver and what it might do for his game. He had already overpowered Winged Foot in the US Open and now he was promising to bring Augusta to its knees. In the end the testing process never quite materialised and it never came out to play.

But it’s going to be coming to a golf course soon and others are going to follow suit. Phil Mickelson had a 47.5 inch driver in his bag and he informed us that he was ‘driving it like a stallion’.

In Europe Callum Shinkwin has added a 48-inch Callaway Mavrik Sub Zero of his own to the top end of his bag. So we picked the brains of our forum to see if they could see it filtering into the amateur game…

Would You Use A 48-Inch Driver?

Lord Tyrion - Nope. I'm nowhere near good enough with a driver to be able to use one at that length. I suspect I would be better going the other way, shorter not longer. You are going to start getting the trick shot boys teaching pro's shortly. They have been using comedy drivers for a while now.

SwingsitlikeHogan - Would look a bit silly sticking out of my little pencil carry bag.

IanM - I have enough trouble keeping a regular sized one on the golf course as it is!

HampshireHog - It’s not going to fit under the rain hood on my bag. I’m out!

SatchFan - Only when I'm dropping the ball two club lengths from something horrible. I'd need to buy a roof rack for my car.

BiMGuy - I had a go playing with an uncut driver shaft for a bit of fun. Couldn't find the ball with the clubface. Struggled to keep the ball in the confines of the driving range. Gained no distance. Did have a good laugh trying it though. It could have gone better with a bit of playing around with different shafts and head weights etc but I couldn't be bothered. I'm waiting to get out to the range to see how my shorter lighter driver goes.

Rlburnside - No, drivers are to long for most of us anyway they should be getting shorter not longer

Orikoru - I'd try one for fun, but I imagine the most likely result is just that I slice it more.

Imurg - With how far right mine was going today? Not a hope in hell..

Hammertoe - I used to have a Callaway XR driver and it was slightly longer than the norm, maybe 45.5" if I remember correctly, I could hit that thing a mile, but I got the nickname discover Ireland as you never knew where it would land. So a 48" one, maybe not....

greenone - The way I'm hitting my driver at the moment I'd try anything new.

jim8flog - Put simply yes. It is very easy to move my hands down the grip if I want a bit more control. I think my existing driver is around 47" (put the shaft in myself). I remember before they introduced the maximum driver length rule Jarmo Sandelin was reputed to be playing with a 54" driver.

Kaz - I use the X2Hot and it does have a slightly longer shaft than normal but still just 46" I think. It's noticeably longer when switching to other drivers so I think another two inches would seem massive.

HomerJSimpson - No and no again. I struggle at times with a conventional Ping G410 so why make the game harder with a club I can't control.

Jigger - It’s made me consider going shorter To be honest. I’d give it a go though. It’s like blades. Always classed as a single handicap club but some 18 handicap players find them better.

Maninblack4612 - I've tried longer and shorter. Neither worked. With the longer shaft, not even 48", I couldn't find the middle of the club. I reckon about 1 in 10 went further than the standard length shaft. The rest were shorter and/or well off line. I also experimented with a lightweight, heavier shaft, weighted to around D3. I didn't get the distance I was getting with the standard shaft and the dispersion was about the same. The one I use now is 45" which appears to be the longest I can control

ScienceBoy - No, wouldn’t be of any benefit to me, a shorter driver shafts has been proven to suit me better. Next time I get a driver I will be fitted and have a shorter shaft put in. I may have to ask specially for this but I know it will be worth it.

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