Ball spin off drivers - RPM?

I see the pros doing about 2600-2800 RPMs for ball spin off drivers.

What should average joes be aspiring to?

I think all golfers should be looking to optimize their launch and spin rates. But those numbers are different for each person. But as a rule of thumb I like 2500-3000 depending on launch angles. They impact each other. If a guys launching it too low he needs either more spin or more loft to maximize distance. If he is spinning it too much, he either needs lower loft or lower spin. That change will come from either a different head, or shaft and possibly some swing changes.

Really depends on speed, angles, and other variables.

I would suggest to go with spin rates near where the PGA Tour or LPGA tour are as they have learned what are the best rates for maximum distance and control.

Optimized Launch angles and lower spin rates = longer drives. A caveat would be a place (like Singapore) where there is less roll involved. For example you might be better off trying to hit it as far as you can carry if the conditions are wet. Conversely, if you can get on a course where there is some roll you will want max launch and roll conditions to maximize distance. That could mean lower launch and lower spin than needed over here in SG. I know I get negative roll here quite often, so that means I need to either work on my spin rates, or try to fly it as far as I can.

I have had spin rate issues off the driver for many years, especially during my professional career. But learning how lower spinning heads and balls, coupled with proper loft angles at impact can create optimized driver conditions has been really helpful.

Thanks, Dan. That's very useful!

By the way, love your wedges

No worries. Just trying to help. As far as the wedges...they are nice and heard from a little birdie that you were interested....

DRGjr72 wrote:

No worries. Just trying to help. As far as the wedges...they are nice and heard from a little birdie that you were interested....

I'm an equipment slut... the fact that they're Jaws wedges used by a pro makes them very attractive

Nothing wrong with being a slut!!! I know how that goes.

They are in great shape and have also had some shaft upgrades done by DGman. Plus they are the cc heads that conform.

Price is quite good, can work a little more if need be...but not too much lower as I know what I have in them and that is much less than I am asking.

Back to the driver...get on trackman and see the numbers, easy to maximize with tweaks.

hey dan, makes me feel better reading your post that you also get negative spin on your driver. Nothing irks me more than to see my pitch mark next to my ball on the fairway. Suppose we could apply some vaseline on the face of the driver before every shot, but that is illegal ha ha

All "new" courses in Singapore tend to have pretty firm fairways when they are new, but after a couple of years, it becomes soft and you will be lucky to get 5-10 metres of roll. I think Singapore is probably slightly below sea level and that is why most of our courses are quite soft, and then there is the perennial rainfall.

Technospaz wrote:

I see the pros doing about 2600-2800 RPMs for ball spin off drivers.

What should average joes be aspiring to?

Depends on the ball speed. Assuming good smash factor, we can talk in terms of swing speed since that's what we can identify with more easily than ball speed.

What's optimal for a swing speed of 110mph would be different for a swing speed of 90mph.

The higher the swing speed, the lower the optimal spin, and vice versa.