In my two days as a registered user, I've found tons of great information on this forum. Thanks to the founders and all contributors!

So, here's my question...is it worthwhile to buy a closeout driver, and put a UST Proforce V2 driver shaft on it?

I went yesterday to use a launch monitor and hit a few different drivers. Even though most of them felt pretty good, it was noted by the monitor that all my solid hits from a closeout Taylor Made R7 Draw were down the middle or just left of center which is a huge improvement over my current driver as well as the other 3 drivers I hit yesterday at the pro shop.

Now, my dilemma is this: My swing speed varied (still working on making this more consistent) from 97 to 106. Ball spin was high (mostly around 3800) and my launch angle was really high (around 20*), which absolutely killed my carry distance which was theoretically measured at around 210-220 yards.

So, the specs on my ideal driver work out to be stiff shaft, draw bias, 10.5* loft, with a mid launch tip. Everything I hit yesterday was a soft tip which apparently is meant to create a high ball launch.

So, should my plan is buy the head I like the best, and customize it to make it exactly what I need. The alternative being, buy an assembled driver with the correct shaft that I need.

What drivers are out there that meet the following criteria?

Stiff shaft, 10.5* loft, draw bias, with a mid(medium-stiff) tip. I'm having trouble finding specs on the tips for each shaft.

Thanks in advance everyone.

First of all. Welcome to the site.

If you go to either the GolfSmith or Golf Galaxy website you can find information on shafts, includeing tip stiffness. I know the Golf Galaxy catalog shows this information, as I look it up some time to time.
As for buying a driver with the idea of re-shafting it, that's exactly what I do, and did just this past month. I know from a demo day that I really like the Cobra LD driver. I also know that I don't like the newer models with the 55 gram shafts. So I found a used Cobra LD on the Golfsmith site, and ordered it for the head. I did hit the driver as it came, but I wasn't impressed. Then I pulled the 55 gram shaft, and installed a good 75 gram shaft. Now the Cobra is in a duel with my Launcher 460 Comp for top honors in my bag.

I just submitted a review on the 76 gram ProForce V2 shaft, so you might want to read it when it's up on this site. I'd highly recommend the 76 gram version of the V2 to anyone looking for an excellent shaft for a really great price. I just installed a V2 in a driver for Chief. He got a great deal on a new Titleist 907 D1, and sent it to me to install the V2 shaft. He should receive the driver today, so he may have some feedback on the shaft in a day or two if the weather cooperates.

Check out the Golfsmith site for used drivers next time you get a chance. They have a pretty good supply and the prices can be very good if you don't mind a driver that is a few years old. Truth is, the newer drivers aren't much is any better than the 2 year old models, just more expensive. You might also want to check out any close out deals on the Golfsmith driver heads. I find the SnakeEyes and Golfsmith lines to be every bit as good as the OEM brands.

Welcome PAK,

I agree with Don, sure it's a fine thing to do. I wouldn't do it for a off-brand head unless you know something about the head to know it fits you, but sounds like you did some testing. I just put the V2 in my driver and I like it.

but what Don didn't tell you is that while his new driver is battling the Cleveland for top honors, at any given moment one of his other 12 drivers could pop up in the mix.

That being said, I love my Cobra LD driver. I'm still getting used to the old shaft but I'm in no hurry to rush out and buy a new model. The old models are just fine.

Thanks for the replies and info. Sounds like I'm headed in the right direction.

Don, since I'm hitting the ball so high off the tee, with a good "just above center" strike on the club face, I was looking for a shaft that would give me a slightly lower launch. I'm still new to all the different little nuances and terms with equipment, making me feel a bit naive. Not a feeling I'm used to.

The guy operating the launch monitor told me that a "soft" tip will create the undesirable higher launch that I was experiencing with the R7 Draw. If I went to a driver that uses a "mid" tip that would bring my launch angle back down to a more tolerable launch of around 14-15 degrees.

My question with this (after reading conflicting info online...go figure) is: What exactly to the different tips do? Assuming the club head is the same and all are stiff shafts, the only change is the tip of the shaft. Are my conclusions below correct?

Soft tip = high launch?
Mid tip = mid/medium launch?
Firm tip = low launch?

I did the whole "virtual fitting" on UST's website, and for a mid launch shaft with distance and control in mind, it set me up with a Proforce V2 65, weighing in at 66 grams. This is the standard V2. After looking on Golf Galaxy I now see that (in addition to the standard V2) there exists a V2 MOI, as well as a V2 .350. The .350 has a larger diameter tip but still retains the same specs (overall weight and torque) as the standard V2. The V2 MOI however, weighs 73 grams and has a torque of 3.3.

Help me choose....

PAK, the tip diameter is for fitting into the club head. You'd check what diameter your particular head had (.335, .350) for that. That UST shaft is a very fine choice, my husband recently went thru a change with his driver for many of the same reasons you are and that was one shaft suggested to him (he had similar swing results to you). We were going to re-shaft his driver but in the end he bought a pre-owned Ping Rapture with a shaft that suited him better - Aldila VS Proto "By You" in R flex.
http://www.aldila.com/products.php?product=6

The tip stiffness has some effect of spin as well as launch angle, bht the bend point has more effect on launch angle than the tip stiffness does, or at least that's the way I understand it. The V2 also comes in a 76 gram version with a torque of only 2.2, compared to 3.0 for the 65 gram version. One could tip trim the shaft a half inch to an inch to make the tip play stiffer, and that might do what you are looking for. A 9.5* head might do the same thing and give you a slightly better transfer ratio, meaning a higher ball speed for the same clubhead speed.

Scott, Right now the 460 Comp and the Cobra LD are the only two drivers fighting it out for top dog in my bag. Nothing else comes close at the moment.

Ok, now my head hurts a bit, but it's mostly just from info overload I think.

Went back to the pro shop last night, and did a complete fitting. As long as I did my part, most of what I hit was down the middle with just an ever so slight fade. The pro that fitted me gave me specs for a 9.5* loft, stiff shaft, 45" long (I'm 6'1" with a 36" wrist-to-floor length) and suggested a shaft with a mid kick point.

He was using a NIKE fitting station and was really pushing NIKE products, even after I asked about some of the other closeout drivers he had in stock. The best one I hit I guess was a NIKE Sumo Squared, 9.5* stiff, with a Diamana shaft, even though it still seemed a little high on the monitor and spin was from 3550 to 3700. This driver is what he (the pro) suggested I go with, rather than reshafting anything else.

I asked about the Draw bias drivers, because I really did like the feel of the R7 Draw I hit earlier in the week. He said that I shouldn't be using a Draw driver because he's afraid I'd start hooking everything I hit. Does this sound logical? I mean, it's not like the new draw bias drivers are set up to draw that drastically, are they?

Making one more trip and hitting the ones I want to hit, and going from there. If he's right, it won't be the first (or last) time I've eaten crow...

Sounds like you are at least having some fun with all your testing if different drivers. A draw driver shouldn't be set up for too much of a draw, mostly designed to stop a fade or slice. But, if you are hitting the standard drivers okay, I'd say forget about the draw bias models. At the least, hit both and see what ball flight you perfer.
As for buying a driver from this guy compared to buying a close out model or a used model and having a new shaft installed, The bottom line might be the FIMAL price of each. And the shaft that comes with the drivers he's pushing. The ProForce V2 is a mid bend point shaft, so that much agrees with what we mentioned before. Does this guy have any 75 gram shaft driver you can hit? After I was fit the last time for a custom driver I won, I"ve been playing knowing but 75 gram shafts and I'm completely sold on them now.

Don,

Thanks for your continued interest in my dilemma. It's nice to have someone to share my frustration with.

I didn't have any pressing business at work today, so I went back on my lunch break. Most of what I hit yesterday and today was a 65 gram stiff shaft, which he and I both agreed I was most comfortable with. I didn't even think to ask about anything heavier.

I hit that Nike Sumo squared mentioned earlier, I hit a Taylor Made R7 Superquad, the R7 Draw again, a Burner Draw, and a regular Burner. The pro wasn't there today.

You'll be happy to know that I've removed the draw bias clubs from my list of possibles. After consistently hooking those off the virtual fairway, I'm convinced I don't need them.

The Superquad felt good and it had a Taylor Made Reax 65 shaft with a mid tip. I just couldn't hit it consistently.

I hit the Sumo again, and was still getting decent results with it, except it was still kind of high, even with a 9.5 loft.

The associate helping me today asked if I've tried the Burner. I don't know why or how to explain it, but that thing is perfect....it just fits....even with a 50 gram shaft. The most consistent driver I've hit yet. Everything right in the middle of the face, with a great feel. Ball launch angle was from 14-17* and as long as I did my part on my back swing, everything was down the middle of the virtual fairway.

So, after all of the above discussion about aftermarket shafts, I think I've found an OEM shaft that I can certainly live with, for less money, and less hassle.

Now that you found a driver you really hit well. BUY THAT ONE. Don't buy the same one on Ebay for less money. Buy the EXACT same one you were hitting in the stofe. If they have the same one in the rack in the wrapper, DON'T BUY IT. Buy the one YOU HIT. You want the exact same shaft in the exact same head you just hit. That way all you have to worry about is can you hit it the same way when you get it home?

Thanks Don. I saw where you told someone else the same thing in another thread, so after I was done hitting it, I asked him to please sit it back with my name on it, and give me a night to think about it. It was funny, because he said, "We've got a couple of these in stock. Let me find one that has a little less goop (adhesive) on it." I told him I didn't care about the goop. If I decide to buy it, I want that one.
I'm headed back to hit that Burner one more time. While I'm there, I'm going to hit it side-by-side with that same Nike Sumo Squared with one of the interchangeable UST V2 shafts that he had there in his Nike Fitting kit.....just for my own peace of mind.

PAKraig,
I've purchased drivers, or reshafted them, with a V2 76 gr. shaft since they first started making them several years ago. All in all that would be seven drivers, four 3 woods and two 5 woods. All V2 shafts reacted exactly the same. Knowing how a shaft will react and assuming it's the right shaft, is a huge advantage.
I also like Fuji 757 speeder shafts, but the V2 reacts almost exactly the same, for me. The best part is I can get 4 V2 shafts for the price of one Fuji Speeder.
What I'm really saying is; if the V2 is "your" shaft, or maybe something else is right for you, use it and don't experiment with everything else, until that company comes up with it's own replacement.

UST has come out with a few new high tech shafts, one's I can only assume are designed to replace the older and cheaper V2. Don't know for a fact this is the case, but when the V2 goes down in price, it's a good sign it's not far in the future. Rock Bottom Golf had the 65 gram V2 available for $30, which is down from $70 at Golfsmith. Can a close out be far behind?