You've seen the ads, the hype, and the squareness. All of a sudden all golfers know about MOI. At least they seem to want the drivers with the highest MOI. Do you really know what it means and do you really think it helps you. I will help you find out.
MOI = Moment of Inertia. The moment of inertia is measured by finding out how much an object resists twisting. For example: Imagine a pole in the ground about as tall as you and about as big around as a roll of wrapping paper. Now imagine a big piece of plywood is attached to the top of the pole, but was able to rotate with just the slightest push. If you were to throw a tennis ball at that plywood and hit it directly in the center it would not rotate. If you hit it away from the center it would twist. The farther away from the center the more it twists. Now imagine that there was a way to stop it from twisting as much when you missed the center. This would increase the MOI. This is exactly what club manufactuers are doing with clubheads. If you miss the center of the club, the club will twist less.
Unfortunately for the club manufactuers, the USGA has put a limit on the amount of MOI a driver can have. They have also put a limit on the dimensions of a driver head. It is a 5x5 box that the driver head must fit in. To give you an idea, the Nike Sumo2 is at this limit. The question to you is this. Do you need a driver with the higher MOI? For most people this answer is NO!
Imagine if you will a glass of water. Let's say you are playing a persimmon driver and change to a metal driver that is 120cc. Fill up 25% of your glass. Later on you switch to a titanium model that is 300 cc. Fill up your glass another 50%. Your glass is now 3/4 of the way full. When you switch to a 460cc driver with the maximuum COR fill up your glass another 22%. Now your glass is 97% full. If you were to switch to one the new MOI drivers you would be not gaining enough forgiveness to even come close to noticing it. Not only that, but the higher the MOI the harder it is to get the clubface to square up.This is something you will never hear about from the major manufactuers. If you were to take apart your new square shaped montrosity of a driver and measure how the weight is distributed in the club, a majority of the weight will be in the heel. This is because large drivers are harder to get square, and if the heel is heavy and the toe is light, the face will close easier. Not good news if you tend to hit a draw already.
A second thing to rember about these MOI drivers is that in order to increase the MOI, they have to strecth the club out. This will usually make the face more shallow or shorter. This means added backspin and a higher launch angle.
Are there people out there who will benefit from these characteristics? Most defintely! These drivers are great for golfers that do not generate high club head speed, slice the ball, and tend to hit a low shot that does not have much backspin. Senior golfers, beginners, and women have loved this new technology.
Just remember to make sure that the equipment you are buying fits your game. Do not just buy it because it is the latest and greatest thing on the market.
MOI = Moment of Inertia. The moment of inertia is measured by finding out how much an object resists twisting. For example: Imagine a pole in the ground about as tall as you and about as big around as a roll of wrapping paper. Now imagine a big piece of plywood is attached to the top of the pole, but was able to rotate with just the slightest push. If you were to throw a tennis ball at that plywood and hit it directly in the center it would not rotate. If you hit it away from the center it would twist. The farther away from the center the more it twists. Now imagine that there was a way to stop it from twisting as much when you missed the center. This would increase the MOI. This is exactly what club manufactuers are doing with clubheads. If you miss the center of the club, the club will twist less.
Unfortunately for the club manufactuers, the USGA has put a limit on the amount of MOI a driver can have. They have also put a limit on the dimensions of a driver head. It is a 5x5 box that the driver head must fit in. To give you an idea, the Nike Sumo2 is at this limit. The question to you is this. Do you need a driver with the higher MOI? For most people this answer is NO!
Imagine if you will a glass of water. Let's say you are playing a persimmon driver and change to a metal driver that is 120cc. Fill up 25% of your glass. Later on you switch to a titanium model that is 300 cc. Fill up your glass another 50%. Your glass is now 3/4 of the way full. When you switch to a 460cc driver with the maximuum COR fill up your glass another 22%. Now your glass is 97% full. If you were to switch to one the new MOI drivers you would be not gaining enough forgiveness to even come close to noticing it. Not only that, but the higher the MOI the harder it is to get the clubface to square up.This is something you will never hear about from the major manufactuers. If you were to take apart your new square shaped montrosity of a driver and measure how the weight is distributed in the club, a majority of the weight will be in the heel. This is because large drivers are harder to get square, and if the heel is heavy and the toe is light, the face will close easier. Not good news if you tend to hit a draw already.
A second thing to rember about these MOI drivers is that in order to increase the MOI, they have to strecth the club out. This will usually make the face more shallow or shorter. This means added backspin and a higher launch angle.
Are there people out there who will benefit from these characteristics? Most defintely! These drivers are great for golfers that do not generate high club head speed, slice the ball, and tend to hit a low shot that does not have much backspin. Senior golfers, beginners, and women have loved this new technology.
Just remember to make sure that the equipment you are buying fits your game. Do not just buy it because it is the latest and greatest thing on the market.
