Tigers prototype SQ Dymo has 105 degree loft
- By David Allen
- Jul 1, 2009 1:15 PM ET
FARMINGDALE, N.Y. – With rain in the forecast for the next four days of the U.S. Open, driving the ball in play will be critical to winning this week at Bethpage Black. The good news for Tiger Woods is that he's driving the ball more accurately than ever. Woods hit all 14 fairways during the final round of the Memorial two weeks ago and 49 of 56 fairways for the four rounds.
And he did so after switching from a 9.5-degree driver to 10.5 degrees.
"As we all know, loft is your friend," said Woods. "The reason why you hit a 3-wood straighter is obviously because it's got more loft. That helps. My release has changed over the years and I just need a little more loft now."
Make that a lot more loft. When Woods was a rookie in 1997, he played a driver with 6.5 degrees of loft.
"...now I'm up to 10.5," he said of his Nike SQ Dymo prototype driver. "I hate to see when I get to 40 how it's going to be. I may have to get a 46-inch driver and a 15-degree lofted driver. But it is what it is. Technology has changed; the ball doesn't spin as much as it used to. You must have more loft than you used to play."
And he did so after switching from a 9.5-degree driver to 10.5 degrees.
"As we all know, loft is your friend," said Woods. "The reason why you hit a 3-wood straighter is obviously because it's got more loft. That helps. My release has changed over the years and I just need a little more loft now."
Make that a lot more loft. When Woods was a rookie in 1997, he played a driver with 6.5 degrees of loft.
"...now I'm up to 10.5," he said of his Nike SQ Dymo prototype driver. "I hate to see when I get to 40 how it's going to be. I may have to get a 46-inch driver and a 15-degree lofted driver. But it is what it is. Technology has changed; the ball doesn't spin as much as it used to. You must have more loft than you used to play."
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