Not All Clubheads Are Created Equal

April 29, 2024

At Krank Golf, there are good reasons that we don’t build irons, putters or wedges. For starters, there are tons of manufacturers who make sure you have plenty to choose from online or at your favorite golf shop. Moreover, our focus has always been on the science behind hitting the ball longer and straighter with a driver or fairway wood.

Don’t take our word for it... click here to hear what Bryson DeChambeau had to say his new Formula FIRE Pro Driver.

The limits set for clubhead size, loft angles, weight, face material and other dimensions, for the most part, offer about the same advantages and disadvantages for all levels of golfers. But unlike the shaft which can have a soft or stiff flex that bends closer or further from the clubhead, the driver face is regulated by a one-size-fits-all specification.

So, would a flexible-faced driver add distance to a professional’s drive?

NO, absolutely not. The increase in the spring effect of the face would be overloaded and not spring back effectively with a high swing speed. That would result in a shorter drive and helps to explain why professional long drivers typically hit a very stiff shaft and thick clubface to take advantage of their swing speed.

Inherent Properties of a Driver Head

Based on the Rules of Golf, the clubhead of a driver or fairway wood must be generally plain in shape with only one striking face and not designed to resemble any other object. Minimum and maximum dimensions and volumes help to define the head’s shape. Discussed below are physical properties that affect a clubhead’s performance, such as:

• Loft Angle of Face – The loft angle of the face of your driver can impact both the trajectory and distance of your shot. A driver clubface with a greater the number of degrees of loft will generally create a higher shot with more backspin and less distance. Generally speaking, a high-handicap golfer will opt for more loft to help reduce slices or hooks, as face curvature in a higher-lofted driver face can help prevent side spin. Conversely, low-handicap golfers with a more disciplined swing path tend to opt for a lesser loft angle to reduce spin and produce a lower ball flight with more roll-out.
• Center of Gravity – Center of Gravity (CG) is the point at which a clubhead is perfectly balanced. So the physics behind CG for a driver head is the point where the weight of the club is concentrated. CG is generally denoted in directions, such as CG Back from the face which increases the launch angle and spin rate, CG Forward toward the face which decreases ball flight and spin, CG High toward the top of the clubhead which launches the ball lower with more spin, and CG Low toward the bottom of the head which causes the ball to launch higher with less spin.
• Moment of Inertia – The moment of inertia (MOI) for a clubface – that is not related to shaft torque – is the clubhead’s resistance to rotation when the ball is struck off center. When a golf ball is hit on the toe of the clubface, the face twists open and can result in a push or slice. When a golf ball is hit on the heel of the clubface, the face twists closed and can result in a pull or hook. Both result in the golf ball flying offline with less distance due to reduced ball speed. A higher MOI is less likely to twist, which means a larger sweet spot and fewer mishits.
• Characteristic Time – Characteristic Time (CT) was introduced by golf’s governing bodies as a portable device used to measure the spring-like effect of the clubface. CT uses a pendulum test to measure the driver face spring effect or trampoline effect. Coefficient of Restitution (COR) was originally used by the USGA and R&A to measure the speed velocity of the golf ball before and after contact with the clubface. Although these measures are not the same thing, both have been used to determine the tolerance of trampoline effect for imparting energy to the golf ball at impact.
• Energy Transfer – Your golf swing relies on energy that is transferred, stored and transformed in order to launch the golf ball. Potential energy is the energy an object has because of its position or capability to move. When swinging a club, potential chemical energy comes from your muscles whereas potential gravitational energy is stored throughout the swing. The highest potential energy is at the top of the swing and the highest kinetic energy at the bottom. At impact, potential energy is transformed to kinetic energy and transferred to the ball causing it to move.

Most properties of a golf clubhead are already regulated, including the head size, volume, and even Coefficient of Restitution for face flex – which explains why the junkyard is filled with driver heads that don’t really work for today’s recreational golfer. But, don’t despair. If you’re a low-handicapper or tournament player, Krank has always built USGA-approved drivers and can build one for you too.

The 2024 Krank Formula FIRE Driver...

For more than two decades, Krank Golf has pushed the boundaries of the science behind what makes a driver hit straighter and longer. Our commitment resulted in winning 26 World Long Drive Championships. Since most golfers will never achieve the 115 mph swing speed needed to compete on the Long Drive Grid, we decided to build the undisputed longest hitting drivers for golfers with medium to slower swing speeds, who represent over 99% of the golfing community.

Formula FIRE Drivers are now the highest performing line of drivers that Krank Golf has produced. Using Krank’s CNC milling technique, we increased distance for recreational golfers by widening and thinning the deep cupped face. We also changed the shape to raise the center of gravity and reduce ball spin. Increased louvering quickens the energy transfer back to the ball and a change in bottom weight placement improves spin control for better accuracy.

If you add a Krank Tri-Sleeve Adapter, you gain the advantage of having an adjustable driver to better fit your club to your swing. Once you know what each setting does, you can literally make on course adjustments. Most golfers never fine-tune their driver, because of cumbersome lead tape or the off-the-course realignment of the shaft. Krank’s adapter eliminates the need to turn the shaft to adjust the loft for a more desirable ball flight. It allows for up to one degree of loft and face angle adjustability in half degree increments.

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If you are tired of giving away crucial yardage, the right Krank Formula FIRE driver and fairway woods will allow you to hit the ball farther off the tee and straighter down the fairway. Just follow the science. It’s not that complicated. If you need a more flexible shaft, chances are you would benefit from a more flexible driver face. Join Team Krank today and start designing a club that’s custom built for your swing.