SLDR 430 Loft Dilemma (10.5* or 12* lofted down) HELP!!!!

thlongball · July 13, 2015

Well I'm ready to revisit the SLDR 430TP as it's still the best looking head on the market to my eye. I demoed a 10.5 with/7.3X roughly a year ago and it was PHENOMENAL I can't get it out of my mind. I bought the exact same setup a few weeks after that demo and it was NOTHING like the demo. Didn't feel nearly as good at impact and launched low frozen ropes even though it said 10.5 on the head. I'm guessing it was 1.5-2 degrees lower than stated loft and the demo was right on the money at 10.5. I currently play a 910 at 7.75 with UST V2 86X or RIP 80X with extra tipping sooo I usually have no issues hitting the ball as high as I want but not with that head! I'm also wondering since higher lofted heads usually spin MORE does a 12* SLDR lofted down to 10.5* spin same/more as a 10.5* head at standard loft "assuming," they are both at stated loft?????

Which gets me to the decision.

1. Roll the dice on another 10.5* head and hope it's closer to stated loft

2. Buy a retail 12* and loft down allowing for some variability if the loft is off, either way I anticipate having to go down regardless.

3. Buy a tour head and KNOW the exact loft, I just can't figure out the listed headweights?

- Is the listed headweight with or without the sleeve?

- I'm seeing alot of tour heads at 198-200 grams and I'd need something in the 204-206 range to play 45"/D5. (I read the sleeves come in around 8 grams)

Thanks in advance.

DeCuchi · July 13, 2015

I'd go with a 12 or get a tour issue. I had a 10.5 430 that was great. I never had the loft checked but it was probably pretty close to spec, maybe a little lower. I did want to open the face a bit though as this suits my eye. I ran across a used tour issue 12 for $80 at a local store. Set at 11* it was launching a bit lower than the 10.5. I went to have the loft checked and it was at 9.7* in that setting, putting it a 10.8* in standard. The benefit of tour issue is you know the loft beforehand, but still if you find a deal on a 12* like me. Even though it's 1.2* lower than stated, I've got room to go up in loft without closing the face. Just not as much as I was initially hoping for.

DTXgolfer12 · July 13, 2015

Get a 12* and open the face down to 10.5. There will be no noticeable change in spin.

thlongball · July 13, 2015

Thanks for the advice you're mirroring my thoughts, just a lot more flexibility with the 12* especially if I go retail and it's a crapshoot on loft.... If there's not noticeable change in spin then that's a wrap.

ijohnson · July 13, 2015

Seeing that you already have the 10.5, I'd try moving the weight a few clicks to fade and adding 1.5* of loft - for me, it got rid of some of my misses since I felt before like I either would hit a big cut or a pull hook a la Tiger style. My 12* weighs in at 201.8g when I unscrewed the shaft FYI.

thlongball · July 13, 2015

Sold the 10.5 LONG AGO looking for another test run as stated. It launched like an 8* ?

ijohnson · July 13, 2015

Didn't see that - it may be worth trying to find a used one at a local store that you can take out and try though? The demos are probably gone but I feel like TM with the SLDR line quit labeling them as 1-2* lower than their actual loft, and used the whole loft up campaign in part to push for people to move toward the real stated loft they should play. I played an MP600 9.5 before mine, and the 12 launches a hair lower for me. Lofting the 10.5 up to 12 at a demo day didn't feel as springy as playing a straight 12, for what it's worth. I was getting 255ish on Flightscope with it but have tracked several drives in the 280 range with my 12*. Got it for 130 (stock TP) in December so they should be under 100 by now.

rgk5 · July 13, 2015

I had a 430 SLDR 9* S shaft, for..............35 minutes. The damn thing would not get into the air no matter what, even set to 10.5*. Back to the SLDR S 10* with the stock R flex.