Question: Are Karl's Clubs shortened, and if so, by how much?

Answer: Yes, Karl's clubs are shortened.

We see too many kids of Karl's age playing with full length clubs. For most kids of Karl's age, each and every club in the bag needs to be shortened, including the Driver.

We see some Junior's who's Drivers are as long as they are tall and I ask the Parents why they haven't had it shortened, and the answer is always the same- because we think that it'll go further if it's longer. That's actually not always true. Sure, there are 1 or 2 players of Karl's age who can hit further than him, but they are also quite tall and big for their age, so they can probably get away with using a longer Driver. However, 99.9% of players of Karl's age can't out-drive him despite using a Driver that's too long for them. Karl's Driver is shortened by 3 inches and only stands as tall as his chest, yet he still pumps his Drives 220 +/-. So, how does Karl hit his shortened Driver further than most lads with full length Drivers?

Answer: Technique. Karl is able to generate a lot more club-head speed because his Driver is shorter. Additionally, because his Driver is shorter he is able to have a more Vertical swing which generates much more "Carry" with the Drive due to the Driver impacting at the correct angles.

Have you ever wondered why your child "chunks" mishits to the left? It's because a club which is too long sees the heel of the club strike the ground first. So, from off the Tee they are fine, but when playing from off the Fairway, an incorrect Lie angle will usually see kids miss left. Karl's Lie angle is correct, allowing the club to hit the ground evenly.

Whether the Driver or the Irons, developing a technically correct swing at a young age is critical. We change the length of Karl's shafts every 8 months and have done so since age 6. Earl Woods did it with Tiger too, making the clubs fit Tiger rather than making Tiger adjust to clubs. So, the next time you look at a video of Karl, the reasons why it looks as though his clubs are shorter than most of the kids he plays against are as follows;

1. By being the correct length, the Lie angle of the club-head is closer to being level with the turf rather than being "Heel down".
2. He is able to swing in a more technically correct fashion.
   
3. He has more control over the club, and therefore, the shot.
4. In the long-term, his technique will benefit from being correctly fitted.