Frames: low power and less spin or high power and lots of spin..

[guitarplayer]

Which type of frame do you prefer? What fits best for your game?

A long time PS user...90 and modified 100's. Previous..Head Radical Tour, Prince POG, Ti Radicals. Messed with some other frames in between but felt at home with the thin beam PS.

I switched to the Pure Drive a few months ago. I thought I loved the much higher power of the PD. In practice and most matches, i was able to control the extra power with the extra spin I could generate. The last week and a half, playing in competition in Florida I realized about 90% of my errors were shots ...just long. Spin control....hum...either too much or not enough. It started effecting my confidence. Under match pressure....it was just another thing to think of. A throbbing sore shoulder (never happened before in my life) also made me unsure of this move.

So, today I played a match with my PS. Pretty quickly my confidence was back. Felt like I could not ever hit the ball long...and I didn't all match. Sure, some were shorter than I wanted...but a ball hit long is a point lost. A short ball........sure it opens up a chance for your opponent to take control....but you still have a chance. The concern of over hitting and not spinning the ball in was gone, which let me just concentrate on placement. It was freeing!

I guess I'm of the low power frame camp and would rather generate my own power vs. high power and having to harness it. I would think younger players who have grown up with higher powered frames would find the opposite to be true for them.

Expensive lesson learned, but worth it. Had to figure it out on my own. I'll see if I can recoup my losses here, the Pure Drives seem to be very popular.

 

[LeeD]

I don't own PD's or PS's....
But I do play with weighted Aero500's and 300's, meaning similar to APD and PS.
I like playing with my 300's, at 60 flex and 47lbs stringing. I can swing full out, and the balls seem to mostly stay IN unless I hit too high.

 

[Chico]

Higher power does not necessary mean more spin.

 

[guitarplayer]

Higher power does not necessary mean more spin.

Very true, I was meaning the higher power Pure Drive Type of frames vs Pro Staff.

 

[TheVuMan]

I'm actually in the exact same situation as you. I moved from the Diablo Mid to the Pure Drive Roddick 2012, and my shoulder is started to hurt after each time i played... So I stopped playing with the PDR the past few days and the pain is gone. I think I'm going to try out the new POG 100 see if I can get similar results in a less stiff frame.

 

[pistolero]

I can only speak for the 6.1 tours and ps line, I currently play with the 85, played with every 6.1 -- check your swing weight and static weight, and also string tension.

Put the poly on the crosses if hybridizing -- this is going to lessen the spin but increase the accuracy which is why you play with these frames. The only drawback would be on the kick serve. The power also increases so adjust your strings and tension to suite.

You want a fast swing speed that generates high velocity with control. This means to bring the static weight to a comfortable level to have a fast and maneuverable, yet balanced racquet, then find the right tension to play with.
They are demanding racquets.

 

[MikeHitsHard93]

OP, interesting story you have here! I'm currently a PDRGT user and am getting tennis elbow almost every time I play. It then takes about 3 days for it to go away. I do like the explosive power of the pure drive frames but like you, it's easy to hit TOO deep! Also like you said, you must have great topspin generation to use that type of frame and have it on a consistent basis. This is probably why my forehand suffers and why I get tennis elbow.

How's the comfort on those staffs compared to the pure drive? I know you don't have pain anymore, but is it a big difference?

Secondly, do you find it harder to serve with a low powered frame?

 

[guitarplayer]

Hey Mike. Interestingly, my serve was actually more controlled. Probably not as much spin or pace, but placement was much easier. The frame just seems less cumbersome than the PD.

I'm using the PS100's. They have a little lead under the handle. Although the head is 100 size, they are more oblong than the PD, so they feel much smaller. And it looks smaller put up against the PD. it is also more head light than the PD which gives it a lighter swing weight. It feels lighter. The PD feels like I'm swinging a big 110 frame. The PS definitely has a softer feel to it and.........they are strung with Fortin Thin Blend.....Kevlar!

I think you would like this frame. It's perfect for customizing.

 

[corners]

Which type of frame do you prefer? What fits best for your game?

A long time PS user...90 and modified 100's. Previous..Head Radical Tour, Prince POG, Ti Radicals. Messed with some other frames in between but felt at home with the thin beam PS.

I switched to the Pure Drive a few months ago. I thought I loved the much higher power of the PD. In practice and most matches, i was able to control the extra power with the extra spin I could generate. The last week and a half, playing in competition in Florida I realized about 90% of my errors were shots ...just long. Spin control....hum...either too much or not enough. It started effecting my confidence. Under match pressure....it was just another thing to think of. A throbbing sore shoulder (never happened before in my life) also made me unsure of this move.

So, today I played a match with my PS. Pretty quickly my confidence was back. Felt like I could not ever hit the ball long...and I didn't all match. Sure, some were shorter than I wanted...but a ball hit long is a point lost. A short ball........sure it opens up a chance for your opponent to take control....but you still have a chance. The concern of over hitting and not spinning the ball in was gone, which let me just concentrate on placement. It was freeing!

I guess I'm of the low power frame camp and would rather generate my own power vs. high power and having to harness it. I would think younger players who have grown up with higher powered frames would find the opposite to be true for them.

Expensive lesson learned, but worth it. Had to figure it out on my own. I'll see if I can recoup my losses here, the Pure Drives seem to be very popular.

Why do you think you're getting more "power" from the Pure Drive than from your Pro Staff 100s? I mean, what observations lead you to conclude that the Pure Drive is more "powerful"?

As to the question, "low power and less spin or high power and lots of spin?":

I look at like this: The pros play with racquets that are more inherently powerful and spin friendly than those we play with, by virtue of the high swingweights of their sticks. High swingweight increases inherent power and spin. And, they swing faster than us. If they can control the power and spin of their frames, despite the fact that they are swinging so darn fast, it doesn't make any sense to me that we, swinging much more slowly, should be looking for "low-power" sticks.

 

[dgoran]

Re shoulder pain: Everyones body is different but In my experience shoulder pain comes from high weight/swing weight of the racquet. You might be simply using what your shoulder could not take reaching physical limitations of your shoulder.
And regarding pure drive being powerful and over shooting ball long is simply stroke mechanic and time getting use to it. Racquet head speed (rhs) being most important part of this equation... You have to ask yourself does benefits of using pure drive outweigh short term drawbacks. For example in my experience pure drive helps when stretched out wide and on serve return so if you are willing and able to build up rhs you can get over overshooting long and gain return of serve and defense...

 

[movdqa]

I went from low-power frames to high-power frames and, as you noted, had to add spin to keep the ball in the court. I've found that I play better (in terms of winning more matches) with the high-power and high-spin approach. I do have confidence that I can play that way though. If you don't have confidence in what you're doing, a lot of things can break down your game including questioning your equipment.

 

[pinky42]

I'll take what's behind door number three, a racquet + string combination that will let me hit balls into the back third of the court using a 75 - 80% power swing with comfortable form. That leaves an extra gear for when want to go for an outright winner.

Too little power and you have to swing out on every shot just to hit a rally ball. Too much power and you have to check your swing or exaggerate the spin just to keep the ball in. Neither is something I can sustain over the long term.

 

[MikeHitsHard93]

Hey Mike. Interestingly, my serve was actually more controlled. Probably not as much spin or pace, but placement was much easier. The frame just seems less cumbersome than the PD.

I'm using the PS100's. They have a little lead under the handle. Although the head is 100 size, they are more oblong than the PD, so they feel much smaller. And it looks smaller put up against the PD. it is also more head light than the PD which gives it a lighter swing weight. It feels lighter. The PD feels like I'm swinging a big 110 frame. The PS definitely has a softer feel to it and.........they are strung with Fortin Thin Blend.....Kevlar!

I think you would like this frame. It's perfect for customizing.

Cool, thanks. Yeah, I think I'd like it too! It would need a bit more weight for me, but like you said it's obviously a great frame to customize. I find that I need a compact but fast stroke with pure drives, which probably makes my tennis elbow flare up. I much rather like to take the full loopy swing and hit the ball flatter like I did in high school. Haha Kevlar?? No thanks :shock:

Also re serving, I do enjoy the thump that the pdr gives me, however it seems to go long more often if I don't hit with spin. Just like groundies!

 

[MikeHitsHard93]

I'll take what's behind door number three, a racquet + string combination that will let me hit balls into the back third of the court using a 75 - 80% power swing with comfortable form. That leaves an extra gear for when want to go for an outright winner.

Too little power and you have to swing out on every shot just to hit a rally ball. Too much power and you have to check your swing or exaggerate the spin just to keep the ball in. Neither is something I can sustain over the long term.

Totally in the same boat as you!!!!!

 

[guitarplayer]

I'll take what's behind door number three, a racquet + string combination that will let me hit balls into the back third of the court using a 75 - 80% power swing with comfortable form. That leaves an extra gear for when want to go for an outright winner.

Too little power and you have to swing out on every shot just to hit a rally ball. Too much power and you have to check your swing or exaggerate the spin just to keep the ball in. Neither is something I can sustain over the long term.

Excellent post. I think too many of us are fighting against our racquets.

 

[corners]

Excellent post. I think too many of us are fighting against our racquets.

I'm not sure about that. I think most of us just don't know how to play tennis very well.

 

[mrc]

blade 98 is a good mix

 

[martini1]

I like playing with both. It's the feel and touch of the 90 Tour that keeps me going back, especially if there is any arm issue. It is the perfect frame to practice your technique on. The PD/APD type frame is for when you need the extra punch when you are rushed or overpowered. Or when you are playing on clay (or well maintained HC) for extra TS.

Personally I lead up the lighter frame to bring them closer to the Tour 90 weight so your swing doesn't need to be changed too much.