Golf Driver Buying Guide
Speak softly and carry a big stick. You’ve probably heard those words before. Originally spoken by Teddy Roosevelt in reference to the Monroe Doctrine, they’ve also been used in some small circles to describe the game of golf, or more specifically as a reference to what is normally the longest stick in your bag - the driver.
Every year, manufacturers spend oodles of marketing dollars to get you to try their newest technology, and the passion that people have relative to improving their game contributes to a frenzied shopping season that starts in many parts of the country right after the new year and continues through about mid-summer. The goal – to find the best driver on the market that aligns to the golfer’s skill level, personal fit characteristics, and playing style.
As you may know, the driver is the club in your bag that is designed to carry the ball the farthest and is used primarily off the tee box on Par 4 and Par 5 holes, and sometimes long Par 3’s depending on your typical distance. The distances this club is used to attain are normally from about 180 to 200 yards, to well over 300 yards for a very talented few. Drivers come in varying degrees of loft which correlate to your tolerance for risk related to spin induced error, needs for trajectory, and environmental conditions such as wind.
Nearly every manufacturer and brand out there has drivers in their line-up, which can make for some difficult decision making by buyers. Combine that with all of the possible choices, lofts, shafts, heads, and other specifications, as well as the likes, dislikes, and capabilities of the golfer, and you can see why people need sites like GolfGearReview.com to help decipher what's best for them. With regard to that, we've polled the frequent contributors inour forums, and received the following advice for those who may be shopping for a new or first driver.
A common myth is that the higher the price of a driver, the more positive the impact on your game will be. Manufacturers spend a lot of money on marketing and promotion, but in some cases there is technically very little difference between name brand and off-brand or custom built clubs, especially for beginning and intermediate level golfers. Paying high prices will not lower your handicap, but a properly chosen club will, even a cheap one. Be sure to get fitted properly, and understand how the different lofts relate to your specific style and level of play. -ChrisB
The engine that "drives" your driver is the shaft. Having a shaft that is properly fitted to your particular swing characteristics will get better results for you. - Aimee
Drivers don't necessarily change that much from year to year, If you are looking for bang for the buck, search out last years hottest models in a demo or slightly used version. Just make sure the club fits your swing. A good way to do this is to play a round with it, or at least hit some drives at the range. - laney
Remember to factor in trajectory and ball flight into the equation. Don't want to get a setup that launches the ball higher when you already have a high ball flight. And make sure you get fitted for the correct flex shaft. -srushing
Go to the range, hit drivers you're interested in and take the one you like and hit best. - Bill H
Most all of the new OEM drivers will be very much equal in terms of maximum distance. This is because the USGA has set a limit on how hot a driver can be. The COR of all drivers is set at a max of .830. So don't think a certain driver is going to be a lot hotter than some other model. The shaft is what will matter the most when shopping for a good driver for YOU. If the shaft fits, and the loft is correct for YOU, that's what will get you the most distance, and help you find the most fairways. One big problem I see all the time is most golfers have NO IDEA of what a good launch angle looks like, and they all THINK they hit the ball TOO high. Fact is, most all golfer hit the ball too LOW, for maximum distance, and they don't know it. This is why I highly recommend that every golfer hit balls on a good launch monitor and find out exactly what their launch angle really is, not just quess at what it might be. And if you can find to golf shop with the ShaftLab system, I recommend you get fitted on one for a driver. This system only measures how you LOAD the shaft, and not how fast you swing the club. Loading the shaft is what matters most, it figuring out what shaft flex and kickpoint you really should be playing, Not swing speed. - DON
Being fitted for a driver -- and that includes all aspects of the driver -- is critical. As a guy once told me, you wouldn't go pick a suit off the rack without trying it on, right? Well, that's the folly of taking driver off a display at the shop or retailer. But to me, there's one other really important aspect of getting a new driver: how it appeals to your eye. You've got to look down at that club 14 of 18 holes most every round. You need something that looks good to you or that will play in how you perform with that club.Me? I can't imagine looking down and seeing one of those square croquet mallets at the end of my driver shaft. - MikeD
Demo drivers on a good launch monitor to verify your swing speed and launch angle, also demo drivers of the same mfgr with different lofts. Swing speed is important as you want to buy in a driver with enough loft to maximize your launch angle and distance. - ffjra
For these and other great tips, don't forget to visit our forums for more great advice on new drivers out there, and what to look for. To visit the forums, click here: Golf Forums
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