Driver day of reckoning.....and moment of fate

[RGuk]

I have made the odd comment on here about being mildly frustrated with my draw bias driver (FT-3 10.5)

Having enjoyed exclusively the left-hand side of every fairway for 10? rounds and hit a few wicked hooks, I thought it would be interesting to compare (with a few balls) the performance of this driver with my old 12 degree GBB. This has been knocking around for 10 years! and is only 250cc

So, I turned up at the club, asked permission to hit a few down the 12th and emptied my 2 tubes of donnay titanium practice balls. The results were quite astonishing.....1) almost identical distance and 2) straighter and NO hooks with the Callaway.

Therefore, (and I realise that there will be more roll in the dry weather) I turned my mind to returning to a non-draw 12 degree driver, and went to the pub to mull it over and quaff a few Staropramen.
Callaway don't do 12 degrees these days, Taylor Made tend to stop at 11.5 but Ping do 12 and even 13.5.

Now, I remembered trying a Superquad vs. a Ping g5 on a course a few months back. The 'quad was powerful but a bit of a handful, but the Ping G5 was as sweet as a nut.

Got in from pub, logged onto ebay....and, you've guessed it...21 seconds remaining on a b.n. Ping G5 12 degree.

SO, Callaway dave is now a Ping man! never got to try the Cobra HS-9 (pity) but I've taken a punt on a new driver!!!!

Only got to wait about 3 weeks for paypal now....by which time I'll be able to decide what to do with the FT-3.

 

[bunkered]

12 degree driver, thats more like a 2 wood, the more loft the less sidespin.

 

[GB72]

Sounds like a good move to me, I use a 13 degree driver and have experienced little to no loss of distance but far straighter drives.

 

[Up_Point_1]

Ah the perils of using e-bay when under the influence eh Dave, we've all been there mate

On a serious note I don't think you'll go too far wrong with the G5. I've had the 10.5 degree version for 2 years now and I absolutely love it to bits.

DHM.

 

[Range_Ball]

I currently have a R7 draw 10.5 and am thinking of changing my driver.

1. Because i not sure that it is a very forgiving driver.
2. Don't get any draw on it what so ever just a slight fade.

Any ideas on a driver i have not even considered a G5


Regards

 

[RGuk]

Divot...yes, a bit of a 2 wood really, but that's ok. I was thinking about your comment about the face being a little closed on the FT-3, I tried to establish if the face waa closed on the 12 degree G5 (it's not on the G2 or G10, UNLESS you've bought a draw model), if it is a degree closed, I may have the same problem....but I can live with a degree closed at impact, if I hit it perfectly square, it'll just be a tiny pull.

d-h-m - so pleased to hear you like G5! I've read great reviews, players like it (more fanatical than Callaway, though not quite in Cobra-land!) and the one I tried on alternate holes at a long course last year was glorious.

I managed for years with a 12 degree....being a short hitter, the long holes are not going to be mysteriously in reach with 10.5. I will miss the odd 260 yd screamer with the FT-3, but swapping distance for accuracy will suit my course.

Sorry to clutter up the board.....just so pleased!!

 

[RGuk]

I currently have a R7 draw 10.5 and am thinking of changing my driver.

1. Because i not sure that it is a very forgiving driver.
2. Don't get any draw on it what so ever just a slight fade.

Any ideas on a driver i have not even considered a G5


Regards

You and me have the same thing then (10.5 draw). You have the opposite problem to me though if you are not getting the hook spin. You might like to try the Macgregor nvg2 draw I raved about a few months back, in 12?
BEWARE though....there were two models.

 

[TonyN]

Go try the callaway FT-I

 

[Up_Point_1]

I managed for years with a 12 degree....being a short hitter, the long holes are not going to be mysteriously in reach with 10.5. I will miss the odd 260 yd screamer with the FT-3, but swapping distance for accuracy will suit my course.

I like your thinking here, distance isn't everything but accuracy is paramount. To be honest i'd be very surprised if you lost much, if indeed any distance going from a 10.5 to a 12 anyway.

Golf is just so much easier played off the short stuff.

DHM.

 

[RGuk]

Thanks for your support d-h-m.

During yesterdays test, the 12 degree was a few yards shorter (negligible), but it's a small headed club and the sweet spot isn't huge.

My only concern was that IF the fairway had been dry, the the difference would have been more probably. But my thinking also goes in a different direction......

for a good few years, I used the driver on almost every hole and left the 3 wood at home. I found it easy to keep straight and if the hole was so fearsome, would use a 5 wood or 2 iron. Since having the FT-3 I've been going driver/3 wood/driver/3 wood all the way round to avoid the nasty shot on the holes that don't need a big tee shot. I'll see how it goes, but it's possible I might end up in this situation again....why go with a 3 wood if the driver is a bang on certainty?....couldn't say this with the FT-3

http://www.pinggolf.com/woods_g5driver.html

according to this the 12 is not offset....unless the ebay bloke wasn't describing it properly.

Having searched on ye olde google images, the offset models have "offset" in white under the loft, so I think I'm totally safe, as the picture on ebay was the real item, not some dodgy t'internet photo

 

[thecraw]

Thats a great club and an awesome shaft mate you wont be disapointed.

I also have a 12 degree Ping Rapture and I hit it further than the 10.5 degree Rapture. I am delighted with it and I dont hit it high either.

Good choice sir!