Driver For a High Handicapper/Beginner

[Sultana]

I appreciate this question may have been posed on numerous occasions, but each one is surely player specific.

Been playing golf for only a few months now and my first purchase was from Sports Direct i.e. Dunlop package set. I have had a session of 6 lessons with a golf pro, which was useful to a degree, but nothing beats being on the course learning from your mistakes IMO.

I know some have the view that a driver for a beginner is best left in the bag, but it does help with confidence should you hit a good drive off the tee. Anyway, I started with a Dunlop driver, which I slice all over the place and I have no confidence in its ability to improve my tee shots. A friend has lent me a Taylormade Burner 2008 and the difference is obvious in my game ok, I still have the odd slice, but I hit far more straight drives and the distance achieved is comparable with my opponents opposed to the Dunlop which falls short in many ways.

So, I'm in the market for a driver to match the Taylormade Burner, which will help me improve my driving off the tees, but isn't going to cost me the earth. I have been reading reviews on the Taylormade Superfast and hope to visit American Golf for a test soon, but I wondered whether there is anything else that can aid a player in my position.

I usually shoot just over 100 per round, but I have been under that mark a couple of times, and I know from my limited experience that a good drive can lower my score.

 

[palindromicbob]

Having just recently acquired a 12 degree Cobra HS9 from G1BBO on the forum I can say that loft is your friend when it comes to a driver for a beginner. Having gone through a few 10.5* drivers including off set, draw biased and different shafts the biggest advantage I've seen has been from changing loft. Admittedly the slice isn't being caused by the club, if you could invent a slice free driver you'd be a millionaire, but the increased loft does add more forgiveness.

Why buy an expensive new driver when you can probably get something ideal for you second hand for a fraction of the price. Just remember one of fundamental laws of golf. A borrowed/test club will perform well until you spend your money on it.

 

[viscount17]

almost any of them, doesn't even need to be new. don't neglect MD or Benross, good clubs that don't cost the earth, otherwise wait a bit and get last years model as the new ones will be around soon.
get plenty of loft 12 deg + and a shaft that suits your swing speed

 

[Captain_Black]

Ha, I was in the same boat as you a few months ago, I discarded a offset Palm Springs driver as cheap rubbish cos I couldn't hit it straight, So I bought a expensive Callaway driver only to find it was much the same, fast forward a few months & I am now playing reasonably well & driving mostly straight, the other day I used the cheap driver at the range, only to find that I now can hit this straight as well.

The fault is with your skill level / swing not the driver, a expensive driver may last longer or fly a little further, but at the moment
your main priority is to gain consistancy & keep the ball in play.

 

[chris661]

I was playing with a society on Saturday and one of the guys in the group as adamant his driver was crap. I took a go with it and hit it as far as my own. It is NEVER the club that is at fault.

 

[GeneralStore]

You guys are no fun! The dude wants to buy a nice new shiny driver...haha....only kidding

Sultana, IMHO, while I would agree that no club can magically make you hit straight, I think you have 2 possible strategies here:
1) Go for a very forgiving driver with high loft and a suitable shaft..e.g. Ping K15 etc...
2) Go for a adjustable driver, like the R11, that you can for example close the face and increase the loft a bit to help you with your slice and forgiveness short-term and as you improve your swing you can change it to a lower loft and a neutral or open face..etc...
Secondhand or new is up to your budget

Either way you should go and try a bunch of them and see what you like best

 

[thecraw]

Ping G15 or K15, look second hand for a Ping Rapture V2, a fantastic bat and also aimed as "super game improvement".

 

[benjamin]

What you are looking for as others have said is a forgiving driver first and foremost.

I havent owned many drivers, ive had a RAM a few old cobras and an old titleist, all of wich i got on with to an extent but none were anywhere near as forgiving as the 08 Burner i picked up a few weeks ago. there may be more forgiving clubs out there but not many at a guess, even the duffs with it go ~200yards for me, i may be bias but i would pick up a burner, i paid £70 for mine and its the best money ive ever spent.

Good luck.

 

[evahakool]

If you want a new Driver I would agree with Viscounts recommendation for Benross,good club at a great price, perfect club for someone in your position,but as others have said you can pick up other top brand second hand clubs at a good price.

 

[Shaunmg]

I've only been playing a few years and agree with Viscount. I started with a 13deg, then went to 12 and now play 11 deg. Don't pay through the nose for something that may not suit or you want to change in a year or so.


MD and Benross are inexpensive but quality clubs. They always get good reviews

 

[timchump]

to add my two penies worth

go second hand - taylormade burner 2009 model.

something generic like a regular flex 10.5 degree loft

i have the burner superfast and to be honest think the 2009 is better

 

[Hendo007]

Sultana, Where I agree a lot witht he advice above I will also add that the driver you currently own may also be a lot of the problem. I started playing golf 4 years ago when I joined my first club, I also bought the full started set from said retailer. However I too seemed to slice everything. When I eventually changed I ralised that the Dunlop one was far too whippy for my swing and that was why i tended to slice everything. Perhaps this is the same for you. I'd prob wait till you had your test and then get one thats suits your swing.

 

[gripitripit]

Cobra S2 offset with 11.5 degree loft....It has pretty much taking the slice out of my game..!!!

 

[HomerJSimpson]

My opinion is to get a driver lesson from a pro and learn how to use it first. There are some set up differences for using a driver compared to even a 3 wood off the tee and if you can get a solid foundation it should make life easier.

There are offset, draw bias, high loft as well as adjustable and ordianry makes so have a look and the important thing is try before you buy and don't be scared to walk away, come back another day and try it again

 

[Sultana]

My opinion is to get a driver lesson from a pro and learn how to use it first. There are some set up differences for using a driver compared to even a 3 wood off the tee and if you can get a solid foundation it should make life easier.

There are offset, draw bias, high loft as well as adjustable and ordianry makes so have a look and the important thing is try before you buy and don't be scared to walk away, come back another day and try it again

I had a lesson specific to the driver, but a pro can only do so much in a half hour session...

What is the general concensus with you guys when it comes to the woods. Is best to have 1, 3 and 5 for example, from the same manufacturer or is it irrelevant?

 

[Imurg]

Sultana, Where I agree a lot witht he advice above I will also add that the driver you currently own may also be a lot of the problem. I started playing golf 4 years ago when I joined my first club, I also bought the full started set from said retailer. However I too seemed to slice everything. When I eventually changed I ralised that the Dunlop one was far too whippy for my swing and that was why i tended to slice everything. Perhaps this is the same for you. I'd prob wait till you had your test and then get one thats suits your swing.

Ah! But Hendo - see above.

IT'S NEVER THE CLUB THE CLUB THAT IS AT FAULT.............

 

[HomerJSimpson]

I had a lesson specific to the driver, but a pro can only do so much in a half hour session...

Which begs..... book another lesson. The driver is essential to get right. Keep it in play most of the time and the scores automatically start to tumble. Learn how to hit one and then find the one that suits your game best.

 

[Captain_Black]

What is the general concensus with you guys when it comes to the woods. Is best to have 1, 3 and 5 for example, from the same manufacturer or is it irrelevant?

A no3 fairway wood is a good idea as well as being another option of the tee.
Personally, I don't use any other wood, I only use a Driver off the tee when I need to drive over 200 yards.
For other distance's up to 200 yards I either use a iron or a hybrid.
The hybrid give me the distance I need & is very versatile, as I can use it off the tee, the fairway or in the light rough.