How much would you pay for a driver?

[JohnnyDee]

£509

I bet at that price Gordon it just can't miss a fairway and always finds the green on drivable par 4s

 

[HomerJSimpson]

It's a consumer decision and to be honest up to degree, people will pay what is asked for a driver. There will be some that can afford £500 for a driver and will pay that, some that simply can't afford to pay that much and some that simply won't buy the latest model as soon as they are released and will wait for 6-12 months or simply decide the latest driver is no better than the last. While manufacturers can charge these prices and make a return after all the production/R&D costs they will

 

[Deleted Member 1156]

I bet at that price Gordon it just can't miss a fairway and always finds the green on drivable par 4s

I'm going to keep it in my bag for 5 years then sell it for £400 :thup:

 

[Hobbit]

How often does this come up - oh that's right when a new driver comes out.

There are drivers priced from £150 all the way up to prob over £600 if custom fit with some exotic shaft.

Not one single one of us is forced to buy anything - when new drivers come out I'll try them , if they give me improvements that are worth spending the money on then I'll buy the driver but every single one of us will all have our own limits on what we will spend - if someone wants to buy a new driver every year then away they go - no one should ever judge them because of it .

As for driver improvements - yes they do improve with each model , whether that be performance or aesthetics there will be some sort of improvement - mainly in forgiveness with some giving a bit of extra distance.

The main reason I see for getting new drivers now is the shaft options that each manufacturer offer - up until recently the choices for most where just the shaft stiffness with the stock shaft - anything more than that used to cost a good deal amount of money , but now each main manufacturer offers a great deal more shafts as standard which for me will help when it comes to fitting and will be worth the cost and will give a good upgrade

New members to the forum might not have seen a thread on new drivers. Yes, thread topics are repeated, and sometimes raised by new forum members. There's nothing wrong with that, and maybe there's a few new points raised too.

I'd hate to think a new member was reluctant to post up for a fear of being criticised for bringing something up that's been raised before. Yes, there's a search function, but not everyone new to the forum is aware of it - I know I wasn't in my early days on the forum.

 

[Crow]

Old School is the way to go.

There are so many truly great drivers out there from the 50s onwards, available £1 to £50, buy a load, switch em round, have fun hitting shots, don't worry about what others think.

I picked up a pair of Gradidge Bobby Locke persimmons the other day together with a full set of PEAKHI irons (2 to 10 with putter) and woods for £40, can't wait to get the Bobby Lockes out on the course. (Unfortunately the PEAKHI set were with ladies shafts but they're the most beautiful clubs I've ever seen so I'll probably frame them and put them on the wall.)

 

[JohnnyDee]

Old School is the way to go.

There are so many truly great drivers out there from the 50s onwards, available £1 to £50, buy a load, switch em round, have fun hitting shots, don't worry about what others think.

I picked up a pair of Gradidge Bobby Locke persimmons the other day together with a full set of PEAKHI irons (2 to 10 with putter) and woods for £40, can't wait to get the Bobby Lockes out on the course. (Unfortunately the PEAKHI set were with ladies shafts but they're the most beautiful clubs I've ever seen so I'll probably frame them and put them on the wall.)

Oddly enough I just bought a sleeve of mint condition featheries on eBay last week, handmade by Sandy McHoots at St Andrews.

We have a medal in the morning and just can't wait to unwrap one of those bad boys on the first and roll back the years. :thup::thup:

 

[NorfolkShaun]

Went to the range today, funny old game but everyone I saw trying new clubs were trying drivers.

I like the pro who runs the shop but i heard a good line off him today.

'You can see how far phones have come on in the last five years well think the same with drivers'

:swing:

Sold!!

 

[Bigfoot]

Tried the Mizuno JPX 900 driver other week with a regular Fujikura Six shaft and boomed it. The ball flight was higher then I normally get, but a quick weight shift and it came down. It had a great feel and sound off of it, I'm tempted and it's the only OEM I would go back to, and it's not silly EPIC price either.

I have tried the JPX900 too. I found the dispersion improved with not too much improvement in distance. I have not taken the plunge as I cannot justify the price to myself. I have since found that I am driving the ball more accurately than ever before.

 

[BrianM]

Each to their own 😀😀
As a new player to golf as I said earlier I'd pay a decent sum if I knew I'd get the results, the reality is it depends on the swing, mines very inconsistent 😂😂

 

[Crow]

Oddly enough I just bought a sleeve of mint condition featheries on eBay last week, handmade by Sandy McHoots at St Andrews.

We have a medal in the morning and just can't wait to unwrap one of those bad boys on the first and roll back the years. :thup::thup:

Way to go Dee!

(Be prepared for some loss of distance though, McHoots were the Dunlop of their day)

 

[Crow]

Tasty huh?

 

[JohnnyDee]

View attachment 22412

Tasty huh?

*Drools* Have you got them insured? I hope so. :mmm:

 

[Snelly]

Nice to see a good condescending post every now and then,
Should we all drive Dacia's and shop in Lidl's?
If someone wants to spend their money on a new Driver then why not? Are you suggesting we all sell our gear and get down to Sports Direct and kit ourselves out in Dunlop gear?

I don't think JD's post is particularly condescending and your reply perhaps suggests your answer to the question of how much to pay for a driver is rather a lot?

My maximum would be under £150. Nearer £100 I reckon. My current driver, a Cobra Bio Cell, is the most expensive I have ever bought and it was about £115 I think. A lovely club.

I agree with the sentiments of the OP, anyone paying sums approaching £400 for a driver must be very rich, a bit daft, deluded or gullible. All of which are fine of course.

Just wait until your driver of choice goes in the bargain bin and buy it then. Common sense really. All these new clubs really are the emperors new clothes.

 

[Snelly]

Old School is the way to go.

There are so many truly great drivers out there from the 50s onwards, available £1 to £50, buy a load, switch em round, have fun hitting shots, don't worry about what others think.

I picked up a pair of Gradidge Bobby Locke persimmons the other day together with a full set of PEAKHI irons (2 to 10 with putter) and woods for £40, can't wait to get the Bobby Lockes out on the course. (Unfortunately the PEAKHI set were with ladies shafts but they're the most beautiful clubs I've ever seen so I'll probably frame them and put them on the wall.)

Lovely!

This reminds me of a persimmon Bobby Locke driver I had as a lad. It was a 1 3/4 loft! It was found in a barn by my Grandpa and he sent if off to be refurbished. A beautiful club and I could hit it miles - really long. I once bashed a wedge into my clubs after a bad shot and dinked the head and was upset for months.

I think I swapped it for a Taylor Made metal burner and it was one of my worst ever golfing decisions.

 

[Crow]

Lovely!

This reminds me of a persimmon Bobby Locke driver I had as a lad. It was a 1 3/4 loft! It was found in a barn by my Grandpa and he sent if off to be refurbished. A beautiful club and I could hit it miles - really long. I once bashed a wedge into my clubs after a bad shot and dinked the head and was upset for months.

I think I swapped it for a Taylor Made metal burner and it was one of my worst ever golfing decisions.

I've always liked the idea of fractional clubs but have never seen a 3/4 before, my Bobby Lockes are 1 1/2 and 3 1/2.

 

[Deleted member 16999]

I don't think JD's post is particularly condescending and your reply perhaps suggests your answer to the question of how much to pay for a driver is rather a lot?

My maximum would be under £150. Nearer £100 I reckon. My current driver, a Cobra Bio Cell, is the most expensive I have ever bought and it was about £115 I think. A lovely club.

I agree with the sentiments of the OP, anyone paying sums approaching £400 for a driver must be very rich, a bit daft, deluded or gullible. All of which are fine of course.

Just wait until your driver of choice goes in the bargain bin and buy it then. Common sense really. All these new clubs really are the emperors new clothes.

Thanks for those words of wisdom,

I paid over £400 once, Charity Auction for H4H to get fitted for Titleist Driver, although what I am willing to pay is irrelevant to you or anybody else.

Do you or the op live by that principle for everything in your life? Never paid what would seem to some a lot of money for something and those people thinking that you were either rich, a bit daft, deluded or gullible.

 

[BrianM]

Thanks for those words of wisdom,

I paid over £400 once, Charity Auction for H4H to get fitted for Titleist Driver, although what I am willing to pay is irrelevant to you or anybody else.

Do you or the op live by that principle for everything in your life? Never paid what would seem to some a lot of money for something and those people thinking that you were either rich, a bit daft, deluded or gullible.

This for me as well, each to their own, talk about stereotypicaling people with that attitude.

 

[Snelly]

Thanks for those words of wisdom,

I paid over £400 once, Charity Auction for H4H to get fitted for Titleist Driver, although what I am willing to pay is irrelevant to you or anybody else.

Do you or the op live by that principle for everything in your life? Never paid what would seem to some a lot of money for something and those people thinking that you were either rich, a bit daft, deluded or gullible.

Yes I do live by that principle - I have never paid a huge amount of money for something that would make absolutely sod all difference to the part of my life it was associated with. That said, I did once buy a fly fishing rod for £1000 which to some would seem ridiculous and it certainly did not help me to catch more fish. It is however, a thing of exquisite beauty, timeless and will be handed down to my children when I kick the bucket. Unlike a £500 driver.

It is not the amount of money that is the issue here anyway. Rather, it is the difference the driver makes to your handicap or driving distance (just about sweet FA) relative to alternative options that just 18 months earlier, were considered a panacea for all driving woes.

If you tested 10 2 year old drivers against your latest Titleist, I bet you would find one that was it's equal or better and it would only cost £50.

You crack on though love, I don't care in the slightest about how you or BrianM spend your money. I am making a point to the wider audience which is, buying a driver for £500 is daft relative to what it brings to your game and relative to the other options available. Doesn't mean anyone should not buy one.

 

[Orikoru]

I recently bought my Ping G15 second hand, so it was only about £60 plus postage. I wouldn't want to spend more than £100 on a driver, because I doubt I could see the value - I'd be surprised if there's a driver in existence that could make me drive well. Even if I really wanted one of the new fangled expensive ones I'd look to get it second hand and save some of that cost.

 

[Lambchops]

I recently bought my Ping G15 second hand, so it was only about £60 plus postage. I wouldn't want to spend more than £100 on a driver, because I doubt I could see the value - I'd be surprised if there's a driver in existence that could make me drive well. Even if I really wanted one of the new fangled expensive ones I'd look to get it second hand and save some of that cost.

Towards the end of last year I picked up a Cobra Amp D Driver on Ebay for about 60quid delivered - I'm still there or thereabouts on the longest drive comp holes in our competitions. To me Golfs a hobby that gets me out of the house and away from the wife and kids for a few hours - I'm not good enough to worry about having the latest gear or how it will supposedly improve my game