USER1999
Grand Slam Winner
When I started playing golf, I had a succession of persimmon headed Wilson drivers, followed by some real junk (Regal, Hippo, etc), and then my first proper driver, a Callaway H2S2, steel shafted, which was the immediate fore runner to the original big bertha. This was a surprise present form my Dad, totally out of the blue. I think I still own this driver some where. Last time I gave it a swish it made a good 5 wood, both in terms of head size, and distance hit.
I used the Cally for quite a few years, and then bought a Mizuno T3 titanium driver. No idea what the shaft was, but I also bought the matching 3 and 5w. I still have these in my wardrobe, and the driver might be in the loft, but I'm not going up there to find out.
The T3 was fine, until Taylor made launched the 300 series. They came in 3 sizes, 300cc, 320cc, and 360cc, which was massive (at the time). Once I'd hit one of these beauties, I had to have one. This driver was like nothing else that was around at the time. It went for miles. I tried it out at Windlesham, with a Grafalloy prolite 35S. I loved this shaft. It was the first time I'd ever hit a stiff shaft, and it was a beast. I took it back to my club, and on 17 there is a ditch a good drive will roll into. I carried it. Awesome.
I missed out the R300 completely, but then the R7 quad was launched. I fell for the technology hook line and sinker. Without even hitting one, I bought a US spec one off the internet. It had a Fujikura shaft in stiff. After about 6 months I worked out I couldn't hit a barn door with a banjo with it, so I had the shaft pulled, and had an Aldila NV65S put in it. I hadn't previously hit one of these either, but I loved the green colour. (I've always been a bit of a tart when it comes to colours). This was a vast improvement on the original stock shaft, but then it really couldn't have been any worse.
It was after the R7 that I bought my first Titleist driver. I was in Florida when they launched the 907 range, and suddenly there was a 907D2 with an Aldila prototype by you shaft in my bag. On holiday this was a beast, but then I came home, and the magic was left in Florida. I persevered with this for a while, and then had the shaft pulled in favour of a UST Harmon tour design. This was better, but it still didn't feel right. I guess the head was too light, and no matter how much I messed about with lead tape, I could never get it right.
Two years later, back in Florida, and the 909 was released. I borrowed (see, I have learned something) a 909 with an Aldila voodoo for two weeks of bliss. This thing was a beauty. Perfect weight, easy to hit, went miles, loved it. I really should have bought it then and there, but I quite fancied a custom fit, to make sure I got it right. So I went to Titleist, where I found that the Voodoo was so wrong for me, according to the stats. (Odd how good it was on the course though). So I ended up with an 8.5 degree D2, with a Matrix Ozik Xcon6 stiff shaft. This had great stats, but was the most unforgiving pile of junk out on the golf course. It cost me £270, and 3 months later I sold it for £60. The biggest hit I have ever taken on a golf club.
I replaced it with a Nike Dymo STR8fit. UST Axiv core black stiff. I bought this off the internet, brand new for £100. The bright yellow shaft suited my inner tart, and I was inspired to hit this really well, for about a year, and then the head fell off.
While this was sent back to Nike under warranty, I borrowed a Nike VR STR8fit with a stiff Voodoo off a friend. He had only had it a week, and sold it to me for £100. In the mean time, I got a new Dymo as a warranty replacement, and sold it for pretty much the same £100 I had paid for it. I then sold the VR as well, as I had seen a Titleist 910, and knew I had to have one.
Not being blessed with huge patience, I tried out two. A D2 with stiff Ka'ili, and a D3 with a stiff RIP60. The D2 went miles in the air, with about a million rpm back spin, and the D3 with RIP went ok, so I bought it. The inner tart liked the skull and cross bones too, so we were both happy.
For about 6 months.
Then nagging doubts started up. Was it too light? Too stiff? Too matt black? May be I needed some colour? So I bought a Fujikura Motore F1 75S shaft for it. This also matched my fairway wood and hybrid, so it kind of made sense. It went ok, but no better than the RIP really, but it was red, which was pretty cool.
I also borrowed (and then bought) a Diamana Ahina. This took a while to get used to, but it is as good as any thing else I have tried. This has been my driver for pretty much a year now, and it is the best driver I have ever owned, by miles.
So why have I just bought a Grafalloy Pro launch red shaft for it?
I have not hit it yet, but I am off to the practice ground tonight with high hopes that this could be the one.
