Need 10 or 20 yards more off the tee, recommendations on a driver please

[WWG]

I have only been playing a short while, I am 58 years old, and not very big, but on the odd occasion I drive the ball correctly I can hit about 210 yards. Baring in mind this has been in January with the cold air and no run what so ever, this would equate to about 240/250 yards in the summer. This I do with a 15 year old Callaway Great Big Bertha which cost £4.50 on ebay.

Firstly, your already driving a reasonable distance, secondly, if you are really desperate for a few more yards I would spend your money on a few lessons.

 

[Dan2501]

Lessons > New equipment every time. You're not going to suddenly gain 10 or 20 yards by buying a new stick off the rack. I've been having a few lessons, and have gone from struggling massively off the tee, to smashing it now with just a few tips. I use GAME Golf and my typical driving distance has gone up from 208 to 232 on my last round, which in winter conditions I'm more than happy with. Swing speed is up, strike is more consistent and distance has followed.

 

[Foxholer]

Hi All,

We have a couple of tough par 4's on our course and I'd like to get a bit further off the tee to help with my second shots.

I'm a lefty playing off 14, at the moment I am playing with an Adams tight lie, 10.5 with regular shaft. Generally happy with it but wondered if a change to something else might give me a bit of extra yardage.

Have been considering a Ping G30 as a friend bought a Ping a while back and has had good results.

Generally I find it difficult to part with a lot of cash for my clubs as have never felt that it can be justified given that I am not a single figure handicapper. Hoping to stay in and around £250 unless there is something out there that it really worth extra.

Any suggestions would be much appreciated

That Driver is over 10 years old, so a more recent one could well give you some more yards - and/or be more forgiving, so swinging faster could give you the desired extra distance with similar accuracy.

There are a number of candidates on Ebay. This one that stands out for me though! http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/CLEVELAND...730025?hash=item23621a0de9:g:AYkAAOSwpzdWrzCE

I wouldn't worry about it being a Stiff shaft. If you want extra distance, you will have to swing faster so it's likely you will be into the natural 'Stiff' range anyway. It may even be that you are swinging slower than you are capable of to account for the shaft being too soft anyway! And if the shaft really is too soft, you can always change it - even by simply getting a replacement with a Cleveland adapter, those these are not as common as TM etc ones.

If you knew it would work, then this might be a possibility for a 'near new' one too, http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Taylormad...022892?hash=item33b0e35e2c:g:rbIAAOSw--1Wrg4p but quite a risk/outlay if untried!

And I'd second/third/fourth the opinion that a lesson or 2 would be worthwhile - even if only to get the Pro's opinion as to whether, and by how much, a hardware upgrade would work/help - as well!

 

[ShankyBoy]

Didn't the R15 > M1 produce only an extra 5 yards on average? Not sure it's worth it personally, just swing faster off a bigger backswing. No better feeling than mullering a ball a long way. (ok, there is...watching the guy who hit it miles, duff the chip for his next shot...which I do )

 

[MC72]

Hi All,

We have a couple of tough par 4's on our course and I'd like to get a bit further off the tee to help with my second shots.

I'm a lefty playing off 14, at the moment I am playing with an Adams tight lie, 10.5 with regular shaft. Generally happy with it but wondered if a change to something else might give me a bit of extra yardage.

Have been considering a Ping G30 as a friend bought a Ping a while back and has had good results.

Generally I find it difficult to part with a lot of cash for my clubs as have never felt that it can be justified given that I am not a single figure handicapper. Hoping to stay in and around £250 unless there is something out there that it really worth extra.

Any suggestions would be much appreciated

Youre off 14 so must have a reasonably good idea what you're doing when playing and/or practising so I would suggest first of all having a look at this (and his other 2 videos about driving)...
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=72-UFjSlpvM

I would also suggest this (http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/TaylorMade-Golf-Left-Handed-R15-White-Driver-10-5-Regular-Speeder-Shaft/351528482544?_trksid=p2047675.c100005.m1851&_trkparms=aid%3D222007%26algo%3DSIC.MBE%26ao%3D1%26asc%3D20140122125356%26meid%3D3ed1da54a54d446f9a3d3a71de55f13a%26pid%3D100005%26rk%3D3%26rkt%3D6%26sd%3D222011022892which when properly set for lower spin, should give you extra roll out.

 

[SwingsitlikeHogan]

I'd get a ball fitting if I were you - adds 10s of yards to your distance - or so I'm assured by those 'in the know'

Or just make your hands go a bit faster.

 

[guest100718]

Or just by the revamped Hammer X....

 

[One Planer]

..... Take a run up :thup:

 

[SwingsitlikeHogan]

Build your confidence, and consequently improve your timing, by using a 4wood off the tee for a while.

 

[SimonC]

I've just got back from a driver fitting & ended up going for a G30 LS Tec, I gained 18 yards in carry distance from 259 to 277 yards & over 5mph in ball speed.

The G30 or G30 SF Tec may be better suited to your swing but without seeing your current launch numbers it's hard to say what may/may not work. The best thing you can do is have a proper fitting, this is where I went wrong with my previous driver as I just bought one off the rack and it didn't suit me as per my first sentence.

 

[Khamelion]

Driver choice is a personal thing, so I can never understand why people ask for other people recommendations and the get answers back like "you must try the dragon fire 2000 with a XLS350 stiff shaft" or "the thingummy driver that what's his face uses, you know the pink one, get one of those"

To hit the ball further you probably need to go get lessons to check you swing out, if your swing is cock on for you, then a new driver may help add a few more yards, but if you are swing as best you can and connecting as best you can on each an every driver swing, then the only other way is to bulk up, pack on some muscle, become more flexible and build a new swing.

That will take time.

 

[HomerJSimpson]

Either get a lesson to see if the current driver suits and how to use it better or simply use your shots wisely assuming you get shots at these holes. Why risk a poor drive striving to get a few more yards, bringing a bogey or double into the equation, or striving to hit the green from miles out and brining bunkers and other hazards into play. Aim to hit the fairway, lay up, pitch and two putt for a safe par and maybe get a single putt par? Boring but more effective for the card

 

[Seany]

Dear All, thanks for all the comments and advice, on the whole lots of good food for thought which is much appreciated! The consensus seems to be investing in a new a driver isn't the solution in itself but might help if the time is taken to check it is the right one, some analyis is done on swing plane and speed, lessons are taken as well as a bit more practice and perhaps even a ball fitting. Overall the Ping drivers seem to get a positive response, there is a huge amount of choice in the market so I was hoping to narrow down the options a little and I think your posts have helped.

 

[Jensen]

I believe technique is key to this area, and is an area I'm working on at present.
Will probably get told off, but go and get the latest copy of "Today's Golfer" there's a fantastic detailed section about Driving, it's really informative and well illustrated.
I'm sure this will help

 

[351DRIVER]

10 yards? 3 weetabix
20 yards? 3 weetabix and a golf lesson

 

[SwingsitlikeHogan]

Dear All, thanks for all the comments and advice, on the whole lots of good food for thought which is much appreciated! The consensus seems to be investing in a new a driver isn't the solution in itself but might help if the time is taken to check it is the right one, some analyis is done on swing plane and speed, lessons are taken as well as a bit more practice and perhaps even a ball fitting. Overall the Ping drivers seem to get a positive response, there is a huge amount of choice in the market so I was hoping to narrow down the options a little and I think your posts have helped.

I was kidding when I suggested a ball fitting - complete and utter load of tosh that if you ask me.

 

[bladeplayer]

Extra power & distance comes from the hips mate ,not about swinging harder or faster , swing thru the ball not at it , make sure you release thru the ball that if there was a a person behind you, they can see all the studs on the sole of your left shoe,keep you balance

 

[Nashy]

Have you tried hitting it a bit harder?

 

[351DRIVER]

Have you tried hitting it a bit harder?

Simple advice often the best, i would think this would work

 

[Khamelion]

Lag, you need more lag