new driver required

[wnn670]

Hey all,

First post on here, so I hope this is in the correct sub forum!

Recently taken up golf, big football player, 3 cruiciate ligaments ruptured later and I need a new sport to keep me active!

Very athletic and keen sportman, when I play something I want to play it well and will put the time in. Played 3 or so rounds of golf at my local municiple (nice wide fairways!) and about the same number of lessons in with my coach. I currently have a Nike SQ Sumo 10.5 deg driver, reg flex which is not correct for me, my swing speed is too quick and I need a stiff shaft.

Had a go with a few different drivers today in a "fitting" Ping G20, couple of Callaways, Cleveland and Titleist 910 driver. Ping felt allround the best suited club for me.....

However with my swing still being in its infancy I want to purchase something to is highly adjustable for the future when I develop a certain tendancy, at the moment I hit a few straight and long but also can go either left or right with the same frequency.

Have been looking at the R11 taylormade, and was just wondering if you guys would recommend this for a beginner at the game or is there a driver out there that is by far the easiest for someone of my level to become consistent with?

Any help is very much appreciated!

Cheers

oh and distance isn't important to me, without being big headed I hit it pretty far anyway as I'm 6ft 3 and pretty athletic. I've been hitting my 5 wood consistently the same or more distance than a friend of mine who plays of 14 hits his driver. I need to concentrate my efforts on direction!!

 

[GreiginFife]

Welcome from a fellow cruciate sufferer (football too )
On your driver issue, you have done all the right things so far by lessons and having a fitting.
At the fitting however did they not talk through options for adjust-ability in future?
I'm probably a tad bias by Mizuno as I love my gear and I think the Mizuno MP630 Fast-Track might be an option. It's an older model now so can be picked up for much less than a R11 and it has weights that can be adjusted around the sole as your swing progresses.
If it's not an issue of affordability then any weight adjustable driver may be the way forward.

Greig

 

[mouth]

Spend your money on lessons instead. Then buy a driver when you can swing consistently.

 

[Andr3w]

I wouldn't worry about getting an adjustable driver at the moment while your swing is still developing. Better to try and groove a swing that hits it straight rather than trying to band-aid it by messing around with settings on your driver.

It sounds like the G20 is the one for you, although if you want even more forgiveness perhaps a K15?

 

[Bratty]

Welcome to the forum!

You're going to get a lot of conflicting opinion here, but for what it's worth, my suggestion would be start off at the cheaper end of drivers or even used. A second hand Ping G5 or G10 would be good, or go for a newer Benross or MD Golf model. If you want new, then the Cobra S3 looks really good, and know people who love the Callaway Diablo.

Buying cheaper or second hand doesn't mean compromising on performance. Although your swing and ability will improve the more you play, when it comes time to upgrade, you don't want to be replacing an expensive driver.

I know mid to low handicappers who've gone for the R11 and Titleist 910 (which are adjustable) and have got rid of them quickly, so it's not all about adjustability. As someone who's new to golf, you'd be in the minority of folk who've gone for the "top" driver.

Also, if you go for a cheaper driver, you can get some more lessons from a pro. He can also give you some advice about drivers, I'm sure.

 

[wnn670]

thanks all,

spending money on lessons instead is kind of defeating the object, really do not see the point in having lessons swinging something that is clearly not for me. everyone who has seen me swing says I need a stiff shaft, backed up by the flightscope thing I did today.

So a new driver is the way forward for sure in my opinion. obviously accompanied by my ongoing lessons and practice.

So 2 options are another driver similar to the one I have now but with a stiff shaft and lower loft, (10.5 is resulting in a higher than average ball flight, of all my current failings hitting them low isn't one, which again is why I have been recommended to go to a 9.5) or a fully adjustable driver that is forgiving enough for me now but can be adapted in the future.

Money is far from no object but I do not mind paying decent prices for something I will use every weekend and that will be helpful to my development of the game

oh and andr3w, differences between the g20 and k15?

 

[wnn670]

Greig, had a look at your Mizuno idea, not many of them about on ebay for starters. Will see if any of my local stores have 1 in for me to try.

 

[GreiginFife]

Greig, had a look at your Mizuno idea, not many of them about on ebay for starters. Will see if any of my local stores have 1 in for me to try.

Check this http://www.discountgolfstore.co.uk/3608/Mizuno-MP-630-Fast-Track--Golf-Drivers.html?referrer=froogle&utm_source=google&utm_medium=froogle&utm_campaign=pid3608&gclid=CIWFyIj-2a4CFQITfAod9grB6g

AS I said, if it's the route you want to go down then it's less than half the price of the R11 option.

 

[wnn670]

thanks for that. like I said I'll try to get a swing of it and see how we get on!

The r11 I can get for £200 exactly so its not as expensive as you think

 

[GreiginFife]

No worries. As I say I may just be bias to Mizuno as it's what I use and have been through various TM, Cleveland and Cobra Drivers over the years before finding the one that's for me, I actually have a 630 fast-track driver in the cupboard that I intend to sell at some point but it's a 10.5 degree so won't be of use to you if you defo want a 9.5

 

[Tiger]

Like you I had to give up football forgolf and naturally hit the ball a long way. I think you are right that you need to change your driver. I guess it depends how accurate and confident you are now. I wasn't that confident with the driver so got a second hand one to learn with and will hopefully get fitted later this year. If you are confident using one then speak to your pro but it sounds like the G20 was working for you.

 

[jpenno]

Did you actually use a driver with a stiff shaft and 9.5 loft? - A stiff shaft on your current driver may solve the problems of high flight.

Its usually better to have a bit of height off the tee . You havent said where your based, my local pro is based at the driving range and in addition to the new clubs they have a decent selection of older and px clubs which may make it easier to find something cheaper for now if your concerned that your swing will improve substantially to make you outgrow any club.

I should also warn you that no matter how long you do play you will find that Drives tend to go left and right, particularly when you dont want them too.!!

 

[garyinderry]

how much does changing the settings on these clubs actually change the flight of the ball. if someone is hitting a small fade can two turns of a wrench turn it into a slight draw?

 

[GreiginFife]

And when you want them to go left or right, that's when they go straight...

 

[Andr3w]

thanks all,

spending money on lessons instead is kind of defeating the object, really do not see the point in having lessons swinging something that is clearly not for me. everyone who has seen me swing says I need a stiff shaft, backed up by the flightscope thing I did today.

So a new driver is the way forward for sure in my opinion. obviously accompanied by my ongoing lessons and practice.

So 2 options are another driver similar to the one I have now but with a stiff shaft and lower loft, (10.5 is resulting in a higher than average ball flight, of all my current failings hitting them low isn't one, which again is why I have been recommended to go to a 9.5) or a fully adjustable driver that is forgiving enough for me now but can be adapted in the future.

Money is far from no object but I do not mind paying decent prices for something I will use every weekend and that will be helpful to my development of the game

oh and andr3w, differences between the g20 and k15?

K15 would be classed as a super game improvement driver so it will have a bigger face and larger sweetspot, more forgiveness - designed to hit it straight. I've never used the G20 but can vouch for my G10 which is a great all-round driver.

 

[jpenno]

how much does changing the settings on these clubs actually change the flight of the ball. if someone is hitting a small fade can two turns of a wrench turn it into a slight draw?

The marketting guff says 60 yards difference. I can achieve that with two consecutive drives without adjusting the club

 

[Andr3w]

Oh, I also have the same driver as you, Nike SQ but with a stiff shaft. I wouldn't rule this out as an option, you can pick one up for peanuts on golfbidder and it's very easy to use compared to some of the drivers mentioned, I find it impossible to miss the sweet spot with it.

 

[Bratty]

Did you actually use a driver with a stiff shaft and 9.5 loft? - A stiff shaft on your current driver may solve the problems of high flight.

I would second that.

 

[garyinderry]

The marketting guff says 60 yards difference. I can achieve that with two consecutive drives without adjusting the club

a load of baloney then? im sure the next driver i buy will be adjustable so ill see for myself then. it just seems so out of the norm the way golf is such a stickler for the rules that you would be able to fiddle with a driver to make it have different results with the same swing. too much money involved i suppose!

 

[Andr3w]

a load of baloney then? im sure the next driver i buy will be adjustable so ill see for myself then. it just seems so out of the norm the way golf is such a stickler for the rules that you would be able to fiddle with a driver to make it have different results with the same swing. too much money involved i suppose!

I'm sure it is a load of baloney and probably largely useless for the average club hacker if not detrimental. I've seen people at the range with terrible swings hit it all over the place and then get the wrench out after every shot and try to fix it.