New 2015 driver designs. So what!

[Bruiser]

The best driver head compared to worst driver gives you about 5 yards at the most. This is at maximum performance. The COR/Ct factor by USGA .

 

The key is finding a shaft that let's you produce the most swing speed possible while allow you to hit the driver's sweet spot.

 

Step 1. This is accomplished with face impact tape and a launch monitor

 

Step 2. Is getting the right loft to accomplish the right numbers.

Like 90mph approx 15 degree angle with 3800 spin.

 

You can gain as much as 25 yards.

 

The rest is getting the face pointing at the target at impact.

 

Good hunting.

 

This what a COR face mapping of a driver looks like for a driver head that is 97% of Maximum COR. Which is as close as you want to get Max.

 

 

 

 

[Jondagcl]

It's interesting because it's a new shiny toy. That's pretty much it. I think most of us know we aren't going to get any kind of revolutionary performance. It's just fun to look at new gear.

[Bruiser]

I agree it's the hunt. Kinda like telling your kids there is no Easter bunny.

[Bruiser]

But hunting for the right the egg is also fun. I fit a guy yesterday that was hitting the skull and bones adillia shaft. He was getting some very good numbers but was hitting all over the club face. IMO, consistent center impacts is number 1.

[xxio]

Imho i don't think so. Low and forward CoG suits me. My spin is really bad even though my SS is only low-mid 90s, when I go to weight low and back even with same loft and shaft I lose 25 yards (carry and roll). Both shots middle of the face and maybe slight draw. I've tried going 8degree driver in the low/away design but not enough carry. So I go 10.5 in the CT2.0 and the SLDR and it works for my steep swing.

 

I may be extreme, but there is a difference. Probably not as big for 80% of the golfing population.

[revkev]

Common sense advice Bruiser but what do you make of the higher launch lower spin theory. Guys that crunch numbers on trackman find that you get even more distance that way.

 

It still comes down to how square, how fast and how consistent,

[fozcycle]

I know what the prob is for young golfers.....or golfers new to the game......when you tell them to hit it between the screws, they have no idea what your talking about......

[BIG STU]

I know what the prob is for young golfers.....or golfers new to the game......when you tell them to hit it between the screws, they have no idea what your talking about......

Fozzy you are starting to tell your age but you are not alone

[BIG STU]

I can see what Brusier is saying. I am hitting a driver that is at least 3 year old technology with the same age shaft. I went to a TM demo back in the spring and I hit it further and straighter than any of the new offerings. In fact one of the reps said I was getting better numbers off my driver than any they had including the new SLDR. The other rep was kinda ticked off and he said no wonder I was hitting my driver better it was a custom driver with a tour shaft. I dont know about the launch and spin numbers but I have 2 pretty good eyes and a heck of a lot of feel. I know mine hit better. I would not have taken my driver out but I had hit balls with theirs and said mine hit better and then the rep said he would have to see that to believe it so I showed him and I was right.I know those guys are in the business to sell equipment and that is fine. Not cutting down TM or any OEM company I told the one rep that in all fairness I could take it to my best friend who is one of the top club fitters on the beach and he could super tune it for me and I could surpass their launch numbers etc with the shafts they had to offer. I build clubs myself and have good results with other folks but he super tunes my clubs for me except for my wedges. He has played a lot of golf with me over the years and knows my swing. He experimented with me on my new Infiniti Irons and would not tell me what shafts he put in them untill I practiced and played 2 rounds with them. Then he told me shocked the crap out of me

[fozcycle]

Fozzy you are starting to tell your age but you are not alone

 

Yeah, I know......my first set of clubs had hickory shafts...(no joke)....my Grandfather gave me some of his old clubs in the late 1950's.  In fact, I have one club left, a hickory shafted putter that my Grandfather used....it is hanging on the wall of my office at home.

[Kenny B]

I can see what Brusier is saying. I am hitting a driver that is at least 3 year old technology with the same age shaft. I went to a TM demo back in the spring and I hit it further and straighter than any of the new offerings. In fact one of the reps said I was getting better numbers off my driver than any they had including the new SLDR. The other rep was kinda ticked off and he said no wonder I was hitting my driver better it was a custom driver with a tour shaft. I dont know about the launch and spin numbers but I have 2 pretty good eyes and a heck of a lot of feel. I know mine hit better. I would not have taken my driver out but I had hit balls with theirs and said mine hit better and then the rep said he would have to see that to believe it so I showed him and I was right.I know those guys are in the business to sell equipment and that is fine. Not cutting down TM or any OEM company I told the one rep that in all fairness I could take it to my best friend who is one of the top club fitters on the beach and he could super tune it for me and I could surpass their launch numbers etc with the shafts they had to offer. I build clubs myself and have good results with other folks but he super tunes my clubs for me except for my wedges. He has played a lot of golf with me over the years and knows my swing. He experimented with me on my new Infiniti Irons and would not tell me what shafts he put in them untill I practiced and played 2 rounds with them. Then he told me shocked the crap out of me

I went to a demo day and tried several drivers and I had my 8 year old driver with me.  None of the drivers produced better numbers.  One rep said that was because I was "more confident" with my own club.  Really?

[BK in TEXAS]

I know what the prob is for young golfers.....or golfers new to the game......when you tell them to hit it between the screws, they have no idea what your talking about......

Love that line.  Gonna have to steal it

[BIG STU]

I went to a demo day and tried several drivers and I had my 8 year old driver with me.  None of the drivers produced better numbers.  One rep said that was because I was "more confident" with my own club.  Really?

The confidence is a big part and that comes with time. And you dont have to nescerrarly be fitted to achieve great results you can just get plain lucky in finding a driver. I do know back in the day and I mean back in the day I stumbled accross a beautiful blonde persimmon Power Bilt driver and bought it. It stayed in my bag for 10 years or so and I cracked it 3 times and a friend of mine at the time was a master club builder brought it back to life twice. The last time was fatal. I went through a lot of persimmon drivers after that. In the metal era (since 2001 or so for me) I have had quite a few metal drivers and thought I had found it with my Hogan CS-5 and it was good untill my friend built me the Hathaway I have now. It was fitted and what I call tuned and engineered for me and it is like the old blonde persimmon to me. I cant find anything I hit better

Now recently I do play some vintage golf with the old blades and persimmon woods and I was jacking around with a old Wilson 4300 deep face strata block at a local thrift store. I am not a Wilson man but that old ugly driver looked good at setup for me so what the heck for $1 I bought it. Darn I hit it good it is in the vintage bag now. You just never know If you find a good driver hang on to it like a good woman both are hard to find

[BIG STU]

Yeah, I know......my first set of clubs had hickory shafts...(no joke)....my Grandfather gave me some of his old clubs in the late 1950's.  In fact, I have one club left, a hickory shafted putter that my Grandfather used....it is hanging on the wall of my office at home.

My first clubs were a set of Wilson juniors but my Dad did take out the old blade "putt putt" putter and had his friend cut down and regrip an old Otey Chrisman wood shafted mallett head for me. I dont know what ever happened to that old putter but wish I had it now for a display piece.

BTW Foz I am sure you remember the old term "firing pin" on the MacGregor and Power Built drivers blow their mind with that one

[revkev]

The confidence factor is huge! I had one persimmon driver that I liked and it stayed in my bag for eons until it fell prey to a car wreck. After that I went from driver to driver until the steel head era. That one started with about five years of a Taylor made Tour spoon maybe more like seven until I stumbled on the 907D.

 

I've yet to find a substitute for that driver. I've had plenty of drivers since it. I hit all of them longer than I would hit it were it still in the bag but there is no way that I'm as confident, comfortable and happy with any of them.

 

I have some hope for the SLDR. When I hit it I'm moderately long and in the fair way. When I miss it I'm short but at least I'm in play because it doesn't spin. I could hit a 250 rope hook with the 907d anytime I needed it.

[Salmon]

I went to a demo day and tried several drivers and I had my 8 year old driver with me.  None of the drivers produced better numbers.  One rep said that was because I was "more confident" with my own club.  Really?

 

Another factor could be that you have unconsciously tuned your swing to get the maximum out of your current driver and applying that swing on a driver that technically fits you better wont produce better results. I had something similar with mine and am fixing a swing fault before heading back for another fitting lol

[fozcycle]

BTW Foz I am sure you remember the old term "firing pin" on the MacGregor and Power Built drivers blow their mind with that one

The guy I played with today has a text notice on his iPhone that is the sound of an AK47 when you "lock and load".....Well, I was in my backswing when he got a text message, and my concentration was spot on. I nailed my drive!