What Goes Into a Driver Purchase?

[GolfSpy Barbajo]

Some questions on a sunny Wednesday:

 

When you guys are actually ready to buy a driver, what are some of the key criteria that affect your decision?   

 

I know, I know, it's all performance and nothing else, but how important are some of these key elements?

 

Sound - what kinds of sounds turn you off and say 'no freaking way' even if the driver is a beast?  Is there a sound that you like?

 

Feel - closely associated to sound - what "feel" do you like?

 

Graphics - do you hate crown graphics? Does the Nike swoosh bug you or does it not matter? Did the R1 graphics make you happy or angry?

 

Looks and color in general - can you realistically take one look at a club and say "no freakin' way!"  What turns you off/on?

 

What level of adjustability do you like? How much is too much or too little?

 

These are things I've never really thought about before -- just get something that fits and go hit it, but all these other things must come in to play when considering what to try and what not to try.  This comes from a man who once owned a Nike Sumo Squared for about 6 months.  Which was 5 months and 28 days too long.  

 

 

[Jmikecpa]

The first criteria for me is looks and how it sets up behind the ball....anything that even appears closed is out for me.  The R1 graphics did not bother me all that much but would have preferred the black version.  To me it looked closed so I bought the white version.  Second for me is ball flight since it just has to fit my eye.  Of course it needs to perform, but just about any top of the line driver on the market will perform fairly well if you know what you are looking for.  When I just did my driver fitting I went with the 915 D3 since it met all the criteria for me in the looks department and it performed just as well as everything else that I hit.  Truth be told the Cobra Fly Z+ was a bit better, but did not really like the way that it looked to me.  

[kfilly20]

Whatever will make me look like I know what I'm doing. 

 

In all seriousness though, I hate graphics. Prefer a plain jane head. And it has to look like its going to go straight when its sitting behind the ball. 

 

I feel like I can work with anything in that criteria.

[revkev]

Good questions - as we've seen in other threads I'm not a big one on look or feel - I want results.  I know the numbers that I'm shooting for - the ones that work best for me so I'll try head/shaft combos that will produce.  I tend to try brands that have worked for me in the past (Ping, TMag and Titleist).  I've only been out of that strata once in the past 25 years (a two year Mizuno stint - ugly driver, great results for me at the time.)

 

I like adjustability - I've yet to have to tinker once I was fit but I think it's a security blanket for me.

[Kanoito]

Performance aside...

 

Sound - I can't stand the tin can sounds (you and your Sumo). Prefer a muted "thump"

 

Feel - I like "soft" drivers... the kind of feeling where the ball is caught on the face for a second and then launched

 

Graphics - Anything except matte white... just because it gets dirty so easily.

 

Adjustability - Not a must have, but if it's there... then the basic +-1 degrees in every direction

[BIG STU]

I am not brand loyal as most of you know. It does have to appeal to my eye at address to begin with. then it has to feel good to me. Then results used to be raw distance but I will settle for 10 yards less if I can work it and have confidence in it when in actual play. I prefer a plain black head with no graphics. Sound does not bother me one way or another. Adjusters yea or nay I do not care. My driver had an adjuster but it is set neutral in fact the adjuster screw is epoxyed in. I do all my ball flight characteristics by shaft tuning anyhow. Even though I give my friend credit for building the driver to begin with (see my signature) I was right there with imput from the beginning. Actually IF I were searching for a new driver I would prefer to get just a head that appeals to me and go from there. I can get a feel for a head even with a shaft that does not fit me in fact that with the frequency numbers can help me set it up for me

[Mr_Theoo]

Performance and feel mostly. It can't feel dead and it needs to out perform whatever I have in the bag now.

[Kor.A.Door]

Most important for me is how it looks standing at address, closed, open, color, it doesn't matter, if it looks goo to the eye, I will hit it. That said, I've hit many driver that haven't looked good to my eye, because they are supposed to be really good, Titleist, Mulan, TMag, I've hit all of those brands, and none of them performed at all for me, I like results, so looks while at address and results are the 2 most important.

[fozcycle]

I guess I am a bit brand loyal.......Powerbilt clubs are what I grew up with, so when they came out with the notrogen filled driver, I tried it.  Cobra has been a brand that fit my game for many years, so when they came out with the Blue clubs, i tried them as well.  So i guess these are starting points.  The rest is whether they perform with my swing.  If the performance is there, then the color and brand follow shortly thereafter.  Sound has never been an issue.

[MattF]

Performance is the only thing I'd look at...but it can't be dingo ugly either.

[GolfSpy Barbajo]

Some pretty interesting responses guys. Keep 'em coming -- but remember the questions, what - besides performance - goes into your decision.  If two drivers performed the same, what would make you choose one instead of the other?

 

Tried a driver at the PGA show called "High Heat." It just flew, but I couldn't get past the fact that it was called "High Heat" and marketed by a couple of retired engineers.  I also hit the Vega driver -and it may have been the best one I hit that day.  But does "off-brand" turn you off or turn you on?

[kfilly20]

Some pretty interesting responses guys. Keep 'em coming -- but remember the questions, what - besides performance - goes into your decision.  If two drivers performed the same, what would make you choose one instead of the other?

 

Tried a driver at the PGA show called "High Heat." It just flew, but I couldn't get past the fact that it was called "High Heat" and marketed by a couple of retired engineers.  I also hit the Vega driver -and it may have been the best one I hit that day.  But does "off-brand" turn you off or turn you on?

 

For some reason I doubt I would buy a driver outside of the big 4 comps. No good reason why, I just probably wouldn't. All things the same I stick with TM. 

[ZenGolfer]

For me its:

Sound: Loud.  I love the tin can pop.  One of my favorite drivers ever is still the old Mizuno MX-560.  It was so loud.

Graphics: I prefer a minimal amount of graphics.  Maybe give me a small graphic in the middle of the crown to align myself with and thats it.

Adjustability: I like adjustability.  I like that my JPX 850 has the adjustable loft and has the weights that you can move around to fine tune the spin and the ballflight.  Im not sure that I buy into the notion that moving the weights makes a huge difference but it does make a difference.

[evershady]

Sound is big for me I have a big swing and like it to sound as powerful as it looks. You know the good ole Nuke Laloosh announce my presence with authority. Also not Callaway i don't know what it is I have never been able to hit a Callaway club. I went in and tested the new Big Bertha because it is supposed to be the longest out there. I Couldn't get anything over 250. Last Friday I put my tee shot with my Ping Rapture 2I in the water that was 273 yards away with a head wind. 

[superduper]

criteria 1: on sale (50% off or more) the best example: Taylormade drivers after 6 months....

criteria 2: pear shape and compact (the best example: Covert Tour 2.0)

criteria 3: doesn't have an adjustable hosel because it's pretty useless

[NRJyzr]

I'll bite  

 

Performance is my biggest interest.  It's all about how it works for me.  That goes for both clubhead and shaft.  Spin and trajectory have been an issue for me going all the way back.

 

I love the adjustability thing.  Being able to swap out shafts easily, in case it's necessary, is only amazing.  Plug N Play!  

Being able to change the face angle on a clubhead to suit me is also only amazing.

 

Sound is not really a player.  For those of you old who have built your own, and old enough to remember these...  I went out of my way to acquire two or three Dynacraft Grand Limited driver heads, and played them with pride.  I still have them.

(for those of you who know not, the Grand Limited is a 250cc driver made from 15-5 stainless, and it sounds like a cowbell when you hit it.  it's glorious)

 

Such is my take  

[mbrodeur86]

Visually, it has too look right. I do not care for heavy graphics on the head (although it says exotics you don't really see it under your nose), feel, flight, spin, distance, playability all come into play for me. 

[silver & black]

If it looks hideous I won't play it, no matter how well it works. Wrong attitude, I know, but It has to be appealing to my eye in order for me to use it. My buddy had one of the original square head drivers that I could hit really well, but I hated the way it looked. No way I would use it or purchase one...lol.

 

I have used Titleist drivers for the last 10 years because I like the simple pear shaped design and lack of graphic clutter. It helps that I hit them well, also. 

 

I want to hit the G30, but I'm afraid I'll like it and then I will have to stare at turbulators..... and I just can't do it! 

[N8ball]

For me, I have to like the look of the face(height primarily) I don't like shallow face drivers. Next is how much it feels like it twists back on forth on toe hits. I can't stand non stable feeling drivers.

 

Then is shaft feel/weight, I seem to hit center more often with a little heavier shaft. I'm not too picky. However, there is one company whose name is the same as a popular sci-fi movie franchise starring Ted "Theodore" Logan as Neo, whose products I never seem to get along with.

 

After that I go for color(orange or blue please) and cost(typically last years model only). Sound plays a little role as long as all else is equal, I like a loudish crack sound more than a high pitched ting.

[RookieBlue7]

For me, it's several factors. Head shape, face angle, if it's aesthetically pleasing. Sound comes in too. But it's not going in the bag unless it's better. 46 tries in I'm still trying to find one to replace my gamer

[PlaidJacket]

Looks at address, performance/dispursion, sound.