Drivers for slow swings seniors

[oldbutnotdead]

[CrazyGolfNut]

Looking forward to what everyone has to say on this topic.  I play a G400 Max with a regular shaft.  Will be looking for a new/better driver for next year. Thinking about the G430 Max.  What ever I end up with, I will be fit for it. 

Edited November 20, 2023 by CrazyGolfNut

[Golf2Much]

Until the first of this year, my driver was a 12 degree Ping G400 SFT with a prototype Matrix shaft made as a Korean promotion (don't ask me why, I just picked it up on eBay and it worked).  Unfortunately, it developed a crack in the hostel right near where the triangle for setting the loft is.  Thanks to the great Ping customer service I was able to get a replacement.  I first tried the G425 SFT with the 40 gram Alta Distanza shaft.  I found that for me, there was too much draw bias in the design, and I had a hard time keeping it from the left hand rough.  Ping wanted me to get fitted, so I drove 165 miles up US1 to America.   We ended up with a 10.5 degree Ping G430 Max HL which has the lighter grip and movable rear weight (set to draw) and the 45 gram Alta Quick shaft.   As a reference point, I have an anemic 75 mph driver swing speed (too many operations, new body parts, broken neck and I could go on).   Let's just say that the fact I'm even playing golf is testament to my doctors not my golf skills!

I've had the G430 Max HL in play for a while.  I like the G430 Max HL better than the G425 SFT.  I find I keep it in the fairway (roughly 75% fairways hit which is about the same as my previous G400 SFT) with about the same distance.  With the lighter weight components, it's suppose to give me a little more distance.  For me, I'm not sure that it's a noticeable difference.  I think I may end up seeing about getting a heavier moveable weight and swap out the grip to a standard weight grip as it may be just a little too light for me.  

[cnosil]

11 hours ago, CrazyGolfNut said:

Looking forward to what everyone has to say on this topic.  I play a G400 Max with a regular shaft.  Will be looking for a new/better driver for next year. Thinking about the G430 Max.  What ever I end up with, I will be fit for it. 

Almost impossible to say which drivers will be best for a slower swing player.   General answer is always more loft, lighter weight, CG back type designs.    XXIO is one that comes to the top of my mind.
 

 It will be interesting to see if you can beat out the G400max; I hit most every driver every year and haven’t found anything that  makes me want to drop the club from my bag.   

[GolfSpy_APH]

So many options and choices. Companies like Callaway, Cobra, Honma and others make specific light weight drivers aimed at slower swing speed players to help increase swing speed, however that doesn't also translate to more distance. 

Getting fit or at the very least testing and trying different options in critical to helping make the proper decision. 

[sotall]

I go back and forth between a Titleist Tsi1 and a Callaway Paradym X, both 12 degree.  I was fitted for both.  I get more draw from the Titleist and end up in more fairways.  I get more distance with the Callaway (about 10 yards) but occasionally hit it dead right about 30 degrees, not a slice.  My swing speed is only 72 mph and my distance is normally around 180 yards.

[John W Sutch]

Playing a PXG 0211 nine degree with EvenFlow Riptide CB 40gm 5.0 shaft. Shaft cut to 44.5 in. Works great. At 78 yrs old distance is around 220 yds with 91mph swing speed.

[jkatz0318]

I'm an old guy--71, to be precise.  With much work earlier in the year, I got my swing speed up to the low 90s from 87 or so.  But while I'm an old hacker with a slow swing, I can't use lightweight shafts---I don't have a smooth swing and I need a heavier shaft to make sure I have more stability in the swing and the face ends somewhat close to its intended position.   Just telling this story to reinforce the need for testing and fitting.  I ended up with a Ping G430 Max and went to 12 degrees for the first time, and it has worked well.  

[pgr]

I bought a Tour Edge Driver and have been very happy with them. (C721, 722 and 723 - more on that lower down) THey are designed for seniors and have a lot of forgiveness. The Real dividing line here is money. Cerrtainly the Calloway, Taylor Made, Ping and Titlist drivers are great and you will be happy with them, but can you afford to spend $500+ on a golf club?! IF you can, then definately stick with the Ping. TE comes in around $350 and can be found for less.  Now why did I go through three different models? They are a little fragile. One cracked at the back, the other took a nick when on the driving range, Both times Tour Edge backed up their Lifetime warranty by sending me a replacement- what ever the current model was! Beleive me , They are a much easier company to deal with then Ping is! If you think you can get a timely response from TM or Callaway if you have a problem- then stick with them. (I do love the Paradym line, just bought a 5 wood and will soon get a hybrid)

[Fred Mitchell]

4 hours ago, Golf2Much said:

Until the first of this year, my driver was a 12 degree Ping G400 SFT with a prototype Matrix shaft made as a Korean promotion (don't ask me why, I just picked it up on eBay and it worked).  Unfortunately, it developed a crack in the hostel right near where the triangle for setting the loft is.  Thanks to the great Ping customer service I was able to get a replacement.  I first tried the G425 SFT with the 40 gram Alta Distanza shaft.  I found that for me, there was too much draw bias in the design, and I had a hard time keeping it from the left hand rough.  Ping wanted me to get fitted, so I drove 165 miles up US1 to America.   We ended up with a 10.5 degree Ping G430 Max HL which has the lighter grip and movable rear weight (set to draw) and the 45 gram Alta Quick shaft.   As a reference point, I have an anemic 75 mph driver swing speed (too many operations, new body parts, broken neck and I could go on).   Let's just say that the fact I'm even playing golf is testament to my doctors not my golf skills!

I've had the G430 Max HL in play for a while.  I like the G430 Max HL better than the G425 SFT.  I find I keep it in the fairway (roughly 75% fairways hit which is about the same as my previous G400 SFT) with about the same distance.  With the lighter weight components, it's suppose to give me a little more distance.  For me, I'm not sure that it's a noticeable difference.  I think I may end up seeing about getting a heavier moveable weight and swap out the grip to a standard weight grip as it may be just a little too light for me.  

I have the 430 Max H/L as well and ended up with several different weights to compensate for shortening the shaft and to experiment on what my swing preference is. I just got a few aftermarket weights from Amazon/Ebay

[Fred Mitchell]

2 hours ago, sotall said:

I go back and forth between a Titleist Tsi1 and a Callaway Paradym X, both 12 degree.  I was fitted for both.  I get more draw from the Titleist and end up in more fairways.  I get more distance with the Callaway (about 10 yards) but occasionally hit it dead right about 30 degrees, not a slice.  My swing speed is only 72 mph and my distance is normally around 180 yards.

If available maybe try a few different gram club head weights for the Paradym to see if it will dial it in as more consistent, I had to shorten the shaft down to 44.5-44.75 from stock to get my driver dialed in.

[WiTerp50]

One clear point is the seniors with rare exception are at one end of the bell curve. Rack models are for the majority in the center. The lightweight options can work for some, but for others, the greatest mass of a heavier head can increase ball speed more. I found the Titleist-1 drivers generated too much spin (~4000 rpms) and a lower smash value. The -2 driver was more stable with more ball speed. In the low 80’s I can get 195 and into the 210’s for distance. 
As a LH, XXIO was an interest but without a fitting option hardly worth the premium to guess at the best fit. As for draw biased drivers, this is more of a swing rather than age issue, IMHO. So long as I maintain tempo and take the driver straight back and swing from the inside, my drives are fairly straight. When I try to get to 110%, then I take it back inside and come down over the top. Started that way when I took up golf in my late 50’s. So, with perseverance to fight old habits ( only mortally wounded it, not killed it…) I don’t need a draw biased driver. 

[NM01]

23 minutes ago, WiTerp50 said:

One clear point is the seniors with rare exception are at one end of the bell curve. Rack models are for the majority in the center. The lightweight options can work for some, but for others, the greatest mass of a heavier head can increase ball speed more. I found the Titleist-1 drivers generated too much spin (~4000 rpms) and a lower smash value. The -2 driver was more stable with more ball speed. In the low 80’s I can get 195 and into the 210’s for distance. 
As a LH, XXIO was an interest but without a fitting option hardly worth the premium to guess at the best fit. As for draw biased drivers, this is more of a swing rather than age issue, IMHO. So long as I maintain tempo and take the driver straight back and swing from the inside, my drives are fairly straight. When I try to get to 110%, then I take it back inside and come down over the top. Started that way when I took up golf in my late 50’s. So, with perseverance to fight old habits ( only mortally wounded it, not killed it…) I don’t need a draw biased driver. 

Lumping all seniors in as being at the end of the bell curve is just not a good generalization which in golf generalizing anyone whether by age, handicap, swing speed just isn’t a good thing to do because everything is based on the individual.

and off the rack believe it or not is actually designed more for the slower golfer than the middle or higher end range of swing speeds. This is directly from Tom O who works at cobra and was at TM before that as well as from guys that are or used to be at Bridgestone. It’s why most higher swing speed players 110+ move away from the no upcharge offerings in shafts from the various manufacturers. 
 

Everything off the rack is designed for the average golfer and the average golf swings slow and has trouble getting and keeping the ball in the air. How the golfer swings will play a role in what works for them based on where weight and CG is in the head

[Golf2Much]

2 hours ago, Fred Mitchell said:

If available maybe try a few different gram club head weights for the Paradym to see if it will dial it in as more consistent, I had to shorten the shaft down to 44.5-44.75 from stock to get my driver dialed in.

I'll be interested in finding out how you do with the higher weights.  I actually emailed Ping customer service this weekend asking about the impact of the different weights.   I actually have two Ping Alta Quick shafts for my G430 Max.  When I first had it ordered, the fitter mistakenly specified 45" playing length not the standard 46'" HL shaft.  I asked Ping customer service about it and they sent me a standard 46" (again, great customer service). 

I've have played with both but I'd be interested in seeing what impact the heavier weights had on the feel, trajectory, etc.

[Fred Mitchell]

1 hour ago, Golf2Much said:

I'll be interested in finding out how you do with the higher weights.  I actually emailed Ping customer service this weekend asking about the impact of the different weights.   I actually have two Ping Alta Quick shafts for my G430 Max.  When I first had it ordered, the fitter mistakenly specified 45" playing length not the standard 46'" HL shaft.  I asked Ping customer service about it and they sent me a standard 46" (again, great customer service). 

I've have played with both but I'd be interested in seeing what impact the heavier weights had on the feel, trajectory, etc.

My distance went up when I shortened the shaft and yes I know it shouldnt. I am getting the sweet spot so much at impact which adds distance and my missed sweet spot hits are closer = playable so I can swing away instead of trying to make sure I am in play. might make a decent experiment for you in the future to shorten 1 of those a bit to test, only cost a new grip if you can do it yourself and even if it doesnt work as a daily gamer the shorter shaft might be the ticket when you play a tight course that penalizes you for missing fairways. I am actually thinking about a Ebay special shaft in a similar weight and flex to try at 44 inches.

[NM01]

1 hour ago, Fred Mitchell said:

My distance went up when I shortened the shaft and yes I know it shouldnt.

If all things are equal then correct it shouldn’t. But if someone isn’t making consistent contact on the sweet spot then there’s a good chance distance goes if a shorter shaft delivers the club better and more consistently.

no different than lighter or heavier shafts. It’s all on how the feel is for the golfer and how that translates into the swing. 
 

[saz0418]

Here is what I can offer from my perspective, and then you need to do some exploration... go to a fitting, or at least hit a few different clubs.  I am 65 years old.   I play off an 8/9 index.   My driver speed is 88 mph to 93 mph with occasional swings up to 95 or 96.   That give me a carry distance of 210 to 215 and total of 220 - 245 depending on conditions.   My flight is maybe a little lower than optimum.   I have a Skytrak, so I can give you all my numbers.   

I know I hit a 9 or 9.5 (edit:  Reg flex Alta CB slate, 55 gram shaft, standard ).  loft farther than 10 or 10.5 on a normal, dry, Summer day.   Probably 10 to 15 yards difference.   My flight is straight-ish-- a soft fade or a soft draw.  I *can* hit a fade when I want to, and I have been working on hitting a draw more consistently when that drive is called for or advantageous.  

My current driver is a Ping G425 SFT.   I was hitting a Mizuno ST200 and a Srixon ZX7 before that.  Both of those produced a more left-to-right bias than I wanted.  The SFT has been straight or left-of-center  pretty much from the first swing I took with it.   Straight or a small draw unless I make adjustments to hit a fade (or do something wrong). 

Having worked on my driver (distance)  for more than a year now, I can confidently say it's way more about the archer than the arrow.   All the new drivers have forgiveness-- and they all max out at 1.5 allowable smash factor.    Your distance is all about evening out the (upward) angle of attack and presented dynamic loft to minimize spin.   This last week on my launch monitor, I hit these numbers:  234 carry / 260 total distance;  16 degree launch, 2256 backspin, 93 mph swing speed, 137 ball speed, 2 degrees right launch with no sidespin.   Peak height was 81 feet.   It ended 2 yards right of center.    I hit one 258 the next day when I played (55 degrees) (a little downhill landing), and another 252 (essentially flat).   So those numbers from the Sim correlate with outdoor numbers.   

I generally struggle to keep my spin below 3000 -- understanding that at 90 mph, you need *some* spin to keep the ball in the air and maximize carry/distance.   My jump from 225/230 up to 250+ is my closing the clubface (bowing the left wrist... lagging the COG... doing the "motor cycle rev" move with my left hand as some instructors suggest.   The 500-600 less rpms  equates to more distance and more roll.   Note the Skytrak is set to firm fairways at the moment -- although the courses in Ohio are nowhere near firm this time of year.   But, I was doing all my testing with that setting since August (when I broke the $300 shaft on my Srixon ZX7 and had to find a new driver--sigh). 

Good luck in your quest.  

Edited November 20, 2023 by saz0418
Included Shaft details

[NC Golfer]

Does it have to be new? Wilson D100 driver has been great to me. It's a light set up and the regular shaft is perfect for my slow senior swing.

Edited November 20, 2023 by NC Golfer

[TurtleHacker]

 Age sixty seven and have lost some distance over the years as most senior golfers have.

August 2, 2023 bought a TaylorMade Stealth 2 HD 10.5 degree regular-flex driver.

Thirty one rounds later can tell you it's the best driver I've ever owned and been playing since a teenager.

I keep a golf diary and this is my entry after the first round with the new driver: First day with my new TaylorMade driver; think I’m going to like this new club. With the lighter weight of the club, it's easier to get the ball airborne, and am already finding more fairways with more distance.

[Slow]

Age 67 with shockingly slow swing speed at Club Champion. Came in with a Callaway 9 degree Paradym and a Hiskei wave shaft. Was only hitting 170 yards. That was about all I was getting on the course with these wintertime fairways. Summertime I had been rolling out to 200 plus. Club champion fitting got me back to 200 yards with a 9 degree cobra Darkspeed x with a Mitsubishi vanquish shaft. Now if summertime fairways roll out an additional 30 yards like last year I will be really happy.

[ballhawk]

when you yell on impacting the ball because you actually hurt yourself, folks will think it helps to hit it further cause that what the guy hawking the commercial does. I tried one once and it was the best and longest hitting wedge I ever hit......