- » Golf Trollies
- » Golf Clothing
- » Golf Balls
- » Golf Drivers
- » Golf Wedges
- » Golf Putters
- » Golf Irons
- » Head Covers
- » Golf Bags
- » Fairway Woods
- » Golf Umbrellas
Price Range
Between: £ – £
By Retailer
By Brand
Categories
- » Golf Trollies
- » Golf Clothing
- » Golf Balls
- » Golf Drivers
- » Golf Wedges
- » Golf Putters
- » Golf Irons
- » Head Covers
- » Golf Bags
- » Fairway Woods
- » Golf Umbrellas
Featured Retailer
Sponsored Links
Golf Drivers
Mini
Grid
List
There are three main factors to consider when buying a new golf club: the head, the shaft and the loft.
The Head
Round headed golf drivers continue to be the most prevalent – it is considered the best way of positioning the weight to achieve maximum performance, although Titleist favour a slightly different pear profile design – this shape is slightly more compact and favours better workability. Both Nike and Callaway also have square headed options, which are said to be straighter on off-centre strikes and a bit more forgiving. Some manufacturers bring out ‘tour version’ drivers within their ranges, such as TaylorMade with the R9 TP and Callaway with the Diablo Octane Tour – the construction is the same but with a smaller sweetspot to make ‘shaping’ the ball easier for the better player.
The Shaft
The shaft and more importantly the shaft flex, are imperative to get right; use a shaft with the wrong flex and you won’t see the improvements you’re after. Simply put, faster swing speed equates to more distance, which requires a stiffer shaft. Bubba Watson, one of the longest hitters on the PGA Tour has a much faster swing speed than an amateur and in turn uses an extra stiff shaft. As a general rule, if you hit it less than 230 yards opt for a regular shaft, up to 270 yards a stiff shaft, and if you hit it longer than 270 try an extra stiff shaft. With a shaft that’s too stiff the ball flight will be very low and leak out to the right; too flexible and you’ll see the ball ‘balloon’ in the air and probably hook.
The Loft
Golf drivers are designed to be launched high, so unless you hit the ball a decent distance with a high flight, aim for a driver with 10 or 11 degrees of loft, or more if you’re new to the game. Too low a loft and the ball will fly too low and you’ll lose distance, especially with the wet ground this time of year.
 |