Choosing the right driver
Modern golf drivers or have undergone a series of technological and design enhancements over the years. Overall, the driver is the biggest, longest, and the most expensive club in your bag. Drivers are most often used off the tee on par 4s and par 5s, although more advanced players may choose to use a driver off the fairway when extra distance is required. A drive will determine a positive or negative outlook for your pivotal second shot to the green. Would you like to hit off the fairway or the rough? No brainer! You might only hit the golf driver 14 times during a round of golf, but you will add unwanted strokes to your score card if your tee shots stray into the rough.
With all the extensive marketing hype surrounding golf drivers, it is difficult for players to figure out which driver is best suited for them. You can view, browse and buy discount golf drivers online from Click Golf discount golf equipment shop.Below, you will find helpful tips for choosing the correct golf driver to enhance your game.
Various club head and shaft compositions and designs make it possible to select the right driver to suit your golf game.
Choosing the right club head
Size
There are 3 general club head sizes for woods
- Standard
- Measures about 150-155 cubic centimeters
- Provides better control but a smaller sweet spot
- Midsize
- Sized between standard and oversized
- Measures about 195 cubic centimeters
- Offers a combination of benefits with a medium-sized sweet spot and lighter weight than an oversized head
- Oversized
- The largest club head size, (up to 250 cubic centimeters)
- Offers largest sweet spot of any head size
- More difficult to control and slightly heavier than the smaller club head variations
Materials
There are now 2 basic choices in the materials woods are made of. The choice is really one of an individual golfer's preference for look and feel.
- Stainless steal
- Less expensive, but slightly heavier than the more modern titanium and other alloys
- A more traditional look and feel because of the slightly smaller head (necessary because of the heavier weight)
- Titanium
- Lighter weight allows for the creation of even larger club heads
- Larger sweet spot
- More forgiving on mishits
Choosing the right shaft
Materials
Golf club shafts now primarily come in 2 materials
- Steel shafts
- Stronger, more durable and generally less expensive
- Offer consistency from shaft to shaft because of a more advanced manufacturing process
- Steel offers more control on shots, but requires a faster swing speed to generate the same distance as graphite
- Recommended for stronger players who could use a little extra control in their game
- Graphite shafts
- Generally lighter than steel and can be made in many more variations, making it easier to select a shaft best suited to your game
- Generally more expensive than steel and less durable
- Lighter weight allows for greater swing speed for more power, but it sacrifices control
- Absorbs shock in a swing
Flex
- Flex is the amount of "bend" in a shaft
- Your shaft flex needs to match with the speed of your golf swing. A shaft with more flex helps the ball fly farther.
- There are five general levels of flex in shafts: L (or Ladies), A (or Senior), Regular, Stiff, Extra Stiff.
- Beginners and players with less powerful swings will benefit from a more flexible shaft
- An average player with a swing speed of 75-90 mph, and should look for a regular shaft
- Players with powerful swings - in the 90 -110 mph range - should purchase a stiff or firm shaft. This will provide a stiffer club for more control.
- Many shafts are also available in a uniflex that will fit most any golf swing
Choosing the right loft
- Loft is the measure of the angle of the club head
- The greater the loft, the greater the angle on the face of the head and the more control but less distance
- The less loft, the greater distance, but at the risk of less control
- Generally, a club head loft is between 8-12 degrees. The slower you swing the club, the higher loft you will need.
- Slow swing - 10.5-12 degree loft
- Average swing - 9.5-10.5 degree loft
- Fast swing - 8-9.5 degree loft
Choosing the right weight
- The lighter the club, the faster the swing speed and the longer the ball can be hit
- Mid- and high-handicap player who do not have strong swings will benefit from a lighter driver
- Low-handicap golfers, or any golfer with a high swing speed, should choose a slightly heavier club to provide slightly more control
Choosing the right length
There are 3 basic club lengths on the market today.
Choosing the right fairway woods
Fairway woods are increasingly popular as an alternative to both drivers off the tee and to hard-to-hit long irons such as the 2-, 3- or 4-iron. Three factors are involved that make fairway woods a preferred club for many golfers.
- The average player feels better standing over a long fairway shot with a longer, lower profile wood rather than the harder-to-hit long iron
- A lower center of gravity makes it easier to get the ball in the air out of the fairway, rough or sand
- The larger club head compared to a long iron provides more distance without overswinging, increasing control as well as length
Fairway woods vs. long irons
Here is a simple guide to replacing a long iron with a fairway wood.
- 5-wood = 2-iron
- 7-wood = 3- or 4-iron
- 9-wood = 5-iron