Driver decisions...

Help me out here. I can't decide what my best course of action is. I recently picked up a new Callaway FT-i LCG 9.5* with the Matrix Ozik Xcon-6 stiff flex shaft. I bought it at Golf Galaxy and was hitting it very long and straight on simulator with ball speeds 160-166, so the employee really thought that was the right shaft for me. I was also hitting the FT-i with a Graffalloy Prolaunch shaft (blue) in stiff, but on the simulator I was not hitting it as consistently. (Just as a side note, I have noticed I tend to swing harder in simulator even though I try to force myself not to, but my normal tempo just doesn't feel right on simulator).

Now I have played 3 full rounds (plus 1 nine hole round) with the new driver and I am not liking the accuracy and control (or rather 'lack of') I am seeing. I really believe the reason is that the shaft is too stiff, which forces me to swing harder than I prefer. I have been playing a stiff shaft with a soft tip for several years and tend to hit a lot of fairways. However, in the last few rounds I'm only hitting 2-3 fairways. The shots are longer by 15 yards or so, but not in fairway and I've even lost a couple OB. This new driver is also much lower trajectory than I have come to prefer - less roll but more control (hey, that rhymes).

So, this has made me start wondering about what to do now. Obviously I can't return the driver except as a trade in at used trade in value (under $100). I am contemplating doing one of the following:

1. Get it reshafted with a shaft with lower kick point (and maybe lighter weight as well) - cost $75-125+, depending on model of shaft. My concern here is "what if I don't like the new shaft I choose either?"

2. Bite the bullet and trade it in (or sell on eBay) and purchase a new driver. Bad thing with this choice is that I'll be losing $100+. I like the FT-i. I could also just turn around and buy a new FT-i with a different shaft

3. Buy a new i-Mix head and shaft from RockBottomGolf.com (FT-i heads $99/FT-5 heads $89; shafts $69-149). Again, this would have me taking a loss, but this is a good deal from Rock Bottom. The thing I like about this option is that I can buy a shaft and if I am not happy with that shaft after a while I can buy another one.

4. Suck it up and try to make this new driver work for me. I have hit some really good shots with it, but they are fewer than before.

5. Go back to old driver (TM R540 XD), which I have always hit well. I just got an urge to buy new and sometimes once I get that feeling I no longer hit the old equipment well (I know it's mental). Bad thing is I've already bought and in that case I would just be out the money with nothing to show for it. At somepoint soon I'm gonna probably buy new anyway...

6. Give up the game and give my equipment to the poor.

none of the above... go to Callaway pre-owned and trade it in on one with a shaft you think you will like... they have a 90 day playability guarantee... so no worries.

Just for the record... I just bought the same club, and my fairways have been 60-70% the last couple rounds and my misses have been smaller. Needless to say, I absolutely love it. The Matrix shaft and LCG head are designed for less spin and a LOWER ballflight... so if you were usuing a soft tipped shaft, it might be a little more stiff feeling. I like this, but my driver swing speed is around 105, and I have a quick tempo, so soft tips are my enemy. I think this is a great club, you may have more luck with the stock Fujikara shaft or something else. Also, I bought mine for $150ish and it was listed in "very good" condition, and looked like it had never been hit, for what that's worth.

Maybe it's just the Golf Galaxy that I have nearby, but I feel like the simulator is jacked up. I demoed a 909 D2 a while back and it had me hitting balls well over 300 yards...which I don't typically do. I just don't trust those things. I think if you want to get a true read for how well a club works for you, you have to hit it with a pro fitter and launch monitor outside to see trajectory and ball flight. It just seems like the simulators decrease the effects of misses and sidespin visually and increase overall distance. Best of luck with your purchase.

I'll say take option number 4:

4 . Suck it up and try to make this new driver work for me. I have hit some really good shots with it, but they are fewer than before.


Give it some time and see how it develops. If that doesn't work then get the shaft changed out and hang on to the old one....unless the fitter can sell it or buy it from you.


Good luck.

Some simulators allow you to adjust slope and wind speed. You may be hitting into a 40mph wind downhill and not even know it. Then the person selling it can convince you to buy it because of how far you hit it. Then if you try a less expensive driver, they can crank up a strong hook wind and viola! You buy the expensive driver! It's a dirty trick.

My advice to you is to try it out for a bit. If you don't like it, go to a club fitter and see if it's the shaft or some terrible swing disease you have picked up since trying it. I personally just bought a new FT-9 IMIX and I love the idea of being able to switch out the shafts. I have found a shaft I like, so now I just need to buy new heads if this one loses it's pizazz.

Golf Galaxy used to have a policy that if you absolutely didn't love what you bought you could trade it in within thirty days for something else given that you hadn't trashed (skymarks, etc.)the club. It's worth an ask.

Go to the range and hit a ton of driver shots(bring your r5 too and compare them). If it still isnt better id go w/ option 3.

The Ozik Xcon is a high launch low spin shaft.

I second this. Years ago, I returned a Cleveland Launcher I had bought because I was convinced it was the club. I now still wish I had kept that club.

Question. Do you only go out and play on the course? Have you tried the driving range to help straighten out the accuracy thing. Oh wait you said Callaway driver. There is your problem. If you want a long and accurate driver, try one of the 2007 or 2008 King Cobra red fspeeds. Seriously, i picked up 10-15 yds and about 30% more accurate than the Titleist 983K that i was hitting. And for those of you who may not know. These two clubs are both made by the company named Acushnet. And they even stated that their 2007 Cobra drivers were far better than the Titleist D1 and D2 they made that year.

Because I know you are all losing a lot of sleep wondering what I will do, I thought I'd update everyone. I have decided to stick with the FT-i LCG for a while. I'm still not sure about it, but I've been to the range a couple times last few days and played 18 holes yesterday with some success. Playing yesterday on very wet fairways I hit 9 of 13 fairways (7 of 10 with driver and 2 of the 3 missed were within 5 feet of fairway). Almost all of the drives were a little over 250 yards (according to GPS), so I guess the driver was fine (at least for one day).

I'm gonna continue to stick with it and see how it goes. My only concern is with what will happen when fairways are fast and hard. I've always played a driver with very high launch and got used to it. The launch angle is much lower (around 13-14*), which is just different for me, but I'm hoping I'll get used to it while still maintaining a high level of accuracy.

Check out the link they are located in Dayton, Call them up and have a chat with them about your problem.............

http://www.back9clubproshop.com/

Those things work however the store configures them to. I have a Golf Galaxy close to my work that I go to most of the time, and according the simulator I carry the ball 305 with pretty good regularity. I just happened to stop by a different Golf Galaxy the other day and hit some of the same drivers, and my best drives were going 265 with roll. You can't even use those things for the numbers with any reliability.