How much am I missing out?

**drtbk933** · October 2, 2009

I've been using my $30 Intech Walmart driver for the past week or so and have been cranking them. Last year I cut the shaft to 44.5" and then a crack along the topline developed. The shaft says intermediate flex and feels somewhat whippy. My driver swing is a long and slow backswing and my downswing is fast and powerful. After playing or last school match for the year yesterday, I looked at the face and the topline crack had caved in a little. During the match, I was hitting an average of 270 yards straight or with a very small draw (<5 yards). I would like to know if I am losing yards compared to using a newer driver with better materials and technology. Also, would I benifit from a stiffer shaft, or should I find a regular that feels like the one in my cracked driver?
Zach

Edit: I thought I was in the Golf Equipment section, could someone please move it if needed?

**sethro5hc** · October 2, 2009

Well the general guidelines for shaft flex are about swing speed. I think the current ones say 90-105mph (likely where you are if you hit it 270 with a lower end driver) should be stiff flex. 105+ is extra stiff. I'm in the 105+ range but those extra stiff shafts just don't feel right after playing with my dad's regular flex hand me downs for so long. I'm using a stiff flex with an 8.5 degree Adam's redline driver and have had great results for awhile now. I think you'd definitely get better results from a better driver even if that one were in perfect condition, but you even say it's developing cracks?

My advice to you is to research, go to golf stores, demo some drivers until you find one you like, then go buy it online. I think any model of driver from a golf brand you could find at Dick's, Golfsmith etc would outperform an "offbrand" from walmart. I used to play those too and remember feeling a difference with my first namebrand clubs.

If you have the chance, go somewhere with a swing simulator, you don't need the fancy launch monitors and all that, just get an estimate of swing speed and hit a few different lofted drivers, you'll have a better idea of what you want.

**drtbk933** · October 2, 2009

Well the general guidelines for shaft flex are about swing speed. I think the current ones say 90-105mph (likely where you are if you hit it 270 with a lower end driver) should be stiff flex. 105+ is extra stiff. I'm in the 105+ range but those extra stiff shafts just don't feel right after playing with my dad's regular flex hand me downs for so long. I'm using a stiff flex with an 8.5 degree Adam's redline driver and have had great results for awhile now. I think you'd definitely get better results from a better driver even if that one were in perfect condition, but you even say it's developing cracks?

That's what I was planning on doing. My local Dick's has a nice simulator, and my local shop has a trackman. My local shop also has some used clubs that I can try.

**R7Player** · October 5, 2009

Your only hurting your game with that Driver. Get a Taylormade R7 R9 Driver, or Big Bertha pre owned with 9.5 to 10.5 loft, you'll see what you're missing. I bought a secondhand set of clubs at a secondhand sports store and almost ruined my game.

**sean_miller** · October 5, 2009

Your only hurting your game with that Driver. Get a Taylormade R7 R9 Driver, or Big Bertha pre owned with 9.5 to 10.5 loft, you'll see what you're missing. I bought a secondhand set of clubs at a secondhand sports store and almost ruined my game.

At what point does pre-owned become second hand?

I have a few sets of clubs in the basement (my wife says I rock). Other than one driver, fairway -wood, most of my wedges, 3 Sun Mountains, and 2 of my gazillion putters, all of my clubs are "second hand". The last set of used blades I picked up had just been regripped too - bonus - they were less $ than regripping one of my existing sets. Anyhoo, regarding drivers, full agreement on the Big Berthas. I picked a used 9* Warbird with original stiff flex shaft a few summers ago and I love it. When I grip it and set up to the ball, it has that feeling of pure quality and as we all know, quality never goes out of style.

**laconic517** · October 5, 2009

That's what I was planning on doing. My local Dick's has a nice simulator, and my local shop has a trackman. My local shop also has some used clubs that I can try.

im very skeptical of the launch monitor at least at the Dick's near my house.

I tried the tour burner and id easy swing one around 98-100 mph and the thing said i was carrying the ball 285 which is obviously wrong. Then id take a more normal swing which is ~105 and carry it a much more believable 250-260. I asked the guy what the deal was and about spin rates etc and he was completely clueless. He totally bought the 285 number and was obviously trying to sell me the club. Theres no way you'd get carry of 285 with any swing speed >110 unless its severely downhill or downwind.

**fredloves2golf** · October 5, 2009

I've been using my $30 Intech Walmart driver for the past week or so and have been cranking them. Last year I cut the shaft to 44.5" and then a crack along the topline developed. The shaft says intermediate flex and feels somewhat whippy. My driver swing is a long and slow backswing and my downswing is fast and powerful. After playing or last school match for the year yesterday, I looked at the face and the topline crack had caved in a little. During the match, I was hitting an average of 270 yards straight or with a very small draw (<5 yards). I would like to know if I am losing yards compared to using a newer driver with better materials and technology. Also, would I benifit from a stiffer shaft, or should I find a regular that feels like the one in my cracked driver?

Not to be a killjoy, but if I read your post correctly, damaged equipment is considered non-conforming and use of such equipment in competition could be subject to disqualification.

**ET-Taylor** · October 5, 2009

I had a :PING: G2 then because i was short i bought a slazenger thing for £25 to get cut and it was rubbish so i moved back to G2 and averaged 20-30 yards more

**drtbk933** · October 5, 2009

Not to be a killjoy, but if I read your post correctly, damaged equipment is considered non-conforming and use of such equipment in competition could be subject to disqualification.

I showed both my coach and their coach and neither said anything about that. There are a lot of nice 10* Big Bertha or HyperX drivers on eBay for cheap and I always wanted one of them. I was also looking at MacGregor NVG2's or Tour Edge Exotics drivers.

**gibbous** · October 6, 2009

My advice to you is to research, go to golf stores, demo some drivers until you find one you like, then go buy it online.

Maybe I'm nitpicking here, but this always seemed like a bit of a scumbag move to me. The premium price you pay at the shop is what allows you access to try out their inventory of clubs, use their technology, and get advice from their employees which is all to help determine which one is best for you. I just have a problem with taking advantage of all these things without giving them your business in return. Support your local economy and buy it at the place that helped you find it.

**ks8829** · October 6, 2009

Bring your driver and test out other name brand drivers at your local golf store that has a launch monitor and see the difference for yourself, don't forget the use club driver bin.

colin · October 7, 2009

Maybe I'm nitpicking here, but this always seemed like a bit of a scumbag move to me. The premium price you pay at the shop is what allows you access to try out their inventory of clubs, use their technology, and get advice from their employees which is all to help determine which one is best for you. I just have a problem with taking advantage of all these things without giving them your business in return. Support your local economy and buy it at the place that helped you find it.

No way. There is nothing the LEAST bit immoral, unethical, "scumbaggy" about demoing and finding a reasonable price. If anything you are encouraging the superstores to stay reasonable. (or really, get reasonable.) Find the most decent equipment you can without stealing. Find the price your most comfortable with and go. It's an expensive enough hobby in the first place without forking over unneccesary cash to somebody for letting you use thier jacked up and skewed swing monitor.

**sean_miller** · October 7, 2009

No way. There is nothing the LEAST bit immoral, unethical, "scumbaggy" about demoing and finding a reasonable price. If anything you are encouraging the superstores to stay reasonable. (or really, get reasonable.) Find the most decent equipment you can without stealing. Find the price your most comfortable with and go. It's an expensive enough hobby in the first place without forking over unneccesary cash to somebody for letting you use thier jacked up and skewed swing monitor.

I'm not sure about that.

***iacas*** · October 8, 2009

No way. There is nothing the LEAST bit immoral, unethical, "scumbaggy" about demoing and finding a reasonable price. If anything you are encouraging the superstores to stay reasonable. (or really, get reasonable.) Find the most decent equipment you can without stealing. Find the price your most comfortable with and go. It's an expensive enough hobby in the first place without forking over unneccesary cash to somebody for letting you use thier jacked up and skewed swing monitor.

I vote mildly "scumbaggy" and disagree, colin.

Online stores are cheaper because they can't offer you the service you get at a local store. You pay for that. It's scumbaggy to use the services of someone, then not pay them. I don't mind paying a little more if I get better service.

**sethro5hc** · October 12, 2009

the main thing you need to know about Golf is that there are hundreds of thousands, millions even of guys who are into it enough, and rich enough that when they have a few bad rounds... those clubs must be broken, so they get new ones. My dad has a single digit handicap, but usually shoots in the low 80's and has never broken 72. He' not a long hitter and is getting older. He's not poor, but certainly not rich, right square in the middle I'd say. Either way, over the past year I've seen him go through a set of top flite irons, then titleist, then adams, then adams hybrids, currently with R7's, and looking at Callaway's new hybrid line. Not a single set of clubs he ever replaced had enough wear to mess them up in anyway. He's been through even more drivers, adams, cobra, mizuno, callaway, taylormade burner and r9, just no end. Golfers LOVE new stuff, and because of that, there's ALWAYS a great deal to be had somewhere on clubs, and unless you're shooting in the 70's every round, none of the used stuff that's in good condition will effect your play any differently than new ones.

I'd get an idea what shaft flex you'd want and a club you like, and then go to eBay or a local shop and get something gently used.

Golf equipment, to me at least, is like cars. Buying the newest model is a poor investment if you can't completely afford it. The models that are a season old and were used but taken care of give you the same performance in most cases, and if you don't like it, so what, you didn't invest that much anyways and can probably resell it for the same price. So find what you think you'll like, and buy it gently used. Then later on when you really know what fits your game best you can move into the newest stuff.

**GamerJG** · October 13, 2009

i agree with the poster who said to get your swing speed checked out then go online and find a driver for cheap online. if you have a swing speed of 100+mph, then i'd recommend a stiff flex shaft. i also would recommend an older model big bertha etc. you can get those new for an affordable price. it's always best to demo one first but i bought mine for $60 used on ebay and it's been in the bag ever since. i too have used many low end drivers with no results. they damage easily and just aren't the same quality as a callaway, taylormade, etc. you feel the difference immediately when you hit them. i went through driver after driver that i could only hit as far as my 3 wood. then i tried a callaway driver and instantly got 25-30 yards more distance with a much better feel. you can also add even more distance by using a quality golf ball. give it try, i think you'll see a lot of improvement and it'll make you feel better about your game.

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