New Here, Need a Little Help!

Hey fellow golfers,

I'm new to this forum, but have been golfing since I was about 4. My family lives on a golf course. I attend Central Catholic High, where I am a sophmore. Anyways, I've been play competitvly for the past 2 years now, and am really really really trying to step up my game this year. (If everything goes as planed, I hope to play golf for U-Dub). Anyways, in preperation for golf season, I bought new shoes, am about to buy new pants, but need a new driver. I currently have an Adams, but it sucks.

I'm looking at the Taylor Made SLDR, Jet-Speed, Nike Vapor Driver, or the Ping G30. Now this should last me (hopefully) a few years. My driving distance is about MAX 250 yds. Which one would fit me the best? Do I need flex/stiff?

Thanks so much!

Follow Holdaway's advice.

For a competitive golfer, a driver is a really key club. You want to get the right combination of shaft and head (esp. loft) to maximize distance and control.

(Well, a driver is a key club for all of us. Middle HDCP players like me need a driver that "won't hurt our game." Competition golfers need a driver that will allow them to attack the course and pick up extra yardage.)

Find the lightest weighted driver, so you can swing it faster, until your body develops.

Ping, or TM-Superfast and Callaway have a few models.

Try a stiff shaft. if you can not get to launch, then try regular flex.

Club Rat

Good info in previous posts. I would suggest you do the obvious, go to demo each of the brands you reference in your post. Each of the major OEM's today have quality products but from my personal experience its a great help to be fit by a professional fitter (can be golf pro, knowledgable retail person, some OEM reps such as those that show for demo days events also can provide fittings).

Do you go to school in Burlington at CC?

But as far as driver suggestions, I would say all those options would be a good choice. Go to the store and try them out with different shafts. Honestly it will probably come down to looks, brand, and feel.

Also pay attention to shaft length. Many stock shafts on drivers are 46" which is crazy long. Titleist and I think Cobra have 45" which is a bit better. Otherwise a custom club may be good if you have the funds.

Best of luck

go get fitted - I would guess you are a stiff flex but they can tell you for sure.

try the G30 - it's as stable as you can get right now - hard to miss the fairway with it.  also look at the new taylormade with the dual weights on the bottom (can't think of the name).

TaylorMade R15 is the model you are thinking of. Can't wait to try one myself!

I've been testing and demoing drivers for the last 2 weeks.  I've narrowed the list down to two, Ping G30 SF Tec and Mizuno JPX-850.  Both are providing me maximum distance and control, but the G30 is slightly ahead.  I'm heading back today to try make some weight adjustments with the Mizuno to see if it can out perform the G30.  I'll be adding one of them to the bag.  Of all the drivers in the store, these were the two drivers that I was least familiar with and wanted to like so the lesson is to put your personal biases aside and try them all.

On a side note, I didn't like the R15, though it could be I couldn't find the right settings (too many setting combinations imo) that would match the distance of the Ping and Mizuno.  I really wanted to like the Titleist 915's but it wasn't forgiving enough for me.   The Cobra Fly-Z+ was the 3rd best option for me.

I didn't spend as much time with the Nike and Callaway offerings after the Ping and Mizuno performed so well for me but I may give them a try again today before I make a final decision.