The tale of 2 drivers and the predictably inconsistent golfer

[Elmer]

I have 2 drivers in my bag and waffle between which on helps my game and which one I am comfortable with.
I spent an hour at the range the other day just hitting driver, this one than that one, in an attempt to compare the two. I even went home and jotted down a pro-con list (seen below).
For the record, I can not go get fitted for a driver as the local golf shop only does so, if your intent is to purchase a club.
I can tell you my swing speed is over 100.
I also use regular steel shafts on my irons. My 5 wood & 4 Hybrid also have regular graphite shafts.
I have found that with regular shafts as long as I keep my timing and tempo under control, and dont swing out of my shoes, everything stays a bit ok.
However, I am still explosive with the driver. Big swing, big power!

 

Callaway Black X 10.5 stiff shaft (bought used, in mint condition for $100)

Hits hard.
Slight draw
Miss is a line drive or small slice
Hits lower
Feels like have to work to get distance
Average distance 250-260

2009 TaylorMade Burner 10.5 reg shaft (bought at market price in 2009 w/ a free 5 wood)

Hits soft and effortlessly 
More draw
Miss is big slice it or big hook
Hits the ball high
Easy to get distance

Avg dist 255-270

I guess it comes down to just not liking the Callaway. I don't like the way it feels, the way it hits, the way it sounds, the way it looks, but the result is usually safer and I have been playing better with it.
So how do you judge 1 club against another? What is the deciding factor for club selection, especially on a limited budget?

Any thoughts or advise is appreciated!
 

[ShawnSum]

4 minutes ago, Elmer said:

For the record, I can not go get fitted for a driver as the local golf shop only does so, if your intent is to purchase a club.
I can tell you my swing speed is over 100.
I also use regular steel shafts on my irons. My 5 wood & 4 Hybrid also have regular graphite shafts.
I have found that with regular shafts as long as I keep my timing and tempo under control, and dont swing out of my shoes, everything stays a bit ok.
However, I am still explosive with the driver. Big swing, big power!

My advice would be go find a golf shop where the people running it aren't a bunch of tools. I personally have to travel 60-80 miles minimum to get reputable service as far as fitting and such goes. If you're really swinging 100+ than you need to probably find some stiff/xstiff shafts across all clubs...but these are things you'll never know for sure about unless you go somewhere and get fitted and all that. 

[Elmer]

14 minutes ago, ShawnSum said:

My advice would be go find a golf shop where the people running it aren't a bunch of tools. I personally have to travel 60-80 miles minimum to get reputable service as far as fitting and such goes. If you're really swinging 100+ than you need to probably find some stiff/xstiff shafts across all clubs...but these are things you'll never know for sure about unless you go somewhere and get fitted and all that. 

Unfortunately I cant afford to replace all my clubs.
Since I am still playing 2008 Berthas (super game improvement), I am in dire need of new irons.

I also need a 3 wood, since I haven't had one in my bag in years. got to hit the new Taylormade. The 3 wood was like magic....but I digress!

I guess I can go to the golf shop and compare my clubs to new clubs, under the guise that I am looking to buy a new driver. Which is Truthful, as I find the right driver for under $300, I would grab it. However I still feel like it would be a combo of the 2 clubs I already have.
 

[pganapathy]

1 hour ago, Elmer said:

Any thoughts or advise is appreciated!

Am guessing the regular shaft is better suited to your swing.  Not just club head speed, but kick point, weight and spin.  Fortunately or unfortunately, you really need to hit balls with a simulator to get the numbers for both drivers and then pick appropriately.  Perhaps ask around at your club if anybody has a simulator.  Some will have the small and cheap devices (couple of hundred dollars at most) which will at least give you a baseline to work from

[Elmer]

3 minutes ago, pganapathy said:

Am guessing the regular shaft is better suited to your swing.  Not just club head speed, but kick point, weight and spin.  Fortunately or unfortunately, you really need to hit balls with a simulator to get the numbers for both drivers and then pick appropriately.  Perhaps ask around at your club if anybody has a simulator.  Some will have the small and cheap devices (couple of hundred dollars at most) which will at least give you a baseline to work from

I totally forgot that my golf shop ( do not belong to a club) has a Toptracer in a few of their range booths. I have never used this as $7 for an hour on top of $12 for a large bucket gets pricey and addictive.

"Toptracer is a comprehensive training mode allows guests to hone their skills by offering data such as distance (carry and total), ball speed, launch angle, height, landing angle, hang time and distance to target."

I guess I have work to do...

[Elmer]

Got to use a TopTracer Range thing.
No swing speed readings, but ball speed for my driver is 120.
I have ditched the TM Reg shaft driver from the bag. Although it gives me 10-15 more yards, due to more height, it gets me in trouble waymore often.
At my home course, Is there really a difference between 100 yrds to the pin and 115?

[Vinsk]

1 hour ago, Elmer said:

No swing speed readings, but ball speed for my driver is 120.

I’m still learning about swing parameters but I think if your ball speed is 120mph you’re not swinging the club anywhere near ‘over 100mph.’

[p1n9183]

Something is wrong. My swing speed is around 100-105. My ball speed is around 150. I carry my driver 260. 

You said that your swing speed is 100+, your ball speed 120 and you average 250 yards.. Or you are wrong about the numbers or your smash factor is pretty bad and the distance is wrong too. 

[Elmer]

37 minutes ago, p1n9183 said:

Something is wrong. My swing speed is around 100-105. My ball speed is around 150. I carry my driver 260. 

You said that your swing speed is 100+, your ball speed 120 and you average 250 yards.. Or you are wrong about the numbers or your smash factor is pretty bad and the distance is wrong too. 

I am weary of the distance and results I get at the range, since I am hitting crappy, beat up range balls that may be a season or 2 old (if not older). All my club results were at least 15 yards less than what I get at the course.
I am due to go back to the range and hook up to the range tracer. Now that I created an account I can access a print out of all my club stats.

On the course, I am using premium feral balls (mostly Bridgestone or Callaway). My home course, when not under water has a good deal of hard pan on many of the fairways. therefore we can usually tell when the drive distance had assistance and when it didnt. 

[Cantankerish]

13 minutes ago, Elmer said:

I am weary of the distance and results I get at the range, since I am hitting crappy, beat up range balls that may be a season or 2 old (if not older). All my club results were at least 15 yards less than what I get at the course.

I can echo the ball speed 120 issue.  That seems unlikely since you are hitting your drives 260ish.  Should be more like 150 ball speed.

As for the reduced distance I quoted above, if you are using a virtual range (computer screen rather than a big field), the results can be adjusted.

I learned that my local store actually has the range turned down some so that when they sell you a club, you get better yardage IRL.

[Elmer]

3 minutes ago, Cantankerish said:

I can echo the ball speed 120 issue.  That seems unlikely since you are hitting your drives 260ish.  Should be more like 150 ball speed.

As for the reduced distance I quoted above, if you are using a virtual range (computer screen rather than a big field), the results can be adjusted.

I learned that my local store actually has the range turned down some so that when they sell you a club, you get better yardage IRL.

Not using a virtual range. Big open field with a tracer and computer screen.