Offset Drivers go away!

[sirshanksalot]

I currently play a ping g10 and absolutely love it. However, during a range session earlier in the year, my shaft snapped and my driver head went flying. Fortunately, although this did not damage the usage of the club as I got it reshafted and have hit without any problems, it has suffered many cosmetic damages that annoys the heck out of me at address. I have decided it is time for a new driver and have tested out a few. I noticed that so many drivers nowadays are coming out with closed faces. I know this is nothing new, but these closed drivers just look wrong and shouts hook and pull.

I am currently considering 3 options and wanted to hear from my fellow peers what you guys think. Option 1: stick with what you know and get another g10. Option 2: cobra L5V. Option 3: titleist 909 series.

Thanks in advance for your advice.

[Waku]

  sirshanksalot said:

I currently play a ping g10 and absolutely love it.

You´ve answered yourself...

Why to change?

[traviswise]

I say stick with what works. I bought an offset driver (TM Draw) and guess what? I still hit fades. Going further, my next driver purchase will likely not have an offset.

[Fat Slice]

I played an R7 Draw and it helped a little. I switched to a Nickent 4DX draw and I only missed two fairways yesterday. Someone else might have the opposite results. So I think it really depends on you and your swing. Better just demo some clubs/shafts and see what works. Besides your existing driver, which you love, that is :)

[rebby]

Any of the choices that you listed would likely do the trick. Sounds like you might just want to stick w/the G10. Another option would be the Callaway Tour series drivers.

[Titleist Man]

Personally i would go with the 909d2. I did and i love it its the best driver I have ever hit! But you should probably go try the three clubs and see which one is the best for you.

[ScruffyScraper]

  sirshanksalot said:

I currently play a ping g10 and absolutely love it. However, during a range session earlier in the year, my shaft snapped and my driver head went flying. Fortunately, although this did not damage the usage of the club as I got it reshafted and have hit without any problems, it has suffered many cosmetic damages that annoys the heck out of me at address. I have decided it is time for a new driver and have tested out a few. I noticed that so many drivers nowadays are coming out with closed faces. I know this is nothing new, but these closed drivers just look wrong and shouts hook and pull.

If you're going to stay at 10.5º, the Cobra is going to give you a hook face.

The 909 has a square face, and you already know about the G10. If you want to try something a little different, then the Callaway FT-5 Tour-N has a slightly flatter lie than the others and a square to slightly open face.

[PiKapp23]

In the last 3 years I have owned 4 different drivers (not counting the one had prior to that). The newer drivers with oversized heads and closed faces do not like me. Typcially I hit them OK for a short period of time (placbo effect, I think) but then they turn into pull-hook machines. I keep going back to my old TM R540XD, which I've always hit well, but I just kept thinking that a newer, bigger driver would be better.

The point of this is stick with what you know you like. There have not been any great 'ahh-haa' moments in driver design since you got the G10, so there isn't really a technological/playability reason to get something new. If you get a new G10, be sure to get the exact same shaft, though, as a different shaft may make a huge difference. I have finally decided I'm gonna play the old TM until it falls apart.

[ScruffyScraper]

PiKapp makes a point.

My driver is somewhere in the 360-375cc range--I'm not even sure of the exact displacement--but until a 460 hits the ball better while in my hands, there's no need to change.

If you like something, you really need to discover that you like something else better before you change.

By the way, unless they've discontinued club repair, The GolfWorks can make your present driver look like new.

[Jay-Bird]

Stick with the G10. I still play a G5 driver. I've flirted with other drivers, but the G5 is for me.

[Stacey_E]

  Jay-Bird said:

Stick with the G10. I still play a G5 driver. I've flirted with other drivers, but the G5 is for me.

I agree with that totally. In fact there is not a HUGE difference between the G10 and G2. IMHO Ping nailed it the first time. If you really want to try something different, go for it. I remember the last time I was driver shopping Ping was one of, if not the only, drivers being offered in higher lofts without a closed face. They have kept the square face look and I love that! I've hit closed faced drivers with ultra light shafts. They are just not for me. And I don't like offset on a driver at all.

I'm a little ashamed to admit I have hit every square inch of my G5 driver face. I can't tell you the times I've felt a bad hit and looked out to see the ball in a playable position. Then I look at the face and see a half a ball mark where the ball almost missed the face. Now that doesn't happen a lot. But whenever It does, I always think to myself "do I need more forgiveness than that?" And my driver looks pretty bad address. It's covered in paint chips. I take good care of my clubs, but I bought this one used and decided I wouldn't baby it since the previous owner hadn't either. IMHO stick with the G10 and know what you know. I'm not sure I'd even get a new one. I'd keep gaming the scratched up one like an old baseball glove.

[michaeljames92]

I have to agree with you about the new drivers. My parents are going to buy me a new driver for Christmas and almost automatically I am crossing out so many models just because they have a closed face. The general population who slice, also have an over the top swing. So buy making the face closed, they are only going to hit pulls and duck hooks all day. The Ping G10 looks good to me. I hear it is a bomber of a driver and even the factory shaft is supposed to be decent.

[rangerat]

  ScruffyScraper said:

If you're going to stay at 10.5º, the Cobra is going to give you a hook face.

Not true on the Cobra point. The new Cobra L5V has an adjustable head you can set from 1* closed to 0*/square. This is the club I have my eye on.

[ScruffyScraper]

  rangerat said:

Not true on the Cobra point. The new Cobra L5V has an adjustable head you can set from 1* closed to 0*/square. This is the club I have my eye on.

The hosel to which you refer is on the 9.5º driver. Both settings are closed on the 10.5º according to the website. I mentioned that at 10.5º specifically, one gets a closed face on the L5V.

[Kcas77]

the 909 actually has a .5* open face! lets be accurate here boys!!!

[Titleist Man]

  Kcas77 said:

the 909 actually has a .5* open face! lets be accurate here boys!!!

Ya thats why its soo great

[mako224]

Offset clubs encourage you to make bad swings and let you get away with them. In order to progress as a player you really need to learn how to play with clubs that are square at address.

[Titleist Man]

  mako224 said:

Offset clubs encourage you to make bad swings and let you get away with them. In order to progress as a player you really need to learn how to play with clubs that are square at address.

Bad swing or duckhook I just dont get their logic behind it