Man, I hate buying new drivers...does this sound like anyone else?

[jcard71]

I go through this every couple years...I hate driver shopping because Im so anal and tend to over analyze things when it comes to getting a driver. I'm usually one of the guys you see selling a driver on EBAY saying, " Only used for three rounds, my loss is your gain.."

I've been playing the R7 425 with a STIFF shaft since it came out and it is the BEST driver I've ever owned. That said, I know it's about 4 years old and I'm looking for something NEW. So far of all the drivers I hit, the Titleist D2 10.5 has stood out as the best one for me. I have a very smooth tempo and SS in the mid to upper 90's. A slight pause at the top before my transition..

My best drives are in the 230-240 yds range, but I'm a very straight hitter.

Here's my dilema: I went and got on a launch monitor today (I forget the model, but it even had doppler radar) it was not your average launch monitor; it was really impressive. Everything pointed to the Titleist Diamana Blue 65 regular shaft and not the stiff shaft, but Im still having a hard time going back to playing a regular shaft, but I ordered the regular shaft based on the numbers and it also felt really good when I hit it outside, but I seemed to fade it a little bit more than I usually do...

I mean my launch angle was below 10 with every single drive when I used my TM R7 425 and improved to 12-14 with the Titleist D2 and regular shaft and increased my carry and total distance. I also improved my smash factor to 1.46, but I forget the spin and other numbers.

Anyway, I'm hoping Im making the correct decision with my shaft flex choice. Has anyone else ever gone back to a regular after playing a stiff shaft? I dont really want to loose accuracy, but who doesnt want to hit it a bit further?!?!?

I know that every manufacturer is different, but maybe it's just my ego...

[HackerD]

Shaft flexes as you know are not totally standardized. I don't know how Diamana's run but they may run stiff being a higher end shaft.

[David in FL]

If I may.....

You say you're currently playing the best driver you ever had, yet you want "something new". What exactly do you expect to gain with the new club?

Length? How much, and why? You say you hit your R7 very straight.....are you hoping to change that ?

If you really hate buying new drivers, maybe you shouldn't be buying a new driver. KnowwhatImean?

[DJYoshi]

Shaft flexes as you know are not totally standardized. I don't know how Diamana's run but they may run stiff being a higher end shaft.

diamanas are awesome.... stiff...but retains feel...kickpoint and the tip help you control the ball... real awesome shaft for woods and the driver

[jcard71]

If I may.....

I hear what you're saying, but the launch monitor really showed that I was losing distance because of my low launch. I know there is trade off between distnace and accuracy. Im just on the fence wheter I should go for more distance with the regular shaft in the D2 as opposed to the stiff...

[Kcas77]

You could always try a to find a higher loft in the r7 425 but this may not be easy since you are a lefty.

[goblue107501]

I am in the same boat. I bought a new driver last year to replace mine which is about 5-6 years old. I figured with all the new stuff it had to be better. I couldn't hit it any further or straighter than my old one. On top of that I wasn't nearly as consistent with the new driver. So I sold it and went back to my old one. I plan on keeping it until it dies now. Unless I can find that perfect driver that I will hit further and straighter...

Be sure to keep your old driver. You might find out that you don't like the new one as well and it will give you something to fall back on if it doesn't work out.

About you shaft question. If you get it out on the course and it doesn't work for you, you can always sell it or trade it for one with a stiff shaft or even just have the shaft replaced.

[Big_M]

If I may.....

I 2nd that... don't fix what isn't broke.

diamanas are awesome.... stiff...but retains feel...kickpoint and the tip help you control the ball... real awesome shaft for woods and the driver

This is like saying UST's are awesome or Aldilas are awesome... there are SEVERAL models of diamana shafts and all have DIFFERENT attributes that make them fit one players swing more or less than the next guy. So I'm not really sure what you were talking about. And "kickpoint and tip help.." what are you saying... kickpoint refers to where and how the shaft flexes (which generally affects ballflight), tip... did you mean a stiff tip, soft tip... I just can't figure out what you meant. Also, Diamana makes everything from cheap-O's to the Whiteboard that many pros use...

I hear what you're saying, but the launch monitor really showed that I was losing distance because of my low launch. I know there is trade off between distnace and accuracy. Im just on the fence wheter I should go for more distance with the regular shaft in the D2 as opposed to the stiff...

OK... then this is a better reason for the switch... better launch numbers and a little more distance. In many shafts a regular flex is about right for most 90mph swingers... so you probably "should" play a regular, but in the end I would use what works best for me... something that provides a good balance of distance and control.

[alcorn]

There's an old saying, if it aint broke then don't fix it. If you can hit your driver 230 and straight that's good enough for most courses. I wouldn't change. If you're looking for something new just to find something that you can hit afew yards further then thats your perogotive. Personally, I just switched from an R5 Draw that I bought when they first came out to a Ping Rapture 1 which I found at less than half the original price. But my reason for changing is because of swing changes.
As far as which flex to get, my swing tempo is on the slow side for stiff flex but too fast for the regular flex so a pro suggested fitting me with the stiff because I hit it best. I would suggest that you get fitted if you're going for a new driver and can't decide on flexes. The pro should help you make that choice.

[Guest]

I had a very similar experience to you recently. My swing speed is also upper 90s and I too have a lower launch angle. I have always played stiff shafts.

After hitting on the monitor over a couple sessions the 09 Launcher, G10, s9-1, Diablo, FT-5, and the 909D2, I was most comfortable with the 909D2, also in the 10.5* The G10 was a close second. G10s longer stock shaft and lighter stock swing weight made the difference to me. I liked the 45" length of the 909D2 and its D4 swing weight.

The question then was what shaft? All the internet chatter bashes the made for Titleist shafts and especially the Diamana. The VooDoo gets all the love. Except from me! I hit the Diamana much better. Better loft and, more important better feel. I think its flex profile helped me control tempo better than some of the stiffer ones including the VooDoo. I felt like the stiff VooDoo was stiffer than the stiff Diamana. One thing I did not compare was the regular Voo Doo versus the stiff Diamana. Did you try the Regular VooDoo?

Bottom line is I ended up with a less stiff shaft than what I though I would like and I am hitting it better.