Can I get more distance from a 460cc driver?

[FAHooGolfs]

I'm sure this has been discussed ad nauseum, but I'm looking for a definitive answer. Simply put, can a 460cc driver give me more distance over my current Titleist 983k which I believe is 380cc.

I know that distance is determined a lot by the shaft, and while I don't have the swing speed to take advantage of some of the new technology (driver swing speed = 95 mph), I can't help but wonder if a bigger clubhead would give me an extra 10 yards or so.

Clubs I'm looking at include the old Nike Ignite 460, TM 460, and perhaps the Nike Sasquatch. This weekend, I played with a TaylorMade 425 and while I liked it (very solid club IMO), I didn't see any added distance over my 983k.

I'd appreciate your thoughts and expert opinions.

[Everardo]

Yes it could, with a larger sweet spot, better center of gravity, materials, etc.

[A.J.]

You just need to hit them. For me, it makes no discernable difference and I happen to prefer a smaller, less circus clown looking club.

[iacas]

Yes it could, with a larger sweet spot, better center of gravity, materials, etc.

The "sweet spot" is the size of the head of a pin. It's where the center of gravity projects through the face of the club. It's infinitely small. Sweet spots can't get "bigger."

The "center of gravity" is also infinitely small. About the only thing a bigger head can give you, is: a) more room to mishit the ball without topping it, hitting a sky-high popup, etc. b) higher MOI, or "moment of inertia," or resistance to twisting. This is "forgiveness" to many. I also don't think the titanium 983K has been signifcantly improved in terms of "materials" (titanium) in three years... the 905R is basically the same thing, albeit with an aluminum hosel sleeve and a "sound plug."

[Sanjuro82]

It's all about making good contact. If you are constant with your swing then the smaller head will hit just as far as the larger 460cc ones. However if you aren't as consistent of a swinger, then the larger 460 clubs will give you a much more forgiveness, which in turn would give you greater distance and accuracy.

I have seen guys hit close to 400 yard drives with fairly small headed drivers.

[ttee9]

.... A new 460 cc will probably help and give you that extra 10/15/20 yards ....

" if" ~ it's the right driver "for you" ...

Now, finding the "right" driver for you is the hard part ... because there is a bunch of excellent drivers out there ...

Drivers are like cars, everyone has an opinion .. but it only counts if *you* like the feel, the sound, the look and hopefully the accuracy and distance that only you can get out of it.

Because of friends in the business, I've probably played every driver that has come out in the last 12/15 months .... some I like, some are okay, a few I hated, some I just didn't like the "look", and there's a few out there that I wouldn't mind owning .... but clubs are only personal taste and feel, so those opinions are only meaningful too me.

Cobra makes a nice driver, the new Mac seems to be getting some great results, the new Ping G5 is doing well, the new Cleveland Hi-bore is a nice one, Yonex is building the new Cyberstar Nano which I played over the weekend and that could "maybe" end up in my bag, maybe ..l.o.l.... ... of course there is a bunch more, including the Taylor and the Nike you had a chance to "test drive" ....

For starters, forget the name on the club .. there are many great club manufacturers out there now ... you have Infiniti, SMT, Nakashima, Tour Edge, Alpha, Nickent, KZG, Innovex and a ton more ......... but, you're only looking for one .. so take your time and play *your* top picks first before you buy - even if it takes you 8/10 months...

Remember, the guys in the golf shops are selling product and they want to sell you on "their" likes and dislikes .. but they're not in your skin, so they have no idea what you see and feel, so don't get "sold" -- plus, it's your money, not theirs .......


PS: keep in mind, if your swing speed is 95 .. it's going to be running around the mid/tall 80's on the back nine, so get the right shaft for your game.





whats in the bag.??

Driver(s): Tour Edge Jmax 460 10* Carbon with the Fuji Vista Pro 50 shaft .. Wilson Dd5 460 10* with a Harrison 50 shaft.
Woods: only one left after switching to hybrids - Adams ST #7 22*.
Hybrids: Tour Edge 21*, 24*, 30*, 41* and the 50* Attack Wedge with the Fuji graphite R shafts.
wedges: Warrior 56*, 60*, 64* with the Harrison Shafts.
Putter: Ping Anser 2F.
balls: Dunlop Super Loco, Maxfli Noodles - or any "good" ball when it goes on sale ...



Home course: Grey Hawk.
travel course: Tobacco Road (Pinehurst).

[aceadair]

You may not get anymore distance from your dead center hits but the off center hits will go farther. And we all like that!

[Everardo]

About the only thing a bigger head can give you, is:

Forgiveness aids accuracy and distance. This from the latest issue of Golf World.

"...USGA testing, shared with Golf Digest, suggest mis-hits seven-eights of an inch off center on a modern driver lose just about 10 yards compared to center hits while persimmon drivers lost 45 yards on such impact." So looks like material could also be a factor here. Now comparing the 983 to the 905 there wouldn't be as large a gap as there is to persimmon but I believe it does help illustrate the potential differences. Not every 460cc driver will maximize power and offer lots of forgiveness on off-center hits. Weights and designs differ, and therefore, so does performance. Here's another article " Bigger is Better " and an excerpt from it "All things being equal,the average golfer should hit a properly fit new driver better than his old one. In fact, the average golfer will benefit more from the most recent design innovations than the highly skilled player."

Simply put, can a 460cc driver give me more distance over my current Titleist 983k

Since you are asking "can" the answer is still yes. Whether or not it "will" depends on you and the driver you choose.

[iacas]

PS: keep in mind, if your swing speed is 95 .. it's going to be running around the mid/tall 80's on the back nine, so get the right shaft for your game.

I don't agree with that at all, and I carry my bag.

[ttee9]

..... Then you should feel blessed if your swing speed doesn't change ..... you're are now one of the few, not one of the many .....

[iacas]

..... Then you should feel blessed if your swing speed doesn't change ..... you're are now one of the few, not one of the many .....

Again, I disagree. I don't think swing speed changes much throughout a round of golf if you're at all reasonably conditioned.

[ttee9]

.... They did some "unofficial" testing on 1,300 hackers on the Trent Jones Golf Trail in Alabama ... and as an "average" only, they came up with that figure ... the same for the Legacy when we were in Pinehurst ....

But, maybe if they made it official it could change the figures .....

[Diggitydog]

In my books, both of you are correct on this issue.

I think it's feasible that the average hacker would drop swing speed on the back nine, mainly because when you see people on the course, or anywhere for that matter, they aren't conditioned at all! Let alone reasonably conditioned. If you did the same test with 1300 guys that could jog up a set of stairs without feeling like they needed to pass out, you wouldn't see the swing speed drop very much if at all.

I exercise regularly, and I can hit my driver just as long on 18 as on number 1. I just hope it's straighter than Phil's driver is on 18.