Driver Question from a Newbie

[Shankapotomus]

Let me first preface this by stating I am not looking to buy a new driver thinking it will automatically make be better or fix any of my existing problems. I am a very new player who is still working on fundamentals and I have several flaws that will only get better with more practice.. not new equipment. However, I am wondering if I might actually benefit from a new driver.

Currently, I play the driver better than any other club in my bag but it is far from perfect. When I hit it good, it will fly straight but not very far (maybe 150 to 165 yards). However, I will usually slice it to varying degrees. It always starts off straight and then curves in mid flight. Sometimes the slice isn't too bad but sometimes it is very extreme. This is a problem with my swing and I think I know how to fix this, I'm not expecting a new driver to automatically fix this for me.

My current driver is an older AMF ProGression 10 degree, 400cc, titanium head with a medium flex graphite shaft. It was a freebie given to me from the starter set my dad got his start with many moons ago.

I've read in several articles that players with slow swing speeds like mine benefit from higher loft on their drivers. I am also not a very strong player and have below average upper body flex. I am wondering if a driver with 12 degrees of loft and a 460cc head that is more forgiving might be a better choice for me at the moment and for the rest of the year at least.

Many thanks for any advice.

[cody west]

it definitely would but having any spin on the ball can take about 40 yards off your shot. the reason your ball is slicing if it goes strait for a good amount of time is because you are pulling the club across the ball even if your club face is square. if you try to focus on bringing the club strait through the ball at impact it can keep the slice from happening. from the sound of it your club face cant be to open if the ball is leaving the club along the intended path. fixing that problem should give you more distance than a new driver would

[Shankapotomus]

Thanks Cody, I am continuing to work on the slice issue.. you've pretty much described it. The article linked below is one of a few that got me wondering if I needed more loft on my driver or not.

http://www.golfengineering.net/Driverloft.htm

[cody west]

ya getting the right driver could always help because getting off the tee is a good amount of the battle. physics says you want to be as close to a 45* launch angle as possible

[Crey23]

ya getting the right driver could always help because getting off the tee is a good amount of the battle. physics says y

Really???? With the Driver that does not make sense ... I thought the ideal launch angle with your driver was around 10* - 14*?

[cody west]

Really???? With the Driver that does not make sense ... I thought the ideal launch angle with your driver was around 10* - 14*?

from a physics stand point you do. im not saying that necessarily from a real world view it works but according to physics and numbers a projectile launched at a 45* angle is will allow a projectile to travel the farthest with the least force. but the point is you want to get the ball up and keep it in the air as long as possible because despite what people think the ball travels farther in the air than it does on land

edit: look at it using the kinematic equations and it will show that 45* will have the longest flight time