Help buying the Callaway Octane (or Octane Tour) Driver - Please

[596]

I'm new, to the forum and need some help with replacing my Callaway Diablo Edge driver. Regular flex shaft. I'm 6-3, 185 lbs, 55 years old, drive avg is about 250-260 extremely consistant in distance and accuracy. I hit nearly all fairways beleive it or not : ) I'm always told I have a "very nice swing", I'm a 5 handicapp. I have no idea of my swing speed.

I'm only considering the new Callaway Octane or Octane Tour. I know I should use the regular shaft but unsure if I should try the Octane Tour or stay with the regular Octane. I know its a tough question......but how about some best guesses : ) BTW - I've tried other drivers, Titlest, Ping G10 and G15 and few others and the Callaway was the best for me. I also found the reg flex fit me better then a stiff flex.

If I go with the Tour will I lose accuracy? How will the 1 dregree open face effect me? Will it bring a slice into the equation? I can work the ball with my current Edge, but want the ability to work it a tad easier. Its tough to hit the Edge off a straight line : ) I find it easier to work the ball left to right then right to left. it'll go right to left but not as accurately. I do have a tendency to hit my current 10* Edge a tad high so I'm leaning toward the Octane Tour 9.5, regular flex

THANKS FOR ANY COMMENTS!!

[CassinoNorth]

Eh it's pretty much up to you.

Hard to say what you need without seeing you swing but the Tour is 450 cc vs 460 cc in the regular. The tour has less flair and the top looks like a normal driver vs the normal which shows the forged composite crown. Your swing speed is probably around 100 if youre hitting it 250-260 average.


Sorry I couldn't help much...my advice? Go hit both at a store and see which you like more.

[596]

Thanks for the comments....

Why did I figure you'd say that...."go to the store" : ) I live in Sedona, AZ.....middle of mostly no where. There's no golf store within a 2 hour drive. Though we do have beautilful views : ) We have a few limited proshops at the golf courses but no one has any of these yet.

I'm really just wondering what the 1* open face is gonna do.

I'm figuring a tad slower then your mention of 100mph.....that driving distance is at 4500ft above sea level....makes about a 8-10 yard difference.

[tristanhilton85]

What is your ball flight right now... If you're already fighting a slice then I'd say go with the Octane.... if this isn't a problem for you or if you hit draws the tour model may suit you better. That's really the best I can do. I know you said its a 2 hour drive out to a golf store so just make sure that you buy from a retailer that would allow some sort of return should you decide you want whatever one you didn't buy.

[wrx_junki]

How come you are looking to upgrade to the Octane (Tour)? If you are hitting all of your fairways and 250-260 out, I'd think you'd want to stay with that club for as long as possible. If you do upgrade, don't go with the Tour since that will make working the ball right to left harder. Don't think that a lower loft will automatically lower your ballflight. With lowering of the loft, you may also sacrifice accuracy.

[TourSpoon]

I just bought the Octane Tour and never even hit the regular Octane. The one degree open is minimal and sets up really nice behind the ball and shouldn't be a deal breaker. I take any claim of "workability" with a grain of salt seeing that most modern clubs are designed for distance and more distance especially compared to a driver I played with a mere decade ago (ie Titleist 976D). Having played in Sedona (beautiful) I know that you get a lot of extra distance and that at sea level it would be about 10% less so that puts you in R range. I would go with the Tour with the regular shaft (you are a 5 and I think you could handle the Tour model). The other factor is that the regular Octane has some graphics on it that I would find distracting. When you get the club, put masking tape on the face and sole and see how you like it. If it works great, if not then return it for the regular Octane.

I have to agree with junki above and say that if it ain't broke why are you fixing it?

[596]

I'd go with the 9.5 since the other choices are 8.5 or 10.5, only.

[Old1964]

My experience with a club that sets up open is that I just tended to close the face until it "looks right". I tried all the positions on my Taylormade R9 since it has the adjustable shaft. It didn't make much difference, since I found myself wanting to adjust the face at address.

Question: Do you expect to pick up another 15 yards? If not, I wouldn't change anything with your driver, unless you get paid to put it in your bag

[ohiolefty]

If the club is set up open, you'll grip it normally UNLESS it's got weird stuff on the grip that aligns your hands (if so, just put on a different grip).

I have an adjustable driver and play it on the closed setting because I like the way it feels on that setting. I still open and close the face in my hands at address to work the ball anyway.

I would encourage you to go for the regular Octane. However, even being in Sedona (I've traveled in AZ a lot, I feel your pain) you need to go somewhere and hit it to know for sure. If you've got enough jack to live in Sedona, a trip to Phoenix to get fitted shouldn't hurt 'ya too much.