Best used driver to buy? Deep value by going a little older?

[5ironkid]

callaway ft-5. 50 bucks off ebay. forgiving and it goes far

[cape cod beachfront golfer]

Glad to see there are other golfers who can enjoy the game without dropping a grand for new equipment each year. My first suggestion would be to skip the adjustable drivers. If you are buying used or on Ebay the wrench &/or weight kits are usually missing. My used club suggestion would be TM r7 or a Tour Edge Exotics CB2. Both are likely under $50. OR you could walk into a Dick's pickup a NEW Hagen AWX driver for under $50... even spend some time in the launch monitor to see which loft & shaft fits you best. Basically a 'fitted' club for under $50 !

[Fore Left]

I still say look on Callaway pre-owned,  or TGW or whatever sites sell used clubs,  and pick something that looks reasonably "modern"   similar to something you're used to,  and within your budget.

Once you play more,  then get fitted,  but you should have a decent idea of loft/flex based on swing-speed

[fireman1153]

I recently bought myself the Callaway Diablo Octane driver and I believe it is only a year or two old.  I hit it well and it is pretty forgiving.  You can pick them up now online anywhere from 100-120 bucks.  Good luck!

[Fore Left]

Originally Posted by fireman1153

I recently bought myself the Callaway Diablo Octane driver and I believe it is only a year or two old.  I hit it well and it is pretty forgiving.  You can pick them up now online anywhere from 100-120 bucks.  Good luck!

This is what I bought also.....

8.5*  Diablo Octane tour  from Callaway-pre-owned,  extra stiff shaft,  came in almost perfect condition,  with head-cover and the original grip looks un-used....    $66 shipped.

[fireman1153]

Originally Posted by Fore Left

This is what I bought also.....

8.5*  Diablo Octane tour  from Callaway-pre-owned,  extra stiff shaft,  came in almost perfect condition,  with head-cover and the original grip looks un-used....    $66 shipped.

Yeah, you can get them used for a real nice price.  The prices I was quoting were for a brand new club, never hit. BTW, how do you like the tour model in the 8.5?  That is exactly what I wanted but when I went to get the club they were out of the tour models and the lowest loft they had was a 9.5.  I still hit the club really well just a little higher than I would have like but since I am impatient I went ahead and bought it.

[tefunk]

I picked up a G10, Regular flex, for my brother for $40 last Fall.  It works great for him and he's very happy with it.

I recently bought a Ping G15, Aldila Serrano Stiff flex, off my friend for $100.  I love it!

Good luck and let us know how it works out!

[pixel5]

I got a Cobra S3 for $70 on ebay in awesome condition. Great club.

[jamo]

Adams Speedline 9064LS or Adams Speedline 4G Ultralite

[Fore Left]

Originally Posted by fireman1153

Yeah, you can get them used for a real nice price.  The prices I was quoting were for a brand new club, never hit. BTW, how do you like the tour model in the 8.5?  That is exactly what I wanted but when I went to get the club they were out of the tour models and the lowest loft they had was a 9.5.  I still hit the club really well just a little higher than I would have like but since I am impatient I went ahead and bought it.

Still getting use to it,  but I am hitting it fairly well.    Usually around the same distance as my old Hawk-Eye VFT   (8* extra stiff pro-force)  but sometimes I catch it better,  and it adds 15 yards or so!

[Used2PlayALot]

Thanks for all the ideas.

I ended up remembering that my brother bought a driver a few years ago, and never plays anymore.

So, I am now the proud owner of a Cleveland Launcher 9.5* that cost me $0.00

I currently have a slight slice/leak in my swing (or I top it),

but enjoyed 2-3 very nice drives with this driver today (210-220 yards based on GPS)

Very pleased.    I still might consider at a 12* driver, if I find one cheap.

http://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_nkw=cleveland+launcher+9.5+&_sacat=0&_odkw=cleveland+launcher+9.5+titanium+driver&_osacat=0

[Used2PlayALot]

Originally Posted by David in FL

Another vote for the R7. Great club that I only recently replaced after playing it for 7 or 8 years.

BTW, I played DCI's for a long time too, and they're also a great set of irons!

Why did you replace the R7 then ?

[Mr. Desmond]

Originally Posted by Used2PlayALot

Why did you replace the R7 then ?

R7 - nice but  not as stable as the current crop of drivers, which are more softly triangular

[ApocG10]

Originally Posted by Used2PlayALot

Why did you replace the R7 then ?

Why not replace it? I have 3 drivers. And Dropped a 500 shaft in the newest (Callaway RAZR Hawk) yesterday after a fitting. Not to mention putting a Nunchuck in the driver I was previously using, just a week ago. Next year i'll buy another, and the year after, probably another again. Some of us like new stuff. There doesn't need to be a reason to get a new club. My Wedges were perfectly fine as well, but I just replaced them with Edel Forged wedges. And I switched putters 4 times before I found 'the one'. Its money well spent. Not to mention, I if I start disliking the feel of a club, I have options. Options are a golfers friend, trust me.

Im not trying to insult or anything, just answering a simple question. Most of us do not need a reason to switch clubs. We do it because we like new tech. And yes, drivers have improved DRAMATICALLY since that Launcher was made. Those 210-220 drives would easily be 230-40 with a used R11, RAZR Hawk/Fit, G20, Cleveland Classic, etc etc. And yes, im serious, you will get better distance with a fairly cheap upgrade. That 400cc launcher is ancient by todays standards. Drivers are the one club where tech truly is improving them constantly. Irons havent gotten much more forgiving, same goes for wedges and putters. But Drivers and woods (and to a lesser extent, hybrids) truly are amazing in their current forms.

And to the person who suggested the Rapture V2, I must say, the original Rapture was the better head with a decent shaft.

[Stacey_E]

Mizuno MX700 is an absolute sleeper club that can be had on the cheap.  This club didn't take off because a lot of Mizuno fans are lower or aspiring to be lower handicaps.  I carried one for two years and it has one hot face, high launch and low spin.  I'd strongly recommend it to any handicap over 5.  Go with a stiffer flex than you normally use because the standard shaft is a tad floppy and the head launches relatively high for the loft on the sole.

Honorable mention to the Big Bertha 460 (the one with the white line on top).  I have hit my longest drives ever with this club in a low loft / high launch shaft combo.

[Hoselrockets]

Love this thread as I'm currently looking for another older driver that plays well as I just put my FT-5 back in the bag after buying a new G20.  Had an R7 a while back and still wish I had that club too.  Keep them coming..

[dsgreen3]

R7 super quad still loving mine

[Used2PlayALot]

UPDATE:

I demo'ed the white Taylormade RBZ 10.5

http://tinyurl.com/d6mesq4

I tried both stiff and regular flex.

I also was hitting a Ping G15 and that old Cleveland driver.

The Taylormade RBZ stiff shaft was unreal.  Massive head.  I felt I could not miss.

I was landing at 200 yards

I have NEVER hit it that far or straight, even when I was a 12 handicap.

Night and day compared to the other drivers.

I do not want to drop $300 on a driver, but am tempted.

Is the R7 the same feel as the new RBZ?

If so, that is what I will buy. And with stiff shaft (even though I an not a hard swinger)