Driver head noise

[logman]

So I was messing about with going back to play as a righty a couple of months back(abandoned) and I bought a cheap driver. Well, cheap is a bit harsh. It's a MD golf 10.5......UST shaft.....Titanium....etc etc. But the thing sounds like a hollow high pitched, BBBOOOIIIINNNKKKK. Like I'd hit the ball with a empty coke can.

My question is does the sound effect performance, cause it sounds like .....crap!

[David Lake]

Titanium/metal driver heads are generally filled with a foam that deadens sound.  In the old days this was not the case and is how Ping got it's name - through the distinctive ping sound it made at impact.  I can only guess that your driver head does not incorporate this foam.  Unless your driver head is otherwise defective, this does not affect performance whatsoever.  You can purchase a can of this foam from any component supplier (GolfWorks, Golfsmith, Hireko, etc.) and fill the clubhead through a small drilled hole.

[Golfingdad]

Originally Posted by logman

So I was messing about with going back to play as a righty a couple of months back(abandoned) and I bought a cheap driver. Well, cheap is a bit harsh. It's a MD golf 10.5......UST shaft.....Titanium....etc etc. But the thing sounds like a hollow high pitched, BBBOOOIIIINNNKKKK. Like I'd hit the ball with a empty coke can.

My question is does the sound effect performance, cause it sounds like .....crap!

When we went to Callaway last May, one of the guys there told us that they design the sound of the drivers/woods to what they think people like to hear.  (They do focus group testing and everything)  I inferred from that that it has absolutely nothing to do with performance.  Ironically, the sound of my Callaway driver was not terribly to my liking.  Just a dull muted thud.  This year's driver, however, has a more pleasing "ping" sound.  Which reminds me ... time to go change my signature. :)

For the record, the worst sounding driver I've ever owned was a MacGregor V-Foil from the late 90's/early 2000's.