What weight driver?

[turtleback]

Cleveland has a series of drivers, the Launcher, that vary by weight.  Which weight would be best for a bogey golfer with a fairly slow swingspeed?  I use a regular flex shaft and my current average reasonable solid drive is in the 200-215 range.  I recently got the Cleveland Mashie 3W and 5W and I really like them and hit them pretty far (compared to my old 3&5 woods), and I think the reason is the Miyazaki shaft, so I am thinking of upgrading my driver to one with the same shaft.  All of the Launchers use that shaft and it seems as if the lighter version of the club would be better for my swingspeed, or lack of swing speed, but I don't know if that reasoning is sound.  Does 20 grams of total weight, between the 270 and the 290 really make that much of a difference?

[WUTiger]

You're talking about the Launcher Ultralites (circa 2010) in 270, 290 and 310 grams total weight.

Lightweight shafts and lightweight clubs have limits on their benefits. Golf Digest suggested recently if the club is too light - total weight or swingweight - the average golfer has trouble feeling it near the top, and trouble dropping it into the slot. Supposedly, it takes an excellent ballstriker to really maximize the superlight clubs.

Last year I tried the 2012 Cleveland Classic 270 and 290 drivers, and got better feel and performance out of the R-flex 290. I have about 85 MPH swing speed, not terribly fast. (Also, the Classic 290 clearly outperformed the original RBZ driver).

I ended up getting a Callaway RazrFit driver (about 310 grams), which allowed me to make useful adjustments as my swing developed.

IF you could, try out both Launchers and Classics on the launch monitor, and use shot dispersion and feel to help make your choice for best total weight.

[Mr. Desmond]

Typically, a lighter club with a 45 inch length and a decent swing weight will assist the distance challenged, lower speed golfer.

I've used a higher swing weight driver - I think Taylormade once made a D6 driver as standard. I found it too heavy at the end of the club.

But I would look for a driver that is 45 inches, a 196-200g head, a 55g shaft, and a D3 swingweight (so you can feel the head during the swing and not get too quick).

But if you're going for the Cleveland, do what WU Tiger suggested, and get on a launch monitor with the two drivers of different weights and see what happens.

[antnee94]

I just went for a driver fitting. They measured my swing weight of my old Titleist 910 D2 at E1. I put about 5 pieces of high density lead tape near the hosel to help close the club face when I try and draw the ball.

When I bought my 913, I measured the tape on the 910 and put it in the same pattern on my new club. I've loaded all my clubs up with lead take increasing swing weight by 2-3 points on my irons.

I would love to get my wedges measures. They are covered in tape making them feel like hammers.