New help finding new driver

[MULVn8tor]

Ok so I am 18 years old and have a fast swing speed (not sure the number) I hit my callaway diablo octane consistently 290-300 yards I'm looking to maybe get a driver a year or two old so I don't break the bank since I just got new irons. I'm a cobra guy but the driver doesn't matter to me. I have been looking at maybe a r11 or r11s but have not tried them. I hit the zl encore pretty good but it's a bit pricey.

[Rick Martin]

I only hit my drives 250-260 best and my swing speed is roughly 90-95 mph and I recently picked up a used Titleist 910 D2 off the rack of a local Golfsmith here in Tampa/STP. I only hit it indoors on their simulator and was concerned about the stiff shaft Precision X on it with my speed. I'm happy with it - have had it for about 1 month and feel like my driving accuracy is a strength in my game - and for the courses I play from the middle tees, I wouldn't benefit too much from more distance anyway. I can work the ball if I need to and it really has a good feel that lets you know when you hit it correctly.

Recommend you look at used Titleist drivers. They're coming down in price, are adjustable (I haven't touched mine -it's in "neutral"). I think I paid $140 for a driver that looks like it was never hit before.

http://www.golfsmith.com/product/30047129/titleist-910-d2-driver

[MULVn8tor]

Thanks ill check that out. I live in Canada and there is only one major golf store in Winnipeg and they do not sell many used clubs. Ill keep my eye out for one on the Internet

[Rick Martin]

If they have demo's days at your local courses, get out and test drive different drivers as you'd hate to buy a club that you haven't hit -  the shafts are too variable to pick a club off the rack without testing it against your swing

[mgd150]

Try out the burner 2.0, just picked one up and I like it a lot.

[MULVn8tor]

I actually tried that last year and severely hooked everything and the guy at golftown told me its to light and long for my awing

[Fireblade]

I play a Callaway Diablo Octane Black Tour 9.5* driver which is about three years old, and I was very, very happy with it, that was until I picked up a 3W version in the used bin at ********. It had an NV after market shaft which is just sweet, and it made my driver seem less than the club I used to see it as.

Speaking with the club fitter at ******** about why this would be he said because the standard stiff shaft in the Callaway driver is pants. He put me on the machine to see my numbers, I took six swings and he said OK I think I know what would benefit you. He pulled out a Fujikura Fit-On Max 65G S Flex shaft and said this is what I think you need. $75 for the shaft and costs to re-grip etc took the bill to $125. This club now sings like a bird. It fits my swing and I regularly smile after I drive. This puppy is staying in my bag, period.

Summary:

Bargains abound in the used club bins at retail outlets and also online at the likes of 2ndswing.com

[MULVn8tor]

Ok so at 2nd swing golf I can get a r11, r11s or zl encore white all for around the same price. Anyone play them or think ones better?

[papswing]

Without wishing to come across as an ass here, but if you really do hit 290 - 300yds consistently what the hell do you need a new driver for?

[MS256]

If you demo a driver and find one that you hit really well try to buy THAT driver (if they will let you). Not one "just like it" that they will pull off of the rack in the back. Plenty of people hit a driver great on demo day and then wonder why the club "just like it" that they took home doesn't work as well.

Two identically marked shafts are NOT identical at all. Sometimes we think we are comparing apples with apples when trying out drivers when we are actually comparing apples with oranges. One club may happen to have just the right shaft for our swing and the other may not. Don't go too much by another person's experience with one brand or another's driver. They may have had one that fit their swing just right or one that didn't.

Dustin Johnson and JB Holmes probably have similar swing speeds but likely load the shaft differently because of the length of their swings and might need different shaft dynamics.

Also keep in mind that if you get an "adjustable" driver that you are hitting well just as soon as you rotate the club face the spine is going to rotate and the shaft may not (and probably won't) perform like it would if it were properly inserted. The club companies don't like to mention that problem with adjustable drivers.

Fireblade's experience (comment above) is typical and he did a smart thing. As soon as he went to a fitter and got the right shaft, I assume properly installed, his driver hit the ball much better.

[MULVn8tor]

Papswing it is because I don't hit it straight It's the only club in the bag that I slice. I know it's probably not the club but whenever I pull it out I get a mental thought were I know I'm going to slice. I have no confidence in it. Hitting it that far just makes my ball go further into the bushes.

[clearwaterms]

I have the same problem with the driver slice. I have a swing speed right at about 100 when I am swinging for the fences and closer to 97 when I take a controlled swing. This means that my carry is anywhere from 235 to 255. So I don't hit it anywhere near as far as you. I learned a while back that slice is caused by an out to in swing path. A over the top move will cause an out to in swing path, the longer shaft of the driver causes the problem to be exaggerated and the path becomes even more out to in. Anyway, this spring I got fitted for a new driver, and tried every driver, and found that a new driver did NOT fix the problem. I believe that I have a handle on the problem and have managed to curb my slice to a manageable fade. The new club had NO effect on it, it was me reading Iacas's article on swing path and face angles effect on ball fight. Then going to the range and working on swing path until I found out why I was coming over the top. It remains to be seen if the success I had on the range will translate to the course. My point is that a new driver will not solve your problem. I am a big fan of buying new clubs, and if you want a new driver just to get a new driver, by all means people will give you lots of great suggestions and support our economy through the consumption of goods. Best of luck in your pursuit.

[MULVn8tor]

Ya I kind of understand that it's not the club but just that every other club in the bag goes straight and also my old Nike sumo2 hit beautifully( couldn't stand the sound or the squared head)

[dak4n6]

I think I just saw Cobra Amps previous generation in the tgw catalogue for 199..

[papswing]

MULVn8tor, i'm the same as you, I love buying new clubs but like you hit a terrible slice, which is starting to come under control, I'll pass on the best bit of advice i've received on here, save the money you were going to spend on a driver and use it on some lessons, my slice seems to be coming from not enough shoulder turn on the back swing.

[Rick Martin]

I love buying a secondhand driver that some guy paid $399 for, hit ten times on his home course, decided shouldn't have bought it and trades it in. I get it for $145.

[tomvk77]

why do you want an other driver if this one fits? i'm dreaming off hitting it 290-300 all the time

[MS256]

Originally Posted by tomvk77

why do you want an other driver if this one fits? i'm dreaming off hitting it 290-300 all the time

Because 290-300 yards doesn't amount to a hill of beans if it's in the woods. Sometimes it's the arrow and sometimes it's the Indian but the Indian might as well have a straight arrow so he knows it's him.

Nothing worse than struggling with a club that doesn't fit and making all kinds of adjustments to try to make it work, and ending up with different swings for different clubs.

Problem is buying another driver off of the rack is only buying another lottery ticket. Good thing about it is that Rick can then buy that driver at half price a month later when they buy another lottery ticket because they couldn't hit that one.

Sometimes something as simple as some lead tape or a hack saw can turn a driver that doesn't fit into one that does. Sometimes the shaft is so wrong it's beyond help.