Can a driver go "dead"?

[Hotrodjrd]

I'm assuming irons don't, but can a driver go "dead"?  Meaning it loses it's sweetspot, or simply wears out from use.  If so, about how long will the average driver last until you should upgrade?  I only play actual rounds of golf probably 1-2 a month but I'm constantly at the driving range practicing so I've hit my driver quite a bit in the 2+ years I've had it.

[Derrick Parker]

I don't know about dead, but I had one that rattled inside so I got a new one.

[PuttsLefty]

Go dead, I don't think so. I've seen a driver where the face had collapsed and you can crack one. My favorite driver is still my Titleist 975D that has been hit well into 4 digits and I don't think it's lost a single yard in distance. Any club can be damaged but there's usually a a indication of it. Back in the day it was instant, when the outer half of my old persimmon heads would head down the fairway with the ball.

[GaijinGolfer]

The metal could fatigue eventually but it would take tens of thousands of hits before that would happen.

[WUTiger]

I was at a golf shop four years ago on a rainy day. Two small-college golfers, plus the high school little brother of one, were testing out drivers. All three of them had seen a power hitter "cave in" the face of a driver.

Being that driver heads are bigger than other metal woods, there's more chance for the metal braces to get damaged from repeated hits.

As per PuttsLefty, persimmon-headed woods tended to snap to the left or right edge of the face insert.

[Always an 80]

If the face is shaved I have seen dents in them and this will Kill them so to speak. Sweet spot thrown completely off or gone altogether. Can tinsel strength disappear? Have not heard of it before. Thin faced clubs are usually titanium in order to handle the usage but still retain the thin face trampoline effect. If I have had a club long enough that I would ask this type of question I will definitely be at the golf shop looking for something more up to date. Just came from the shop with something new on Wednesday. I looked guilty when walking in the house. My wife asked if new gun or new golf club. Lol. It was my new driver. Do not know if it was dead or not but it was 30 years old. I say it was dead! Now I have a new excuse for replacing clubs. Thanks!!!

[Hardballs]

Never heard of it either! But good excuse for her indoors! I think you'd need a long drivers swing speed or a poor quality club to cave the face in! And even then it would take a long time!