Driver Question

[ChvyKc]

Alright, I've been using a 460cc Dunlop driver for about four months now and I recently received a Ping TiSi driver from my father in law after he upgraded. The TiSi is a 323cc driver. I've always had a problem with larger drivers wanting to balloon on me and they have no roll on the end at all. They tend to just hang up there and fall dead. I even tried a Cleveland 9.5 degree driver that was 460cc and had the same problem.

After I switched to the smaller Ping I don't do that anymore. The ball seems to stay lower and I actually gained about 10-15 yards on my drives. Should I stick with smaller headed drivers or am I just hitting the larger heads wrong? In other words, will the smaller headed drivers keep the ball down and keep it from ballooning?

[KingCobra]

If you like the trajectory of the smaller head, then stick with it. If you want a smaller yet large head with great distance and trajectory, try a 425 cc head.

[ChvyKc]

If you like the trajectory of the smaller head, then stick with it. If you want a smaller yet large head with great distance and trajectory, try a 425 cc head.

That's what I was thinking about going to when I upgrade. I learned how to play with my dad's old school Wilson persimmon woods. The larger heads always looked weird at address and as soon as I started using one I started having the above problem. Will moving the ball back in my stance a little help keep the ball down as well?

[powertrip240]

Will moving the ball back in my stance a little help keep the ball down as well?

Theoretically, yes.

[LBlack14]

The shaft has alot to do with the ball balooning also. A soft tip (low Kick/bend point) shaft causes more spin therefore a higher launch. Try a high kickpoint/tip stiff shaft and that should cut down on the spin rate giving a lower more boreing ball flight. By the way the Ping you got was one of the longest in its day. Dont be afraid of the bigger heads. Right loft plus the right shaft and you'll see what I'm talkin 'bout. Good Luck

Prolaunch Red
VS Proto
Diamana Whiteboard
V2
Graman UL 780

Just to name a few

[Big_M]

The shaft has alot to do with the ball balooning also. A soft tip (low Kick/bend point) shaft causes more spin therefore a higher launch. Try a high kickpoint/tip stiff shaft and that should cut down on the spin rate giving a lower more boreing ball flight.

I would have to agree... bigger heads = more foregiveness and help 95% of us. That shaft is the likely culprit of balooning. But, you have to play what you like too, there is nothing wrong with playing the old driver, just realize that a 460cc that is fitted properly would probably be ideal (produce better drives more often).

[ChvyKc]

The shaft has alot to do with the ball balooning also. A soft tip (low Kick/bend point) shaft causes more spin therefore a higher launch. Try a high kickpoint/tip stiff shaft and that should cut down on the spin rate giving a lower more boreing ball flight. By the way the Ping you got was one of the longest in its day. Dont be afraid of the bigger heads. Right loft plus the right shaft and you'll see what I'm talkin 'bout. Good Luck

Thanks, both of the drivers that I tried with the larger heads had stock shafts on them so I have no idea what the kickpoint was on them. I did do some looking around on the TiSi before I got it from him. I kind of mentioned that I wanted it and thought that he might give it to me for Christmas. I know that it won some long drive contests back then.

The biggest thing with me on the newer drivers is they feel so light. My Dunlop feels way lighter than the Ping and I definately like the heavier feel. I tested a TaylorMade Burner at Dick's a couple of weeks ago and it's like swinging just the shaft. The head doesn't feel like it weighs anything.

[Big_M]

yeah... the lightness is weird at first. 3 years ago I was playing a steel driver that I would guess was about 250cc, and had a steel DG shaft, was 43 1/2 inches long, and was about 12 years old. When I upgraded I couldn't go straight to 460cc, it felt too weird. So I got a Nike Ignite 360cc clone. Just last year I swapped it out for a Sasquatch because now that I had gotten used to a bigger head and graphite shaft I could finally swing the bigger clubs. Here's my benefits breakdown...

old steel McGreggor - 235yd average and less than half fairways (but wildly inconsistent)
Nike Ignite 360cc - 250yd average and about 1/2 my fairways
New Sasquatch 460cc - 260yd average and more than 1/2 fairways... also misses are much, much better, usually just a little offline and shorter.

Also, I've hit more 300 yarders than I could ever have imagined. Even my wife notices the difference between the New 460 and the old 360, and says that it was money well spent. Of course I only paid $75 bucks for the new head and had it put on my old shaft that I liked... with a nice mid kickpoint. I tried it out on a launch monitor a few months ago and luckily (since I never was fitted for the driver) my launch conditions are near perfect for my ball speed.

Bottom line... I understand EXACTLY what you're saying about weight... I felt as if I had no idea where the club was, but once you get used to it, it WILL benefit you.

[LBlack14]

Big M, aaah the old PF 65 Gold. Was and still is one of my favorites. I've still got a Driver, 3W and 5W with them. Can't seem to get myself to get rid of 'em. That's a shaft he might try. Reasonably priced and TIP STIFF.

[Big_M]

Big M, aaah the old PF 65 Gold. Was and still is one of my favorites. I've still got a Driver, 3W and 5W with them. Can't seem to get myself to get rid of 'em. That's a shaft he might try. Reasonably priced and TIP STIFF.

Indeed... I looked at upgrading with the V2, but I love these shafts. Plus, at $35-40, they are a steal. They feel better that many much more expensive shafts I have tried... of course I've tried the other shafts in a wide variety of clubs, but I've tried these in three or four clubs too.

[ChvyKc]

Is there a place that sells just the heads of name brand clubs? I know how important properly sized equipment is. I bowled seriously all throughout high school and the first part of college and I know how important a properly fitted ball was for that sport. I'm sure a properly fitted set of clubs would help me out on the course.

Also, any recommendations on shaft flex?

[neudi]

I think name brand clubs are already assembled, you can buy a name brand head with a shaft and and just cut the shaft out.

[Big_M]

Basically the breakdown of how clubs are sold is something like this...

OEM's (i.e. Nike, Callaway, Taylor Made, etc.)
Clubs are generally sold already shafted and gripped. Depending on the manufacturer, there may be several shaft options or very few. Most good golf shops will allow you to hit the drivers in diffrent shaft options and many now have launch monitors. A fitting service is usually free if you actually buy one of the clubs. This of course will run between $200 and $600 dollars depending on which driver you want. If you look around you can probably find places to demo new clubs and when you find one that fits (gives good launch conditions) you can look for the best price.

Knockoffs and Clones
These are components that can purchased seperately (just the head). These components are designed to perform similarly to the OEMs. Some are good, others are not... you just have to try them to find out. Usually you can find the clones about 6 months to a year after the OEM releases the club, sometimes sooner. If you like a specific driver (i.e. r7 taylormade, sumo2, ping rapture) you can probably find a few different clones of these heads. The cost of the heads is usually betweem $50 and $100. Then you add a shaft. You can add the same one as is on the OEM, or select one you like. If you find a compenents place, they should have some made up with a variety of shafts. Shafts will range from $25 to $100, and some are much more... but a decent one can easily be found for the 25-100 range. Club assembly should run about $10-20 and they should spine the driver for this price. My driver is a clone, and I actually hit it a tiny bit better than the OEM, since I choose a shaft better suited to me and I like it's look a little better (it's blue not black... and doesn't have a two color head). I paid $65 for the head, $35 for my shaft, add a grip and assembly... it costs around $130 and plays like a dream. The key is really to find a place with enough assembled components on different shafts. Or if you really like an OEM with ___ shaft, try to find a head that "feels" the same, and put the same shaft in it.

Component Makers
these are much the same as knockoffs/clones, but don't necessarily try to imitate a specific model club from the OEMs. Snake Eyes and Maltby are two of the big ones, but there are several others. You can usually get these with whatever setup you want as well, and some are very good clubs that are cheaper than off the shelf OEMs.

Fakes
ebay and other sources may have clubs that look exactly like an OEM but are actually fakes. Decals may be slightly off, or paint may be a little different, but they can be EXTREMELY hard to spot. Some play just fine, but it is a risk when you don't know the seller.

[LBlack14]

You'd have to pull the shaft, don't cut it. Have someone Qualified do it, if you don't know what your doing. Like M said, OEM's come assembled generally. You can find 'em on Ebay and golf BST(Buy Sell Trade) forums. Be careful though counterfitters are out there. Ask for serial #'s to make sure with the OEM that it is indeed their head. I would check into components if I were you. Fine quality and just as good technically as OEMs just you can get them fitted to your specs ie: length and Lie angles. Plus whatever shaft fits you best. Usually cheaper also. Maltby and Golfsmith are 2 as wel TWGT(Tom Wishon Golf Technology), SMT and others.