New driver or putter?

[klineka]

So my birthday is coming up in October, and my wife has said she will give me about $225-$250 for a big golf purchase. I have it narrowed down to either a new putter or a used driver, (I have no issue with used clubs, my current driver, 3 wood, 3 hybrid, and lob wedge are used) 

Info about driver and putter that I currently have

Driver: Taylormade R1 with the Oban Kiyoshi shaft, which I believe was a premium and fairly expensive shaft option for that driver. It is the stiff flex, and my swing speed based on the launch monitor they have at golf galaxy is typically around 105-110. I have the driver loft at 12 degrees and that has given me the best distance. I feel that this club is not very forgiving on off center strikes, the driver sounds flat and the ball doesnt seem to jump as it does for other drivers I have used before (have used Taylormade M2 2016 model as a rental at a couple courses and it feels so much faster)

I was not fitted for it, but was able to get it for cheap from craigslist ($60)

 

Putter: Acuity putter that came with my original boxed set of clubs that I got back in 2007. I have been putting well with it, but I have been trying out different putters every so often at the store and they feel so much more solid than mine does. Mine feels pretty hollow if I dont hit it directly in the middle of the face. I really like the feel with the Taylormade Spider putter but hate how it looks when I am standing over the ball. 

 

With a little background on each club, these are the options I am trying to choose from

1. Get fitted for a driver at Golf Galaxy and buy a used model of the driver I like/hit the best. 

2. Get fitted for a driver, keep the current shaft I have and get an M2 or other taylormade head to put on that shaft

3. Get fitted for a driver so I know what specs are the best for me, get a putter that feels the best for me

4. Get fitted for a putter and get the putter that fits/feels best.

 

I cant decide which option to do, and also struggle with trying to determine whether the driver or putter would help my game the most. Any advice?

[Bogeyman22]

You didn't say how far you drive. 14 drives per round with your driver. 36ish (give or take) putts. Sounds like both need to be replaced. New technology has greatly improved drivers. New styles in putters are exciting.I say $225 buys you a great new putter. Ping, Odd, Taylormade, Titleist and more. I vote for option 3.

[saevel25]

If you putt well with your putter, then keep it. 

I would say getting fitted for a driver would be the best choice if your putter already works for you.

[klineka]

11 minutes ago, Bogeyman22 said:

You didn't say how far you drive. 14 drives per round with your driver. 36ish (give or take) putts. Sounds like both need to be replaced. New technology has greatly improved drivers. New styles in putters are exciting.I say $225 buys you a great new putter. Ping, Odd, Taylormade, Titleist and more. I vote for option 3.

I am pretty tall (6'4") and young/athletic so I do hit all of my clubs above average distance wise. Verified with GPS and range finder, my drives are consistently 250-265, with the occasional one (maybe once per round) that will roll out into upper 270s-280s

 

 

7 minutes ago, saevel25 said:

If you putt well with your putter, then keep it. 

I would say getting fitted for a driver would be the best choice if your putter already works for you.

I do feel comfortable with my putter, but I cant help but wonder if a newer one would offer more forgivness and not feel as hollow on off center putts?

Is getting fit for a putter as important as it is for driver/other clubs?

[Hardspoon]

20 minutes ago, klineka said:

Is getting fit for a putter as important as it is for driver/other clubs?

I'd say it's not AS important...you can adjust for an improperly fit putter in a way you can't with full swings.

You can also accomplish some aspects of a putter fitting on your own, with a mirror and laser pointer.

That said...I went and got a putter fitting, and I'm glad I did. Here's the thing: I'll have that putter forever. Putter technology doesn't change like driver/iron tech does. So you get more for your money with the putter, if you think long-term.

[saevel25]

9 hours ago, klineka said:

Is getting fit for a putter as important as it is for driver/other clubs?

Depends on the golfer. If the golfer is struggling with distance control that it is causing them to three putt at a high rate. Then a putter fitting probably would have a more immediate impact on their score than a driver fitting. Lets say their ill-fitted driver is causing them to lose 20 yards of distance. Which could happen. That could cost them strokes as well.

 

 

 

[klineka]

1 hour ago, saevel25 said:

Depends on the golfer. If the golfer is struggling with distance control that it is causing them to three putt at a high rate. Then a putter fitting probably would have a more immediate impact on their score than a driver fitting. Lets say their ill-fitted driver is causing them to lose 20 yards of distance. Which could happen. That could cost them strokes as well.

So this is where my indecision comes into play. On centered strikes I have no issue with driving distance. About 50% of the drives are straight, about 50% have some fade to them, sometimes I can control it, sometimes it is way offline. On off centered strikes, the ball feels dead and doesnt seem like it goes as far, typically like 240 or so. I dont expect to gain 20 yards on the well struck drives simply by getting a new driver, but I hope that a new driver would increase the feeling and keep more of the distance on the off center hits.

For the putter, distance control has actually been one of my strengths this season so far, here are the number of putts in my last 8 rounds, averages out to 33.75, or 1.86 putts per hole. 

33
32
33
36
29
34
38
35

Im not sure how those numbers compare to other people with a similar handicap as me, maybe those statistics will help people assess if a new putter would help or to go with the driver?

[saevel25]

33 minutes ago, klineka said:

Im not sure how those numbers compare to other people with a similar handicap as me, maybe those statistics will help people assess if a new putter would help or to go with the driver?

It depends on the length of putts you are making. Being a 13 handicap you probably hit about 25% GIR. You should have more short putts since you have more short game shots. It's tough to say with actually seeing you putt, or having data like strokes gained putting.

Putts per round isn't really a good stat. It values a 3 FT putt the same as a 30 FT putt. You should be making a 3 FT putt more than 95% of the time (hopefully near 99%). You might make a 30 FT putt 2% of the time.

[Mr. Desmond]

Driver -

Are hitting a lot of fairways?

U say R1 is not forgiving. You have a high swingspeed. How is the quality of your swing?

Oban Kiyoshi What Color? Purple, Gold, Black??

Try: Callaway Epic(s), Cobra, Ping G400, TM M2 2017, 917 (all new). If used, try OEMs in 2015-2016 models.  If you like the Kiyoshi and the TM, then go that way. But an adapter is only $20, and you can change it and install any OEM head.

Look for fairways hit and distance.

Putter: forget feel as a priority. Get something you aim correctly - a shape that when you are aiming it what you think is the hole, it is actually the hole. Find a SeeMore Triangulator for $10 or get an Edel fitting. The feel stuff is vital for comfort but find out what you can aim/hosel/sightlines and then face/insert.

[klineka]

2 minutes ago, saevel25 said:

It depends on the length of putts you are making. Being a 13 handicap you probably hit about 25% GIR. You should have more short putts since you have more short game shots. It's tough to say with actually seeing you putt, or having data like strokes gained putting.

Putts per round isn't really a good stat. It values a 3 FT putt the same as a 30 FT putt. You should be making a 3 FT putt more than 95% of the time (hopefully near 99%). You might make a 30 FT putt 2% of the time.

I dont have stats for strokes gained putting, but I do have the score with GIR% from each round with the number of putts. Some of these rounds even though it was a GIR, I might have been 40 feet+ away from the hole

 

Score	Putts	GIR
79	33	50%
80	32	33%
81	33	44%
86	36	39%
78	29	33%
80	34	39%
81	38	61%
85	35	28%

Based on what you said with a 13 handicap should be getting about 25% GIR, with all of my rounds getting higher GIR% than that, it would seem that the value for me right now might be more in the putter compared to the driver?

[klineka]

4 minutes ago, Mr. Desmond said:

Driver -

Are hitting a lot of fairways?

U say R1 is not forgiving. You have a high swingspeed. How is the quality of your swing?

Oban Kiyoshi What Color? Purple, Gold, Black??

Try: Callaway Epic(s), Cobra, Ping G400, TM M2 2017, 917 (all new). If used, try OEMs in 2015-2016 models.  If you like the Kiyoshi and the TM, then go that way. But an adapter is only $20, and you can change it and install any OEM head.

Look for fairways hit and distance.

Putter: forget feel as a priority. Get something you aim correctly - a shape that when you are aiming it what you think is the hole, it is actually the hole. Find a SeeMore Triangulator for $10 or get an Edel fitting. The feel stuff is vital for comfort but find out what you can aim/hosel/sightlines and then face/insert.

I would say I hit a decent amount of fairways. Not hitting dead straight every time, but its not terrible. I would like to have more confidence in the accuracy of the driver, right now its more of a hopeful swing that it goes straight instead of a "i know this will go straight" kind of swing.

The Oban shaft is the Oban R1 Kiyoshi White 04 65G shaft. The 04 means stiff flex for the Oban brand. I didnt realize you could get an adapter that would allow any brand of head to go on that shaft. I am definitely open to that idea as well, there isnt anything wrong with the shaft, it doesnt feel too whippy.

Here is my swing for reference, I think each persons interpretation of a quality swing is different so I'll let you decide 

 

[Mr. Desmond]

1 hour ago, klineka said:

I would say I hit a decent amount of fairways. Not hitting dead straight every time, but its not terrible. I would like to have more confidence in the accuracy of the driver, right now its more of a hopeful swing that it goes straight instead of a "i know this will go straight" kind of swing.

The Oban shaft is the Oban R1 Kiyoshi White 04 65G shaft. The 04 means stiff flex for the Oban brand. I didnt realize you could get an adapter that would allow any brand of head to go on that shaft. I am definitely open to that idea as well, there isnt anything wrong with the shaft, it doesnt feel too whippy.

Here is my swing for reference, I think each persons interpretation of a quality swing is different so I'll let you decide 

 

I'm not qualified to conduct swing analysis - @iacas and @mvmac do that very well in your post above.

I did have the R1 - I had to use a lot of energy to get it to go - it felt like a heavy head. I gave it to my 25 yr old son who still plays it.

Both Taylormade and Callaway have preowned sites and they carry brands besides their own. But you need to get fit. If you don't like your swing and are changing it, fitting may not help at the moment. If you are sticking with your basic consistent swing, they can fit easier.  Retailers also carry older product that you can hit into a monitor. I think obtaining more distance and hitting fairways is key, so I'd say spend money on a driver first, and then putter. I've changed adapters on shafts, so if you don't go TM, no issue if you have a good clubmaker. As to getting fit, I like it best outdoor on a monitor where you can see flight.

The "right" driver may give you a few more yards, but what you are looking for is consistent long distance - more room for error. And that's what I hear from your posts. But picking up more yards is great, too.

I see many used putters - heck you can pick up a new Ping for $100 or so or less. Find one that you can aim correctly - See SeeMore Triangulator to test aim or a store might have a laser.

Edited July 31, 2017 by Mr. Desmond

[Mr. Desmond]

By the way, if you know or find an Odyssey putter you can aim correctly today and like, callawaygolfpreowned has 40% off their like new/pre owned Odyssey putters - but it's the last day for 40% off

Edited July 31, 2017 by Mr. Desmond

[Kalnoky]

Definitely get a driver. IMO you can find a better used putter for less $$$ than you can a driver. Use your $225-$250 to get the maximum value you can. 

Re: below.. Interesting. I am at 25.74% GIR. Where did you find this info @saevel25 

3 hours ago, saevel25 said:

Being a 13 handicap you probably hit about 25% GIR.

[saevel25]

Just now, Kalnoky said:

Definitely get a driver. IMO you can find a better used putter for less $$$ than you can a driver. Use your $225-$250 to get the maximum value you can. 

Re: below.. Interesting. I am at 25.74% GIR. Where did you find this info @saevel25 

Do a Google search for GIR versus Handicap. There are a few sources that chart this. Given, a golfer can obviously vary on this, maybe as much as +10% if there is a glaring weakness in putting or short game.

[klineka]

Here's one example I found. Based on my GIR percentage alone, it seems like I should be a lower handicap than what I am.

[Foot Wedge]

@klineka Get fit for the driver and try to get a used putter.  Do you know if your putter stroke has some arc to it?  Or if it's straight back-straight through?  This will determine if you should be using a face balanced putter, or one with toe hang.  Check this and how much the toe of your putter hangs (if at all) when balanced horizontally.  Now you'll know what kind of putter you need.  Then try a few out, and buy it used.  If you want you can get it adjusted by a tech to better fit you.  Toe hang putters want to open/close in the stroke, face balanced putters remain stable.  It helps to have a putter that doesn't fight against your stroke.

[klineka]

As of right now, I think I have decided on what I want to do. I have no issues with the Oban shaft that is on my current R1 driver, so I think I will show the wife the 2016 M2 driver head only, 10.5 degrees (that way I can take it up to 12 right away and then lower it over time if my swing changes) put the M2 driver head on the Oban shaft and then worry about a driver fitting once my swing is in a more solid, consistent state.

I have found some of the driver head only on ebay for around $175, so then I think I will take the other ~$50 or so plus a little of my own cash and put it towards a putter. Based on the ones I have tested out at the putting green at Golf Galaxy, I am leaning towards this one right now

https://www.tgw.com/odyssey-white-hot-rx--1-putters

Thoughts on this plan?

 

@Foot Wedge saw your response as I was typing mine. I wouldnt mind getting the driver fitting, as others here have mentioned I'm just not sure if it would be beneficial at the moment if I am working on my swing and plan to get a couple lessons this winter for the first time ever. I have used the M2 as a rental club 3 or 4 different rounds and I have hit it well every time, the ball just seems to jump off the face of it and my regular driver feels like a rock compared to that.

I do believe my putter stroke is a tiny bit of an arc, but generally straight back-straight through, if that makes sense. In my head I think that I want to make the arc, mainly so that the putter doesnt go out and away from my body on the back swing, and by thinking of making the arc, it typically maintains a straight-back straight through appearance.