Is it time for a new club(s)?

seanynova

hi,

i was in a golf store at the weekend for the first time in years and couldnt get over the size of the driver heads!!! so i decided to try them out on the simulator range.....hit the ball fine.....

after i left, it got me thinking to when i bought my driver....about 15-16years ago!
granted back then it was a fairly top club 'callaway great big bertha'' but back then if you asked me to use a 15year old club it would have been wooden!

so, i went back to the store today to compare my club to the new ones and it seems that i hit the ball further by 20-30yards with the new clubs.

i tried a new taylor made '??? 2.0' (white head), a very large ping '???' and a titliest '???' (has an adjustable head/shaft gadget).
i hit them all pretty well, same as my old club but the new clubs were just that bit longer.

so, is it time for a new club?

i rarely play - max 100 holes a year and some years as little as 30 holes id say.
back when i used to play a lot is say to my pro - 'im thinking of getting a new driver'. his reply would be 'how are you hitting your current one?'. id say 'fine'.....to which he would respond, 'then why do you want to change it!'.

so since then, im using the same great/big betha woods(from new '96ish), X12 irons(from new '98) and a ping putter from the 70s.

slave1

I'd get a second hand "new" driver and leave it at that, it's always enjoyable hitting a flush and long drive and the new 460cc driver heads are a leap over the older type. Bound to be loads in the second hand bin in most golf shops plus the likes of adverts.ie

newport2

Agree with slave1. Pick yourself up a Taylormade r7 or something like that a few years old if you don't play much. Should get one for about €60. Technology has come on hugely since your current club, but not much change in the last few years, mainly marketing. If you buy a 4 year old driver now, you'll notice a huge difference.

seanynova

cheers,

are all (or most) drivers these days very large heads? back when i played a lot, ping came out with a large head driver but back then i didnt like it.

are there any clubs that suit better/poorer golfer with goood or bad technique?

at the virtual range, i didnt seem to get much feel back from the taylormade 2.0 & the ping but the titleist felt a bit better....is this in my head, or an actual drawback to using a larger headed driver?

thanks, either way ill keep my eye on the second hand stores/online sales.

newport2

seanynova wrote: »

cheers,

are all (or most) drivers these days very large heads? back when i played a lot, ping came out with a large head driver but back then i didnt like it.

are there any clubs that suit better/poorer golfer with goood or bad technique?

at the virtual range, i didnt seem to get much feel back from the taylormade 2.0 & the ping but the titleist felt a bit better....is this in my head, or an actual drawback to using a larger headed driver?

thanks, either way ill keep my eye on the second hand stores/online sales.

Nearly all of them are the maximum 460 cc, the few exceptions being the tour preferred versions generally, which might be about 420cc and are generally less easy to hit.

No disadvantage really, unless you want to work the ball. Still very possible to, but a bit more difficult. I suspect that won't bother you if you don't play that much. Obviously with much more forgiveness you'll get a bit less feedback as you say.

Find one that you hit well at the virtual range, take a note of the shaft flex and the loft. Then try and pick up something similar secondhand.

www.golfbidder.co.uk is a good spot for second hand clubs.

seanynova

was at the local second hand store the other day and saw an X460 tour driver with a stiff fujikura shaft for $50 - would this be a good option to bring me up to a more modern standard of driver? (to replace my great big bertha from '96). i gernerally dont like 460cc drivers but cant rreally get away from that now.

also, a good selection of burner 3-woods too (prob '08 & '09 models), $50 also - any issue (besides astetics) regarding have different manufactures clubs in the bag?

spacecoyote

Titleist 910D3 might be an option for you, as the head is a little smaller if you really don't want something at the 460CC end of things.

Should be able to get one at a reasonable price now, as the range has moved on.

Its one of your adjustable drivers.

As to shaft, go into a shop and get them to stick you on a launch monitor, they should be able to tell you whether you need regular, stiff, x-stiff, etc...

I've a Titleist Driver, TM burner 2.0 3w & TM RBZ hybrids. Don't see any issue other than aesthetics with having different brands in the bag. Whatever works best is what you should be using

charlieIRL

I know where there is a lovely taylormade R9 driver and 3 wood for sale!!!!!;)

BOB81

Would have to recommend ping g10/g15, can be got for very reasonable prices second hand these days

spacecoyote

charlieIRL wrote: »

I know where there is a lovely taylormade R9 driver and 3 wood for sale!!!!!;)

subtle...subtle as a brick to the face

John Divney

I'd just upgrade to the Big Bertha Ti 454, great club (circa 2005), still a great club, not much improvement from Calloway if you ask me.

You can get them for next to nothing, I sold mine for 30 euro on adverts, do not go near any newer drivers if you only play that few holes, because they just aren't any way better to justify the price.

seanynova

John Divney wrote: »

I'd just upgrade to the Big Bertha Ti 454, great club (circa 2005), still a great club, not much improvement from Calloway if you ask me.

You can get them for next to nothing, I sold mine for 30 euro on adverts, do not go near any newer drivers if you only play that few holes, because they just aren't any way better to justify the price.

I just googled the ti 454, it seems similar to the great big bertha (GBB), only it has a larger head from what I can see....

spacecoyote wrote: »

subtle...subtle as a brick to the face

Unless free shipping is on offer to Canada, it will have to stay as a plug

BOB81 wrote: »

Would have to recommend ping g10/g15, can be got for very reasonable prices second hand these days

For some reason, I have never taken a liking to Ping drivers (I do have a Ping putter though )

spacecoyote wrote: »

Titleist 910D3 might be an option for you, as the head is a little smaller if you really don't want something at the 460CC end of things.

Should be able to get one at a reasonable price now, as the range has moved on.

Its one of your adjustable drivers.

As to shaft, go into a shop and get them to stick you on a launch monitor, they should be able to tell you whether you need regular, stiff, x-stiff, etc...

I've a Titleist Driver, TM burner 2.0 3w & TM RBZ hybrids. Don't see any issue other than aesthetics with having different brands in the bag. Whatever works best is what you should be using

I really like the Titleist 910D3, but it still has hefty enough price tag @ around $250, (not sure if that is expensive for a decent driver but it's out of my league).

I seem happy enough with the look and feel of the X460, so I might give it a try and also pick up one of the 3-woods for the craic, as right now I "can't" really use my 3-wood - the shaft is a regular flex and I'm not comfortable with it (I've bought it new around '96 when I was 16ish).

The reality is, if I end up hitting the X460 as good (well really, I mean better) as the circa '95 callaway GBB then it wil be in the bag for another 10+ years!
I just hope that if I end up playing more golf I won't feel the need to upgrade again, to a Titleist 910/913 or the Callaway X-hot (also like the look and feel of it) etc.


Final word - I currently hit my '95 GBB (c/w original firm flex shaft, 11deg loft) really well (like long, accurate, with a controlled predictable draw & it's tried and tested for well over a decade), should I even be considering a driver change!
The only comparrision I can make is that when I compared the GBB to a 910D3 at a simulator in store - the ball speed increased by a significant amount(can't remember the figure) and the 910D3 had 20yards extra carry (I think carry of ~280 yards with 910D3 - to be taken with a slight pinch of simulator salt).

Thanks for the help lads

PARlance

seanynova wrote: »

I seem happy enough with the look and feel of the X460, so I might give it a try and also pick up one of the 3-woods for the craic, as right now I "can't" really use my 3-wood - the shaft is a regular flex and I'm not comfortable with it (I've bought it new around '96 when I was 16ish).

The reality is, if I end up hitting the X460 as good (well really, I mean better) as the circa '95 callaway GBB then it wil be in the bag for another 10+ years!
I just hope that if I end up playing more golf I won't feel the need to upgrade again, to a Titleist 910/913 or the Callaway X-hot (also like the look and feel of it) etc.


Final word - I currently hit my '95 GBB (c/w original firm flex shaft, 11deg loft) really well (like long, accurate, with a controlled predictable draw & it's tried and tested for well over a decade), should I even be considering a driver change!
The only comparrision I can make is that when I compared the GBB to a 910D3 at a simulator in store - the ball speed increased by a significant amount(can't remember the figure) and the 910D3 had 20yards extra carry (I think carry of ~280 yards with 910D3 - to be taken with a slight pinch of simulator salt).

Thanks for the help lads

Should you even consider a change?

Too late on that one I'm afraid, you've already considered it a year ago with this thread.

Should you change?

No.
You play 3 or 4 rounds a year.
Don't change, enjoy those few rounds with current driver (250-260 yards, with a controlled a predicable draw) as it performs more than sufficiently for what you need.

seanynova

ajcurry123 wrote: »

Should you even consider a change?

Too late on that one I'm afraid, you've already considered it a year ago with this thread.

Should you change?

No.
You play 3 or 4 rounds a year.
Don't change, enjoy those few rounds with current driver (250-260 yards, with a controlled a predicable draw) as it performs more than sufficiently for what you need.

Well, the thought of hitting a golf ball, that much longer, that much more controlled etc is appealing - its been in the back of my mind now for a while (around a year as you reminded me).
I'm going to play this afternoon, my first game since last autumn (can't remember when exactly but it did start snowing in November so I know it was before then!).
I'll see how I go and report some on some of my drives (explaining the hole type, and the outcome of the shot), maybe that may help with the assessment.

Thanks,

seanynova

seanynova wrote: »

Well, the thought of hitting a golf ball, that much longer, that much more controlled etc is appealing - its been in the back of my mind now for a while (around a year as you reminded me).
I'm going to play this afternoon, my first game since last autumn (can't remember when exactly but it did start snowing in November so I know it was before then!).
I'll see how I go and report some on some of my drives (explaining the hole type, and the outcome of the shot), maybe that may help with the assessment.

Thanks,

This evenings round only serves as encouragement to getting a more forgiving driver! I'll have to continue the analysis I think

DuckSlice

Just go out and buy one! You want one otherwise u wouldn't have put this thread up! A new club has to be better for your game than a 15/20 year old club! Technology has moved on quite far since then!

seanynova

etxp wrote: »

Just go out and buy one! You want one otherwise u wouldn't have put this thread up! A new club has to be better for your game than a 15/20 year old club! Technology has moved on quite far since then!

Callaway X-Hot Pro 3-Wood c/w PXv 6.0 in the bag...love it, feels really good.

Next stop X-Hot Pro Driver

DuckSlice

seanynova wrote: »

Callaway X-Hot Pro 3-Wood c/w PXv 6.0 in the bag...love it, feels really good.

Next stop X-Hot Pro Driver

There is deals on now that you get a free hybrid with the driver. They are worth about 150.

stockdam

The modern drivers are much easier to use than the GBB.

All of the top makes do good drivers and you should be able to pick up a 2 to 3 year old one for a good price.

it then comes come to your preference. I prefer the neutral face of a Titleist but others prefer a slightly closed face.

With the bigger headed driver you probably will need to tee the ball up a bit higher than you are used to. You want to sweep the ball off the tee without hitting the ground.

seanynova

etxp wrote: »

There is deals on now that you get a free hybrid with the driver. They are worth about 150.

Not in Canada, but there was a small cash rebate.

stockdam wrote: »

The modern drivers are much easier to use than the GBB.

All of the top makes do good drivers and you should be able to pick up a 2 to 3 year old one for a good price.

it then comes come to your preference. I prefer the neutral face of a Titleist but others prefer a slightly closed face.

With the bigger headed driver you probably will need to tee the ball up a bit higher than you are used to. You want to sweep the ball off the tee without hitting the ground.

I very much liked the 910/913D3 Titleist alright, but when I picked up the X-Hot Pro I found it more more to my liking.
Getting the 3-wood was a a step to getting the driver, although I will probably wait until the driver goes on a big sale here, wait till I go to the states, or try pick one up second hand.

Currently with the GBB, I have the ball sitting up very high on the tee, over 2" (I use the 3-1/4", 360cc blue/white tees), and like you said, I sweep the ball off the tee.

I'll be giving the 3-wood a go today, I may hit it more than the driver just to use it a bit more and test it out....