"Jay, I’m shopping for a new driver, any recommendations?" From Clark, Jacksonville, FL
I'm often asked about what drivers I recommend because there are so many available out on the market and it feels like there are too many to pick just the right one. Here are some things I suggest and some things I keep in mind when I purchase my own driver.
For the recreational golfer who is pretty new and is hitting about a hundred and isn’t overly-strong, the Regular shaft, marked by an R, would be a good choice. It is also a good choice for women players who are long and strong hitters.
And speaking of the right driver for women golfers, while there are a lot of driver choices out on the market, there don’t seem to be that many for ladies to choose from. Typically, women are given a Lady’s Shaft, the L is more flexible, with a ten- or twelve-degree loft head on it but if a lady has some height on her and she is pretty strong, she should pick the next shaft up, which is usually an A shaft, sometimes called a Senior Shaft. It is just a little longer and a little heavier than the typical Lady’s Shaft.
Younger players and players who are playing with an 8 or lower handicap would do well with the S shaft, which is a firmer, more stiff shaft. When using a driver, the letters L, A, R, S indicate the amount of flex in the in the driver, meaning if you swing them with the right amount of speed, the shaft will flex at the right spot.
For players who are really good, or for very strong players, there is the X shaft that is very inflexible and takes a lot of strength to flex at the right point.
Also important about a driver is the club’s head. Loft is the angle of the club face that controls trajectory and affects distance. The more loft, the more backspin there is, and the more backspin, the higher it goes. The flatter the face is the less loft there is and the more it will curve left or right. A great example of the importance of face is how it can correct slicing the golf ball, an easy mistake for beginners and even weekend players. Correcting a golf slice is the fastest way to shave strokes off of your golf game, so, if, for example, you have a driver that’s a 12 and you slice it all the time, you might find it better to go with a 14.
Now, if you have a driver that is a 6 ½ and you’re a great driver of the golf ball, you should stick with the 6 ½. But if the ball is curving, make sure that you get a driver that has more, not less, loft.
Another important aspect of selecting a driver is the grip. The vast majority, 99 percent of the grips, come in a standard size. So, women with smaller fingers and hands might do better with a Junior Grip. Men with small hands and fingers might want to try out the Ladies Grip. Really strong players, or those players with large hands who are hooking the ball, should stick with a Regular Grip or a Jumbo Grip. Hooking the ball is often a sign of an improper grip.
I hope that gave you some new insight into selecting a driver, and maybe taught you something new. Until next time.
Jay
*Do you have a question for Jay? Email him at jaywilliamsoniv@gmail.com.
