| Find The Perfect Driver For Your Game | | | | than steel and less durable. Its lighter weight provides |
| When it comes to choosing a golf driver there's so | | | | greater swing speed for more power, but it sacrifices |
| much more to think about than the latest clubhead | | | | control due to the flex generated during the swing. |
| design - 'hot' faces and on-the-legal-limit head sizes; | | | | These days the majority of golf drivers come with |
| multi-material heads and moveable weights. Less | | | | graphite shafts as standard, and it is especially suited |
| glamorous aspects such as getting the right loft, shaft | | | | to lady golfers and seniors who cannot produce the |
| flex and grip are just as important in matching a driver | | | | swing speed to use a steel shaft effectively. There |
| to your game - enabling you to gain extra yards off | | | | are also multi-material options available which aim to |
| the tee, without sacrificing accuracy. | | | | combine the control of steel with the 'whip' and speed |
| Of course, much of the same technology applies to | | | | of graphite. But there is more to consider; beyond the |
| fairway woods, too. So if you prefer using woods to | | | | material, you also need to think about flex, torque, |
| irons, look out for the same features that you need in | | | | kick-point and weight. |
| your driver - 3, 5 and 7 woods being the most | | | | Shaft Flex - Flex is the ability of the shaft to bend as |
| common. | | | | you swing. As a general rule, beginners and players |
| Clubhead Design | | | | with less powerful swings will benefit from a more |
| The use of titanium has spawned lighter, much larger, | | | | flexible shaft. Players with an average swing speed |
| more forgiving clubheads. A larger head has a bigger | | | | tend to need a regular flex, while golfers with a more |
| sweetspot, improving your chance of making good | | | | powerful swing benefit from a stiffer flex. But this is |
| contact with the ball. Club faces have also been made | | | | not the whole story. A tendency to hook or slice will |
| thinner, creating a trampoline or 'bounce' effect known | | | | affect your choice of flex, as will your swing action, be |
| as COR, which promotes extra distance. From | | | | it smooth or jerky. |
| January 2008 restrictions will be placed on both | | | | Shaft Torque - In conjunction with flex, you need to |
| clubhead size and COR in competitive play. | | | | think about torque, which is the shaft's ability to twist. |
| Manufacturers have also recently begun using titanium | | | | This usually ranges between 3 and 6 degrees, and the |
| in conjunction with ultra lightweight graphite, enabling the | | | | more torque a shaft has, the softer it will feel. In |
| weight to be positioned lower and further back. This | | | | general, weaker players need more torque - low |
| will help you get the ball flying high for better carry, with | | | | torque shafts twist less and are recommended for |
| less spin so it hits the ground running. | | | | stronger players, and generate a lower ball trajectory. |
| Many golf drivers now have moveable tungsten | | | | Shaft Kick-Point - The effect of the exact position of |
| weights, allowing you to alter the club's weight | | | | the kick-point - where the shaft bends - is small but |
| distribution. If you tend to fade the ball you can position | | | | measurable. A shaft with a high kick-point will usually |
| the weights to promote a draw and vice versa. You | | | | give a low shot trajectory and more of a "one-piece" |
| can move them to encourage a lower or higher ball | | | | feel to shaft. A low kick-point will usually give a high |
| flight, too. Check out the Taylor Made r7 425 and | | | | shot trajectory and a feeling of the shaft tip whipping |
| Masters MC-Z700. | | | | the clubhead through. |
| With so much choice, there's no easy answer when it | | | | Shaft Weight - Lighter, more flexible shafts are useful |
| comes to choosing the right clubhead design. The best | | | | for players with slower swing speeds as they help |
| advice is to try a range of styles and see what works | | | | increase clubhead speed, which in turn promotes extra |
| best for you. | | | | distance. Heavier shafts give better control and feel to |
| Loft | | | | stronger players. More expensive clubs are likely to |
| A club with the wrong loft can have a devastating | | | | use better quality shafts, so you tend to get what you |
| impact on performance. If struck correctly, a lower | | | | pay for. |
| lofted club face will produce more distance, but if you | | | | The Grip |
| tend to slice, you are likely to need a higher loft. As a | | | | Last, but by no means least, you need to find a grip |
| general rule, high-handicappers or golfers with slower | | | | you are comfortable with. Obviously the size of your |
| swing speeds should opt for 11 degrees or higher, while | | | | hands will determine your grip size, but the material is |
| low handicappers should plump for 10 degrees or | | | | also an important consideration and is very much a |
| lower. | | | | matter of personal choice. Multi-compound grips are |
| Shaft | | | | currently the rage, combining a stiff inner rubber sleeve |
| The importance of the shaft on your golf driver is | | | | for adhesion with a soft gel rubber outer for comfort |
| often underestimated, but can have a huge effect on | | | | and vibration absorption. There are even grips that |
| your game. The basic choice is between steel and | | | | feature graphics to aid with hand alignment. |
| graphite shafts - generally, graphite is more expensive | | | | |