Are new drivers worth it?

Golf's origins are lost in history, but it is generally agreed to have been played in Scotland near St. Andrews in the late 1400s.

It became quite notorious then, and was even banned for a while by the King of Scotland, as golfers had become so obsessed with the game that they neglected their archery practice — not much has changed.

In the subsequent 500 years, the game has advanced from one played with simple hand made clubs and leather balls stuffed with feathers to the game we know today, based on clubs designed by computer using advanced materials such as titanium and composite.

The biggest changes to the game have been in the technology employed in the clubs and the balls.

Hitting the golf ball towards the hole remains a dark art. It is as much a mystery now as it was in Scotland in the 1400s!

There are a number of factors that have influenced club design, particularly irons.

These are the nature of the terrain in which they were used, the technology available to make them, the rules set up to govern what could or could not be used, and in recent years, physics and computer aided design.

A major influence has been the golf ball itself. New club styles have tended to follow innovations in ball design.

The early irons were used somewhat sparingly because they could easily destroy the "feathery" golf balls of the day. Most shots were accomplished by a range of wooden clubs, as these would not damage the ball. The “rutting iron” was used to extract balls that had landed in cart wheel ruts.

Wooden clubs in a variety of shaft lengths and face lofts were used for most shots. Modern balls nowadays are as durable as the clubs, if the ball had been as durable then, all clubs would have been made of steel and there would be no such thing as ‘woods’.

Probably the most important change was the move from smooth faces on the irons to grooves.

This started around 1908. The designers realised that you could get more backspin on a ball with a grooved club, and that this led to more distance. The coming of the modern golf ball in 1905, which displaced the solid “gutty”, went hand in hand with this.

When I was doing my four-year PGA training, nearly 20 years ago, the specification of clubs was very different than today’s standard.

The length of a driver was 43 inches long.

Callaway and Taylor Made just launched a driver that is 46 ½  inches long, and the loft and the length of a modern 7 iron is nearly the same as older 5 iron.

This allows the manufacturer to say that their new 6 iron goes farther than their old 6 irons, that's because it's a 5 iron.

Now it is possible to do this because of new light weight stronger materials such as graphite and titanium, allow the heads to be bigger without being heavier or compromising its strength.

Worries

Callaway now have another composite and TaylorMade have a white club head, all guaranteeing more distance and accuracy.

I have a few worries.

One is that you must get ‘fitted’ for your new sexy driver.

After all you would not go into a shop and say ‘just give me a shirt’ as there are a multitude of sizes different brands fit differently.

The main concern I have about equipment is players try to get their swing or stance to fit clubs that they have purchased.

I have heard the statement when a customer comes in to buy clubs and says ‘I am not a pro’.

You don't have to be a pro to buy the right kind of clubs as it costs no more and sometimes it can cause a real fault to develop, which would otherwise not be present.

Now are longer, lighter clubs better?

Yes, if you have the skill to handle the extra length. No, if you are not that practiced and coordinated, but how do you know?

Well have some good quality coaching can help you.

You can also try by taking your existing driver, hit five balls, then grip down to the bottom of the handle, and hit five more.

Compare the results.

I bet you hit the ball cleaner and straighter, gripping down!

With technology, there is the ability to adjust drivers to change the flight of the ball.

It is not that simple, and proper advice is needed, but it is a lot of fun to just tinker with the clubs.

It means as your swing gets better or worse you can adjust the club to help!

Now what is the most important characteristic of a clubs design? Is it the shaft flex, the lie, length, weight? How does it look to you?

If it looks good, you will hit a good shot, If you are not happy with the look, you simply won't. 

Paul Adams is the pro at Tucker's Point Club.