Happy 4th of July to everyone! SirPutts has been busy answering emails from readers. Tonight he talks to a couple of readers looking to purchase new drivers.
I am having fits looking for the right driver. Today I hit a G2 10.5 degree NV reg shaft. I average 220 yards and typically straight. I like it but I tend to over spin and get no roll. I have tried lower lofts, and am thinking about longer shafts with higher kick points. Unfortunately I am left-handed and can not find many to try in shops. Would any or all or a combination be better point to start from or any suggestions (beyond taking a lesson) for a driver?
Sounds like you are in a bit of a tough position here. I am assuming, based on what you tell me, that you hit the ball quite high with a lot of backspin. The likely cause is that your hands are too quick and you are increasing the loft of your golf club at impact. If you are concerned with your current ball flight my number one suggestion would be to take a lesson. A few quick pointers and some practice might be all you need.
Since you have indicated that you aren't interested in taking a lesson my next suggestion would be to visit a golf shop that has a launch monitor they can use to fit you. Callaway and TaylorMade and other companies have fitting systems designed to try any of their different heads with a variety of shafts. You should be able to match up a loft and shaft combination to start getting you some better results.
Lower lofts might change your ballflight a little bit but they will not be enough to solve the problem. And going to longer shafts will actually worsen the problem by putting more backspin on the ball.
I have a few golf buddies who have the same problem as you and unfortunately the best solution they have found is lessons.
Hi. I'm a 15 handicap. I hook a little and slice a little. Will an offset driver help me or should I get a 13 degree regular head?
The answer partially depends on what driver you are currently playing. If you are using a driver with lower loft on it you should notice a pretty big difference just by moving to a 13 degree head. More loft will put more backspin on the ball and reduce the sidespin. This leads to straighter shots. This is the same reason you hit a wedge straighter than a 6 or 7 iron, because you have more loft and more backspin.
I think switching to a 13 degree driver should help you out with your ballflight and you probably don't need an offset head.
I am looking to put together the best quality/value set of 5-PW irons. I am a 9-12 handicap with a swing speed right between stiff/regular. Can you recommend the 3-4 top irons to look at to help me narrow down the unlimited choices out there? I want something forgiving yet something that I will be able to grow with. I like not too thick top lines and our course has many hard pan lies. The Wilson CI7's have caught my interest.
I do like the Wilson Ci6 and Ci7 irons for this category. They are a good price for a nice, versatile iron. The other ones I would check out are the Mizuno MX-25 (my favorite iron in this category but quite pricey), Cobra FP (a really good all-around golf club, and a great value), or the TaylorMade R7 (a little bit bigger and more forgiving than the other options).
Any of these options will provide ample forgiveness on off-center hits but they still provide decent feedback and will allow you to work the ball a little bit and control your ballflight.
Give these selections a try and let us know what you think.