The Best Golf Drivers

Considering the variety of golf clubs available, you may find everyone from golf amateurs to golf professionals debating which golf clubs and golf drivers are the “best”. It is a question that, in many cases, boils down to personal choice, budget, and performance. This debate has been further intensified by the improvements in golf driver technology. Adjustments in aerodynamics, size of the clubs, launch angle and certain sweet spot modifications all play a role in constructing the perfect driver.

However, while searching for an answer to this elusive question, it is a good idea to keep in mind what the golf driver is specifically intended for. Your driver is the longest and lowest lofted club in your bag, and it should be the lightest club you own. Your driver is designed for the longest range and is frequently used from the tee making it one of the most important clubs in your bag.

Construction

The engineering involved in making of a golf driver is a complicated process that takes into account different aspects such as volume, moment of inertia, center of restitution, and center of gravity. Moment of inertia explains how resistant the club is to twisting. Overall, the less it twists the more stable it is, and the straighter and further the ball will go. Center of gravity measures how bouncy the club is during impact.

Generally, a center of restitution of “1” bounces perfectly with no loss of energy while a center of restitution of “0” means that the club has little elasticity and sticks to the ball on impact. Try to position the center of restitution and center of gravity high vertically. To position the center horizontally and back away from the face of the club, you need to carefully reposition your weight.

Materials to Consider

When making a choice about which golf driver to purchase, it is a good idea to consider the weight and length of the shaft, and how the head of the club is shaped. Initially, golf drivers were constructed from wood. Today, however, many modern drivers are made from stainless steel, titanium, or an alloy material.

Of the available materials, alloy golf drivers are typically one of the most inexpensive. Alloy drivers are high quality and are very affordable which makes them popular with beginners. Stainless steel is another inexpensive option. Stainless steel makes the driver heavy yet reliable and extremely durable as well. Stainless steel heads are generally smaller, but a golfer is assured a solid strike each time the ball is hit. For this reason many veteran golfers use stainless steel as the additional weight allows them more control over their swing.

As far as price goes, on the other end of the scale are titanium drivers. Titanium drivers are expensive due to the fact that, besides being one of the newest developments in golf technology, titanium is a lightweight and long lasting material. Titanium makes the club head extremely lightweight and, the lighter the club head, the faster the swing. Titanium drivers can also help to increase tee distance.

A titanium golf driver can be a beginner golfer’s best friend. Titanium drivers are “forgiving” as well, which means that the club will correctly adjust an imperfect swing. Titanium drivers are also a popular choice with professional golf players, as they are the lightest and strongest.

A driver constructed out of a combination of titanium and other non-metallic materials generally has a smaller head than a pure titanium driver, yet they are still very lightweight. Composite drivers allow the weight to remain centered near the face of the club. Composite drivers are considered by some to be the best drivers available.

The materials used in the club head are not the only consideration you should think about when purchasing clubs. The material the shaft is made from is also important. The shaft needs to stay intact and not break while giving ‘spring in the swing.’ For this reason, graphite is commonly used in shaft construction as it is strong and lightweight which helps not only with breakage, but also affects club head speed and distance. Stainless steel, which is more rigid and much heavier, does suit a few golf players, but usually graphite is the preferred choice of most golfers.

The Evolution of the Driver

Considered the second most important club in a golfer’s arsenal, the driver has changed by leaps and bounds over the years. One thing that stands out is how much bigger the head has become, as well as the shaft. Today’s modern driver is typically made from highly flexible graphite. The only reason a club head can be as large as they are today is because of the lightweight and durable materials available for construction. Titanium, in particular, influences the spring when hitting the ball.