How to choose a new driver?
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Which new golf driver should I choose? With dozens of new clubs on the market it’s difficult to know where to start if you want a new one.
To help narrow down your choice we recommend that you start by looking at your swing speed and realising which design traits might aid your game.
Don’t know your swing speed? It’s not that hard to find out! Ask a friendly fitter at a demo day if you can get on his launch monitor. What’s the average? Trackman says the average clubhead speed of a 15 handicapper is about 93mph. The PGA Tour average is about 113mph, and someone like Dustin Johnson has a swing speed of 121mph.
We’ve picked our favourite 2017 drivers based on six swing speeds, from slow to fast, to give you a starting point. But it goes without saying our recommendations should always be accompanied by a proper fitting session.
75 – 80 mph driver swing speed
Slower swinging golfers need more help launching shots into the air. For these types of golfers, think about higher lofts, lighter shafts, and if you’re fighting a slice an offset hosel or draw-biased heads can work wonders.
If you swing at this speed your optimum driver numbers would be;
Ball Speed: 112mph – 120mph
Launch Angle: 14 – 16 degrees
Backspin: 2750- 3000 rpm
Total Distance: 197 yards
Ping G400 SF-Tec Cobra F-Max TaylorMade M2 D-Type Srixon Z355 Wilson Staff D300
80 – 85 mph driver swing speed
Counter-weighted (also called counter-balanced) shafts are a revelation at this speed range. They move mass towards the hands so you swing at the same pace but the club travels quicker.
If you swing at this speed your optimum driver numbers would be;
Ball Speed: 120mph – 127mph
Launch Angle: 14 – 15 degrees
Backspin: 2750- 3000 rpm
Total Distance: 223 yards
Cleveland Launcher HB Srixon Z 765 Callaway BB Fusion Yonex EZone XPG Ping G400
85 – 90 mph driver swing speed
You’re in the “average” target golfer bracket so there’s a good chance you’ll be suited to standard stock shafts and average lofts (10° / 11° / 12°) as they’re designed for swings just like yours.
If you swing at this speed your optimum driver numbers would be;
Ball Speed: 127mph – 135mph
Launch Angle: 14 – 15 degrees
Backspin: 2500- 2750 rpm
Total Distance: 231 yards
Cobra King F7 Benross HTX Compressor Lynx Black Cat Callaway GBB Epic TaylorMade M2 Ping G400
90 – 100 mph driver swing speed
The average club golfer’s driver swing speed is around 90mph; if you’re anywhere close you’re still in the target market for most golf brands. Meaning you have the most buying options to weigh up…
If you swing at this speed your optimum driver numbers would be;
Ball Speed: 135mph – 150mph
Launch Angle: 13 – 14 degrees
Backspin: 2500- 2750 rpm
Total Distance: 244 yards
Callaway GBB Epic Ping G400 TaylorMade M2 Wilson Staff Triton Ping G400 LS-Tec
100 – 110 mph driver swing speed
Congratulations, you’re well above average when it comes to swing speed. There’s a good chance at this pace you’ll want to look hard at shaft options, adjustability and lofts in order to gain yards.
If you swing at this speed your optimum driver numbers would be;
Ball Speed: 150mph – 165mph
Launch Angle: 12 – 13 degrees
Backspin: 2500- 2750 rpm
Total Distance: 275 yards
Mizuno JPX 900 TaylorMade M1 Callaway GBB Epic Ping G400
Callaway GBB Epic Sub Zero TaylorMade M2
110 – 120 mph driver swing speed
Very few club golfers crank out anything like this amount of speed and if you do you probably won’t need buying advice from us. But if you simply have to have a pro model driver we’ve got you covered.
If you swing at this speed your optimum driver numbers would be;
Ball Speed: 165mph – 180mph
Launch Angle: 11 – 12 degrees
Backspin: 2250- 2500 rpm
Total Distance: 306 yards
