saskgolfer 15 New Driver? Wait, Don’t Buy Without Trying! By Chad Lavallee / Teaching Professional / GolfTown Saskatoon
D river’s are a golfers best friend. Seriously, everyone loves the driver because it goes the
furthest and, let’s be honest, is a fun club to hit. There is something hypnotic about catching one right on the screws and watching it sail down the fairway. If you’re in the market for a new driver however, make sure you are getting the one that is actually going to make a difference. Things you can do to help: If you’re heading out to purchase a new driver there are a few things you can do to help your fitter decide which way to go. There are tonnes of options in terms of shaft/head combinations and answering a few of these questions can help narrow down the search. Establish Your Price Range This is a pretty simple one but it helps the fitter out tremendously. Not everyone can afford the latest and greatest driver out there but fortunately there are options for more value conscious buyers. Keep in mind that the bigger your budget, usually (but not always) the easier it is to find the proper fit for you. Bring Your Current Model Along Some may be surprised to hear me say this one, but I want to see what you’re currently using. Not only that, but I want to see you hit it! There is no point in switching drivers if I can’t beat what you’re currently doing with your own, and that’s my goal. I want to make you hit this new one better and show you the value of stepping up your equipment. If we can’t beat it, then you save some money...it’s a win/win. Be Reasonable With Your Expectations One of the biggest downers when fitting a person is when I manage to get a person 10 yards more in distance and decrease dispersion yet the person getting fitted is not satisfied. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve heard “Well I was hoping to gain around 30-40 yards.” or “I thought it would fix my slice completely.” I’ve always been fairly transparent when I fit and I can tell you it’s not impossible to gain 30-40 yards on your drive BUT it’s extremely rare. Most of the time if I gain that extra club (10 yards traditionally) in distance I’m thrilled because we’ve just decreased the amount of club you’re going to have into the hole and is going to provide you returns on your scores. Finally, adjustable clubs can aid in preventing or decreasing a slice but if you are coming across the ball from an out to in path, regardless of how I set the club, you will probably slice it still. If a fitter is fitting you and he cuts your slice in half, be thrilled about that, he just made your shot shape more manageable for yourself! continued on next page... SaskGolfer Digital Magazine | July 2017