Top Golf Drivers

The largest, longest, and most powerful club in the bag, the driver has always been at the forefront of cutting-edge technology. Over the years, traditional handmade persimmon wood has given way to progressively larger heads made from steel, titanium, and lightweight graphite composites, which help golfers of all abilities to achieve greater distance and more control in their game.

The driver is usually the most expensive single club purchase and should be chosen carefully according to head size, head materials, and loft, as well as the type and flex of the shaft.

Most golfers benefit from using a driver with an oversize titanium head, and volumes in the 400 cc - 460 cc range (double that of early 1990s designs). This size promotes confidence at address and genuine performance benefits at impact. Large, thin-walled clubfaces are less resistant to twisting when struck away from the central sweetspot (optimum hitting point) and this results in straighter shots. The deeper and wider body has a lower center of gravity, which helps the ball to get airborne on a higher trajectory to achieve a greater distance.

My Top Five Picks

	Adams Speedline 9064 LS with DFS Among the leading performers, offers higher degree of playability. The majority of players discover yardage equivalent to or somewhat longer compared to their present driver, even though a handful note substantial yardage gains.
	Titleist 910D3 Best in playability, close to the top with its category in yardage, forgiveness and appearance. The majority of players believe it is as long or perhaps a tad longer compared to their own individual golf club. Delivers really accurate overall performance.
	Cleveland SL 290 Launcher Ultralite Making a place on the 2011 Golf Digest Hot List, Cleveland SL 290 Launcher Ultralite Driver is actually lighter in weight and quicker, hitting a balance among genuine clubhead velocity and total workability.
	Ping G15 An overall robust performer, close to the top of its category in every class; an excellent combination of yardage and precision; lower, unexciting flight; steady head throughout the impact region results in potent, energetic impact allows you to feel the golf ball leap off your clubface.
	Cobra S3 Max Top tier with regard to forgiveness, supplying dependable yardage upon off-center strikes. Slicers pick-up five to ten yards because of its draw-bias propensity as well as superior run-out. Great slice correction; widened sweet spot provides upon toe or heel misses.

The loft (the angle the clubface hits the ball to elevate it) of the driver clubface should vary according to the type of player. Powerful pros and long-driving champions can manage very steep lofts as low as five degrees, but only because their swing speeds of over 120 mph (190 km/h) generate adequate lift at impact. At the other extreme, juniors, seniors, and ladies with swing speeds of less than 80 mph (130 km/h) will only maximize their distance with lofts of at least 15 degrees - which is technically a 3-wood rather than a driver. Loft options typically come in the 9 to 11 degree range, with the majority of handicap golfers - those with swing speeds of around 90 mph (145 km/h) - advised to opt for at least 10.5 degrees.

Almost all drivers now come with lightweight graphite shafts, which can be swung faster than steel shafts in order to achieve greater distance on drives. Meanwhile, different shaft flex options, such as Regular, Stiff, and Ladies, are designed to complement the force of an individual's swing. Traditionally 43-4 in (109-12 cm) in length, driver shafts measuring 45-6 in (114-17 cm) are now widely used to deliver a bigger, and hence faster, clubhead arc. Although these shafts are longer than those used until recently, they should not generally compromise a comfortable posture. Players of shorter stature may find longer shafts more difficult to use.