Does Size Matter?

I read so many review and tried to browse till the end of the black hole of the internet about drivers. I got a Callaway Big Bertha Steelhead plus Driver off ebay for my own driver learning equipment. It is a 205cc and I am hitting it 200m high projectory path.

I see some other people using a 460cc driver hitting almost the same as I did. So I am wondering what is the benefit of getting a big clubhead driver . . . Can someone enlighten me. . . .

bigger face area harder to miss the ball....

I think I got to do with MOI, make is more forgiving

I'm no gear expert but my take is this:

Big Head
+ More forgiving
+ More confidence-inspiring
- Sweet spot effectiveness is reduced because it is spread out over the clubface
- Possibly not as long

Small Head
+ Likely to be log
+ Sweet spot more centralized so a good hit produces better results
- Less forgiving
- Less confidence-inspiring

Of course, this varies with club, model etc and also, with the golfer.

with ur driver i will go everywhere , then i have a nakashima which 460 cc which is a bit draw bt fly in between 240 to 280 meter .... i guess 460cc are more forgiving because the sweet spot is bigger..... bt some player like small head one of my friends se 205cc i think he say it easier to catch the ball n easy 2 hit on the fairway on long par 5

biggest technology change for driver is the material used.......

callaway steelhead plus : face is steel

modern driver : titanium face (380-460cc)

becos of titanium, modern drivers are now abt 440-460cc cos the weight of titanium allows for bigger face, steel wont be able to make those 460cc heads

personally i doubt i will be able to drive as far using the steelhead than those titanium drivers

Apart from the larger sweet spot that 460cc titanium drivers provide, its strength allows for thinner faces and walls, direct benefits are that a thinner face will provide trampoline effect, springing the ball off the face. Weight can also be moved more towards the sole for a lower CG and higher launch; and to the sides for more perimeter weighting and a higher MOI resulting in straighter drives on off center hits. To compensate for the hollow feel of a too large and thin face, weight is also added directly behind the sweet spot but on the rear end of the driver for a more solid feel and power.

The smaller headed steel drivers have a shallower face making it easier to launch off the fairway compared to the 460cc ones as Cyp PGA said. Translated to fairway woods, if you have difficulty launching them, choose one with a shallower and longer face where more of the ball shows above the top of the fairway wood when the club is soled. The same generally holds true for the 460 cc drivers, which is why you see drivers for better players have a much deeper face for more penetrating trajectory, and vice versa for the shallower faced ones.

If thats the case, would a golfer carry more than one driver with him? I bet that different driver for different occasion. . . .

I am just wondering. I am like carrying the smallest driver where ever I am . . .

I think I gonna bring the rest of the question else where. Or will more driver questions fit this column?

G00dEgg wrote:

If thats the case, would a golfer carry more than one driver with him? I bet that different driver for different occasion. . . .

I am just wondering. I am like carrying the smallest driver where ever I am . . .

I think I gonna bring the rest of the question else where. Or will more driver questions fit this column?

why u did more than 1 driver? 1 driver not difficult enough to hit straight n long that u would need to carry more?

driver for me: at my level, just wanna hit straight n long, dun need to know how to draw or fade cos me got no time and no talent to learn

Bro, just go out and spend some money, these days, a new driver is less than 300 buclaroo. it isnt that much. i know you like yr steel head, but it is moderns days, moderm technology and a lot of forgiveness and longer distance. And it translate to more confidence for you to cut down on the strokes. So why not, go splash some money and help the country's economy.

G00dEgg wrote:

If thats the case, would a golfer carry more than one driver with him? I bet that different driver for different occasion. . . .

I am just wondering. I am like carrying the smallest driver where ever I am . . .

I think I gonna bring the rest of the question else where. Or will more driver questions fit this column?

No sense in doing so. Different situations call for a different style of play, but not necessarily different equipment

unless u r phil mickelson..... cant remb which major is it that he uses 2 drivers in the bag...

Woah. So I believe this case 1 driver is enough. Because all the technical explanation makes me think that ppl carry more than 1 driver.

Well the titleist 909Dcomp makes me drool already. So nice. . . .

Well about the loft, I was told nubcake like me needs high loft like 11 or so. For ppl who use 9, 9.5, 10, 10.5 are people who are already quite pro. So orelese getting anything below 11 is irrelevant. Does it really boils down to the swing test and all the test ppl do on computer to determine what loft I should be getting?

GoodEgg, You can carry more than 1 driver but dun forget the limit is 14 clubs.
No so advisable as you will be using the driver only on tee off only and Max is 14 times, short par 4 maybe only 10 times....

i personally felt that using a big head driver.. is like guarantee sure the ball will fly de.. u cant possibly miss it..

whereas if i would to use my old driver.. i think im going to miss it..

so thats the effect of using a big head driver..

GoodEgg, it's really simple, how many are still using small headed drivers and are they readily available in the market. I think that pretty much answers it.

As for the loft, it's really a generalisation that newbies use a more lofted driver. The assumption is that more loft makes for an easier and straighter launch esp with a lower swing speed. It is still possible to select a driver reasonably suited to you just through trial and error but of course if you are seeking a more precise recommendation, then by all means see a clubfitter with launch monitor.

size ALWAYS matters
no but seriously, use technology to your advantage, anything to boost confidence and better forgiveneess.
anything to enjoy this game!!!

but i do agree physical size do add to some adv.....

i remb hearing some commentator says, though ppl like garcia can drive 300 yds but compare to tiger, vijay, els etc... they can do it effortlessly... in the long run, ppl smaller in size will be in a disadv... (i mean physical fitness do play a part)

oh they did mention, what if one day those NBA players decided to play golf... those 7ft who r flexible n lear ngolf since young... given a set of suitable clubs, they can drive the ball 450 yds effortlessly....

eg, like in the nba they say... u can't teach height.....

hey Jake, I agree to half of what you say
its a balance between strength and flexibiltiy
some nba players are just too bulky to swing effectly
rhythm and tempo is key as well
guys like Fred Couples outdrives some of the bigger boys on tour
then there's Ernie Els (my fav swing and player) whose effortless transition makes me wonder wt!@#$ is going on with my own swing
but having said that, those long drive champions are mostly ing huge!

my view...live itself is fair...and there should be balance...and most of all, technique....

yup chemicalpro....

i am not saying those NBA players will definitely win... but they do have a adv....

juz imagine someone 6 9, fit but not bulky, talented, flexible, interest in golf, wow... tht's scary....

so far golf is still play by the less athletic group... apart from a few....

or imagine a more flexible yao ming with a driver!
drivable par 4s all around! hehe

chemicalpro wrote:

or imagine a more flexible yao ming with a driver!
drivable par 4s all around! hehe

and his sand wedge will be the length of the average person's driver...

The big guys don't always win, and that's why this wonderful game of golf is such a great equaliser. History is littered with winners who weren't the tallest or biggest in the game. Zach Johnson, Mike Weir, Ian Woosnam, Tom Kite, Corey Pavin and the Black Knight, Gary Player. All of them made up for their lack of distance in other ways, some specialising in accurate fairway woods or irons, others with a deft touch with their wedges or the flat stick.

Big guys do have a distance advantage as evidenced by the current fad of bomb and gouge played by the longer hitting pros. But there are as many ways to win in golf as there are clubs in the bag.

Looking at Tiger alone, he wins not because he drives the ball long and well, he's driving it worse now than he's ever been doing. Long left and right is not going to win him many tournaments. It's his control and variety of shots (which strangely hasn't translated to his driver), but mostly his short game wizardry around and on the greens. And there's no denying his mental toughness.

yep, like my signature says: drive for show, putt for dough
its all about management, and not all about distance
150m down the middle beats 300m in the drink =)
the days of bomb abd gouge are numbered thanks to the new grooves regulation soon
finally! skill > technology! =D

From what I understand, bigger driver head gives better forgiveness in off-centre hits. Vijay Singh ever demoed a persimmon head driver and a Hibore. Both gave almost similar distance, but the Hibore gives better dispersion.

In a nutshell, you can stick to a smaller head if you are very consistent in contact with the sweet spot most of the time. If not, you'll be better off getting more forgiveness from a bigger head.

In my humble opinion, Shaft is the main difference in one driver from another.
If you compare the driver to a car, the engine of the driver is the Shaft. The head is merely the body of the car. How fast your car goes actually depends on the shaft and not the head.