How to Buy a Driver

By Steve Silverman

The driver is the club used to put the ball in play from the tee on par 4s and par 5s. Since most golf courses only have four or five par 3s, that means the driver is used on at least 14 holes of most rounds. The driver is the longest and most expensive club in your golf bag. It can be the most difficult club to hit, and many golfers will refrain from using it because they are afraid it will result in an errant shot. However, a golfer who realizes that the club supplies the power and it does not have to be swung any harder than the other clubs in your bag will find that it is no more difficult to hit than any other club.

Instructions

Difficulty: Easy

Step 1

Go to your local sporting goods store or golf shop and talk to the salesman or club pro about your game. If you are a new golfer who is concerned with accuracy, you will most likely be given a club with a bigger and more forgiving head that will allow you to keep the ball in the fairway. If you are more experienced and have a solid game, you may be looking for more distance, and a titanium club should be more to your liking.

Step 2

Most golf shops or larger sporting goods stores will have a practice tee area in the store that will allow you to hit simulated tee shots into a screen. While this exercise may be fun and enjoyable, it is designed to allow you to get a little bit familiar with your club before you buy it. Hit at least three to five shots with the drivers you are considering before making your decisions.

Step 3

Consider the grip on each of the drivers you are trying. You don't want to buy a club where the grip is too big and your fingers have a hard time wrapping around the club. This will keep you from getting control of your club and the subsequent shot. On the other hand, if the grip is not big enough, it will never seem comfortable and can lead to hand cramps as you constantly adjust the club.

Step 4

Don't be influenced by a playing partner's praise or complaints about a particular club. The best way to judge a club-—especially for a beginning golfer—is your comfort level when you hold it and swing it. What may feel great to your partner may be uncomfortable to you, and vice versa.

About The Author

Steve Silverman is an award-winning writer, covering sports since 1980. Silverman authored The Minnesota Vikings: The Good, The Bad and The Ugly and Who's Better, Who's Best in Football -- The Top 60 Players of All-Time, among others, and placed in the Pro Football Writers of America awards three times. Silverman holds a Master of Science in journalism from the Medill School of Journalism.