1) Length

The standard length for >95% of the men’s drivers today is 45” or 45.5”.  Subtract one inch for standard women’s drivers.  The average driver length on the PGA Tour is 44.5”.  Now if you think you can control a longer driver length than the best players in the game, fine, stop reading this now and go buy that driver.  Equipment professionals know the longer the length, the harder it is to hit the ball on-center and between the fence posts.  As an expert in clubfitting, I can guarantee you that 90% of the golfers using a 45-45.5” driver (44-44.5” for women) would hit the ball more solid, farther and more in play with a shorter driver.  

2) Loft

When it comes to the driver, the loft MUST be matched to the golfer’s swing speed and whether they swing upward, level or downward at the ball.  The slower the swing speed, the higher the driver loft has to be to keep the ball up there longer to carry farther.  Examples – a man with a level swing into the ball and an 85 mph swing speed should never use a driver loft less than 13*.  The average women’s swing speed of 65mph needs 15* of loft on the driver, minimum.  Don’t believe it?  Try it and I think you’ll utter a “gee whiz” when you do.  

3) Face Angle

70% of all golfers slice the ball.  90% of all drivers are made with a square face angle.  Not a good match in other words when it comes to reducing the ball expenditure budget.  If you are one of the 70%, you’ll be doing yourself a huge favor when it comes to how long the grass is under your second shot by hunting for a driver with a closed or hook face angle.  You won’t believe the difference it could make.  

4) Swingweight Balance

Swingweight is the ratio of how much weight is in the clubhead compared to the weight in the rest of the club.  A swingweight measurement of D-1 is average for men’s clubs, C-6 for women.  Anything in the C range means the headweight feel is light.  Anything of D3 and higher means the headweight feel is heavy.  The stronger the golfer and more forceful the swing, the higher the swingweight should be.  The physically weaker and more rhythmic the swing, the lighter the swingweight should be.  D-1 ain’t for all men, neither is C6 for all women in other words. 

Biography

Tom Wishon is a golf club designer and researcher. Tom Wishon is a former member of the PGA of America who chose to pursue a career in golf equipment design and clubfitting research. While he has been offered the chance to head up golf club design for some of the largest golf club companies in the world, he has chosen to remain within the lesser known segment of the golf equipment industry that focuses on fitting golfers one at a time and building their golf clubs from high quality clubhead, shaft and grip component designs.

During his career he has designed more original golf clubhead models than any other person in the 500 year history of the game. He is also author of two best-selling consumer-oriented books, The Search for the Perfect Golf Club and The Search for the Perfect Driver.

He is Premium Golf Consultant and visits the UK regularly to train professionals in custom fitting and clubmaking.