Woods look like this. They are called "woods" because they used to be made from wood.
These days they are made from various metals - including stainless steel, carbon steel, and titanium.
They are the longest clubs in your bag - and they hit the ball the furthest. Woods are "distance clubs".
The longest and most powerful wood is called the "Driver" (Sometimes referred to as The Number One Wood).
Almost all golfers carry a driver - but most of them struggle to master it! But this is a not a difficult club to use if you make the
right choice!
The "loft" or club-face angle on a driver can vary from around seven degrees - to around thirteen degrees.
The less loft it has - the harder it is to use. Most amateur golfers use drivers with too little loft.
In our view no beginner should try to use a driver with less than eleven degrees of loft - 12 or 13 degrees is better.
If you buy a driver with too little loft - it will destroy your confidence.
The rest of the woods have numbers rather than names. 3 wood, 4 wood, 5 wood etc - up to a 9 wood.
They are often referred to as "fairway woods" because their primary function is to hit long shots from the fairway.
The higher the number, the greater the loft - so a 5 wood has more loft (hits the ball higher but shorter) than a 3 wood etc.
Most golfers carry a Driver, a 3 wood, and a 5 wood. (This combination is often referred to as a "set of woods").
Buying a Driver
Owning the correct driver for YOU is crucial - Get it right and your confidence will soar.
The most important things to consider are...
Loft (The face angle of the club - measured in degrees. Drivers have between 7 and 13 degrees of loft)
Too little loft and you will struggle to get the ball airborne.
Buying a driver with not enough loft is the most common mistake that golfers - even good ones - make.
There is a certain amount of macho status attached to the loft on your driver - but don't get sucked into this stupidity.
There is absolutely no point in carrying a driver that you can't use! Results are all that matters!
We recommend 12 degrees of loft for beginners and high handicappers: 10 degrees for mid-handicappers, and 9 degrees
for better players. Only powerful professionals should use less than 9 degrees!
Head Size (The actual size of the driver head - measured in cubic centimetres)
Generally speaking, the bigger the head - the easier it is to hit, and the more forgiving it is if you hit it slightly wrong.
The rules of golf limit driver head size to 460cc - and most modern drivers are built to exactly that size.
Some "pro" model drivers have smaller heads - but amateurs should stick to the standard models.
Shaft Flex (The stiffness of the golf shaft)
Golf shafts come in steel and graphite. Almost every driver on the market today has a graphite shaft.
The flex of the shaft is measured as R or regular, S or Stiff, and XS or Extra Stiff. You can also get Senior Flex for older golfers.
Stiffer flex provides more control but less distance (generally speaking).
The vast majority of golfers should use Regular Flex. If you swing the club at 100MPH+ you should go for Stiff Flex.
Do's, Don'ts and FAKES
Do buy a driver that suits YOU - not the one that your favourite tour-pro uses!
Don't buy a "bargain" from Ebay! There are thousands of fakes on the market today - made in China and totally convincing.
They are almost impossible to tell from the real thing - until you start using them. They look like bargains - but they are not!
No matter what the sellers tell you (Serial numbers, certificates of authenticity etc etc etc) if it is a major brand driver at a
bargain price - it is almost certainly a fake. It may look perfect, but it will not perform correctly and it will probably break after a
short period of use. The safest way to avoid these fakes is by purchasing from one of our recommended outlets.
For information about the best drivers on the market - click these links
premium drivers budget drivers
These days they are made from various metals - including stainless steel, carbon steel, and titanium.
They are the longest clubs in your bag - and they hit the ball the furthest. Woods are "distance clubs".
The longest and most powerful wood is called the "Driver" (Sometimes referred to as The Number One Wood).
Almost all golfers carry a driver - but most of them struggle to master it! But this is a not a difficult club to use if you make the
right choice!
The "loft" or club-face angle on a driver can vary from around seven degrees - to around thirteen degrees.
The less loft it has - the harder it is to use. Most amateur golfers use drivers with too little loft.
In our view no beginner should try to use a driver with less than eleven degrees of loft - 12 or 13 degrees is better.
If you buy a driver with too little loft - it will destroy your confidence.
The rest of the woods have numbers rather than names. 3 wood, 4 wood, 5 wood etc - up to a 9 wood.
They are often referred to as "fairway woods" because their primary function is to hit long shots from the fairway.
The higher the number, the greater the loft - so a 5 wood has more loft (hits the ball higher but shorter) than a 3 wood etc.
Most golfers carry a Driver, a 3 wood, and a 5 wood. (This combination is often referred to as a "set of woods").
Buying a Driver
Owning the correct driver for YOU is crucial - Get it right and your confidence will soar.
The most important things to consider are...
Loft (The face angle of the club - measured in degrees. Drivers have between 7 and 13 degrees of loft)
Too little loft and you will struggle to get the ball airborne.
Buying a driver with not enough loft is the most common mistake that golfers - even good ones - make.
There is a certain amount of macho status attached to the loft on your driver - but don't get sucked into this stupidity.
There is absolutely no point in carrying a driver that you can't use! Results are all that matters!
We recommend 12 degrees of loft for beginners and high handicappers: 10 degrees for mid-handicappers, and 9 degrees
for better players. Only powerful professionals should use less than 9 degrees!
Head Size (The actual size of the driver head - measured in cubic centimetres)
Generally speaking, the bigger the head - the easier it is to hit, and the more forgiving it is if you hit it slightly wrong.
The rules of golf limit driver head size to 460cc - and most modern drivers are built to exactly that size.
Some "pro" model drivers have smaller heads - but amateurs should stick to the standard models.
Shaft Flex (The stiffness of the golf shaft)
Golf shafts come in steel and graphite. Almost every driver on the market today has a graphite shaft.
The flex of the shaft is measured as R or regular, S or Stiff, and XS or Extra Stiff. You can also get Senior Flex for older golfers.
Stiffer flex provides more control but less distance (generally speaking).
The vast majority of golfers should use Regular Flex. If you swing the club at 100MPH+ you should go for Stiff Flex.
Do's, Don'ts and FAKES
Do buy a driver that suits YOU - not the one that your favourite tour-pro uses!
Don't buy a "bargain" from Ebay! There are thousands of fakes on the market today - made in China and totally convincing.
They are almost impossible to tell from the real thing - until you start using them. They look like bargains - but they are not!
No matter what the sellers tell you (Serial numbers, certificates of authenticity etc etc etc) if it is a major brand driver at a
bargain price - it is almost certainly a fake. It may look perfect, but it will not perform correctly and it will probably break after a
short period of use. The safest way to avoid these fakes is by purchasing from one of our recommended outlets.
For information about the best drivers on the market - click these links
premium drivers budget drivers
| Understanding Golf Equipment. A Buyer's Guide - Drivers & Woods |
More Buyers Guides
| Our Quick Buyers Guides will help you to make informed choices about the type of products that will suit you best. |
* Drivers & Fairway Woods
* Hybrids/Rescue Clubs
* Irons
* Wedges
* Putters
* Hybrids/Rescue Clubs
* Irons
* Wedges
* Putters
We also like CG Discount Golf. They have regular sales and are well worth a look.
| Best place to buy golf clubs online? Golf Store Europe |
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