Equipment
Forum Thread of the Day: “Best driver for a short-hitting senior?”
Today’s Forum Thread of the Day comes from platgolf who is on the hunt for a driver suited to a senior player in the 240 yards off the tee category. Currently playing a Fusion 12-degree driver, platgolf is looking to change things up, and our members give their suggestions on the big-stick that could work best.
Here are a few posts from the thread, but make sure to check out the entire discussion and have your say at the link below.
- stmike: “I’m in the same “senior” hitting situation, and tried a couple of different new drivers last year. The one that gave me the most success is the Callaway Epic 10.5. But we all have different swings, and what works for others may not be for you.”
- Markrip: “Sounds like your experience with the F8 weren’t good. You should try the F7. I have one, and the ball goes a long way. It also has an extra weight port the F8 doesn’t, and it really helps keep the ball from going right. I don’t use it in that setting because it makes the ball go way left for me. It also has draw settings with the loft adjustments if you needed that.”
- CarolinaGolfer2: “Titleist TS1 10.5 with the Fubuki 45g shaft beats them all for me, and I’ve played or demoed them all. Titleist got it right with the weighting in this one. Usually, I can’t stand ultra-lite drivers. But this doesn’t feel too light, and I picked up 3 to 5 mph swing speed with it.”
- golftejas: “You might demo a Ping G400 Max at 10.5* if you get a chance … this is a higher-spin head, so you might find it provides enough spin to provide good stability/accuracy/height for your shots. I’ve found this head to be extremely forgiving with good shot heights for me. And if you loft-it-up 1* to play at 11.5*, the face will be a little more closed to help with any right-miss tendencies.”
Entire Thread: “Best driver for a short-hitting senior?”
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Whats in the Bag
Scottie Scheffler’s winning WITB: 2024 Masters
Driver: TaylorMade Qi10 (8 degrees @8.25) Buy here.
Shaft: Fujikura Ventus Black 7 X (45 inches)
3-wood: TaylorMade Qi10 (15 degrees) Buy here.
Shaft: Fujikura Ventus Black 8 X
Irons: Srixon ZU85 (3, 4) Buy here, TaylorMade P7TW (5-PW) Buy here.
Shafts: Nippon N.S. Pro Modus 3 Hybrid Prototype 10 X (3), True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue X100
Wedges: Titleist Vokey Design SM8 (50-12F, 56-14F) Buy here, Titleist Vokey Design WedgeWorks Proto (60-T) Buy here.
Shafts: True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue S400
Putter: TaylorMade Spider Tour X Buy here.
Grip: Golf Pride Pro Only Cord
Grips: Golf Pride Tour Velvet
Ball: Titleist Pro V1 Buy here.
Check out more in-hand photos of Scottie Scheffler’s clubs here.
The winning WITB is presented by 2nd Swing Golf. 2nd Swing has more than 100,000 new and pre-swung golf clubs available in six store locations and online. Check them out here.
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Whats in the Bag
WITB Time Machine: Danny Willett’s winning WITB, 2016 Masters
Driver: Callaway XR 16 (9 degrees)
Shaft: Mitsubishi Rayon Diamana W-Series 60 X
Length: 45.5 inches
3-wood: Callaway XR 16 (15 degrees)
Shaft: Mitsubishi Rayon Diamana W-Series 70X
5-wood: Callaway XR 16 (19 degrees)
Shaft: Mitsubishi Rayon Diamana W-Series 80X
Irons: Callaway Apex UT (2, 4), Callaway Apex Pro (5-9)
Shaft: True Temper Dynamic Gold X100 Superlite
Wedges: Callaway Mack Daddy 2 (47-11 S-Grind) Callaway Mack Daddy 2 Tour Grind (54-11, 58-9)
Shaft: True Temper Dynamic Gold X100 Superlite
Putter: Odyssey Versa #1 Wide (WBW)
Lie angle: 71 degrees
Ball: Callaway Speed Regime SR-3
Check out more photos of Willett’s equipment from 2016 here.
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Equipment
Project X Denali Blue, Black shaft Review – Club Junkie Review
Originally, Project X was known for low-spin steel iron shafts. However, the company might now be known for wood shafts. Denali is the newest line of graphite shafts from Project X. With the Denali line, the company focuses on feel as well as performance.
There are two profiles in the Denali line, Blue and Black, to fit different launch windows. Denali Blue is the mid-launch and mid-spin profile for players who are looking for a little added launch and Denali Black is designed for low-launch and low-spin. Both models are going to offer you a smooth feel and accuracy.
For a full in-depth review check out the Club Junkie podcast on all podcast streaming platforms and on YouTube.
Project X Denali Blue
I typically fit better into mid-launch shafts, as I don’t hit a very high ball so the Denali Blue was the model I was more excited to try. Out of the box, the shaft looks great and from a distance, it is almost hard to tell the dark blue from the Denali Black. With a logo down install of the shaft, you don’t have anything to distract your eyes, just a clean look with the transition from the white and silver handle section to the dark navy mid and tip.
Out on the course, the Blue offers a very smooth feel that gives you a good kick at impact. The shaft loads easily and you can feel the slightly softer handle section compared to the HZRDUS lineup. This gives the shaft a really good feel of it loading on the transition to the downswing, and as your hands get to impact, the Denali Blue keeps going for a nice, strong kick.
Denali Blue is easy to square up at impact and even turn over to hit it straight or just little draws and most of the flex of the shaft feels like it happens right around where the paint changes from silver to blue. The Blue launches easily and produces what I consider a true mid-flight with the driver. While it is listed as mid-spin, I never noticed any type of rise in my drives. Drives that I didn’t hit perfectly were met with good stability and a ball that stayed online well.
Project X Denali Black
When you hold the Denali Black in your hands you can tell it is a more stout shaft compared to its Blue sibling by just trying to bend it. While the handle feels close to the Blue in terms of stiffness, you can tell the tip is much stiffer when you swing it.
Denali Black definitely takes a little more power to load it but the shaft is still smooth and doesn’t give you any harsh vibrations. Where the Blue kicks hard at impact, the Black holds on a little and feels like keeps you in control even on swings that you try and put a little extra effort into. The stiff tip section also makes it a little harder to square up at impact and for some players could take away a little of the draw from their shot.
Launch is lower and more penetrating compared to the Blue and produces a boring, flat trajectory. Shots into the wind don’t rise or spin up, proving that the spin stays down. Like its mid-launch sibling, the Black is very stable and mishits and keeps the ball on a straighter line. Shots low off the face don’t get very high up in the air, but the low spin properties get the ball out there farther than you would expect. For being such a stout shaft, the feel is very good, and the Denali Black does keep harsh vibrations from your hands.
Overall the Project X Denali Blue and Black are great additions to the line of popular wood shafts. If you are looking for good feel and solid performance the Denali line is worth trying out with your swing. Choose Blue for mid-launch and mid-spin or Black for lower launch and low spin.
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Mike Barnard
Nov 5, 2019 at 3:10 am
240 yds… short , give us a break and get real.
Why publish such utter nonsense , oh wait I’m forgetting , all WRX non seniors hit it over 300yds with XX-stiff shafts weighing 85g, so it all makes sense now.
Nonsense but made WRX forum of the day…
john flavia
Oct 11, 2019 at 8:07 am
I would suggest dropping down in shaft stiffness. I’ve done that recently with a club that had a ‘stiff’ shaft, although I liked the way the shaft felt compared to other shafts, I got a ‘Reg’ flex in the same brand of shaft and it went ~10 yrds further. After hitting that Reg-flex for a while, I got to thinking, let me try the Senior flex in the same brand, so I got that and jumped another 10-15 yards (although with each jump my dispersion increased, but I learned to play it. So other than dropping flex, there’s always going to a more forward tee as has been suggested. I feel sorry for lady golfers who only have the 1 tee to work with.
Morris
Sep 30, 2019 at 7:19 pm
Seriously? Best driver for SHORT HITTING SR’s who can only hit it about 240 off the tee. I’m 66 years old, I’ve played golf for 40+ years, and I’m a 9 handicap. I play golf 3-5 times a week pretty regularly. When I hit my driver on the “screws” I may hit 220-225 yards. I watch 50 other 65+ seniors play every week and MAYBE 10% of the seniors I know can hit their driver over 220 yards. Once again, another article not targeted to 90% of the amateurs playing golf every day.
myron miller
Oct 28, 2019 at 2:52 pm
Fully concur!!! I play with a lot of true Seniors (well over 70 most of them) and very very few hit it average of 240. Best hit it about 220-230 at best. 240 is very very unusual for most seniors, in fact it seems unusual for the average golfer as well. Especially considering several major studies that say the average golfer carries it 200 and rolls it another 25 for a total of 225. And that average is for all ages. And most studies say the average senior 65 and over are lucky to average 200+ total. So 240 is not typical of the normal senior in my experience.
Me, I’m in my mid 70s and seriously disabled as well as old. Severe arthritis and a severely torn oblique muscle that hasn’t healed well at all limit me to about 150 average on good days with a lot of days an average of 135-140. Would I love more distance, sure, but it isn’t going to happen, I fully realize and new drivers make zero difference. I’ve done extensive testing with many many different combinations of new drivers and shafts, including several fittings and so far nothing exceeds my current driver. And I do play forward tees. Fully recognize back is too long for me. Some courses don’t provide ratings for tees short enough for senior men. Only rate to normal white tees.
Stephen Pearcy
Sep 23, 2019 at 4:45 pm
The best driver for a short hitter is called “Forward Tee”
Jim Barnett
Sep 23, 2019 at 9:24 pm
Precisely. And the best club to use If the swing speed is less than 95 mph swinging at 80% of effort is most likely a Wishon 919 with a 13° loft with Its GRT ( graduated roll technology ), and a shaft no longer than 44 inches using Wishon’s s2s (swing to speed) shaft. You will hit it further, straighter, and will not spend anywhere near $500 for an overhyped “major brand” club. Try it, you will like it
A 71-year-old senior.
M Gaston
Sep 23, 2019 at 10:57 pm
Best thing is get a driver custom fitted to your swing dynamucs. Ive been building and teaching golf for years. The proper fitted and designed club will give you all the performance you need. Send specs and ill send reccomendations.