The incredible thing about the game of golf is that it’s a game that can be played across a lifetime. Rock up to your local club on any given weekend and you’ll find a unique mix of people with a larger age span than any other mainstream sport. If you were to start off as a junior and kept healthy throughout your lifetime, it’s feasible that you could potentially play the game for 80+ years. This is what makes golf special.
The common paradigm in golf is that the older you get, the higher you shoot. This is not necessarily true. With some simple club and technique adjustments to your game as you age, you can continue to hit good, solid scores well into your twilight years.
Below we introduce 5 of the best drivers for seniors. For those with dependable swings, these drivers will help you with your consistency off the tee, allowing you to hit more fairways no matter your age.
1: Taylor Made M2
The Taylor Made M2 drivers have been crafted to compliment their incredibly popular M1 range and for $100 less, are a fantastic buy. This time round, Taylor Made has focused on increasing the drivers sweet spot by removing the sliding “T-Track” found in the M1, creating an extra 15 grams of discretionary weight which has been redistributed towards the back end of the driver head. The result of this is their highest MOI driver to date producing a sweet spot that is incredibly forgiving. This is a great driver for the senior golfer who’s primarily concerned with consistency off the tee.
2: Callaway Big Bertha Fusion
Over the past 20 years, the Callaway “Big Bertha” name has become synonymous with power, distance and aggression. Callaway continues that trend into 2017 with a new driver that promotes distance without scaling back on forgiveness. To gain an edge, Callaway have continued their partnership with Boeing aerospace engineers to improve their “speed step” crown design, resulting in faster head speeds through refined aerodynamics. Inside the driver, an “exo-cage” houses unique Triaxial Carbon material that is 65% lighter than titanium. This extra weight has been repurposed low and towards the back of the driver, resulting in increased forgiveness, reduced backspin and higher launch angles. If you’re a senior who is looking for more forgiveness without having to sacrifice distance, this is a great club for you.
3: Ping G25
Although three years old, the Ping G25 still manages to make our list of the best drivers for senior players in 2017. The reason? The large, forgiving face on the G25 still produces high ball speeds on miss-hits. The head has +/- 0.5° of face angle adjustment and tends to produce lower sidespin, resulting in more accurate drives. Of the 5 drivers tested in this blog, the G25 hits the longest while the large head improves confidence and allows for a bigger sweet-spot. The matte-black finish looks nice on any course and is perfect for the senior golfer who’s looking to impress friends whilst crushing it consistently down the middle.
4: Cleveland 588 Custom Driver
For senior golfers looking for adjustability, the Cleveland 588 Custom Driver ticks all the right boxes. The 460cc titanium head allows for maximum distance with an increase in forgiveness and accuracy while the centre of gravity lies much lower in the club head, resulting in a drive that produces a consistently high, penetrating flight. There are 12 different adjustable settings on the bottom and back of the club head which allow you to alter and optimise your swing weight. Note that this should be done in accordance with a professional club fitter who will run a full set of numbers on your swing before making any necessary adjustments.
5: Mizuno JPX 900
Brand new for 2017, the Mizuno JPX 900 debuts a new ‘CORtech’ face design which has added support behind the face both horizontally and vertically, expanding the COR area. This improves forgiveness for shots that are hit off-centre as well as too high or low on the face- perfect for senior golfers. A new ‘infinite track’ allows you to adjust the centre of gravity either forward or rearward for improvements in trajectory and spin rates. There are no standard settings with the infinite track meaning even the most minute adjustments can be made. Make sure you consult a professional club fitter before making adjustments.
Golf doesn’t have to become harder just because you’re getting older. We’re living in an age where technology allows manufactures to create the most forgiving drivers ever made without reducing head speeds or distances while adjustable drivers mean that you can fine-tune your game like never before. Take advantage of the new drivers on show and watch your golf game continue to flourish as life goes on.