Larger heads offer more forgiveness and would benefit high handicappers the most. 430 cc driver heads work best for mid handicappers. While the smaller, workable 400cc heads should only be used by lower handicap golfers. If you are in the market for a large-headed driver, I recommend testing the Callaway Epic Max driver.
Full Answer
Are 460cc vs 430cc vs 400cc driver heads better?
So, in concluding our review of 460cc vs 430cc vs 400cc driver heads. Larger heads offer more forgiveness and would benefit high handicappers the most. 430 cc driver heads work best for mid handicappers. While the smaller, workable 400cc heads should only be used by lower handicap golfers.
What does 460cc mean on a golf driver?
This is a measurement that refers to the surface area of the driver’s head. The USGS is the central authority which fixes the standards that are used for the golf head drivers. 460cc is the maximum permissible size of a golf head. These are generally found in big head drivers. It roughly translates to 28 cubic inches.
What is the Best Mini Golf driver under 430 cc?
This Taylormade model is one of the only mini golf drivers we came across that sits under the 430 cc mark that is available to be purchased brand new. Revolutionary tri-material body (Titanium, Steel, Carbon)
Should you use a small head on a 400cc golf gun?
Should Anyone Use A Small Head Such As The 400cc? Not every golfer is suited to a 400 cc or smaller head size. The reason for this is due to the lower level of forgiveness provided by these heads.
What does 450cc mean on a golf club?
In golfing terms, the “cc” indicates how large the head of a golf club is. The driver, being the club most affected by the size of its head, is usually referred to in terms of its volume. The 460cc drivers feature the maximum head size as prescribed by the USGA.
What does 400cc mean in golf?
Small head drivers are golf clubs with a smaller surface area compared to most other drivers. The surface area of a driver is generally measured in cubic centimeters or commonly referred to as cc. Small heads are available in 380cc to 400cc. On average, the largest drivers have a surface area of about 460cc.
What does 460 mean in golf?
According to the USGA Rules for 2019, “The volume of the clubhead must not exceed 460 cubic centimetres (28.06 cubic inches), plus a tolerance of 10 cubic centimetres (0.61 cubic inches)” (Page 49).
What is golf club head size?
460ccHead Size. The largest driver head approved by the USGA weighs in at 460cc (club heads are measured by volume) and the smaller ones are 440cc or 420cc. The 460cc club heads have larger faces, and the weight is designed to fall into the lower back portion of the club head.
Are 460cc drivers better?
The most significant difference between a small and large driver head is the fact the sweet spot is significantly larger on the 460cc. With the sweet spot being this size, golfers have much more room for error. If you have never heard the concept that golf is a game of misses, it is absolutely the truth.
Are all new drivers 460cc?
Club heads are measured, by volume, in cubic centimetres (cc) with a maximum limit of 460cc. Almost all drivers in today's market are between 440 and 460c.
What does CT mean in golf clubs?
characteristic timeWith distance becoming a bigger and bigger topic in the world of professional golf, an acronym that has risen alongside that is CT which means 'characteristic time'.
What is the biggest driver in golf?
The 5-Foot BIG STIK is a production driver available to everyone...the longest production driver in the world. At 60 inches long (153cm), the club-head speed at the end of that arc can be amazing. It can hit farther than anything you have ever swung! The ball flys out of sight and it is LOUD!
What size driver do pros use?
between 44.5 and 45.5 inchesIt was typical in the 1990s for drivers played on tour to be in the 43-inch range, and now the majority of tour players use a driver between 44.5 and 45.5 inches.
Is 9.5 or 10.5 driver better?
The ideal driver loft depends on your swing speed and the attack angle. Average players that swing the club less than 95 MPH will likely find that a 10.5-degree driver performs the best. Better players who can control their drives and want the most distance will lean more towards a 9-degree driver.
What driver head should I use?
In tests conducted by Mackenzie, et al (2015), they found that the best performing driver head weight is 174 grams for golfers across the board. During their study, various low handicap golfers tested drivers with head weights of 174 g, 190 g, and 200 g.
Is a smaller driver head better?
A small headed driver gives you the option to change angles and perform sharper turns for accuracy. Small-headed drivers offer an increase in precision in addition to the extra distance.
isaacsjohnston Husqvarna
I am new to this forum but have done a fair amount of searching to find the model of this head and piston. I have not found much info that can let me know. To give context: My friends 82' 430XC recently had a ring failure.
isaacsjohnston Husqvarna
Thanks so much for the responses! I’ll list it as a 420 Auto head. Is the classifieds here or eBay the best place to list?
justintendo klotz super techniplate junkie
Thanks so much for the responses! I’ll list it as a 420 Auto head. Is the classifieds here or eBay the best place to list?
Overview
It is a safe bet that many GolfWRX readers have played or at least hit a TaylorMade R-series driver at one time or another. They have been a driving force of innovation in the driver category for many years.
The Review
As I do with all my testing, I first started at the driving range under calm conditions. With the R15 460 (9.5 degrees), I noticed that the launch was as high if not higher than my current gamer and that the distance appeared right on track if not slightly longer.
The Numbers
Instead of burying the headline, the R15 460 (10.5 degrees) with the weights set to neutral performed the best for me. Not only did I hit more of my longest drives with this club, on average it was the lowest spinning (not including the R15 430) with the most consistent launch angle. A recipe for long drives that also stay close to the fairway.
Looks and Feel
When it comes to looks, I’ve been critical of TaylorMade in the past. But this is a performance driver and I expected an edgy, sporty design. I tested the white version, but the black model is my favorite as the design elements blend more naturally.
The Takeaway
During testing I hit drives that sniffed the 300 yard mark, something that for me typically only happens with a strong Florida wind at my back. While the 10.5-degreee R15 460 performed better overall, for a small number of golfers looking for an extremely low-spinning driver in a compact design, the R15 430 might be for you.
What is the maximum size of golf driver?
Nearly every golf driver produced today sits at the USGA maximum size limit of 460 cc . Many golfers prefer the look and feel of smaller head drivers and find that they hit this size of driver head more consistently.
What is a small headed driver?
Small headed drivers are those that have a clubhead size under 460cc. Within this class of drivers are mini drivers which are considerably smaller than your regular driver head. You should find that when hitting a mini driver you should not be able to generate as much distance.
Jude
For some reason I'm attracted to the head shape/size of the 430cc drivers. Anyone else have that feeling? Currently gaming Bridgestone j40. It's a bomber and can't seem to get rid of it. M1 is nice as well but $450 for a driver is gonna have to wait.
golf9596
I have put the m1 430 into play this season and feel it is better in testing than the 460. Your miss will be penalized but I found it longer. I played the Callaway DBD last and had great results too. I like the taller face and more rounded head shape.
BreakingPar
If you don't need the forgiveness, SLDR 430 is king of the hill and can not be beat.
nitram
If you don't need the forgiveness, SLDR 430 is king of the hill and can not be beat.
mattsam
Sldr 430 is a great club. My m1 430 is just barely better. The sldr can be had for under $100! I think I have two 12 deg around if interested
Boricua Golf
Are you looking a the newer drivers?, if so, be ready to spend some cash, otherwise, there are others like:
bladehunter
Sldr 430. My backup head won't ever leave. . I may stray to other drivers. But when I get wild the 430 Sldr is the only thing I can hit straight.
I agree
I do not see an advantage using a 460cc driver over a smaller head driver. I have an old Calloway Steelhead driver that I picked up years ago for 10 bucks at a second hand sports shop. I have played it a couple of times and hit as far as my 460cc.
Amaller headed drivers
Seems to me that if you're looking to try a smaller headed driver, the way to go is to find some used ones. They are predictably much less expensive, and if you find yourself really drawn to the idea, it can't hurt the pocketbook anywhere near as much as a new driver to put a more modern shaft in an older, smaller head and give it a good workout.
Another option is to try out
Another option is to try out using a 3 wood off the tee. The head is smaller and the loft is higher, so with a slower swing speed, you should do better. And if you want you can always change the shaft length and flex. Much cheaper than buying a new club, unless you and the fitter are certain the new club will do the job as expected.
Older, Smaller Drivers
The biggest difference in the "older" drivers versus the newer drivers would be the COR or CT. Depending just how old you go, the ball speed may be less on the older driver due to the fact that technology had not advanced to the point that the driver had maximum COR or what is now measured, CT.
General Information
I did not try to play golf until I retired and almost stopped several times due to pain. Then I found you shortly prior to your surgery. Then I lost you for a while. Glad I received an email announcing your return.
Spinal stenosis and golf
I am approaching 79 and had major back surgery 3yrs ago for ruptured discs .
Inspirational
Mr.Lieberman, Thanks for sharing your life experience. I am only 56 but am currently working my way through a Sciatica bout. Going to find out over the next couple of weeks if it is piriformis syndrome, discs misbehaving or something else.
What is 460cc golf head?
The USGS is the central authority which fixes the standards that are used for the golf head drivers. 460cc is the maximum permissible size of a golf head.
What does a larger head mean in golf?
This is because having a larger surface area on the club face will mean there’s less chance of you missing the ball during a swing.
What is a 400cc driver?
A 400cc driver falls in the “small head category”. They can provide a great deal of flexibility to the player. These heads generally have lesser drag compared to the big head drivers. The head speed is also is higher when using 400cc drivers Vs 460cc models.
Why do golf clubs have head drivers?
Golf head drivers are used to provide maximum distance coverage when compared to regular clubs. This is because drivers generally have longer s hafts than normal. The loft angle of the driver is designed to provide a long range of shot.
What is a small head golf club?
Small head drivers are golf clubs with a smaller surface area compared to most other drivers. The surface area of a driver is generally measured in cubic centimeters or commonly referred to as cc. Small heads are available in 380cc to 400cc. On average, the largest drivers have a surface area of about 460cc.
What are the different types of golf irons?
Golf irons can be classified into 3 categories namely, short irons, mid irons, and long irons. 8-irons or 9-irons are classified as short irons. These are characterized by shorter shafts and bigger loft. The shaft sizes increase as we move from short irons to long irons.
Why is it important to control a golf driver?
Gaining optimum control of a driver is essential to make full use of its potential. In order to achieve greater control, golfers can use a small gold head on their drive. If the player is unable to control the driver correctly, then there is a high chance of the ball moving out of control.
ProStryker
I was wondering the same, but then watched Rick Sheils YouTube vid comparing the 430 and 460 on the launch monitor. His swing and consistency is much better than mine, and he showed that the mishits on the 430 were different enough to lead him to pretty much say that it probably wasn't worth it to go down from the 460.
Eastflava0
Wish they had 440s! I prefer the 430. The smaller head makes me feel a little more "confident" believe it or not.
TMBob
I think that this will be an interesting thread as some early reports are that the 430 head is longer but much shorter on miss hits that the 460 head. I had both for a 3 day weekend and only used the 430 at the range, no course time as I got two rounds in with the 460 head.
denvergolf
Taylormade rep was at a local course last week, and I was really shocked how easy/forgiving the 430 was. I had serious prejudice based on a SLDR 430 experience, but I wouldn't hesitate to put it in play. 460 is very nice, as well, so there's not a bad choice. I got better spin numbers from the 430 with no difference in dispersion.
ph00ny
I need to find an outdoor range that carries both with launch monitors on hand I'm leaning towards the 430 but 460 seems to be boatload more forgiving according to the reviews
Hot Rod 71
Anyone seen any cracking or chipping in the paint on the crown on the demos you've hit? There is another thread going here about new M1 owners experiencing this. These cracks and chips seem to be occurring where the composite body meets the white portion.
sea-golfer
Only a rumor until we see some actual photos. Hope it's just that after how many years in the making. One would think for sure they tested hours and hours on the iron Byron.
