why have golf drivers gotten bigger

Full Answer

Are bigger golf drivers more accurate?

In one of the more surprising results, the larger drivers did not prove to be more accurate . Whether we looked at average distance offline or the size of the shot grouping, it was a pure toss up between the larger and smaller heads.

What are the benefits of larger headed golf drivers?

The new, larger headed drivers will provide the following benefits over those designed twenty five to thirty years ago: The first thing that helps all golfers, is that the heads have increased in size from about 300 cc (the volume measured in cubic centimeters) to as much as 500 cc.

Why are golf courses getting longer?

It is true that golf courses have increased in length over the years. The simple reason for the increase in length is due to golfers being able to drive a ball much farther than they did in years past. In 1980, only six PGA golfers could hit the ball 270 yards from a tee shot.

Why are golf drivers so expensive?

Of course, modern drivers are rather expensive due to the materials and engineering required to bring them to life, but most golfers are glad to pay the price if it means they can outdrive their playing partners on a regular basis. The development of this ‘new age’ of golf drivers has even had an effect on golf courses around the world.

When did golf drivers get so big?

1991: Callaway Launches World's First Stainless Steel Driver This was where the game was changed immensely. Callaway took the bull by the horns and produced the ever popular Big Bertha Stainless Steel headed driver. At 195cc it was enormous compared to what golfers were used to. It was a game changer.

Why are golf drivers so big?

Big driver heads have a greater surface area and hence are very forgiving in terms of hitting the shot. This is not necessarily the case with small driver heads. Since the surface is low, the ball has to be hit with greater accuracy. Larger sized heads are preferred when hitting the golf ball over shorter distances.

Are new golf drivers longer?

Year-over-year, distance increases in new equipment are generally minimal. If you bought a driver in 2019, the 2020 model may only be 1-2 yards longer. But, if you have a driver from 2004, then the 2020 model could be 20+ yards longer.

Are big drivers better?

The best driver size depends on the design of the particular headphones. Earphone drivers are usually 8mm – 15mm in diameter, while headphone drivers are typically 20mm – 50mm. A larger driver produces stronger sound waves (particularly in the bass/sub-bass), but this doesn't mean they sound better.

Are bigger drivers easier to hit?

Benefits Of Large Driver Heads The larger head drivers can also help to give certain players a bit more confidence in their golf game. They will look at the shot that they are supposed to hit and realize they have a much better chance of hitting it exactly as they should because of the larger head driver in their hand.

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.

How much longer are today's drivers?

Driver lengths have settled back down, generally to around 45½ inches. Longer isn't longer; properly fit for length (and loft and face angle and weight and bend profile) is longer. Although longer shafts generate more speed, shorter shafts might give you more distance because you find the center of the face more often.

Can a new driver really add distance?

Distance. Newer drivers have newer technology that helps give golfers more distance but it depends on the year it was made in terms of drastic differences in length. A 20 year-old driver will have less distance than a new driver. Ball speed and driver faces are two factors that have changed over time.

Which 2021 driver is the longest?

Not only was the Callaway Epic Speed the longest driver we tested in 2021, it was the fourth most forgiving, making it a superb all-round driver.

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.

Does the size of the driver matter?

Does the Size and Number of Drivers Matter? Generally, a larger Bluetooth headphone driver unit produces better bass. However, you shouldn't take this to mean that headphones with large drivers emit better sound than those with small drivers. Nothing could be further from the truth.

What is considered a large head driver?

Head 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 smaller drivers better?

However, small head drivers have a significant advantage for good ball strikers that find the center of the clubface more often than not. You can swing a small head driver faster and generate more accuracy and distance. Off-center strikes will be less forgiving and exaggerate the mistake.

Is there really a difference in golf drivers?

All drivers are not made the same, and all golfers have different swings. One club might be better for you than another, despite whatever marketing claims you have seen. For an hour of your time and little extra money, you can make sure you are giving yourself the best chance off the tee with the right driver setup.

What size should my driver be?

Driver Shaft Length Based Solely on HeightHeight (feet/inches)Driver Shaft Length5'4″-5'7″45.5″5'2″-5'4″45″5'0″-5'2″44.5″4'10”-5'0″44″6 more rows•May 9, 2021

Does anyone make a small head driver?

The best small head golf driver on the market is the Callaway Mavrik Sub Zero. This club has a ton of high ball speed, forgiveness, and impressive control. If you are a lower handicap player looking to control your driver the way you do your irons, the Mavrik Sub Zero is a perfect choice.

What are the advantages of having a bigger head?

Another advantage one gains from the bigger heads is that most of them are made of titanium and have bigger faces. This allows for a spring like effect. The face actually deforms and recovers during impact.

Why is a 300cc hollow head better than a 200cc?

The reason the bigger hollow heads (300cc or 400cc) are better than the 200 cc model is that more weight can be distributed farther away from the center of gravity, in the shell itself. This increases the MOI (Moment of Inertia), which means that the club head is inclined to twist less if you miss the sweet spot.

What does COR mean in golf?

The COR (Coefficient of Restitution) is higher. This means that the ball will leave the face of the club faster and more distance will be the end result. That’s the good news. You need to know, however, that the actual gains you get on average, will be less than the technology can provide.

Where is Matt from Plugged In Golf?

He's worked in nearly every job in the golf industry from club fitting to instruction to writing and speaking. Matt lives in the northwest suburbs of Chicago with his wife and two daughters.

Does swing speed vary between smaller and larger heads?

First, swing speed did vary significantly between larger and smaller heads but without a consistent pattern. Also, there was no clear pattern regarding club size and launch or spin. Smaller heads are thought to be lower spinning, but that wasn’t universally true in our test.

Do larger heads produce more ball speed?

The main takeaway here is that, by virtue of being more forgiving, the larger heads consistently produced more ball speed relative to club head speed. There were also a couple interesting nuggets in the data. First, swing speed did vary significantly between larger and smaller heads but without a consistent pattern.

Does Newer Mean Better?

Every year, equipment manufacturers tell us that their latest products are the longest, straightest clubs ever created, and every year, thousands of golfers buy new drivers in the hope that it’s true.

How We Tested

We brought together five testers and four drivers, each from a different decade – the 80’s, 90’s, 2000’s, and 2010’s. Each player hit each driver five times, and every shot was recorded.

The Results

Unsurprisingly, we found that new drivers are significantly longer than old drivers. When looking at the group average, the modern driver was 30 yards ahead of the persimmon driver and 13 yards ahead of the driver from the 90’s.

Conclusion

The next time you see an ad touting the latest driver as being the longest ever, remember what you’ve seen here: a driver that’s nearly 10 years old went toe-to-toe with the best driver of the year because of a well-fit shaft. It’s true that drivers do improve every year, but the improvements are gradual.

How to improve footwork in golf?

A good drill to help improve your footwork is to make practice swings with your toes slightly raised (below). What you want to feel is that your body isn’t lurching toward the ball in the downswing. Then set your toes back down and transfer that feel into your real swings.

Should you keep your grip pressure light?

If you keep your grip pressure light—and that’s something you should never ignore—the arms almost always fully extend and the wrists and forearms release just like they should if you were swinging at a ball on a tee. Remember how that feels when it’s time to hit a drive.

Where is Ryan from Golf?

Ryan is a marketing and communications professional in the financial services industry with a true passion for the game of golf. An MBA candidate and self-proclaimed lifelong learner both on and off the golf course. He's just killing time until his next tee time. Ryan is based out of sunny Phoenix, AZ and is blessed to be able to tee it up year-round.

Why is Talge raising prices?

Reasons behind the general upward trend at Titleist include: Performance seeking each and every cycle (new material research and implementation) Using the highest performance partners and suppliers (real deal shafts and grips) A different approach to club building and assembly.

Is casual golfer invested in the game?

The casual golfer just isn’t as invested in the game, so it’s crucial to bring better performing products to the market that the serious golfer will invest in. While there’s a case to be made that the cost of premium drivers hasn’t changed too much over the last several years, at the lower end of the market has risen in price significantly.

What does it mean when a golf course is bigger?

An increase in golf course size also means potential increases in the costs to run a club. It will take more money to pay for the water and the fertilizer to maintain the course. While courses are getting longer, and technology in golf is evolving, some are afraid of what could happen to the game. However, there are others who are open to ...

Why have golf courses increased in length?

The simple reason for the increase in length is due to golfers being able to drive a ball much farther than they did in years past. In 1980, only six PGA golfers could hit the ball 270 yards from a tee shot.

How many yards can a golfer hit from a tee shot?

In 1980, only six PGA golfers could hit the ball 270 yards from a tee shot. Today, most professionals are able to drive a tee shot 290 yards. Thanks to players’ ability to drive a tee shot so far, courses have had to increase their lengths. In 2011, 21 PGA pros could drive a golf ball 300 yards or more. That was a number unheard of in 1980.

Why are safety areas on golf courses compromised?

The safety areas on a golf course can become compromised due to players being able to hit the ball so far. The possibility of golf courses not fully putting safety measures in place when the course size is increased is a concern to architects. An increase in golf course size also means potential increases in the costs to run a club.

Does the slope change with the length of a golf course?

It is also making it difficult for courses to keep players from reaching the green too quickly. By increasing the length of a golf course, the slope and rating of a course will change, too. However, in most cases, it will stay the same.

Does golf attract more interest from non-fans?

But there is the argument that golf could attract more interest from non-fans by having players who are able to, not only hit the ball long distances, but reach the cup quickly. In an article published by The Telegraph newspaper, golf course architects expressed their fright in the continued increase in driving distances.

Will golf be the same in 20 years?

With the continued increase of courses, and the ability to drive the ball so far, golf won’t resemble the game it currently is in 20 years’ time.

Who are the editors of Golf Digest?

And they are sharing their golf equipment knowledge with you. Golf Digest's equipment editors, Mike Stachura and E. Michael Johnson, have covered the golf equipment business for decades, and there are few who know the equipment industry better. We've asked them to answer your questions in a weekly equipment round-up.

Who used ping eye 2 wedges?

Phil Mickelson and Padraig Harrington started using original Ping Eye2 lob wedges because its grooves were grandfathered in and Stewart Cink even went so far as to practice with duct tape on the face of his wedges, feeling that would be the equivalent of the new, less-aggressive grooves.

Why do golfers use oversized grips?

Oversized golf grips are mainly used to help golfers with larger hands. When a golfer with larger hands uses an oversized golf grip, they will notice improved wrist action, decreased grip pressure, relief of pain, and potentially some better ball trajectory as well. Certainly, these are all benefits that any golfer could get used to.

Why are oversized grips good for golf?

For golfers, with larger hands, the oversized grips can help them feel like they have a better handle on the club without having to grip it too hard. Anytime a player has added confidence and control over the golf club, they will do a better job of compressing it.

What are the best grips for jumbo putters?

The Superstroke Putter grips have become the most well-known jumbo putter golf grips. These grips come in a variety of colors and sizes, but they are all designed to help eliminate unnecessary wrist movement at impact. The Superstroke putter grip s allow players to grip the club in a variety of ways.

What does it mean when you have an oversized golf grip?

If you happen to have arthritis, an oversized golf grip can mean that you have less bending of your fingers to do to grip the golf club. Senior golfers have been using midsized and oversized golf grips for many years to help them increase performance on all of their golf clubs.

Why is my golf grip so small?

Although this can help a player feel as though they have more control over the golf club, it will add increased grip pressure. An increase in grip pressure will lead to poor shots and increased misses. Grip pressure that is too tight will decrease mobility in your swing.

Why do you need wrists for golf swing?

You will need your wrists to turn over during the course of your golf swing, but using them to try and get better ball flight or to control the direction of the ball will not work. Golfers with over-reactive wrists will use the larger grip to help eliminate wrist action.

What is under the golf grips?

Under your golf grips is a layer of double-sided tape. The double-sided tape is what is used to keep your golf grip on the club and make sure it does not move while you swing. The tape can be put on in one layer, or it can be put on in several layers.

Is Bigger Better?

The Myths

• Myth #1 – Larger drivers produce more consistent distance Myth #2 – Larger drivers are more accurate Myth #3 – Better players always prefer smaller drivers Myth #4 – Smaller drivers only fit better players

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How We Tested

The Results

Conclusion

Does Newer Mean Better?

The Myths

How We Tested

The Results

• Unsurprisingly, we found that new drivers are significantly longer than old drivers. When looking at the group average, the modern driver was 30 yards ahead of the persimmon driverand 13 yards ahead of the driver from the 90’s. Interestingly, the modern driver was edged out by our 2000’s driver. There are a couple reasons for this. First, the moder...

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Conclusion