Of course, everyone likes to be flattered, but it started me thinking about getting a new driver. I thought it was time to ditch my £10 Dunlop 11.5 degree, 43 inch steel shafted driver, and go for something a little more intense. Something which I could build myself, after my positive experiences with my wedges.
I decided that my choices were going to be between Ping and TaylorMade. Largely because I had been browsing for new irons and had narrowed that choice down to the Ping G25s and the TaylorMade Rocketballz/Rocketbladez. Ping of course had a couple of drivers which interested me, the G20 and G25, whereas TM had the RBZ and RBZ stage 2. I ventured forth to my local golf store.
I loved both the matt black of the Pings and the white of the TMs. This was going to be tough. I lifted the G25 and held it as if at address. Immediately I was disappointed. I just didn't like the shape of the head. Although not a golf professional, (understatement,) I understand that a lot of golf has to do with the mind, and if I don't like looking down at a driver at address, then that's not giving me a psychological advantage. I tried to convince myself that I liked it, but I didn't listen to my own sales patter. Likewise the G20 was not jumping out at me as a beautiful club. I turned to the RBZs and was immediately taken with the White head. It looked great. It was a pleasing shape but it was the colour which stood out against the ground which captured my attention. This was going to be easier than I thought. I will add at this point that I did not try out any of these drivers; I was just going by handsomeness.
If it hasn't been apparent from this blog, then I confess, I am a tinkerer. I love to go into my garage and make things. I love to customise things to 'make them better.' Kind of like Tim Allen in the show of the 90s, Home Improvement; some would say disturbingly similar.
The aforementioned Dunlop driver was the next victim of my tinkmanship. I masked up the face and sole and sprayed it white - with radiator paint. I have to say, it looked good, and so off I went to my annual golf weekend on the West Coast of Ireland and played four rounds with it. I'll be honest, perhaps not surprisingly, it didn't make me play any better, but some of my golfing buddies were very complimentary of the paint job. I think at that time, I lost interest a wee bit in the white.
After visiting the local store once more, I had reviewed my options and selected a Ping Anser 10.5 degree driver (who knows from where,) and the RBZ stage 2. Having already found an online golf store which sold a great selection of golf components, I had decided this was my go-to place for a driver. Again, another big risk, as if buying a driver without having hit it wasn't enough, this was buying components, which I'd never seen, but which when built would be perhaps somewhat similar to a driver I'd looked at, all from a supplier I'd never used before. My old adage that a good swing will suit any club, would soon be tested once more.
In the end, I decided on the Anser clone. It is strange but I felt some loyalty to Ping after years of playing with G2 clone irons so I thought I would stick with the Ping clone driver (of course made by a totally different manufacturer than my irons.) There is very little rationality in this.
After two long weeks (over half of which was UK customs clearance,) my components arrived and I set to work attaching the 10.5 degree driver head with some quick set shafting epoxy. I did wait for 24 hours though before cutting the club to size (45.5" for me,) and gripping. As I didn't have a playing partner organised, I called on my 14 year old son to play with me the following Friday.
So there I stood on the first tee, new driver in hand, although it was a short par 4, which dog-legged left. A hole, at which I would normally take an iron for a lay up into the green, I did not need a full whack at it so decided to take it easy. One easy swing and a surprisingly low clunk (perhaps something to do with the cup face?) later and the ball went in a straight line towards the corner of the dog leg. I was chuffed. I didn't get to use it again until the fifth hole, but I got my offspring to video it with my phone. I hit the ball into a fairly hefty head wind, but straight and true. The story was the same for the rest of that first round. Due to the wind, I hit a couple of 290+ drives and was astounded at how the driver sent the ball in exactly the direction in which I aimed it. After a couple more rounds, I reckon I'm hitting it around 250-260 yards with no wind.
Why doesn't everyone build their own clubs?
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