The grief of losing a loved-one
After almost 20 years, my trusty driver finally disintegrated, and I’m left bewildered, heartbroken and distressed. It’s a nightmare that I can hardly recall without getting teary-eyed. On the 12th hole my graphite shaft came un-done during my downswing, making a horrifying “wizzzzz” sound as the strands came unglued. I rushed her to the golf hospital where I was the club grievance counselor told me that a repair was impossible and she was gone forever.
Dating a new driver
So here I am, dating new drivers for the first time in nearly two decades. Friend paid their condolences and each and every one offered-up advice on the sexist new drivers. Still stunned with grief, I told the pro that I wanted the best driver that money could by, but I was not prepared for the prices, with costs up to $1,500 for a Callaway tour issue FT-5.
Callaway is the current “prestige” driver, and with prices up to $1,500 each, I expected them to be gold plated. NO WAY I’m paying that much money for a driver.
There are two things that I absolutely hate about these new 21st century drivers:
Huge heads – Everybody likes a little head, but these new drivers are of mammoth proportion, with heads the size of a McDonald’s Big Mac! The first time a tried one, I feared that I would be laughed at, as it looks like I was compensating for something.
Stupid sounds – My old driver made a crisp “crr-aaack” sound, a manly announcement that a great drive was in progress. Sadly, these new drivers make a gawd-awful “tiii-nnnng” sound, totally ridiculous. In the golf cart, these new drivers make sounds like milk bottles clanging together.
I was told that I was just being old-fashioned, and that even the pros use these obese monster drivers. My old driver had a sweet spot the size of a quarter, and these monsters have a sweet spot the size of a silver dollar! But it's all peer pressure, and if the kids don;t think that they look dumb, I guess I'll get used to it:
Into the 21st Century
Choosing a new driver isn’t easy. They all have wussy names like “big bertha”, sasquatch” and “sumo”, and I’m mortified that I will be laughed-at, using such as huge device.
The SasQuatch driver was highly praised, but even if I could get used to the giant club head, the sound of this club is unworldly. It makes this stupid “dunnngggg” sound, like hitting a metal garbage can with a broomstick:
The Callaway irons are also quite nice, but it’s driving me mad trying to find the exact club weight and shaft for such an important purchase:
Well, I’m not about to be accused of being old-fashioned so I thought that I would try one of these monsters. Sho-nuff, I was laughed-at, especially from my 70 year-old friend who can out-drive me with his one-iron. However, I was amazed that my very first drive took me 320 right down the middle, far longer than my deceased driver.
I could have replace my old driver from eBay, but it’s just not the same, and it’s time to get with the times.
Being a high-tech guy, I chose one of the new FT-i “square head” drivers, like this one:
I’ve never, ever bought a driver without testing it, but my pro says that I won’t be disappointed. I must always remember the other golf saying “It’s not how you drive, it’s how you arrive”. So here I am with “the latest” high tech-club which looks silly and makes dumb noises, but hey, will they be laughing when I hit the green in two on a par 5 hole?
Probably . . . . .
