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Draw vs. Neutral Driver question

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DixeTinCup

DixeTinCup

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I am considering buying a Callaway FT-9 draw driver, however I am concerned about the draw aspect. I understand the concept of a draw driver...that it will help to minimize one who slices (not fix) or that if hit straight the ball would land approx. 15-20 yards off center. I also understand that draw drivers have a closed face. But my real questions is the weighting. I was doing some research but could not find a great explanation. This is what I get so far: Draw drivers are weighted more towards the rear of the crown and neutral drivers are evenly weighted. What are the ramifications of the draw weighted in the back of the crown versus neutral. I tend to have a natural fade that can get away from me and become a full slice with a full backswing...but I have corrected with a 1-12 o 'clock backswing, slows swing speed a bit but I hit it dead straight. I am debating if I should get a draw or neutral? Would appreciate any inpute:confused2:
 
If you have found a good swing that you can keep straight, I wouldn't mess with a draw driver. The draws are weighted that way so that they "turn over" easier and don't let the clubface stay wide open (which causes a slice).
 
As soon as you fix your slice with a couple of lessons you'll be looking for another driver...trust me. Just close the face on a neutral driver manually, it'll increase the loft of the driver but that'll help you with distance if you slow down your swing while your trying to fix your banana balls.


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Draw drivers can be "draw" a couple of different ways.

1. Closing the face.
2. Weighted towards "draw".

Many times they are a combo of the two. When choosing one, you must first see how you swing the club and more importantly where the face is at impact. If the face is slightly open at impact, the closed face can be rather helpful in making it more neutral at impact. However if your fade/slice is because of swing path and side spin being put on the ball, many times closing the face will not help that, but actually can cause more "damage" then good in my opinion because it can lead to dead pulls left. This is where weighting might be better to keep the face from angling that way and leading to pulls, while still reducing the fade/slice.

In my opinion, it is always better to hit both options on a launch monitor and find out which is giving the best shot dispersion. Paying careful attention to launch angles as well as shot dispersion. Make sure even straight balls that are not registering a ton of spin are going straight rather than pulls to the left.
 
JB said:
Draw drivers can be "draw" a couple of different ways.

1. Closing the face.
2. Weighted towards "draw".

Many times they are a combo of the two. When choosing one, you must first see how you swing the club and more importantly where the face is at impact. If the face is slightly open at impact, the closed face can be rather helpful in making it more neutral at impact. However if your fade/slice is because of swing path and side spin being put on the ball, many times closing the face will not help that, but actually can cause more "damage" then good in my opinion because it can lead to dead pulls left. This is where weighting might be better to keep the face from angling that way and leading to pulls, while still reducing the fade/slice.

In my opinion, it is always better to hit both options on a launch monitor and find out which is giving the best shot dispersion. Paying careful attention to launch angles as well as shot dispersion. Make sure even straight balls that are not registering a ton of spin are going straight rather than pulls to the left.
Click to expand...

There you go. I don't think it can be said any better.
 
Thanks JB, that was helpful. My slice/fade is due to an out to in swing path. I don't have an issue closing the driver face. Lately it seems that I am doing exactly what you describe and have been over compensating with my driver, over-rotating and duck hooking it left. I will have to go to golf galaxy and get on the launch monitor. I don't have too much experience with lauch monitors other than knowing my swing speed. What should I be looking for in terms of spin, launch angles, etc. How would I know based upon the launch monitor if the draw driver would help/hurt?
 
ed22499 said:
Thanks JB, that was helpful. My slice/fade is due to an out to in swing path. I don't have an issue closing the driver face. Lately it seems that I am doing exactly what you describe and have been over compensating with my driver, over-rotating and duck hooking it left. I will have to go to golf galaxy and get on the launch monitor. I don't have too much experience with lauch monitors other than knowing my swing speed. What should I be looking for in terms of spin, launch angles, etc. How would I know based upon the launch monitor if the draw driver would help/hurt?
Click to expand...

It depends on the person, but for your 1st visit look more for ball flight and if you are pulling shots to the left or hooking and/or still fading. The sidespin numbers is pretty crucial here. And then again, if it is straight, is it straight or is it a straight pull.
 
I would go with the neutral and continue to work on your swing.
 
What about an adjustable driver. Best if both worlds this way in my opinion


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JB gave you great advice. Having been a User of a Draw bias Driver I would try to get something that can be adjusted to open and close face. I outgrew the draw driver in a few short weeks . Good Luck
 
ed22499 said:
I am considering buying a Callaway FT-9 draw driver, however I am concerned about the draw aspect. I understand the concept of a draw driver...that it will help to minimize one who slices (not fix) or that if hit straight the ball would land approx. 15-20 yards off center. I also understand that draw drivers have a closed face. But my real questions is the weighting. I was doing some research but could not find a great explanation. This is what I get so far: Draw drivers are weighted more towards the rear of the crown and neutral drivers are evenly weighted. What are the ramifications of the draw weighted in the back of the crown versus neutral. I tend to have a natural fade that can get away from me and become a full slice with a full backswing...but I have corrected with a 1-12 o 'clock backswing, slows swing speed a bit but I hit it dead straight. I am debating if I should get a draw or neutral? Would appreciate any inpute:confused2:
Click to expand...

First off I recommend you try before you buy. My natural shot is a slight fade and I owned & gamed the FT-9 draw version for the better part of two years. The driver worked very well for me but it was not as long for me as a few other drivers. I found the draw weight to help make drives straighter and it did not ever lead to many hook (left) shots for me. The driver was really straight. Good driver. Well made and the sound was decent.
 
Well, first, JB brought up all the right points.

Second, I own and use a TM Burner Draw Driver, 9.5*, but it's also a High Trajectory Driver.

As for draw drivers with a closed club face. With my driver, there appears to only be one 'weight' placed in the driver, and it is on the bottom/back/center (likely the weighting for the high trajectory). So I believe the weighting is neutral as far as draw/fade. The club face is definitely closed. Now let me tell you, the try before you buy thing is important. Also extremely important is that when you are trying it out, that you aim for a spot and try to hit to it. I bring this up b/c I had a very tough time learning to not align my feet with the face of the driver. When you align your feet with a closed club face, it pretty much opens up the club face, and in theory, you hit straight but high. In fact, it took me two years to get used to this driver. Why did I keep it? Because it was free from my uncle, who can beat a free driver.

Now I love my driver, it took about a month this year to get back into the correct swing for it, but I do love it. My feet are aligned right of my target (i'm right handed), but still within the fairway. Usually, I draw the drive right back into the center of the fairway, but occassionally, I hang the ball out there, but since I aimed in the fairway, I just end up on the right side of the fairway. It works for me.

JB mentioned swing path. Trust me, it is still completely possible to slice a draw driver way out of control. Draw driver won't fix a huge slice, but it may fix a small fade. Just depends on the cause of the fade/slice. For me, I'm considering buying a new TM Burner 2.0 (or callaway, or whatever fits me best). None of them are draw drivers, but it works for me, b/c I hit them straight. I actually just barely draw them usually, which is nice.
 
McRock said:
JB mentioned swing path. Trust me, it is still completely possible to slice a draw driver way out of control. Draw driver won't fix a huge slice, but it may fix a small fade. Just depends on the cause of the fade/slice. For me, I'm considering buying a new TM Burner 2.0 (or callaway, or whatever fits me best). None of them are draw drivers, but it works for me, b/c I hit them straight. I actually just barely draw them usually, which is nice.
Click to expand...

Oh man can I vouch for that!
I have my FT-iQ which is reputed to be one heck of a forgiving driver. I can still slice the living daylights out of it all day long if I don't concentrate. However, now that I have semi-learned to hit it, I am noticing that I am pulling my balls to the left now, and I am also taking a new slew of lessons to work this all out. This is why I bought an R11 just to tinker with. We shall see how that goes.
 
I bought a draw driver by a mistake last year and hated it from the start, could never get it to give me a draw. It hooked like crazy almost every time I hit it, the worst 350$ I spent on a driver ever.
 
Neutral all the way. The whole Draw aspect is sketchy to me, but if you have the time to work with your swing I say go neutral and continue to better yourself and you will have the reward. :D
 
Owned a Hogan draw driver and got sick of hooking it. I´d go for neutral any day of the week, but that´s me...
 
Lining up a draw driver with the clubface square adds loft, lining up an open face square de-lofts it. Best thing to do if you are not sure is to go neutral and that way at least that way you will know that if you slice or hook the shot that it is you doing it and not the club. I can't hardly hit a fade on purpose any more after hitting a power fade/slice for years so once you fix a slice if you do it the right way, with a swing change, that slice fix is going to be fairly permanent once you have ingrained it. Relying on the club to fix it? Not sure about that.
 
Srixon Z-Star Driver - open or close and move weights to your heart's content before and after you fix the swing. Problem solved. :) (Only slightly joking). Already gotten all the good advice you need in this thread.
 
Thanks for all your thoughts...I think you are all right...ya talked me out of the draw driver. I like the thought that if I hit the draw driver and hook/slice I would not know if the problem was the club or me. Better to go with a neutral driver and try to work out the swing issues or buy an adjustable (good idea). Thanks everyone:bye:
 
This is where I flat-out love adjustable drivers. I don't need all the fine-tuning adjustments, just face angle.

Although my natural ball-flight is straight to draw when I get into the swing of things, without fail, I start off every season slicing. Badly. I know what the problem is, outside to in, but in the beginning at least, I'm helpless to change it.

I set my driver to closed-face for this spell and once my swing works its way out, I move it to neutral. Then eventually by mid-season or so, it's moved to open, where it remains throughout the balance of the year.

My swing naturally works its way back to a straight back to inside take-away. I've learned to not fight it and risk throwing something else off. So, the adjustable driver helps me to mask the flaw a bit and salvage some decent golf until the swing rounds into shape.
 
Try it before you buy it!

Try it before you buy it!

Someone on the post mentioned making sure to try out a Draw Driver before you make the investment, Excellent advice. I have had buddies buy a Draw version Driver, for some it helped, but I have seen some pretty bad duck hooks and even worst slices. The problem is you are trying to fix a swing flaw with an equipment purchase. Either getting some lessons, changing your stance or even something as simple as not swinging so hard can fix that flaw. I can work my irons and fairway woods on about 85% of my attempts, but I have never been able to do that with todays 460cc Drivers. I could work my driver back in the days of 190cc and 253cc head size Big Berthas, but todays Driver heads are the size of a 56 Buick and impossible for me to draw or fade the ball. Last year I added a Nike VR Pro STR8-FIT Tour Driver to my bag. I had good results in the original configuration, so I could experiment changing the club set up to achieve the ball flight I wanted for a particular course or weather conditions. 32 different setting is a bit much, but some days just one click left of right n the settings makes a difference. Even though I stated "The problem is you are trying to fix a swing flaw with an equipment purchase", in my case I can work all my clubs except for the driver. And my normal ball flight is 260 straight down the middle, I just needed help with a fade or draw when needed. So if you are looking for help with your driver go with an adjustable type, not a fixed draw model which can't be brought back to neutral if the draw factor doesn't work out. Also experimenting around with lead tape in different locations on your current driver can make a big difference, and is a low cost solution.
 
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