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How Many Do You Test?

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JB

JB

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When you are buying a new driver or in the market for a new driver, how many drivers do you test out at the store or demo day type of event?
 
3 or 4. I research all of them and see which drivers may fit my game and give them a try
 
I'll hit a few just to get a guage on the technology out there in new releases, but for the most part that's about it.
 
It's been a long time since I bought a driver, but if I were to do so now I would want to hit at least 4-5 different ones with different shaft combinations. Given the time and money, I'd hit every possible option, but that's very unrealistic. Problem with my area is finding the availability. Might only be able to hit 3 or 4 with a handful of shaft options.
 
Never , I have always been one of those that will walk into a store/ebay see it on the shelf and hope I can hit it , If not I will pay it forward and chalk it up at a loss. I'm to ancy to hit something to make arrangements for fittings and or demoing a club , Kinda like Friday , went to Callaway.com looking at drivers ended up buying a GBB and haven't hit a Callaway club in 10 years. I hope it works , If not someone will get a good deal.

I should make some appointments.
 
Typically about 3. I will have already researched and narrowed my selections prior to the actual testing.
 
I'm store? 3.

Callway, TM, and one other which varies according to the buzz. Its always been that way for me.
 
This is interesting... I am currently in the market for a new driver, the way I have went about it so far is to see what's out there and see what I like and what's in my price range, narrow it down to a few and see if my pro can get me a demo club to have a bash with, if he can't I hit them in American Golf and buy it from my pro. I always think you have it in your head what club you really want. He is currently waiting on an XR to come in and I have a real feeling that is what I am going to end up with if it is anywhere near as good as the irons. I was in American Golf a few days ago to try the Great Big Bertha Alpha and did not like it, may have been the salesman though, he swore I needed it set at 8 degrees in extra stiff, that combo would never suit me in my eyes, it just felt wrong but he swore the numbers were good. Trying to sell a more expensive club I guess.
 
Jman said:
I'm store? 3.

Callway, TM, and one other which varies according to the buzz. Its always been that way for me.
Click to expand...
im the exact same way
 
Zero.....per my latest purchase.

But I'm in the minority as I've been extremely fortunate over the past several years to be in a situation where I haven't needed to buy anything.

This time around I probably should have tried the M1 and new Cobra but instead I ordered the GBB basically without trying it out.
 
How Many Do You Test?

The last two drivers I bought (R1 in 2013 and Big Bertha whenever it launched--early 2014) I bought without hitting them.

The last driver I purchased and was fit for was in March 2013 and I hit three drivers and ended up with a Tour Edge XGC6 based on that fitting.

I haven't even looked at another driver since getting fit for my current one at the Grandaddy. And honestly, I don't see that changing anytime soon.
 
Not many since I still game single cog technology.

Historically I would say 3-4 as I had tended to have my "favorites"
 
I usually test at least two. If it's an outdoor demo event I would go to as many tents as I had time to (usually no more than 3 at the demos around me). Always test against my current gamer as well.


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Going forward 4-5. I did this with my irons and ended up with something I never thought I'd purchase but they fit my game well. I should probably do that when I go looking for a driver too.


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At least 2 or 3 if I'm in the market to buy. I usually go into it knowing what I want to hit.
 
It depends on what piques my interests TM lost me a while ago so for some reason I just walk past them.

The last time I "tested drivers" I took into account the staff review here, then went to hit them side by side. It came down to the BBA815 & Titleist D3.

Overall bc of familiarity and what I need, I've gravitated towards Callaway & Cobra automatically
 
I would go through 2 or 3 unless I find something that gets me excited early! That hasn't happened in quite a while though.
 
Depends on a couple different things; What is my budget? What is available in store to try out? Is there something that I've had my eye on?

When I was looking for a new driver before this season, I had my eye on the Callaway BB and Bio Cell (thanks, THP) but the Adams XTD was budget friendly. After trying all three, the BB was the run away winner for me, followed by the Bio Cell and then XTD.
 
There aren't that many manufacturers, and I know I want a GI club. So in practice a store might have 5-7 different clubs that fit the bill for me, so I'll try each of those.
 
If I was in the market I think I would try 3 or 4 at the most.
 
I agree with my previous posts, as I definitely do some research before heading to the store (and obviously have some preferable brands picked out), then I will go test 3 maybe 4 different drivers. I will definitely say that I have a few brands that I check out before others.
 
2-3, 4 max. anything more and i think fatigue starts to make the data less reliable.
 
When I bought my Nike vapor I seriously tested 4 drivers. Cobra fly-Z, big Bertha, an older ping model, and the vapor. Felt the vapor preformed best but I wish I would have been more cognizant of the different shafts. That is something I have learned since being on here.
Funny part is that I picked up a j40 on eBay for 40 bucks and that outplayed my vapor.
Going to be in the market before next season. Know I will try the king ltd, Srixon 355, Bridgestone 815, w/s d200, and the m1.


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This year was the first time I have ever made the decision to purchase a new driver. I usually hit most of them in stores just kind of messing around and seeing what numbers I can get, and most of the time the numbers weren't good enough over what I currently had to make the $$$ they cost worth it. The GBB was the first driver to change that. So really, I've been testing drivers for the past couple years and only 1 has made the cut.

But to answer the original question, it depends on what the store has. If they have 8 brands/different models, then that will be how many I test. I could never impulse buy a new driver.
 
If I don't have a gamer that works for me I might not demo at all - I could buy something a few seasons old that is heavily discounted or used because the technology sounds like it should work for me.

If I do have a gamer that works for me I'm going to be very careful about replacing it. I'll probably demo 4 or 5 options. But I will demo them with different shafts and multiple times at different locations on different days. That's kind of a lot but I don't buy a new driver every season - this is a bigger expense and I need to be sure about the purchase before parting with my cash.
 
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