Should you buy a new driver in 2023?
By the time you read this, the market will be full of brand new driver models vying for your attention. The higher prices may cause your jaw to lower, however, which will get you questioning whether you can justify such a significant outlay in the turbulent financial times we’re living in.
The driver is the club that gets us started on most holes. If you lack confidence with yours, bad shots will ensue and you’ll immediately be on the back foot before you’ve even got close to the green. When it comes to taking the plunge or not, consider a few things...
Firstly, how old is your driver? If it’s five years old or more, technology has evolved enough for you to likely experience a tangible improvement in performance, be it extra distance, feel, control or a combination of all. Reflect also on your ball flight. Is it frustratingly high or annoyingly low? Does it veer off to the right even when you strike it well? If your current choice is guilty of these faults and has limited adjustability to rectify them, a new, well-fitted driver could provide the solution. Have you replaced other areas of your bag recently? If so, perhaps now is the time to upgrade.
The pool of great drivers is also so much deeper now, with brands like Srixon, Mizuno and Wilson really upping their games in recent times to provide alternatives to the main brands, often at a slighter lower price point to boot. Consider the second-hand market, too, if price is more of a stumbling block and you can find a newer model than yours in a closely matching spec.