How Much do you Love your Driver

[Noodle]

Question for the masses.

If you were golfing with someone you didn't really know, but had played with before, and he asked if he could try your new driver would you say "No, sorry I don't lend it"

[jhazelton]

If I had played with them before and seen their swing, then maybe. It would depend how confident I am that they would not damage it.

On the other hand, I went home to Winnipeg a few weeks back and my dad, who really doesn't play well, wanted to try my new 905T. Well, I had to let him, and luckily it is no worse for wear.

Jason

[Kilroy]

Sure I'd let them hit it, as long as their swing was not absolutely awfull. It's just a club. If it cant handle the stress of a fat shot on hard ground it's probably gonna break for you too.

[flagolfnut]

Sure I'd let them hit it, as long as their swing was not absolutely awfull. It's just a club. If it cant handle the stress of a fat shot on hard ground it's probably gonna break for you too.

I'll let anyone use any one of my clubs, beginner or not.

["Richard"]

I had the g2 11.5 when it fairly new and at that time 11.5 was a little to high of a loft for most people and everyone at the range saw it and wanted to try it so I let them. Here is some free advice, let ANYONE use your driver on grass... but not off mats. This retard hit the ground so hard (must have been 110mph) and the shaft snapped. He just looked at me and said "so... is that covered under your waranty?" I said, no its not.. you can hit of mats.. it voids the waranty. Anyway, he was nice and luckily he was pretty well off and took me to golftown and had them reshaft my driver and even upgraded it from the 65g reg flex to the 55g stiff flex for me. Nice guy, we've actually play once in a while now... always makes jokes about borrowing my clubs

[jeff]

Gee, I borrowed a driver this morning on a tee box from my friend. If I had read this post before, I wouldn't even think about it. I guess it really depends on your own judgement as a borrower. I knew his new 460 cc was bought from Wal Mart around $50 and I was able to afford the damage if it unfortunately happened. Anyway his generosity was much appreciated. On the other hand, I wouldn't ask for a try of a R7 which I really like to have.

[BOMBER]

I think I'd let someone use my R7 if I knew they had the means to replace it if they damaged it.

[Chieflongtee]

Only if I saw them hit before. And for sure not on the mats. An old pal of mine once loaned his expensive driver to his brother in law at an indoor simulator. I witnessed the whole thing. One swing later the shaft was a goner.

[davevandyk]

I love my R7!! I have a Accra SC75 Stiff in it, and most times i feel more confident in it off the tee than a 3iron!

[BOMBER]

I love my R7!! I have a Accra SC75 Stiff in it, and most times i feel more confident in it off the tee than a 3iron!

I have the Aldila NV 65-S 350 in mine. I'm pretty happy with it but it would be nice to try out the Grafalloy Blue shaft in one too. I'd like to see the difference.

[flagolfnut]

I hate my clubs...in fact I'll sell them all for $1000...Perhaps this is in the wrong forum, but but we are talking about clubs. Just to let you know I have really good clubs

[Steelhead]

I'd let anybody use my clubs. I don't really mind if they try it. If it breaks for them it would have probably have broken for me like Dan said.

[dbleber]

Letting someone try your clubs is a judgement call. If a perfect stranger that I got paired up with wants to try out my club on the first tee, I say No way! If I see them swing and everything looks good then maybe. The big thing for me is not the shaft because that can be replaced, its the pop-up/sky mark. Once your club has that it cannot be replaced like a shaft you have to pay a lot of money to have it re painted. Also, once you do have a sky mark you might as well throw your club in the trash when it comes to resale value! Golftown, Chucks and most pro shops have lots of demo clubs, let them use those and leave my stuff alone.

[Shivas Irons]

The big thing for me is not the shaft because that can be replaced, its the pop-up/sky mark.

Bingo - those of you who like to borrow somebody's $500 driver on whim please take note of this.

I have no problem lending clubs to regular golf buddies, and would probably lend clubs to a stranger if his/her swing looked decent, but I would still have concerns I be compensated if the club is damaged.

However, if you want to demo a club, get one from a golf/pro shop. Asking a complete stranger to borrow his driver is just plain rude.

[Sakuraba]

I was waiting for the sky-mark issue. I had a taylor made super steel years ago when it was new, and I let my brother in law hit it because he asked, and he put a huge sky mark on it right away. I don't think he even noticed, he was just surprised the ball went up so high.

I'd let anyone who can swing hit my 983, but if I got a 905, I'd be a little more protective I think.

Maybe I'd put that tape on it first, but that's a little like keeping the protective plastic on a new sofa when geusts come over, isn't it?

[The Shtick]

I was waiting for the sky-mark issue. I had a taylor made super steel years ago when it was new, and I let my brother in law hit it because he asked, and he put a huge sky mark on it right away. I don't think he even noticed, he was just surprised the ball went up so high.

Same thing happened to me. I was working in the pro shop and I just bought a Supersteel. One of my friends was playing that morning and was interested in buying one as well. He asked me if he could hit mine on the first hole to try it out for the feel (this club was NEVER hit before as I just made the purchase). Anyway, he hit it and the club got a huge sky mark on it.

He felt really bad about it and bought it off me right on the spot (for the same price I paid- cost price) and I bought a new one minutes later....

I guess that it was one way to make a sale!!

[fmanning]

I'll love my driver once it arrives....

[Barnie]

Asking a complete stranger to borrow his driver is just plain rude.

How is it rude? Your just asking to try the persons driver lol. Hell if he wants to hit mine then no probs. Of course like said in previous posts I wouldn't lend it to someone who didn't have a controlled swing. I don't care how good they are as long as their swing isn't out of control then no prob. The chances are slim that something will happen.

[BOMBER]

How is it rude? Your just asking to try the persons driver lol. Hell if he wants to hit mine then no probs. Of course like said in previous posts I wouldn't lend it to someone who didn't have a controlled swing. I don't care how good they are as long as their swing isn't out of control then no prob. The chances are slim that something will happen.

I don't think I'd ask a complete stranger to hit his driver. I'm not sure rude is the word for it, but maybe it falls in the etiquitte category somewhere.

[Golfbum]

[QUOTE=dbleber]The big thing for me is not the shaft because that can be replaced, its the pop-up/sky mark. Once your club has that it cannot be replaced like a shaft you have to pay a lot of money to have it re painted. Also, once you do have a sky mark you might as well throw your club in the trash when it comes to resale value!QUOTE]

Hmmmm maybe I am not charging enough to refinish metal woods! I better set a new price for next year to keep up with inflation

I do agree with you that if a driver has a skymark on it then the value is reduced. I always say to someone who wants to try my metal woods "You sky it, you buy it" That usually deters them from asking again.

I will let the guys I golf with on a regular basis try my driver, and I try theirs. The trick is to tee it a little lower than normal, that pretty much eliminates skying it.

[Colby]

As most here have said, I've swapped clubs, drivers included, with regular, and somewhat irregular golf buddies. If I was playing with someone I didn't know, I would watch them swing a few times before I offered up my clubs to try. I can remember when I took up the game a few years ago, a guy we were grouped with in PEI offered for me to try his GBB, which I did , and I really appreciated the gesture. I wouldn't have thought to ask a stranger, but it was a very generous offer.

[jmr73]

I would also have no problem after watching a few swings to make sure they are in control. I will let pretty much anyone borrow a club... except for one of my regular playing partners.

Sad to say, he is one person I should trust more than anyone and the thought of him swinging one of my clubs is enough to make me cry. There is a difference between a fat shot and driving the club into the ground at 100mph. The worst thing is, he plays almost weekly.

[Chieflongtee]

On a given day Iwould let anybody try my driver and sell it on the spot.

[jeffc]

Good friends: yes
Strangers or people with minimal golf skills: likely not

It's the sky mark thing for me. Too many people out there with bad swings.

BTW, you can love your driver, just don't love your driver.

[BOMBER]

On the issue of sky marks. I think the reason I'd be cautious when lending or borrowing someone's driver is that ANYONE can get a sky mark on a driver. If you are a good golfer you could easily have a poor swing or something. In fact, funny this comes up because I was watching the first round coverage of the Buick Open this past weekend and one of the golfers ON TOUR mi one and was looking at the sky mark he just made on his driver.

[jvincent]

On the subject of skymarks, if you want to remove the simple ones, just use some scratch removing car polish. It works like a charm, the top of the clubhead looks like new afterwards.

As long as there is no sand / dirt on the ball, the scuff should be removed completely.

If sand or dirt are involved, you're going to need to get it painted.

[Eldred]

Skymarks: Got some of these clear adhesive. Don't remember if they are from GT or CB.
Just peel and tape it on the edge of the crown and face. Perfect protection. Kinda like your car's sport bra

[Sakuraba]

Skymarks: Got some of these clear adhesive. Don't remember if they are from GT or CB.
Just peel and tape it on the edge of the crown and face. Perfect protection. Kinda like your car's sport bra

or as I pointed out in my post, kinda like buying a new couch and leaving the plastic cover on it.

[oldmaninblack]

and speaking of car polish, a good coat of Turtle wax on the top of your driver will protect it AND make it easier to remove sky marks. I also wax the shaft ... to reduce wind resistance ... I'm sure it gives me an extra 4 to 5 inches on my drives

I guess I do love my driver

[Shivas Irons]

How is it rude?

It's rude because you are putting the person who PAID $500 for their driver in an awkward position.

Your just asking to try the persons driver lol.

lol? uh...yeah, thats' hilarious...

Listen, just go to the pro shop & get a demo. People who want to borrow a driver rarely do so because they want to buy the same model. It's usually on a whim, and is usually asked by someone who doesn't play a lot of golf, or they would have their own driver or have a demo club.
How much did you pay for your driver barnie?