Best Golf Drivers for Seniors (Buying Guide)
One of the benefits of getting old is that you have the opportunity to play more golf. And for many senior golfers, you get the opportunity to travel and play different courses in warm states like Florida or California.
But with the benefits come the downfalls and one particular downfall you’ll experience is a loss of agility, flexibility, and strength in your body. (See our golf fitness plan)
Unfortunately, this will also lead to a slower golf swing speed and range of motion which impacts how far you can hit the golf ball.
Today’s guide will help you in selecting a golf driver that is best for seniors and best for protecting against distance loss. These drivers can help seniors hit the ball farther due to improvements in technology designed for a senior golfer’s swing tendencies.
Here are the components that golf club manufacturers focus on:
- Distance
- Spin Rate
- Ball Speed
- Launch Angle
- Accuracy
- Shaft Flex
- Offset Design
- Loft
Try This: Best Golf Exercises for Building Power in the Golf Swing
Golf Swing Distance Tips for Seniors
Senior players are constantly fighting the distance battle in their golf swing as they age. There are many factors in the golf swing that impacts distance, some of these factors include:
- Swing speed
- Spin rate
- Ball speed
- Launch angle
Driver Swing Speed
Senior players in general aren’t as strong and flexible as they use to be in their younger years. As a senior you are likely to lose approximately 10 mph of swing speed. Slower swing speeds result in lost distance.
Driver Spin Rates
Spin rates of the golf ball during the ball’s flight, also impacts distance.
If the spin rates are too high the golf ball will balloon into the air resulting in a high ball flight that also loses distance if too high.
On the other end, low spin rates will prevent the golf ball from getting airborne and without adequate hang time distance will also be lost.
Optimal spin rates will ensure a penetrating ball flight that maximizes carry and roll out to ensure that distance is maximized.
It is important to get fit for a driver by a professional club fitter to ensure that the clubhead and shaft combination works best for your swing and that spin rates are optimized.
RESOURCE: Download our step by step practice plans with best golf drills
Driver Ball Speeds
Higher ball speeds lead to added distance. As a Senior player, you will benefit greatly by playing with a golf ball and driver combination that maximizes your ball speed numbers.
It is important to play with the correct club and ball for your unique swing. The best way to find out what this ‘winning’ combo is, is to go for a fitting when buying a new driver.
Driver Launch Angle
Your driver’s launch angle also impacts distance. If the golf ball gets launched either too high or too low at impact an optimal ball flight that promotes distance won’t be achieved.
If you are a senior player that struggles to get your drives airborne a higher lofted driver is recommended and vice versa (lower launch angle driver) if you naturally hit the ball very high and need to lower it.
At the end of the day distance is impacted by many different factors and the best option in order to maximize distance when buying a new driver is to go for a fitting.
Driver Accuracy
In the modern game of golf, most of the focus has been on distance, and yes distance is important but accuracy should always remain a priority as well.
As a senior golfer you can benefit greatly by improving your driving accuracy and still score lower for years to come.
Losing distance is something that can’t always be prevented, but accuracy is an aspect of the game that can be maintained regardless of age.
It is important to play with a driver that promotes accuracy so that you give yourself favorable approach shots from farther out. We’d rather you swing a 5 iron from the fairway than find yourself ducking under a tree branch to punch the ball out with a 7 iron and have to lay up.
Driver Shaft Flex
As a senior player you need to play with a shaft that suits your swing speed. There is no shame in playing with a weaker shaft as you get older.
Weaker regular shafts and senior flex shafts are easier to control, they maximize distance, and they give you the best chance to square up the clubface at impact.
Resource: Best Golf Practice Drills for Putting
Playing with the correct shaft is almost more important than playing with the correct driver head.
Going for a custom fitting will allow you to find the perfect head and shaft combination that is best for your game. If you aren’t able to go for a custom fitting the below guideline will assist with choosing the correct shaft flex.
Flex Driver Swing Speed (mph) & the Average Driver Carry Distance (Yards)
- Senior (A) 75 – 85 mph, 180 – 200 yards
- Regular (R) 85 – 95 mph, 200 – 240 yards
- Stiff (S) 95 – 105 mph, 240 – 275 yards
Offset Design
Senior players that struggle to get rid of a dreaded slice might want to look at adding an offset driver to their repertoire.
As you get older you might lose strength in your hands and arms, or if you struggle with arthritis you can benefit greatly from an offset driver.
The face angle of an offset club promotes a straight ball flight. The face of the driver is set slightly back in relation to the hosel which minimizes cut spin at impact and can help reduce your slice.
Additionally, you can find drivers with natural draw face offsets to help you maintain distance from a draw golf swing.
Resource: 7 Best Putting Training Tips & Drills
Loft
If you often struggle to get the golf ball airborne then it might be a result of slow clubhead speed, but loft can be the culprit as well.
When you get older you can’t swing the club as hard and fast like you use to. This also impacts your ability to compress down on the golf ball which gives it the higher airborne trajectory ball flight.
Getting a driver with added loft (10 – 13 degrees) might just help you get that 10 yards back that you have lost over time. With a higher lofted driver you don’t have to compress the golf ball and hit down on it in order to optimize trajectory.
The added loft of the club will get the golf ball airborne naturally in addition to helping your accuracy as well.
Best Golf Driver for Senior Golfers
Callaway Rogue Review
Callaway currently designs and manufacture some of the best golf clubs on the planet. Their Rogue driver is packed with all the latest technology on the market that will help golfers of any age and level hit the ball further and straighter.
Let’s take a look at the technology featured in the Rogue and at how it will benefit you and every other senior golfers around the globe.
Jailbreak technology
The Rogue driver features Callaway’s signature Jailbreak technology, this technology allows the clubface to take on maximum load at impact, the result is faster ball speeds which in return maximizes distance.
Triaxial Carbon Crown
The Rogue features Callaway’s proprietary triaxial carbon composite material in the crown of the clubhead. This material is extremely light, as a result weight is redistributed around the perimeter of the clubhead which increases MOI and forgiveness. The result is enhanced distance and accuracy even on off center hits.
Boeing Aero Package
Callaway partnered with aviation giant Boeing to design a driver that is extremely aerodynamic. The result is enhanced clubhead speeds and maximum distance.
The Rogue driver will be a great addition in the bag of any senior player, it is available with a variety of shaft and loft options. The Rogue is also available in a draw option for those seniors that struggle with squaring up the clubface at impact.
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