Low Cost New Drivers?

Is there such a thing as a good quality 460 driver that is under $150.00 I am in the market for a new driver, but I do not have tons of money to spend. Any suggestions other than Ebay?

Look at the Ben Hogan C-S3. Should be going for only $100 with an Aldila shaft. Very nice driver from what I've heard

I hear HiBores are approaching "cheap":D

I'd check for Cleveland, Taylormade, Adams, Cobra, or Mizuno clubs on e-bay, Rockbottom Golf, or The Golf Warehouse. Your best bargains are on new clubs that are 1-2 years old. You might easily find a high quality club that is at a bargain basement price. Be sure you're getting the appropriate loft and shaft flex, though. "A bargain on what you don't need ain't no bargain......."

Taylor Made r5 with graf blue $176
[url]http://www.rockbottomgolf.com/14tayr5dualmrhbl.html[/url]

Cleveland Golf Launcher 460 $129 (8.5 stiff)
[url]http://www.rockbottomgolf.com/14clvlnc460mrh.html[/url]

r580xd w/ proforce golf $130
[url]http://www.rockbottomgolf.com/14tayr580xdmrhpf.html[/url]

ADAMS GOLF- REDLINE RPM 430Q $130
[url]http://www.rockbottomgolf.com/14admrl430qmrh.html[/url]

Any driver manufactured in the last five years is at least 99% as good as the best 'new' driver manufactured in 2006. The improvement of drivers really soared from 5-10 years ago, and in the last 4-5 years the changes are of such a miniscule amount that they are not even noteworthy. To put it bluntly - let's pretend you could hit your 'average' 1995 driver 250 yards, just for the heck of it. The improvements made from '95 to '00 would enable you to hit the 'average' driver 270 yards. A great improvement to be sure...

The improvements of the past five years would only enable you to hit your driver 275 yards at best, assuming your swing allowed you to take advantage of ALL the advancements made in technology.

The truth is - unless you are a low single digit handicapper, your swing pattern would probably not even allow you to take advantage oif the very, VERY, minor improvements in driver technology. It's mostly about cosmetics/mental confidence these days. The sze of the sweet spot hasn't changed much, if at all in the last five years... 360cc, 380cc, 400cc, 460cc, doesn't matter - the size of the sweet spot is what really matters...

So the question REALLY is - do you want to spend $100-200 on a 'cheap' driver that debuted in 2005-6, or would you rather spend $100-200 on a quality driver that debuted in 2001-2005? the smart golfer already knows the answer... Otherwise, it all depends on how much you need to feed your ego - i.e. have other golfers 'ooh & ahh' over your 'latest/greatest' 460cc driver, which wouldn't really happen if you bought anything costing less than $300 new?...

I just got an e-mail ad from the Golf Gods, advertising closouts, too. As far as I know, they are also a reliable outfit.

try 2nd swing (also known as 2golf)

also the PING G2 is going pretty cheap as well as a Titleist 983k(or "e")

>>> So the question REALLY is - do you want to spend $100-200 on a 'cheap' driver that debuted in 2005-6, or would you rather spend $100-200 on a quality driver that debuted in 2001-2005? the smart golfer already knows the answer... Otherwise, it all depends on how much you need to feed your ego - i.e. have other golfers 'ooh & ahh' over your 'latest/greatest' 460cc driver, which wouldn't really happen if you bought anything costing less than $300 new?...<<<

Exactly though I can't blame guys succumbing to the desire for having the latest and greatest. Now, while I admire the engineering involved in their manufacture, I'm an old school cheapskate that has no fascination over the current crop of drivers. Aesthetically, I just don't care for that softball on a stick look they all seem to possess. What amazes me is how people look at my beloved, sub-260cc Titleist PT 9.5 with this look of puzzlement, asking "How can you hit that thing? It's so small." lol

[quote=swvaguy]Any driver manufactured in the last five years is at least 99% as good as the best 'new' driver manufactured in 2006. The improvement of drivers really soared from 5-10 years ago, and in the last 4-5 years the changes are of such a miniscule amount that they are not even noteworthy. To put it bluntly - let's pretend you could hit your 'average' 1995 driver 250 yards, just for the heck of it. The improvements made from '95 to '00 would enable you to hit the 'average' driver 270 yards. A great improvement to be sure...

The improvements of the past five years would only enable you to hit your driver 275 yards at best, assuming your swing allowed you to take advantage of ALL the advancements made in technology.

The truth is - unless you are a low single digit handicapper, your swing pattern would probably not even allow you to take advantage oif the very, VERY, minor improvements in driver technology. It's mostly about cosmetics/mental confidence these days. The sze of the sweet spot hasn't changed much, if at all in the last five years... 360cc, 380cc, 400cc, 460cc, doesn't matter - the size of the sweet spot is what really matters...

So the question REALLY is - do you want to spend $100-200 on a 'cheap' driver that debuted in 2005-6, or would you rather spend $100-200 on a quality driver that debuted in 2001-2005? the smart golfer already knows the answer... Otherwise, it all depends on how much you need to feed your ego - i.e. have other golfers 'ooh & ahh' over your 'latest/greatest' 460cc driver, which wouldn't really happen if you bought anything costing less than $300 new?...[/quote]


I am currently using a 330 driver, and was hoping for a larger sweat spot. Maybe that is no the case, if I upgrade to a 460. It is not about the look at my 460 driver, I am looking the the best bang for my buck. I do not care if I am buy last years model or older, I just had very little to spend on a new driver, and I was looking at the 460, for the enlarged sweat spot. Thanks everyone for your feed back.

Go with an Alpha, SMT, or Bang(no pun intended)!

Excellent drivers,with excellent shafts, and they are LONG baby!

OEM new > $150:
Hogan cs-3, Macgregor vfoil, whatever TM is at Dick's and doesn't have moveable weights should be cheap now.

wwjdwithca has a great idea as those companies make some fantastic component heads, and you could have a driver built for you for much less than $200.

MacGregor V-Foil Eye-o-Matic M38 (380cc) or M42 (420cc). $79.99 new at Dick's, approx $50 new on eBay. I have the M38 and love it.

I also know many folks with the TM 580 and 580XD that are very happy.

[QUOTE=Cubfanbob]MacGregor V-Foil Eye-o-Matic M38 (380cc) or M42 (420cc). $79.99 new at Dick's, approx $50 new on eBay. I have the M38 and love it.

I also know many folks with the TM 580 and 580XD that are very happy.[/QUOTE]

that is supprisingly a very god driver (the V-Foil).... but i would also look at the older NVG it might not be as good as the NVG2 but still a solid driver... as for the Hogan C-S3 if you go that way get it reshafted to a V2 or a ProLaunch the Aldila in that launches it too high

I have a Mizuno Mp-001 driver with Graf blue shaft that i got new for $25. Granted its not the most forgiving driver but man o man i havent had a driver feel this good...well ever.

[QUOTE=wwjdwithca]Go with an Alpha, SMT, or Bang(no pun intended)!

Excellent drivers,with excellent shafts, and they are LONG baby![/QUOTE]
I've had an SMT 455 DB and a Babylon, and they are both high quality heads. You can choose your shaft and build a fine driver for well under $200-250, depending on shaft choice.

Remember, COMPONENTS, not clones/knockoffs.......

isn't a 460cc more "forgiving" than a 365cc, for a high Index golfer?
I loved (when 250+ yards in play) and hated (when pulled hooked, pulled sliced, or balloned) my old Titleist 983K UST S. 11.5* 365cc...the club I got my 1st birdie with driving onto the green within four onches of the hole...now i've sold it, I'm wishing to buy another 983K UST again, in a 10.5* (or a 9.5*)...
ever since I sold that 983K driver my Index has gone up...

SMT DB 455's got some low prices on EBAY

[QUOTE=Cubfanbob]MacGregor V-Foil Eye-o-Matic M38 (380cc) or M42 (420cc). $79.99 new at Dick's, approx $50 new on eBay. I have the M38 and love it.

I also know many folks with the TM 580 and 580XD that are very happy.[/QUOTE]

I second for the idea of the 580 and 580xd, especially since you can get them with your choice of quality shaft.