What Driver and 3 wood

Ok, now that I have chosen my irons I am now on the look for both a driver and a 3 wood. My current driver is a TaylorMade r7 but it is illegal in 8 months time!!!

I am looking at the following drivers:
Ping G5
Ping Rapture
TaylorMade r7 425
TaylorMade r7 Superquad
Titleist 907 D2
Nike SQ Sumo
Calaway FT-5

and the following 3 woods:
Mizuno F50
TaylorMade r7 Steel
Nike SQ
Titleist PT 906F2
Sonartec GS tour

Does anyone have any opinions on these or any others I should look at? I am a 9 handicapper with very good ball striking and I don't struggle with distance.

Thanks

__________________
Craig

My bag:

Taylormade r7 9.5* Stiff stock shaft
Sonartec SS2.5 3+ 13* Stiff Fujikura Tour Platform shaft
Taylormade Utility 2 16* XS Fujikura TP stock shaft
Titleist 904F 4 wood 17* Stiff Aldila NV85 shaft
Mizuno MP67 3-PW S300 shafts
Cleveland 588 47*, 53*, 56* DSG, 60*
Odyssey White Hot #4 putter

"My current driver is a TaylorMade r7 but it is illegal in 8 months time!!!"

News to me, why?

I love my Sonartec NP-99. Nice mid flight. I find it easy to hit.

As for drivers, I love my Cleveland. I was just recently fitted for it. I tried many of the clubs you have listed at my fitting...

Nike SQ Sumo - Its way ugly and sounds like ****. You can't work this club at all.

Ping G5 - Nice sound, nice looking, solid feel. Gave me the best distance.

Taylormade Superquad - If you can afford it, get it. Great look, great feel, solid distance and forgiveness. The moveable weights are fun, especially if you like your current r7. I would have got this club, but I can't afford it

__________________
What's in my bag....
Cleveland VP 2 Blade Putter
Ping Tour Wedges, 54 & 60
TaylorMade rac LT2, 4i thru PW
Tour Edge Exotics Iron-Wood 21* 3i - Aldila NV 90 Stiff Shaft
Ping G5 18* 5 Wood - ProLaunch Blue 75 Stiff Shaft
Ping G5 15* 3 Wood - Aldila NV 75 Stiff Shaft
Cleveland HiBore XL 9.5* - Fujikura Fit-On Red Stiff Shaft

hi
ping g5 is the best selling driver for the last 6 months world wide so it must do something right for most players.
bill

The new Taylor Made Burner driver is superb and blows the Superquad out of the water. Its ugly as sin but I tried them back to back and the Burner just launches the ball so much hotter and harder.

as for a 3 wood go for whatever callaway suits your eye and pocket.

D.

This month's Today's Golfer (though next month's is out tomorrow) has a test of 32 drivers, and makes interesting reading. Can summarise conclusions if you wish...

Don't forget about the cobra drivers-I'm still swinging the sz series which they don't make anymore, they have come a long way with their drivers,solid and very hot.

Links to www.usga.org non-conforming list and TM r7 Quad:

http://www.usga.org/playing/clubs_an...iver_list.html

http://www.usga.org/equipment/images/clubs/2004180.jpg

If your driver is the "r7" model, you can use it in a USGA/R&A sanctioned event. If it's the "max" model, you will not be allowed to use it in a USGA/R&A sanctioned event. By the way, it's non-conforming right now according to the USGA but will be non-conforming 2008-01-01 according to the R&A.

I have heard some negative things about the composite heads on the Taylormade r7 Superquad and the Ping Rapture such as that they don't hit the ball as far.? Has anyone heard anything and what are the advantages to using a composite head?

I really like my current driver but it is the 'max' one so needs replaced. I'm hitting it really long (hit a drive 350 yards the other day) and average about 290 yards. I'm hitting it pretty straight too and only missed fairways by putting it in the fringe at the moment. If I had my way I would keep using this one but it is illegal soon.

Bulldog2k: that would be great if you could conclude what the reviews said as I went onto todays golfer website but coudn't find the review.

__________________
Craig

My bag:

Taylormade r7 9.5* Stiff stock shaft
Sonartec SS2.5 3+ 13* Stiff Fujikura Tour Platform shaft
Taylormade Utility 2 16* XS Fujikura TP stock shaft
Titleist 904F 4 wood 17* Stiff Aldila NV85 shaft
Mizuno MP67 3-PW S300 shafts
Cleveland 588 47*, 53*, 56* DSG, 60*
Odyssey White Hot #4 putter

Try this:

http://www.franklygolf.com/PGASeminar/spring.html

Use the equation below to determine how much actual distance you would lose, if you do lose any, between your "max" model and the other "r7" model.

v = U * ((1+e)/(1+(m/M)))

v = velocity of the ball after impact
U = velocity of clubhead immediately before impact
m = mass of ball
M = mass of clubhead
e = COR (coefficient of restitution of the clubface)

Maximum CoR permitted by the USGA: 0.830. Maximum CoR of your driver: between 0.830 and 0.930. It can't be higher than 0.930 because that's just the way of things and it must be higher than 0.830 because it's non-conforming. It could be non-conforming for another reason and have a CoR of 0.830 or less but I doubt it since it looks exactly the same as the "r7" model so it must be the CoR. Maybe it's the MOI but who knows at this point.

Just for fun:

45 / 200 = 0.225

U = 100 * ((1 + 0.78) / (1 + (45 / 200))) wooden driver
v = 145
U = 100 * ((1 + 0.83) / (1 + (45 / 200))) USGA max CoR
v = 149
U = 100 * ((1 + 0.93) / (1 + (45 / 200))) absolute practical CoR limit
v = 157

As you can see, not much of a difference between them. 157mph ball speed is good for at least 250 yards with the right conditions. Daly does about 112-115mph clubhead speed with a very good smash factor of around 1.5. Woods does over 130mph clubhead speed but doesn't have such a good smash factor when he does, it's around 1.35.

hi cct
you say your club works really well but you will have to give it up soon, why dont you take your driver to a good club builder and have your swing weight and shaft matched to another club, i know the pro's do this when clubs start to wear and somtimes have two matched sets, i'm sure lowpost can tell you more about matching clubs as he is a club builder.
bill

Clear your mind of brand names and get on a launch monitor.

is my best option to go try hitting the different heads, choose what one I like the most and then look at shaft options? what about what loft to get on my driver? any ideas?

The Titleist 907 D2 scored very well in the recent Golf Magazine. You seem to be a better player, this is being listed as a great driver for the better player.

You could pair that up with the 906 F2 Fairway Wood...

I bought a 13* Sonartec SS2.5 3+ wood (Fujikura Tour Platform) and a 17* Titleist 904F 4 wood (Aldila Green NV85). I also have a 16* Taylormade Rescue which plays like a low launching 4 wood as it has an extra stiff Fujikura TP shaft, while the 17* Titleist launches it high and soft. The Sonartec launches it low due to the loft and shaft.

I hit them the following distances (all carry)
3+ wood 240 yards
4 wood 220 yards
16* Rescue 220 yards
3 iron 200 yards

My question(s) is should I look into getting myself a 15* 3 wood with a mid launch shaft for 230 yard shots to give myslef options depending on the course and conditions? I currently use the 4 wood in the bag but if its windy etc I use the rescue.

Also could someone tell me the disadvantage of using a composite head?

__________________
Craig

My bag:

Taylormade r7 9.5* Stiff stock shaft
Sonartec SS2.5 3+ 13* Stiff Fujikura Tour Platform shaft
Taylormade Utility 2 16* XS Fujikura TP stock shaft
Titleist 904F 4 wood 17* Stiff Aldila NV85 shaft
Mizuno MP67 3-PW S300 shafts
Cleveland 588 47*, 53*, 56* DSG, 60*
Odyssey White Hot #4 putter