Broken driver . . . . again?

Question

I just broke my third TaylorMade driver in six months-two R540s and one R580 (heads snap off). I was just hitting balls at the range, not hitting the ground or anything. I can't understand why this is happening. Can some one suggest a quality driver that won't break?

Answer 1

I say that you need to get fitted for a driver. Also it is obvious you are not hitting the ball square on the face. Get away from the R series. It is for 5 and under players. Go with something a little bigger and stiffer.

Answer 2

Lots of reasons why this could happen.  Bad shafts, bad contact, damaged clubs, etc.  Callaway shafts are noutorious for breaking off at the head.  The old Cobra drivers and fairway woods had the same issue.  Taylor Made is a good company that makes good drivers.  I played the R7 from when it first came out until last year.  Ive got a pretty high clubhead speed, and I never had any issues.  My bet is that you are catching the ball out on the toe of the club, which causes excess torque on the shaft at the hosel.  In essence, the clubhead is twisting the shaft too much which is causing it to break.  Look for a shaft with a better torque rating and that may fix the issue.  

FYI:  Shafts are easily replaceable, you dont need to buy a new driver everu time you break one.  Aldila NV and VS are both good shafts, as well as the the Graffaloy brand.

Answer 3

I know of another R580 having this happen, maybe it's a production fluke, or the shafts they used were bad.

I have used Cobra for the last 4 years, and I'd never change now.

Answer 4

Wrong shaft flex. Get the right shaft for your swing speed.

Answer 5

Sometimes the shafts get nicked or slightly damaged and since you probably swing the driver more than the other clubs on the range, it shows up with the driver but not other clubs.  Many times the manufacturer will replace that shaft for little or no fee if the club is not too old.  Ping has replaced 2 shafts for me out of a 4 year old iron set that I bought new.  They are also replacing a driver shaft for my brother on a 1 year old driver. Try sending it in or having your club pro send it for you.

Answer 6

I use drivers that have 2x stiff shafts (these are used for long drive comps). You might want to try putting one of these in your driver to see if it lasts longer ... Something like Harrison Pro 2.5

Good Luck

Answer 7

I would say that the driver's you've hit shouldn't have broken

Either when you are taking the clubs to the range you nick up

the shaft good.

Your hitting the ground during the swing and are unaware of it...I've seen ppl hit themselves in the back of the head and wonder why they get a headache when playing golf. Get your swing on tape to see. (use a camera that has video and just point it at the ground...don't spend money to get the entire swing on video)

Or their just really cheap knockoffs....but even then they should last longer then they are

things not to do...don't get an xtra stiff shaft...don't buy clubs off ebay(a ton of fakes)...don't get fitted for a driver

things to do...have a golf shop send the club back to taylormade for you because more than likely they will replace the shaft

Answer 8

Your a monster , I have never heard of that happening before

Answer 9

You said theyre used? Maybe theyve been abused by the previous owner... always hitting fats... even worse is if the previous owner is hitting fats on off the driving range mat.. coz the mat doesnt give way once you hit it unlike soil.

Ive broken a driver as well when I was just starting up... but that way because it was cheapo and i used to hit fats on the range with the driver. (just imagine all that stress going to the tip of the shaft.) snap! Clubhead flew 50 metres away haha

Answer 10

I broke my Cobra LV4- M Speed a couple of weeks ago. Cobra replaced it under warrenty within 2 weeks. They are awesome.

Answer 11

You are likely hitting the hosel, where the shaft meets the clubhead. That is how heads fly off, and I bet you feel like a goober when you have to ask everyone to stop hitting so you can take the walk of shame to go pick up your clubhead that flew out on the range.

Answer 12

Pretty unusual - sounds like you might have gotten into a bad batch of shafts, which might explain one but not three.  In the past several years I have used a Hogan driver with the Aldila NV green shaft, a Maltby with a ProLaunch Red (low trajectory) shaft, and now a Titleist driver with the Aldila BluByU shaft and never broke one.

Answer 13

Were these bargain-basement purchases for an on-line retailer? If so, could be knock offs. Not only are club heads duplicated, so are shafts and grips.

Answer 14

You should be going to the pro shop and take a couple of swings and let them analyse it. I've never heard of such thing. They do have a six month guarantee on the driver though. They should change it for you.