Can a golf driver be hit too much where it just loses its sweet spot therefore the ball won't travel as far?

Question

I'm talking about a club that is a few years old, hit twice a week on average over that time.

Answer 1

Yes.  I have seen a driver (non-conforming though) whose face has "caved-in" due to numerous "soft spot" hits.  Of course it took years of playing before this happened.  It also happened to me with a 325cc driver, which had a hairline crack at the area where the face intersects with the sole.  The driver didn't produce the familiar "crisp hit" sound and the ball didn't travel as far.

Answer 2

Hardly !!   When the persimmon woods were in style , prior to face inserts, the faces did scar and club makers brought them back to the original condition by refacing the club by hand. Then some one decided to insert a face plate which was screwed into place as was the sole plate. So the two parts of the club which saw wear were now solved with the new technology. These were seldom damaged except for unseen rocks beneath the turf or under the sand in bunkers. The clubs always retained their sweetspot as do all the clubs today. So many are always looking for " magic wands" that the clubs never have a chance to wear.

Answer 3

No you can't wear it out hitting it two rounds per week.  I play four or five times a week and my drivers last many years until I decide I just want a new one for new technology etc.  If you are losing distance off the tee it ain't the bows and arrows.

Answer 4

Yes.

I call it lossing it's ummph!

The steelhead drives had a defect on the face where the face would actually callapse! If you hit anything in the same spot over a set of time it will fatigue.

Answer 5

Many of today's drivers use materials that minimize metal fatigue and for the average player, you probably would not notice a difference.  But yes, because they are designed to compress in and trampoline back against the ball, the metal is moving.  Just like bending a paper clip back and forth, it can weaken or even crack - but this would take a significant amount of play to occur.