Best driver for heel strikes

[Ralphyboy84]

What is the best driver that offers the most forgiveness for strikes low out the heel?

 

I’m a plus 1 handicapper currently gaming an original epic sub zero in the px 63 gram x flex shaft. Most of my misses (more than I would like recently) come out of the heel. 
 

I’m planning on getting a new driver this winter but there is too many to choose from these days so was just wondering if anyone could help me narrow down what ones to try?

[Red4282]

26 minutes ago, Ralphyboy84 said:

What is the best driver that offers the most forgiveness for strikes low out the heel?

 

I’m a plus 1 handicapper currently gaming an original epic sub zero in the px 63 gram x flex shaft. Most of my misses (more than I would like recently) come out of the heel. 
 

I’m planning on getting a new driver this winter but there is too many to choose from these days so was just wondering if anyone could help me narrow down what ones to try?

To be completely honest. None of them. Heel strikes are the worst place on the head to strike. Id really try to get out of that by equipment changes such as fitting or maybe instruction. But any the “D” type drivers or draw drivers should technically be better off the heel since they have cog more heelside. 

[Smokey227]

That’s my miss. G400 Max is the best I’ve ever had off the heel. Doesn’t feel good and doesn’t go nearly as far, but is playable. 

[cgasucks]

If you were a 30 handicapper, I'd tell you to get lessons.  But since you are better than a scratch player and nut it more than 90% of the time you just have to live with the occasional misshit. 

 

The best players in the world have to deal with misshits and you're no different.

[buckI]

I am a big fan of Ping but go to TXG and there is a recent video that they put up on the 425.   Ian and Matty boy both comment on the stability and mishits still being very playable.   

[Ralphyboy84]

Yeah I have to say the new ping is the one that intrigues me the most. It seems to get great reviews everywhere. How does it compare to the new titleist drivers for forgiveness?

[Yuck]

One inch shorter.

[SugarLandGolfer]

12 minutes ago, Yuck said:

One inch shorter.

Underrated response. OP - How long is your driver? Have you considered shortening it for accuracy?

[Ralphyboy84]

It’s already a half inch shorter

[tbone18]

3 hours ago, Ralphyboy84 said:

It’s already a half inch shorter

shorter than what? sound like you need another half inch off.

[tannyhoban]

I've found Ping and my current driver Srixon Z785 to be forgiving on the heel strike. If I miss it's either heel or thin and both are good at minimizing damage.

I hit a lot of fairways with either of them. Being distance challenged fairways hit are really key for me.

I keep a Ping G as a backup.

 

As far as cutting length seems to me as a plus 1 you already have a handle on it. You, like most, just looking for that edge to get better results.

 

Not all drivers offer the same benefits.

[BostonWRX]

I play a fade so this works for me but I play the sim with weight slightly towards heel where I hit the ball. I miss heel/middle 

[MPAndreassi]

I agree with the Ping statements. They’re the most forgiving across the whole face as anything I’ve tried. 

[Ralphyboy84]

36 minutes ago, TrueWRX said:

I play a fade so this works for me but I play the sim with weight slightly towards heel where I hit the ball. I miss heel/middle 

do you find the twist face helps on heel strikes?

[Vintage1976]

If we are presuming you can play around with the driver length and swing weight and still have predictable strike patters on the heel, there really is no logical next step than to presume it's a delivery issue of course.

 

That said, if you are already using Jailbreak tech (which has been really nice for use who can strike it low on the face) and are just looking to mitigate the issue another cheaper option could be the Tour Edge Exotics XCG6 which was measured to have really high ball speed retention on heel-side impacts compared to the other drivers of the same year (older now, like 2012ish?). 

[BostonWRX]

10 minutes ago, Ralphyboy84 said:

do you find the twist face helps on heel strikes?

I do but don’t think it’s anything crazy 

[brutusflash]

18 hours ago, tbone18 said:

shorter than what? sound like you need another half inch off.

Go upright?

Flash

[setter02]

18 hours ago, tbone18 said:

shorter than what? sound like you need another half inch off.

 

 

More or less this.  I play a 44.5" or 44" driver (I'm 5'8").  Lots of stock offerings are 45.75" or more...  So I would potentially be almost 2" short of "stock" length...  Get the right length and SW and it should get sorted out quickly if you have a +1 ability.

Edited January 24, 2021 by setter02

[hybrid25]

All drivers are forgiving, or they would not be in business. I just swicthed out a Callaway XR16 driver for a Mav Max, mainly because it was 5yo technology. Although, back in it's day, it was considered very forgiving. One drive I distinctly remember, and there have been many, I hit right on the heel and the ball still went almost as far as a decently struck ball. I was simply amazed, and that was a 5 yo club. I feel I could pick 'any' driver head today, insert a properly fitted shaft, and it would be as successful as any other. Today, I think golfers are picking driver as much for aesthetics as they do for performance, and performance is not lacking. Some are going to recommend Ping, some Callaway, Cobra, Taylormade, etc, but that's just personal preference, and the truth is they will all perform 99% equally. The shaft, well that's a different story, but i'm not sure any shaft will help with heel strikes. Find a way not to hit heel shots would be my recommendation. JMO

Edited January 28, 2021 by hybrid25

[third-times-a-charm]

Any of the recent Callaway lines are great with heel strikes, as well as the Taylormade with twist face. Twist face is NOT good for toe strikes, however.

[Stuart_G]

On 1/23/2021 at 9:33 PM, tbone18 said:

shorter than what? sound like you need another half inch off.

 

Agree but it's about more than just playing length.  Proper weighting can be contributing factor as well.

 

Best advice is to read and follow Howard's DIY driver tune-up tutorial:

 

 

[gretzky17]

Callaway Epic Flash Sub Zero

[gators78]

On 1/22/2021 at 4:22 PM, Ralphyboy84 said:

What is the best driver that offers the most forgiveness for strikes low out the heel?

 

I’m a plus 1 handicapper currently gaming an original epic sub zero in the px 63 gram x flex shaft. Most of my misses (more than I would like recently) come out of the heel. 
 

I’m planning on getting a new driver this winter but there is too many to choose from these days so was just wondering if anyone could help me narrow down what ones to try?

 

Also a 1 with a tendency for heel hits. I had the G400 Max that was nice but the spin would get a little high on mishits. Moved to the TSi3. I've been working to fix the path, but I also fell into the habit of addressing the driver way off the toe. 

[Rbsiedsc]

1 hour ago, gretzky17 said:

Callaway Epic Flash Sub Zero

Eh, I don't agree, because that is what I game and I lose about 25-30 yards on heel strikes. Started to become more heely when I moved to a inch shorter shaft. It is great on slightly off-center but terrible by the heel

[nsxguy]

Guys, it is pretty clear (to me anyway) the OP simply could have asked "What's the best new driver out there ?" as he clearly(?) wants a new one.

 

@cgasucks nailed it right away and the OP never clarified. "But since you are better than a scratch player and nut it more than 90% of the time you just have to live with the occasional mishit"

 

The OP is a +1. Has anybody seen a +1 who consistently MISSES his driver anywhere on the club face ?

 

Yeah, me neither.

 

So shortening the shaft (again) will fix the occasional heel hit at the expense of hitting the toe on the majority(?) of his drives. Who'll sign on for that ?

 

Yeah, me neither.

 

Oh, and @Ralphyboy84 FWIW I couldn't get along very well with the original Epic although i confess I didn't give it a good long try, but the Epic Flash I found a fair bit more forgiving - but on the heel ? Not so much.

 

@Red4282 is right. Pretty much no driver is very forgiving to the heel side. And certainly not worth much effort to find.

 

Edited January 26, 2021 by nsxguy

[BeerPerHole]

Depends on how deep your divot is...

[Jifmoli]

Step back at address half an inch... 

 

Otherwise, Rick Shiels tested the new Ping G425 Max and said he never hit a driver as straight. 

Edited January 27, 2021 by Jifmoli

[Duct Tape]

Didn’t he also say that about the G425?  Or am I confusing English club testing YouTube videos sites?

[CokeZero]

It's been snowing in the SoCal desert so this is the first time I've delved into the ol WRX forums in many a moon.. This thread is so classic WRX it's not even funny, not that it's a diss Ralphie but 

 

YO WUT BRUH?!? 

 

You a +1 and asking this crew why you hittin a 460 head on the hosel? You outta yo damn mind?? Son... I mean come on son..

 

(this is in a whisper since I can't minimize or white out the text so the crew don't see. You're a little steep and the shaft is <probably> a little soft in the tip, it's the shaft if that's the only club you're doing it with)

 

Now check yoself into WRX rehab and protect yo skillz ma dude

[roundersmitty]

Bad place to miss it. This was my miss 20 years ago and I broke a lot of shafts at the hosel from how it torques it.