Do Golf Drivers Wear Out Over Time – How Long Are They Good For?

We all want the most modern golf clubs; the golf companies will tell you that you’ll get lots of extra distance and forgiveness.

However, when should you upgrade, and how long will your golf driver last. Do golf drivers wear out over time? There is a split opinion among golf professionals and experts about when your driver is “dead” and if you need to upgrade.

In this article, we will do our best to answer every question to help you understand whether your golf driver will wear out over time, and how long they are good for. 

Do Golf Drivers Wear Out: An Introduction

A golf driver is the most important club for golfers. It has the lowest loft and the longest shaft. Its club head size is bigger than other clubs.

Its club head is made up of steel, titanium, or carbon graphite. The driver club is used to hit tee shots and occasionally off-the-deck shots.

There is no one definitive answer to the question of how long golf driver clubs are good for, as this will depend on the individual club and how it is used. However, depending on how they use it, and care for their driver, most golfers can expect their clubs to last for years if they take proper care of them.

How Are Golf Drivers Made?

Golf driver clubs are designed to be used for an extended period. They are typically constructed with a variety of metals and materials i.e. steel, titanium, and carbon graphite.

It makes them last a long time. In some cases, golf drivers can even last for years without needing to be replaced. The most recent introduction to the golf driver market is the TaylorMade Stealth which is made from a carbon wood material.

This is interesting as carbon is one of the weakest materials to use in a golf club and as discussed on hagginoaks.com the new Stealth driver is not likely to be very durable. 

Do Drivers Wear Out Over Time?

The average golf driver club lasts for around 150-175 rounds (including range sessions), but the life of a golf club is slightly different for everyone.

A good quality driver can last anywhere from 100 to 500 rounds for professionals. Usually, drivers will start to show signs of wear after about 300 rounds. 

Golf Digest equipment editors wrote an article that stated that golf drivers wear out over time, they cited the PGA Tour pros regularly hitting the ball over 120mph and eventually cracking their clubfaces.

The average golfer will not be at this level but over time it will show signs of degrading. However, this will take a while, some recreational golfers have reported that their drivers have lasted as long as 1000+ rounds.

How Much Is Real And How Much Is In Your Head

Let’s be honest, we all love a new piece of golf equipment. The driver is our favourite purchase. However, most of the time we’ve been sold the marketing from the golf company with how well this club will improve our game.

Most of our views of drivers wearing out are in our heads. Typically, the natural life of a golf driver is 4-5 years, considering that the player golfs for an average of 30 rounds per year. However, other factors can speed up the process. These include inaccurate swing curvature and constant hitting on the ground. Over time, the graphite shaft will wear down and the head will come off the shaft. This will cause the club to become inaccurate, and it may even break. Drivers are typically good for around 4-5 years before they start to wear out.

What is The COR Effect?

COR stands for Coefficient of Restitution. The COR effect of golf driver clubs can impact how long they are good for. Golf drivers with a higher Coefficient of Restitution will wear out more quickly than drivers with a lower Coefficient of Restitution. 

When golfers replace their drivers, they should consider the Coefficient of Restitution to see if their current driver is still likely to last long.

How Many Rounds Should A Driver Last?

The number of rounds varies for different golfers. For professionals with much higher swing speeds, drivers wear out after 50 rounds.

For recreational golfers, it might even last up to 1000+ rounds. Generally, the life span of a good driver is 4-5 years. Usually, drivers will start to show signs of wear after about 300 rounds.

When To Replace A Driver?

Golf drivers can last anywhere from 1000 to 3000 shots. However, most golfers find that they will need to replace their driver club with around 1500-2000 shots.

Of course, this mileage will vary based on your playing habits and the types of golf courses you play on. The process can, however, be sped up by other factors.

Inaccurate swing curvature and how hard you hit are two of these. TGW golf advises that your current driver could last up to 7 years. 

What To Do About A Dent In the Driver Head?

If you have a dent in your driver club head, there is a good chance that the metal on the inside of the club head has been weakened by the impact. The metal in the club head will start to break down over time and eventually create a dent. 

If this happens before you replace your golf club head, it can cause some problems, including inconsistent distance and accuracy. If the dent is small enough, it may not affect your play at all, but if the dent is larger, it could lead to more serious problems. 

In either case, it’s important to take care of your golf driver to make sure it lasts as long as possible. This also applies to PGA Tour professionals; they also need to look after their drivers.

In 2018 Cameron Champ, on his way to his first PGA Tour victory cracked his driver on the practice ground before his final round. A contributing factor though was his 125mph driver’s swing speed!

Will I Lose Distance With An Old Driver?

The best way to test the durability of your driver is by playing with it regularly. See how far you can shoot each time you take out your driver.

Over time, as the club gets harder to hit and wear down, the distance that it will travel will decrease gradually. Use a tracking tool like Shot Scope or Arccos Golf to get accurate information directly from the club. If so happens, we recommend you replace your driver.

Has New Driver Technology Advanced?

Drivers have come a long way since their inception. The technology in drivers has advanced so much, and certain clubs are better suited for different types of golfers.

The personalization available in modern golf drivers is excellent. The loft, shaft flex, shaft weight, driver head weight, and grip size are just some of the adjustable features you can get from a new driver.

However, no matter how advanced the driver club technology gets, it is likely that your old driver has still got a lot of life left in it! Drivers will typically last an average of around 1500 shots before they need to be replaced.

Not Hitting It Well Anymore – Do I Need A New Driver?

When it comes to golf drivers, two main factors will affect how long they last: how often you use them and how hard you hit them.

If you only use your driver occasionally, or if you hit it softly, your driver may last for a good number of rounds or even a few years. But if you hit it hard regularly, your driver may only last for a few hundred hits before it starts losing distance and making you feel that you are not hitting it well anymore.

Most of the time for amateur golfers, it is not the driver but the golfer holding the driver. As the old saying goes: a bad workman always blames his tools!

How Often Should You Change your Driver?

Whether you’re a beginner or an experienced player, it’s important to understand how often your golf driver should be replaced. Here are a few factors that are indicators of replacement.

The clubhead wears down over time. The head of the golf club is where the power is created and this is where most of the wear occurs. Over time, the head will start to become misshapen and get rougher particularly if you have a fast swing speed.

The shaft wears down as it is susceptible to wear and tear as well. Over time, the shaft will become brittle and break which will affect your performance as well as accuracy. The grip also wears down and will need to be replaced.

How Often Do Pros Change Their Drivers?

 

Most golfers replace their drivers about every 18 months. Professional golfers may occasionally change their drivers even more frequently, depending on how they are using the club.

However, most professional golfers can use their drivers for at least 6-9 months before they need to replace them. The only reason they might have to change sooner is if they have a new model out from their sponsor, in this case, they are obliged to use the newer model.

They might not even like the new model. This can be awkward, as for Bryson DeChambeau when he openly criticized the new model from Cobra Golf. 

What Other Factors Could Be Affecting Your Drivers Performance

Golf drivers are powerful tools that can help you hit the ball far and accurately. However, the shaft and head may wear out over time and how long they are good for is unclear.

Factors that could affect your golf driver’s performance include the type of club you use, your swing style, and the environment in which you play.

Are New Drivers Better Or Is It Marketing?

Partly better and partly marketing. Golf drivers have become better in terms of performance. But no matter how advanced the driver club technology gets, it has little impact on the life of the driver. 

Several factors can affect how long a golf driver lasts, including club weight and design, playing style, weather conditions, and golfer’s preferences. That being said, most golfers will replace their drivers before they reach the manufacturer’s suggested withdrawal limit. 

In this interesting video by Golf Monthly they discuss whether drivers have improved or is it just marketing:

 

How To Add Distance To Your Driving?

There are no hard and fast rules, as no golfer is the same and all hit the golf ball in a slightly different way. However, we have a few tips for you:

• Selection of the right driver that is suited to your size height and ability.
• Improving swing speed can help you hit the ball further.
• Improving stance to provide a more stable base from which to swing quicker
• Practicing to square the ball at impact means you will get a pure strike each time, 
• Confidence in your mentality will give you clarity of thought when standing over the ball. 

How To Increase Driving Consistency?

Here are some tips on how to increase your consistency with your driver:

Ball positioning is key when seeking to improve consistency with the driver. If you are consistently hitting the ball too high or too low then adjusting your strike point may help you hit the ball more consistently. Your angle of attack should be aligned so that you can hit up on the ball at follow through. 

Should You Get A Driver Fitting?

If you’re a golfer who is looking to improve your game, you should consider getting a club fitting. We always recommend getting the help of a professional golf coach, or expert club fitter.

Accurately fitting a club to your swing speed and body frame can help you hit the ball further and straighter, both of which will give you an advantage over your competition.

Best 3 New Drivers To Consider 

Callaway Rogue ST MAX

Callaway Rogue ST MAX is an impressive driver. It performs well on the course. It is forgiving, adds good yardages, and produces a good spin of the ball. Available in 9, 10, and 12.5-degree loft.

Pros

• Forgiving
• Added distance
• Optimal Spin
• Latest technology

Cons

• A bit pricey

Check Out More Reviews Here:

Titleist TSi Series

The Titleist TSi series has somewhat revolutionized the drivers. It is called a “distance bomber”. Its forgiving construction ensures maximum ball speed at the impact point. It has a deep and lower CG that produces high launch and low spin.

Pros

• Impressive distance
• Consistency
• Forgiving
• Low and deep center of gravity

Cons

• Some golfers might struggle with this driver

Check Out More Reviews Here:

TaylorMade Stealth 

The TaylorMade Stealth driver is a new inclusion in the drivers and certainly, it has lived up to its reputation. It is forgiving, provides a decent amount of distance, and generates a good spin.

Pros

• Forgiving
• Easy to hit
• Better launch angle
• Added distance

Cons

• A bit expensive

Check Out More Reviews Here:

Conlusion

I hope you enjoyed reading this article. Many people believe that golf drivers wear out over time and wonder how long they are good for. In our research we found this to be partially true, golf drivers do eventually wear out but it’s not necessarily due to usage.

It can take many strikes, at a great speed to even begin to degrade the ‘pop’ in a driver. The majority of golfers change their drivers to keep up with the fast-moving technological advances rather than the requirement due to poor quality equipment. What is clear though, the science behind modern drivers is amazing and can make a real difference to your golf game. You’ll soon be driving the ball 300 yards down the middle of the fairway!

If you are looking to upgrade your driver, why not read our article on whether long or short shafts in drivers will make a difference to your game and who they are best suited for.