Dear Golf Nut, there are now so many makes and types of golf equipment on the market that it is very confusing. I am looking for a new driver. Are there any real differences, especially in the newer models? As a mid handicapper (19 handicap) which drivers should I consider?

You are right, the choices in golf equipment, especially the drivers, has gone crazy. And now you don’t have to look just at places that specialize in discount golf equipment. Even the name brands are much more reasonable in price.

With so many choices, how do you decide? Well first, you need to narrow down your choices. What are your tendencies? Do you fade the golf ball? Tend to hit a hook most of the time? Do you hit it higher than you would like and lose distance. Once you determine your tendencies and the attributes that you are looking for, my advice is “don’t reinvent the wheel” doing research.

Golf Digest is just one of the publication that reviews golf products in detail every year. I really like their “Hot List”. You can find an archived copy of this year’s review at http://www.golfdigest.com/hotlist/.

Now, let me share a few names that I am partial to. I really like the current Taylor Made and Ping drivers. They are very forgiving and easy to hit. The Ping G5 is, in my opinion, an awesome golf club. Another driver that I found very forgiving when I hit it was the Taylor Made R7 460.

But the bottom line is this. After you scour the golf equipment hot list and find 2 or 3 (or more) that you like, go hit them. Find the driver that feels the best and seems to work the best for you! There is no substitute for trying it out.

While golf clubs can help your game, it's really about the clubber, not the club. So focusing on the parts of your game where you give up the most strokes is critical as well. Try a few golf tips from our golf swing help section to go along with that golf club.