As the days start to get longer and the grounds gets a little firmer, many golfers are thinking about getting back on the course.  Well over half of the golfers in Ireland put away their clubs for the winter, and while many of them are planning their seasonal reappearance some are ahead of the game, some have started early.

PGA Professional Padraig Dooley has been a busy man since Christmas.  Drive Golf Performance centre is based in Glanmire and he has seen a large number of golfers come through the doors already this year.  Padraig has earned a solid reputation as one of the best PGA Professionals in the game, and he has clients coming from all over the province and beyond.  With one of the widest ranges of clubs, shafts, heads and grips in the country, Padraig has a tried and tested approach when a golfer is looking for improvements.

“When it comes to improving performance for a golfer, every specification such as head, shaft, grip etc, can make a difference to a golfer” explains Padraig.  “But there’s no certainty about which makes the biggest difference so we test all the specifications to see what helps the golfer improve their performance.  Improved performance is more distance, more accuracy or both together.  Improved accuracy is both left and right and front and back dispersion.”

Many golfers will have some level or awareness of the type of shaft in their clubs, and this is an area that has seen plenty of developments in recent years.   “Correct shaft would be vital for all golfers.  What’s looked at is club length, which affects accuracy and height, and weight which affects speed and accuracy, flex which affects trajectory, accuracy and feel. The type of shaft also will affect trajectory, so you can have the same flex but different trajectories.  There are regular shafts to hit it low and extra stiff shafts to hit it high.  Finally, the quality of the shaft can be looked at, higher quality shafts deliver predominantly more accuracy but also a small distance gain.”

Padraig stocks all of the major brands, and he also has access to newer brands and niche manufacturers.  This gives his customers the widest choice in choosing their setup.  “The large brands Ping, Titleist, Taylor Made, Cobra, Callaway, Mizuno are all excellent and continue to deliver great products.  Smaller niche brands such as Miura, Fourteen, Swag are great for one or two categories such as wedges, irons or putters. There are some direct to customer brands such as Takomo that are making an appearance as well.”

Padraig recently posted a collage of the most famous drivers of the last four decades.  The 25 pictures sparked memories, but also demonstrated the dramatic changes that took place around the turn of the century.  While the major manufacturers continue to innovate and deliver superior equipment for all levels of golfers.  “The big equipment jumps of 20 and 30 years ago won’t be seen again, we are more in the era of fine tuning and marginal gains but we do see increases in forgiveness and more help on off centre hits.”

Not content with sourcing some of the best clubs and components, Padraig set about creating two new lines in 2024.  Iolar and Strike are two brands that have come out of the Drive Golf Performance stable.

“Iolar is a small boutique brand that does some high-quality accessories such as a waxed canvas light carry bag, accessory pouch and towels.  They’re designed for the discerning golfer looking for something a little different.  The waxed canvas carry bag can carry a full set and is ideal for the golfer who likes to carry their clubs and gives them a durable, compact, classy and lightweight way to do it.  Strike is a nice basic line of shafts and grips for everyday repairs that won’t break the bank.”

Drive Golf Performance is open Monday to Friday from 10am to 5.30pm, and while Padraig’s business is built on lessons and custom fitting, every visitor can help themselves to some of the famous Drive branded tees.  “We always welcome any golfer who wants to chat and learn about how they can enjoy themselves more.  We still have plenty of tees to give away and are delighted when someone drops by to get some.