Does size count? If you go by what the club manufacturers are marketing, oh yeah. We're talking drivers. I bought into the trend when Callaway launched its Big Bertha. Then I tried the TaylorMade R7. Liked it.

Now along comes Tour Edge's Exotics XCG-3 driver with a fancy graphite shaft. Tour Edge has such confidence in this one, they guarantee you will hit it longer. They throw out a lot of tech stuff like larger sweet spot, greater ball speed and more reliability with off-center hits. Whatever, it's working for me. ($349) awww.exoticsgolf.com.

The one thing I can tell you, ladies. If you are starting to play golf, do not let your husband or boyfriend re-grip his set of old clubs for you - unless you get them checked out by a pro and are told they are the correct length, flex, degree and other specs for you. That I can tell you is about as likely as a gleefully happy Chihuahua in Fargo in winter.

If these hand-me-downs were played mud-slugging heavy by a 6'2" male with a stiff shaft and you are 5'2" and need some flex, you may just give up the game before you get off tee one. If shafts are too whippy, your ball will go out of control; too stiff and you won't be able to get it through the ball in time. What counts is what works for you.

So before you buy, try. Get fitted by a pro. Check out TourEdge's GeoMax 2 and their cool-looking MODA Chocolate 460cc 6A4V titanium driver. Also try Callaway's funky squarish-shaped FT-iQ Driver which is designed to send drives bombing down the fairway or their 440 cc titanium head driver which actually has a smaller head size designed for those with lower swing speeds. I've also tried Callaway's Big Bertha Diablo Driver and like it a lot.

And if you're tall, don't be afraid to try a men's club with a flex shaft. So is bigger better? I'm not totally sure, but I do think the best recipe for a good drive is a combination of a well balanced, well engineered club combined with a great feeling of confidence. If you are happy with the driver you have in your hand, you will hit it better regardless of its size or impossible-to-understand specs.

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