Thanks to an explosion in the popularity of golf over the last 20 years, the standard of golf club production has become exceptionally sophisticated, and the competitive golf market has forced prices down. This means that consumers can pick up very high quality equipment at surprisingly reasonable prices.

This is particularly good news for junior golfers. Junior golfers' rapid growth rates mean that they cycle through clubs more frequently than adult golfers. Junior golfers often had to sacrifice the quality of their clubs to keep the price down, since in a couple of years they would need an entirely new set anyway. No longer. Thanks to the advances in design and production, and to the aggressive golfing marketplace, even junior golfers can have top-end golf technology for prices which won't necessarily force parents into administration. At the forefront of the technological revolution in junior golf are the drivers.

This guide offers advice and provides information about junior golf drivers.

Golf Drivers for Kids

The differences between adult and junior drivers are significant. The most obvious difference is the size. Junior golfers are shorter, but it's not purely because a foot of steel has been lopped out of the middle of an adult driver shaft. The shaft of most junior driver's has been expertly crafted specifically for those clubs. They're made of different materials to compensate for the slower swing rates of junior hitters, and to boost the length and accuracy of young golfers' drives.

For instance, the use of beta forged titanium in the range of junior drivers from US Kids makes the Air Kicker BFT 280 less than half the weight of an equivalent steel driver, while retaining the same amount of strength as the stiffer steel.

The grips on junior drivers are a little thinner too, to allow smaller hands a firmer grip. The grips themselves are generally - but not exclusively - made from a velvet material for the sake of consistency if you're buying each club individually (which is often advisable; it means your young golfer can develop with the individual clubs, as opposed to forcing them to adapt to the clubs in their bag).

The sophisticated materials extend into the head. In fact the most ingenious innovations in all kids' golf can be found within the head of the driver. Most kids' drivers offer between 12 and 14 degrees of loft, which is roughly equivalent to the adult standard. US Kids produce junior drivers with steel clubheads which have titanium inserts incorporated. These impressive designs help to get the ball airborne quickly and to increase the length of the drive as much as possible. As well as increasing the accuracy of a child's shot, the inserts in the back of the driver's head translate the ball contact into the golfer's hands, improving the feel of the shot and assisting a junior player's ability to judge the swing, understand the contact, and grow as a golfer.

The Right Size Junior Golf Driver

Different manufacturers use different methods to communicate the sizes of their clubs. Most of the sizing systems are colour coordinated so you can choose the right size children's driver at a glance. One of the leading producers of junior golf equipment is US Kids. US Kids use a colour guide for their junior drivers called the 'Gold and Silver Series'; the Silver series are designed for children between the ages of 9 years and 11 years - or between 4'4 and 5'0. The Gold series drivers are suitable for junior golfers between roughly 11 and 14 years - or 4'8 and 5'6.

Jaxx's kids' drivers have three different size categories so they can cater to even younger golfers. The categories are:

• Red: Ages 5-7
• Green: Ages 8-10
• Blue: Ages 11-14

These age groups are approximate and since kids grow at different rates, they won't apply to everyone. But they're generally quite accurate and you - as a parent - will be familiar with your own child's size; if you have a six year old golfer who is unusually large for their age, get them a Green driver, for ages 8-10. A little common sense will go a long way when you're choosing a club with your young golfer.