Drivers

Vertical Groove Driver Now Available

Want to be on the cutting edge of driver technology? Good news: Vertical Groove Golf’s new Vertical Groove Driver — the only golf club innovation to enter the market featuring vertical groove technology on the club face — is now shipping to customers. The USGA Conforming Vertical Groove Driver is available for purchase at www.vertgolf.com.

“Vertical Groove Drivers are rolling off the assembly line, being packaged and shipped out to customers both domestically and internationally,” said Jeff Barry, Chief Executive Officer, Vertical Groove Golf, LLC. “It’s an exciting time as our vision has become a reality and now golfers will see first-hand why vertical groove technology is a game changer in golf.”

Barry adds, “We are also preparing to launch our national marketing campaign to promote the Vertical Groove Driver, including a full-schedule of demo days that will take place in Sunbelt golf markets during the first-quarter of 2017.”

The Vertical Groove Driver’s signature design element — vertical grooves on the club face — reduces side spin at impact, leading to 40% straighter ball flight on average. The configurations of the vertical grooves also help alleviate a golfer’s tendency to hook and slice their drive, which promotes better accuracy. Additionally, the vertical configurations, an array of shorter vertical grooves combined with vertical land areas perpendicular to the club face, help golfers generate greater energy at impact, resulting in a stronger forward roll and increased driving distance.

“We’ve tested golf’s only Vertical Groove Driver with TOUR players, PGA Professionals, amateurs and juniors, and the results have been tremendous,” said Barry. “Additionally, the club was recently tested at Golf Labs in San Diego, and the results were extremely favorable. It’s truly a game changer for the golf industry.”

“I’ve had the good fortune to find and use a driver with a new concept that maximizes distance and improves direction,” said Mike Schultz, 2012 PGA Professional of the Year. “The Vertical Groove Driver is as long, or longer than any other driver I have ever used and is noticeably straighter because I hit more fairways. My average drive has increased dramatically and I also found that the sound and feel at impact is what I want in a driver. I would have never known it, if I hadn’t given it a try. Give it a chance and try it!”

Available in both right and left handed models, the 450cc Vertical Groove Driver is offered in 9.5, 10.5 and 12 degree lofts, and features a full range of Aldila premium grade, tour proven aftermarket NV2K series shafts as standard. The available flexes include: 45 gram L (Ladies), 50 gram A (Senior), 55 gram R (Regular), 65 gram S (Stiff) and 65 gram X (Extra-stiff). At a length of 45.75 inches, the Vertical Groove Driver provides an optimum launch angle while maximizing carry distance and ball speed for many players. It is equipped with Golf Pride Tour Velvet grips in standard, midsize and oversize models. Alternative shaft options from Fujikura, Mitsubishi and Aldila will also be available. Suggested retail price of the Vertical Groove Driver is $399.99.

“The performance attributes of the Vertical Groove Driver will benefit all golfers, including low-handicappers and golfers that have a tendency to hook or slice off the tee,” said Rubin Hanan, Managing Partner, Vertical Groove Golf, LLC. “Vertical Groove technology on the club face reduces side spin at impact, while generating more forward roll, resulting in better accuracy and increased distance off the tee.”

More information on the Vertical Groove Driver is available at www.vertgolf.com or via social media profiles on Facebook and YouTube at Vertical Groove Golf, and @vertgolf on Twitter.

Vertical Groove Golf Driver Debuts

Vertical Groove Golf, the golf industry’s newest original equipment manufacturer, has introduced the cutting-edge Vertical Groove Driver, the first USGA conforming golf club to enter the market featuring vertical groove technology on the club face — which is proven to deliver greater distance and better accuracy off the tee.

The Vertical Groove Driver’s signature design element — vertical grooves on the club face — reduces side spin at impact, leading to 40% straighter ball flight on average. The configurations of the vertical grooves also help alleviate a golfer’s tendency to hook and slice their drive, which promotes better accuracy. Additionally, the vertical configurations, an array of shorter vertical grooves combined with vertical land areas perpendicular to the club face, help golfers generate greater energy at impact, resulting in a stronger forward roll and increased driving distance.

Backed by proven research and extensive testing by Golf Laboratories, Inc., the leading independent golf club testing facility in San Diego, California, the Vertical Groove Driver consistently outperformed the top drivers in spin rate and distance, as well as center, heel and toe dispersion.

“The performance attributes of the Vertical Groove Driver will benefit all golfers, including low-handicappers and golfers that have a tendency to hook or slice off the tee,” said Rubin Hanan, Managing Partner, Vertical Groove Golf, LLC. “Vertical Groove technology on the club face reduces side spin at impact, while generating more forward spin, resulting in better accuracy and increased distance off the tee.”

“I’ve had the good fortune to find and use a driver with a new concept that maximizes distance and improves direction,” said Mike Schultz, 2012 PGA Professional of the Year. “The Vertical Groove Driver is as long, or longer than any other driver I have ever used and is noticeably straighter because I hit more fairways. My average drive has increased dramatically and I also found that the sound and feel at impact is what I want in a driver. I would have never known it, if I hadn’t given it a try. Give it a chance and try it!”

Available in both right and left handed models, the 450cc Vertical Groove Driver is offered in 9.5, 10.5 and 12 degree lofts, and features a full range of Aldila premium grade, tour proven aftermarket NV2K series shafts as standard. The available flexes include: 45 gram L (Ladies), 50 gram A (Senior), 55 gram R (Regular), 65 gram S (Stiff) and 65 gram X (Extra-stiff). At a length of 45.75 inches, the Vertical Groove Driver provides an optimum launch angle while maximizing carry distance and ball speed for many players. It is equipped with Golf Pride Tour Velvet grips in standard, midsize and oversize models. Alternative shaft options from Fujikura, Mitsubishi and Aldila will also be available. Suggested retail price of the Vertical Groove Driver is $399.99, and the product will be available in December 2016.

“We’ve tested golf’s only Vertical Groove Driver with TOUR players, PGA Professionals, amateurs and junior golfers, and the results have been tremendous,” said Jeff Barry, CEO, Vertical Groove Golf, LLC. “Vertical Groove technology is a game changer for the golf industry.”

www.vertgolf.com

Titleist Unveils New 917 Drivers & Fairway Metals

The new Titleist 917 drivers and fairway metals for 2016 look to build upon the original D1 models’s standards for complete performance off the tee and on long approaches, providing maximum distance and forgiveness with precise adjustability to benefit dedicated golfers at every level of the game.

Titleist 917D2 and 917D3 driver models, engineered with proprietary Active Recoil Channel 2.0 and SureFit CG technology, are the result of an uncompromising “complete performance” design strategy to develop the industry’s most comprehensive and efficient driver designs — ones that have earned immediate acceptance and validation by many of the world’s best players, including Adam Scott, Bill Haas and Jimmy Walker, who trusted a 917D2 8.5° model to his first major title at the PGA Championship.

“When we talk to golfers about driver performance, distance and forgiveness are always paramount. But they aren’t the only attributes that players look for in a driver. They also want a repeatable trajectory, a shot shape they can count on for better accuracy. And they need it to look, sound and feel great,” said Dan Stone, Vice President, Titleist Golf Club R&D. “The meticulous nature of our R&D process guarantees that any new innovation ultimately complements the overall package, and we’re confident that 917 delivers on golfers’ each and every requirement. There may be other adjustable drivers in the market, but none are able to maximize the total driving performance for golfers of all abilities like 917.”

The new 917’s SureFit CG provides precise adjustability through a highly efficient interchangeable weight system, optimizing spin and launch conditions for a more consistent trajectory and tighter shot dispersion. The unique orientation of SureFit CG, positioned at an angle deep on the sole, enables the center of gravity to be moved from Neutral to a back, heel position (Draw) or forward, toe position (Fade). Each SureFit CG position affects dynamic face closure and gear-effect sidespin, enabling golfers to enhance their preferred ball flight and shot shape through more consistent impact and spin. The streamlined design of SureFit CG – which provides significant weight savings versus competitive “track” systems – allows the CG to be manipulated while preserving 917’s high-MOI properties for distance with forgiveness. SureFit CG also provides the flexibility for headweight adjustability (+/- 4 grams).

Like their 917 driver counterparts, Titleist 917F2 and 917F3 fairway models are designed using new patented Active Recoil Channel 2.0 and SureFit CG technology to produce an uncompromising combination of distance, forgiveness and trajectory control with tour-preferred looks, sound and feel. They deliver increased ball speed for more distance with superior forgiveness, industry-leading adjustability with optimized trajectory control, and tour-inspired sound and feel through the same key technologies found in the driver, including

Active Recoil Channel, a Variable Thickness Face Insert tuned with ARC 2.0 to deliver greater off-center ball speed for more overall distance across the face; a precise High-MOI Design with a low center of gravity location delivers stability and forgiveness by preserving off-center ball speed for more distance; and the SureFit Hosel and SureFit CG weight system. They are available in 13.5, 15, 16.5, 18 and 21-degree lofts.)

All new 917 drivers and fairways are available Oct. 21.

Driver $499 | Fairways $319 | www.titleist.com

Tour Edge Golf Adds Exotics XJ1 Driver

A groundbreaking combination of a 9-1-1 titanium chassis, Kevlar-Carbon crown and three Tungsten sole weights distinguish Tour Edge’s new XJ1 Driver from its Exotics line predecessors. Its lightweight concept, combined with the most advanced ultra-light Air Speeder shafts, allows players with moderate swing speeds to generate maximum distance off the tee.

“Most technologies of the past decade have benefitted players with higher swing speeds eliminating the majority of golfers,” said David Glod, president and founder of Tour Edge Golf. “We have been developing the XJ1 driver for over four years, working on each characteristic of the club, moving critical amounts of weight around for the best results, and waiting for the technology to catch up to our goal of bringing this extremely lightweight driver to the market which will benefit golfers with real swing speeds.”

The 9-1-1 titanium body is remarkably light, 10 percent lighter than 6A4v titanium, allowing engineers to save significant weight in the body. The strength of 9-1-1 enables it to be thinner and more reactive, even at lower swing speeds. This effect combined with the overall lightness of the driver allows players with moderate swing speeds to generate more club head speed and more distance.

The Kevlar-Carbon crown is ultra-lightweight, durable and extraordinarily strong. This specialized amorphous material weighs a mere 12 grams, saving significant weight and lowering the center of gravity for ideal launch. An added benefit is its increased firmness, which results in amplified ball speed higher up on the face.

Utilizing SP 700 beta titanium in the face plate provides superior results since it is inherently thinner and more reactive. It also allows the face plate to be much larger than on a normal driver. Along with being larger, the face incorporates thinner edges allowing it to be Robotically Laser Bonded to the body. This process not only saves additional weight; it dramatically increases C.O.R. all over the face.

Near-perfect weight distribution is achieved in the 460cc head with three tungsten weights including two heel and toe stability bars at 10 grams each. The stability bars widen the sweet spot and increases the M.O.I. substantially for stunning forgiveness. A weighted tungsten screw in the heel is positioned strategically for draw enhancement and faster release of the clubhead through impact. Additional weights are available in a kit; 3, 6, 12, 14 grams.

Ultra‐stable lightweight Fujikura Air Speeder shaft is 45 grams of added power. Projected ship date is November 1. The XJ1 driver is available in 9, 10.5, and 12 degrees of loft, right hand only.

$699.99 | touredge.com

We Tried It: Callaway XHot Driver

In case you haven’t paid much attention to long drive competitions, here’s what you’ve been missing. Last year’s RE/MAX World Long Drive Championship included a handful of bombs that flew more than 385 yards into a 20 mph headwind. Impressive, huh? Imagine how far they would have flown with no wind. Callaway Golf, known for producing some long drivers in their own right, has taken special notice of long drivers this year and has codeveloped a new driver with Sellinger’s Power Golf that’s destined not only for long drive competitions, but the hands of would-be competitors who have big dreams of hitting it big. How do I know? I tested the Callaway XHot Pro LD ($279) driver myself, and here’s how it went down.

THE SETUP
First, ordering the Pro LD is simple. Log in to longdrivers.com, and you’ll see it’s easy to pick the right head for your game. By head, I mean the club can be bought without a shaft (although you can get one already assembled, if you want). Reason being, long drive competitors tend to be a fickle bunch when it comes to shafts, and Sellinger’s Power Golf wanted to make sure each customer has full control over what shafts they put into this Callaway head. Other than the lower loft, the Pro LD has the same tech specs as the regular Callaway XHot–a Speed Frame chassis, Hyperbolic Face and two versions of an adjustable hosel. I chose the 7-degree model (5- and 6-degree models are also available) with the dual COG adjustable hosel, meaning I could choose from nine face angle/loft configurations over the three options that come from a single COG hosel. And while most long drive competitors use shafts designed specifically for long-drive competition (that are as stiff and long as telephone poles), I went with a more suitable shaft for my swing speed. I choose the nVentix NUNCHUK with its unique, uniflex, heavier-than-normal properties. I kept it at 46 inches so I could emulate a long driver as much as I could. I also put the new Winn DuraTech grip on there. Not to elaborate on the grip too much, but it felt awesome. Enough said.

PLAYING TEST
The NUNCHUK, in my opinion, is a pretty strong shaft to begin with. Jhonattan Vegas uses it on the PGA Tour, and he isn’t exactly a soft swinger. At 46 inches with a 7-degree clubhead, I have to be honest, I was a little intimidated. Knowing I had an adjustable hosel helped a little, but the added length and low loft made me feel as though I had to swing a little harder to make the club work for me. The charcoal finish actually looks really cool with the purple shaft, and I liked the clean, no-nonsense, modern shaping of the clubhead. I wished the head had a small alignment dot or something, so I could assure myself of a setup that placed the ball directly in front of the sweet spot.

While testing the driver, I made a point to do two things. I wanted to swing the driver as I do normally using my normal swing speed and tempo, and then again as though I was trying my best to mimic a professional long driver.

With my natural swing, I immediately recognized the added 1.5 inches in extra shaft length, as my first few drives flew hard right and a little low. I even hit the ground a few times before striking the ball. After a small adjustment in my stance and ball position, I was quite surprised at not only the heap of forgiveness the Pro LD has over other long drive drivers I’ve tried, but how high I was hitting the ball. I fully expected the 7-degree loft to fire line drives, but I was actually hitting tee balls that flew with a moderate-to-low trajectory, not with a low-to-wormburn trajectory as I had expected. Understandably, trajectory isn’t solely derived from the loft of the head–shaft flex and length also play a part in how the ball flies. Nevertheless, the ball flew with a trajectory I was happy–and surprised–with. The longer shaft instinctively forced me to put the ball more forward in my stance and tee it a little higher. That helped get the ball higher, too.

I know what you’re thinking, though. Nobody cares how high it went; this is a long driver club. How far did my drives go? Measurably, my hits with the Pro LD flew at comparable distances to what my regular driver produces (drives that carry around 275 to 280 yards), but the slightly lower trajectory meant some extra forward roll, so I’d contend that I hit the ball about five to 10 yards farther than I usually do. That’s pretty good, considering I’m particular about my go-to driver and I’ve had it tweaked for maximum distance. Shots fired off the heel and toe, however, didn’t fair quite as well as I’m used to, as shots flew lower and more offline the more I missed from side to side. But, on the occasion I hit it solidly, I hit some serious bombs down the fairway.

Let me be clear, though: The Pro LD definitely produced some long drives, and it’s not that it wasn’t forgiving. It’s forgiving compared to other long drive drivers. But compared to my driver, it’s clear that it’s a driver for pure power and not power/forgiveness like my usual driver is billed as.

That said, it wouldn’t be a conclusive test if I didn’t try to ratchet up my swing speed (which, ahem, is already more than 105 mph) and see what happens. At first, I made some wild swings and realized that there was a limit to how hard I could swing and how hard I should swing. (They’re not always the same swing, by the way.) So, even though I swung harder and faster than normal, I still had to scale back so I could–you know–actually make contact with the golf ball.

What happened was quite interesting. It seemed the faster I swung, the farther the ball went. Duh, right? That may seem obvious, but for me, what happened is rarely the case. Typically, the harder or faster I swing a driver, the more backspin I generate, which actually shortens my overall distance. This club, on the other hand, showed little to no difference in trajectory when I swung really hard. And, I took a few real pops at it, expsecting either to balloon the ball or drive it into the ground, and the results were so long and consistent, I actually felt like a long drive competitor for a moment. The results were astonishingly better than when I swung excessively hard with my normal driver, both in terms of distance and, surprisingly, accuracy. I didn’t have a Trackman on the course, but I did hit a handful of tee shots, and my solid shots with the Pro LD were easily 10 to 15 yards longer than my good ones with my standard driver, that is, when I swung with some extra oomph. When I missed the sweet spot, I lost out on some distance and control, but that was excusable in my book. After all, my weaker-shafted normal driver was wilder than the Pro LD when I tried to really nuke it. And, like I’ve said already, even though the Pro LD has some forgiveness built in to its DNA, this driver isn’t supposed to be easy to hit. It’s meant to be long and nothing else.

THE CONCLUSION
The Pro LD is just the driver for those of you who want to swing hard. Really hard. It’s also important to recognize that although this driver is designed for golfers who want maximum distance, it’s not a driver for golfers who actually need more distance. You have to be able to swing fast to be able to take advantage of what this driver can do. The adjustable hosel didn’t seem all that necessary to me, but it’s probably useful for actual LDA competitors who need to adjust loft/face angle for varying wind conditions. Solid shots had a penetrating trajectory that soared a long way and rolled out more than I’m used to. Also, the nVentix NUNCHUK shaft, which isn’t technically a long drive shaft, performed exceptionally well. Its heavier, uniflex design made it easier for me to feel the driver better as I loaded up and coiled on the backswing. Had it been too light, I might have had a harder time knowing my limits with my swing.

Does the driver deliver? It certainly does, making it one of the best long drive drivers I’ve ever tried (and, yes, I’ve hit a whole bunch of them). For a longer hitter, it’s not a bad option for regular golf-playing as well, since it has more forgiveness than most long drive drivers have. If you have a swing speed below 105 mph, you may want to stick with the regular Callaway XHot driver. But, if you’re already long and want to be insanely long, don’t overlook the monstrous XHot Pro LD.

More Information on the Callaway XHot Pro LD, visit longdrivers.com.

We Tried It: Ping G25

PING Golf equipment, from its drivers to its putters, might be the most consistent in the golf industry. That is, you always can rely on the company to deliver quality product that lives up to marketing hype. It’s a culture that goes back to PING founder Karsten Solheim and one that continues today with his son, company chairman John Solheim.

And, while PING continues to keep most of its consumer traction from its putters and irons, here’s a word of advice: Don’t sit on PING drivers, the latest being G25–the sixth iteration in the G-series bombers.

THE SETUP
The G25 is the largest profile driver PING has ever produced. That’s first evident when you see the G25 on the rack with its elongated black bottom facing up –it’s huge. But when you put it down at address, the club doesn’t look much larger than any other 460cc driver. In fact, with its black color and sleek lines, the G25 is one of the better-looking drivers on the market.

More importantly, the G25 sets up at address better than any driver I’ve played this year. I played the 10.5-degree and 12-degree versions and neither didn’t need any kind of manipulation at address. I just set each driver in its natural position and ripped away. I think the black color helped with that confidence, too, as each driver looks very differently at address from today’s popular white drivers. It’s also quite a contrast to the pink G25 Bubba Watson plays on the PGA Tour.

I used the stock TFC 189D, a 53-gram, high-balance point shaft in each club. The shaft was specifically developed for the G25 driver and even at setup, gives you a confident "swing the handle" feeling. The combination of black shaft and charcoal black driver head makes you want to rip the G25 from the first swing.

THE PERFORMANCE
PING’s "Trajectory Tuning™ Technology allows a player to add or subtract one-half degree of loft to the 8.5-, 9.5-, 10.5- and 12-degree clubheads. The adjustable-hosel design, according to PING, maintains the same outer diameter and mass of its fixed hosels.

One swing with the 10.5-degree driver gave me the "you’ve got to be kidding" reaction that comes with solid performance. I knew the G25 would be good, but didn’t expect it to be that good. There was no doubt the club’s lower center of gravity–deep and back in the clubhead–helped quickly launch the three-piece golf ball clubface and straight down the range. The G25’s TFC 189D shaft (regular flex) seemed to help increase swing speed, thanks in part to its length–45.75 inches–shorter than a lot of its competition by as much as one inch.

The G25’s feel is solid and its sound is good, whether I was trying to draw the ball, hit it straight or hit a fade. It was easier to hit draws (and sometimes hooks) than fades, but that was more of a function of my swing than the clubhead. By the way, when adjusting for more loft, you actually close the face angle a bit. The opposite occurs when lowering the loft.

The 12-degree model was even easier to hit straight. Again, the ball came off the clubface quickly, but this time with a slightly higher trajectory, as expected with the additional loft. It was more difficult for me to draw the ball with the 12-degree model, but the club seemed more forgiving on off-center hits, particularly those off the toe. I lost some distance on toe hits, but the ball stayed straight in the air.

The combination of lightweight shaft and large, forgiving clubhead in the 12-degree G25 gave me greater confidence to let loose with a swing that I wouldn’t attempt with the 10.5-degree model.

I used the PING wrench to subtract and then add one-half degree to the 12-degree model and saw modest changes in my ballflight tendencies. Mainly because more loft meant more backspin and the straighter my shots flew at any configuration.

THE CONCLUSION
The PING G25 driver is one of the better drivers of 2013. It’s easy to hit and very forgiving for average players looking for extra distance and even a little extra ball speed. The 12-degree model, in particular, is a solid performer for average players. You don’t have to swing hard or manipulate your swing to get the result you want off the tee.

SPECS
Lofts: 8, 9.5, 10.5, 12-degrees
Shaft/Grip: TFC 189D, 45.75 inches; PING 360ID8
Favorite Setting: Neutral
Options: Available in TFC 189D and softer TFC 80D shafts in five different weights. A variety of custom fitting options also are available.
Price: $385 MSRP
More Information: ping.com

Cleveland XL Custom Driver

In an effort to help golfers like you and me find the perfect trajectory for our tee shots, virtually every major equipment manufacturer has hopped aboard the adjustability bandwagon. Here at Golf Tips, we think that’s great news, since having an adjustable-head driver opens the door for more golfers to do a whole bunch of fun things off the tee–all without having to make drastic swing changes.

The latest driver we tried that features adjustability is the all-new Cleveland Classic XL Custom. Many of you may remember the retro-inspired Classic driver from last year, and the new Classic XL Custom is a later version of the same club, only this time with a slick new paint job, some design modifications and some really cool adjustability options.

THE SETUP
On paper, the Classic XL Custom driver features an adjustable hosel that allows for up to 12 different face angles and loft and lie angle configurations. I tried a 9-degree base model (there are also 7.5- and 12-degree models) with Miyazaki’s JDL graphite shaft, which happens to be designed specifically for adjustable drivers (more on that later). In addition to the adjustable hosel, this driver also has a removable weight port in the rear section of the sole that accommodates a 3-gram, 7-gram and 11-gram weight for different swing weight configurations. I tried the 7-gram weight.

At first glance, I missed the gold/crimson color of last year’s Classic driver, but I quickly was swayed by the beautiful, polished black finish and gold markings on the face that helped make it easier to square the ball behind the sweet spot at address. There’s also a very faint alignment dot above the sweet spot on the crown, which is a little hard to see, even in direct sunlight. Furthermore, Cleveland claims this driver to have the largest and deepest face in golf (actual face area is 7.32 inches), making it crazy easy to hit solid drives.

Finally, as mentioned, I tried the Miyazaki JDL graphite shaft that’s specifically designed to perform consistently no matter how it’s oriented in the clubhead. Like all Miyazaki shafts, it comes in a wide array of flex profiles to accommodate virtually every type of player looking for a mid-launch.

THE PERFORMANCE
The first thing I did was swing the club in the "Square" position and get a feel for a base trajectory and face angle. Out of the box, I was relieved to find that the XL Custom retained the sound, feel and flight I loved so much about the original Classic driver from last year. That said, there were a few differences, however, none in the negative direction. When compared to the original Classic driver of the same loft, the XL Custom seemed to produce a more penetrating ballflight than last year’s stick. So, by way of a practical, real-world comparison, I contend that the XL Custom is longer than the original Classic driver, thanks to a better weighting scheme and a shaft that really delivers a mid-height ballflight. And, that’s all before even taking the torque wrench out of the bag.

Now, onto the really interesting part. The adjustability of the XL Custom driver allows up to 12 different configurations, which is probably more than any of us need, but it certainly helps in fitting more swing and player types. The 12 settings are arranged by face angle denotations and cleverly viewed by the "window" on the hosel. When the club is set to "Square" the face is square with the club’s standard loft. As you adjust toward "L" the face closes, to "R" the face opens, and past "L" and "R" the face opens and closes relative to a more upright setting. (Upright settings are great for chronic slicers, by the way.)

What’s not marked on the adjustable hosel are the changes in loft that occur when you adjust the face angle. Luckily, the handy pocket guide that comes with the driver illustrates in detail exactly what’s happening. In brief, the more you close the face angle, the greater your loft; the more open you go, the lower the loft.

I started by making adjustments slowly, first, by opening the face angle by 0.75 degrees and again by 1.5 degrees. In both instances, I saw significantly lower ballflights with some fade bias. I then went back to the "Square" setting to readjust, then ratcheted the face angle toward the "L."

I not only saw higher launches, but also some serious draw bias. For you naysayers who think that adjustability is marketing hype, we’re here to tell you it isn’t, especially with the XL Custom. I was pleased to find that each setting had a unique look at address and each produced varying ballflights.

My only criticism, and it’s a moot point, by the way, is the torque wrench itself. It’s a square shape, which took a little wiggling to get it into the screw. It’s awkward at first, but after a couple tries, I had it figured out. Also, the screw sticks to the wrench, thanks to a small ball bearing on the tool’s tip. I actually panicked the first time I removed the screw, thinking I had dropped it in the grass. But there it was, still on the torque wrench. Whew.

ON THE COURSE
Hitting several hundred balls in a controlled environment is one thing, actually using the driver on the course is completely different. I set the driver for 0.75 degrees open and proceeded to the first tee, knowing that according to the rules I had to stick with that setting the whole round. Before I tell you how that went, it’s my opinion that when you have an adjustable club, it’s imperative to let the club do the shot-shaping work for you. With my old driver that has a square face angle, any attempt to hit a fade or draw was a conscious act that I did with my swing. But with an adjustable driver, if it’s set up to hit a draw or a fade, the key is to swing normally and let it happen and not force anything. I happened to do just that off the first tee, and to my delight, hit a towering fade that split the fairway. Ahhh. And, while much is said about how this driver is both long and the adjustability really works, it’s worth mentioning that this driver is also incredibly forgiving on mis-hits.

There’s one caveat to adjustable drivers that I think better players (not that I consider myself one, but there was a time when I was) will notice, however. When you tinker with a driver to accommodate a certain ballflight, it becomes more difficult to make adjustments to your trajectory when you need to. For instance, if I set my driver to hit fades, on the rare occasion where I do need to hit a draw, it becomes more difficult for me. Now, that may not be true for everyone, but for me, both physically and mentally, I have a hard time defying my driver setup and hitting a shot that the hosel configuration isn’t designed for. Remember, that’s just one man’s opinion. With an open-face angle, I can barely hit a draw. Maybe it’s just me.

THE CONCLUSION
The Classic XL Custom is a fantastic new driver. The adjustability feature produces all sorts of different trajectories, and the look, feel and sound all cater to my taste. The minor criticisms I have (the faint dot on the crown and unusual torque wrench) pale in comparison to how this driver performs. The JDL shaft I tried performed nicely, too; however, for my swingspeed, I might have opted for a slightly stiffer and heavier model than the one I tried. I made a few swings that I feel overpowered the shaft a bit. Adjustability aside, I was amazed at how well my good drives performed, usually with a mid-height trajectory (which is lower than my experience with last year’s driver) with moderate to low spin rates. Even more impressive were my mis-hits, which managed to fly relatively straight with some impressive distance. And, by the way, because it’s a deep face design, I found my best drives to come from teeing the ball a little higher than I would with other drivers that have shallower face areas.

Look for this driver to be a hit in 2013. It was with me.

SPECS
Loft: 9_¡
Shaft/Grip: Miyazaki JDL Graphite Shaft (6X Flex), 45 inches, midsized Tour Wrap 2Gen grip
Favorite Setting: 0.75 degrees open
Options: Also available in a huge variety of shafts, including Mitsubishi Rayon Fubuki Tour and Matrix Ozik Black Tie graphite shafts
Price: $349 MSRP
More Information: clevelandgolf.com

We Tried It: Ping G20 Series

Without question, PING is considered a pioneering force in golf-equipment design. Known initially for putters, the company revolutionized the way the game was played with its introduction of the game’s most playable iron type: the cast cavity-back iron.

Today, the legacy of Karsten Solheim continues, with not only new putter and iron innovations, but also an equally dedicated approach to how the company develops new drivers, fairway woods and hybrid clubs.

PING G20 SERIES DRIVER

TESTED:

G20 Driver
9.5-degree loft
45.75-inch, PING TFC 169D Graphite Shaft

INITIAL RESPONSE:
Not only does the new G20 driver feel light (despite a head weight around 7 grams heavier than the G15), but the paint job is a few shades lighter with a silvery gray finish that does a great job at absorbing glare and reflections. We tested this driver with a 45.75-inch shaft, making this driver feel as though it was designed to swing fast. Couple that with the elongated clubface, and you couldn’t have a more confidence-inspiring look at address.

PERFORMANCE:
Here at Golf Tips, we purposefully use "real-world" testing without robotic data and such, all in an effort to give you a real hands-on review of what we try. In the case of the G20 driver, we found that like Ping’s earlier game-improvement driver, the G15, the G20 is primed for extreme distance and forgiveness. Using an external weight system (with much of it applied low and away from the clubface), the G20 produces a high ballflight–so high that even we were surprised with the height the ball soared. Nevertheless, that’s not a bad thing, since the driver also produces a relatively low spin rate (which frankly, is contingent on how one swings the club). Shots hit on the toe and heel favored well, with minimal loss of distance and control. Despite the G20 being long and straight, we actually found the club to present itself as a viable anti-slice driver, since most of our drives produced a high, right-to-left trajectory. In other words, we couldn’t slice it, which also meant we struggled to "work" the golf ball and hit fades or even lower tee shots. Instead, we had to accept hitting high, drawing bombs all the time”pity for us, eh?

EVALUATION:
A great driver, especially for moderate swing speeds and for golfers who want arguably, the most forgiving and longest driver PING has ever made. Better players however, may find the G20 to produce too much draw bias and too high a trajectory, but again, with such consistency and power, being unable to maneuver the ball is a moot detail considering how powerful this driver actually is. Maybe next time we’ll try the Tour shaft.

PING G20 SERIES 3-WOOD

TESTED:

G20 Fairway Wood (3-wood, 15-degree loft)
PING TFC 169F Graphite Shaft

INITIAL RESPONSE:
Sporting the same looks of the driver, the G20 fairway wood has a handsome, understated appeal. The stainless-steel, 165cc head, which, hard to believe, is bigger than some of the first iterations of metal drivers, has a smooth, convex crown that makes you feel as though the shaft and neck of the clubhead reach the ground. This creates a great feel at address that’s also visually easy to look at.

PERFORMANCE:
The G20’s shallow, low-profile clubface produced high, although not as high as we expected, shots that flew straight as an arrow. Shots hit off the heel and toe didn’t fly quite as straight and far, but were still manageable. The most telling characteristic of the G20 fairway wood was, again, the propensity for the club to produce right-to-left ballflights. Maybe it was just us that day, but most of our shots flew with a draw. In the ideal situation, we like to hit fairway woods straight or with a little fade, since fades fly higher and land softer, but for the average golfer or even the chronic slicer, these fairway woods are ideal.

EVALUATION:
How the G20 fairway woods perform rests heavily in the right shaft selection. Stock options include a high- or low-launch PING TFC 169F graphite shaft, meaning, in our case, we might have been better off using a higher-launch shaft to get the ball higher and land softer. However, with the right shaft, we suspect the G20 fairway wood will perform exceptionally from both the fairway and off the tee.

PING G20 SERIES HYBRID

TESTED:

G20 Hybrid (20-degree loft)
PING TFC 169H Graphite Shaft

INITIAL RESPONSE:
This hybrid is clearly designed as a long-iron replacement with an iron face design and a wide, cambered sole. You’ll notice immediately the offset hosel (more on that in a minute), and at address, some acute golfers may notice the slightly flatter lie angle.

PERFORMANCE:
The G20 Hybrid’s stout dimensions and offset hosel took a little getting used to at first. And much to our surprise, the offset hosel did less for slice correcting than it did for helping the ball get airborne in a hurry. Shots hit with this club fly high and with added spin, making it easier than ever to play long-iron–err, hybrid–shots from the dreaded 180- to 210-yard range. We also found the deeper-face iron design to make more sense in the rough–some other hybrids, in our opinion, are too shallow, making it difficult to hit solid shots from the thick stuff.

EVALUATION:
The G20 Hybrid is a top hybrid performer, as long as you don’t mind the iron shape and offset hosel. If you can get past those variables, you’ll make a very smart buying decision.

We Tried It

Late last year, Titleist introduced its next generation of woods, called the 910 series. These three offerings–driver, 3-wood and hybrid–continue the company’s tradition of making Tour-caliber golf clubs for better golfers.

Quite possibly the golf industry’s most sophisticated off-the-rack clubs, these sleek all-black clubs feature what’s called a SureFit adjustable hosel and come with a wide variety of pre-mium stock shafts. If you’re a player, you’ve got to try them.

Titleist 910D3 Driver
First Impression: If there’s one thing Titleist consistently does across the board, it’s make top-tier golf equipment designed primarily for better players. And the company doesn’t hide behind that truism, they embrace it by essentially claiming that if their equipment is suited properly for a Tour player, it’s good enough for weekend warriors to use, as well. We were lucky enough to try one of the new pear-shaped 445cc 910D3 drivers (the other offering, the D2, has a more modern, round-shaped profile).

Now, before you read any further, it’s important to remember that we’re not Tour players and we don’t play as often as you might think. Hence, we were a bit intimidated by what we were about to test.

At first glance, the all-black cosmetics had a stealthy appearance that looked fast and sleek. Second, the 9.5_¡ 910D3 came with a SureFit, dual-angle adjustable hosel that could be adjusted to fine-tune a player’s launch angle and ballflight characteristics (higher/lower, fade/draw). Those were two big design pluses (and confidence boosts), and we hadn’t even put the club in play yet. Next, the shaft we tried was a “stock” Mitsubishi Rayon Kai’li 65R. The driver measured 45 inches and had a standard velvet-style grip.

Performance: In our trial, the 910D3 not only was playable, but has turned out to be one of the top drivers we’ve tried in 2011. The ball launched with the type of ballflight that’s to be expected from a Titleist driver–no ballooning or excessively high trajectories. Rather the ball flew with a mid to lower ballflight that better players tend to prefer. When we hit it squarely, it really flew a long way. At impact, the ball had a muted sound but a responsive feel that, again, better players will like.

In testing the 910D3, we learned that while custom-fitting the SureFit dual-angle hosel can certainly help you fine-tune your game, it won’t alleviate your problems if you’re playing with the wrong shaft. In the case of the driver we tried, we found the best results to come from faster swing speeds–and we tried an R-flex model. In other words, because of it’s Tour-friendly performance attributes, if you swing slower and want to reap the rewards of this driver, you might consider adding a degree or two more loft, and/or making sure you have the correct flex profile for your game.
All in all, we felt that it was an awesome driver and produced solid results.

Specs: 910D3 9.5_¡ with the Mitsubishi Rayon Kai’li 65R shaft. Three other stock shafts available. Custom options too. $449

Titleist 910F
First Impression: Like the 910 drivers, Titleist’s new fairway woods are sleek and pleasing to look at. Whether looking down on it at address or pulling it out of the bag, the sleek-looking woods make you feel like you’re playing a round of golf with Johnny Cash.

Performance: The fairway woods also were built for the better player, so they’ll be a challenge for higher-handicappers to make consistently solid contact. When we hit the 910F “on the screws,” it yielded shots that pierced through the air on a penetrating yet high trajectory–whether teed up or on the turf. These results largely come from the club’s thinner crown technology. Titleist engineers pushed weight lower and farther back in the clubhead. As for acoustics, we noticed that solid strikes produced a muted sound that better players prefer. There was no high-pitched “ting” or hollow sound that game-improvement clubs produce.

Technology: While Titleist has built players’ clubs for years, with the introduction of the 910 series, they’ve raised the bar for adjustability. Most impressively, this new series allows golfers to change the club’s loft and lie angles independent of one another, all while offering numerous premium stock shafts of varying flexes and weights.

As we like to regularly remind readers, the best way to find the club that’s right for you is to get fitted, and Titleist has covered all the bases with these new clubs. And with the right shaft, you can personalize the clubs even more.
Not personal enough? Consider that all woods come with a precision bezel weight directly in line with the club’s CG. An optional precision weight kit is available with 2g, 5g, 7g, 9g and 12g weights to adjust swing weight and feel with different shafts.

Specs: 910F 15_¡ with the Mitsubishi Rayon Diamana ‘Ahina 82 (stiff, 82 grams, 3.1_¡ torque). Other shafts, including custom options, available. $279

Titleist 910H
First Impression: The most forgiving offering in the 910 series, the 910H hybrid comes in four loft options and the same black color scheme of its bigger, longer brethren.

Performance: For less precise golfers, the 910H is the best option if you want to put one of these clubs in your bag. The trajectory, which you can adjust, is mid to high, and needless to say, the ball travels a mile. A mile. Performs like a champ out of any lie.

Technology: Like the drivers and fairway woods, the 910H affords users the chance to adjust their loft and lie independently of one another for optimal ballflight. (There are 16 loft/lie combinations.) Its progressive head sizes and CG locations create the optimum trajectory and spin for each loft.

Specs: 21_¡, Mitsubishi Rayon Kai’li Hybrid 80. Comes in four lofts: 17_¡, 19_¡, 21_¡ and 24_¡. $259.

For more information on all Titleist products, visit www.titleist.com.

Fit To Drive

YOUR DRIVER SETS the tone for the rest of your game. Stripe your tee shot down the middle, and you’re postured to score well. Mis-hit it, and your demeanor strays, which is why finding the exact driver for your unique swing is so crucial to a good game. But how you go about selecting the right model for your ability can be a daunting proposition–especially if you’ve never been fitted before. You need to find the proper clubhead, loft, shaft length, flex, club weight, brand, etc. to maximize your distance and accuracy.

Where to start? You have several options, depending on the level of custom-fitting you’re seeking. And getting adequately fitted shouldn’t cost a lot of money, either. Each type of driver fitting offers a unique experience, plus its own advantages and drawbacks. Only you can decide which venue suits you best.

Regardless, don’t go it alone. As much as you think you know your game, your swing and your specs, a detailed fitting analysis will likely show you a thing or two you hadn’t considered, and present options to you that will further improve your ballflight. You can, however, first visit the many shaft and club company interactive fitting pages on their respective websites. It’s a good way to familiarize yourself with the drivers and shafts available, and to get your ballpark specs. But to truly get proper equipment, follow up your online session with a real fitting through one of these venues.

YOUR LOCAL PGA PROFESSIONAL
If you belong to a country club or play frequently at one particular course, chances are good that your PGA pro is familiar with your swing–and would be a great person to fit you for your driver. But if you don’t know a pro, have no fear. There are many around who will give you individual attention and invaluable insight. The way a pro fits you varies, depending on if the fitting system he uses is from a club manufacturer–in which case the system is skewed toward that brand’s clubs–or from an independent fitting-system manufacturer, which provides data that can be universally applied to all brands. Many pros use sophisticated electronic launch monitors that spit out detailed swing data. Other pros prefer the old-school method in which they take static measurements while you hold the club at address, then watch you swing while using a lie board, clubface spray and sole tape to figure out where you’re striking the ball on the clubface. Either way is fine, but if you’re a “numbers person” who likes perusing statistics, find a pro with a launch monitor.

Next, the pro derives the right clubs for you by trial and error. You’ll probably be fitted at an outdoor range by hitting a driver several times, using a slightly different version from one shot to the next as the pro assembles club components from a fitting cart. Essentially, he places tape on the clubface to help see where you make impact and how the ballflight is affected by each component change. How much it costs you depends: Some pros offer clubfitting for free, but more commonly, they’ll charge a nominal fee to be applied toward any clubs you buy from them.

GOLF DISCOUNT SHOPS
A convenient option, many golf discount shops or sporting-good stores’ golf sections can put you through a brief fitting session for free or for a small charge. You’ll get measured on a launch monitor, but beware of clerks who aren’t properly trained to fit swings–they may steer you to the wrong gear. If it comforts you, many of them have been trained directly by club manufacturers. And some large chains use PGA pros for their clubfitting–they’re a pretty safe choice. But ask around to find a reputable place. If you have reservations about the quality of a store’s fitting experience going in, either trust your instinct and go elsewhere or make sure there’s a liberal return policy. You don’t want to get stuck with a driver that isn’t right for you.

INDEPENDENT STUDIOS
An independent custom-fitting studio uses all of the latest high-tech, high-speed fitting gear to find a customized name-brand driver that’s perfect for you, making precise measurements of everything pertaining to your swing and ballflight. Special software additionally determines your optimal shaft flex, weight and kick point–to fine-tune your accuracy, ballflight and trajectory. To be honest, it’s almost overkill to go to one just for a driver fitting. And it’ll cost you a little bit more, but it’s well worth the investment. While some national clubfitting specialist chains, such as Hot Stix and Cool Clubs, offer outdoor fitting sessions on ranges, many private studios are indoors, where you can’t follow ballflight. If it is indoors, you’ll need to trust the very accurate technology that predicts where shots would have gone. Granted, it’s not the same as looking up and seeing genuine ballflight.

DRIVER MANUFACTURERS
If you know which brand driver you want to play–or maybe even the exact model–then do yourself a favor and get fitted by the club manufacturer. They will dial you in to the perfect specs. Many of the major manufacturers have clubfitting systems at their retailers around the country. Some of them go above and beyond, including these four.

CALLAWAY
You have several fitting choices with Callaway. First off, the company has 21 Callaway Performance Centers located around the world. If you live by one or will be traveling to a city with one, you can make an appointment for a fitting session. High-speed optics and proprietary software capture your relevant impact data, including clubhead speed, ball speed, launch angle, spin rates, attack and path angles. A ballflight simulator then displays your results on a big screen. The system allows you to test many driver clubhead/shaft combinations in minutes, leaving you with all of your custom specs. Callaway also offers thousands of demo days and fitting events every year at golf shops, courses and ranges–plus it offers staff custom clubfitters at many locations around the country. For added measure, three Tour Fit Vans host specialized fitting events throughout the United States by appointment only. After fitting experts there find your exact specs, they can build a driver on the spot. Grab all of the details at www.callawaygolf.com.

CLEVELAND GOLF
You can visit the company’s Huntington Beach, Calif., headquarters for a fitting session in its impressive fitting studio, or the Scoring Center at nearby Roger Dunn’s Golf Shop in Costa Mesa. The company also has traveling Tech and Fitting vans that frequent courses around the country during demo days and fitting events. You can find the schedule at clevelandgolf.com. Cleveland’s also conducting Right Weight Fitting Days throughout the U.S. with its Tech vans and sales force–all armed with a Game Changer 2 launch monitor unit that measures launch, spin and ball speed to determine which Cleveland Launcher Ultralite driver best fits your swing.

TAYLORMADE
The company’s demo events take place at golf facilities around the country. There also are two “Kingdoms”–in Carlsbad, Calif., and Reynolds, Ga.–replete with state-of-the-art equipment to provide incredibly detailed fitting experiences with the company’s expert fitters. TaylorMade also has a vast network of fitters around the country armed with the company’s SelectFit system, helping to put you in one of 63,000 possible driver combinations. Visit taylormadegolf.com for details on all of the above. Then through a licensing agreement, there also are 10 privately owned TaylorMade Performance Labs around the world that provide world-class fitting sessions–comparable to what PGA Tour pros go through. Technicians capture your motion through reflective markers placed on your body and club, through synchronized high-speed cameras. A moving image of your swing can be viewed from any angle (above, below, front, back or either side). You’ll also discover every conceivable quantified detail about your swing. Consult tmplabs.com for details and appointments.

TITLEIST
You can go with one of three fitting levels with Titleist. The first–and easiest to access–involves finding a local fitter in its vast network of fitters equipped with the company’s SureFit system. You also can hook up with Titleist’s mobile FittingWorks Tour Vans that travel the West Coast and Midwest, providing comprehensive fittings and on-site club building. An expert fitter uses a launch monitor and fitting clubs, while a Tour Van technician provides assembly and personalization. The company’s ultimate fitting experience takes place at its state-of-the-art Titleist Performance Institute (Calif.) or Manchester Lane Testing facility (Mass.), where golfers are treated like PGA Tour pros. Visit titleist.com for more information.

FIRTS- PERSON FITTING

I’ve been fitted for drivers many times in the past. Because of my naturally low ballflight, most fitters become transfixed into trying to somehow elevate my tee shots. That typically involves suggesting I go with a higher-lofted driver that’s more upright–severely more upright. But anyone who truly knows my swing can see that it’s already an upright swing and that my low ballflight is caused by other swing mechanics. So whenever I experiment with upright drivers, I immediately start hooking the ball.

That’s why I was dubious of undergoing just one more fitting session recently at the TaylorMade Performance Labs at the Aviara Golf Club in Carlsbad, Calif. But this session was to be different.

I was greeted by Tom, my fitting technician, who asked me to warm up on the range for 15 minutes. Like clockwork, he reappeared at the 15-minute point and carried my bag to his indoor studio adjacent to the range, asking me about my golf game along the way. Inside, he recorded different aspects of my game in his database and then placed Velcro-attached reflective balls on strategic points of my body–for the purpose of recording my swing from literally every angle. I even put on a hat bearing the markers
.
This was to be a full-bag fitting, so we went through an iron-fitting session before reaching the driver portion. He was incredibly intuitive with my swing, its deficiencies and its needs. Without me even mentioning my past fittings, he explained how it seemed obvious that if I ever went to more upright clubs, it would completely cause me to hook a ball. In other words, he wasn’t trying to change my swing; he wanted to embrace it with equipment that corrects my 50-year-old habits. He captured my trust right there.

We toyed with versions of both new TaylorMade drivers–the R11 and the Burner SuperFast 2.0–but quickly opted for the R11 Tour Preferred. Why? The SuperFast has only so much loft–not enough to yield my desired trajectory. It also has a triangular clubhead that my brain simply can’t process at the tee box. The R11 TP model, however, can have up to an 11.5-degree effective loft, thanks to its adjustability. But when you open up loft on adjustable drivers, you also close the clubface. Since I already draw the ball, Tom used the club’s adjustable soleplate to reopen the clubface back to square.

Armed with that spec combination, we proceeded to the driving range to test it out. It was astonishing: Not only did I achieve ballflight that had nearly twice the trajectory, it flew–and this is just the carry–past where my previous tee shots finished rolling. Then of course, it bounced another 10 or 15 yards. Net gain: Roughly 20 yards per tee shot. My take: Where’s the cash register?