Last issue we reviewed the best putters on the market. For our Automotive issue we’re previewing – naturally – the top drivers to kick start your game. Take a look at the top names from the golf
world to help you get more distance and accuracy off the tee.
Wilson Staff Shockwave
The formula for Wilson’s latest driver is simple: lighter equipment means faster swing speed, and faster swing speed means longer distance on drives. The Wilson Staff Shockwave represents the manufacturer’s lightest-ever high performance driver, clocking in at a slim 265 grams. The Bantamweight driver weighs 25 grams less than Wilson’s celebrated Staff Smooth driver, a favorite of three-time Major champ Padraig Harrington, and weights about 10% less than standard drivers on the market. How did Wilson achieve such a nimble driver? Analyzing every gram in the club, Wilson reduced the thickness of the club head walls and paired the lightweight head with an ultra-light 50 gram shaft by UST Mamiya. The bare-bones shaft removed any trivial paint and decals and uses a low-density grip compound to trim off 10 grams. The speedy head – set with the same variable face thickness insert utilized in the Smooth – results in faster ball speeds across a wide region of the club face.
Callaway Diablo Edge
While Wilson focused on weight to improve swing speed, Callaway analyzed the aerodynamics of their latest driver to increase speed. The Diablo Edge was crafted with an Aerodynamic Body Design intended to refine and optimize all edge transitions. The result? Up to 8% less drag compared to other 460cc driver heads. In addition to the aerodynamic body, the Diablo Edge’s head is built with an innovative four-piece fused titanium design. The precision-formed segments create an optimal weight distribution throughout the club head to produce a more accurate, penetrating drive. Using a chemical reduction process to strategically mill the hyperbolic face cup, the club face is stripped of any unnecessary material for thickness control. The refined club face results in a higher moment of inertia to the ball and consistent ball speed swing after swing. Available in two models – the standard Edge and Edge Tour – Callaway’s Diablo is one devil of a driver.
TaylorMade Burner SuperFast TP
TaylorMade leaves no mystery to its latest driver, aptly named “SuperFast.” Like Callaway, the engineers at TaylorMade sought to produce an incredibly aerodynamic head shape for their new driver. But aerodynamics alone don’t make this club one of the tops on the market – the driver’s large face features a slightly open alignment while the inner side uses TaylorMade’s signature Inverted Cone Technology to produce faster ball speed even on off-center drives. The SuperFast TP’s Dual-Crown technology moves the head’s center of gravity further back along the body to increase the launch angle and reduce spin on each stroke. The club’s head is fitted to TaylorMade’s new Matrix shaft configuration. The Matrix HD6 – available in the S and X flexes – weighs in at a trim 65 grams while the Matrix XCON 5 – fit for the standard R-flex – tips the scale at a tidy 54 grams. The 46-inch shaft forces a wide swing arc designed to promote faster head speed.
See Pro Golfer Mike Weir try out the TaylorMade Burner on our YouTube page.
PHOTO CREDIT: Featured manufacturers
