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300Yards · 04-07-2007, 12:11 PM

Ok, guys round 2, here we go. all driver tests were carried out with 9.5* clubs. The utility was 34*

Callaway FT-5

I was lucky enough to finally hit this club. I have been waiting a while to hit one, and I finally did it:
Club head speed:127 Ball speed:190.5 Launch angle: 14.2* Carry: 336.5 Total distance: 345 yrds.
I really liked the way this club felt. It had a very pleasing PINK sound, which I highly favor in a driver. It wasn't real loud, but you could tell you hit it right. This club had a more traditonal head shape, which I also liked about this club. I felt very confident hitting this club. It gave me very consistant results, and seemed to do well on mishits. I was highly pleased with this club. What I didn't like was the stock grip. I found it a bit slippery, and I had to grip the club harder than usual, which I don't like..but hey, you can always regrip. I rate it 9.5/10

Magregor Mactec NVG2

I was glad they let me hit this one. The guy had to take it off the shelf, and tape it for me, but overall, it was worth it. Club head speed: 128.4 Ball speed: 189 Launch angle: 14.8* Carry:334.2 Total distance: 346 yrds.
This club was very light, for a large CC driver. It was easy to swing hard, with little effort, and it found it nicely balanced. Almost seemed to swing itself...ok, maybe that's pushing it..but this club was nice. It was very soild feeling, and it was easily felt, and heard, when hit right. It had greatback, and the stock shaft was pretty good as is. However, with that said, I do have a few complaints..first off, this club reminded me a lot of the SQ, with it's styling. The NVG2 was in a little composite part on the bottom back of the sole. just like the SQ. The way the weights were set also reminded me of the Taylormade R7 series. Not that isn't a bad thing..but it looked pretty similar..I just thought that odd..so I decided to point it out. Number two, this club isn't as long as advertised. I smashed the Bejuses out of this thing, and it went no further than other driver I tested.. Overall a great club, I wouldn't mind having one myself. I rate it 8/10

Cobra Speed LD F

I looked it uo, and it was the F model I hit, SOrry, I hit a lot of clubs yesterday, so I got the color confused with another club I hit. Club head speed: 127.9 Ball speed: 189.6 Launch angle 13.6* Carry: 334.5 Total distance: 346.3 This club was very unconventional looking..it was elongated, and had these pits in the crown, perhaps for wicked speeds? This club was pretty comforable, and I found myself cranking away balls with it. The sound was nice. A pleasant liitle PLINK sound of the face. It did have good feel, and feedback, and was easy to tell if you hit it flush. or mishit it. However, I did have a consistat draw with this club, and I'm really not sure why..A good club, but honestly, it did not go as fast as advertised..and I don't see it as much as an improvement over the original speed series. I rate it 8/10

Callaway X 460

I'll get right to the chase with this club, as I really liked it: Clubhead speed: 128.7 Ball speed: 191 Launch angle: 14.3* Carry 337.5 Total distance: 348.4 yrds. This club was AWESOME!! It had a very pleasant Big Bertha style look to it, and it wwas loud off the face. I felt most comfortable with this driver, than any other. It was very easy to swing, and was very solid in my hands. I thought the stock shaft was perfect, and the grip wasn't to bad either. I hit a very consistant baby draw with this club, it was really quite beautiful. Very easy club to work, and is easy to slice/hook on demand. I loved the sound this thing made.It sounded nice, with a pleasant PLINK sound. You could definenty tell when you hit it. I give it a soild 9.5/10

Ping G5

Yep, I tested this too..here's the results I got: Club head speed:127.8 Ball speed: 188.4 Launch angle: 15* Carry: 330 Total distance: 341.5yrds. I really didn't like this club..it was small, and had a dead sound to it. It was heavy, and I just couldn't get the snap off it, as I could with other clubs.I felt the stock shaft was to light, and I would like a bit heaver shaft. It didn't seem to want to worked easily. I could not control the spin on this club, it was all over the place..not a club for me. I thought the stock grip to be horrible, and I never want ot hit this again. A miserable, pathetic 4/10

Taylormade R7 Superquad

600$ for this??? Even if was a decent club, I wouldn't buy it..aww hell, here's my results: Club head speed: 127.6 Ball speed:187.2 Launch angle: 13.1* Carry:326.4 Total distance: 334.6 yrds. I wasn't impressed by this..felt very clunky, and I had a nasty snap hook at times. It felt dead..and the stock shaft was a nightmare. I had no consistancy whatsoever, and it seemed to randomly spray balls everywhere..I was truly disappointed, as this club looks killer, and I really wanted it to work..but it just didn't. I did not however have a chance to adjust the weights on this club, so that may have had something to do with the poor performance I got..I'll have to try it again when the guy is there, to adjust it for me. For now, I give it a 4/10.

Cobra Baffler Utilty club

I am editing this, because I seriously screwed up..I got some driver hits mixed up with these resluts, and I didn't notice until I looked at my notepad again..sorry about that.. I was surprised they let me hit this, the guy had to tape this one up too. Clubhead speed:126.5 Ball speed: 178.4 Launch angle: 36.2* Carry: 275.4 Total distance: 280 yrds. I saw great benefit with this club. As you can see, the distance was amazing, and I can see a use for it, as a FWW substitute. It was very long, and really wanted to go straight. The sound however was a bit muted, and isn't easy to tell whether you hit it clean, just from the sound. It had good feel, and I could tell whether I hit it right from the shaft feedback..yes, it had A LOT of it. A very solid little club, and I am seriously thinking of buying one. I give it an 8.5/10

Heavy Putter

What can I say about this putter that will do it's justice?? Seriously this is the SMOOTHEST putter, I have ever hit. I sunk 4 putts, from the end of the practice putting area, in a row, and then missed 2, and then made 3 more. This is a very slow putter, but the mass behind the ball, carried it all the way to the cup. It was easier to aim, than I would have thought, and there was absolutely no ball hop to be seen. A small tap will send the ball 20 feet. The stock grip was awesome! I really liked it, it felt like a gel shoe insert. Very soft, yet suportive, and was the perfect shape. I suggest everyone try this,and I seriously can't wait to buy one. I believe it would be perfet for slow greens, however would be fine for fast greens too. This is a putter that is east to get away from you..so take it easy, a little tap will do you. Once you get used to it, you will be impressed. I give it a solid 10/10.

Scotty Cameron Futura putter

Now this thing was different..I love the loks, and the way it feels..very unique. I did have a hard time getting dialed in with it, as it hit harder than the Heavy Putter!! However, once I got used to it, I realized what a great feeling putter this was. It was easy to hit square, and easy to align. It felt nice and solid, and I thought the stock grip was pretty nice. Really the only thing I didn't like..is the fact this is a long putter, and I am a short guy. All they had was the 34" model, and ideally I want 33" or shorter. Not bad though, I stll made plenty of putts with it. I give it a 9/10

Nike CCI cast and Forged irons

Nike has finally made an awesome iron for everyone! I wasn't able to hit thes on the LM, sorry guys, but I did hit them into a net at Golf Galaxy. I really loved both of these models. They had great feel, especially the forged ones. The were very smooth, and I found the lie angle to be perfect. They looked very nice at address, and the degrees seemed true. These clubs cetainly do have a different look about them on the back, but it's not unpleasant at all. The forged clubs, wre better, IMHO. I loved the flat finish, and the smoothest of the head. These were the easiest to hit irons I've hit, since my Ben Hogan's..and I feel they would be easy to work on the course. They had a very pleasant feel, and seemed to fly consistantly. I really loved these irons, but I would suggest changing the stock grips, for a good old Golf Pride Tour Velvet. A 9.5/10, for both models.

I have much more on my test list, and I was unable to hit anything else, at the moment. I will have more tests coming soon, so keep an eye out!

jump15vc · 04-09-2007, 05:26 AM

i really hope that your wrong about the r7 since it may be to coolest looking driver ever made.
also, it always seems that the number 2 callaway driver (in this case the X460, in previous years it was the BB 454) that is very underrated and is a great club for the money. I am not at all surprised you hit it as well as you did, these clubs don't receive as many marketing dollars as their more expensive stable mates but are always very solid.

GoCards · 04-09-2007, 11:13 AM

Thanks for the review. Very helpful. I'm curious if you are going to try out the Titleist drivers (905R, new 907 series). I know they don't get the pub in the golf mags that some of the others get but it sounds like that is by choice. I'm curious to see how those compare to the ones you have been trying. Also, do you know what shafts you have been using for each club? I know shafts make a big difference and so it would be nice to know what shafts / flex (my guess based on your swing speed is X) you are using.

Keep up the good work at side by side testing. A very interesting read.

Tim

300Yards · 04-09-2007, 12:10 PM

Thanks, and yes I do hope I'm wrong to, jump. I really want them to work, but as I said, I think the weight adjusments were off, so I need to get that taken care of, next time i go. I am planning on trying the 905s, and the new 907. I saw the 907 there, I held it in my hands. It REALLY felt nice. Perfectly weighted, and was very smooth to swing, but they had none to demo, and they only had 2 in stock, a D1, and a D2, and the guy said since they had only 2, I couldn't hit one..even though he just saw me hit 12 drives in a row..aww well, maybe next time! They, for some reason, didn't have any 905s..so that'll have to wait too. I'll try Golf Etc, one day, and see what they have to demo. I really want to hit more irons, and try some other drivers.

Oh, and yes I was hitting XS shafts in all drivers. The utility was a S, but it was a really stiff stiff. Also, I believe the Nike irons were S.

GoCards · 04-09-2007, 12:26 PM

Looking forward to the additional tests. The 905R is the 460cc sibling to the S so if you have a chance, give it a try.

Just Blaze · 04-09-2007, 09:03 PM

The 907 is an awesome club. I hit the D1 tonight, and I am in lust with it.

cbwheeler · 05-21-2007, 01:54 AM

If you ever get a chance, try to find an Alpha c830.2 Plasma. I've heard they're up there performance wise with all of the ones you have tested, if not better. A lot of the remax long drivers use these. I'd like to hear a review on that one if you can get hold of it.

cbwheeler · 06-03-2007, 03:40 PM

I might have a chance to hit one of these Alpha drivers here in a few days. I'll post results if I do.

300Yards · 06-03-2007, 03:42 PM

I've tried the Plasma before on the course. What I really liked about it, was just how nice it felt. It had a pleasing plink sound whenever I hit it, and the ball seemed to spring loaded off the face! Wish I could give some accurate data on it.. I am hoping to go back to the LM soon..sorry I haven't able to test any more clubs guys... Things have been hectic in my kingdom.

Talk about awesome! Me and CB posted the same time! What are the odds of that? Please tell me what you think, CB.

cbwheeler · 06-03-2007, 03:58 PM

Ha nice. I definitely will post my results. I'll see if I can get my hands on a launch monitor too. I'm currently in the market for a new driver, and I've got my eye heavily on this one. While I love my current Taylor Made R540, there is just better technology out there right now. I figure it's time for me to join the 460cc, max COR, high MOI, crazy shaft, space age grip revolution. Which also makes me want to find the new Grafalloy EPIC shaft to try out. Ever a driver with one of those in it 300?