The latest trend in golf is drivers that adjust to cure your swing’s ills. We took three to the links and swung hard.
By Josh Sens
TAYLORMADE R9
The R9 has a seemingly endless array of minute adjustments: eight settings each for loft, lie angle, and face angle, plus three removable weights in the head. Shifting from one extreme to the other can vary the ball’s side-to-side flight by 75 yards– great for guys who need serious help and are willing to fiddle. That said, some tweaks are too subtle; no weekend hack will notice the loss of a one-gram weight.
————————-—————————–[$399; taylormadegolf.com] Rating: 8
NIKE SQ DYMO2 STR8-FIT
You can only alter the STR8-FIT’s loft and angles. Still, that’s more than enough to fix a hook or a slice. But we’re guessing the reason Trevor Immelman won the 2008 Masters with a prototype of this driver is because it’s as forgiving as Charlie Sheen’s priest, smashing long drives despite off-center hits. In fact, the trampoline-like club is so lively that better players might lose some feel. The STR8-FIT also comes in a round-backed head.
[$540; nikegolf.com] Rating: 9
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KING COBRA L5V
This meaty-headed club allows for fewer adjustments than the others here, offering just two settings: neutral and draw-bias, the latter designed for anyone with a slice (i.e., most of us). Yet what it lacks in tinkering options it makes up for by effortlessly nuking tee shots–you’d be hard-pressed to find a longer-hitting club, adjustable or otherwise. Confidence is key in golf, and the L5V’s sheer size is enough to embolden doubting players. You feel as though you can’t miss, which often turns out to be self-fulfilling.
[$375; cobragolf.com] Rating: 7
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PERFORMANCE ENHANCERS
Three more new products that will eliminate your excuse for a bad round.
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ECCO ULTRA PERFORMANCE HYDROMAX SHOE
If the golf shoe fits, it likely came from Ecco, which specialized in casual shoes long before it made a foray into spiked footwear. But the waterproof Hydromax goes beyond comfort by actively trying to help you swing better. It sounded like hype to us, but the flexible outer sole–made from the same stuff as bouncy balls– really did let us turn freely on takeaway and follow through smoothly.
[$250; eccousa.com]
GARMIN APPROACH G5 GPS
Unlike other golf GPS systems, which require you to download course maps yourself, the Approach G5 comes with more than 7,000 layouts, so it’s ready to pinpoint distances out of the box. As a result, you’ll know for sure which club to use on every lie. The Garmin’s touchscreen display is bright even in sunlight and puts the awkward keypads used by competitors to shame.
[$500; garmin.com]
ODYSSEY WHITE HOT XG 2-BALL F7 PUTTER
“Moment of inertia” is geek speak for a club’s resistance to twisting during impact, and the White Hot XG’s M.O.I. is very high, making for a smooth, steady stroke. Balanced weight distribution keeps the putter square, a Starship Enterprise tail fin design decorated with two alignment balls ensures you’re set up properly, and a soft putter face delivers a pleasantly buttery feel.
[$169; odysseygolf.com]
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This article originally appeared in the July/August 2009 issue of Men’s Journal.
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December 19th, 2009 at 5:52 pm
The most fundamental thing to be considered while playing golf is, among other things, the players distance from the hole, green, and water hazards. For golf players out there, if you are involved in bettering your play, continue reading this article and learn more about the latest golf GPS units.
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December 22nd, 2009 at 11:22 am
Some golf GPS units even include satellite images of every hole. So, along with supplying exact distances, good GPS devices can help you with tactic and course administration
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September 24th, 2010 at 6:38 am
Been using the Nike STR8-FIT for a year now, still my all time favorite club
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November 3rd, 2010 at 10:24 am
The Garmin leaves a big hole in my pocket and doesn’t work as advertised. Its just frustrating to have an expensive GPS thats good as trash.
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November 14th, 2010 at 8:39 am
I could not hit that Taylormade R9 at all. I ended up with the Callaway FT-IZ, and it is a much more consistent club for an average or above average golfer.
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February 24th, 2011 at 9:46 pm
My roomate has the R9 and the adjustment capability on it is amazing, yet i still ahven’t gotten the feel for it. One thing ont his list i can vouch for however are the Ecco Hydromax shoes. I replaced my old Adidas cleats with those recently and i love them. A really comfortable shoe with great grip for an aggressive swing like mine.
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February 24th, 2011 at 10:15 pm
my roommate has the R9 driver and iron set and the adjustments capability on the R9 is impressive and seems to ahve helped his game a lot. I personally can vouch for the ecco golf shoes as I bought those to replace my old Adidas cleats. They are comfortable for a course walker and have enough grip for my aggressive swing.
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