There’s no denying ball speed plays an important role during the driver buying process. More speed equals more distance, and everyone wants a driver they can smoke off the tee. But what about a tight dispersion? Known to most golfers as “accuracy,” a tight dispersion pattern generally leads to shots that find the fairway with regularity. Locate a driver that delivers ball speed and accuracy and you have the makings of a winner for your game.
Utilizing GOLF’s 2020 ClubTest, we take a look at 5 drivers that are worth taking into consideration, from an accuracy perspective, during the testing process.
Callaway Mavrik Max
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Lofts: 9, 10.5 and 12 degrees
Our take: What happens when you invest in a powerful supercomputer capable of spitting out 15,000-plus face designs in a matter of a few days? You end up with products like Mavrik Max. One of the most requested drivers during GOLF’s player testing, the ultra-forgiving, draw-biased Max is highlighted by an AI-designed Flash Face SS20 architecture (made from an exotic FS2S titanium) that’s six grams lighter than traditional materials. The red-hot face is paired with an aerodynamic crown and the company’s JailBreak Technology to improve ball speed and the overall efficiency of the clubhead. And with weight ports positioned in the heel and back of the sole, it’s possible to max out the slice-busting technology or go for even more forgiveness, depending on where you position the 14-gram weight. Landing near the top in multiple performance categories in year one of production establishes Mavrik Max as a legitimate force in the driver category. The club was a mile per hour faster than the average ball speed for all drivers tested, while also ranking near the top in accuracy. It’s the kind of combination that should appeal to a wide range of handicaps, especially those who fight a slice.
ClubTester’s take (16-hdcp): “My slice suddenly became nonexistent—as was my awful toe miss. This almost feels like cheating.”
Robot’s take: High swing speed players will benefit from ball speed, a draw bias and impressive accuracy. Slower swingers can expect more carry, draw bias.
Cobra King SpeedZone
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Lofts: 9, 10.5 and 12 degrees
Our take: The CNC-milled face on the SpeedZone driver has a fresh look with an Infinity design that wraps into the sole and crown to enlarge the sweet spot and boost forgiveness (something players raved about during testing). Removing unwanted titanium—50 percent of the head is comprised of carbon fiber—allowed for the addition of a 69-gram internal weight that pushes the center of gravity down and away from the strike to maximize head stability. Combine all of these attributes and you get a driver loaded with forgiveness and pinpoint accuracy. There’s a reason why Cobra staffers Rickie Fowler and Bryson DeChambeau switched to SpeedZone almost immediately after it was released. For non-pros, the driver also checks a bunch of boxes, but where it truly shines is in the ball speed retention department. Robot testing revealed a club that produces nearly identical ball speed numbers on shots struck in the center of the face and off the toe. With this and the Xtreme model finishing near the top in forgiveness tests, players have two great options based on shape and adjustability preferences.
ClubTester’s take (+1-hdcp): “Firm feel of this driver is like Led Zeppelin back in the day—it hits all the right notes and gets your attention.”
Robot’s take: For both fast and mid swing speeds, forgiveness on toe hits and in general spiked while also producing a lower peak height.
Ping G410 Plus
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Lofts: 9, 10.5 and 12 degrees
Our take: Three weight locations along the perimeter—draw, neutral and fade—allow 20 yards of draw and fade. The multimaterial, 455cc construction features a forged T9S+ face that’s heat treated to increase face deflection. A creased crown design stiffens structure to enhance efficiency of the head.
ClubTester’s take (16-hdcp): “Penetrating ballflight and great distance without swinging hard.”
Robot’s take: Performed well for mid-speed players in terms of carry and accuracy. Forgave heel hits, too.
Titleist TS1
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Our take: Made for moderate swing speed players who need a higher launch, more spin and a slight draw bias. The lightweight 275-gram head generates roughly 200 rpm more spin than the TS2, yet boasts the same crown, face and hosel technology as the other TS models.
ClubTester’s take (12-hdcp): “Straightened out my slice in three shots. Three. That’s incredible.”
Robot’s take: A highly accurate option for fast swingers. Mid-speed players will benefit from the TS1’s ability to deliver ample spin and height.
Tour Edge Exotics EXS 220
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Lofts: 9.5, 10.5 and 12 degrees
Our take: An elongated face-to-back shape, coupled with a 9-gram back weight, gives the EXS 220 a 20 percent bump in forgiveness when compared to its predecessor. Diamond face technology features 42 thick and thin diamond shapes to expand the overall sweet spot. Acoustics have been improved with the help of an internal sound diffusion bar.
ClubTester’s take (10-hdcp): “Maybe one of the best sounding drivers I tested. For someone who places a premium on feel and acoustics, this is it.”
Robot’s take: One of the best at correcting heel hits among the whole group.
