S
Snelly
Guest
I won a nice bag last week that I didn't need so I chopped it in for an ex-demo Callaway Diablo Octane Tour Driver with a Project X 70 S Shaft. Yesterday evening, I took it to the driving range to compare it to my current driver, a Ping Rapture with an after market Aldila VS proto 70 S shaft.
I have to say that there was not much of a comparison to make. The Ping is longer, straighter, has a better trajectory, is easier to hit, is easier to shape and feels much nicer at contact than the Callaway.
The Callaway feels dead. Clunky when you hit the ball and a distinctly uninspiring bit of kit. I was hoping for the opposite of course and had an open mind as I am a big fan of Callaway irons. It was not to be though and it will be either sold to a mate or go back to the shop.
I cannot recommend this club. If you like the look of them, don't bother. Find a Ping Rapture, save yourself some money and get a far superior driver.
As a footnote, this back to back test (50 ish balls with each club by the way) makes me think that not much has changed in driver technology over the past five years. The tour stats reinforce this too with no marked increase in driving distance in this period to speak of. I think this is a reflection of the game's governing bodies trying to limit driver development and stop the ball going too far.
Just my opinion of course and hardly scientific seen as I am only testing two clubs!!! In fact I may actually just have tested two shafts in real terms??? But why let proper, trialled results get in the way of an instant, probably divisive opinion being formed?!
In essence then, I am saying don't bother with the latest driver. Get something between 8 months and 5 years old that you like and stick with it. You will be saving yourself loads of cash and probably getting a club that is just as long as the latest must have from the usual suspects.
I have to say that there was not much of a comparison to make. The Ping is longer, straighter, has a better trajectory, is easier to hit, is easier to shape and feels much nicer at contact than the Callaway.
The Callaway feels dead. Clunky when you hit the ball and a distinctly uninspiring bit of kit. I was hoping for the opposite of course and had an open mind as I am a big fan of Callaway irons. It was not to be though and it will be either sold to a mate or go back to the shop.
I cannot recommend this club. If you like the look of them, don't bother. Find a Ping Rapture, save yourself some money and get a far superior driver.
As a footnote, this back to back test (50 ish balls with each club by the way) makes me think that not much has changed in driver technology over the past five years. The tour stats reinforce this too with no marked increase in driving distance in this period to speak of. I think this is a reflection of the game's governing bodies trying to limit driver development and stop the ball going too far.
Just my opinion of course and hardly scientific seen as I am only testing two clubs!!! In fact I may actually just have tested two shafts in real terms??? But why let proper, trialled results get in the way of an instant, probably divisive opinion being formed?!
In essence then, I am saying don't bother with the latest driver. Get something between 8 months and 5 years old that you like and stick with it. You will be saving yourself loads of cash and probably getting a club that is just as long as the latest must have from the usual suspects.
