2011 Drivers
by Teaching Instructor, Davis Troxler
Everyone wants great irons and the longest driver they can find. I am here at the Carolina’s PGA merchandise show in the Golfing Mecca of the South, Myrtle Beach. Looking at the new equipment that’s out for 2011, I have picked 4 company’s new additions that I like. Taylor Made Superfast, R 11, Adams F 11, Titleist D2 & D3 and the Ping K 15 are among my top 5.
Here are a few changes for 2011:
TaylorMade’s SuperFast philosophy is helping golfers create speed through a lightweight club. SuperFast 2.0 uses an ultralight, 48-gram shaft to achieve an overall weight of less than 280 grams. The clubhead has a conventional shape with an unconventional matte-white finish. A low-riding sole and sloping crown push the CG (center of gravity) low to launch the ball high with less spin.
The TaylorMade R11 has the movable weights of the original r7 and the adjustable hosel of the R9, joined by a rotating soleplate that independently changes the driver’s face angle for 48 possible settings. As a result, the adjustments in loft and lie from the hosel don’t affect the driver’s appearance at address. The purpose of the white paint job is to eliminate possible glare at address and is really cool looking as well.
The Titleist 910 D2 and D3 have an adjustable hosel that allows the club’s loft and lie angle to be manipulated independently to any of 16 settings. The purpose is to help optimize each player’s launch conditions. The D2 and D3 (smaller head designed to spin less) feature a thinner crown than previous Titleist drivers to help lower the CG. The face design has a thick center section for maximizing ball speed.
Adams Speedline F11 addresses the aerodynamic inefficiencies of a large driver head by adding ridges to the back of the crown and sole to help reduce the speed-sapping effect of drag during the downswing. The F11 is also 4 percent larger front to back than last year’s Fast 10, which gives it a more forgiving shape. Adams claims their F11 can add 11-15 yards to your tee shot.
The Ping K15 has external weight pad near the heel accounts for about 10 percent of the clubhead’s weight and is designed to keep players from leaving the face open at impact. The K15 features the largest face of any Ping driver. Recessed sections on the rear crown allowed engineers to save weight for a lower CG.
All of these drivers have a great feel and can launch the ball. They all cost around $400.
I have to say, these drivers are great and will really help you off the tee but please remember, you cannot buy a game! It takes lessons and practice.
