All posts in Drivers

Callaway Announces 273-Promo Tied to Els’ Win…

by Annie Latham on July 26, 2012 in Golf Equipment, Callaway, Drivers, Golf Balls with No comments

Just got wind of a pretty cool promo that Callaway Golf is doing in honor of Ernie Els’ major championship victory at Royal Lytham & St. Annes. Based on Els’ British Open score of 273 (67-70-68-68), Callaway will — for 273 hours beginning at 12:00am PST Wednesday, July 25 – sell its RAZR Fit driver for $273 and its HEX Black Tour golf ball for $27.30 online at shop.callawaygolf.com.

The promotion will also be available at participating retailers. The Big Easy used both the RAZR Fit driver and the HEX Black Tour golf ball to propel himself to the second Open Championship victory of his Hall of Fame career.

The Callaway RAZR Fit driver has now won 10 professional tournaments worldwide, with five victories coming in the last seven weeks.

About his RAZR Fit, Ernie said on Sunday, “I hit a lot of drivers on the back nine and I was just trying to make birdies. I was right in the moment…I was really just playing the shot in the moment.”

The HEX Black Tour golf ball has been used in four of the last seven wins on the European Tour, where the ball’s aerodynamic properties help to mitigate typically windy conditions.

The offer is valid at Shop.CallawayGolf.com and at participating retailers. Pricing is determined by individual retailers and may vary. The promotion lasts from July 25, 2012 at 12:00AM PST through August 5, 2012 at 9:00AM PST.

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Source: Callaway Golf Company

Quick Look at the Ping G20 Driver

by James on May 4, 2012 in Golf Equipment, Drivers, PING with No comments

Ping has long had a soft spot in my heart. From my early days of working in the bakeshop back in the 1990’s, I knew that Ping clubs were the real deal. I’d often grab one of the latest drivers to hit the market, head out to the range and give them a good drubbing. Ping’s always setup nicely for me, seemed easy to hit… and… for some reason I was always able to pound my drives over the river adjacent to the course (not all drivers met this strict challenge). With those fond thoughts in mind, today we’re taking a quick look at the Ping G20 Driver, winner of the 2012 Hot List Gold accreditation from Golf Digest.

The G20 is made of a low-density titanium. The weight saved in putting together the clubhead is repositioned within to give you a lower centre of gravity (CG). In the end, this give you a MUCH more stable club face through impact, making for longer and straighter drives (that is, unless you’re someone like Bubba Watson that likes to hit 50 yard cuts and draws off the tee!).

The clubhead itself comes in at the maximum 460cc’s. At address, the G20 inspires confidence and power, much like most offerings from Ping these days. The shape of the clubbed was also designed with aerodynamics in mind. Ping says the design will reduce drag, and therefore increase your clubhead speed at impact.

As far as specs go, the G20 is available in lofts of 8.5*, 9.5*, 10.5* and 12*. All stock drivers come at a standard length of 45.75″, a head weight of 204 grams and a D3 swing weight.

If you’re interested in picking up the G20 (or anything from Ping for that matter), I highly suggest you point yourself towards Ping’s Web-Fit custom fitting tool. It will ask you a series of questions, and build clubs for you that fit your game to a… tee.

For more information on the G20, visit Ping.com.

Cleveland Classic Series Drivers Combine Retro Styling with Today’s Tech

by James on May 2, 2012 in Golf Equipment, Cleveland, Drivers with No comments

If you could construct a driver with the look of persimmon, with the technology of today, what would you end up with? The answer is plain to see… you’d end up with the Cleveland ‘Classic’ series of drivers!

The Cleveland Classic series are indeed beautiful. Inspired by the look of yesteryear (I’m thinking of the old persimmon woods I have in my garage right now!), with the rocket-science tech of today.

The Classics are available in 3 different models. Available now in 270 grams, 290 grams and 310 grams (also called the ‘tour’), the series is as beautiful as it is long. (As a small aside, one of the things I really love about this driver isn’t the driver at all… it’s the awesome retro headcover that comes with!.. Although, I do love the polished finish on the crown as well.)

The classics feature a pear-shaped profile with a very large and deep clubface. I dig the deep clubface, I must admit. For some reason, it always inspires confidence for me on the tee. Just feels right.

If you’re interested in picking one of these up at your local golf shop, I suggest you give each model a try. The different weights are quite noticeable, especially when you hold one in each hand. Slower swing speed? Go for the 270. Swing with tour-like mph’s? Go for the ‘tour’ 310 model.

Bottom line, if you dig the retro design combined with the classic pear shape and ultra-deep clubface, the Cleveland Classic driver could be a great fit for your bag. Although I haven’t put a Cleveland wood in my bag for a little while now, I DID play them for a very long time… and I can attest to the fact that they make a very strong product… Strong and long!

For more information, stop by ClevelandGolf.com.

Cobra AMP Driver: Sweet Like an Orange?

by James on April 28, 2012 in Golf Equipment, Cobra, Drivers with No comments

Cobra AMP Driver

Cobra appears to be taking a real liking to the color orange these days, no doubt in part to the young and vibrant Rickie Fowler. Can’t blame them for taking that direction, even if it may not ‘jive’ with the tastes of some. Fortunately for me, orange is my favorite color… and it is featured prominently on Cobra’s new AMP Driver. Let’s take a look.

Cobra dubs the AMP as ‘100% Pure, Fresh. Juicy. Sweet Technology’. No doubt playing off the ‘orange’ theme, as you can see in one of their recent commercials here:

Getting back to the driver itself, it features Cobra’s Adjustable Flight Technology. The technology has been built-in to most of their drivers for the past 2 or 3 years, and offers the player with an open, neutral and closed setting. It’s quite easy to adjust, and, as an added bonus, you can buy new shafts fitted with the AFT coupler if you like to switch shafts in and out for different conditions, temperatures or courses.

The AMP also features the E9 face technology with ‘dual roll’. This has been another one of Cobra’s successful features over the past few years, and it promises a 30% larger sweet spot. I can attest to this myself, as Cobra has been more than kind to share some of their recent driver offerings with me (ZL, S2, S3), and they’ve all been fantastic.. In fact, I’ve noticed a steady progression of improvement, especially from the S2 to the S3.

As expected, the Cobra AMP features a titanium 6-4 club head. It also packs a semi-forged, milled titanium face. This is all well and good, but what you may notice most is the white paint job on the crown, and the black club face. This MAY be in reaction to TaylorMade in their driver designs, or it may simply be that research has proven that with a white crown and black face, the visual appearance at address makes it easier for alignment… adding confidence at address on the tee. Haven’t seen any research numbers on the color combo, but it sure does seem to be a trend these days.

The Cobra AMP comes in lofts of 8.5, 9.5, 10.5 and 11.5. There are also many, MANY shaft and grip combos available, if you have specific needs for your game.

For more information on this sweet swinging driver, be sure to stop by the Cobra AMP page for all the details.

Side Note: Rickie Fowler has the Cobra AMP in his bag. He plays a 8.5 degree loft, in the open position (AFT), and prefers the Mitsubishi White Board 73X shaft.

Callaway Timberlake Contest – Vote Now…

by Annie Latham on June 24, 2011 in News, Contests, Callaway, Drivers with No comments

Callaway Golf and Justin Timberlake just announced the 25 finalists in the “Tee Off with Diablo Octane and Justin Timberlake” contest (. The Father’s Day-inspired contest, which kicked off on Callaway’s Facebook page on May 25, has drawn thousands of inspirational entries.

The public can visit Facebook.com/Callaway to vote for their favorite submission and determine the contest’s grand prize winner, who will meet Timberlake and enjoy a once-in-a-lifetime golf experience. Voting concludes on June 30.

All 25 finalists, whose entries are now posted on Callaway’s Facebook site, will automatically receive a Diablo Octane Driver, Timberlake’s driver of choice and the first club made with Forged Composite, an ultra lightweight material that Callaway co-developed with Automobili Lamborghini.

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Cleveland Golf Champs are All Right…

by Annie Latham on June 1, 2011 in News, Golf Equipment, Cleveland, Drivers, Srixon with No comments

Over the weekend, Cleveland® Golf/Srixon’s rookie staffer Keegan Bradley won the 2011 HP Byron Nelson Championship.  Bradley, a PGA TOUR rookie and nephew of LPGA legend Pat Bradley, got his first professional win nine just days before his 25th birthday.  The week before, David Toms took first in the Crown Plaza Invitational — winning on the PGA TOUR for the first time since 2006.  To Todd Harman, president of Cleveland Golf/Srixon® -U.S.A, these victories are excellent endorsements of the company’s lightweight products.

“When two distinctly different types of players leverage our Right-Weight Fitting Technology to earn back-to-back victories, we know we’re onto something special,” he said.

The timing is perfect too as Cleveland Golf/Srixon has just announced significant investments toward bolstering their club fitting initiatives for 2011. Chuck Thiry, brand manager for Cleveland Golf, said “Our 2011 products push the limits for weight reduction and distance. We have invested heavily in our fitting resources to prove to our customers that Cleveland Golf can improve their game and lower their scores. We guarantee it.”

Number one on their “New for 2011” list is the Right Weight Guarantee.  This year’s Ultralite drivers come in three different weights so every player can find his right weight driver – regardless of swing type or performance preference. The Right Weight Guarantee offers consumers a 60-day guarantee on all driver sales enabling golfers to exchange their driver free of charge for another weight, flex or loft.

Other initiatives include:

  • A massive capital investment in the most sophisticated and portable launch monitors in the market.
  • The most comprehensive custom shaft offering ever, featuring the latest custom graphite and steel shafts from golf’s most trusted shaft brands.
  • Expanding their fleet of fitting vans traveling nationally. Each van is driven by an expert fitting professional with tools to guarantee the best fit for golfers of all levels. The Cleveland Golf/Srixon fitting fleet is powered by Trackman and GC2 launch monitors, ACTIONFIT Lie Boards and SCUBA club bending technology.
  • Introduction of the SCUBA (Self-Contained Universal Bending Apparatus) to go along with its tour inspired GAP fitting philosophy. With the SCUBA, irons and wedges can be adjusted to the loft and lie angles at the range while fitting a player. As a result, the player can walk away from a fitting session with a completely customized set of clubs (perfect lie angles and distance gaps) delivered the same day.

You can find the complete list of initiatives here.

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Cobra S3 Driver Photo Gallery

by James on May 14, 2011 in Golf Equipment, Cobra, Drivers with No comments

The Cobra S3 Driver is one darn good looking driver. That’s why, when Cobra told me they were sending one over for my review… I was, in a word, excited. The S3 packs-in something Cobra are calling their ‘E9 Face Technology’, which creates a 30% larger sweet-spot. Of course, Cobra’s Adjustable Flight Technology (AFT) is on-board as well, allowing the player to adjust the clubface from an open, to a neutral or closed position.

I won’t get into the details of the technology and design at this moment (although I do have to admit I love the deeper face on this one in comparison to the Cobra S2 Driver)… For now, I decided to take a few snapshots. Enjoy.

Cobra S3 Driver Photo Gallery

Nike VR Pro Driver Really Making a Splash On Tour

by Hilary Harrison on May 3, 2011 in Golf Equipment, Drivers, Nike Golf with No comments

Nike’s latest driver the VR Pro has been making quiet a splash on Tour, helping Nike golfers win tournaments across the world.

Nike VR Pro DriverBeginning last year Anthony Kim and Francesco Mollinari played this driver. Recently John Cook used it to validate his victory on the Championship Tour during the Outback Steakhouse Pro-Am. Rookie Jhonattan Vegas used the driver during his first win on the PGA Tour at the Bob Hope Classic. Averaging 309 yards off the tee during the 5 rounds of the classic he scored in the 60s to show this driver definitely lives up to it’s Nike namesake. Not forgetting the most masterful winner using the tour version of this driver was Charl Schwartzel during his monumental win at the Maters this year. When it boils down to it these golfers all had the talent and paired with the right equipment they made these wins possible.

Crafted wit the latest technology and advanced design from Nike the VR Pro Driver is the perfect fit to their VR series. Designed with a pear shape so the weight could be distributed to optimum center of gravity locations. A traditional shaped head the pear profile is a classic look from the playing position. As the latest addition to the VR line Nike stocked these clubs with Project X shafts. With new Variable Compression Channels players are able to get better ball speed and greater distance. It broadens the length of the face so that on draw or fade shots golfers can still get the distance they desire. A distinctively Nike feature is the use of their STR8-Fit angle technology on the face. This technology allows golfers to adjust the club angels to get the best workability out of the club. Adjustable to an astonishing 32 different options ranging from 2 degrees open to 2 degrees closed in .25-degree increments, players can craft and work what type of shots they want.

For more on the Nike VR Pro Driver, visit GolfClubs.com.

PETCO Park Adds TaylorMade R11 Driver Foul Pole

by Annie Latham on April 22, 2011 in News, Golf Equipment, Drivers, TaylorMade with No comments

TaylorMade-Adidas Golf Company and the San Diego Padres just unveiled an 80-foot tall R11 driver foul pole in right field at PETCO Park as part of an innovative partnership agreement to extend through the 2013 season.

Weighing 950 pounds, the all-aluminum structure runs parallel with the existing foul pole structure, while the 14-foot wide by 8-foot tall image of the R11 clubhead is positioned on the fence in the corner of right field.

The weather- and impact-resistant grip was custom rolled out of .90″ aluminum, welded into a taper shaping and then given a vehicle, textured, bed lining coating to give it a rubber look.

It took 3 days and a total of 250 man hours to install. The R11 foul pole structure is the first of its kind in Major League Baseball.

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Quick Look: The Cobra Special Release S3 Driver

by James on April 21, 2011 in Golf Equipment, Cobra, Drivers with No comments

You may recall our quick look at the Cobra S3 Driver a little while ago. It’s a sharp looking driver, packed full of technology to help you hit the ball farther and straighter than ever before.

As wonderful as the S3 is, Cobra has stepped-up to offer a special release driver, much like they did for the ZL Driver last year. The Special Release S3 Driver (coming soon) features an all-white paintjob, and an Aldila RIP Beta Shaft.

On top of the features listed above, all of the standard tech you find in the stock S3 driver is on-board as well. You’ll get the E9 Face Technology, Adjustable Flight Technology, and a titanium 6-4 head and face with an aluminum hosel sleeve.

Look for the Cobra Golf Special Release S3 Driver to hit a pro shop near you at the end of April 2011. Hopefully I’ll get a chance to give this one a swing. She’s a sharp one!

Cobra Special Release S3 Driver Photo Gallery:

For more information, hit up Cobra Golf.

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