Many golfers will tell you that getting it right off the tee is immensely important. In reality, however, this is probably more for the mentality of the player than the score making potential; shaving off shots on or around the green is the best way to really impact the final score. Plus, the increased power and different set-up of drivers brings a higher margin of error. So why, when so many things can go wrong, do so many players place great importance on having the right driver?
The simple answer is, nothing sets up the rest of the hole (and for some the round) like a solidly hit drive. It’s also more fun than playing the percentages, and let’s not forget the last, all-important reason: everyone enjoys taking out the big club and impressing his or her playing partners with a shockingly long tee shot, splitting the fairway like a pro.
So with these things in mind, we headed out on a cold January morning with three amateur golfers representing a range of handicaps to test three of this year’s latest drivers. Each player was asked to take at least five hits with each club in an actual round and give his opinion on each of the clubs, as well as grade them with marks out of five on look, feel, performance and distance.
