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Five Japanese Drivers for 2018 Buying guide for the latest J-Drivers

Currently, the driver club market has no end of new tech to salivate over, new ways of adjustability, added yardage and more forgiveness promising to take your game to the next level. But before we get into all of that here are some key things to remember before you start shelling out your hard-earned yennies!

Custom Fit

With all the different launch angles and designs it's important to have a go of some different models with a pro or fitting professional to check the data and see which suits your game best. Most of the large chains of Golf shops such as Nikki Golf, Victoria Golf and even some Golf partners carry have the correct equipment to give you a good fitting experience, plus they carry enough different brands to give you the best choice. 

Adjustability


This comes in many forms and nearly all drivers on the market are adjustable these days, but what you want and how much you’ll use it will vary from golfer to golfer. Some models will offer face angle adjustability, others allow you to tweak the loft and lie angle while you can also change the weighting in the sole to change the ball flight. Think about which would most benefit your game before making your purchase. We would recommend you let a Pro carry out the adjustability during the fitting to be sure you are maximizing the club potential in your hands.

Looks


When you look down at the 'Big Stick' you should be brimming with confidence, like what you see and be comfortable at address. Performance among most of the drivers on the market is very similar so cosmetics play a big part. 

The shaft

certainly plays a role in the overall performance of a driver. Shorter shafts tend to enhance control and dispersion while longer shafts generate more club speed but are more difficult to control. They also come in different weights and flexes. Again, the only way to know which is best for you is to get fitted by a PGA Pro.

Distance or Forgiveness


Finally, think about where you need to improve: distance, workability or forgiveness. While most drivers offer a combination of all of these, some will favor one over the other. The smaller the head shape, the more workable it is but its size means it lacks forgiveness. 460cc drivers, the largest allowed by the Rules of Golf, will be stable through impact but perhaps less easy to shape through the air.

 

Yamaha RMX 218

Features:

  • New Head Turn Energy Design and the Super Dual-Powered Body II produces the highest kick velocity of any RMX club head.
  • Straight Flight Design improves trajectory consistency by 25%.
  • An aesthetically pleasing shape and clean sound of contact.
  • Equipped with Remix Tuning System (RTS). Offers weight and loft adjustment.

Straight away you can tell the materials used are superior, however, the design is a little bland and lacks the imagination of some of the other newcomers. At address, the teardrop shapes feel pretty shallow although a full 460cc.  Testing the club felt pretty good,  a great sound on contact and the neutral setting saw the club hit consistent high draws for me, with club head speed of 103mph. However, off the heel the club was not forgiving, so probably best in the hands of a consistent striker.

The Verdict

Performance: 3/5
Innovation: 2/5
Looks: 3/5
Price: 3/5

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