“Clash Of The Adjustable Drivers!� {SERIES} – Day 1

[GolfSpy_X]

 

Over a month of work and an insane amount of calculations have gone into this newest 3-Day Review... “Clash Of The Adjustable Drivers!”. Looks can be deceiving for sure...this was a major undertaking but one we feel is a step forward for both MyGolfSpy and for golf club reviews in general.

 

We had grown tired of other sites simply giving every club they tested a rave review...simply for the fact that they did not want to ruffle any feathers and because they got a free driver out of the deal. We instead want to take the review process to "The Next Level" like ESPN would say. And let the numbers do the talking...and also the golfers. We are still refining the process and look forward to your feedback and ideas on how it could be improved...but like we said we think we are headed in the right direction. And that direction is to clear up the fog when it comes to what golf equipment works and what doesn't...what equipment is worth the money and which are not.

 

I really hope you guys enjoy the next 3 days of articles where we declare “The #1 Adjustable Driver For 2010″.

 

READ FULL ARTICLE - Day 1 - Clash Of The Adjustable Drivers!"

 

 

[Moecat]

Very informative ... definitely looking forward to days 2 and 3!

[GolfSpy_X]

Thanks Morris. Really hope you all enjoy the data we got and the results.

[cheymike]

I commented on the review page... but... I'll say it again. AWESOME review so far. Can't wait for day 2!

[Matt Saternus]

Great start, I'm eager to see what else you discovered.

[Tony Covey MGS]

Glad you guys are enjoying this one so far. Once everything is posted, we'll be very interested in hearing your feedback on what you liked, what you didn't like, and most importantly how you think we can improve future reviews. We're already planning for the next big one (or perhaps a slight variation on this style), and we certainly want to do whatever we can to continue offering the most complete (and hopefully the best) reviews you'll find anywhere.

[GolfSpy Dave]

Totally digging this. The ZL closed face data was interesting. Are the non-made for Voodoo shafts closer to stated flex?

[Tony Covey MGS]

Totally digging this. The ZL closed face data was interesting. Are the non-made for Voodoo shafts closer to stated flex?

My experience (anecdotally anyway) has been that Aldila shafts tend to play a little bit on the soft side. Could be that, or we could have got an especially soft sample. We haven't tested any "real" VooDoos yes. One of the ideas X and I have kicked around is a comprehensive shaft test, but we don't necessarily have anything along those lines in the works just.

[JBones]

My experience (anecdotally anyway) has been that Aldila shafts tend to play a little bit on the soft side.

I completely agree. If I get an Aldila shaft it has to be XS or I feel like I'm swinging a whip stick.

 

Great review. When I feel like I have the face closed at address, I always try to correct it with my swing and hit it right, so I can understand the results of the closed setting on the ZL.

 

I still don't understand why people buy adjustable drivers, it's so much easier to adjust your body to hit the shot you want.

[Addicted2Golf]

I made this comment in the post itself, but I will also place it here for discussion purposes...

 

First, I must say - great article as always MGS.

 

I agree with your comment on adjustability being an excellent fitting tool, but unfortunately the OEM's don't market the technology like that. Consumers get it in their head that they will be changing the settings all the time, but in reality most dial them in and then leave it alone. I've gone back to a glued driver and really don't miss the ability to adjust the face. And I would have paid less for my current driver than one of these technological marvels.

 

One thing in your results that confused me was your statement: "We also observed that initial trajectories increased as the club face opened, and decreased as it closed." Closing the face would actually increase the effective loft of a driver, not decrease it. I researched this earlier this season when I found that I was ballooning my Nike Str8-Fit driver after setting the head in the 2 degree closed position.

[JohnBarry]

Haven't read it yet, but this is something I have been looking forward to. I will respond again when I am done reading!!!

[Tony Covey MGS]

I made this comment in the post itself, but I will also place it here for discussion purposes...

 

First, I must say - great article as always MGS.

 

I agree with your comment on adjustability being an excellent fitting tool, but unfortunately the OEM's don't market the technology like that. Consumers get it in their head that they will be changing the settings all the time, but in reality most dial them in and then leave it alone. I've gone back to a glued driver and really don't miss the ability to adjust the face. And I would have paid less for my current driver than one of these technological marvels.

 

One thing in your results that confused me was your statement: "We also observed that initial trajectories increased as the club face opened, and decreased as it closed." Closing the face would actually increase the effective loft of a driver, not decrease it. I researched this earlier this season when I found that I was ballooning my Nike Str8-Fit driver after setting the head in the 2 degree closed position.

As it applies to effective loft, and allowing for the assumption that the face returns to square at impact, than yes, in principle you are correct. Of course our tests indicate that isn't what happens a healthy bit of the time. What does happen more often than not is this - golfers return a closed club face to the closed position (or closer to closed than they do an open face), which results in what you might classify as a low(er) hook, or what the simulators classify as a pull hook.

 

The same is true of an open face. Most of our testers returned the open face driver to the open face position (and some couple it with an over-the-top move). The result is a ball that starts high and to the right (push slice).

 

Generally speaking, the real-world differences from changing the face angle were more dramatic with our higher handicap testers. Our better golfers, regardless of initial face angle, did a better job of returning the club to square, which resulted in very similar results for each of the 3 configurations we tested.

 

It's a point I'm glad your brought up, as it helps to explain the results of our ZL tests (when closed, for reasons I can't really explain, our golfer tended to bring that club closer to square). It's also a perfect example (both with your own experience, and with professional instructors), of why an open faced driver can (almost counter-intuitively) benefit some golfers who miss right.

[backquak]

Great article, its great to see the drivers go head-to-head, but I would love to see the difference or lack of difference, if they all were tested with the same shaft. I'm looking forward to day 2 and 3. So far it just reinforces the fact that we should get fitted for a driver, these drivers allow a player to "tinker" and fit themselves, but really a good custom fit would be better, especially when there are 14 clubs in the bag and the other 13 don't allow all this "tinkering"

[Putterslut]

 

Over a month of work and an insane amount of calculations have gone into this newest 3-Day Review... “Clash Of The Adjustable Drivers!”. Looks can be deceiving for sure...this was a major undertaking but one we feel is a step forward for both MyGolfSpy and for golf club reviews in general.

 

We had grown tired of other sites simply giving every club they tested a rave review...simply for the fact that they did not want to ruffle any feathers and because they got a free driver out of the deal. We instead want to take the review process to "The Next Level" like ESPN would say. And let the numbers do the talking...and also the golfers. We are still refining the process and look forward to your feedback and ideas on how it could be improved...but like we said we think we are headed in the right direction. And that direction is to clear up the fog when it comes to what golf equipment works and what doesn't...what equipment is worth the money and which are not.

 

I really hope you guys enjoy the next 3 days of articles where we declare “The #1 Adjustable Driver For 2010″.

 

READ FULL ARTICLE - Day 1 - Clash Of The Adjustable Drivers!"

 

 

Ok...I'm curious about tomorrow's post. I know moveable weight technology works, It just ain't easy to modify on the range. I hope you speak to ease of modification of movable face technology on the practice range.