Review of Drivers

We based our comparison of drivers on how well they perform in various situations but shot dispersion and the ability to shape shots was the most important part. Most par 4's and 5's start with a driver shot off the tee and if you and your driver don't go together, you will struggle all day. If you hit your first shot in the woods, in the hazard or away from your target, you have an uphill battle just to make par. Equipping yourself with a driver that suits your game gives you a chance to hit the ball in the fairway and towards your target. A driver should help your game, not work against you.

We tested the drivers on the range and on the course to get a very good feel for them. Do read the commentary following the ranking.

Make/Model		Head	Swing	Draw	Fade	Straight	Aesthetics	Playability	Total	Ranking
		volume	speed					& Feel	Score
				1-10	1-10	1-10	1-10	1-10
Score of 1 to 10. 10 being as best as it gets and 1 being very poor.
Power Play
Caiman		460cc	99.0	8.8	7.8	8.6	9	9.2	43.4	1
Power Play
System Q2		460cc	98.3	8.4	8.6	7.8	9	9.1	42.9	3
Power Play
System		400cc	99.63	7.8	8.8	7.6	8.2	8.7	41.1	6
Acer
Mantara XL		460cc	103.3	7.9	8.8	9	8	8.6	42.3	5
Acer
XP 905		460cc	101.8	8.1	9.0	8.3	8.5	9.3	43.2	2
Oxygen
Type X		460cc	100.6	8	8.4	8.6	8.5	9.2	42.7	4

Notes:

1. Swing Speed:
   The average swing speed is for reference only. It is one of the factors that determines distance but not the only one. Your carry distance will vary with your swing speed. An increase of 1 MPH in clubhead speed for a driver results in an approximately 2.5 yard increase in distance. We don't use swing speed in ranking the drivers. We measure and list it to give you an idea of what the average swing speed was during testing.
    

2. Shaft:
   A lighter shaft will help you generate a faster swing speed. But it may also lessen control. You have to find your balance. We used the True Ace Blue Crush shaft which is just 62 grams yet has a low 2.9 torque to prevent twisting. Unless you have a swing speed over 100, go with regular flex. We have a nice little write up in our review section on shafts. That will give you some further food for thought.
    

3. Loft:
   Go with 12º loft. It will give you much better trajectory without moving the ball way too forward. This will also result in better control.
    

Commentary:

If you notice, most of the drivers ended up with very good scores and they are all very close. Why is that? Well good golfers can play with pretty much any clubhead as long as the shaft and flex suits their game. Since testing was done using the same shaft, the results ended up being pretty close. So how does that help you. Instead of giving you one answer, let's see which category best describes you and which drivers will suit your game.

1. High handicappers:
   You score well over 100 and are all over the place with your tee shots.
   The best clubs for you are the Acer Mantara XL and the Oxygen Type X. The wide face of the Mantara XL gives you a very wide surface to hit and is very forgiving on off center hits. The Oxygen Type X has a 1º closed face (also available in offset model) and that helps chronic slicers. Both clubs will help you get the ball in play in the general direction of the target.
    

2. Mid Handicappers:
   You score around 100 but are not consistent with your tee shots. Sometimes you hit a good draw and the very next tee shot ends up being a fade even though you were trying to draw. You have a fair  understanding of your swing but don't have the time to work out the kinks. You need a driver that will work with your swing and keep you out of trouble.
   The drivers better suited for you are the Power Play System Q and System Q2. The System Q2 is the more recent version of the System Q. Both can help you adjust the club to your swing tendencies and even to the golf course. If you tend to fade, you can change the weights to help you hit straight or a slight draw. If you can't seem to fade, you can tinker with the heads to create a fade bias. The System Q can also help you increase or decrease trajectory (ball flight) while the System Q2 is pre-disposed to give you a higher trajectory.
    

3. Low Handicapper:
   You score between 75 and 90, are pretty good with your tee shots and prefer a driver that lets you be in total command. You want to fade, draw or hit straight at will.
   The best clubs for you are the PowerPlay Caiman and the Acer XP905. The Caiman has half a degree closed face while the XP905 is square. Hitting straight or a draw should be no problem. The Acer XP905 has an edge on fade shots while the Caiman scores better on draw shots. Both these clubs scored very high as you can see above. The Acer XP905 gives you total command while the Caiman helps you out a little with its higher MOI design. Both are 460cc so you have a large hitting surface. It's a joy to play with either club. Just make sure you order with the right shaft. The right clubhead matched with the right shaft and flex will give you the best bang for the buck. Do read our little write up on shafts.
    

Contact us: If you are not sure or have questions, email us or call us and we will be glad to help. Our office hours are Mon-Fri, 9 to 5 Central Time.

Tel: 972-915-0600