The sakura/cherry blossoms are beginning to bloom here in Japan officially signaling the start of the regular golfing season. Golf in Japan is of course year round however, around this time of year is when players really start getting serious about increasing playing time and yes, choosing new gear. Tourspecgolfer and I are overloaded with new gear to test, which I am sure many of you think is a good thing. (^_^) Today however I am going to break from my usual club testing and take a look at some of the results from Waggle magazine for 2010 new drivers. Waggle like most golf magazines in Japan right now are testing and featuring many of the latest and greatest model clubs from both the US and Japan. Their latest issues takes a look at 48 of the newest model drivers in the Japanese market.

The test consisted of 10 golfers, 1 pro equipment tester plus 9 average golfers with swing speeds ranging from 90mph to 112mph (of the 9 golfers one was also a lady who swung at 80mph) Average scores ranged from 75 to 105. Waggle also listed their current drivers (It’s interesting to note that one player has an Epon AF-101 in his bag, though Epon as well as Crazy were not part of the testing). The article also noted the weak points of each players driving game (ie too high no run) and what they required in a driver ie square face and no hook faces. All 10 players tested all 48 drivers and noted design, weight of club, feel, setup, trajectory, distance, control and forgiveness.  Read More to check out some of the results!

While this test does include players of different levels, I do feel it is aimed more at the average golfer since besides the pro tester there was only one other single digit handicapper present. The drivers results were divided into several categories and like most Japanese magazine tests were very details. I’m not going to go into every test for all 48 drivers but will highlight some of the more interesting points and results here. Each category had a strong emphasis on distance performance of some kind with the drivers being categorized as follows:

Best distance for the higher swing speed driver
Best distance and fairway keep driver
Best step up driver to take a player to the next level
Best big ball high trajectory driver
Best max distance up driver

Best distance for the higher swing speed driver

First up was the Best distance for the higher swing speed driver. The highest ranking went to the Tourstage X-Drive 703  (94 points) which testers said excel for players with speeds between  95 and  108mph. The deep square to open face and soft feel were a plus for the faster swinging testers and the head produced great results with the stock Tour AD B10-01w shaft distance and control wise.  Interestingly, following the 703 was the new Callaway Legacy Type L driver. The 460cc Type L is actually the mid capper driver that is more forgiving and more high MOI style than its smaller 440cc traditionally shaped Type S sibling. Testers fell in love with its very soft forged face and very low spin which has become a strong point for the Legacy drivers. Following the Legacy was the Yamaha V201 as well as the  Mizuno MP-630, TM Burner Superfast and PRGR GN502 Tour 440 among others.

Best distance and fairway keep driver

Next was the Best distance and fairway keep driver. So these drivers are long and easy to keep in the fairway for ALL level of golfers. The number one driver in this category was the R9 SuperTri from Taylormade with 96 points. Testers noted it for high trajectory but low spin, soft feel but a strong impact. The adjustability definitely contributed to the control factor. Tied for 1st in this category with 96 points was the Yamaha D201 Type S.  A soft face coupled with a strong mid trajectory ball and square face angle made this driver easy to keep straight. Players noted that the stock Orbit shaft had a lot of feel to it which was a bonus.  The player who had an AF-101 was thrilled with the square face and top notch control. Also in this cateogry were the ONOFF Black XP, Srixon Z-TX, Titleist VG3, Burner Superfast TP and RC SFD III.

Best step up driver to take a player to the next level

Next up was the best step up driver to help a player to the next whether it be breaking 100 or reaching single digits. Number one with 98 points was the new Maruman Conductor LX460… I guess I should add this to the pro shop! Straight and high trajectory with maximum carry, this is a forgiving enough driver for that 100+ player to improve their driving game. The lady golfer loved it as it was lightweight and automatic. Second was no surprise as the XXIO driver has long been the market leader for the average golfer. The 2010 XXIO performs as always, forgiveness, straight to draw ball, high trajectory and lots of distance and feel. Other drivers in this category included the Ping G15, Nike STR8-Fit Tour.

Best big ball high trajectory driver

The big ball high trajectory driver saw the PRGR EGG Impact driver take first place with 90 points. This was very interesting as the EGG is not a known distance driver however the high launch part is very true. Players noted that while it may not be as long as other drivers, the EGG reduces, hooks, slices and is pretty much high and straight in the fairway. Second was the new Geotech GT Draw driver. Players noted a consistent straight to draw ball with high trajectory for big carry and fairway hits.  Testers noted that the GT Draw produced good run as well and would appeal to even seniors and ladies. Other drivers in this category included the Yamaha D201, Yonex NanoV SD, Nike Machspeed Round STR8-Fit, Callaway Diablo Edge and Fourteen ST-110.

Best max distance up driver

The final category was the best max distance up category picking the best driver for those wanting one thing in mind… pure distance performance like no other driver. Number one in this category was the Kamui Works 456 Silverwith 98 points. This is one of the first times I have seen the Kamui tested in a major golf publication in Japan and I don’t think its the last as many of us know how good the Kamui is. Finally the 456 Silver’s performance is being recognized by the experts.  The 456 Silver was tested with Kamui’s stock shaft which testers actually liked for its quick unloading and kick feel. The 456 Silver gave testers great feel a strong mid trajectory and good run. Tied for 1st place was the new Honma MG710 driver which I also tested and will have a review on soon. Testers noted the balance of the shaft and head which resulted in a strong trajectory best fit for around 88mph to 105mph. The pro tester pointed out that the driver produced very high ball speeds resulting from the dimple cold forged DAT Titanium face.  Right behind the top two was the Callaway Legacy Type S, the 440cc sibling of the Type L I mentioned earlier.  Mid to high trajectory with lots of feel and low spin create a max distance ball for the better golfer. Also  in this category were the ONOFF Red XD, Mizuno JPX AD and the new R9 Superdeep TP which I found interesting as it didn’t fit with the other drivers in this category (except maybe the Legacy). The pro tester noted, that the Superdeep with the deepest face in this test creates a very strong mid trajectory ball with low spin, well suited for the power hitter and faster swinger.

There surely are a lot of great drivers our there and making the right choice is not easy at all. You can purchase all the Japanese models listed here in our pro shop and if you ever need help or recommendations please don’t hesitate to contact us. Coming up next week I’ll be doing my own shoot out with a Legacy Aero, last years distance champion along with the new Titleist VG3, Superdeep TP, Burner Superfast TP and a few other JDM drivers.