2012 Hot List: Drivers

By Mike Stachura Photos by Stuart Tyson and Cathy Crawford

January 08, 2012

Callaway RAZR Fit

STREET PRICE: $400LOFTS: 8.5, 9.5, 10.5, 11.5TECH TALK: This is the first Callaway driver to offer adjustable weights and a rotating hosel. Users can change the center of gravity (CG) with the sole weights and adjust the face angle using three hosel settings. The face has been redesigned to save weight (four grams) and improve off-center ball speed.PLAYER COMMENTS:L: "My longest shot came on a toe hit." ... "The best sound I've ever heard on a Callaway driver -- it has a nice crack instead of a thud."M:"My initial impression was that it didn't seem that different. But then I hit it. Wow." ... "It gives you feedback, and it's forgiving."HOT: Callaway is late to introduce serious adjustability in a driver, but this one might justify the wait.NOT: A version made for tour players has even more adjustable options. Why not offer this to the rest of us?INFO: callawaygolf.com

Cleveland Classic

STREET PRICE: $300LOFTS: 9, 10.5, 12TECH TALK: Despite the retro look, Cleveland's emphasis on less weight in drivers continues, including two models that are 30 to 50 grams lighter than many competing drivers. All three feature a Miyazaki shaft that weighs less than 55 grams and an all-rubber Golf Pride grip that's just 25 grams.PLAYER COMMENTS:L: "You feel at one with this golf club, just like the old days. The ball feels like a pillow but still travels."M:"I like the really deep face. It keeps the ball down with a nice penetrating ball flight."HOT: The shape might be irresistible, but this is no museum piece. The lightweight shaft increases swing speed, and the weight options give you choices no one else has.NOT: The silver, gold and chestnut clubhead is at least one color too many. Plus, the gold scuffed a little.INFO: clevelandgolf.com

Cobra AMP

STREET PRICE: $300LOFTS: 8.5, 9.5, 10.5, 11.5TECH TALK: The AMP has three face-angle settings, but the real trick is how the swingweight, face curvature and shaft length change depending on the loft. Swingweights get lighter and shafts get longer as lofts increase to give slow swingers more speed and fast swingers more control.PLAYER COMMENTS:L: "I love the look. The face is softer but plenty hearty."M:"Very easy to swing--almost self-correcting, like it had a gyroscope in it." ... "Unlike previous Cobra drivers, it has a nice pop at impact."HOT: Although the face technology shouldn't be overlooked, this Rickie Fowler-looking driver moves in bold new directions. Increasing the shaft length as the lofts get higher is the driver-engineering equivalent of the straight-bill hat.NOT: Three adjustable settings seem insufficient.INFO: cobragolf.com

Nike VR_S

STREET PRICE: $300LOFTS: 8.5, 9.5, 10.5, 11.5, 13TECH TALK: The variable-thickness face is designed to increase forgiveness on off-center hits. The adjustable head has eight face-angle settings across a 4-degree range. The sole contours are intended to reduce drag and improve speed in conjunction with a sub-60-gram shaft.PLAYER COMMENTS:L: "Hardly any vibration." ... "I actually thought the performance was better on off-center hits than on-center hits."M:"A small change with the wrench was really effective" ... "Good head shape and face depth."HOT: The face shows earnest improvement we can document. We also like the more manageable adjustable features and the widest array of lofts in the game.NOT: Understated crown graphics seem more black light than guiding light when it comes to alignment assistance.INFO: nikegolf.com

Ping G20

STREET PRICE: $300LOFTS: 8.5, 9.5, 10.5, 12TECH TALK: Designed with a low-density titanium, the G20 saves weight that is repositioned for stability and a lower CG. A lightweight, high-balance-point shaft shifts seven grams into the clubhead to enable the golfer to deliver more mass at impact at the same swing speed.PLAYER COMMENTS:L: "It excels in forgiveness. You know you're going to hit a fast part of the face." ... "The head seems overly big."M:"All shots flew within a 10-yard window. Even when I hit it all over the face."HOT: The G20's moment of inertia (MOI) was among the highest we measured. It exudes compassion like a St. Bernard on patrol. In a word, they've designed confidence.NOT: For a company that invented modern fitting, it's time the G-series went adjustable.INFO: ping.com

TaylorMade R11s

STREET PRICE: $400LOFTS: 9, 10.5TECH TALK: The three areas of adjustability include a rotating hosel with eight settings, two movable weights and a soleplate with five positions. The 80 combinations (32 more than last year's R11) cover a range of 3 degrees of loft, 6 degrees of face angle and four millimeters of CG movement.PLAYER COMMENTS:L: "A one-stop shop. Whatever issues you have you can fix them with this."M:"Just the right shape; a good equilateral footprint. This is toward the maximum side of loudness without going over it."HOT: No one executes adjustability with TaylorMade's sophistication. Making the head 460 cubic centimeters (thanks to an ultra-thin crown) is a bonus.__NOT:__With 80 options, more players might give up well before they find the proper setting.INFO: taylormadegolf.com

TaylorMade RocketBallz

STREET PRICE: $300LOFTS: 9.5, 10.5, HL on standard model; 9, 10.5 on RocketBallz TourTECH TALK: With an emphasis on speed through lightweight shafts and a thin crown, both versions feature the company's trademark adjustable hosel with eight loft/lie angle settings. The standard model has a draw bias and weighs 299 grams. The deep-face Tour version sits neutral.PLAYER COMMENTS:L: "Once the ball gets up in the air it won't come down. The adjustability is easy to fine-tune. The only things I'd criticize are the whack shaft graphics and the name. But neither of those contact the ball, so I'm OK with it."M:"You can't mis-hit it if you try, and it feels awesome."HOT: Here's a driver that plays bigger than its total weight feels. We like the shorter shaft, too.NOT: Why mess up pure white with Snooki-like tattoos?INFO: taylormadegolf.com

Titleist 910D2/D3

STREET PRICE: $400LOFTS: 8.5, 9.5, 10.5, 12 (D2 only)TECH TALK: There are 16 settings on the two-way adjustable hosel that's designed to manipulate loft and lie angle independently to better isolate launch characteristics for individual players. The line now includes a sub-55-gram shaft option and the highest loft on a Titleist driver in 15 years.PLAYER COMMENTS:L: "I changed the shaft and the loft and saw a better ball flight. That speaks well to having those options."M:"Titleist just knows how to make a club feel good. The club is long without being loud." ... "Just delicious. All that work of getting the right setup was worth it. Great feedback on your shots, and surprisingly forgiving."HOT: Elegant, powerful, smart; the driver Q would have designed for James Bond.NOT: Alphanumeric-adjustable settings are not intuitive.INFO: titleist.com

Adams Speedline Fast 12ls

STREET PRICE: $400LOFTS: 8.5, 9.5, 10.5TECH TALK: Adams has designed the aerodynamics of the deep face and compact body to include recessed curves--or trip steps--on the crown to reduce drag. However, the driver also offers adjustability others don't: length options that let golfers play a 45- or 45 1⁄2-inch driver.PLAYER COMMENTS:L: "This packs a lot of punch, and when it lands, it really runs." ... "It looks a bit cheesy but has a powerful feel."M:"I'm not sure if those lines are telling me I'm getting a Wi-Fi signal, but my misses weren't bad."HOT: The aerodynamic changes grab the headlines, but Adams pays attention to what you don't see, like an ultra-thin crown and internal ribs that control the sound.NOT: It might be more interesting if the length adjustability were more than one-half inch.INFO: adamsgolf.com

Callaway RAZR X Black

STREET PRICE: $250LOFTS: 9.5, 10.5, 11.5, 13.5TECH TALK: The lightweight composite crown is designed to lower the center of gravity, and the variable-thickness face is intended to increase ballspeed on off-center hits. Callaway designers have tweaked the clubhead's shape to improve aerodynamics and reduce energy loss during the swing by almost 20 percent compared with last year's Diablo Octane.PLAYER COMMENTS:L: "It gets the ball up in the air fast."M:"Looks aside, it just crushes the ball with a natural draw, and mis-hits are in a tight pattern." ... "The nice, powerful sound lets you know you've hit it well."HOT: Robust face, crown and aerodynamic technology at a mild price. The four lofts make it a club for the people.NOT: We think it'd be even more intriguing if the club's total weight were below 300 grams.INFO: callawaygolf.com

Cleveland CG Black

STREET PRICE: $400LOFTS: 9, 10.5, 12TECH TALK: The weight of this 46-inch club is an industry-low 265 grams because of a Miyazaki shaft that weighs just 44 grams. The club, with its weight and sloped crown, is designed for swing speeds of less than 95 miles per hour.PLAYER COMMENTS:L: "I could move the head through the ball with some speed. Isn't that what you want with a driver?"M:"One of the softest-feeling yet responsive drivers I've hit. You could put a cruddy swing on it, and it still hits the ball far." ... "The shaft is unique, and I hit it very solid. This could be your new best friend."HOT: Our tests show that lighter drivers can mean more swing speed. This is the lightest driver in the game. Do the math.NOT: Using a driver that weighs a lot less than the other clubs in your bag might take some adjustment.INFO: clevelandgolf.com

Ping i20

STREET PRICE: $400LOFTS: 8.5, 9.5, 10.5TECH TALK: The i20 features a sleeker crown to improve aerodynamics. Tungsten sole weights in the heel and toe help position the CG lower and farther from the face than even the G15. The club is designed to sit neutral.PLAYER COMMENTS:L: "This driver has a softer, more appealing sound than the G20. A players driver." ... "That flat, black finish makes it look like a stealth bomber."M:"Matte black could be the new white. I love the finish even more after hitting it." ... "It has a reassuring sound and feel."HOT: Ping is legendary for its emphasis on function over form. However, this club is one of the most cosmetically attractive in the company's history, and it hasn't sacrificed performance.NOT: A driver designed for better players should have adjustable features.INFO: pinggolf.com

RBC Heritage

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