Equipment
How Charles Howell III tests new golf clubs, and what you can learn from his process
Knowledge is power. That’s literally true when it comes to your adjustable driver, says Charles Howell III.
“One thing I’ve learned to do with the adjustable drivers is try them in every possible setting, even ones I know I’ll never end up using,” Howell says.
“I want to see what it does. I purposely run through the whole gamut because you might find a setting that can be useful at some point.
“I do it on the range, as well as on the course,” he says. “I’ve learned in my career that the range is not golf. It’s practice or mechanics building, but it’s not the game of golf. So I start there, and then I try them on the course. I do that to understand and trust what the head is doing at impact and during the swing—especially when the target is 30 yards wide, not 300.”
Howell’s point is useful for average golfers. A proper clubfitting will help you determine your ideal driver settings, and some time on the range and course will help confirm them.