Today's Golfer 338.pdf

THE TESTSmash factorBelfry pro ChrisRyan launches oneof the new drivers.Think technology hasn’t moved on? Think againResearch says the majority of golfers buy a new driver every five years. So we wanted tosee if a five-year-old driver would cost you speed and distance over the latest models...Ping G2Wilson Staff Dd6TaylorMade R5 DualCallaway FT-5The G2 was Ping’s first reallysuccessful titanium driver. LeeWestwood, Angel Cabrera andChris DiMarco all used it.How it performedThe size and shape of the G2 ismatched more closely to themodern speed drivers. Thedeeper face is suited to higherswing speed players. Of the olderdrivers I generated my quickestball speed with the G2, though itdidn’t match the G30.The Dd6 was Wilson’s distancedriver, now the head looks almostprehistoric! A couple of soleweights create a deep CG, and theface height is the deepest here.How it performedThe deep and narrow head shapeis hugely different to today’saerodynamic models. The MOIhas to be lower so it’s lessforgiving and my club and ballspeeds dropped significantly withthis in my hands.R5 was all about weight at theback of the head to create aforgiving driver. No SpeedPockets or hosel fins here.Compared to the AeroBurner theface height is also really deep.How it performedThe face feels less explosive andthere’s a lot of weight in the shaftwhich is vastly different to thelatest drivers. The sound isnowhere near as crisp as moderndrivers, either.The FT-5 shows the massivedifferences between old andtoday’s equipment. The 460cchead is a very different shapeto today’s drivers and there’svirtually no aerodynamics.How it performedThe sound of the FT-5 is muchduller and the shaft is quite a bitshorter giving it a very differentfeel. The shaft feels top heavywith more weight at the grip, so Istruggled to generate club speed.Chris Ryan’s numbersClub speed: 116.7mphBall speed: 172.7mphLaunch angle: 11.4 degShot height: 86.8 feetBackspin: 4580rpmCarry distance: 277.2 yardsTotal distance: 306.9 yardsChris Ryan’s numbersClub speed: 112.3mphBall speed: 168.8mphLaunch angle: 10.3 degShot height: 86.9 feetBackspin: 2768rpmCarry distance: 274.2 yardsTotal distance: 302.6 yardsChris Ryan’s numbersClub speed: 111.4mphBall speed: 167.5mphLaunch angle: 12.0 degShot height: 104.3 feetBackspin: 3245rpmCarry distance: 274.8 yardsTotal distance: 297.7 yardsChris Ryan’s numbersClub speed: 110.7mphBall speed: 167.0mphLaunch angle: 12.7 degShot height: 99 feetBackspin: 1929rpmCarry distance: 271.4 yardsTotal distance: 289.7 yards82 ISSUE 338 TODAYSGOLFER.CO.UK