Gear Up! – New Drivers For 2012

By: Alex Smolinski
It’s a new year, which means lots of new woods, hybrids, irons, wedges and golf balls are hitting the market. Whether they hit the mark with you requires some homework … and testing, of course. In The following weeks we will talk about some of the hottest gear coming out in 2012 from TaylorMade, Titleist, Cleveland, Callaway, Cobra, Ping, Nike, Tour Edge, Adams, Mizuno, Srixon and Bridgestone.
The science behind the equipment is constantly evolving, but we’re here to help by breaking it down into two parts – techo-speak and why the item is cool and might be perfect for your game.
First up? Drivers of course! Let’s go shopping.
Cleveland Classic 270

Price: $299.99
Tech Talk: The Classic 270 driver boasts the largest and deepest club face ever produced by Cleveland Golf. The large face combined with MaxCOR2 technology provides a driver with maximum distance and excellent forgiveness.
Why We Like It: The unique sole design and color scheme give the driver a neat, retro look. The club has a total weight of just 270 grams, helping to increase club speed and overall distance.
TaylorMade R11S

Price: $399.99
Tech Talk: The R11S allows golfers to adjust loft with Flight Control Technology, face angle with Adjustable Sole Plate Technology and center of gravity location with Movable Weight Technology.
Why We Like It: The incredibly large 460cc titanium head with Thick-Thin Crown design provides a lower center of gravity, while Inverted Cone Technology gives players increased ball speed on off-center shots.
Callaway RAZR FIT

Price: $399.99
Tech Talk: The OptiFit Hosel allows players to adjust the face angle of the club, improving accuracy and trajectory. The OptiFit weights move the center of gravity of the clubhead to promote either draw or neutral ball flights.
Why We Like It: The sleek, aerodynamic surface decreases energy loss from downswing drag by 14% in comparison to the RAZR Hawk drive. This gives the RAZR FIT a higher impact speed and greater distance.
Ping i20

Price: $349.99
Tech Talk: The Ping i20 features a 460cc head built from Ti 8-1-1, a light, low-density alloy that improves forgiveness by providing optimal weight forgiveness. The crown of the club is engineered to reduce drag to help maximize clubhead speed and velocity.
Why We Like It: The dense tungsten sole weights position the center of gravity of the club for longer, more accurate drives with low-spin and a penetrating trajectory.
Nike VR-S

Price: $359.99
Tech Talk: The Nike VR-S utilizes NexCOR face technology that features a new multi-face thickness design engineered to enhance speed for a wide range of golfers.
Why We Like It: The longer, lighter 45.75” Fubuki shaft helps generate more swing speed and the adjustable face-angle puts more control in the hands of the player.
Cobra AMP

Price: $299.99
Tech Talk: The AMP driver from Cobra has a 30% larger sweet spot using its new E9 Face Technology with Dual Roll design that provides consistency and increased distance.
Why We Like It: The face-angle can be adjusted to three settings (open, neutral and closed), allowing golfers to control ball flight and accuracy with greater ease.