Drivers try to outdistance rivals
Despite all of the recent technological breakthroughs that have allowed for bigger heads, the shape and look of metal drivers has remained relative unchanged.
Until now.
Among the new equipment items causing the biggest buzz this golf season are the distinctive drivers being produced by Nike and Cleveland.
Earlier this year, Nike Golf introduced its SasQuatch (SQ) 460, which features a yellow sole, Max Back Center of Gravity technology and a crescent-shaped “Powerbow” at the rear of the clubhead. According to Nike officials, the Powerbow technology helps expand the club’s perimeter of performance, making it easier to hit the ball higher and straighter.
In addition, Nike claims their new driver creates a hotter response and great consistency thanks to its face, which is made of layered and tightly compressed titanium developed exclusively for Nike Golf. The new face is supposedly lighter and stronger than conventional titanium.
Cleveland Golf’s newest entrant in the competitive world of club design is its HiBORE driver, which is even more distinctive in appearance than Nike’s Sasquatch, which was being used by PGA Tour star Tiger Woods earlier this spring.
The unique crown of the HiBORE, which has found a home in the bag of PGA Tour veteran Vjay Singh, features a scooped-out, spoon-like look that reportedly allows Cleveland’s design experts to lower and deepen the club’s Center of Gravity.
The depression in the HiBORE’s crown is said to give the driver, which resembles an overgrown rescue club, more weight underneath the equator of the club. This design technique, according to company officials, leads to less measured volume, but a head that is 15 percent larger than tradition 460 cc drivers.
Cleveland claims its new driver produces higher launching and lower spin conditions off the face of the club, resulting in a more penetrating ball flight that reaches its apex sooner and carries further than leading high volume drivers.
Both the Nike SasQuatch (SQ) 460 and Cleveland HiBORE drivers are recommended for use by players of all ability levels. The SasQuatch retails for $299.99, while the HiBORE retails for $399.99.