Golf is a very personal game. Every decision you make, every shot you play is all about you. Sure, some days are windy, courses change from season to season, but your game all comes down to how you play on the day. In this best golf driver for game improvement review, we’ll have a closer look at some drives to give you an idea of what you should look for to get the club that will help improve your game. Continue reading for more information.
You vs. You
As much as you want to you compete against the other players in the field, your partner, or your four ball, you are ultimately playing against yourself. You will compare your score to what you have achieved before, what you should have, or could have shot. What you really want to see is an improvement on past performance.
Golf is extremely addictive and really enjoyable, but some days it is just downright frustrating. You suddenly develop a severe slice or you are just not getting the distance or accuracy you got just a few days ago at the driving range.
Some, in fact most golfers, have some form of chronic problem that plagues them most of the time. In the past, one would have to spend hours at the range, trying to correct the problem or take a series of lessons and then still practice to make improvements.
Thanks to the radical improvements in golf club design and technology, most problems can be vastly improved by simply getting the right driver to suit your swing or making a few adjustments to the weights or loft angle.
I am not saying that you shouldn’t work on fixing the problem, but the technology is there to help- take advantage of it. Club design rules and restrictions are still very strict you so will have to do most of the hard work yourself, but getting the loft or weighting optimized for your swing will make a world of difference to your game.
Game Improvement Drivers
The funny thing is that the manufacturers spend vast amounts of time and money creating these amazing, game improvement drivers. This research and development means that the technology of these drivers comes at a relatively hefty price.
Given what they can do to improve your drive, if you enjoy the game and wish to improve, it is a worthwhile investment. That being said, the vast majority of people who buy these drivers seldom experiment with the different adjustments and hardly ever make any adjustments.
The positive results one can expect from these drivers is far from the marketing hype. Numerous tests have been conducted to prove their effectiveness in reducing the severity of any weakness in your drive.
Common Problems and How Adjustments Can Correct Them
Here are some of the typical problems encountered by golfers. There are no exact recommendations in terms of how much to adjust. You are going to have to experiment to find what gives you the best results.
Too High or Too Low
The latter is much more common, but if you suffer from either of these problems a simple loft adjustment can correct it instantly. If you are launching too high, lower the loft and if you are lacking height, increase the loft.
Hook
This is typically due to a closed face to the path of the swing. You need to experiment with a number of adjustments. On most adjustable drivers you can move more weight to the toe of the driver and open up the clubface. Reducing the loft could also be a good way to go.
Slice
A far more common frustration for many golfers is the dreaded slice. This typically results from a clubface that is too open. The solution is pretty much the opposite of the above. Shift the weight to the heel of the club, close the face, and change the hosel to make it more upright. Increasing the loft will probably help as well.
Forgiveness
We all hit the ball off center sometimes, some of us more often others. Many clubs are designed with a large face and therefore a larger sweet spot. This means that slight mishits won’t be affected that badly.
These adjustments that can be done in a matter of minutes and could have an instant and dramatic effect on your swing that could take many hours of practice or lessons.
Best Game Improvement Golf Driver Comparison Table
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Best Golf Driver for Game Improvement Reviews
After a careful study of the game improvement drivers available on the market, we have looked at the specs and features as well as read countless tests and reviews and read through hundreds of comments from golfers who have bought these drivers.
Now that you understand what features can improve your game, it will make the task of selecting a new driver less of a challenge. Based on our research, we can confidently recommend the following as the best golf drivers for game improvement:
1. Titleist 917 Driver
Our Rating:
One of the top game improvement drivers is the Titleist 917. It is extremely adjustable, allowing you to make the most of your swing and reduce any chronic faults you might suffer from. One minute of correct adjusting could give you more improvement than hours of lessons.
Titleist has improved the head making it even more forgiving than their earlier models (which were already rather forgiving). The Active Recoil Channel has also been modified for the better- giving you even greater ball speed.
What really makes it stand out as a game improver is the smart SureFit CG. This is the game changer for most players. Take the time to experiment at the driving range to work out what adjustments will give you the best result and you will be smiling every time you take your driver out the bag.
Tons of R&D went into this adjustment mechanism that lets you adjust your lie and loft independently while also allowing you to tweak the weighting to the perfect balance of forgiveness and distance.
The 917 will benefit the beginner with a decent budget for a driver as well as a seasoned, low handicap player. It comes in a number of shaft and head options according to you swing and requirements.
Pros
- thumbs-o-upIntelligent adjustability for maximum game improvement
- thumbs-o-upGood MOI and CG
- thumbs-o-upForgiving
Cons
- thumbs-o-downThe technology comes at a price, the 917 is not cheap
See full review of the driver here.
2. Cobra King F6 Driver
Our Rating:
The F6 addresses pretty much all the points we discussed above and then some. This game improvement driver is highly adjustable. What is great is that they have kept the adjustments mechanisms simple so you don’t need a degree to make a few tweaks.
It features the MyFly8 adjustable hosel which gives you a range choice of lofts from 9° to 12°. It also has 3 different draw settings if you need some extra help there. It has movable weights on the sole to shift the Centre of Gravity (CG). These features will be able to assist you with most swing issues you might experience.
The Speed Channel combined with a variable face thickness makes it ultra-forgiving and off center hits will travel a good distance without straying too far off course. Shots connecting in the center will fly straight down the fairway. It is one of the longer hitting drivers we reviewed.
Pros
- thumbs-o-upSuperb forgiveness
- thumbs-o-upGreat distance
- thumbs-o-upHighly adjustable to compensate for swing issues
Cons
- thumbs-o-downSome testers, mostly those with a faster swing, found it too whippy
3. Ping G30 Driver
Our Rating:
Ping has taken the now famous, inspired by nature, Dragon Fly technology to even greater heights. Based on the design of the dragonfly wing, the driver head is super light, highly aerodynamic and looks out of this world. They have used titanium beams to support the thin crown and have made use of lattice work on the back of the head.
The center of gravity (CG) has been moved lower and further back. All these factors combine to make it highly forgiving while letting you achieve greater clubhead speed, a great launch and good distance off the tee.
Part of the aerodynamic technology is the use of turbulators as well as a Vortec design. These minimize drag and resistance which improves control and speed leading to greater distance and accuracy.
Pros
- thumbs-o-upGreat design
- thumbs-o-upAccurate and forgiving
Cons
- thumbs-o-downSome players found the driver too light
- thumbs-o-downSome people do not like the appearance of the turbulators
4. TaylorMade M2 Driver
Our Rating:
The M2 boasts a large face that is extremely forgiving. Despite the size, it has impressive aerodynamics. The drive is lightweight and the combination of these factors will allow for a faster, effortless swing. Thanks to their ‘Geoacoustic’ design, the club makes an impressive sound on impact.
Although it lacks adjustable sole weights, the loft is adjustable by a range of 4 degrees to optimize your swing. The weight is set back and low for better MOI resulting in improved accuracy.
When struck decently the M2 delivers a formidable drive with great ball speed and a good carry and roll. The redesigned Speed Pocket has tripled the effect of earlier versions.
Pros
- thumbs-o-upDelivers a good distance
- thumbs-o-upAerodynamic and forgiving
- thumbs-o-upAdjustable hosel
Cons
- thumbs-o-downLack of CG adjustability
- thumbs-o-downSome testers found the head to be too light
5. Nike Vapor Flex
Our Rating:
If you want launch options to generate the perfect height and spin for your swing, the Vapor Flex gives you a number of options to play with. Loft settings can be adjusted from 8 degrees to 15 degrees to suit your swing.
Most aspects of your drive can be fine tuned. This is achieved by two features. The Flex-Flight works by means of an adjustable rod at the rear of the head. This enables you to get the perfect CG for the right launch and spin.
The adjustable hosel they call the FlexLoft 2.0 lets you get the face angle and loft that works best with your swing. They have also improved their “Covert Cavity” technology for an improved energy transfer.
Pros
- thumbs-o-upGame improvement adjustability
- thumbs-o-upLess spin
- thumbs-o-upGood distance
Cons
- thumbs-o-downSome players would prefer more loft
- thumbs-o-downLower spin can result in less carry
Final Thoughts
The sophistication of modern drivers can make an immediate and noticeable difference to your game. You will improve your score; have less frustration and more enjoyment. Work on the imperfections on your swing, but take advantage of the many benefits a game improvement driver can offer your game.
