Today, more than ever before, the best driver that you have ever seen is one that you have not actually seen yet!
This is not only because of how much is changing in terms of the design for drivers, but how changeable they have become in terms of weighting, face angle, bias, loft, shaft, and centre of gravity bias, among other factors.
2017 Drivers are Totally Different
The 2017 drivers crop reveals clubs that are more totally different than ever before.
Some of these changes have resulted in dramatically thinner faces, others in constructions far more complex thanks to their use of multiple materials.
You will be viewing clubs that are lighter than they have ever been before as well, and all of these changes are designed with two primary directions in mind:
- Making the club faster and more efficient
- Making it easier for you to swing it more quickly and efficiently than ever before
Let a Fitter Show You What You are Missing
So, if you think that the drive you have in your back is as good as it gets, we urge you to bring it in with you to your next demo day, or to your closest golf shop, and watch as a fitter reveals what you are missing.
In short, take a look as everything that is out there, and then take another look, as you may see something you never have before.
Here are our top two picks for the best drivers for 2017 -so turn away from the real money blackjack you are no doubt enjoying for a couple of minutes, and take a long look!
Tee Off with a Titleist 917 D2/D3
Drivers with moveable weight is almost as common these days as tour players with logos on their sleeves, but the weight slug on the this driver’s sole is totally different.
The cylinder is available in two forms:
- A neutral version
- A top-heavy version
The neutral version is able to keep the weight deep and low in order to maximise forgiveness, and the top-heavy version keeps that same weight back, but it can also be flipped, so there is more mass towards the heel or toe in order to control direction.
Best of all, these drivers accomplish all of this without it affecting the classic sound, look, and feel of a Titleist driver.
Take a Look at a TaylorMade M2/M2 D-Type
Bad things become more of a possibility when you are working with a driver that is ultra-forgiving.
They either look and sound cheap and hollow, or, worse, thanks to the fact that they push weight to extremes, the center of gravity gets relocated upwards, which results in too much ball swing.
The M2 combats these problems with a carbon-composite crown on its top which, along with a reconfigured internal geometry, saves weight.
This allows for forgiveness, and keeps the CG low, too. Meanwhile, there is more curvature on the sole, take note of the overhang where the sole and crown meet, which helps mellow the sound out.
Of course power is taken into account as well: a sleeker slot in the sole is able to deflect three times as much as it did before!