Golf Digest’s new video series (watch above) takes you on a guided journey through the ever-complex yet equally rewarding universe of the game’s best new golf equipment, and what better way to start off the series then with the most exciting club in the bag … the driver.
We highlight the nine medal-winning drivers that made the 2020 Golf Digest Hot List, but they say that number comes with a bit of a twist. As we say in the video: “This is in one sense the hardest year to find the right driver for you, but in another sense, it’s also the easiest year to find the right driver for you. There are, quote, nine drivers that made the list, but there really are 23 different models.”
That means there are plenty of choices, plus there’s a greater likelihood that a specific model has been built for your needs. That includes not only attacking a particular swing flaw—for example, a slice—but also enhancing a skill set, like low-spin designs targeted at higher swing-speed players.
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The vast majority of new drivers again tout adjustability, and average golfers should remember that the most important part of a new driver might not be the driver at all. It might be the wrench that lets you change its settings. “I think the real takeaway here is: Don’t be afraid to tinker with an adjustable driver if you have one,” we explain in the show. “Go take a bucket of balls and the wrench and try out all the settings.” He goes on to tell the story of Charles Howell III and his practice of knowing every aspect of his new driver before he puts it in play.”
The driver talk continues with a discussion of how durable the latest thin-faced drivers might be, as well as a demonstration of how a draw-biased driver can change ball flight in just one swing.
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