To truly appreciate some of the carry deltas below, let’s look at the opposite end of the spectrum. The low heel has a tendency to impart significant spin on the golf ball, leading to a massive dropoff in distance in some cases. For a couple of drivers, the carry distance delta between the low heel and geometric center was 35-plus yards. One driver eclipsed 40 yards — as in 40 yards of distance loss.
The low heel is safe and generally allows you to keep the ball in play — due to the additional spin — but there’s a price to pay when you live in this area of the face. Or at least that’s the case for many of the drivers we tested on Gene Parente’s Golf Laboratories swing robot. Several drivers, however, stood out from the pack on low-heel misses during our recent round of testing for GOLF’s 2023 ClubTest.
On the heels (no pun intended) of our recent high-toe robotic insights, we take a look at 5 drivers that deserve your attention if your usual miss is in the heel area.
(How we calculate: Each driver is tested using a 9-point face mapping. We hit 6 balls from each location on the face — high, low and middle quadrants — and then compare the data to the geometric center.)
Callaway Paradym X (6.7 yards of carry distance loss, compared to geometric center)
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Ping G430 SFT (10.3 yards)
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TaylorMade Stealth 2 HD (16 yards)
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Callaway Paradym Triple Diamond (16.7 yards)
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Ping G430 LST (19 yards)
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Want to overhaul your bag for 2023? Find a fitting location near you at GOLF’s affiliate company True Spec Golf. For more on the latest gear news and information, check out the Fully Equipped podcast below.
