The post A 6-handicap tested Cobra’s new Aerojet and King clubs. Here’s what he learned appeared first on Golf.

The post A 6-handicap tested Cobra’s new Aerojet and King clubs. Here’s what he learned appeared first on Golf.

Welcome to GOLF.com’s ClubTest Proving Ground, where Managing Equipment Editor Jonathan Wall and Senior Equipment Editor Ryan Barath — along with a cast of GOLF writers and editors — put the latest designs and groundbreaking technology in the equipment space to the test on the range and the course.

For 2023 ClubTest, we paired members of our staff with the latest gear from manufacturers in order to give you, the potential club buyer, “a real feel.”

TESTER: Ryan Noll (Equipment Writer) | 6.5 HCP

GOAL: Find a set of irons and wedges that produces some semblance of consistency.

THE LOWDOWN: Tiger and I are roughly the same age, so as his game evolved, so did mine to a much lesser extent. Okay, to a much much lesser extent. I played some competitive golf in school, but it wasn’t until college that my game blossomed and my handicap shrunk to my career-best: a 0.8 index. Fast-forward a decade or two, add two kids (hence way fewer rounds per year) and a long career in and out of golf, and my handicap is now closer to a 6 or 7, depending on how often I play. A typical round usually comes with occasional flashes of brilliance marred by frequent bouts of inconsistency.

I’m 6’3” and more than 200 pounds, so distance is still my strong suit. I’ve made some significant swing changes lately and I’m much more consistent off the tee, but my irons aren’t as sharp as they used to be. If I have an issue, it’s with mishitting my irons — especially the short ones. I’m prone to pull hooks and when I miss it’s usually on the thin side. I’m downright inconsistent with wedges, too. Where many of my playmates are able to stick their wedges at least some of the time, rarely do I nail a close wedge shot from 75 to 125 yards. (I really need a wedge game lesson. Like now.)

I’m probably the least discerning member of the gear team when it comes to what I use. I’ve been writing about golf equipment for 20-plus years and have tested dozens and dozens of sets. I’d say I probably prefer the look and feel of a forged cavity-back, but I’m open to whatever helps me go low. I have no equipment ego. I’ll play anything, from any manufacturer.

FITTING PROCESS: I wasn’t fit for these specific clubs, but I’ve been fit countless times (including this year) so I know what I need and the characteristics my 6-sometimes-7 handicap demands. I have a fast swing speed, but because I’m tall and have a slower tempo, I can get away with S-flex in almost everything. Admittedly, that’s not smart because even I know that no two S-flex shafts are exactly the same. But generally, I stick to “boardy” feeling shafts with mid-high kick points that feel firm to lessen my hooks and pulls and to keep the ball from ballooning in the air. I play S-flex in my driver and woods, too — with my driver tip-trimmed for a lower trajectory and a slightly firmer feel. I’m an easy fit, too; I play everything in standard lies and lengths. The only area where I get a little finicky is with grips. I put midsized grips on everything, sometimes with 2-3 layers of tape underneath. I can’t stand skinny handles.

Armed with that knowledge, Cobra sent me a pile of new clubs to try. This included drivers (all three models), irons and a hybrid. And as a bonus, they sent me some additional irons to compare and contrast with as well. More on those below.  

Lastly — and even though I didn’t — you most certainly can and should get fit at one of many Cobra fitting centers around the country, or by the experts at GOLF’s sister company, True Spec Golf.

My gear

Driver: Before we dive in, let me just say that I pulled the exact card I was hoping for in being chosen to review what’s new from Cobra. I happen to think Cobra is one of golf’s most interesting companies. The folks on the inside of the Carlsbad-based equipment manufacturer make gear that caters to major champions and chronic slicers alike. They aren’t afraid to take risks, but at the same time they also cater to fans of classic club designs. Cobra’s not a one-trick pony — if anything, the company is a stable of multi-trick ponies aimed to please the new golfer as much as they are someone like me who’s been playing a while.

Cobra sent me three new Aerojet drivers to try in three different flavors: LS (low spin), Max (slight draw bias) and the straight-up Aerojet that sits like Goldilocks between its other two driver bears. All three models carry much of the same tech, including the suspended PWR-BRIDGE weighting, new aerodynamic shaping and plenty of carbon composite material on the crown and underside of the clubhead to optimize weight placement for maximum power. All three drivers have unique head shapes: the LS is the most pear-shaped, the Max is triangular and the standard model is somewhere in between the two. All three drivers come with a MyFly adjustable hosel for differing lie/loft configurations.

The LS (designed with input from Bryson DeChambeau and long driver Kyle Berkshire) is made to make an already long hitter even longer. I probably shouldn’t have, but this is the driver I tested first. And in the beginning, I struggled with the need to swing this club the way it was designed — hard and fast. It wasn’t as though I was missing, but because this is a stout driver, I had to trust that swinging harder would produce better results.

And it did.

Head-to-head with my current gamer, the LS was easily 15-20 yards longer. But it took me effort to do so and my misses were more frequent — and in some cases more severe. I’d assume my spin was at least 2,000 RPMs less than what I’m used to. I could see it in how the ball flew.

Enter the Aerojet Max. Not only is the head much more triangular than the pear-shaped LS model, one swing and I blasted the ball off the tee with a high, slight pull-hook to the left. To call it different is an understatement. This driver was super-easy to hit — even when I took swings at around 80 percent speed. The ball flew much higher than it did with the LS — with plenty of pop and distance. I noticed zero forward roll on the eight or nine shots I hit on the 9th hole at my local club — hey, it was a slow Tuesday afternoon and nobody saw me do it — but the carry was legit. I also did not slice this club. Not on the course, not on the range. Not once.

I half-expected the standard Aerojet to be my favorite and — it was. This Aerojet driver yielded big results for me. My gamer is an inch shorter than this driver, so I added about 10 yards of distance right off the bat. If you’re asking, 10 extra yards is huge for me. I average approximately 280 off the tee — with the Aerojet I can smash it 290, no problem. Sometimes much more if I get a hold of it. My misses felt different than my misses feel with my gamer — that took some getting used to for sure. If anything, I’d leak the occasional drive to the right or sometimes I’d pull it. Nary did I hook it though, which I think that extra inch had everything to do with.

In summary, all three drivers were a blast to hit and are Cobra’s best yet. But beware — though they all share much of the same technologies, they’re three completely different drivers when it comes to how they perform.

Fairway woods: Cobra sent me a standard, LS and Max model to try that, like the drivers bearing the same name, came with different performance profiles for different types of players. All three have PWR-BRIDGE and PWRSHELL tech as well as carbon crowns, but in different configurations that yield very different results. The LS is the low spin/driver alternative option, the Max (the higher-hitting draw-biased model) and the standard that’s designed for middle-of-the-roaders like me. Now, here’s where things got interesting. I hit all three woods great. Like really great. The LS was a powerhouse and I crushed it off the tee and fairway. Albeit, my shots flew lower than I’m used to and they most certainly did not land soft. Even though I struggled to shape my shots, I hit stinger after stinger, and it was downright awesome.

The standard Aerojet flew, felt and delivered as expected for me, with comparable distance to my gamer 3-wood. The only difference is the Mitsubishi Kai’li Blue 60 shaft seemed to help the ball launch a little higher and my toe misses were hardly an issue. It’s my favorite-looking Aerojet wood in the bunch from an aesthetics standpoint but wasn’t my favorite to hit.

Here’s where things got weird. But before I go further, it’s important to recognize that no clubs fit two golfers exactly the same. I happen to NOT be a distance-seeker with my woods and I prefer to hit them higher with some added backspin. I want the ball to land softly (ideally on fairway or green), and I’m looking for consistency in my woods. And that’s precisely what the Aerojet Max delivered.

I hit high draw after high draw — almost ridiculously on repeat. I didn’t compare distances with the others, but I sensed even with a slightly shorter overall distance, this is the wood I’d put in the bag. If by chance I hit it too high, one click of the torque wrench and I can adjust the hosel to flight things down a bit.

All three Aerojet woods did what they’re supposed to. If I had a gripe it’d be that I struggled to shape shots with any of them — most noticeably I couldn’t curve it with the LS at all. It’s a small gripe and likely a me-thing and not a club-thing. Still, all three are venerable upgrades, with the Max being the unlikely hero of the bunch.

Hybrids: There’s a new Aerojet hybrid that I was able to try, too. And in this case, Cobra sent me two — one that was standard length, another that was One-Length, which meant it measured about as long as my 6-iron does.

I liked the Aerojet hybrid just as well. It was easy to hit and the ball got airborne quickly with loads of forgiveness. But to my surprise again, I fell head over heels in love with the Aerojet One-Length hybrid model. I felt as though the shorter length meant I could swing more aggressively (which I did) and the ball flew higher than it did in the standard length model. And get this — I hit the One-Length model just as far. There’s not a lot of science I can use to back this up other than chalking it up to the added confidence I felt with it in my hands.

The Aerojet woods and hybrids are strong options for all player types, and because all three seem fairly easy to hit in my hands, it’s up to you to decide what you want out of a wood and choose the right one that matches your needs. For me, I don’t need a long-hitting fairway wood or even a long-hitting hybrid. I prefer higher trajectories that land soft.

Irons: The Aerojet irons have a look and feel that I’m not used to. Some of the new features include what Cobra calls its PWR-BRIDGE weighting design that uses a 70-gram steel weight separated via polymer from the rest of the club. This lowers the center of gravity (CG) for a faster/higher launch and also because the weight is displaced, it yields more flex in the face for greater distance.

I tested the variable length version, but they’re also available in One-Length configuration as well. Aesthetically, these iron look great on the eyes, and the decals, polymers and weighting tech practically fills the entire cavity. And, the brushed finish is something we wish every iron had. Depending on my head position, I could actually see the PWR-BRIDGE tech from above, which was a nice reminder that these irons are decked out for more distance.

Here’s the thing, though. Because of the low profile of this iron (shorter height from sole to topline) they seemed to sit flatter than I’m used to at address. At first, this was a bit jarring, but I quickly realized they weren’t flat at all and it was my eyes playing tricks on me due to their low-profile design.

As for distance, these irons played about 5-10 yards longer than my gamer set, which for reference is a mixed set of forged muscle-backs and cavity-backs that are already fairly long-hitting to begin with. I didn’t see monstrous gains in power, but what I did appreciate was the higher ball flights and softer descent angles — especially with the middle irons (the longest iron I tested was a 5-iron). They weren’t as long as some of the hollow-body irons I’ve tried lately, but where they differed was in how they felt. They were buttery smooth on solid shots and when I missed, they still felt pretty darn great.

Further, on forgiveness, this is where the Aerojet irons exceeded expectations. I hit a number of shots both on the range and on the course dangerously close to the heel and saw very little shot deviation from my intended target line and very little distance loss. Shots hit off the toe faired a little worse and distance suffered — but only by a little. I tested a set with steel shafts, but I can imagine these irons being even more impressed if played with graphite shafts instead. Making that switch would likely bring more distance gains for me, which hey, an extra 5-10 yards is already a big deal. I’d suspect I could eke out a few more yards with a more resilient graphite shaft in each club.

Because the Aerojet irons are distance and forgiveness oriented, I fully expected these irons to have little to no workability. But as I often have been with the whole Aerojet line, I was pleasantly surprised to see the ball curve on command. Granted, not as much as it would with a forged muscle-back or cavity-back, but more than I’ve experienced with other multi-material, game-improvement, distance-oriented iron sets.

To summarize, the Aerojet performed exactly as they’re billed. They’re long, easy to hit and produce a mid-to-high (for me at least) trajectory that I loved. They’re the kind of irons for players who want added power without having to opt for a hollow body iron which frankly, doesn’t feel as good as an iron like this with polymer sandwiched between the face and a floating weight system. Again, if you asked me I’d probably give the graphite shaft set a try before you do a steel-shafted iron set. It’s likely they’ll perform even better.

Aside from the impressive Aerojet family, Cobra Puma sent me its latest forged iron trio to test as well: the King Tour, King MB and CB iron sets.

All three irons are made via Cobra’s 5-step forging process which essentially means each iron is forged five ways to ensure absolute precision and consistency across the entire billet of 1025 carbon steel. They’re rough forged three times, then forged again under intense heat and pressure (700 degrees and 1200 tons of force), then forged a fifth time under even hotter temps (800 degrees) and even more pressure (2000 tons of pressure). The result of the 5x forging is a better grain structure for a buttery soft feel and consistency from clubhead to clubhead.

The Tour irons come with a TPU insert behind the face and an aluminum medallion so in essence it’s a forged club with a couple of extra benefits for improved feel and forgiveness. In my hands, these irons again felt flat — which again is the result of Cobra’s penchant for lower-profile iron heads. In play, these irons were spot on, dead on and any mistake was purely my fault and not the club’s. Shots fired a little lower and more boring than they do with my gamer set (which isn’t all that different than these) and I had zero trouble shaping shots. The highlight was how well the middle irons performed — I don’t think ever I’ve hit a 6-iron as pure as I did with these irons, and the short irons looked impeccable at address. Let’s just say the King Tour has all the good things a player’s iron ought to have, with a couple extra bonuses for the times you need a little boost.

I hit the Tour MB and CB irons too and they’re definitely geared for the player who wants maximum shotmaking capabilities and a pure forged feel. I was sent a mixed set, that had CBs (cavity-backs) in the 4-6 iron and MBs (muscle-backs) in the 7-iron through to the PW. Both had a more boxy shape and a much thinner sole and topline than the King Tour, and both are the kind of irons that advanced players will want to try because of the smooth feel and the penetrating trajectory found in every model.

To wrap these up, here’s what to know: The King Tour is a player’s club with a bit of give thanks to the TPU insert and to a slightly bigger profile, more rounded and thicker sole, and also a bit more offset. Even still, it had much the same feel that the MB/CB irons had, but with a slightly less penetrating trajectory and a bit less workability. All three delivered on their promises, but make no bones about it. They’re all three for better players and not the average golfer who wants distance and forgiveness first.

The results

Cobra has long hovered in the upper pantheon of high-end equipment while still retaining a down-to-earth sensibility and attitude when it comes to its product builds. The Aerojet line is a worthy upgrade over last year’s LTDx models, sure to please golfers who want added distance with every club.

For me, I didn’t see the huge gains I expected (I’m already longer than most), but I was happy to see that the drivers and woods and even the hybrid was fun to hit and extremely forgiving. The Aerojet irons were mighty as well, but if I had to choose, the King Tour delivered the feel and performance that I’m most used to.

As I said in the beginning though, I’m less picky about what I play than I am about how I play, so I plan to keep testing these irons to see which ones help me post the lowest scores in 2023. Stay tuned to find out.

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The post ClubTest Proving Ground: Can Titleist’s TSR top the uber-successful TSi? appeared first on Golf.

The post ClubTest Proving Ground: Can Titleist’s TSR top the uber-successful TSi? appeared first on Golf.

Topping TSi was always going to be a tall task for Titleist’s R&D department. The shift from 6-4 Titanium to an ATI 425 face construction proved to be a total game-changer for Titleist as it ascended to the top of the driver pecking order on the PGA Tour. Ball speeds were noticeably faster across the board; many players also pointed to an uptick in heel-toe forgiveness as the primary reason for the switch.

With a two-year product runway to come up with a replacement, R&D went to work designing the follow-up to arguably the most talked-about Titleist driver since the 975. Further complicating matters for R&D was the feedback coming from Tour: Don’t mess this up.

I’ll be the first to admit I felt the same way as the Tour pros. When I made a recent trip out to Titleist Performance Institute in Oceanside, California, I told anyone who would listen that I didn’t think TSR could top the TSi I’d been using. The TSi was a low-spin machine that produced ample ball speed and enough heel-toe forgiveness to keep it on the map.

What I quickly learned was that TSR provided me with something I didn’t know I needed: More spin. With Titleist fitter Joey Saewitz lending a hand, I quickly learned I’d been living on the razor’s edge when it came to launch and spin with my TSi. I was having lots of fun hitting bombs that carried 300 yards, but the spin numbers weren’t sustainable.

Take a look at a small sample size of some drives I hit with my TSi. What stands out? My common miss is a snap-hook, so I’ll do whatever it takes to eliminate the right side (since I’m a lefty) of the fairway. I’m going both directions with a spin rate that can get downright scary at times. Yes, it’s fun to fly one almost 300 yards, but look at that spin rate. It’s impossible to rely on 15/1,558.

One of the big takeaways on TSR from a recent chat on GOLF’s Fully Equipped podcast with Titleist Tour rep J.J. Van Wezenbeeck was the fact that players were seeing an extra 1-2 mph ball speed with TSR, but what impressed guys like Justin Thomas the most were the tighter spin rates on mishits.

“The high spins aren’t nearly as high and the low spins aren’t nearly as low,” Van Wezenbeeck told me. “It’s more manageable for guys like JT when they miss it.”

This is exactly what I saw with TSR. Working with Joey his magic, I went from a 9-degree TSi3 head into a 10-degree TSR3 that suddenly had my spin rates in a much more manageable range, particularly on off-center hits. Ball speeds were nearly identical, and I know if I want to get my launch down — I’ve always been a high ball hitter — it’s a simple turn of a wrench or possibly a more tip-stiff driver shaft. And just like that, I have high bombs with sustainable spin rates at my disposal.

Not only did I notice more consistent spin rates, but TSR3 also helped eliminate the right side completely, which actually made me start swinging more confidently during my session. That feeling has continued during recent sessions with the driver.

Check out the testing video below for more insights from my driver testing session, along with a fairway wood session where I finally landed a 5-wood. Yes, I said 5-wood. Maybe I’m no longer a card-carrying member of Team No Fairway Wood.

Want to overhaul your bag for 2022? 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 our latest Fully Equipped podcast below.

The post ClubTest Proving Ground: Can Titleist’s TSR top the uber-successful TSi? appeared first on Golf.

The post ClubTest Proving Ground: Is a HiToe wedge the best option for your short game? appeared first on Golf.

The post ClubTest Proving Ground: Is a HiToe wedge the best option for your short game? appeared first on Golf.

Welcome to GOLF.com’s ClubTest Proving Ground, where Managing Equipment Editor Jonathan Wall and Senior Equipment Editor Ryan Barath put the latest designs and groundbreaking technology in the equipment space to the test on the range and the course.

When it comes to the short game there are a lot of wedge options in the market, and just like with a driver or any other club in the bag, it’s important to pick the right one.

Although I’ve made the point that a lob wedge might not be the best choice for everyone, it is still a great specialty club for around the green, and that’s what this test is all about.

For this installment of Club Test Proving Ground, I put the TaylorMade HiToe3 up against the Milled Grind 3 in a head-to-head short game test to see how the two wedges stack up. Instead of a traditional comparison test packed with data, this one is all about the qualitative results I saw on the course and in the short game area. 

The Test

I took both wedges to the course over the period of a couple of weeks and made notes during this time. After on-course use, I spent time around a short game practice area putting the wedges through their paces in a variety of scenarios 

Club Specs:

HiToe3 — Loft: 60°, Length 34.75”. Shaft: True Temper Tour Issue S400
Milled Grind 3 — Loft: 60° (58° bent to 60), Length 34.75”, Shaft: True Temper Tour Issue S400.

I bend the MG3 weak to 60° to make them equal loft and to give both wedges the same amount of bounce based on TaylorMade’s measurements.

The Results

Short grass and full swings

When it comes to making full swings with a standard square club face I found both wedges to be just about equal when it comes to performance and feel. 

From a looks perspective, the one thing I will say about the HiToe3 is that because of the high-toe profile it looks more upright compared to a standard shape wedge. I bent both wedges to the same 61° lie angle and double-checked the HT3 thinking I didn’t bend it enough but came to the realization it was just a looks thing.

(This was only something I noticed on square-faced shots, and since a lob wedge is often played with an open face it’s in no way a deal breaker)

Winner – A draw

From the rough – Inside 25 yards

This is where the HT3 began to separate itself from the MG3 thanks to the profile from address and the sole design. 

Although it is an obvious point, the larger face provided a lot of confidence when hitting shots from the rough because of the vertical forgiveness. To be honest, they both work really well, but with the HiToe I felt I could be more aggressive and accelerate through the impact zone. Deceleration is a short game killer so the edge goes to the HiToe.

The slightly wider sole design of HT3 also helped the club get through the rough easier without ever feeling like I would stick it in the ground. Even when you open up the face the hosel-to-sole transitions of the HT3 does a great job of reducing contact through the grass to get the club moving efficiently.

Winner – HiToe3

Bunker Play

I need to make this very clear — the HiToe3 60° is an absolute bunker killer! 

It must be said that the MG3 is NOT a bad wedge (in fact, it’s spectacular), but if you are a regular golfer like me looking for any edge on the course, this could be your next secret weapon. 

Just like out of the rough, the HiToe3 shape and sole gives you the confidence to open the face and fire the club into the sand to propel the ball. I found it particularly useful on the course and in testing when I encountered a fried egg and needed every part of that larger club face to get the ball moving. 

Winner – HT3

The Takeaway

If you are a traditionalist looking to maximize your options, the MG3 is likely going to be your wedge of choice — but if you are looking to add a little extra to your short game the HiToe3 is a runaway winner. 

With the full face grooves and larger shape from address, the HiToe3 not only boosts your confidence when standing over the ball but provides a tangible benefit for when your misses are more around the face. If you’re in the market for a new lob wedge, be sure to give the HiToe3 a shot.

TAYLORMADE MILLED GRIND 3 WEDGE

The new Milled Grind 3 features RAW Face Micro-Ribs, engineered for added face texture to deliver spin around the greens and added precision on partial shots.

$179.99+ from Fairway Jockey

Want to overhaul your bag for 2022? 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 our latest Fully Equipped podcast below.

The post ClubTest Proving Ground: Is a HiToe wedge the best option for your short game? appeared first on Golf.

The post ClubTest Proving Ground: The special sauce behind Callaway’s Jaws Raw wedge appeared first on Golf.

The post ClubTest Proving Ground: The special sauce behind Callaway’s Jaws Raw wedge appeared first on Golf.

Welcome to GOLF.com’s ClubTest Proving Ground, where Managing Equipment Editor Jonathan Wall and Senior Equipment Editor Ryan Barath put the latest designs and groundbreaking technology in the equipment space to the test on the range and the course.

The tools: Callaway Jaws Full Toe (56-10S degrees; 1 dozen Titleist Pro V1 2021 balls)

The test: To determine if the raw face enhances feel.

The results: If years of testing have taught me one thing, it’s that you need to have an open mind when trying something new. That being said, I’m a realist and understand golfers are set in their ways — yours truly included. I’ve played the same wedge model since 2018 and haven’t even contemplated the idea of switching.

My short game is what keeps me sane when the rest of my game falls apart so, in my mind, there was never really a reason to change. Stick with the gear that keeps you confident.

Of course, that doesn’t mean head-to-head testing is out of the equation. Open mind, remember?

With the recent release of Callaway’s Jaws Raw wedge, I wanted to see if there was a difference in feel when compared to the raw gamers I currently play. Realizing feel is subjective, I didn’t plan on releasing the results from this test — until I took a look at the numbers and realized there’s a special sauce beyond the non-plated face.

Callaway Jaws Raw

Check out Fairway Jockey’s Jaws Raw wedge selection.

Buy Now from Fairway Jockey

The special sauce just happens to be two slugs of tungsten housed inside the weight ports. Tiger Woods has used tungsten in his irons for years to dial in the center of gravity (CG) and improve feel. Other manufacturers have found it can provide forgiveness benefits when situated around the perimeter of the head.

As you’ll notice, both of the examples I used were irons, not wedges. Jaws Raw just happens to be the first wedge Callaway has created that features tungsten. Using eight grams of tungsten and a longer hosel, Callaway engineers were able to improve feel, forgiveness and center CG. (From talking with Callaway engineers, the tungsten perimeter weights the club, while the longer hosel counteracts the added weight to keep the CG centered.)

For this particular test, I hit 5 balls from 75 and 100 yards with Jaws Raw and my current gamer to see how they stacked up. What I found was a wedge that not only spun more than my gamer but had a noticeably tighter dispersion.

Callaway Jaws Raw (75 yards)

As you’ll notice from the above Foresight GCQuad launch monitor data, Jaws Raw produced an impressive dispersion pattern and matched up with the slight fade I like to play through the bag.

Titleist Vokey SM7 (75 yards)

Launch and spin were both down with my gamer, but they weren’t wildly different. What caught my eye was the dispersion pattern. I went from being 1.3 yards right of target to 3.5 yards. When you’re looking at shots from 75 yards, every little bit counts. In this case, a delta of 2.2 yards equates to 6.6 feet, and I’m pretty sure most would take the shorter putt.

Callaway Jaws Raw (100 yards)

Titleist Vokey SM7 (100 yards)

Once again, spin and launch were both up with Jaws Raw, along with a tighter dispersion. Considering accuracy is the name of the game inside 100 yards, the numbers I was seeing told me Jaws Raw warranted some additional testing on the course.

In addition to the tighter dispersion, I liked how the leading edge on the S-Grind sat tight against the turf, something I prefer to see in the address position. The overall feel of the raw face was similar to my gamer wedges, so they all but cancel each other out in that department.

More than anything, what impressed me the most with Jaws Raw was how consistent they were, which can be connected to the tungsten weighting in the head. In my opinion, it’s the special sauce and a big reason why these wedges deserve a closer look if you’re in the market for new scoring tools.

Want to overhaul your bag for 2022? 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 our latest Fully Equipped podcast below.

The post ClubTest Proving Ground: The special sauce behind Callaway’s Jaws Raw wedge appeared first on Golf.

The post ClubTest Proving Ground: How much can a utility iron help my long game? appeared first on Golf.

The post ClubTest Proving Ground: How much can a utility iron help my long game? appeared first on Golf.

Welcome to GOLF.com’s ClubTest Proving Ground, where Managing Equipment Editor Jonathan Wall and Senior Equipment Editor Ryan Barath put the latest designs and groundbreaking technology in the equipment space to the test on the range and the course.

Like a lot of golfers, I’m always in search of the perfect gapping for the top end of my set. I have tried everything from pure long irons to high lofted 7-woods, and the one thing I’ve always taken from this back and forth is they can both work but only under ideal circumstances.

This is where utility clubs step in.

For this edition of GOLF’s ClubTest Proving Ground, I am putting my own golf bag to the test to find out which of the the new Stealth UDI and DHY utility clubs offers the best option to gap the top end of my set between my longest iron and my highest lofted fairway wood.

If you are looking for a full technology breakdown of the Stealth UDI and DHY you can find that here: FIRST LOOK: TaylorMade’s 2022 Stealth UDI and DHY utility irons. 

The Test

I hit 10 balls with stock Taylormade Stealth UDY and DHY utilities (see specs below), and removed any statistical outliers. I then compared them to my longest standard iron, and my 5-wood. The test was conducted inside using a Foresight GCQuad launch monitor and Titleist ProV1X golf ball.

Club Specs:

UDI: Loft: 20°, Length: 39.25″, Shaft: Aldila Ascent 90HY Stiff Flex
DHY: Loft: 19°, Length: 39.75″, Shaft: Aldila Ascent 75HY Stiff Flex

The Results

The Takeaways

There are a number of things that can be taken from this test, and the first is that taking the time to get fit using a launch monitor is always going to help you achieve your performance goals on the course faster.

Also, where you play your golf and course conditions matter – a lot! As discussed a number of times leading into The Open Championship this year — making sure your club set up is properly factoring in course conditions and weather goes a lot way. 

In general if you play firm conditions with fewer forced carries, the UDI is likely to be your best choice, even if you don’t carry it quite as high as the DHY. On the opposite side of that, if you want the driving iron control but need a club that is going to peak higher, the DHY will likely be the better option — remember, these are strictly one persons results.

TAYLORMADE STEALTH UDI CUSTOM UTILITY IRON

The ultimate blend of control and versatility, Stealth UDI is a powerful option from the tee or the turf.

$249+ from Fairway Jockey

Diving into the weeds

My personal experience is why a proper fitting plays such a important role because I am a naturally high launch and higher spin player and also tend to miss low on the face based on my swing dynamics. That last part plays a big role in the final numbers.

Even thought the Stealth DHY has 1 less degree of loft and launched lower than the UDI, the wider sole design along with the lower center of gravity causes the backspin to be higher and have a higher variance (read as the standard deviation below the average numbers above: 747rpm compared to 266rpm).

The DHY also offered more ball speed 137.1 mph average compared to 134.3 mph of the UDI but I’m comfortable in saying a lot of that speed is cause by the DHY having a lighter shaft and 1/2″ longer length.

From a pure numbers perspective, I hit the Stealth DHY slightly farther, but overall the UDI is a better fit for me because it keeps the ball in my preferred launch window and gives me the control I want off the tee and from the fairway, where this club will see a majority of its use. 

So if you, like many golfers are struggling to properly fill the gap between your longest iron and highest lofted wood, the Stealth DHY and UDI offer great options to do just that. Just make sure you get them on a launch monitor to truly know which one is going to be th ebest for you.

Want to overhaul your bag for 2022? 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 our latest Fully Equipped podcast below.

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The post ClubTest Proving Ground: Ping’s ChipR could be a secret weapon on full swings appeared first on Golf.

The post ClubTest Proving Ground: Ping’s ChipR could be a secret weapon on full swings appeared first on Golf.

It’s my job to test and talk about golf clubs, even clubs where I might not be part of the intended demographic. Sure, I end up testing a lot of clubs that won’t necessarily help my game but they help me experience golf in a different way — more specifically, how to make the game more fun for the average player. 

With all of that in mind, one club that has stuck out to me since its release is the Ping ChipR, which is an all-encompassing short game tool designed to eliminate variables and help increase consistency around the green and inside 40 yards. As the name suggests — yes, it is a chipper.

Although is it designed to be used as a chipping club and Ping suggests the ChipR is intended for shots inside 40 yards I had to know: What would happen if you hit full swing shots with it? Well, that’s exactly what I did and I discovered some interesting results.

The Test

I hit 10 balls using a stock Ping ChipR (70-degree lie angle; 38.5 degrees of loft) with my normal full wedge swing. I removed one outlier from the test which was hit on the second shot and conducted the test inside using a Foresight GCQuad launch monitor and Titleist ProV1X golf ball.

The Results

The two things that stand out from the test are the distance from the center line left of the intended target, and the overall consistency of the performance.

One thing to understand from performing any club test is the difference between accuracy and consistency/precision. Although I was not hitting my intended target on the center line the Ping ChipR offered an extremely high level of accuracy, with a small standard deviation in the final outcome.

The Takeaways

There are a couple of important things that can be taken from this quick test beyond the fact that it’s really fun to take a full swing at a chipper.

1. The Ping ChipR has an intentionally heavy head weight relative to club length resulting in a much heavier than normal standard swing weight. The swing weight of the ChipR is E6, which to put in perspective is 12 points higher than their Glide 4.0 lob wedge at the same length.

If you are looking for a way to create some consistency in your full swing approach clubs, making them heavier could be a way to shrink dispersion. This is something I will be testing again in the future.

2. Lie angle is extremely important!

If you have ever felt that you are making solid contact but missing in the same spot over and over, especially with your shorter irons and wedges — there is a really good chance your lies angle isn’t matched for you. If I bent the ChipR flatter I suspect I would see the final grouping closer to the target line with a similar dispersion.

Let this be a fun reminder that just because a club is labeled as one thing doesn’t mean it can’t be used to help hit a variety of shots, so whether you already have a ChipR or a similar club in the bag, there’s nothing wrong with being a little creative.

Want to overhaul your bag for 2022? 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 our latest Fully Equipped podcast below.

Ping ChipR

Check out Fairway Jockey for Ping’s ChipR.

Buy Now from Fairway Jockey

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The post ClubTest Proving Ground: Do PXG’s 0211 XCOR2 irons live up to the hype? appeared first on Golf.

The post ClubTest Proving Ground: Do PXG’s 0211 XCOR2 irons live up to the hype? appeared first on Golf.

Welcome to GOLF.com’s ClubTest Proving Ground, where Managing Equipment Editor Jonathan Wall and Senior Equipment Editor Ryan Barath put the latest designs and groundbreaking technology in the equipment space to the test on the range and the course.

The tools: PXG 0211 XCOR2 irons (4-PW; True Temper Elevate 95 shafts)

When PXG first introduced its 0211 irons back in early 2019, we were surprised to see a company best-known for producing high-end, premium golf equipment make an iron that’s priced far less than its top-of-the-line iterations. And for what it’s worth, the original 0211 iron exceeded expectations, proving that PXG knows not only what consummate golfers want, but also what most weekend warriors like you and I need when it comes to outstanding performance at a price point that won’t break the bank.

Parsons and Co. did it again in ‘21 with an update that made the DualCor-infused irons even better, promising huge distance and even more forgiveness — again, at a price you’d never expect from what we still consider to be a premium brand.

Logic would point to a redux of the 0211s coming sometime in 2023, but come on now. This is PXG, and they do things their own way down in Arizona. In just one calendar year, PXG has delivered a slew of new innovations in the all-new 2022 edition of the 0211 XCOR2 irons.

I was lucky enough to try a set custom fit for my game and log some on-course time and a quick session on a Toptracer launch monitor system using the 0211s. Here’s how it went:

First Glance: These irons might be my favorite looking iron of any PXG iron to date. They look way more expensive than they are and come with bits of chromed-out decals amidst the muted matte finish. It’s both uniquely PXG (flashy but classy), and also fresh enough to stand out without being overly garish.

And I love the brushed metal/chrome and black aesthetics. At address, they have what I’d call a midsized and aesthetically pleasing topline. Any thicker they’d be too chunky, any thinner it’d be a blade. The longer clubs have more offset, but it’s not as distracting as I thought it’d be.

Tech: What makes the 0211 more affordable than PXG’s more premium options (like the venerable 0311 GEN5 irons) is the fact that they’re cast and not forged. And while cast irons tend to be priced lower than forged irons, remember that most irons are still made this way and some of my most favorite irons of all time happen to be cast models.

Second, there are no weight ports or three versions of the same iron to choose from (like PXG has in the 0311s). What the 0211s do have that its more valued siblings also have is the new XCOR2 polymer technology encased in the hollow cavity of each iron. This not only pushes weight more towards the perimeter and lower in the head, it also boosts the iron’s MOI for added forgiveness.

The 0211s also have an ultra-thin, maraging stainless steel clubface, which when aired the XCOR material enhances the COR for an increase in face deflection for faster ball speeds. Additional features include progressive offset and bounce, Power Channel tech behind the face for more ball speed and an angled top rail that helps position the center of gravity in the middle of the clubface.

Distance: I had suspected that the 0211 would play a little longer than my gamer set of irons. For reference, I typically play forged blades designed for control over distance, so I was ready to see a small bump in overall distance through the set.

Or so I thought.

The 0211 XCOR2 irons were like absolute cannons compared to what I’m used to. To give you a point of reference, using Toptracer, I was hitting my 6-iron anywhere between 15-22 yards farther than normal when using the 0211s. And it only got longer with longer clubs. The 4-iron flexed (and I’m not exaggerating) upwards of 25 yards longer than my own 4-iron. (In case you’re curious, I was hitting the 0211 4-iron about 230 yards. That never happens.)

I saw added distance with shorter clubs as well, ranging anywhere between 5-10 yards longer depending on what type of swing I made. On the golf course, my numbers stayed close to the same, and it took some serious getting used to more firepower. Also, it’s worth noting the 0211s are much stronger-lofted when compared to my gamer irons, by anywhere from 2-to-3 degrees per club. Even still, with the lower launch, the added weight lower in the clubhead still produced what I’d call an average height trajectory.

Forgiveness: When you hit the ball a mile in the first place, it’s easy to forget that these irons are designed for added forgiveness as well. When I miss, it’s almost always out towards the toe, and rarely do I ever catch one off the heel.

Drivers

Like with any club I noticed a reduction in trajectory and saw some distance loss when I missed towards the toe, but I was pleasantly surprised to see the ball didn’t veer far out to the right (like it usually does.) During the golf course testing, I hit two 9-irons on a par-3.  I missed the first one but hit the second dead solid. The missed shot landed short and right of the green by about a yard; the solid shot landed in the middle of the green.

I then hit two more, and my shot dispersion was remarkably straight. I happened to hit the last one the hardest and flew the green, which makes me think I could get away with a stiffer shaft using these irons for some added distance control. Or, I might consider taking PXG up on the custom loft options and go one degree softer on every club. Nonetheless, for steep swingers out there, the noticeable bounce angle will help prevent digging and lessen fat shots.

When I hit any of the 0211s solid, the ball launched off the face like a rocket. In fact, I tested a 5-iron from about 230 yards out (I normally hit a 5-iron about 190 yards). I took a mighty rip at it and according to the shot tracker on The Grint app, I nuked it 221 yards. That was the longest 5-iron I’ve ever hit and it flew high with a boring trajectory.  Again when I missed the sweetspot, the ball flew a little lower, but shots still managed to produce reasonable distance. As for left or right misses — to me that’s a function of my swing so I don’t really account for that much.

Maneuverability/Playability: Usually, irons built for big-league forgiveness and power aren’t the kind of sticks that yield a lot of room for shotmaking. With the 0211s, it’s a mixed bag. Longer irons have more offset, which makes hitting shots that curve on demand a little more challenging. But with shorter clubs there’s less offset, making it easier to hit crafty fades and draws on command. On one hole I hit a 145-yard pitching wedge (that’s nuts!) with a little draw. Back at the range using Toptracer, I put some ridiculously big swings on it and was able to hit it 150-yards straight as a rope. Thank you PXG for the ego boost!

One more note on maneuverability. The set I tried came with a 60° lob wedge. It felt lighter than I’m used to, and it packed a wide 13° bounce sole to prevent digging. This meant it was hard for me to hit my signature low flying/high spinning lob shot that Stan Utley taught me to hit, and I had to hit high lobbers pretty much every time. Meaning, that the 0211 lob wedge is for lob shots and fluffy sand shots only, not for finesse shots around the green. By all means, that’s not a bad thing — most golfers out there should be using a lob wedge just like this one. For shallow swingers like me, the added bounce was a bit restricting.

Feel: The 0211s don’t have the buttery soft feel of a forged wedge, nor do they have the tinny hollow feel of a hollow-cavity iron. The 0211s have XCOR2 have a polymer core which gives them a unique firm feel for a pleasing click at impact. I’d go so far to say that these irons have one of my favorite feels for 2022.

Surprises: No doubt the distance is what surprised me most. I hit these a mile, in some instances two clubs longer than my clubs. Also, I liked the progressive nature of the set, making the short irons surprisingly nimble to hit a variety of shots with. The only gripe, if you can call it one, is having a set like this will skew the rest of your set, likely forcing you to carry an extra gap wedge in the bag in favor of carrying a hybrid or a wood.

Also, if you’re not used to higher-bounce angles, you may find the higher-lofted clubs to skip off the turf more than you’re used to. But if you’re a player who needs some extra bounce, these are the ticket.

Conclusion: The 0211s are my favorite PXG irons this year, and among the few sets I’d willingly carry full time. The mondo distance these clubs produce makes hitting irons a lot more fun. Can’t help but say that it’s pretty rad to show up to the teebox with at least a club less than my playing partners on par-3s—which if you’ve been in this position is a helluva way to intimidate your buddies and win a few more skins.

The 0211 XCOR2 irons come in 4-LW ($129+/ea.), in five loft options, five lie options, and in a variety of steel or graphite shafts. It comes in two finish options (Chrome or Xtreme Dark). Irons tested came with True Temper Elevate steel shafts.

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The post ClubTest Proving Ground: OnCore’s Vero X1 golf ball appeared first on Golf.

The post ClubTest Proving Ground: OnCore’s Vero X1 golf ball appeared first on Golf.

With so many options to choose from, it can be hard for a new golf ball to differentiate from the industry stalwarts who dominate the shelves at your local golf shop or big box retailer. But every once in a while, one exceeds our expectations of what a direct-to-consumer brand can do.

Enter the Vero X1 by OnCore, a four-piece, tour-caliber, cast-urethane-covered golf ball that delivers high performance for players with swingspeeds at 95 mph and up. It’s a ball that’s been around a little while, made by the 12-year-old company that earned notoriety for creating a model with a hollow-metal core. Since then, the company has dived headfirst into the premium category with its Vero X1 leading the way.  

Let’s cover the technical stuff first. As mentioned, this ball is a four-piece multilayer ball with a cast urethane cover, meaning the cover can be made thinner and more resilient. It’s also typically the more expensive way to make a cover (compared to injection molding), which proves that OnCore takes performance seriously and isn’t cutting any corners to deliver their best ball.

Next is the nano-thick transition layer followed by a metal-infused, perimeter-weighted mantle layer, which work in tandem with the aforementioned cover and oversized core for the best blend of tee shot distance and greenside control. The Vero X1 has a relatively soft 80-84 compression rating, but still holds a firmer-than-most feel.

How does it hold up on the golf course? We took it upon ourselves and played an entire round with the Vero X1. Here’s our initial, true-to-life experience:

OnCore Vero X1

Using a proprietary formulation and manufacturing process, along with a high modulus, metal-infused mantle, the VERO X1 features enhanced perimeter-weighting, that results in the highest allowable velocity off the club face and distance that has to be seen to be believed. Incorporating a nano-engineered transition layer to manage the interface between the mantle and a thin cast urethane cover, the VERO X1 delivers spin, control, and feel unlike any other ball. The VERO X1 will take even the best golfer’s game to an entirely new level.

$39.99/doz from www.oncoregolf.com

Distance

We played with the Vero 1X and found it to produce comparable distance with the driver when compared to other tour-level golf balls. Shots with a boring (in a good way) trajectory—a trait which according to OnCore is a byproduct of the perimeter-weighting technology that yields lower tee shot spin rates (with drivers and woods) and tighter shot dispersion. We didn’t see huge yardage gains switching to the Vero X1, but the distance was for certain comparable to other balls we’ve tried in the same category.

Feel

We’ve seen other reviews and player feedback that seem to indicate the ball has a firmer feel with a driver, but in our playing test, we felt it very similar to balls designed for faster swingers. It’s definitely firm, but not hard like a range ball would feel or how some hard-covered 2- or even 3-piece balls sometimes feel. Iron shots felt great, and despite the relatively low compression rating, we liked the firmer feel with wedges and the putter.

Long shot spin and flight  

Off the tee with a driver we saw a medium-high ballflight, which is a little higher than expected, but not too high that the ball flew and stuck when it landed. There was still some forward roll despite the higher launch. Shots that were hit low on the clubface flew a lot lower, but in fairness, that’s more a function of the golfer, not the ball. Distance-wise, again, the Vero 1X proved very comparable to other multilayer tour-level balls that tend to favor faster-than-average swingspeeds. This doesn’t mean any type of player can’t use it—we just think faster swingers will gain even more distance from the Vero X1 like we did.

Middle shot spin and flight

Middle iron shots felt crisp and flew with what we’d best call a mid-height trajectory and controllable spin. Any more spin the ball would balloon, any less we’d have a hard time holding the greens. You really don’t need a launch monitor to see it—it’s abundantly clear that the Vero X1 will incrementally spin more as you go up in loft. Plain as day.

Short shot spin and flight

This is where the Vero X1 really shines. From 100 yards and in, we had zero issues with holding the green and were pleased to see some of our shots check up. In fact, we we’re blown away by the resilience of the Vero X1 around the greens. Even chips and pitches seemed to have more rotation and the firm-but-not-tinny feel was responsive and made it easier to know whether we hit the shot solid or not.

Putting

OnCore’s proprietary perimeter-weighting technology has much to do with the way the ball flies in the air and the stability and consistency it has, but we think you’ll notice it on the greens, too. Weight is pushed to the perimeter of the ball, and with the putter, creates a firmer feel with a pleasant click sound at impact. It’s the kind of feel better players often prefer to help them feel their putts and better gauge their putting ball striking and improve their distance controls.

Conclusion

The Vero X1 is a venerable tour-level golf ball. With plenty of tee shot distance and high short shot spin rates, it’s ideal for the player who has a faster than average swing speed and want a ball that is both consistent and easy to control around the greens.

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The post Proving Ground: We put Ping’s Glide 4.0 wedge to the test appeared first on Golf.

The post Proving Ground: We put Ping’s Glide 4.0 wedge to the test appeared first on Golf.

Ping’s Glide 4.0 wedge delivers more spin with a lower launch, but how does it stack up against its predecessor? We took it to the Proving Ground.

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The post Are the new Ping i525 irons better than their predecessors? We found out appeared first on Golf.

The post Are the new Ping i525 irons better than their predecessors? We found out appeared first on Golf.

When golfers talk acoustics, it’s almost always in reference to how a driver sounds. We rarely discuss how irons resonate the eardrum, because irons tend to sound more or less like how they’re made — i.e., cast irons sound a certain way, and forged irons sound another way.

But hollow body and mixed material irons are different animals, with seemingly no two models sounding exactly alike. Which is why we were intrigued to check out Ping’s new i525 irons, which the company says produce big-time performance along with a more pleasing sound than its previous iron line, the i500s.

Irons

“One of the biggest challenges we face in designing all clubs is tuning the feel and sound,” said Ping president John K. Solheim. “Because of the i525’s metal-wood-style face design, we knew sound would require additional attention to ensure the gains in distance didn’t come at the expense of the feel. We couldn’t sacrifice one attribute just to improve another.”

Did Ping succeed in its mission? We took the i525s to the Proving Ground. Check out the results here:

The post Are the new Ping i525 irons better than their predecessors? We found out appeared first on Golf.