ok so with my tax returns fast approaching, i decided i was going to kill some time on my day off and head to my local proshop and do an impromptu driver test on all the latest and greatest. i had no intentions of purchasing anything today, but i did end up ordering something new for the bag for 2013. heres a list of the clubs i hit today.
9.5* 910D2 46" Project x 7C3 set to A1 (current gamer)
9.5* 913D2 45" Aldila RIP Alpha set to C2 (8.75* loft, .75* more upright)
9.5* 913D3 45" Aldila RIP Phenom set to A1
9.5* RAZRFit Xtreme 45" Aldila Trinity Stiff flex
9.5* ANSER 45" Fujikura Blur Stiff flex
8.5* Covert performance 45" kuro Kage X-stiff flex 50 gram
8.5* Covert Tour 45" Kuro Kage X-stiff flex 60gram
on my current driver (910D2) im using a 46" set-up as i gained 10-15 yards or so of length over my previous 44.75" 907D2 driver. i figured it was going to be tough trying out the new drivers with a shorter shaft as itd skew the results a little.... ehhhh not so much. an average swing for me is anywhere from 103-108mph.. if i really go after it i have seen up to 117mph.
This is just north of albany, NY and its 27* outside and im using an outdoor range with frozen range balls so keep that in mind when reading the results.
basic stats with current driver
104mph swing speed
152mph ball speed
269 carry
282 overall.
3400rpm spin.
i have used this club for the past 2 years and havent had any complaints, i just figured id see what all the hype was about with the new stuff and see if things really had improved a ton. so i asked to hit the 913.. i love my titleist gear and it was going to take alot to get me out of my trusty 910.
he hands me a 913D3 with the RIP Phenom shaft in it.
105mph swing speed
151 ball speed
265 carry
279 overall.
3650 spin
solid feel, louder than the 910.. a more sharp pitch at contact. didnt like how the shaft loaded though. still a very respectable output for a shorter club with a foreign shaft etc... he then brings out the anser with the blur shaft in it and asked me to hit that to see if itd drop the spin rates...it sure did.
106mph swing speed
155 ball speed
272 carry
288 overall
2850 spin
this thing is the real deal. very solid shaft and head combo for me. felt long and smooth. i loved the look of the matte black head as well. i was shocked that the shorter driver was out performing the 910 i was fit for not very long ago... the fitter surprises me and says just for the hell of it try hitting this.. and hands me the Covert Tour set to 8.5* with the Kuro Kage X stiff in it... the KK felt whippier than the phenom in the 913... figured what the hell and hit a few shots with it. the lighter shaft sped up the swing speed but i couldnt find the center of the face it seemed...
109mph swing speed
154 ball speed.
268 carry
274 overall
3800 spin
obviously not the right combo for me. he takes the club and hands me what looks nearly identical to it and says ok now hit this... the Covert performance with the 50 gram x-stiff set to 8.5* first swing was BOMBED..
111.3 swing speed
158 ball speed
276 carry
290.2 overall
3250 spin
obviously not the best contact but the longest of the day to that point... thing is a very good performer. nike has a winner on their hands with this one.... but my gripe with the nike clubs is the audible sound or lack thereof off the face. its extremely muted compared to everything else i hit. when i hit a driver i want to know i hit something....not have it be a dull "thwack"... i expressed this sentiment to the fitter and he hands me the cally razr fit extreme 9.5* with the trinity shaft in it.
looks are a bit gawdy for my tastes with the metallic greenish gold tint to it but i figured what the hell im only hitting clubs today anyways...
108mph swing speed
156 ball speed
272 carry
285 overall
3400 spin
this one you DEFINITELY knew you hit something. it sounded like a rock clanking off a 55gallon metal barrel. very nicely weighted club and had a solid feel to it, but just wasnt for me. it wasnt nice enough to evict my 910 from the bag. so i figure id pack up and move on for the day and he says as im taking off my glove, why dont you hit the 913D2... i said i thought i already hit the 913... he said yes you hit the D3.... i didnt even think about that at first so i figured it couldnt hurt... he sets the club up in 9.5* C2 with a 45" 60gram Aldila RIP Alpha shaft (C2 drops loft to 8.75* while making the lie more upright and closes the face slightly.) i wasnt expecting much difference from the D3, however i was mistaken....
106mph swing speed
159mph ball speed
279 carry
295 overall
2770 spin
OH...MY....GOODNESS..... i saw the ball flight comming off this setup and giggled. 12.2* launch angle and it just kept going. i had to hit 30 balls with this setup and they were just bullets comming off the face. i didnt wanna give it back. my only concern with the club was that id been so used to gaming a 46" driver for the past few years and how the 45" would possibly throw me off... he said so lets just order the shaft in a 46" setup.... which obviously makes perfect sense... add more yardage on top of the longest club id hit all day...the thought of that had me too hyped up to object so i told my fitter to order up a new 913 for me...the specs as follows...
Titleist 913D2 8.5* 46" Aldila RIP Alpha Stiff with Titleist Tour Velvet built up to midsize.
(we decided to go with the 8.5* head rather than play a 9.5* turned down to 8.75*)
i wasnt swinging out of my shorts today.. its been a long week at work and didnt have the energy to be hitting over 100 balls with various drivers at a 115mph swing speeds... the 105 range seemed to be working well for me anyways it would appear haha.
I specifically chose not to hit any taylor made clubs as i know i will never be purchasing them. i detest looking down at the white club heads and every Tmag driver ive hit in the past just doesnt perform as well as the 910 i currently own.
CLIFF NOTES!!!!!
hit a bunch of different drivers with no intentions of buying, ended up shelling out 428$ for a new 913
