TaylorMade M1 Driver
BY WAY of a new, lower density titanium alloy, called 9-1-1, and an added carbon toe panel that accounts for a total of 43 per cent more carbon composite than its predecessor, the new M1 460’s mass properties have been optimised to deliver optimal launch conditions, more personalisation and increased forgiveness.
The iconic two-tone crown of the M1 driver incorporates a proprietary six-layer carbon composite panel that is precision-fit to the skeletal titanium body using an FF2FF process – a breakthrough engineering technique that results in craftsmanship of the highest quality with manufacturing repeatability for consistent, aggressive looks and undeniable performance.
The new carbon composite crown saves more weight because the composite is 10 percent thinner, the bonding ledge is 18 per cent shorter and the adhesive is half the thickness of the original M1. Furthermore, the new M1 has a composite sole panel that utilises the same thinner composite, shorter ledge and thinner adhesive approach as the crown. The combined weight savings of the new M1 composite crown and sole panel construction is eight grams lighter than an equivalent titanium construction.
Both the 460 and 440cc models feature a new 4-degree ultra-lightweight aluminium loft sleeve (back sleeve compatible) and three new stock premium shafts: Fujikura XLR8 Pro 56 (hi-launch), MRC Kuro Kage Silver Dual Core TiNi 60 (mid) and Project X HZRDUS Yellow 65 (low), three of the most popular shafts on tour and with consumers alike, along with a new premium performance Lamkin UTX grip with cord for greater durability and all-weather performance.
The M1 460 driver will be offered in 8.5°, 9.5°, 10.5° and 12° loft options, while LH models will be offered in 9.5° and 10.5° lofts. The M1 440 driver (RH only) will be offered in 8.5°, 9.5° and 10.5° loft options.
See TaylorMadegolf.com.au for more.
TaylorMade M2 Driver
ALONG with the new Geocoustic design, the M2 driver houses a newly designed Speed Pocket that is three times more flexible than its predecessor.
The new Geocoustic feature combines geometry and acoustical engineering to unlock more forgiveness and best-in-class sound. The new breakthrough in geometry is the sunken sole portion of the driver. This section utilises an ultra-light, thick-thin 9-1-1 titanium, a design that enabled engineers to free up volume while not raising the centre of gravity.
The freed up volume allowed engineers to make the driver’s head larger, both the visible footprint as well as the club’s face (seven percent), ultimately making the driver not only appear more visibly forgiving, but feel more forgiving at the same time. The M2 is equipped with the new, ultra-lightweight 4 degree, 12-position aluminium loft sleeve and the Fujikura Pro XLR8 56 (high launch) in A, R, S and X flexes along with a new dual-texture 360 performance grip for great feel throughout the swing.
In addition to a standard model, TaylorMade is also offering a higher-launching, more draw-biased model of the M2, the M2 D-Type (also 460cc). The D-Type driver (D representing draw) combines multiple draw-biasing design technologies to deliver an average of 11 metres, and up to 18 metres, of built-in draw-bias to help players who consistently fight fade-to-slice trajectories find more fairways. M2 and M2 D-Type are offering more than 30 additional premium custom shaft options at no upcharge. Available now, the M2 driver is offered in 9.5°, 10.5° and 12° loft options, while left-handed models will be offered in 9.5° and 10.5° lofts.
See TaylorMadegolf.com.au for more.
Ping i200 Irons
PING’S new i200 irons feature faces that are 30 per cent thinner than its most recent predecessor, but here’s the thing: that thinner face isn’t just about flexibility and distance, it’s about forgiveness and feel.
Indeed, Ping was founded on the idea of forgiveness and the i200, which follows up on 2015’s i-Series iron which itself followed up five successful generations of “i” irons including i20 and i25, is the company’s latest entry in a series of irons with a shape favourable to better players but forgiveness even an average golfer could appreciate.
That improved performance on off-centre hits starts with the weight saved by the thinner face aided further by a machined back cavity. That mass is repositioned in the hosel and toe to offer more stability.
In fact, the i200 may break new ground, says Marty Jertson, director of product development for Ping. Jertson said the club is designed with the same workability as the i-Series iron, which in one way is reflected by the moment of inertia around the hosel or the ease in rotating the face open or closed. Jertson said that similar workability, however, comes with a seven percent boost in the clubhead’s moment of inertia, or its stability on off-centre hits.
“For us that was an enormous gain,” Jertson explained. “For a frame of reference, it puts the i200 with the same inertia as the G15 iron and obviously in a much smaller package and much smaller sole width.”
That a players iron could take on a nearly super game-improvement level off-centre-hit forgiveness is quite the bonus, but the i200 iron is still a players iron. That means feel is a paramount concern. While the i200’s thin face helps in a lot of ways, it only works for this player because of the larger, taller and deeper elastomer insert – almost twice as much as was used in the i-Series – that fits snugly into the pocket cavity right against the face. The interaction between the elastomer insert – what Ping calls the “custom tuning port” – and the already soft 431 stainless steel covers an area three times the size found on the i-Series for more consistent feel on a greater range of impact locations.
“We wanted kind of the feel and look inspired by a blade, but still a club that says that I’ve got some protection, some meat and some power behind it,” Jertson said. “This is definitely an iron for us that has a lot of versatility to it.”
The i200 line comes in 3-iron through pitching wedge and gap wedge – and became available on February 2. The stock steel shaft is Ping’s proprietary AWT 2.0, and there is also no upcharge for several custom shafts, including Project X, True Temper XP 95, Nippon N.S. Pro Modus3, KBS Tour and True Temper Dynamic Gold.
See ping.com for more. – Mike Stachura
Ping Glide 2.0 Wedges
ALTHOUGH golf equipment manufacturers are not fond of some of the restraints placed on them by the R&A and USGA, almost without exception the research and development teams at these companies relish the task of how to make their clubs and balls even better within those confines. Such is the case with Ping and its new Glide 2.0 wedges. Despite the new regulations put in place by the so-called “groove rule” in 2010, the company’s latest wedge line boasts milled faces with, according to the company, “sharper groove edges than any previous Ping wedge model”.
“We worked closely with our tour staff to improve every aspect of the wedges. The players have been very pleased with the increase in spin rates, overall trajectory control, including lower ball flights, and the consistency of the carry distances,” said John A. Solheim, Ping’s chairman and CEO. The grooves in the lower-lofted wedges (46, 50 and 52 degrees) have a 20-degree sidewall and 0.005 of an inch edge radius for better full-shot performance. The higher-lofted clubs (54 through 60 degrees) have a 28-degree sidewall and 0.004 of an inch edge radius designed to produce more spin, especially on short-game shots.
The spacing on the grooves also is closer together, giving the lower-lofted models one additional groove compared to the original Glide with the higher lofted wedges having two additional grooves. The 431 stainless-steel heads feature to company’s hydropearl chrome finish that repels moisture, thus reducing the chance of fliers.
In all there are 16 loft/bounce combinations with lofts ranging from 46 to 60 degrees in two-degree increments with the exception being no 48-degree model. The stock shaft is Ping’s AWT 2.0 wedge shaft, however the KBS Tour, Dynamic Gold, N. S. Pro Modus3 105, XP 95, and Project X are also available at no upcharge. The Glide 2.0 wedges have been in play on the various tours since last year with Bubba Watson and Louis Oosthuizen among those using the wedges.
See ping.com for more. – M.S.
Callaway Mack Daddy Forged Wedges
Callaway Golf has introduced an ultra-premium wedge called Mack Daddy Forged, created by master wedge designer Roger Cleveland.
The appealing new shape, forged from soft 1025c steel, delivers exceptionally satisfying feel and response on every shot. Less offset, a squarer toe and a straighter leading edge create a clean, confidence-inducing appearance at address to promote crisp contact and command control.
High spin comes from the new Mack Daddy 16-groove configuration that incorporates an added groove at the bottom, close to the leading edge, to promote added stopping power, especially on pitches and chips.
Mack Daddy Forged wedges come equipped with True Temper’s Dynamic Gold Tour Issue shaft (the most popular wedge shaft on the US PGA Tour) and a Lamkin UTx grip custom-designed to promote outstanding traction and feedback to help execute delicate, feel-focused shots.
Mack Daddy Forged wedges are available for $239.99 each.
Visit CallawayGolf.com.au for more information.
Callaway Chrome Soft X Balls
CALLAWAY has introduced a new ball, Chrome Soft X, to give players another performance choice.
Chrome Soft X and Chrome Soft share four-piece ball construction consisting of Callaway’s innovative two-layer Dual SoftFast Core, spin-regulating SubMantle and ultra-soft urethane cover, as well as flight-extending HEX aerodynamics. The difference lies in Chrome Soft X’s firmer core and cover combination, which promotes more ball speed off the tee, more spin through-the-bag, and a piercing and workable ball flight.
Chrome Soft X and Chrome Soft are available at retail now in white and yellow colour options for $59.99 per dozen.
Visit CallawayGolf.com.au for more information.
Callaway Great Big Bertha Epic Driver
Callaway’s Great Big Bertha Epic drivers already have Rory McIlroy’s attention. And one reason just might be a design theory that’s contrary to conventional wisdom.
It seems nearly everything in driver design over the past two decades has been about increasing flexibility. The new GBB Epic drivers aim to turn that thinking on its head by making the club selectively stiffer.
In simplest terms, Callaway’s Great Big Bertha Epic and its low-spinning brother, the Great Big Bertha Epic Sub Zero, have fortified the frame immediately behind the face to concentrate the club’s flexibility there, rather than letting it dissipate across the crown and sole.
Achieving that kind of performance necessitated an internal structure that appears to be as distinct as it is difficult to manufacture. In a technology Callaway’s marketing arm has niftily labelled “Jailbreak”, two thin titanium rods immediately behind the face join the crown and sole, essentially framing the centre of the face. Specifically, the engineers at Callaway were focusing on the flexibility of the edges of the crown and sole nearest to the face.
“This structure stiffens the body significantly and allows for greater face loading, greater deflection in the face,” said Evan Gibbs, Callaway’s director of metalwoods research and development. “Because the boundary’s so stiff, the face has to be about 20 per cent thinner.”
Making it thinner results in more of the face being able to deflect at impact, creating a larger area that produces ballspeeds close to centre-hit performance.
“It really forced us to change the way we thought about how the face of the driver should be designed, how you really want to optimise the stiffness of the face together with the stiffness of the boundary,” Gibbs said. “It was extremely challenging conceptually to get it to work, but even more challenging physically to get it to work.
It was quite an engineering feat as well as a design accomplishment
For more information, visit CallawayGolf.com.au – M.S.
