Are square drivers actually straighter ?

[3oneday]

Just intrigued, if they are straighter why isn't everyone using one ?

Using the Dymo2 as an example, it really doesn't look that much different to the Dymo ?

Thoughts ? Theories ? Even technical reasons if they stack up ?

Why the hype over a square driver, when hardly anyone uses them ???? :confused:

[henno]

I am not sure if it is because of the fact that they are square, or that they also have less bulge, a shallower, wider face, and a low and rear COG, but every square driver I have hit has been very straight. (Adams, Nickent, Nike)

They reason I don't hit any of them is they look like crap, sound like crap, and are almost impossible to work left and right without overcooking them into huge hooks/fades.

[henno]

Although in all honesty, the look and sound thing should be inconsequential if it performs, and they way I play I really should have no business being concerned about workability.

But whadaya do. :smt102

[3oneday]

I have to agree, maybe there is a stigma attached to using one ? ie, it's embarrassing ???

[henno]

I think there's a strange situation where they are a little embarrassing to use especially if you are a chopper. If your game is good enough that your 280m+ drives can do the talking, you are probably good enough to not need a square driver anyway.

I could almost handle the shape at address, but I am not sure why they can't do something about that ear-piercing *DONK* sound that gets everyone within earshot turning their head.

[henno]

Oh, and FWIW my longest and straightest drives where all with a a square-headed Nickent.

[BrisVegas]

they probably are straighter. Callaway X-22 irons are probably straighter than what I'm using now too, but I'm happy enough with how I hit it so I'll stick with something that looks decent.

[LarryLong]

I use the square Nickent driver. It seems straighter, but I can still find the trees with it. I haven't tried a great deal of other drivers, so I can't really quantify how much straighter. I probably hit it straighter than my long irons.

Mis-hits probably go straighter, but you can hook or slice it just like any other club if the clubface isn't square.

I always wonder why nobody seems to ever do some sort of independent Iron Byron type testing with a bunch of drivers (or irons too, for that matter) at different swing speeds with centre and off-centre hits to quantify this sort of thing. Golf mags? Choice magazine? Anybody? I'd be very interested to see what sort of difference all this hype really makes in the end result.

Henno's probably summed it up pretty well though. The look and sound has resulted in me copping plenty from mates, but I've been known to invite that sort of thing with the contents of my bag for a laugh, so I don't mind copping it if the ball's going up the fairway.

[Chris32]

I've had an FTi for about 18 months, its no straighter than my old Hi-Bore, and doesn't go as far. If I had some spare cash I would replace it, but its finding fairways for now

I think the shaft is the main issue with mine, gets it up way too high with too much spin

I'm used to looking at it, and I reckon out of all the square drivers, the first Fti is the easiest on the eye and ears!

[Hux]

they probably are straighter. Callaway X-22 irons are probably straighter than what I'm using now too, but I'm happy enough with how I hit it so I'll stick with something that looks decent.

I think the appearance thing for someone with decent ball striking is really important. As we both commented on Sunday the topline on the 600CX was quite thick in comparison to your other 600C and my Cobras.

What pushed me away from irons like the Cally's etc was that awfully chunky topline. They might have suited my swing but I couldn't stand looking down at them.

Same with woods I guess. Its the sound and the appearance factor that influences how you feel about a club as much as overasll performance.
I must say the 905 you use sounds really solid even more than the Ping Rapture which is also a good ringer. Very impressive an prefer it to the TMTBTP although it is not unpleasant. At a guess I'd say if it sounded like a Cobra LD/F or a Nike Sumo2 you wouldn't own it.

[BrisVegas]

i put a persimmon weight plug in my 905S to make it sound "solid". :wink:

[adlo]

3OD, wouldn't you say the "hype" surrounding these drivers has somewhat passed?

Sure, most manufacturers have something that resembles a square head driver, but the hype has died down I would say.

Aren't they basically all about creating more backspin therefore straighter drives?

I have used a few. Yes I think there is a benefit in forgiveness. The only square driver I have liked the look of was the Adams A3. Sounded good too.

Why don't I use one? Well, if the FTiq was the same price as my current driver I probably would own one. I demoed that stick and it was a cannon. Dead straight, sounded great and felt great for a Cally head, but 3 times the price of the TMTB.

[3oneday]

Aren't they basically all about creating more backspin therefore straighter drives?
They all state low spin, so I'm not sure this is correct.

Isn't it all about MOI, or the ease in which you can square the clubface at impact ?

[adlo]

I know the MOI is the stated reason, but I am pretty sure it is backspin.

All modern drivers state low spin, but that is not true.

[TourFit]

The MOI and Spin regarding the Square driver designs has to be made in context though...Here goes

For THE SAME LOFT, a square driver head (generally) will hit slightly higher than an equivalent 'pear' shaped driver head due to a lower and rearward CoG, it will also be effected by the usually shallower face heights that square drivers have (not all!) to keep within the 460cc VOLUME limit. These will all effect the spin rate because in reality the EFFECTIVE loft will be higher...

MOI is a little different. It relates to the 'twisting' of the clubhead around it's vertical CoG plane...if you imagine the CoG contained within the head as a pin head size and put a 'vertical axis' through that point you will get the gist. By 'filling in' the corners away from the face the stability of the club is said to improve...here's where it gets tricky though. MOI is actually calculated by the application of a physics formula... and you can INCREASE the MOI of a 'standard' pear shaped head by doing two things that will make the formula work 1) Add weight to the head & 2) shorten the club length. So a 44.5", 400cc heavy headed driver COULD end up with a higher MOI (in reality) than the 45.5", square headed off the rack Callaway FTiQ (which is branded as high MOI!!!)...At the same time the shorter, heavier club will be easier for most swings to hit more consistently AND because of a higher MOI will also hit straighter !!!!

Imagine what would happen if you weight up and shorten a Square headed driver head with a high MOI to begin with????

BTW, the noise can be dealt with a little by a few simple tricks...

[Chris32]

Shortening my FTi won't make it spin less will it? Its standard length

[golfnugget76]

I'm using the ftiq and it is the straighest (and longest) driver i've ever had in the bag (and i've had a few), but you still have to put a good swing on it! I still hit the odd snap hook or block but that is not the drivers fault.

I'm ok with how it looks as it goes great! it's a trade off - but I am happy!

[TheTrueReview]

I have a Nike Sumo2. A great club when it's being hit well & straight as a die. But hit it like crap & it'll go out of bounds with the rest of them. Summary - somewhat more forgiving but it won't undo a bad shot.

[Courty]

As far as I understand, the square head theory is to reduce the clubhead twisting/ deforming on off-centre hits. That's only useful if the face is still square to the target.

[Johnny Canuck]

I have an Adams square head and I hit some absolute bombs that are waaaaaay off centre. Everyone will be saying great drive and I'll be thinking "sh*t, if I had any other club it would have been terrible."

It is by far the most forgiving on off-centre hits in terms of straightness and distance loss.

[TheNuclearOne]

Here's my uninformed theory.

MOI is MOI and if it has the max limit the shape probably doesn't matter.

IMO most previous squares are known to be super straight because they were such high spin. High spin = straighter, and also shorter, which was a big previous rap against them.

The first Cally and Nikes spun like tops. The Sumo2 Tour is VERY low spin and i think the recent models are too.

Given the max MOI of some standard models i wonder if the newer squares with comparable spin to the rounds might even have the good old placebo effect going.

[markTHEblake]

An Ugly golf club that really works well will of course sell itself.

However a golf club that has an ugly sound is a negative regardless of how well it works, because *golfers associate sound with feel and are not really able to discern the difference. Thus a crap sounding club affects what we think it feels like.

*except deaf ones

[Dazza]

Was using a Top Flite Driver with a regular shaft to start with (Read POS, Sorry 3oneday) it was spraying drives all over the place.
So I made the call and upgraded to a 3DX Square AKA Soupcan on a stick.
Very forgiving, very closed. Not much effort required to hit it 200mt, nice steady swing would see it in the middle of the fairway everytime. Was still finding my feet, so it was good to be hitting fairways again with minimal effort.
Made a few changes to my grip (Wasn't closing the face properly at impact), and instead of a nice draw down the middle it turned into a hook machine.
So I upgraded to the Burner TP. Hitting it further than ever before.

Square is good, don't get me wrong.
But it's certainly not the answer to all driving issues.

[the_man]

The local golf shop let me borrow the new Callaway FTIQ while I was waiting for my G10 to come in so I took it for one round and I dont think it was any longer or any more forgiving than the other drivers I have hit.

That is the only square headed driver I have hit though & I only gave it 1 round but usually my first round with a new driver is always good. I never felt comfortable setting up behind the ball with the square head & to make things worse I think it was a little closed because I seemed to be hitting left.

I think it would take a little while to get used to the square drivers, especially if you have been playing for quite some time.

[Johnny Canuck]

The local golf shop let me borrow the new Callaway FTIQ while I was waiting for my G10 to come in so I took it for one round and I dont think it was any longer or any more forgiving than the other drivers I have hit.

That is the only square headed driver I have hit though & I only gave it 1 round but usually my first round with a new driver is always good. I never felt comfortable setting up behind the ball with the square head & to make things worse I think it was a little closed because I seemed to be hitting left.

I think it would take a little while to get used to the square drivers, especially if you have been playing for quite some time.

Not at all in my case.

[3oneday]

Not at all in my case.

JC, are you using the XTD, the XTD Pro or something else ?

[Johnny Canuck]

A3 XTD.

I tried G69's Pro, which was also nice.

I just find the XTD is unbelievably forgiving on off centre hits. Once I put a good shaft in the head, it took about 1 or 2 tee shots for it to bump my Taylor from the bag.

The fact that the head sits nice a square is a big bonus compared to some of the square heads out there.

[3oneday]

The fact that the head sits nice a square is a big bonus compared to some of the square heads out there.
I'd actually forgotten that I'd used one of these, well actually the XTD and the XTD Pro.

I hated the XTD Pro, but the XTD was very good !


Hmmmmm

[Johnny Canuck]

I'd actually forgotten that I'd used one of these, well actually the XTD and the XTD Pro.

I hated the XTD Pro, but the XTD was very good !


Hmmmmm

http://i130.photobucket.com/albums/p279/janndar/Borat-VeryNice.jpg

[3oneday]

What loft were you using and what did you go to in the XTD ?

[tomson79]

I have the FTi and FT-IQ, I have hit the Nike Sumo Sq and I don't that they are any straighter then any other pear shape head.

[Johnny Canuck]

What loft were you using and what did you go to in the XTD ?

10.5 and using a V2 High Launch X-Stiff 1/2' tipped. A lovely combo. I naturally keep my drives low, but with this I can really get the height when needed.

Aldo hit it (he uses a reg V2) and hit it striaght and as long as his TMTB.

She's very stiff, but doesn't feel harsh or boardy at all.

[Courty]

10.5 and using a V2 High Launch X-Stiff 1/2' tipped. A lovely combo. I naturally keep my drives low, but with this I can really get the height when needed.

Aldo hit it (he uses a reg V2) and hit it striaght and as long as his TMTB.

She's very stiff, but doesn't feel harsh or boardy at all.

Nice shaft. 8)

[Johnny Canuck]

It is mate. Just love it.