Feb13 TK SquareDrivers

Tour pros reluctance to switch to the new square drivers is easily explained, according to Callaway’s vice president of R&D, Jeff Colton.

“The clubs hit the ball too straight,” explains Colton. “You’ll probably see players put them in and out of their bags depending on the type of course.”  The problem is that the resistance to twisting at impact which is apparently so beneficial to ordinary players also means that it’s extremely difficult for skilled players to put a little intentional sidespin on the ball to create a controlled fade or draw. At most Tour venues, being able to move the ball one way or another is a distinct advantage over being forced to hit straight drives.

It’s a view that’s echoed elsewhere in the game. Phil Mickelson is another who believes that pros will need to carefully select venues where they’ll be able to take advantage of high moment of inertia (MOI) technology.

“Because it’s such a drastic change, because the moment of inertia is so high, because the ball goes so straight it doesn’t want to curve,” Mickelson says in an interview to be published in the April issue of Today’s Golfer magazine. “I think it’s going to take a little bit of time to be accepted on Tour. For guys who like to move the ball, the FT-5 [Callaway’s conventional-shape driver] is a better fit.”

One man who seems increasingly unlikely not to go square is world number one Tiger Woods. In the past, he has resisted changing his driver whenever it’s threatened his ability to shape his tee shots.

“With square drivers the penalty for being less skilled – and that includes most of us – is considerably less,” says Tom Stites, the Nike design guru who makes Tiger’s gear. “For the most part, tour-calibre players aren’t able to take advantage of this technology as much.”

So far, the only top 50 player to be using the square driver regularly is KJ Choi, who won the Chrysler Championship with a prototype model. Yet ironically, statistical analysis suggests that Choi’s performance that week was more down to a hot putter than increased accuracy off the tee.