Golf Equipment Reviews: Drivers, Irons and more...

Driving Clubs

This Frankly First Call for Driving Clubs is in response to the many requests we have had to categorise these clubs. It should be used as a guideline only as there will always be exceptions.

The Driving Club Listings

Below we have listed by manufacturer various models of Driving Clubs available on the market today. To the right of these models we have our three First Call categories:

Most Forgiving (any golfer can use)

Intermediate (20 handicap and below)

Advanced (10 handicap and below)

Many of the drivers today are manufactured to provide exceptional forgiveness for all golfers. We have developed this listing table detailing what loft of club would be advised for your skill level. Driving Clubs not recommended for a specific category of golfer are denoted by a "~".

This table has been developed by Frank Thomas. He has discussed each product listed below with its manufacturer and has considered loft measurements along with head size in the placement of each club in the table below.

This table is still under construction as we add more Driving Clubs from various manufacturers.

The importance of shaft flex

One of the most important considerations when choosing a Driving Club is the shaft flex. First we recommend a good quality graphite shaft. Your choice of flex depends largely on your swing speed as follows with some exceptions. These are guidelines only.

Note re. Loft and Center of Gravity (c.g.)

The location of the Center of Gravity has not been considered in the table below. It should be recognised that a 10 degree lofted driver, for example may perform like an 11 degree depending on the distance the Center of Gravity is located behind the face. This will be considered in subsequent or updated listings.

Iron Playability

The Frankly First Call lists recently marketed irons into categories based on discussions with manufacturers. This allows us to give you a guideline as to who these clubs have been designed for, according to the manufacturer.

In time, these clubs will be measured using the MPF method and placed into appropriate MPF categories.

Please note that the listings in the Frankly First Call are based solely on
manufacturers’ representations and not on testing in the Maltby Design
Studio.

Maltby Playability Factor Listings

The following are the Guideline Categories used for the listing of clubs. This is only a guideline and will help in the process of new club selection. The most skilled golfers can effectively use clubs in any category. The less skilled golfer on the other hand can avoid the disappointment of choosing a club designed for a higher skill level than his own, only to find the clubs don’t work as anticipated.

New clubs on the market

Many of you ask us about clubs recently introduced to the marketplace, which are not yet rated by the MPF. In response to this we have developed the Frankly First Call which rates clubs that are new to the market based on discussions with manufacturers.

>>> Visit the Frankly First Call listings

Ultra Game Improvement

Super Game Improvement

Game Improvement

Conventional

Classic

Player Classic

ULTRA GAME IMPROVEMENT
	CALLAWAY	Big Bertha (original)
	CALLAWAY	Big Bertha 2002
	CALLAWAY	Big Bertha X-12
	CALLAWAY	Great Big Bertha Tg Ti
	CALLAWAY	Hawkeye VFT TI
	CALLAWAY	S2 H2
	CALLAWAY	Steelhead X-14
	CALLAWAY	Tungsten Injected Ti
	CLEVELAND	TA5 cast
	MALTBY	Logic Gold 2000
	MALTBY	Logic Lady 2000
	MALTBY	Logic Lady 2003
	MALTBY	Logic Tech 1999
	MALTBY	Logic Tech 2003
	MALTBY XTREME	Outburst Plus 2002
	MAXFLI	Torque Arm
	POWERBILT	GrandSlam Ladies O/S ‘02
	TOMMY ARMOUR	845U 2003
	TOMMY ARMOUR	Vault 2003
All Players Benefit: The Easiest Clubs to Play. Off-center hits retain best distance and most solid feel compared to other categories. Very high technology and design. Some tournament use.

SUPER GAME IMPROVEMENT
	CALLAWAY	Steelhead X-14 Pro
	CER	CER 701+ 2002
	CER	CER 701U 2003
	CLEVELAND	Tour Action TA7
	COBRA	CX1
	DM Series	Rim Fire Perf + 2001
	DM Series	Vectrax 2000
	DUNLAP	Max 357
	GOLDWIN	AVDP
	LIQUIDMETAL	Pure Energy Transfer
	MALTBY	Logic Kidz 2000
	MALTBY	Logic Pro forged 2000
	MALTBY	Logic Tungsten 2000
	MALTBY	RDM Recoil 2002
	MALTBY XTREME	Xtreme X-1 2003
	PING	ISI
	PING	ISI K
	POWERBILT	Citation II
	POWERBILT	TPS 7.0
	TAYLOR MADE	200
	TAYLOR MADE	Supersteel Burner
	TOMMY ARMOUR	845 FS Silver Scot
	TOMMY ARMOUR	845 Stripe 2002
	TOMMY ARMOUR	845c Forged Cavity 2003
	TOMMY ARMOUR	845S Oversize Plus 2002
	WILSON	Reflex
All Players Benefit: Extremely Easy to Play. Very solid feel. High consistency. Good distance. Some Tournament use.

GAME IMPROVEMENT
	ADAMS	Tight Lies
	BROWNING	440 G
	CER	CER 551+ 2002
	COBRA	King Cobra SS oversize
	DM Series	Dm Pro Balance 2003
	DM Series	DM Pro Launch 2003
	GOLFSMITH	400CM Deep CG
	GOLFSMITH	Harvey Penick 03
	GOLFSMITH	Snake Eyes FC-01
	GOLFSMITH	Snake Eyes FMC-1 03
	GOLFSMITH	Snake Eyes Viper MS 03
	GOLFSMITH	Spalding LEgacy
	GOLFSMITH	Sterling Tungsten
	GOLFSMITH	TGI.560
	LAURA BAUGH	Laura Baugh
	MACGREGOR	V-Foil
	MALTBY	HP Forged 2000
	MALTBY	Logic Tradition M-03 2002
	MALTBY	Logic Tradition M-04 2002
	MALTBY	Logic Tradition M-05 2003
	MALTBY	Peak Velocity 2003
	MAXFLI	Australian 2000
	MAXFLI	Revolution Midsize
	MAXFLI	VHL Midsize
	ORLIMAR	SS Scoring Iron
	PING	Eye 2
	Ping	I 3 +
	POWERBILT	Citation Forged 2003
	POWERBILT	GrandSlam 2000 mens over
	POWERBILT	Momentum PPCDesign
	POWERBILT	Platinum Series III 254
	POWERBILT	TPS Oversize
	SNAKE EYES	TC-01
	SNAKE EYES	Viper LS
	SPALDING	Tour Edition
	TAYLOR MADE	320
	TAYLOR MADE	LCG Burner
	TAYLOR MADE	rac OS
	TOMMY ARMOUR	835 Hot Scot 2002
	TOMMY ARMOUR	845m Muscle Back 2003
	TOMMY ARMOUR	845S Silver Scot Orig. 1988
	WILSON	1200 GE
All Players Benefit: Ideal for many Low to Mid Handicaps. Straight and fairly solid on off-center hits. Some Tournament use.

CONVENTIONAL
	BEN HOGAN	Apex Edge Forged
	BEN HOGAN	Apex Edge Pro
	COBRA	Gravity Back optimum inertia
	Dana Upshaw	Dunn Wright Kehler forged
	DM Series	Rim Fire 2000
	DYNACRAFT	Limited
	DYNACRAFT	Oversize
	DYNACRAFT	Tour Caliber forged (cavity)
	FAULTLESS	Omega system one
	GOLFSMITH	Harvey Penick Prof. Tour
	GOLFSMITH	Snake Eyes Viper LS 03
	GOLFSMITH	Spalding Blackhawk 03
	GOLFSMITH	Spalding Elegance
	GOLFSMITH	Tour Cavity Forged
	GOLFSMITH	Tour Cavity Pro
	GOLFSMITH	Tour Cavity Pro Grind
	GOLFSMITH	XPC Plus Twin Cut Sole
	GOLFSMITH	XPC Sapphire
	GOLFSMITH	XPC Tour Steel
	H GRIFFITTS	Henry Griffits
	MALTBY	Logic Pro Tour 1999
	MAXFLI	Australian Blade MCT-97
	MAXFLI	Revolution Multi-Layer
	MAXFLI	VHL Oversize
	MIZUNO	MP-14
	PING	i 3 Blade
	PING	i 3 O-Size
	POWERBILT	Big-X 2001
	POWERBILT	Citation (2000 Model)
	POWERBILT	Dynasty 258
	POWERBILT	Momentum Forged
	POWERBILT	Titanium Copper
	POWERBILT	TPS 6.0 Oversize
	POWERBILT	V-1 Cavity Spirits
	RAM	FX2
	SNAKE EYES	MC-01
	SNAKE EYES	Viper MS
	SPALDING	Top Flite Plus
	SPALDING	Top Flite Tour
	TAYLOR MADE	300
	TAYLOR MADE	360
	TAYLOR MADE	Ti Bubble Z (Tg)
	TAYLOR MADE	Tour Preferred
	TITLEIST	822-OS
	TITLEIST	DCI 962
	TITLEIST	DCI 981
	TITLEIST	DCI Oversize +
	TOMMY ARMOUR	845 EVO V-31 RO Blade
	TOSKI	Target 2001
Better Players Only: 14 or Lower Handicap. Most popular category for tournament pros. May have some game improvement features.

CLASSIC
	BEN HOGAN	Medallion
	BEN HOGAN	New Apex Forged 2001
	CLEVELAND	TA1 form-forged
	CLEVELAND	TA3 cast
	CLEVELAND	TA3 form-forged
	DYNACRAFT	Tour Caliber forged (muscle)
	GOLFSMITH	Harvey Penick plus tungsten
	GOLFSMITH	Lady XPC Plus
	GOLFSMITH	XPC 3000 03
	GOLFSMITH	XPC3 Midsize
	MACGREGOR	Nicklaus Golden Bear
	MACGREGOR	Super Tourney M305 R
	MACGREGOR	Tourney
	MIZUNO	MP-33
	MIZUNO	Pro MP-11
	MIZUNO	T-ZOID True
	NIKE	Blade 2003
	NIKE	Nike Pro Combo
	POWERBILT	Citation Forged
	POWERBILT	GrandSlam Oversize (1998)
	RAM	tour Grind TG 898
	SPALDING	Reg Top Flite Pro 1968
	SPALDING	Top Flite Dy-Nertial 1974
	TITLEIST	762
	TITLEIST	DCI 990
	TITLEIST	DCI 990B
	TOMMY ARMOUR	845 EVO V-25 (forged)
	TOMMY ARMOUR	845 EVO V-31
	TOMMY ARMOUR	845S Oversize
	WILSON	Dynapower Fluid Feel
	WILSON	Staff Midsize RM Forged
	WILSON	Staff Tour Blade
	WILSON	Staff Tour RM Forged
	WILSON	X-31 Tour
*NOTE: In the section "How the MPF is determined" it expains that only the 5 iron is used to make the measurements to categorize the Playability Factor of the club model. In the case of some of the newer progressive set make ups (such as the Nike Pro Combo) it is very possible that the long irons in the set are much easier to play than those of other sets in the same category. This is the concept in designing progressive sets.
Expert Players Only: Very sensitive to off-center hits.

PLAYERS CLASSIC
	BEN HOGAN	Apex Plus Forged
	BEN HOGAN	Bounce Sole
	BEN HOGAN	Bounce Sole +1 Forged
	BROWNING	John Browning
	BURKE	Billy Burke Flangiron
	BURKE	Mashie Pre 1935 wood shaft
	BURKE	Punchiron 1950’S
	Butchart Nicholls	Autograph
	COBRA	King Cobra II Oversize
	GOLFSMITH	Pro Forged
	JOHNNY FARRELL	J. Farrell 30’S-40’S
	MACGREGOR	Tourney
	MACGREGOR	Tourney 1950’S
	MAXFLI	Australian Blade TM-92
	NANCY LOPEZ	Albany Series oversize
	POWERBILT	Mirage Hyoer Steel
	POWERBILT	Silver Series (Kids)
	POWERBILT	TPS Forged
	SPALDING	Robt. T. Jones
	SPALDING	Top Flite Syncro-Dyned 53’
	TITLEIST	Tour Model Forged
	TOMMY ARMOUR	Ti-100 Titanium
	WILSON	Pro Staff
Only for specialists who know how to use them.

Review the Frankly First Call Listings

NOTE:  Clubs will be added to the list as they are tested  The table below lists clubs in different playability categories, alphabetically within each category. Some clubs may be on the borderline between categories but in general we believe they have been listed appropriately.    

Most popular questions asked by readers

Report #1: The Driving Club (2,020 words) $12.00
What loft is best?
What is the ideal shaft length?
What should I look for in shaft flex?
Specialist shafts- kick points
What are the differences between graphite and steel?
Switching from steel to graphite
Is there a magical 20 yard increase?
What to look for in a driving club

Report #2: The Golf Ball (1,956 words) $12.00
Ball construction
2 piece ball
Multi-layered ball
What construction is best for me?
Why do golf balls have dimples?
What is the lifespan of a golf ball?
Should I use lost balls?
What about compression?
Temperature effects on ball performance
What to look for when selecting a golf ball

Report #3: Considerations When Buying a Set of Clubs (2,480 words) $12.00
Club length
Swing weight
Frequency matching
Shaft flex
Lie angle
Grips
Iron club heads
Playability factor
Bottom line when buying a set of clubs

Contact Thomas Frankly at: www.franklygolf.com