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KZG and Tour Edge are among those companies applying advanced geometric designs and displaced-weight technology to new metalwood clubs in 2008.
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| KZG Q driver |
For KZG, whose clubs are available through custom-fitting professionals, its latest driver is called Quintessential, or Q for short. It's a triangular design engineered to deliver a high Moment of Inertia, which is a mathematical formula the industry uses to determine stability -- i.e., forgiveness -- on off-center hits.
For Tour Edge, which had been applying new geometric patterns in its Bazooka series, the company is now adding shaping and weight distribution to its high-tech lineup called Exotics. Along with an XCG driver, fairway woods and hybrids, the Exotics portfolio also offers a new triangular-type XLD driver with an extreme front to back geometry.
"Exotics is where we can test new materials, new ways of building clubs, with the goal of constructing the very best products possible," said David Glod, Tour Edge owner and chief designer.
In test sessions among a variety of golfers assembled by CBSSports.com, both the Tour Edge and KZG drivers were credited with attributes that help enhance forgiveness and deliver satisfactory distance on tee shots.
Here's a closer look at the latest from these two companies:
KZG
"The Q driver is one of our boldest models to date," said Chris Lesser, KZG's director of marketing and P.R. "It has a very high MOI, (and is) aerodynamically designed for both low and high handicappers."
With a shallow face design, and a low center of gravity, the triangular Q driver promotes a high launch angle with low spin. The 460cc titanium head is most distinctive with its midnight black crown that features a bright red tail far from the face of the club.
The MOI number for the Q driver is 5,450, which is in the upper level range for new-geometry drivers.
Lofts available include 7.5, 9. 10.5, 12 and 14 degrees. KZG's standard graphite shaft for the driver is NovaTech in a range of flex and length options. The company, which also offers other manufacturers' shafts, stresses that would-be buyers should visit a custom-fitting professional to match their games to the proper loft, shaft type and length.
In CBSSports.com range and on-course sessions, reviewers recommended the Q driver most for players seeking extra forgiveness at impact. Testers also suggested adding an alignment aid on the top/front of the crown. The club was rated very solid and long, but also "very, very loud." One tester likened the noise to the "sound of banging on a pipe" at impact.
