| | | | | probably the best square driver out there at present. |
| | | | | Callaway FT-i driver $119 with free shipping |
| The Callaway FT-i driver has had a lot of hype and | | | | |
| rightly so as it was the first introduction of a new type | | | | |
| of driver focussing on a high moment of inertia (MOI) | | | | The Callaway FT-i driver has a square |
| to reduce twisting of the club head at impact, | | | | head with full carbon body technology meaning extra |
| particularly on off-centre hits. In our tests it certainly | | | | weight savings over a titanium head. By using a |
| does keep off-centre hits straighter and they also get | | | | lightweight carbon body that weighs only 42g, the |
| a good level of distance. The shape is intriguing and it | | | | Callaway FT-i has been able to push as much weight |
| seems a compact head compared to other high MOI | | | | as possible into the far corners of the head, |
| drivers. However the greater moment of inertia does | | | | dramatically increasing the club’s ability to resist |
| have its drawbacks. For instance, better players who | | | | twisting on off-centre hits and thus increase the |
| swing in to out will need to get a draw bias FT-i | | | | Moment of Inertia (MOI) for straighter drives. The |
| because the MOI weights mean that with a neutral | | | | Callaway FT-i’s square shape allows weight to be |
| bias FT-i the clubhead continues on the 'out' path | | | | located outside the weighting zone of a traditional |
| through impact instead of 'turning over' at impact with | | | | driver. With help from designers at BMW, Callaway |
| standard driver. The opposite would apply for an out | | | | were able to make this radical complex clubhead look |
| to in swing. Once you understand this and have the | | | | appealing by merging the crown into the back of the |
| right set up then the FT-i performs very well, albeit a | | | | club head like a car bonnet. The Callaway FT-i driver |
| bit on the noisy side. However this all seems a bit | | | | face actually twists on two axes when shots are hit, |
| convoluted to us and better golfers should probably | | | | so by controlling the amount the club rotates around its |
| opt for a driver with a lower MOI of under 5000, such | | | | centre of gravity, Callaway produced an extremely |
| as the Callaway FT-5, to get the performance they | | | | robust head. Extra weight is also located in the heel, to |
| need. Our feeling is that the Callaway FT-i driver is | | | | help square the face at impact. This means that shots |
| best suited to mid to high handicappers who have | | | | that are hit away from the centre of the clubface still |
| trouble getting their drives going straight and therefore | | | | go straight. |
| need all this forgiveness. If this is you then this is | | | | |