There seems to be a million different drivers on the market. You see the commercials on every PGA Tour event. You see the ads in the major golf magazines. Chances are pretty good that you’ve got one of them in your bag,
I’ve hit most of them and have learned to live with the limitations that come with being a mid-handicap player with a slow swing speed.
But all of that changed this week when I discovered the High Heat driver.
You may have never heard of the High Heat driver. It’s a small company produced by Knuth Golf in Bonita, Calif. If you are unfamiliar with the brand, do yourself a favor and test one out for yourself. You’ll likely find yourself standing amazed when you …
• Hit the ball farther
• Hit the ball straighter
• Hit the ball off the tee with less stress than ever before
The High Heat driver is the latest development from Dean Knuth, a graduate of the Naval Academy who developed a tactic for finding Soviet submarines that was used in the Cold War. That won’t help your golf game, but it gives you an idea of the brain power that Knuth possesses.
He was a senior director for the USGA and created the USGA Course Rating System and Slope Rating system that is used today. (He’s called ‘The Pope of Slope.’ He is considered the world’s foremost authority on handicapping.
Knuth has been studying driver technology for 13 years and has been issued five different patents. He introduced the High Heat driver and it was named the Best New Product at the 2015 PGA Show.
Knuth moved the center of gravity on the club so that it’s 25 percent deeper and 18 percent lower that most other drivers. The result is higher launch angle, increased ball speed, reduction of yardage-sucking backspin and a larger sweet spot.
When testing the club at the ING Spring Conference at the Mission Inn Resort, I hit a good shot – for my age and limitations. The data showed my numbers were better than previously tested – even though I had missed the sweet spot.
This is not unusual. Because of Knuth’s technology, you can miss the zone and still have the likelihood of hitting the ball in the fairway. A similar miss with another club would likely put you in the woods, in the lake or across the street.
I took another swing and connected closer to the sweet spot. The result was a 15 yard pickup in distance.
Obviously I can’t wait for my club to arrive.
Every time you use the club, you can look at the face and see the impression of the ball and gain instant feedback.
You won’t see High Heat on the PGA Tour. Those guys play at a different level. This club was developed for amateurs. It’s great for higher handicap golfers who struggle to hit the sweet spot, but it’s also great for single-digit players who like to work the ball.
Try it yourself. You’ll be amazed. You won’t be disappointed.
