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Colej -> Golfworks KE4 ST1 prototype driver head (03/25/12 7:48:13 AM)
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I’ve had a few weeks now of testing a prototype driver head from Golfworks. The head that I got to test is the KE4 ST1. The head has 9* of loft and is right handed.
I really like the looks of this clubhead. It has nice clean lines with not alot of busy paint schemes or off the wall colors. The club face has a nice mix of width, breadth, and slightly deep face.The club face has the black PVD coating to it. That coating is also used at the hosel where the ferrule will meet. The crown is a flat battleship gray color. Having the weight port in the rear of the clubhead is a big bonus for me. I like drivers assembled right about 44 ½” long. So to get my swingweight up to were I’m comfortable, I took the 6 gram out and put a 10 gram in.
It has great performance off the entire clubface. Golfworks tells me that the face is VFT cup face design. You can see the difference as well. Due to it being early in the season, I haven’t put my best swings on this club. I am not seeing a big loss of distance on off center hits. The ball goes pretty straight on off center hits. I wasn’t seeing any big slices or hooks. As far as working the ball goes, it can be done but don’t expect a whole bunch of movement left or right. That’s a good thing for me.
The sound of the clubhead is not bad at all. It’s a not that high pitch metallic sound and it doesn’t sound like it’s dead. When I talked to Pete Calloway at Golfworks he told me that the approved design would sound even better. He said that they tape Golfworks brand clubs up and “OEM” clubs up. They get golfers in and test them for sound, feel, and performance. Pete said that the approved sound design of the KE4 was preferred over the “OEM’s.”
I assembled this club with a Aldila RIP 60 stiff. I did this because Golfworks is offering a great deal on a clubpak that comes with this shaft. Call and ask for Mark Masters or Kevin French. The clubpak comes with the KE4 ST1 driver head, your choice of flex Aldila RIP Apha 60 shaft, Lamkin grip, ferrule, and Maltby headcover. The price is $199 for the clubpak. Here is the link http://www.golfworks.com/product.asp_Q_pn_E_PMA0216RA_A_cn_E_10031
My thoughts on this combo are very good. This shaft is well known as a low to mid launching, low spin shaft. This head would qualify as a mid launch head. It is not a high spin head. If you need a high launch head this may not be the head you want to choose. You may want to go with the Maltby Tricept BM3. Pete told me this will be a higher launching clubhead. It’s a very cool clubhead in itself with how you can change the face angle on that clubhead. Back to the review, I really like all that this clubhead has to offer. I really like how it launches on a mid flight. Even on the wet fairways I was playing I was still getting a little bit of rollout. I found this club easy to hit a slight fade with and easy to hit straight as well. I couldn’t put a big sweeping draw on it but maybe I just don’t have that shot right now.
I pulled the Aldila RIP shaft and installed a Wishon Gold Tour. It is a heavier shaft with a firm tip. I believe it is right around 82 grams uncut. I assembled the club to 44 1/2.” This combo for me was awesome. I tend to favor heavier shafts expecially in the woods. For me it must be a tempo thing and a mental thing. I took this combo to the range 2 times and played a round once. I flat out killed it. Nice mid flight that just hit and bounded forward. When I wanted to hit a nice high draw I could. I teed it up and let it fly. The course I played I play often, so I know where I am typically. That day my good shots were a good 5-10 yards in front of where I “usually” am. Bad shots seemed to be not as far off the beaten path and was not a big loss in distance either.
I’m really pleased with how this combo is performing for me. All in all this has got to be one of the best driver clubheads that Golfworks has put out in a while. Great job by the Golfworks staff of coming up with a awesome clubhead.
I am trying to upload pictures but the it is saying the file is too large.
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