Review: Callaway Diablo Octane Black Driver

Callaway Diablo Octane Black Driver.

When a golf club is designed with the help of Italian car-maker Lamborghini, you'd hope it doesn't just look good but also produces a decent drive. The new Diablo Octane Black Driver doesn't disappoint on both counts.

The seemingly odd partnership between a golf club maker and a luxury car maker has come together to produce a new material called forged composite. The science behind this takes some explaining.

They get millions of strands of carbon fibre held within a matrix and random alignment before being forged into shape. From that they make the forged composite material extremely strong in all directions. This has meant the centre of gravity lower and deeper to optimize ball flight. In a nut shell a driver that is lighter and stronger than a driver with a traditional titanium head.

The model I tested had a regular shaft and 10.5 degree loft, my current driver is a Taylor Made Super fast 9.5 with a stiff shaft. Not surprising when hitting the new Callaway it took a handful of balls to get the swing speed in check.

Once I slowed down my swing, the driver came into its own; it would be one of the most forgiving drivers I have hit for some time.

I play at a links course where distance and run is crucial, therefore a lower ball flight is required. The 10.5 loft produced a very high and long ball flight, I like to chop and change between drivers when trialing new clubs, it became clearly evident the new Callaway was producing a more consistent and higher ball flight than my existing driver.

For mid handicappers who were battling to get a driver off the tee and into the air, I would definitely recommend trialing this driver next time you are at the range.

The links nature and wide open spaces of my home club suit my game and driver, so I forgo consistency for a longer drive. But if I was a member at a parkland course, especially when you consider six months of the year Auckland courses will have little or no run, the ball flight and forgiveness produced by the Diablo Octane Black Driver would be an excellent option to your bag.

- HERALD ONLINE