Even former US Masters champion Ian Woosnam had to laugh when he got his hands on the Hippo ITX2 driver and saw its ball flight.
"Look at that!" he chuckled as he fired yet another practice ball into the stratosphere on the East Sussex National practice range this week. "I've never hit a ball that high. With modern equipment it's difficult to hit the draw I used to and I lose sight of the flight."
But that's modern drivers for you. The introduction of lighter, stronger carbon composite materials allows more weight to be repositioned in the back of the head which creates a launch angle for the ball that sends it higher much quicker and inevitably longer.
"I'm 15 years older and hitting the ball at least 15 yards further than I was when I won at Augusta," Woosie told me.
Unfortunately so is everyone else, Ian! And despite his 285 yards average on Tour, the 47-year-old Ryder Cup captain doesn't even rank in Europe's 150 longest hitters.
But 280 yards as our Sunday best would do for most of us, and this latest Hippo can achieve it if you can control the flight.
I joined Hippo's Glasgow representative and Rangers soccer fan, Gary Castle for a round at East Sussex National's West course and was impressed by the 12 handicapper's ability to hit the driver with abandon, both high and long.
It became a standing joke between the two of us as I persistently enquired if the club I'd seen him hammer out of my dwindling eyesight, had been the Hippo ITX2.
"Let me see," he'd say, studying the sole "Yep, that was the ITX2 alright!"
Occasionally my shots with an identical club but with a regular shaft and 11 degree loft, would join him on the fairway, though irritatingly 20-40 yards shorter. I'd nod approvingly: "Hmmm, not bad at all," and he'd push out his corporate chest with a certain pride and a wide Scottish grin.
The ITX2 was great fun to hit but not easy to control. The shaft was perhaps a little too flexible for my taste though I was able to get an encouraging amount of height.
On the down side, I couldn't, to save my life, hit the ITX2 off the deck. As regulars to my driver reviews will appreciate, I use that facility as one of my key benchmarks. As I'm not a particularly long hitter, but usually straight, I like to be able to have a go at longer par-4s (we played off the blue tees, almost furthest back at East Sussex) with the driver.
It didn't like the idea at all, compared to the TaylorMade r5, Cobra 430SS and Callaway Big Bertha 2. Also Hippo were a bit tight on material with their headcover. Getting the 460cc head inside its smart, protective, zip-up cover was a bit like pulling on a rubber glove.
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Rating: |
7.5/10 |
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Summary: | At under £100 - the Hippo ITX2 is easy to hit high off even a low level tee - and will suit new golfers seeking confidence to get the ball airborne. But its technology is not for shaping the ball as better golfers like to do, nor for clipping off the fairway to make par-5 and long par-4 suddenly reachable. For the new breed of golfer who likes to see their tee shots launch like a Saturn rocket, it's perfect but if 'how many?' is your slogan, instead of 'how far?' a juvenile hippo on a short leash is easier to control. |
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