Vice Golf VGD01+ Driver Review: A new low-spin challenger emerges

2025 has brought us a number of launches from brands pushing their product ranges in interesting new directions. Just yesterday, we brought you a review of Takomo's Ignis D1: the Finnish brand's first foray into the driver market and a budget-friendly option that's well worth consideration for the beginner golfer.

Now, it's the turn of golf's arguable original disruptor: Vice. The brand that shook the industry with the radical idea of selling their gear directly rather than using a shop, Vice's product range has grown throughout the years to include just about everything a golfer could ever need. But they've never had a driver.

Now, however, they've launched two. Called the VGD01 and VGD01+, both are attractively priced compared to the major brands, packed with tech, and uniquely in the case of the latter, a genuinely affordable low-spin option aimed at better players. It's a nice option to have, particularly given most drivers aimed at better players tend to tip the end of the scales in terms of price.

All of this talk, of course, is meaningless if the VGD01+ isn't any good. As such, we decided to do our due diligence and take it out on the course to see how it stacks up against the best low-spin drivers on the market.

Looks and features

It's clear that Vice has gone out of their way to make a big splash with their debut drivers, both performance-wise and from an aesthetic standpoint. As you've probably come to expect from Vice's product, the VGD01+ is immediately eye-catching, with a distinctive V-patterned gloss and matte sole with aluminium fins, a forged carbon finish crown (that's almost reminiscent of Callaway's AI-Smoke), a near-hypnotic laser-patterned face and a Vice-branded alignment aid at address. 

The looks are what I'd call divisive: others are giving the VGD01+ full marks for looks, but the overall package isn't to my personal taste—and likely won't be if you prefer a more classically-styled driver. The head cover is nice, however, rendered in a sleek black synthetic leather with clean Vice branding.

Looks are only one part of the equation, however, and the VGD01+ makes for a unique driver prospect in many ways. Firstly and most importantly, rather than focusing on out and out forgiveness as most affordably-priced drivers do, the VGD01+ is a low-spin alternative to the standard VGD01 aimed at the better player, emphasising speed and a more penetrating ball flight. 

To achieve this, Vice has made a number of distinct changes in the VGD01+ compared to the original. The body is made of a multi-material composite rather than pure titanium, with sharper lines and a smaller profile. The titanium face feels explosive at impact rather than solid, true to the motto Vice had in mind when envisaging the driver: 'No tinkering. Just bombs.'

Performance

Out on the course, the VGD01+ does a surprisingly good job of straddling the line between the forgiveness of the other VGD01 and a more player-centric Low Spin driver. It undoubtedly launches lower and spins less than its predecessor, but we found dispersion to be pleasantly consistent. It's not the longest driver we've ever tested, but it benchmark tests have shown it performs admirably against similar models from the major brands – many of which retail for up to £200 more than the Vice.

The loft and lie system makes it a breeze to dial in and tinker with, with a 4 degree range of loft that's adjustable with a simple twist of the hozel – however those who like the added adjustability of a moveable weight might find the options in the Vice lacking.

The other drawback of the VGD01+, particularly for a driver aimed at more discerning golfers, is the choice of shafts on offer. The VGD01+ comes with a choice of Aldila 'Whiz' black or blue shafts – a pair of models developed exclusively for the driver and, curiously given it costs £90 more, exactly the same as what comes with the standard VGD01. 

We suspect the Whiz Black will be better suited to the profile of player likely to game the VGD01+. But with no fitting services available and better golfers naturally more discerning about the shafts they use, they may feel this is too limited a choice to risk their money on (even if it does come with a 60 day trial guarantee).

Should you buy the Vice VGD01+ Driver?

Priced at £379, the Vice is pretty much exactly positioned between "affordable" driver brands and entry-level premium models like Wilson's DYNAPWR range. As an overall package, it fits that bill pretty much perfectly, offering high-end performance and build quality with the natural caveats that come with Vice's direct to consumer model.

We appreciate the fact that Vice offer the VGD01+ at all, offering a genuine low-spin option for better players at a more affordable price. Given a driver is one of the most expensive investments any golfer will make, however, the limited choice of shafts and lack of a fitting service might might be off-putting to those who looking to invest serious time and money into their game.

Even so, there's no doubt that if you can dial it in, the VGD01+ is a seriously well put-together package, and we'd recommend it heartily to someone wanting to experiment with a low spin driver as they progress further into the game. At almost £200 less than its biggest competitors and offered with a full money-back guarantee, we think it's well and truly a punt worth taking.

Shop now: £379 from Vice Golf UK, $449 from Vice Golf USA