An Inside Look at Higher MOI and Increased Ball Speeds
By Ryan Gager
Who wants more distance and straighter drives off the tee? I see everyone nodding in agreement. Driver technology has come a long way in the last couple of decades, and in this edition of Club Explorers, GOLFTEC’s Brad Skupaka takes us through the three most forgiving drivers of the year. Brad starts by hitting a driver that is 20 years old, followed by the three most forgiving drivers of 2022 to show how higher MOI and increased ball speeds can help you on the tee box. When you start finding all those fairways with a new driver, be sure to check out this year’s most forgiving irons as well to hit more greens!
What Is MOI And Why Does It Matter?
MOI stands for Moment of Inertia and it is the measurement of the forgiveness of a driver. The higher the MOI, the more forgiving a driver is.
MOI matters the most on off-center shots. When the ball is struck on either the toe or heel, it causes the club to twist and add spin to the ball, making it curve either right or left. Increased MOI reduces that curve, keeping shots straighter.
Higher MOI also correlates to higher ball speeds across the face, again helping with those off-center hits. This means you are able to maximize distance even with a less than perfect strike.
The legal limit for driver MOI is 6,000 g/cm2. The 20-year-old TaylorMade R580 driver measures about 3,800 g/cm2, while all three new drivers Brad tests are over 5,000 g/cm2.
The Three Most Forgiving Drivers
Brad tests the three most forgiving drivers on the market today. He starts with the Callaway Rogue ST Max, then the Cobra LTDx Max and PING G425 Max.
When looking at the numbers, Brad sees exactly what we would expect especially when it comes to ball speed. He was getting more ball speed compared to the 20-year-old driver, as much as 10 mph more! This increased ball speed leads to increased distance.
Brad also identifies the shot patterns for each driver, and again as expected, the three most forgiving drivers of 2022 had a tighter dispersion then the older driver.
Thanks to MOI, new drivers that hit the market are both longer and more forgiving. So, if you’re still playing a driver from 20 or even 10 years ago, it is worth checking out some new equipment! The technology in these new drivers will have you adding distance and finding more fairways, which equals having more fun on the course! Stop in to your local GOLFTEC today to set up a driver fitting. It’s a great way to be able to hit all of the new drivers, and our certified GOLFTEC Coaches will help you find the right driver head and shaft combination for your game.
Interested in more instructional content from GOLFTEC?
Fill out the form on this page and you’ll be subscribed to future emails with great videos, tips, drills, and more.
A local Coach will also contact you to discuss your game and how lessons or a fitting at a local Training Center may benefit you.
