A good driver is going to put you in a position to score on every single hole. Ideally, the right club will provide you with an optimal combination of power, feel, and accuracy. Unfortunately, though, this is possibly the hardest club in the bag to shop for.
This is mostly for the fact of its price. A new club can run you five hundred dollars easily. That’s why I like the GX7 driver. It’s an affordable take on a club that no player can do without. However, it’s also a product that you probably have never heard of before.
Let’s change that. Read on as we take a look at this GX7 driver review.
Review Summary
I like this club a lot. Frankly, most players would be served well by sacrificing a little bit of distance for some more accuracy.
GX-7 “X-Metal” – Driver
- Affordable
- Incredibly accurate
- Can be hit from tee or fairway
- Unique design concept
- Not as aerodynamic as some clubs
- Shorter than the average driver
GX-7 Test Data
- Ball Speed (mph): 117.40
- Total Spin (rpm): 2934
- Launch Angle (degrees) : 15.17
- Carry Yards : 228
- Total Yards : 250
Things To Consider As You Shop For A Driver
Before we dive into this review, let’s take a look at a few important considerations that everyone should keep in mind before they make their buying decision.
Loft
Drivers range in their loft by a matter of about four degrees. With most players, the more loft that you can get, the better off you will be. Why is that? Chances are your swing speed isn’t going to be quick enough to consistently produce a soaring ball flight. Even though high lofts are associated with less distance, you can actually lose yardage by going with a club that doesn’t have enough loft.
For most players, something in the 10.5-degree range will be optimal. However, there is certainly no shame in going
Shaft Flex
There is a variety of different shaft flexes available with just about any club that you can think of. The majority of players are going to favor regular or stiff flex shafts. If you have a high swing speed, the stiffer option will be right for you. However, if you’re swing speed is a little bit more average, you will be better served by a regular flex club.
You can also find extra stiff shafts, and senior flex clubs if your swing speed is very fast, or slower than average respectively.
Price
Oh my gosh. I can’t stress this one enough. Drivers can be ludicrous in the price department. Buy a brand new club and you’re probably going to be stuck with a $500+ bill.
The problem? They also deteriorate in value the second you leave the store with them. Several months after a drivers release they drop substantially in cost. By the time a company releases the next club in their line, you can expect the previous version to be less than half the price I rolled out for.
Spending a fortune on drivers just isn’t sensible. With patience, or just with prudent shopping, you can find good clubs at great prices The GX7 is a great example of this.
Gx7 Driver Review – [ In-Depth]
The GX7 is an affordable club with a hot face, a big sweet spot, and an attractive design that you don’t often find with budget buys.
What I like about this club is that it’s actually kind of a hybrid between a driver and a fairway wood. It features the dimensions of a fairway wood but includes a loft and center of gravity that are able to produce ball flight that is more similar to a driver.
What’s the point of this? Fairway woods are praised for their ability to maintain a relatively straight ball flight. The combination feature is going to make it easier to keep your ball in play off the tee while still getting lots of distance. These things said what you might call an off-brand operation, and some of the club components do reflect this.
For one thing, you don’t get the same level of aerodynamic optimization that we generally find in big brand companies. This means that your clubhead speed won’t get a natural boost with every swing.
It’s also not quite as long as some of the other drivers that are currently hitting the scene. This is likely largely having to do with the shortened shaft. Still, if you’re goal is to maximize your distance off the tee, you might wind up a little bit disappointed.
Gx7 Driver Features & Benefits
And now, here are some important features that will help you to better understand the GX7. Read on!
Compact Design
Last but not least, I was also very impressed and pleased with the warranty that came with the club. You see that factor with many big brand clubs, but it’s not as much a feature of off-brand options like this one.
If you encounter any defects with the club in the first year, they will fix or replace it for you free of cost.
As an added bonus, they also have a money-back guarantee for the first two months following your purchase of the club. This is a nice feature to have for the fact that using this driver is going to be a big adjustment no matter who you are. It really is a one-of-a-kind club, and there is always the chance that some people just won’t be feeling it. If you fall into that camp, you can get your money back with no hard feelings.
Reasonable Club Length
The other unique factor about the design concept is that the club length is several inches shorter than that of your average driver. The reasonable shaft length makes it much easier to keep the ball in play off the tee.
As mentioned earlier, this will take a few yards off your average swing. Big deal? Not really. The difference is negligible enough that you might not even notice it. You will, however, notice it once you start hitting more fairways.
The abbreviated club length also makes it a little bit easier to put a little extra oomph into your shots when the needs prevent itself. Because it features the length of a shorter club, it’s limited in how far offline it can get. Chances are, even if you do hit a very low-quality shot, the ball will still wind up in play.
Tournament Legal
Anytime you encounter a “gimmicky” (which I mean in the best possible way) feature on a club, one worry should be on your mind: is the club legal?
In this case, the answer is yes. The adjustments, though quite severe relative to your average driver, are also all well within the range of USGA’s requirements.
Hot Face
I also found the clubface to be very reactive. You don’t have to swing out of your shoes to get good results with this one.
The sweet spot is also pretty sizable, which means that even if you don’t hit the ball dead solid perfect, you will still be able to put it out a little way.
Affordable
Of course, it is also worth mentioning that this is a very affordable driver. If you’re on a budget, this will certainly be an appealing factor. For half the price of most new clubs, you can get something that is virtually guaranteed to help you hit more fairways.
Manufacturers Warranty
Last but not least, I was also very impressed and pleased with the warranty that came with the club. You see that factor with many big brand clubs, but it’s not as much a feature of off-brand options like this one. If you encounter any defects with the club in the first year, they will fix or replace it for you free of cost.
As an added bonus, they also have a money-back guarantee for the first two months following your purchase of the club. This is a nice feature to have for the fact that using this driver is going to be a big adjustment no matter who you are. It really is a one-of-a-kind club, and there is always the chance that some people just won’t be feeling it. If you fall into that camp, you can get your money back with no hard feelings.
What People Are Saying About Gx7 Driver?
I also took the liberty of speaking with a few people that regularly use this club. For the most part, the consensus is pretty positive. People really are hitting a lot more fairways, and find that it feels like a seven iron when you swing it.
The only issue is the distance compromise. It seems that the faster your natural swing speed is, the more likely it is that you’ll lose a decent amount of yardage.
Players with quicker swing speeds, on the other hand, don’t seem to notice as much of a change.
Conclusion
If you want to hit more fairways, I think this club is a no-brainer. The short shaft and the compact head make it about as easy as possible to put the ball in play.
It is true that the club design has some hiccups. Some buyers may be a little bit hesitant to invest in something that they know will take yards off their swing.
However, my personal opinion is that it’s worth trying out. With the money-back guarantee, it’s a low-risk scenario anyway.
