Nicklaus ML4 Driver - Forum Testing Review

[TRyan]

Another quick after work round at the local "dog track" after work today....first round out with the Miyazaki Kusala Black.

Round 1: Local Dog Track...lol (Pull Driver!)
43/36 = 79 (+7)
12/14 Fairways Hit
0/2 Within 10 Feet of Fairway
Long Drive = 285 Yards
Short Drive = 230
Average = 260ish

I'm not going to make this about the Miyazaki, there are other threads for that, suffice to say however that the Black brought my flight to exactly where I think it needs to be for the ML4 10.5*, nice and penetrating. That said, the smoother loading shaft (for me) was letting the ML4 do its thing today, 12/14 and the 2 misses were actually HUGE slices on the first two holes (I got too quick with the combo) but after that, pipe after pipe. The highlight was the 285 yard drive on the 340 yard par 4, truly one of those "Oh YES" ML4 moments where you get the feel of contact and pure explosion from the face. Was hitting fairways even hitting LOTS of them high and inside, I love that I CAN feel where I make contact on the face but still git great forgiveness. All in all it was a good first outing with the shaft but the ML4 just continues to do what it does no matter what shaft is in it...find fairways.

I'll be out for 18/36/54 on Monday as I'm not going in to work, more Monday! (MAY even have my Flip cam by then!)

Oh yes...and before I forget...

SESSINESS!!!!

Wow Jman! Awesome post glad the Miz is working for you

 

[Jman]

Wow Jman! Awesome post glad the Miz is working for you

Thanks TH! But I'll be honest, sometimes I think you could put a broomstick in the ML4 and it would perform...hah!

 

[SW]

Jman that is fantastic! You were already loving the ML4, now its just ridiculous dude. I've seriously gotta get a hold of one of these stat.

--
tapatalk

 

[Sean]

ML4 Update

I just wanted to show you how the ML4 has held up after five months.

 

[BamBooBender]

The ML4 is holding up great Sean, looks like you got it yesterday.
BTW the white looks great with that head.

I'd love to hit this driver and compare it to my XL270, I wonder how they would compare. It certainly seems to be a fairway finding machine for you.

 

[coolbreeze]

Great post Jman, I was waiting to hear your thoughts on the ML4 with the MIyazaki in it. I really wish I could get my hands on one of these, you guys really made me want to get out there and hit one.

 

[BamBooBender]

Good stuff jman! Looks like you hit on a great combo. How would you say the club as it is now, compares to when it was stock?

 

[Sean]

The ML4 is holding up great Sean, looks like you got it yesterday.
BTW the white looks great with that head.

I'd love to hit this driver and compare it to my XL270, I wonder how they would compare. It certainly seems to be a fairway finding machine for you.

Thanks BamBoo. The shaft is a Harrison Eclipse. I also had the Harrison Shotmaker installed. For me the ML4 is more stable now and has a better "feel" to it, i.e., it's not as whippy. I played nine holes today and used the ML4 three times and hit three fairways. I'm not nearly as long as Jman, but I was happy with how I was hitting the ML4. Even after five months I still love the sound and feel of the ball coming off the club face of this head. It also has a degree of forgiveness I still haven't seen in other drivers.

 

[Jman]

Great post Jman, I was waiting to hear your thoughts on the ML4 with the MIyazaki in it. I really wish I could get my hands on one of these, you guys really made me want to get out there and hit one.

Thanks Breezy! I'll have more Monday, if the weather holds I'll be out for 36-54!

Good stuff jman! Looks like you hit on a great combo. How would you say the club as it is now, compares to when it was stock?

Thanks BamBoo!

I've definitely gained some distance, but thats because of the lower flight of the shafts I've tried. I'll still say this, I don't think the stock shaft is a bad offering at all, I'm just too much of a high ball hitter for it, its still DID NOT balloon on me though. The ML4 head performs no matter that shaft, I think thats what I've loved the most. This one should be the last stop though for me (the RIP should've been had it not failed on me).

 

[Jman]

Got out for 2 rounds on Monday...don't ask how hehehehe

Round 1: "Home Course" (Pull Driver!)
41/38 = 79 (+7)
10/14 Fairways Hit
2/4 Within 10 Feet of Fairway
Long Drive = 280 Yards
Short Drive = 240
Average = 265ish

Round 2: "Home Course" (Pull Driver!)
39/42 = 81 (+9)
11/14 Fairways Hit
2/3 Within 10 Feet of Fairway
Long Drive = 275 Yards
Short Drive = 250
Average = 265ish

Well, sadly enough the Flip Cam still hasn't arrived yet (BOO!) so it certainly was not in time for my rounds. So far in rounds 2 and 3 witht he Miya in the ML4 the flight path has been much more where I want in both directional and trajectory wise. That said, obviously a bad swing still nets a bad result but on round one that only happened twice with big swooping fades (not a slice) when I was trying to cut corners and once on the second round when I tried to cut one of the same corners and opened my hips to much and blocked off left...but still in play. I've been playing a nice baby fade now which for this course works perfectly on setup of quite a few holes. Both rounds on the the longest hole of the course from the blue's (495) I decided to jump on it and had TREMENDOUS results both times unleashing about 280 and 275 respectively. One of which was super nice because I was playing through a group of gentlemen and they all commented on the sound and the explosion off the face...this made me grin as I made sure to tell them what brand it was.

After rounds there was another interesting moment after my cars key-fob died and the key wouldn't work I had to go to the local store on foot and asked to leave my clubs and shoes IN the clubhouse, to which they obliged and set them safely in eyeshot of the guy working the desk. When I came back in I could see three people and the worker from the sidewalk all standing over by my bag...and so began the 50 questions lol. They had the putter uncovered as well as the driver and were admiring the setup. Not a huge thing, but made me feel good with the compliments I got (and them saying I must have an amazing wife! and I do!!! lol) and it let me brag on the Nicklaus a bit more and talk about THP. Very cool stuff IMO.

 

[Jman]

Little bumpity for the afternoon/evening'ers to peek at.

 

[Sean]

Sounds like the ML4/Miya combination is working for you Jman! Good numbers all the way around.

 

[Hawk]

Dear god, Jman. You are murdering the ball right now with that combo.

 

[Jman]

Sounds like the ML4/Miya combination is working for you Jman! Good numbers all the way around.

Thanks Sean!!

Dear god, Jman. You are murdering the ball right now with that combo.

Haha, thanks Hawk.

It's 100% true. I'll say this though, you've all (all you guys that have played the Kusala line) commented on the smooth feeling and load and unload of them and that's why I jumped on the black. I was hoping for a lower flight like the RIP but a better feel and I can honestly say I found it. The Miya Black just lets the ML4 clubhead work, period.

I don't want there to bee too much on the shaft and not the head in here but I stand by the statement that if you find or have a shaft that fits your game this head will compete with ANY other out there, I really and truly think that.

 

[Hawk]

You've done a great job keeping this thread up to date, Jman. I know that it can be tough at times, but I appreciate all the content you are putting out there.

 

[Jman]

You've done a great job keeping this thread up to date, Jman. I know that it can be tough at times, but I appreciate all the content you are putting out there.

Thanks buddy, I appreciate you saying that.

I really hope people don't just glance by and think I'm a fanboy though, after going to GG and hitting the Razr, R11, etc last week, the ML4 as a head truly does stand toe-to-toe with them.

I truly which Nicklaus could get more people to look its way.

 

[Hawk]

The thing is that I don't think you're doing that at all. I've watched you post some great rounds over this process and the stats really speak for themselves.

 

[Jman]

The thing is that I don't think you're doing that at all. I've watched you post some great rounds over this process and the stats really speak for themselves.

I can truly say I've never been this consistent off the tee in my life. I know its attributed to just playing more rounds and just being confident in the ML4, either way though, its nice not going up to the tee thinking "lets try to keep it in play" lol

 

[#Cookie]

Great stuff as always JMan! Definitely a solid day on the course for you Monday and the key fob story was neat as well. Definitely feels good having people admire and show their curiosity about the clubs in your bag.

Now let's meet up so I can check out that driver and you can check out some gear that you have been pondering!


Tappin' from my iPad!

 

[Jman]

Great stuff as always JMan! Definitely a solid day on the course for you Monday and the key fob story was neat as well. Definitely feels good having people admire and show their curiosity about the clubs in your bag.

Now let's meet up so I can check out that driver and you can check out some gear that you have been pondering!

Tappin' from my iPad!

Thanks Cookie!

I agree man, we need to, hopefully I'll have some timeframes when I'll be down that way for you soon.

 

[Sean]

ML4 Update

The problem is, at least in my area, I've checked every golf store and none of them carry the ML4. Which is too bad. It's not only a great driver, which we have repeatedly posted, but it has real staying power...as I posted recently with some pictures. Mine still looks brand new. I've only met one other person who plays a Nicklaus driver (an ML3), and he bought it on eBay just for the heck of it. He really likes it. He's thinking of getting the ML4 after checking mine out.

Played 18 today, and hit 10 of 14 fairways. Only one ball wasn't in play. For me, if a ball is in play and I have a shot at the green that is a "fairway". So in a way I hit 13 of 14 fairway. lol I shot an 81. I won't post my distances because I don't hit it nearly as far as Jman, and I don't want you folks to get the impression that this is a "short" driver.

What I will tell you is the driver is solid in sound, feel, and forgiveness. By teeing it up very low I've brought down the ball flight so I've picked up some yardage/roll. The ML4 head works very well with my combination of the Harrison Eclipse shaft and the Harrison Shotmaker. The Shotmaker gives an already stable head even more stability.

 

[Hawk]

Lots of great stuff out there that can't be found in the big stores. That's why testing like this is so valuable in my opinion.

 

[Hawk]

I wouldn't think it's a short driver, Sean. We are all different and I personally find it refreshing to see people that hit it as far as me

 

[Sean]

Lots of great stuff out there that can't be found in the big stores. That's why testing like this is so valuable in my opinion.

I had trouble with my update...it kept asking me if I wanted to leave the page every time I tried to post. Please see updated post above.

As to your comment, what you say is true. It's just a shame that such a great product doesn't get a place in the stores.

 

[Hawk]

I had trouble with my update...it kept asking me if I wanted to leave the page every time I tried to post. Please see updated post above.

As to your comment, what you say is true. It's just a shame that such a great product doesn't get a place in the stores.

I've felt that way about many things I've reviewed.

Just click yes you want to leave the page and your post will appear.