Ping Anser 9.5* + Position (10*)
Fujikura Blur Stiff Shaft
Missouri Bluffs Golf Club
Temp 70*
Winds 20-25 MPH
I took the Anser out for my first full round with it after a solid range session and the results were definitely mixed. I teed the ball up using the Champ Stinger tees and teed it up to the bottom of the top line every time. I paid special attention to tee height with all the discussion here. This is just a bit higher than I normally tee the ball too.
Accuracy:
I hit 7/12 FIR, which is about the same percentage I usually see with my Titleist 910 D2 and even my TM SuperTri before that. I had 2 awful misses off the tee (low hard hooks) that resulted in lost balls and penalty strokes. I know my stroke was too quick for me, but i don't usually see that poor of shots using a similar swing with my 910. The other 3 misses were about 5-10 yards off the fairway and didn't really cost me too badly. These 3 were livable misses in my opinion. All my misses were on the left side of the fairway which was a big improvement for me. I was fighting a 2 way miss in my very first round with it and even at the range.
Distance:
Distances were mixed as well. The best shot I had was hit dead on the screws (see below for impact pic) and flew high and just seemed to pierce through all the cross winds. This is about the farthest I hit my 910 and ST on a similar elevation/wind combination. The majority of the other drives in the Fairway or close to the fairway were pretty close to my normal distance. It seemed like the toe misses flew like I expected them to, but the heel misses were definitely shorter than heel misses with my other driver. The average ball flight was probably a bit lower than the flight I see with my 910.
Misc:
The sound definitely varies a good deal based on where you make impact. My best drive of the day had a solid sound to it, but the sound and level of 'Pinginess' varied a good deal. The toe and heel shots seem to be more high pitched to me with shots low on the face sound deeper. I even got a few comments on my misses, like "oh man I could tell that didn't sound good."
I will disagree with some of the other testers on the stock grip. I think its awful and will probably swap it out this week. It just feels too harsh to me and I'm not sure why it needs to be. I do like that it will look the same regardless of the position of the face. FWIW, I play the NDMC in my other long clubs so its not like I am coming from a soft Winn or something.
Looks / Durability:
I LOVE, LOVE the matte black finish. It is the first thing other people notice when they pick it up and its probably my favorite part of the club. I hope matte black is the new trend in drivers. I am not a fan of the large crown logo, but I can live with it. I do prefer a logo over no logo on the crown, but its just too big in my opinion.
The face is really holding up well and does not show the permanent face marks like my 910. I love how you can see the impact spot on each drive and they can just be wiped away before the next shot. The sole is holding up well too. I don't see any of the surface level scratches I saw with my SuperTri and I didn't get any dirt/mud in the little grooves on the sole during the entire round.
Head cover:
I really like the simplicity of the black leather head cover. It comes off easy enough and is easy to put back on. I like the basic sock nature and glad they don't have magnets, zippers, or any gimmicks. The sock portion is holding up well too, with very little extra stretching on the entry point.
