Equipment Review:
KZG SPX Driver
by Jeffrey Reed, Editor, LondonOntarioGolf.com

We at LondonOntarioGolf.com have a soft spot for North Hollywood, California-headquartered KZG – “the #1 Custom ProLine.” We’ve raved in the past about the Gemini and Gemini II drivers, and their explosive distance. I used the Gemini driver en route to a course-record 62 (-8) at Caradoc Sands Golf Club here in southwestern Ontario.

The latest KZG big dog to make tracks across our editorial desk is the SPX Driver. Chalk up another win for KZG. Listen, this company knows how to manufacture some of the prettiest sticks in the ‘biz, including the always-popular Evolution Irons. But I truly believe, what makes this company stand out amongst the pack in terms of equipment is its line of drivers.

The SPX Driver had some big shoes to fill, following in the footsteps of the Gemini and Gemini II, and the adjustable weight-featured drivers from KZG – the GF 4 and GF 460. The SPX gets two thumbs up from this KZG aficionado. 

Here’s the skinny on this new big dog. I tested the SPX 460 LL (Low Loft), 9 degrees, with an extra stiff Aldila NVS 75 graphite shaft aiming to produce a mid-trajectory. First, let me say the shaft and clubhead match are ideal. Combined with the Lamkin CrossLine grip, the club fit my swing and my eye as if it had been in my bag for years. 

KZG president Jennifer King says, “The SPX Driver is designed to provide the ideal combination of precision and power. It is preferred by players for its outstanding performance and value.” No doubt, players i.e. skilled, low-handicap golfers will best benefit from this club, but it does provide enough forgiveness for mid-handicap golfers, too. And the key, I think, is the combination of the unique sole design, plus the forged, heat-treated titanium face.

Here’s some advice when teeing up the SPX 460 driver: tee it a bit higher than you normally would. The reason: this aerodynamic club features a raised sole plate. It produces enormous drives, not to mention confidence off the tee. When the pill hits this club, it delivers a dense sound which is pleasing to the ear – it’s not tinny like so many of the square-faced and even traditional 460cc drivers on the market. The other members of your foursome will bend their necks admiring the distance and accuracy of your drives – not the oddness of your driver’s sound – when you hit the SPX 460 driver.

With a MSRP of $329 US, the SPX 460 driver is sure to measure up to many of today’s higher-priced drivers. For better players who can make the ball dance with a face or draw, this driver fits the bill. It’s also one of the prettiest big sticks we’ve tested, too, thanks to the Midnight Black head colour and fine satin sole finish, with brushed satin face. It’s a traditional-looking club with modern technology.

True to its reputation as a leading custom-fitting company, KZG (est. 1994) has just released its list of the World’s Top 100 ClubFitters. This time around, four clubfitters from Ontario made the list: Rene Grandmaison, Grand Lynx Golf Centre in Chelmsford; Don Irving, Artisan Golf in Ottawa; Joe Lavery, Oakville Golf in Oakville; and Ryan Young, Paradise Golf in Thunder Bay.

For more information on KZG’s SPX driver and its complete line of golf clubs and accessories, visit the company web site, www.kzgolf.com.