Wilson Dynapower Carbon Driver Review

Wilson Dynapower Carbon Driver Review

The driver market is increasingly crowded with real challengers to the Big 4 of TaylorMade, Callaway, Ping and Titleist. Brands like Cobra, Mizuno and Srixon have made great strides in creating new drivers that rival the Tour’s most popular offerings, and now it’s Wilson’s turn to hear them.

The new Dynapower driver is one of the most adjustable drivers Wilson has ever made and is available in both carbon and titanium head options. The carbon model is designed for slightly better players and has even been seen on tour in the hands of newcomer Kevin Kisner. As the name suggests, it features large carbon fiber panels in the sole and crown for weighting. Head rotation becomes more efficient.

The appearance of the sole is relatively subdued, but when you put it in your bag, it feels luxurious. Flip it over and you’ll see that the carbon fiber section contrasts subtly with the front edge and has a shinier finish compared to the new Callaway Paradim driver. There isn’t much in terms of alignment given the subtle markings on the PKR2 face, but the shape is as traditional as it is attractive behind the ball.

The rich carbon fiber incorporation means that the impact sound is very dull, dense and short. Some may want a little more feedback, but I really like the reassuring ‘thump’ that comes with a well-hit shot.

I had this driver custom fitted with a Fujikura Ventus Blue 6-X shaft and a 10.5° loft down, despite some pretty bad weather conditions on the outdoor covered driving range. It usually goes up significantly. The specs I put on that day put me very close to my current Titleist TSR3 driver in my bag, sometimes matching it in both distance and dispersion, but the TSR3 probably beat it. Foresight Sports GCQuad launch Tested again indoors with Titleist Pro V1x golf balls on his monitor, Callaway found he struggled to keep up with newer launches like the Paladim and TaylorMade Stealth 2, hitting distances of 5-5 I was 10 yards short. It was a little spiny, but not excessive, and the launch angle was healthy. It just seemed to be missing the last few percentiles of its performance, which could possibly be resolved by recalibrating with better conditions and premium balls.

It certainly delivered on its promise of a slight fade shot shape bias from neutral and toned down my draw shape nicely. Off-center forgiveness was more than enough. When I hit the ball slightly off the heel or toe, it didn’t slow down significantly, but it didn’t always miss the fairway. The adjustability certainly helps optimize ball flight, but the fact that the settings aren’t visible until you unscrew the head makes for a cleaner overall look, but it’s a bit of a hassle.