Ben Hogan GS53 Max driver Review

The Ben Hogan GS53 Max driver is a carbon-composite crowned, lightweight, long and ultra-forgiving premium model and it comes at a very impressive price.

The Ben Hogan GS53 Max driver proves once again that, in an era of £500-plus big sticks, it is possible to bring premium golf clubs at a more affordable price.

The brand’s new adjustable, carbon-composite-crowned driver is £306, more than a third cheaper than some of its big-name rivals, but the lower price tag doesn’t mean it lacks the quality of its competitors.

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So how can they sell a premium driver for just such a low price? Hogan, which was created to honour the lengendary nine-time Major champion, keep costs down by operating a direct-to-consumer model and not paying for tour endorsements. Instead they custom-assemble and ship all of their clubs, including the new GS53 Max, from their Fort Worth factory in Texas.

The new 460cc driver follows the highly-successful GS53 model, bringing a 22 per cent head and an 11 per cent taller face than it’s predecessor.

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WATCH: The Ben Hogan Golf Equipment Company GS53 story

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The Max’s four-piece head utilises multiple materials including forged titanium and dense tungsten, complemented by a carbon composite crown. The combination allowed Hogan’s engineers to precisely position discretionary weight inside of the clubhead to create a low and rearward Centre of Gravity for higher initial launch angles.

Weight has also been positioned at the edges of the driver head to help increase stability and keep the clubhead squared at impact, while weight optimisation provides the solid sound you’ll hear at impact.

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Which type of golfer does the Ben Hogan GS53 Max Driver suit?

Hogan say the driver will suit amateur golfers of all abilities, but its higher ball flight and levels of forgiveness mean it is more likely to suit players who need a little help from the tee and especially those who don’t have super-fast clubhead speeds.

Having said that, the driver can easily be fine-tuned to your needs thanks to Ben Hogan’s ‘Flight Control’. The adjustable hosel allows the GS53 Max, which comes in 9º and 10.5º, to be easily adjusted by one degree higher or lower, while the lie and face angle can also be changed from open to closed using with the provided wrench to meet your exact requirements.

There are eight adjustment settings, all of which are easily identifiable and do not require re-orientation of the shaft graphics or grip position.

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What is the stock shaft in the Ben Hogan GS53 Max Driver?

The Project X HZRDUS Smoke Black is for low trajectory, the Tensei CK Blue is for mid trajectory and the UST Mamiya Helium is, as the name suggests, for high trajectory.

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What Ben Hogan say about the GS53 Max Driver

“This is a special driver that is born off Mr. Hogan’s principles of club design,” said Scott White, CEO of Ben Hogan Golf Company.

“Our R&D mission for the GS53 MAX was to keep the Centre of Mass as low and as far rearward as possible, which is very different when compared to the original GS53 driver which is much higher and more forward. 

“As a result, the combination of the lightweight composite crown and tungsten sole weight allow us to position the Centre of Mass so that we maximize launch while decreasing the amount of ball spin. This provides a higher ball flight… especially for players who don’t have Tour-calibre clubhead speeds… for increased carry and roll out.

“The composite crown also allows us to increase the forgiveness of the driver by moving more mass to the edges of the driver; it’s the same concept as perimeter weighting used in iron design. As a result, the GS53 clubhead is more stable and squared at impact. We think golfers of all abilities will love the feel and performance of the GS53 MAX.

“Our direct-to-consumer business model, where all products are sold exclusively on our website, allow us to price the GS53 MAX at £306, which is far below the industry standard for a driver in the super-premium, high performance category.”

The Ben Hogan GS53 MAX driver is available now from Ben Hogan’s EU website.

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Ben Hogan Golf Equipment Company GS53 Max Driver

RRP: £272 ($355)

Lofts: 9º and 10.5º

Left-handed model: Not in intial launch

Stock shaft options: Project X HZRDUS Smoke Black (low trajectory), Tensei CK Blue (mid trajectory), UST Mamiya Helium (high trajectory). All shafts available in a choice of flexes and weights.

Adjustable hosel: Yes, Flght Control allows loft to be increased or decreased by one degree each way, while the lie and face angle can also be changed from open to closed with eight adjustment settings.

Adjustable headweight: No

Adjustable CG: No

Custom fitting: All clubs are custom-assembled to buyer's specs

Release date: October 22, 2020

More information: Ben Hogan EU website