SMT Deep Bore 455 driver
Reputed to be one of the world's longest drivers we put the latest offering from Midas Golf to the test,
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Price: From £124 - £149 (depending on shaft flex and quality)
If you’re looking to reduce 380-yards par-4 holes to a drive, a chip and a putt, SMT Golf reckon they’ve got the answer.
Midas Golf, the Huddersfield-based distributors of the SMT brand – twice a winner of the world long driving championship – says the 455 Deep Bore driver will make your playing partners sit up and take notice.
It’s certainly a big beast, as several golf colleagues will testify when they first spotted the large, crimson, bulbous head and addressed it against their ball on the tee.
Some couldn’t wait to get their hands on it to see if it lived up to its reputation – a clever ploy of mine when I’m looking to gain a small early advantage when financial wagers have been set for a round.
"Fancy having a go with this new driver?" I ask innocently. "It’s the same make which holds several world long driving records."
Irresistible. And by the time they’ve discovered it might not be quite what they’re looking for, me and my partner are four up!
The SMT 455 Deep Bore (mine had an 11-degree loft and grafalloy Prolite 35-R regular shaft) is not everyone’s cup of tea, especially with its deeper face and lack of scorelines.
Though it claims to deliver a higher than standard trajectory for those extra vital yards, I struggled to hit it high, despite its claimed lower centre of gravity. But it was very straight and extremely forgiving.
Midas Golf’s Shaun Womersley is anxious to stress that the £25 range of price is based on the component value not the perceived retail value.
While you pay £125 for the Prolite shaft to be fitted, an Assassin II Accuflex shaft will bring the price to £135.99 and Accuflex Evo (for the low handicapper/pro) sets the cost at £149.99. You can ,of course, have most available shafts fitted.
"At no time do we fit a £3 shaft to maximise profit," he says.
A bonus with the SMT club is its headcover. With such a big head, it’s a tight fit, but the unique magnetised flaps help keep it protected, though on occasions you can pull more than one club when nearby steel shafts are attracted by the cover, too!
Verdict
It’s an awesome-looking club for those with the strength and build to make the most from their swing and if they're demanding raw power. It will impress their friends at a moderate price. For me, it was straight and forgiving but not a particularly enjoyable experience unless I was looking to score a psychological advantage over opponents by loaning it out!
Golfmagic rating: 8/10
