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REVIEW: Wilson Launch Pad Driver

Can This Be The Solution To The Slice?

The shot that amateur golfers hate more than any other is the slice. There is nothing worse than watching a tee shot head straight down the middle of the fairway off the tee only to see it go forward 100 yards and then right 100 yards. It is the one shot quality that ruins so many games and causes many golfers to become frustrated with their swing or even quit. They’ve seen every swing tip in the magazines that never seem to correct the problem. Wilson designed the Launch Pad driver specifically for the slower swinging, banana ball hitting golfer to launch it high and straight while picking up some speed and distance.

The Wilson Launch Pad driver doesn’t hide the fact, but rather embraces the draw bias of the design and the deep heel weight designed to make the ball go left of where it normally goes. If you are already a straight ball hitter or naturally hit a draw, this club isn’t for you. This driver has a specific market, the slicer. Since the majority of golfers slice the ball, there is a massive market for this driver. It is also designed for the slower swing speeds. At 272grams of overall weight, it is really light compared to standard drivers. The UST Mamiya Helium Shaft is lightweight at 59 grams but fairly stable in the stiff flex. Easy to load and release and suited well for slower swing speeds. The club also has an offset hosel and only comes in 10.5 or 13 loft. It does have a good metallic crack at impact so you know you hit it well, but don’t worry, the whole course won’t hear it because it is muted enough.

The Wilson Launch Pad driver is well shaped and designed to look good at address. While there is hosel offset, it isn’t extreme. The head has a closed look at address too, but this too isn’t obvious or obnoxious. The deep black face offers confidence behind the ball so that even an inconsistent golfer, should hit near the center of the face repeatedly. The white accents on the sole give it just enough pop to look classy in the bag. The alignment aid and back of the crown arch help frame the ball and swing direction while looking at it in the address position.

The Wilson Launch Pad driver is true to its name on the course. This thing launches the ball. I hit very high drives that just rocketed off the face into the clouds. While I’ve hit 10.5 lofted heads before, this one still hits higher. This is also another struggle for many golfers to get a good launch angle. Unless it is a sky ball, the worm burner tee shot is all too popular. The Launch Pad will help with that. The combination of spin, offset, face angle will also have the ball traveling straight. While I could hit the ball way left with a draw swing, once I got settled in with this driver, the ball just went straight.

The Wilson Launch Pad driver found a ton of fairways, which at the end of the day is the number 1 goal most golfers should strive for. It was high and straight off almost every single tee I hit it on. Unfortunately for my swing, I put too much spin on the ball and launch it too high that I couldn’t maximize the distance. For me it was actually shorter because I didn’t get any roll and it went too high to get a longer carry distance. But just because I didn’t hit it longer, I know at least 20 golfers personally that will hit this driver further than their current driver. They need more spin, more loft and certainly more fairways. This driver isn’t for everyone, but for a large percentage of the golfing population, this club would do wonders for their game.

Flightscope Xi Tour Launch Monitor

Wilson Launch Pad Driver
Spin: 3425 rpms
Launch Angle: 16.9*
Dispersion: 6.8 yds
Club Head Speed: 102.1 mph
Ball Speed: 149.3 mph
Total Distance: 250.7 yds
Carry Distance: 244.2 yds

High and straight is what you are going to get with the Wilson Launch Pad driver. I actually enjoyed the driver since I was playing from the middle of the fairway after almost every tee shot. There is a good chance that this club could be the solution to your slice. It is a pretty sight to see the ball launch off the face and go 100 yards forward off the face and then another 100 yards forward down the middle of the fairway. This lightweight combo feels good and swings easy. If you need a slice solution and want to launch it, you should give the Wilson Launch Pad a try.

Check the price online here

For more information: https://www.wilson.com/en-us/golf/drivers/super-game-improvement/launch-pad-driver

Quick Hits:
+High launching
+Straight hitting
+Draw bias
+Lightweight
+Good sound
+Great looks

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