Equipment Review:
Alpha Golf V5 LX Driver
by Jeffrey Reed, Editor, LondonOntarioGolf.com

Previous Alpha Golf reviews at London Ontario Golf have trumpeted the gorgeous aesthetics, long distance and workability of this company’s excellent drivers. Move over, RX460 Carbon driver, and C830.2 Plasma driver: Alpha Golf’s V5 LX driver may be the best of the bunch, both in great looks and Tour-like performance.

As soon as the V5 LX arrived at our desk here at London Ontario Golf, we were hypnotized by its beauty, and that’s no exaggeration. The satin black face also serves a purpose. It’s coated with Ti-CN, allowing for erasable point-of-impact marks, great for gauging your accuracy. And an all-black head does more than turn heads: it’s made from a two-piece construction. The outer shell is one whole piece of 15-3-3 Titanium, welded onto the forged Active Beta face insert. Reducing welds helps boost this beast’s rigidity, making it one of the most stable and durable club heads on the market.

This all sounds fine and dandy, but how would it perform on the course? The first thing out of our mouths was, wow! Of any driver we’ve tested here at London Ontario Golf, this big stick pops the pill with the greatest immediate velocity off the club face. Here’s why.

Dr. Jim Yeh, founder of Alpha Golf, designed this club around one goal: to maximize the smash factor for explosive ball speed off the face. Smash factor is the ratio of ball speed to club head speed, as measured by a launch monitor – in short, the amount of energy transfer from your swing to the ball. The club’s design, which includes two weight ports at the rear of the sole, not only offers an amazing trampoline effect – COR – but also tremendous rigidity. Throughout the swing, this club feels stable in your hands, helping avoid club head twist and promoting a long, penetrating ball flight. No lead tape required here!

I tested a 9° V5 LX driver with two, 2 g weight screws. The club comes with a starter weight kit, not to mention a sharp-looking headcover with patented magnetic closing neck. A stiff 65 g Alpha Platinum shaft proved to be a perfect fit for this club. I stood in awe as the ball exploded off the club face, and the trajectory was great for my game. Workability was a breeze, too.

The Alpha Golf V5 LX 460cc driver features a lower and more centred COG at impact for reduced backspin. A square face and modified toe curvature offers confidence-building setup and alignment. I really like the traditional pear-shaped head – built deep to provide forgiveness in workability. Hitting a draw or fade with this club is as easy as taking candy from a baby.

The V5 LX driver is also available in 10.5° and 12° models, features a 55 mm face height and 59° lie angle. Priced starting at $388 US, this driver ranks among the best reviewed here in 2008.

For more on Alpha Golf, visit www.alphagolfclubs.com.