Equipment Review:
Nickent Golf 3DX Square Driver, 4DX Ironwood
by Jeffrey Reed, Editor, LondonOntarioGolf.com
Copyright 2007 London Ontario Golf

Nickent Golf has made a rapid transformation from also ran to frontrunner in the golf equipment game, and for good reason. Known initially – and still – as a top-notch hybrid producer, the City of Industry, California-based company today offers a solid lineup of clubs ready to improve your game from tee to green.

3DX Square Driver

Nothing has surprised me more this golf season as the performance of this mammoth driver from Nickent Golf. Quite simply, it performs as well as any other driver we have tested at London Ontario Golf in 2007, and it is hands down the longest and straightest driver of any square driver sampled.

The 3DX Square driver boasts an extremely high MOI – what else would you expect from such a behemoth bomber? Nickent engineers have repositioned weight to the corners of the large clubhead, raising the MOI across both the horizontal and vertical axes. The result? Outstanding stability and forgiveness for ball striking across the entire face – one large sweet spot.

Here’s the real secret of the 3DX Square driver. It features a perfect launch angle and profile at address. The first time I lined up this big boy, it felt absolutely perfectly aligned. I tested the 9-degree model, and it played that way, too: no false loft marking here. The 3DX’s CG is positioned to provide improved forgiveness, greater distance and perfect launch angle. Combined with the high MOI to prevent twisting at impact – really important when wielding such a huge head – this driver is, in my books, the top amongst its class.

Nickent engineers also improved the bulge and roll of this driver for a straight yet workable ball flight. This surprised me, due to the size of this monster. It produces amazingly straight drives, yet despite its size, the 3DX Square driver does allow you to hit a fade or draw. Amazing. The key here is Nickent’s Total Accuracy Control technology – maximum perimeter weighting and more discretionary weight for precise positioning of CG and MOI. 

The 3DX Square driver with 460cc forged titanium head is available in lofts of 9, 10.5 and 12 degrees, and features a UST V2 graphite shaft – a perfect match for this clubhead. And here’s the most amazing fact of all: it carries a MSRP of only $199 US, making it, in our books, the best deal out there for today’s high-tech, oversized drivers.

The 3DX Square driver is one of the best drivers I have ever tested, and rest assured, you very quickly get used to the massive head size. After all, when almost every drive you hit is long and straight, why argue?

4DX Ironwood

Nickent does bill itself as “The King of Hybrids,” and for good reason. The company knows how to do it right, and they now have Tour presence in players like Brad Adamonis, Ryan Armour and Jeff Quinney.

The 4DX Ironwood boasts a myriad of features, but it doesn’t overwhelm. Rather, it is a very easy club to hit. The first thing you notice is the length of the shaft – sightly shorter than most hybrids. This is a good thing: it allows for distance and accuracy control. I tested the 23-degree 4-iron replacement and found with the loft and lie (60 degrees), plus shaft length (39.25 in.), it was best used like an iron shot – hitting down with a pinch – rather than a fairway wood-type sweep.

Here’s the skinny on this amazing little club. Nickent spent more than a year developing its new line of hybrids. The 4DX Ironwood is an iron replacement that has 16 different lofts, one club every 1.5 degrees from 14 degrees to 29 degrees. This system allows you to attain optimum distance control and trajectory.

The 4DX Ironwood used a patented brazing technology which fuses a titanium crown with a steel body, making the crown the thinnest Nickent has ever produced on a golf club head – just 0.4 mm. A deep face increases the COR and truly helps prevent clubhead twisting. This proved to be true during our testing – the club is extremely easy to control. Replacing the steel crown with titanium saved about half of the weight in the crown. This offers a great feel in the 4DX Ironwood.

Boasting a taller face height, the 4DX Ironwood offers less spin and a tour-like trajectory. I also found this to be true. The club is long, lands the pill softly, and provides workability. Again, the shaft is slightly shorter, and I can’t stress enough the need to hit it like a traditional iron. Once you realize this, you’re on your way to hitting some of the best hybrid shots you’ve ever produced.

XW Inserts are a big part of Nickent’s technology, and they play an important role in the 4DX Ironwood. They’re made of Tungsten Polymer to reduce vibration, and to be used for swing weight adjustment. It’s like having moveable weights without the hassle of working with screws. They really add weight to the back of the clubhead for a great penetrating trajectory and confident feel at address.

The 4DX Ironwood is available with a steel or graphite standard UST SR3 shaft ($179 US), and UST V2 or Aldila NV 75 graphite shaft ($199 US). And, there are custom options.

For more information on all of Nickent’s offerings, visit www.nickentgolf.com.