Benross has introduced a new game improvement driver aimed at the high-handicap market. I got my hands on the Aero XF and took it out for a thorough test to see if the performance could match the appealing price tag and sit amongst the best drivers for high handicappers.
With regards to the technology on offer, the Aero XF features a newly designed ‘Aero Crown’ in an attempt to reduce drag and increase clubhead speed through impact. Benross has also created a ‘Speed Slot’ to help transfer more energy at strike along with a new ‘ID Chamber’ which features some fairly hefty heel weighting in order to add draw bias. Furthermore, there is a fixed back weight in place to boost the MOI reading and max out forgiveness and stability on those off-center strikes.
For £179, I thought the overall visual was excellent. The head shape, profile, and proportions were all spot on for a driver in this category. The grey crown blends really nicely with the grey Fujikura Ventus shaft Benross has used on the Aero XF and the branding is reasonably sophisticated, not too in your face like many other ‘value’ brands fall into the trap of producing. When looking very closely, the glossy paint job on the crown could be a little smoother, with some slightly mottled patches in parts, but as I say, you have to look very closely to see those, and for less than £200, this is a fairly minor criticism.
I tested the Aero XF at Saunton Golf Club using my FullSwing KIT launch monitor and TaylorMade TP5 golf balls and across the board, given that this is most certainly not a driver aimed at a PGA Professional, I thought the performance was more than acceptable. Predictably high launching and spinning due to the CG positioning, the Aero XF does exactly what it professes, it helps you get the ball airborne with ease. I noticed a fairly prominent draw bias in testing which will be music to the ears of the slicers among you and the ball speed numbers were reasonable. That said, I did have to slow my swing down considerably to get the most out of the driver as my test model was fitted with a very light regular flex shaft so the more pertinent category to look at would probably be strike efficiency, which was pretty solid averaging 1.44 in terms of smash factor.
As with its new iron range, Benross has used some fairly high-quality components in the construction of the Aero XF driver selecting the Fujikura Ventus as the stock shaft and Lamkin Crossline grips, both of which add a strong premium element to the overall package. Don’t be fooled however, the shaft is not the real deal VeloCore Ventus (as this is over £300 on its own at retail!), it is a watered-down version made with mass production and cost efficiency in mind. As I said, I had to slow my swing down fairly considerably to find the center of the face, but when I did so, the shaft felt responsive and relatively stable given its flex. There are two loft options of 10.5 and 13 degrees to help tune in your launch requirements.
The Benross Aero XF is a good value proposition at an RRP of £179 for the right player. If you are relatively modest of swing speed and your predominant miss is to the right off the tee, the Aero XF provides a real opportunity to address those issues without breaking the bank.
