Purchased a new 7.5 fade driver ultra cheap on eBay ($40 all-in) and put in a Diamana Blueboard 83s to maintain swingweight (TaylorMade graphics pulled from R5 TP--these are also very cheap on eBay--all in price for head & shaft is about $100!) tipped 1" and extended 1" for a club length of a little over 44" (remember that Tour Pros play avg. of 44.5"). Purchase was largely sentimental, since I love Hogan forged irons (have owned Apex blades, Apex Plus, FTX).

Quite a nice surprise! In my opinion, this is a terrific driver that was poorly marketed (400cc in the era of 460cc, Callaway screwing up the Hogan brand) and hobbled by a terrible shaft (I hate Aldila NV in drivers, and the Hogan NV feels very tip soft to me). Ranks very well with my other top 3 driver models:

Ping G10 9 degree Whiteboard 73 (Ping Wrx, untipped)
Ping G10 9 degree Epic 68S (tipped 1.75")
Hibore XL Tour 8.5 degrees Redboard X (tipped 0.5")
Cobra L4V X 9 degree Epic 68X (tipped 1.75").

More accurate and better (lower) trajectory than Ping G10s, a push with the Hibore XL Tour (CS3 more forgiving and accurate, Hibore XL Tour longer, but then, I find the Hibore XL Tour longer than anything) and a reasonably close second the L4V. The L4V with a nicely fit shaft is a great, great driver if you can handle the high swingweight (very heavy head)--super solid and straight.

Pros:
1. Very tight dispersion
2. Medium boring trajectory (SS=105 and I am a high spin player)
3. Probably the best feeling driver I have ever hit--the ball seems to stay on the clubhead forevever
4. Nice controlled fade (and I can hook it with the best)
5. 400cc head is very easy to square due to lower MOI of less-than-460cc head (see Tom Wishon's "Search for the Perfect Club")

Be sure to get a slightly lower loft than usual, as I believe that the CS3s play weaker than loft mainly due to the roll on the face--hit it high on the face (as you should for high launch, low spin) and the loft on the top of the face is higher than the stated loft (again, see Tom Wishon's "Search for the Perfect Club"). For softer shaft, leave the Diamana TP 83s untipped; otherwise Diamana Blueboards in R flex and Redboards are readily available all over eBay.

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For being a fairly old driver comapred to all the new callaway and taylormade stuff, this thing is amazing. averaging 280 of the tee and straight as can be.

I just used my Draw 9.5 Stiff Left Handed for the first time. I am in love with it already I usually hit fades to slices...Not any more... I hit 6 of 7 fairways all either straight or with a slight draw. The one I missed I Hooked. I do agree, about the head cover being clummsy and really not protecting the shaft. I'm not crazy about the sound, but if I keep hitting the slight draw, well, I think I will grow to love the sound

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Hogan Irons, that I absolutely love

I have run a golf shop for several years and hit just about every driver out there but this is my driver of choice. I hit it 280 yards plus but that's not the main selling point of this driver particularly with the Aldila shaft. The backspin this driver imparts is extraordinary - I've even managed to backspin the ball on landing!
The benefit of this backspin is straight drives and percentage of fairways hit. It may be ten yards shorter than some of the longest hitters but you'll find the fairway much more often. In my experience more fairways hit means lower scores and that just about says it all.

Great set-up look and feel, but this club goes no where. One writer commented that the sweetspot was the size of a grape....I'd say more like a grape seed.

Bought this "old" technology driver off Ebay. Finally got warm enough weather to give it a go at the driving range. Grip was unused original which I replaced with a new Sharpro which I like a lot. Hogan grip felt thin ??? Not much traction or tackiness ???

First: I really like the 420cc size head. Size is very comfortable, I always find 460cc's bloated.

Second: Club does fly high like others have mentioned. 9.5 is more like an 11 degree.

Third: Sound is not that loud or distracting.

Fourth: Distance is better than my Cleveland Launcher 330. I also had demoed a TM R7 425 10.5 stiff. TM might have been 5 yards longer but scattered more shots.

Fifth: DRAW is more of a slice/fade preventer. I hit about 60 balls. Lost maybe 3 to the right. Snap hooked a couple. Most were straight!! Dead straight!!! You could almost see the correction take place... balls would start to fade than straighten out. As I got confidence I was able to take many "too hard" swings that normally would have been dead right.

Sixth: Biggest negative I saw comes in the roll after landing. Club carries the ball further... then drops from the sky more like a 5-wood or hybrid club. Roll distance is minimal. Mid summer this lack of roll will clearly hurt me BUT the straightness means I will not be searching for balls that trickled in the woods or into the rough. I see it as a positive trade off.

Summary: I look forward to using my "old technology" club against the new $400 and $500 drivers.

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Cleveland Launcher 330
TMade R7 425

I have been playing a Titleist and a Callaway 8degree. I saw this driver in our pro shop and had to try it. 12/29/07 used this driver w/stiff shaft 9.5 degree and love it. Hit every fairway but 1 and shot a 74.
Read other reviews here and can't believe the results. Club is forgiving but...If you overswing with the stiff draw, you have a tendency to snap hook. My suggestion is a smooth swing (had to with all the clothes on 40 degrees out) and you will see great accuracy and distance. I'll give up 10 yards to my other drivers for the consistancy this club showed me.

It is big, and doesn't draw. I could go either way with this driver, but would expect the same results with any no name, bargain club. I am looking to upgrade ASAP.

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Taylormade 540XD, Ram 450CC

This driver is by far the worst club I have ever invested in. This club is built for very slow swing speeds and if you have any kind of a quicker tempo - this club is absolutely useless. I shoot in the mid 80's and have to say that this club has a sweet spot the size of a grape. Unless you hit it perfectly it goes nowhere. It got so bad I have been teeing off with my 3 wood and leaving Mr Hogan in the truck of my car. I have just traded this POS in for a Big Bertha 460 and the difference is night and day. I can hardly wait until next year (not much golfing left in Canada in November) and I hope to see the high 70's again, instead of struggling around in 84 or 85.

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In fairness, my fairway woods ( the Hogan Speed Slot ) are quite playable and I have no issues with them.

This Driver is just amazing.I had a Cleveland460 before but this Driver is much straighter.I hit more Fairways than ever.I'm a little bit shorter than with the Cleveland but completely straight.The Big Ben has the best value!