Golf is theVooner's sporting pastime of choice. However, in this nutty place (Hong Kong), golf is a luxury that few can afford, and even fewer can play. There are of course the "weekend warriors", those that go to the driving range religiously on the weekend and call themselves golfers. Additionally, in this place of ostentatiousness, what you wear and more importantly, what you use describes who you are as a golfer - not the way you play.

Since I'm about to go to China and play golf this weekend (it's costing me US$250 for the round!), I'd thought I would write about a pretty outrageous piece of golfing equipment - the Callaway ERC driver. The ERC is "crazy" for a couple of reasons: 1) it's banned because it's supposed to have a "spring-like" effect that propels the ball farther, and 2) it costs a bundle and then some for ONE golf club (it costs more than my entire set of irons).

There are several different models to choose from, and there's even a very new, updated version just introduced called the ERC II. With so many different choices, I selected the "pro model" ERC70. By no means is theVooner a pro or even claims to be a very good golfer. I just liked the "heavier (weight D2 versus D1)" feel of the pro model versus the other versions that utilize the ultralight shaft.

Form

The ERC is a beautifully crafted golf club. Its sleek black looks are extremely intimidating. Low profile in design, yet everyone notices it. Thankfully, in Hong Kong, your equipment is no representation of your ability to play or else (ha, fat chance) someone might imply I was a good golfer based on my equipment.

Intimidation factor is one element of golf that just can't be beat. The ERC is a huge mental confidence booster. You walk up to the ball and say, "I've got this great club, I must be able to hit the ball well." Any golfer will tell you that the mental game (confidence) is half the battle. Not every shot is great, but it feels pretty good. And that "feel" may be worth the price of admission. Definitely a strong "coolness" factor here - and we're talking about golf!

Function

So how does it play? Well, theVooner has only had a few chances to play with the club. But I will say this, I really like the feel. It makes a very nice sound when you make solid contact with the clubface. The clubhead is pretty big, so you get a substantial "sweet-spot" to make contact. It's not as forgiving as some of the other drivers I've tried, but it seems to work for me as I don't slice as much with this club as I did with the Callaway Hawkeye. The lower trajectory of this "Tour" model does increase the distance. The absolute distance is pretty marginal (10-20 yards by my estimate), but that really depends on your ability to make solid contact. It does deliver on its ability to add distance, but to most except the pros, we probably won't truly benefit from the technology behind the club.

Factor

All said and done, this is a club that will stay in my bag for a long time. I'm pretty sure I will continue to grow into the driver. But, it's not for everyone, and the price is a huge deterrence. If I had to do it all over again, I'd probably buy several different drivers and try them all instead of just getting just one club. So unless you're sponsored by Callaway, the ERC is a WASTE OF TIME.