In the mid1970’s the metal driver was introduced as an alternative to the traditional wood (made from wood). At the time, many were resistant to this proposed change of material, largely because of the unfamiliar sound the new metal drivers made when they struck the ball. It seemed the consensus among golfers was that metal drivers not only made a funny sound, but also lacked the cozy and familiar feel of their wooden predecessor. Golf companies were quick to realize that in order to pass these new club constructions off on the golf club-buying public, they had to take measures to curb the difference in sound and feel. So what did they do—they filled the hollow interior of the metal drivers with foam to dampen the resonance and reduce the “ping” factor. In addition to helping with the sound, the foam also allowed the manufacturers to control the head weight with greater precision.

Later, when people became more accepting of all metal drivers, realizing the benefits in doing so, club-makers began pitching “foamless” drivers. It wasn’t long before “foamless” was the new industry standard and drivers began boasting “FOAMLESS” in broad, capital text, like this:

Looking back, this strikes us as funny, mostly because foamless is a strange word that we no longer associate with golf, but also because ALL clubs are now foamless—it goes without saying. In the same sense, “square” is a foreign shape that we do not associate with golf, and the sound the BLOC makes when you hit it has closer ties, tonally, to the batting cages.

So what makes a new technology worth keeping despite these often distracting dissimilaries? In the case of the TS 455cc BLOC driver it’s the promise of straighter, longer drives than with most clubs on the market. The additional hitting surface allowed for by the square shape makes for a bigger sweet spot and increased MOI, resulting in straighter drives—and subsequently, more practical distance. This is the sort of confidence that golfers like myself look for at tee-off—and we’re willing to trade sound and appearance for better performance on the course.