REVIEW: How Does the New Tommy Armour Atomic Driver Perform?

Before I begin, I think it’s important to point out that, if possible, one should always get fitted for new equipment.

However, sometimes that can be a lot to ask the average golfer. And certainly a lot to ask of the occasional golfer. Whether it be the necessary devotion of time, the cost of a fitting, or simply, the want to.

I have plenty of pals that really don’t have much of any of the above. They just want to get out and play golf whenever they can. But, that isn’t to say they don’t want equipment that performs as well as possible.

This is essentially how I approached the review of Tommy Armour’s new Atomic driver. I own a completely fitted and adjusted driver, including the shaft. It has been specifically dialed-in to my swing. What I wanted to see was how an off-the-shelf, non-fitted, non-adjusted, far less expensive product like the Atomic measured up. In other words, in this experiment, my M3 was my control. I know how it performs, I know the numbers it gives me, and I know the consistency it provides. The point of the exercise was to see if the Atomic was worthy of your average golfer’s attention that doesn’t really have the time, money, or interest in getting fitted for a club.

Can the Atomic perform for them straight off the shelf?

Now, before we get into the comparisons, let’s talk about the Tommy Armour brand and the price point that comes along with it.

The Tommy Armour Atomic driver retails for $399 and is available exclusively at Dick’s Sporting Goods. It’s what we call an “internal brand”. This is an important point. For some, a lower price point may be equated to a lesser product. But, in this day and age of direct-to-consumer models, it couldn’t be farther from the truth.

In fact, in the case of Tommy Armour, you’re getting exactly what you’re paying for and nothing more. They don’t need to tack-on $50 to cover the costs of distribution across multiple outlets and golf courses across the country. They aren’t charging you extra to cover for their professional golfer sponsorships. Instead, you are paying for a new, state-of-the-art driver. That’s it. Full stop.

For all intents and purposes, the relationship between Dick’s and Tommy Armour is essentially a direct-to-consumer model. No middleman mark-up, no additional costs to cover their margin. They just make and sell a product directly to you and me.

So with all that being said, how does it perform when compared to my less than a year old M3 fitted driver?

Surprisingly well.

Using a trackman to collect data of 100 shots, the Atomic averaged the following numbers.

For those not familiar with smash factor, the optimal number, the one you are fitted to, is 1.50. The Atomic, without being adjusted or fitted in any way, clocks in at an impressive 1.39, which converts into an average distance of 256.6 yards.

Considering I spent far more to get a tenth of a point and about 15 to 20 more yards less than a year ago, I’d say the value and quality offered by the Atomic is through-the-roof. And with a few tweaks to the adjustable clubface, I bet I could dial it in even more.

On the course testing supported these numbers, as well. While my dispersion was slightly better with the M3, the Atomic was more than reliable off the tee in both yardage and accuracy. In short, this is a well-performing driver.

For more information on the specs, options, and how to win the very same driver I used for testing.

Check out the new McEwen Reviews It:

How Does Tommy Armour’s Atomic Driver Perform?

The new Tommy Armour Atomic driver is packed with technology and has an amazing price point. But how does it measure up against my fitted M3 driver? And how can you get your hands on the driver I used for testing? Watch and find out!