Caiman PowerPlay Driver and Three Wood Review

Power Play Caiman Rawpower Fairway Wood - Custom Assembled

Power Play Caiman Titanium Driver - Custom Assembled

The first thing you’ll notice about these clubs is their distinctive soles, which resemble the South American Caiman alligator and give the clubs their name:

The shape surely is the coincidental result of the designer’s geometric design to optimize center of gravity and moment of inertia. I can’t imagine that anyone would look at one of those critters and decide to design a club look-alike. In any case, the result is a pair of very player friendly clubs. I had no trouble with the fairway wood off a variety of lies, and the driver put the ball into play quite nicely.

The driver is a 460cc titanium driver that doesn’t look like a dinner plate. I ascribe that to the head’s soft, rounded edges and deep black finish. The finish comes from a technique called the Physical Vapor Deposition (PVD), which involves applying titanium carbon nitride under low vacuum conditions.

The fairway metal steps a little out of the ordinary with a thin maraging steel face, rather than stainless steel. This allows a higher coefficient of restitution (rebound), as well as weight savings. Unlike titanium (which has similar properties), it is easier to weld to a steel frame, creating cost savings over titanium face metals.

Distance on both the driver and fairway club were for me good, but not out of the ordinary. I do hit my TaylorMade TP Three Wood and Nike Driver further, but then again, both are several factors more expensive. The Caiman driver comes in at just over $100 and the fairway at just over $50. Those are good prices for clubs with solid technology, construction and performance.

A side note, and a little second hand. I gave these sticks to a friend who was just starting golf with a set of old, second hand clubs. He was hitting his old driver 170 and using his three wood as his 150 club. After a round with his new sticks, he stopped in to report that the Caimans had immediately changed his game. He was hitting the driver over 200 and using the Caiman fairway wood as his 180 club.

That’s a lot of extra distance and a pretty good testimonial for the Caiman fairways.