After years of disrupting the golf ball market with their direct-to-consumer model, Vice Golf is making its first foray into the metalwoods space. Available for pre-order now, the “VG” collection includes two driver models, a fairway wood and hybrid. The collection is unified by lightweight designs and Vice’s characteristically bold aesthetics.
The drivers: Speed and style
Vice is launching with two distinct driver options at different price points and performance profiles.
VGD01+ driver
Positioned as their premium offering, the VGD01+ is built for players seeking a penetrating flight with maximum rollout. Its language suggests that this is Vice’s equivalent of a “Plus” or “LS” (Low Spin) model found in other manufacturers’ lineups.
The driver, like everything else in the lineup, features what Vice calls “Triple Alignment Technology.” That appears to be “Vice-speak” for a series of visual cues to help with alignment, although it’s notable that the last cue comes by way of the yet-to-be-released Vice Tracer Ball (the company’s take on a striped design).
The standout visual feature is the “LASER GRID” face design, a milled pattern with an empty center section to frame the ball. It’s more than a little reminiscent of COBRA’s Infinity Face but with Vice’s unique (and potentially seizure-inducing) twist.
The Vice VGD01+ driver incorporates a carbon crown insert with a look similar to Callaway’s forged composite paired with a Vice logo/alignment aid on the crown.
The face features a series of GPS coordinates which land us somewhere in Munich, Germany. No doubt a nod to the company’s German origins.
Fun feature or not, suffice it to say that, visually, there’s a lot going on here.
The Vice VGD01+ driver is available in nine- and 10.5-degree lofts. Two degrees of adjustability come by way of an adjustable hosel.
The stock shafts include “made for” options from Aldila (Whiz) and the UST LIN Q.
Retail price is $399.
VGD01 driver
Vice’s other driver model comes in $100 cheaper than the Plus version, replacing the LASER GRID face with what’s called “LASER TRACE”—an unmilled face design with a more straightforward appearance, though still featuring a prominent “V” logo that’s impossible to miss (see last photo in story).
While still lightweight to create what Vice calls “effortless speed,” the Plus-less VGD01 adds draw bias to help average golfers fighting a slice. Vice says the design is built from 15 years of insights from real golfer data, presumably collected by HIO Labs.
Available in 10.5- and 12.5-degree lofts, the Vice VGD01 driver is targeted toward mid- to high-handicappers seeking forgiveness and slice correction.
Fairways and hybrids: Completing the set
VGF01 fairway woods
The Vice VGF01 fairway wood story largely mirrors that of the standard driver. It offers a lightweight design paired with draw bias to help fight slice tendencies. Vice claims an “increased sweetspot for more forgiveness” although they don’t specify their benchmark for comparison.
The VGF01 fairway woods feature a distinctive shape with what I’d describe as scooped toe and a crown that appears to slope aggressively from its peak to the leading edge.
According to Vice, these non-adjustable fairways aim to “turn second shots into scoring opportunities.”
The Vice VGF01 is available in 3-wood (15°), 5-wood (18°) and 7-wood (21°) options.
The stock shaft is the Aldila Whiz in 40, 55 or 65 grams.
Retail price is $229.
VGH01 hybrids
Marketed as “versatile” and “high launching” with a “precision milled face,” the Vice VGH01 hybrids are designed to be easy to hit from any lie. Like the other Vice metalwoods offerings, they feature draw bias to help reduce a slice.
Available in 3 (19°), 4 (22°) and 5 (25°) options, these hybrids help round out the metalwood lineup.
Vice’s market approach
True to their golf ball business model, Vice is emphasizing value with their club offerings, positioning them at price points below established OEMs. At $299 and $399 for drivers, they’re asking consumers to consider whether they want the newest from Vice or an older model from nearly everyone else.
To help make your decision a bit easier, Vice is offering up to 25 percent off when certain dollar thresholds are met. Adding a driver and a hybrid to my cart got me the discount although there is some text suggesting the discount isn’t supposed to apply to clubs or limited-edition golf balls.
Try it … but no promises.
It’s also worth mentioning that Vice is using the phrase “pre-tariff pricing” in their social media marketing for the new woods. That certainly suggests the potential for price increases in the future due to import tariffs. Whether that’s trying to incentivize through fear or the reality of what’s to come, I can’t say with any confidence.
What I do know is that tariffs are a growing concern across the equipment industry and are having a growing impact on launch planning.
The Vice way
For a brand that built its reputation on premium golf balls at disruptive prices, this metalwood launch represents a significant expansion of its footprint in the golf equipment space. Whether their success in balls will translate to clubs remains to be seen (reviews on the company’s other club offerings are mixed), but Vice is clearly betting that their bold aesthetics and value proposition will win over golfers looking for something different than what is offered by the established brands.
Availability
Vice VG series metalwoods are expected to begin shipping in mid-May. Everything in the lineup is covered by a 60-day money-back guarantee, so there’s no real risk here.
If you hate it, send it back.
Vice VG lineup is available for pre-order now. For more information or to order yours, visit ViceGolf.com.
Don
1 month ago
The title of the email that led me to this was “Can a $299 Driver COMPETE?”, and, the obvious answer is yes. My opinion is that, without tons of advertising and sponsorships, any quality driver can be sold for profit at $300.