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OUR JOB IS YOUR GAME
If you are in the market for a driver in 2019, this test is for you.
At MyGolfSpy our job is to provide independent, unbiased, and objective testing of products to help you make more confident purchasing decisions. We do this by employing consistent testing methodologies and advanced golf analytics inside our 100% independent test facility. You are then able to leverage the industry’s richest set of head-to-head data to help unlock your full potential. Our testing provides unparalleled data which equals unparalleled insight for the golfer.
For 2019, stop buying golf equipment you like and start buying equipment you want to keep. Don’t spend a dollar unless it improves on what’s already in the bag.
Most Wanted: Callaway Epic Flash Sub Zero
Driver Buying Considerations
Performance should be your primary concern when buying a new driver, but there are some additional considerations you may want to think about before you make your purchasing decision.
ADJUSTABILITY
By leveraging the adjustability provided by club manufacturers, you can often turn a good driver into a great driver. Most everything on the market has an adjustable hosel which allows the golfer to tweak loft and face angle. Many golfers benefit from the draw and fade options available on drivers like the Callaway Epic Flash, Titleist TS3, and PING G410 Plus. Others benefit from the launch, spin, and MOI changes offered by front to back weight systems like those found on the Cobra F9 SpeedBack, Wilson Cortex, and Sub70 839D. For those looking for the best of both worlds, movable weight systems like those found in the TaylorMade M5 and PXG 0811 X GEN2 series, offer front to back as well as draw and fade positions.
SHAFT SELECTION
The shaft absolutely matters. For those who buy off the rack or take a DIY approach to club fitting, having a selection of stock offerings that span a variety of weight classes and include – at a minimum – low, mid, and high launch shaft options, can make the difference between a driver that doesn’t perform and one that goes into your bag.
Distance vs. Forgiveness vs. Shot Shape Correction
While most every manufacturer has its version of the fast AND forgiving story, most are trying to strike a right balance that fits within their brand’s identity. The reality is that pushing ball speed limits often comes at the expense of MOI while maximizing forgiveness often means giving up a bit of speed and adding a bit of spin. It’s up to you to weigh how much speed you want against how much forgiveness you need.
It should also be noted that to create a draw bias (anti-slice correction), weight must be moved to the heel. That means pulling weight from the back of the club, which often results in draw biased models being less forgiving (lower MOI) than standard models from the same family.
Cost
The drivers in this test range in price from $190 to $650, excluding any exotic shaft upgrades. The top performers tend to fall towards the higher end of that price range, though at $450 the F9 Speedback can be considered a relative bargain. While $500 is rapidly becoming the new entry-level, those leveraging a cost per yard formula will have a hard time justifying paying that much.
2019 Runner-Up - Cobra F9 Speedback
Our 2019 Most Wanted Runner-Up, by the slimmest of margins, the all-around performance of Cobra's F9 was better than exceptional; finishing in the top tier for the majority of the metrics we consider. A driver without any discernable weakness, in addition to its strong performance, our testers rated the F9 highly for looks, feel and sound.
If there's anything about our Most Wanted choice that doesn't appeal to you - or even if you love everything about it - you owe it to yourself to give the Cobra F9 Speedback equal time in the demo bay.
FIELD NOTES
During each test, we look for trends that provide us insight into where the market as a whole is moving, as well as what noteworthy changes manufacturers have made to improve year-over-year performance. We also solicit feedback from our testers. We want to understand what they liked, what they didn’t like, and why. We want to reemphasize that, while we do collect and share noteworthy portions of this subjective feedback, it does not factor in our rankings.
Trends and Tweaks
- This year’s crop of drivers, as a group, may be the lowest spinning we’ve tested to date. More so than in years in years past, we found ourselves using higher lofted heads, pushing weight to rear positions, and leveraging higher launching and sometimes softer shafts in an attempt to increase launch angles spin rates.
- The addition of a perimeter weight track and expanded hosel settings in the PING G410 Plus significantly improved the fitting capabilities of PING’s mainstream offering. The new flat hosel setting proved particularly beneficial for golfers who needed help starting the ball a bit farther right.
- Likewise, we found significant benefit in Cobra moving away from an all lofts in a single head approach to discretely lofted 9 and 10.5 models. In years past, many testers struggled with accuracy, which we attributed to face angle issues at the upper and lower end of the loft range. That isn’t an issue this year as the F9 Speedback finished among the very best under our accuracy metrics.
- Finally, with the TS2 and TS3, Titleist appears to have shed the short and spinny label. The TS3 finished at the top of the table for ball speed, and for the first time in Most Wanted memory, we didn’t have any unmanageable spin issues.
How Adjusting Loft Impacts Launch and Spin
Did you know that adjusting the loft of your driver by 1° changes launch angle by approximately .8° and alters spin by +/-300RPM?
Notes from the Testing Pool
- The PXG 0811X/XF GEN 2 drivers were rated highest among the test group for feel. While sound and feel are correlated (if not identical), some testers reported that they liked the feel, but not the admittedly muted sound.
- The XXIO and Cleveland Launcher drivers were favored among our slower swing speed golfers who cited the easy launch and longer carry as reasons why. One of the few non-adjustable drivers in the test, XXIO produced the second highest average launch angle.
- Higher swing speed testers raved about the Cobra F9 Speedback. Consistent feel across the face was noted often. As you might expect given its bold design, looks scores were polarized with testers rating it either among the best or among the worst, with not much in-between.
- Our Most Wanted Winner, the Callaway EPIC Flash Sub Zero, received high scores for looks but was rated poorly for sound.
- While the performance of the Bridgestone Tour B JGR suggests is an excellent option for golfers looking to take the right side out of play, its lie angle is noticeably upright, which many of our testers found off-putting.
- A new-comer to the driver market, Sub70’s 839D driver received positive feedback for looks but ranked worst among the test group for sound, which many described as too loud.
- For the second year in a row, Mizuno produced a strong performer, this time with the ST190. Unlike previous blue designs, which received mixed reviews, the new all-black paint scheme was a hit with our testers who consistently rated among their favorites.
PING G410 SFT - The Slice Killer
If you struggle with a slice, the PING G410 SFT needs to be on your short list. In this year's test, the draw biased version of PING's G410 family showed significant more left-side bias than any other club tested. Also noteworthy, it produced the tightest shot area (dispersion) of any model in this year's field.
What does that mean for you? It means the G410 SFT offers you the best chance of taking the right side out of play and keeping more balls in the fairway.
2019 Most Wanted DRIVER DATA
To filter and compare by club, use the drop-down list and checkboxes to select the only the drivers you wish to compare.
Expert Tip - Aligning Weights with Impact
Draw and fade settings aren't just for shot shape correction.
While club manufacturers typically talk about draw and fade positions in terms of shot shape correction, they can be leveraged to increase ball speed. If you're a relatively straight driver of the ball who favors the toe, moving weight to the fade position will better align the center of gravity with your point of impact, producing higher ball speed. The same is true for heel strikers and the draw position.
MORE BUYING TIPS
- Always be aware of shaft length. Clubs that are physically longer may produce a bit more distance on your best shots, but they’re also generally less accurate and less consistent. There is no industry standard for how to measure, so it’s not unusual for a company’s 45.5″ to measure closer to 46″. When demoing, be sure to consider the actual length of the clubs you’re testing. One may generate more distance, simply because the shaft is longer. In the absence of a ruler, a side by side examination can help you understand if a club is really longer (distance) or the shaft is just longer.
- When you use your wrench to add or remove loft, you’re also changing the face angle. Adding loft closes the face while reducing loft opens it. While we do leverage hosel adjustments to make small changes to launch and spin, very often, we use those same adjustments to alter starting direction and improve accuracy. The same approach can work for you.
- Much like age, the loft stamped on your driver is just a number – an often meaningless one at that. Every driver has 3 lofts: what’s stamped on the club, the actual loft a given manufacturer is trying to hit, and the actual measured loft. When all is said and done, there isn’t as much overlap between the three as we’d hope – and that’s before we talk about center of gravity placement and dynamic loft. It’s not usual for one brands 9.5 to have the same loft as another’s 10.5, so if you’re a 9.5 guy in one manufacturer’s lineup, don’t assume you’re a 9.5 in everyone else’s.
- Not all adjustable weighting systems are created equal. If you plan to leverage adjustability to its fullest potential, look for systems that allow you to move significant mass over a wider area of the clubhead while keeping the weight close to the perimeter of the golf club.
PRODUCT SPECIFICATIONS
Most Wanted Driver Spec Sheet
Club | Stamped Loft | Measured Loft | Lie* | Length* | SwingWeight* | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Bridgestone Tour B JGR Check Price | 9.5° | 10° | 63° | 45.5" | D2 | |
Callaway EPIC Flash Check Price | 9° | 8.8° | 59.8° | 45.625" | D2.3 | |
Callaway EPIC Flash Sub Zero Check Price | 9° | 9° | 57.5° | 45.5" | D3.5 | |
Cleveland Launcher HB Check Price | 9.5° | 9.6° | 60.1° | 45.5" | D3 | |
Cobra F9 Speedback Check Price | 9° | 9° | 58.2° | 45.25" | D1 | |
Exotics EXS Check Price | 9.5° | 9.4° | 59.6° | 45.75" | D3.7 | |
Mizuno ST190 Check Price | 9.5° | 9.2° | 60.8° | 45.125" | D2.9 | |
Mizuno ST190G Check Price | 9° | 8.7° | 61.9° | 45.125" | D3.2 | |
PING G410 Plus Check Price | 9° | 9° | 60.8° | 45.375" | D3 | |
PING G410 SFT Check Price | 10.5° | 11.1° | 61.4° | 45.375" | C9 | |
PXG 0811X Check Price | 9° | 8.3° | 60.8° | 45" | D4 | |
PXG 0811XF Check Price | 9° | 9° | 60.8° | 45" | D3.1 | |
Srixon Z585 Check Price | 9.5° | 9.2° | 64.8° | 45.375" | D4 | |
Srixon Z785 Check Price | 9.5° | 9.4° | 62.8° | 45.375" | D4 | |
Sub70 839D Check Price | 9.5° | 9.8° | 61.4° | 45.5" | D5.7 | |
TaylorMade M5 Check Price | 9° | 9.1° | 57° | 45.75" | D5.4 | |
TaylorMade M6 Check Price | 9° | 8.7° | 58.1° | 45.75" | D4.2 | |
Titleist TS2 Check Price | 9.5° | 9.1° | 58.1° | 45.5" | D5.7 | |
Titleist TS3 Check Price | 9.5° | 8.9° | 59.2° | 45.5" | D5.1 | |
Tommy Armour Atomic Check Price | 9° | 9.2° | 61.9° | 45.375" | D4.9 | |
Tour Edge HL3 Check Price | 9.5° | 9.4° | 57.4° | 45" | D2 | |
Wilson Cortex Check Price | 9° | 9° | 59° | 44.75" | D6.4 | |
Wilson D7 Check Price | 9° | 9.4° | 64.2° | 45.5" | 0 | |
XXIO X Check Price | 9.5° | 10.5° | 60.4° | 46" | D6 |
* denotes measured value vs. manufacturer’s stated spec.
FAQ
Buying a New Driver
Q: How often should I buy a new driver?
A: While on rare occasions there are quantifiable year over year breakthroughs, typically it takes 3-5 years for manufacturers to make any significant performance gains. With the USGA further tightening restrictions on manufacturers, it’s possible, even likely, that it will take longer still moving forward. Our recommendation is to buy a new driver only when it appreciably outperforms what is already in your bag. Of course, if you want a new driver because you want a new driver, that’s fine too.
Q: With all the talk of new face technology, is there one driver that produces significantly more ball speed?
A: Across our test pool as a whole, we found no significant ball speed advantage that can be attributed to face technology. It’s true that some drivers worked significantly better for individual golfers than others, but thus far, we’ve found no evidence to suggest that any one brand has a significant ball speed advantage over its competitors.
Q: Does the shaft matter?
A: Absolutely. While changes to spin and launch and spin differences are rarely massive, shaft changes frequently lead to improved accuracy, tighter dispersion, and greater overall consistency.
Q: What should I look for when testing drivers?
A: While golfers have been conditioned to consider distance to the exclusion of nearly everything else, we recommended looking at the little numbers and looking for small circles. When comparing metrics like distance and ball speed, be sure to look at your standard deviations (the small numbers usually found under the big ones on the data screen). Smaller numbers mean better consistency which will usually mean more than an extra yard or two on the golf course. Similarly, look for tighter dispersion ellipses (small circles). We can’t understate the importance of consistency with the driver.
Q: Is there any downside to adjustability?
A: Yes, but… With many designs, adjustable hosels weigh significantly more than their glued alternatives, so manufacturers have to find workarounds to offset the additional weight in an area where additional weight is undesirable. Furthermore, movable weight systems require complex physical structures that eat up otherwise discretionary mass and often have sound and feel consequences. That said, in most cases, the fitting versatility more than offsets those negatives. This is especially true for golfers who choose not to work directly with a fitter.
Driver Lie Angle Matters Too
Did you know that a driver with a more upright lie angle can help you start the ball farther left and mitigate a slice? Likewise, if you struggle with pull hooks, consider a driver with a flatter lie angle.
Most Wanted
Q: How are the drivers in the test fit to each golfer?
A: We use a fitting process that we call fit from stock. Drivers are fit to each tester using the stock, no up-charge options from each manufacturer. We test with stamped lofts between 9° and 10.5° and fully utilize the fitting capability within each manufacturer’s lineup. This includes leveraging, loft, lie, and face angle adjustability (hosel), movable weights, and available shafts.
Q: How is the Most Wanted Driver Determined
A: To determine the Most Wanted Driver, we look at a variety of performance metrics based on data collected with Foresight GCQuad Launch Monitors. These metrics including ball speed, distance (carry and total), strokes gained, accuracy, and dispersion (shot area). As part of our analysis, we consider the standard deviations of key metrics (consistency), as well as the statistical reliability of the data on a per tester and club basis.
Q: How is the “Longest” driver determined?
A: To determine the Longest Driver, we consider the average total yards across the test pool along with the statistical reliability of that data. We also look at a narrower subset of the data that includes only the longest few shots hit by each tester with each club.
Q: How is the “Most Forgiving” driver determined?
A: To determine the Most Forgiving Driver, we focus on a narrower set of metrics that includes: Shot Area (dispersion), Accuracy, and the average standard deviation for ball speed and carry yards.
Q: How much does subjective feedback like looks, sound, and feel factor into your rankings?
A: ZERO. Our rankings are based purely on launch monitor data and quantifiable performance metrics.
Q: Will you publish a breakdown of the results by swing speed like you have in the past?
A: Yes. those results will be published in the coming weeks.
Matt f
4 years ago
How is the Tour Edge EXS better in almost every category than the Wilson D7 but has less strokes gained?