Persimmon Woods Tested: Nostalgia vs Pure Performance

Up until 50 years ago, the unmistakable crack of a persimmon wood echoed across every professional tee box. Today, it’s a relic of a bygone era.

For nearly a century, these golf clubs dominated the golf industry. They hold an iconic role in golf’s rich history. An entire article can be dedicated to the history surrounding persimmoms, which dates back to the late 1890s. 

However, that isn’t the purpose of this evaluation. The purpose is simple:

How does a persimmon wood fare against the modern golf driver? 

Nothing survives Father Time

We took five current persimmon wood manufacturers and tested them head-to-head against each other. And, we added a twist – a modern day driver, TaylorMade Qi4D. 

• PowerBilt Persimmon
• Larsen Golf Persimmon
• John Hayes Persimmon
• Joe Powell Classic Persimmon
• Louisville Golf Classic Persimmon

In our testing, 10 golfers participated, registering a 101.5 mph mean club head speed across all persimmon models. In comparison, they reached a higher average of 105.5 mph when swinging the modern TaylorMade Qi4D.

The beauty of persimmon woods

There has been a resurgence in the persimmon wood space. You have craftsmen today who dedicate themselves to these artisan pieces of golf history. Golf is a game of honor and there is nothing more praise worthy than individuals seeking to uphold the traditions of the game, and persimmon woods are a prime example.  

The allure of persimmon woods begins with their elegance. Every single club is meticulously hand-carved out of a single block of timber, showcasing remarkable craftsmanship. Looking at the test models, the level of precision is striking—a true testament to the extraordinary skill required by classic clubmakers to shape these wooden heads by hand. They are, without question, works of art.  

The sheer fact that the likes of Jack Nicklaus, Ben Hogan, Arnold Palmer, Sam Snead, and Gary Player all won numerous events with persimmon woods is outstanding. Every golfer in those eras excelled using persimmon woods. Jack Nicklaus alone won 17 of his 18 majors with a persimmon wood. Who knows how those golfers would fare with today’s modern technology? 

Who stands out as a top performer? Let’s take a look. 

Persimmon wood data

No one expects a persimmon wood to outperform a modern day driver. If you do, well, I don’t think we can help you there. But, head-to-head performance between persimmon woods is eye-catching. 

Louisville Golf’s The Classic claims the title of best for distance among the persimmon wood contenders. It also produces the fastest ball speed at 143.4 mph. This is 1.85 mph faster than the slowest persimmon wood for ball speed (Larsen Golf Persimmon Wood). 

Similar gaps in performance show up in our Most Wanted Driver testing. During the 2026 test, ball speeds varied by 3.45 mph from the fastest model to the slowest. This variation proves that even persimmon woods exhibit distinct performance differences. Evaluating equipment highlights these nuances—no two persimmon woods behave identically, just as no two modern drivers perform the same.

OEM	Model	Club Spd	Ball Spd	Launch	Spin	Peak Ht	Descent	Carry	Total	Straight%	Playable%	Shot Area
TaylorMade	Qi4D	105.45	151.53	12.39	2717	32.97	38.99	253.51	266.93	54.84	87.10	3429
Louisville Golf	The Classic	101.99	143.42	9.77	2701	21.74	31.20	227.00	244.14	50.39	90.70	4260
PowerBilt	Persimmon Driver	101.94	142.52	10.59	2778	23.89	33.26	226.81	242.32	50.81	86.29	2894
Joe Powell	Classic PT1W	101.64	141.57	11.61	2838	25.73	34.75	225.53	241.17	54.69	85.16	4296
John Hayes	Custom Persimmon	101.46	141.86	10.87	2975	25.10	34.78	225.14	239.60	58.27	87.40	3928
Larsen Golf	Persimmon Wood	100.47	142.30	9.56	2712	21.02	30.87	224.30	238.95	37.98	75.97	4105

Modern engineering is superior

There are glaring differences between a persimmon wood driver and the modern driver. It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to make this determination. Yet, it does attest to the advancements in technology and the processing capabilities of manufacturers. These advancements by R&D are evident. 

In this case, the modern driver, TaylorMade Qi4D is exponentially faster and longer than all of the persimmon woods. Here are key ball data metrics:

• 9.20 mph faster ball speed vs the persimmon wood average
• 27.8 yards longer carry vs the persimmon wood average
• 25.7 yards longer total distance vs the persimmon wood average

Ultimately, persimmon wood technology cannot keep pace with a modern driver. A whopping 27.8 yards shorter carry distance on average for the persimmon wood is the glaring metric.

Modern drivers hold a distinct edge over traditional persimmon woods, much like modern race cars compared to classic models. In high-performance racing—whether NASCAR or Formula 1—engineering and design advancements have dramatically evolved. Motorsport engineers meticulously analyze every measurable variable, eagerly capitalizing on even a 1% gain in performance.

Golf equipment R&D operates on the very same principle. Today’s club designers continuously refine technologies to unlock faster ball speeds and maximize forgiveness across the entire clubface. When measured against classic persimmon woods, the performance benefits of modern engineering are unmistakably clear.

Do people still play with persimmon woods?

Nostalgia is intoxicating. Of course, there is a subculture of persimmon wood fanatics. For example, every single one of the persimmon woods we tested are pieces of exquisite art. They’re masterpieces expertly crafted. Each of these craftsmen takes absolute pride in their work. 

You can find a few organizations who honor the game by coordinating competitive events. Two specific ones are: Persimmon Brotherhood & Golf Heritage Society. 

For those of you who have hit a persimmon, you can attest to the feel and feedback they offer versus the modern day driver. This is arguably one of the underlying reasons why golfers will use them to this day.  

Here are a few comments from our testers specific to each persimmon wood:

• “This is a fantastic club. Gorgeous, the best of the group by far in looks, sound and performance.” – Joe Powell Classic
• “I love the custom design with MyGolfSpy. Special thank you to John Hayes. It is GORGEOUS. Performance is decent. Hit some solid shots with it.” – John Hayes Persimmon Wood
• “I can get accustomed to this persimmon wood. LOVE the looks. It is SLICK.” – Larsen Golf Persimmon Wood
• “Classic throughout and easy to hit and control. The glossy finish is a bit bright, but not horrible. The dark wood finish was nice compared to others.” – Louisville Golf The Classic
• “This is decent across the board and the sweet spot was hot, while off-center shots still performed but showed decrease in data.” – PowerBilt Persimmon

History is worth respecting, but newer is better

“Is newer better?” serves as a foundational question for MyGolfSpy. There is zero question that a modern day driver is better for your golf game versus a persimmon wood. The data is undeniable. 

Persimmon woods and their heritage nevertheless command immense respect. As golfers, acknowledging their undeniable role in the sport’s history is essential. They established the groundwork upon which contemporary drivers are designed, leaving manufacturers with a lasting debt of gratitude to those pioneering artisans who shaped golf equipment for more than a century.

Tell us about your experience with persimmon woods in the comments!!