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Review: Nike VRS Covert 2.0 and 2.0 Tour Drivers

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Pros: Two of the nicest looking drivers at address in golf. The size of the Tour model was increased to 460cc, giving it a major forgiveness upgrade, and Nike kept their FlexLoft adapters compatible with the original models. The Mitsubishi’s Kuro Kage Silver TiNi in the Covert 2.0 Tour is an impressive stock shaft offering.

Cons: The vibrant red paint could continue to be a turn off to golfers who don’t wish to game clubs that draw attention to themselves. Heavier club heads and counter-balanced shafts could also cause problems for golfers who perform better with lighter clubs. No adjustable weights.

The Takeaway: Several big updates from the original drivers, particularly in the forgiveness category. If these launched a little higher and spun a little less, they would have scored higher in the performance category.

Overview

The original Nike VR_S Covert Driver introduced last year elicited plenty of discussion amongst golf enthusiasts about the unique cavity-back design and candy-apple red paint job. Think of the Covert 2.0 line as a progressive enhancement of the previous year’s model, doubling down on the elements that made Nike’s driver a distance hog, while taking a serious stab at refining the technology and aesthetics.

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Both the Tour and standard (otherwise known as “Performance”) editions feature the high-speed cavity design introduced from a year ago, but the hallowed out section of the club head was updated with Nike’s new Fly-Brace technology, which adds stability and increased energy transfer to the ball.

The 2.0 Tour now matches the Performance model’s head’s size of 460cc and features a classic, pear-shaped head. Both drivers are equipped with 45.5 inch Mitsubishi Kuro Kage Series shafts — the Performance version comes stock with Mitsubishi’s Kuro Kage HBP (High Balance Point) shaft and the Tour model comes stock with a Kuro Kage Silver Tini shaft — and 55-gram Tour Wrap 2G grips from Golf Pride. The Performance driver has a white grip, while the Tour has a red grip.

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Nike’s FlexLoft technology, which allows golfers to select one of three different face angle (left, neutral and right) and five different lofts (8.5 to 12.5 degrees in 1-degree increments) independently, has the same connectors from last year. Both drivers have similar-looking crowns that are refreshingly gimmick-free. The only visible graphics on an otherwise classic-looking golf club are the white Nike swoosh towards the heel and a tiny alignment aid indicating the model number (2.0). The bottom of the club head still features oversized branding elements, but the matte finish and sharper edges gives the Covert line a more seasoned, grown-up look.

Click here to read our Q&A with the Nike Golf Team about the Covert 2.0 drivers and other Nike Golf products.

The Covert Tour driver was tested with a stock Kuro Kage Silver TiNi 60-gram shaft (S-flex) and retails for $399. The Performance driver came with a Kuro Kage Black 50-gram shaft (S-flex) and retails for $299.

Performance

The drivers were tested at Pete’s Golf Shop in Mineola, NY, a Golf Digest Top-100 club fitter and I worked directly with Kirk Oguri, a well-respected equipment specialist and teaching professional. The clubs were evaluated using a Foresight launch monitor.

The first and most obvious thing I noticed when swinging both models is the weight. While some golf club manufacturers like Callaway and Cleveland are focused on designing lighter drivers, Nike and others are bucking that trend. The Covert 2.0 drivers are nothing short of modern-day sledgehammers with club heads that weigh roughly 206 grams (about 210 grams including the FlexLoft adapter).

According to Oguri, adding extra weight to club heads is coined “the hammer effect.” The extra weight can help a golfer deliver a powerful blow to the golf ball relative to a certain swing speed, Oguri said, and a counterbalanced shaft and/or grip is then used to lower the swing weight to a traditional level. Ping did the same thing with its widely acclaimed G25 driver, which has a counter-balanced shaft to even out its 205-gram driver head. But the decision of equipment manufacturers to increase the mass isn’t necessarily better for everyone, because it’s usually easier to fit a golfer to a club head when a fitter has the option to add more discretionary weight.

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What the launch monitor data confirmed for me is that a golfer of moderate swing speed (under 100 mph) can potentially struggle transferring enough energy into the ball with a heavy club head. This, in turn, will naturally affect the launch angle, ball speed and carry distance. I felt that I likely could have swung the Covert 2.0 drivers a little faster if the clubs heads were a little lighter, thus creating the potential for more distance. But since there are no adjustable weights in the drivers, I didn’t have the chance to experiment. I did, however, find that the Covert 2.0 drivers exceeded my expectations in terms of accuracy. Whether that had to do with the extra weight, I’m not sure.

The new drivers also have larger faces over last year’s models, which adds to their forgiveness. Nike engineers also improved each driver’s moment of inertia (MOI). The MOI of the Performance model swelled from 4600 to 4800, while the 2.0 Tour model’s MOI jumped from 4100 to 4600, according to Nike. These enhancements help stabilize the Covert 2.0 drivers on off-center hits, leading to more ball speed and less gear effect when a golfer misses the sweet spot.

Another element to consider when evaluating the new Nike Covert drivers is how each club’s center of gravity affects trajectory and distance. While the quote-on-quote hip thing in driver technology is to push the CG low and forward as is the case with TaylorMade’s SLDR, Nike took a more neutral approach. In the Covert 2.0 driver, the CG is more rearward for added forgiveness and increased launch and spin. In the Covert 2.0 Tour driver, the weight is positioned lower and more forward, creating a trajectory that is lower launching and lower spinning than the Performance model. Both club heads also have weight concentrated in the rear corners of the club head, which is how the drivers are able to maintain such a high MOI.

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Drivers with high MOI’s also tend to also have slightly higher CG positions, which is why I found that the Covert 2.0 drivers performed better for me when I hit them slightly higher on the face. Conversely, golfers who contact the lower half of the club face will launch the ball lower and with slightly more spin than is optimal, resulting in a loss of distance.

Performance: Standard Driver

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The Nike Performance driver features the slightly lighter shaft, which definitely helped me deliver the club to the ball with more speed.

Using the Performance driver I was able to generate around 95 mph of club head speed with a ball speed of about 130 mph. My launch angle was 12.9 degrees and the average spin clocked in at 2400 rpm. These launch conditions produced an average carry of 202 yards (228 yards total). My best drive of the session yielded a 209-yard carry (total distance of 243 yards) based on a 135 mph ball speed and 9.9 launch angle.

Additional testing carried out separately at the driving range produced a nice mid-launch flight with a slight fade bias. When hit reasonably well, the Covert Performance driver is deadly accurate. Even on mishits, I never felt like club was twisting or producing unsalvageable drives.

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Performance: Tour Driver

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During my testing session, I felt more than a little out-classed swinging the Tour driver, which will compete directly with low-spin driver models such as Titleist’s 913 D3TaylorMade’s SLDR, Ping’s i25, Callaway’s Big Bertha Alpha and Cleveland’s 588 Custom. The lower-launching, heavier driver (it weighed in at D6) was a chore to square up and accelerate. It’s important to note that the Tour driver is equipped with a heavier, stiffer shaft designed to launch the ball a little lower than its Performance counterpart.

My average carry distance was only 160 yards (197 yards total) and my best swing on the monitor showed a carry distance of 194 yards (224 yards total) with a high launch angle (14.8 degrees) and very little spin (1700 rpm).

Experimenting with swapping out shafts did improve distance, it was not enough to outperform Nike’s standard driver.

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Look, Sound and Feel

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In terms of looks, the Tour and Performance drivers are nearly identical. The differences, as in the case of head shape and darker face material for the Tour edition, are negligible. As indicated earlier, Nike took what was already considered a clean-looking club and further refined many of the visual elements including hiding the support structure that runs from the edge of the cavity back through the center of the crown. Gone from plain sight is the Tour model metal screw that some golfers liked and some didn’t.

While we’re on the subject of sound, both drivers produce a deep, muted sound when struck. It’s considerably more pleasant than hearing the higher-pitched, metallic noise found in too many other drivers in the marketplace. Be that as it may, the combination of the good acoustics, heavy weight and minimalist crown graphics conspire together to achieve a look that a traditionalist will find difficult not to love.

As is the case with the sound, the clubs feel relatively the same. Both drivers are very solid when struck and provide ample feedback on mishits. The Golf pride Tour Wrap grips are certainly a little heavier than I would prefer, and their non-textured surface is not best for golfers who play in humid areas or places where it often rains.

The Bottom Line

The Nike VR_S Covert 2.0 line of drivers have several updated features and aesthetic polish, but they might not be different enough from the originals to convince the masses that they need an upgrade. For those golfers who took a pass the first time around, however, the new models are certainly worth a look.

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Last year’s models were a better fit for golfers who fell under the category of “better players,” and the improved aesthetics and sound will keep them interested in the new drivers. But this year’s huge improvement in forgiveness will help golfers of all levels get more enjoyment out of the Covert 2.0 drivers.

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Rusty Cage is a contributing writer for GolfWRX, one of the leading publications online for news, information and resources for the connected golfer. His articles have covered a broad spectrum of topics - equipment and apparel reviews, interviews with industry leaders, analysis of the pro game, and everything in between. Rusty's path into golf has been an unusual one. He took up the game in his late thirties, as suggested by his wife, who thought it might be a good way for her husband to grow closer to her father. The plan worked out a little too well. As his attraction to the game grew, so did his desire to take up writing again after what amounted to 15-year hiatus from sports journalism dating back to college. In spite of spending over a dozen years working in the technology sector as a backend programmer in New York City, Rusty saw an opportunity with GolfWRX and ran with it. A graduate from Boston University with a Bachelor's in journalism, Rusty's long term aspirations are to become one of the game's leading writers, rising to the standard set by modern-day legends like George Peper, Mark Frost and Dan Jenkins. GolfWRX Writer of the Month: August 2014 Fairway Executive Podcast Interview http://golfindustrytrainingassociation.com/17-rusty-cage-golf-writer (During this interview I discuss how golf industry professionals can leverage emerging technologies to connect with their audience.)

57 Comments

57 Comments

  1. Jack

    Dec 23, 2014 at 11:56 am

    Rusty Great article. I have a question for you. Where is the “sweet spot” on the 2.0 Performance and how high/low do you tee it? I love my Nike 2.0 Performance and want to max the distance with a 92 head speed and 121 ball velocity. Currently my carry is 189 and total is around 200
    I have my driver set to neutral 11.5
    thanks,
    Jack

  2. Matthew Carter

    Dec 18, 2014 at 12:01 am

    Just returned from Hawaii where I rented a set of Nike covert irons and woods. 2013 covert driver in stiff Kuro Kage shaft was Awesome. Straight and consistently long. May not replace current driver but for $129.00, you can’t beat the price. The shaft alone is worth $200 and tip works in 2.0 if needed.

  3. Mark

    Dec 5, 2014 at 7:17 pm

    I bought the 2.0 performance and hit it great on launch monitor not so on golf course lacked distance was used to a cleveland launcher very light club was ready to sell gave it one last chance and things really turned around with the driver. I agree with other comments that the driver keeps the ball in the fairway I have launch angle at 9.5and set on neutral the additional weight now helps me keep the swing on plane and for the first time I am hitting some draws I like the driver

  4. ZRB91

    Aug 24, 2014 at 1:16 am

    Just bought the nike covert 2.0 performance today. Plan on olaying in the morning. How ever I’m not sure to where I should set my club head at: left, neutral, or right. I’m a right handed player, so should I set it to left to counteract the slice?

  5. GRGMusic

    Aug 5, 2014 at 6:42 pm

    Before this week I would not have considered playing nike clubs but my club had the Nike boys in with the fitting tools on Sunday and I have to say the Covert 2.0 drivers and fairway woods exceeded all my expectations. I prefer the look of the Tour driver but my numbers were much better with the performance. I am a 5 handicap golfer and consistent ball striker and with a stiff shaft I was catching them perfectly every time. The fairway woods are possibly even more impressive. I bought the whole set!

  6. A McKay

    Jul 16, 2014 at 5:17 pm

    Bought the 2.0 Driver and 3-wood this year to replace my Taylormade R11 driver and 3-wood. Not much gain in distance, but I felt the gain in accuracy was outstanding.
    Hit a lot of drivers and woods before settling… You name it, I hit it. Definitely recommend the Nike.

  7. TTresino

    Jul 9, 2014 at 10:11 am

    I husky bought the Covert 2.0 tour i love it my avg drive is 265yds it’s the best club on the market right now

  8. DrawHooker

    Jun 20, 2014 at 8:15 pm

    Just want to add my pinch of salt: Got my new Covert 2 Performance with R shaft and played my first round today with it (well, thats 9 holes due to various injuries this year restricting my golf). I am a slow-med swinger, generally hate drivers ….LOL…. but NEED to feel the drivers head on the stick at the top (which for me is probably 60% of the general guy’s backswing…. LOL), and was I surprised with this driver, for a few reasons:
    * It feels heavier and shorter than my other drivers (suppose its the weight of the head ?)
    * the red crown is BEAUTIFUL !
    * the nice and TACKY grip (GP Tour wrap they call it) is really nice
    * dont know why, but everything I hit went pretty much where I aimed (my mishit is left – see my name…LOL), no matter where I hit it on the face (hit many on the heel side generally). OK, so I didnt measure the distance, wasnt bombing balls due to injuries, but it was on the short stuff close to all the time (and believe me, with my crooked swing lately – hope to heal by 2015 – that is a huge accomplishment).

    Into the bag she goes….. Will try more with this Lady in Red !

  9. Martin

    Jun 20, 2014 at 8:08 pm

    I have a general dislike for all things, Nike.

    I tried this out on the simulator and it was nothing special so I moved on.

    This week though, I played in a scramble who rented these clubs. I tried the driver, I was quit surprised.

    It was awesome, I now may have to buy another driver…

  10. andy

    Jun 15, 2014 at 2:12 pm

    Rusty – this is a great review. I have the original covert, hitting it about 208 (GPS measured) and want to switch to the 2.0, but couldn’t decide between the performance and tour – love the look of the tour so much more.
    going to get the tour now.
    Thanks for your honesty!
    Andy

    • Rusty Cage

      Jun 18, 2014 at 8:44 am

      Andy,

      Thanks for the feedback. I personally love the look of the Tour models as well, but they’re too much club for me. I’ve put up pretty good numbers with the Covert Performance driver this spring (220 to 240 yards on average) hitting a Callaway Hex Chrome+. Regardless of which club you choose, I hope you enjoy playing it.

  11. Jacques Cormier

    May 29, 2014 at 5:19 pm

    I’m not a big Nike Golf fan but the last three drivers I used were the SQ tour, Vrs Victory red tour and now the Covert tour. I play anywhere between a 3 and 7 handicap. I am 6’6 and generally like to play clubs with a neutral set up. Playing for over 16 years I will say no matter how big the club head, you still need a solid swing or you won’t utilize the sweet spot on the club. Someone said it earlier, get fit to make sure the shaft fits your swing. The stock shafts on these clubs are very good and the club head weight is increased. Not made for everyone. Tour model is not as forgiving because it’s made for workability. I like that I can hit it high, low, right to left and left to right on command. If you are looking for distance have more flex, accuracy go stiffer. Rule of thumb, Drive for accuracy, put for distance.

  12. Bloomie

    May 26, 2014 at 10:09 pm

    Bought the Covert 2.0 performance (Limited Edition Matte Black) a few days ago. I am not a fan of the red, so I decided to get the black once it came out. Brought it on the course twice so far. I was using a Cobra AMP Cell before that, and I think I will be going back to the Cobra the next time I play. The dampened thud that the club makes upon striking the ball drives me crazy. I really don’t like the feel of the club compared to the AMP cell either. My swing speed is around 97. The 50g shaft is too light, and I was also driving the ball longer with the Cobra. Not impressed at all with the Nike driver.

  13. Jack

    Apr 23, 2014 at 11:12 pm

    Rusty:
    Thanks for the honest and realistic review. Sounds like the Performance model would be a nice club to try. My driver SS avg 91.7 and BS avg 127 mph. What I find might be good for me is the 2.0’s spin #s. I really need to lower mine (avg 3200) and might give the Covert 2.0 Performance a swing or two just for the lower spin numbers.

  14. froneputt

    Apr 16, 2014 at 6:42 am

    Demoed the Covert 2.0 Performance w R Flex — was impressed by the consistency of the driver and its feel – soft, muted yet hot.

    As to SS, it’s not everything — it’s also the quality of the swing, and that varies, which is the reason one needs to go out there and hit the ball with this club. Wish I had some numbers, but the Nike Rep was busy talking with other guys at the demo day….

  15. Tommy Truth

    Apr 13, 2014 at 3:43 am

    Funny how nobody on the internet hits 200 yards drives except Rusty.

  16. Nocklaus

    Apr 4, 2014 at 7:56 pm

    I played the performance last year an I got the 2.0 with silver tini stiff shaft this year. Love the club. I hit it further than everybody I play with and it’s easy to work the ball with.
    My swingspeed is 104-107 and my average drive is around 230 yards. Sure I have an occational260 yard drive once in a while. But be serious now guys. Your best drive is NOT your average drive…

    • Seeking70s

      Apr 5, 2014 at 11:57 am

      With you swing speed you should be hitting the ball much further. Google up “Trackman Optimizer” and look at the charts for carry and roll. You should hit it over 300 on your really great swings. Also you may need the X flex shaft at your swing speed. Getting set up with this club will dramatically increase your carry and roll. Fact!!

      • Nocklaus

        Apr 5, 2014 at 10:32 pm

        Well, I’m not talking about Trackman. I’m talking about actual shots made on the golfcourse…

        • Seeking70s

          Apr 6, 2014 at 1:39 pm

          Simply trying to help you pick up a LOT of distance. Trackman is very accurate for what you should see on the golf course. Please take the time to read what Tom Wishon an expert has to say on this site about Trackman. He will confirm this in his writings.

      • willM

        Apr 10, 2014 at 8:37 am

        I wouldn’t jump into an X flex unless you really load the shaft. I can generate speeds between 105-115 with my driver / 3wood, and still use regular or stiff flexed shafts (ranging 5.5-6.0 rifle scale).

        If you like the club, explore your shaft options. I am debating Oban Devotion and MRC D+, as long as I can get swing weight to a good balance point.

  17. Nocklaus

    Apr 4, 2014 at 7:49 pm

    I played the performance last year and got the new 2.0 with silver tini stiff shaft year. Love it. Hit my drives linger than everybody I play with. Clubheadspeed is 103-107. Easy to work the ball. But my average distance isn’t more than 230 yards. Sure I can hit an occational 260 once i a while, but be serious now guys. Your best drive isn’t your average !

  18. Bill Halagarda

    Mar 20, 2014 at 2:52 pm

    Rusty, I just read your article on the nike drivers. I found it very interesting. One question I have is when your on the golf course is making adjustments to the driver angle for different holes a good practice? On some holes I could get better run using a lower angle.

    • Rusty Cage

      Mar 20, 2014 at 3:45 pm

      Bill;

      Take this for what it’s worth – but I wouldn’t play around too much making adjustments to loft (I’m assuming this what you are referring to). First off, get fitted for the right club & shaft. Your fitter should be able to dial in your loft correctly to maximize the club’s performance for you.

      All things being equal, you don’t want to be hitting down with the driver. And in the case of the Covert drivers, the sweet spot is a little higher on the crown than some drivers out there. You don’t want to strike the ball with the bottom half, period. If you want to flight the ball down with a driver there are other options such playing the ball a little closer to middle of your stance or simply swinging a little bit easier which will take off some spin producing lower trajectory. Lastly, consult with a fitter or golf instructor – that’s your best bet since I know of nothing about the courses you play or your playing abilities.

      Thanks for reading, and for the comment.

    • Ryan

      Apr 2, 2014 at 9:29 am

      Keep in mind it’s also against the USGA rules to adjust your driver during the round. If you post your scores in GHIN, you are breaking the rules by doing so.

  19. Nick

    Mar 19, 2014 at 10:58 pm

    I have to say much improved from last years. I swing in the 115 to 117 range and had trouble getting last years up without overspinning. These have a great look and feel and definitely preform.

  20. Richard

    Mar 19, 2014 at 11:10 am

    Appreciate your review.
    Thanks

  21. Neil

    Mar 17, 2014 at 9:11 am

    Nice looking at address but failed distance

  22. KK

    Mar 16, 2014 at 6:48 pm

    Rusty, thanks for your review and honesty. The numbers for the performance Covert are a good bit better than the average golfer which is around 210 off the tee according to the R&A. Seeing as how the performance Covert is aimed at the average golfer, this review is very relevant. The D6 swingweight for the Tour really surprises me. That is a beast.

  23. Seeking70s

    Mar 16, 2014 at 11:36 am

    My results are quite different with the Nike Covert Tour 2.0. My swing speed is quite similar at 92-96 mph. Ball speed is 136-141 and my smash factor is generally north of 145. Trackman has me at 242-252 carry and roll and an occasional great swing is 265-270 carry and roll. I hit both this and the Performance model and personally prefer the Tour and the stock stiff shaft. In actual play on course my bad swings travel 240 and good swings are 250-265 carry and roll. An occasional exceptional outlier swing goes even farther up to 285 on course, (3 in the 280 to 285 range in 9 rounds gps measured.) I generally play the club at 11.5 or 12.5 loft and do prefer the left setting. The club for me feels extremely stable and has that out of the “park home run feel”. For me this is the best driver I have ever had in my hands and I have had MANY. Oh, and I have no problem hitting it high or low depending on what the shot calls for on course. Try them both and see which works better for your swing. I played the Performance Covert last year and it was the straightest club for me that I ever hit. This one, The Tour version is even better. Again, for me it has that “out of the park home run feel.”

  24. gordon langseth

    Mar 16, 2014 at 10:45 am

    Rusty represents more golfers than someone at 100+. When i played off scratch my ch speed was only 95, now at 66 its dropped to 89. Keep up the good work. it is refreshing to see this type of work. Those of you who think only in terms of pga tour specs, run your reviews and link the two articles. we are intelligent enough to read them both.

    sure love it here at Golfwrx.com

  25. Peter

    Mar 16, 2014 at 9:44 am

    Rusty thanks for your review. It was well written and gave great insights into this driver.

    I do have to agree with some of the earlier posts that you may not have been the best person to choose for this review. As you may not have the swing speed for the stiff shafts especially the tini that were issued to you. There is also the fact you don’t carry a driver currently to compare and contrast to.

    Golfwrx sells alot of clubs I just worry people will be scared off by the distances in this review and that may not be fair to the manufacturer.

    Keep up the good work Rusty I look forward to more of your reviews.

  26. flubber

    Mar 16, 2014 at 2:27 am

    Noting like fighting a slice and looking down on the driver head and seeing the swoosh – a design the resembles the ball flight of a slice. smh

  27. Jay

    Mar 15, 2014 at 5:06 pm

    Appreciate the review Rusty!

    One question?
    Just can’t get my head around the 40 yard difference between the two.
    Were you miss hitting the tour?

    • Rusty Cage

      Mar 15, 2014 at 7:22 pm

      Jay,

      Not a question of miss-hits. I didn’t get optimal launch angle and spin numbers. Plus the heavier head and shaft combo in the Covert Tour knocked off about 2 mph of club head speed. Bottom line, not very good carry distance compared to the Performance version (for me).

      Also, took the Performance Covert driver on the course today and it’s an extremely playable club and contact with the ball sounds great.

    • Steve

      Mar 15, 2014 at 7:35 pm

      I am sure Rusty only gave us numbers based on his better shots during testing. The issue with the tour heads performance is based on its CG position and overall weight of the head. At 95mph, there simply isn’t enough speed to create the launch conditions needed to produce longer carries.

      I think the 4.5 rating is a little much because there is no way that Tour driver will be played by many golfers. It has not (and will not)outperformed The SLDR, BB Alpha or the I25. The NIKE ads on the WRX site contribute to the higher rating it’s receiving IMO. Money talks.

      Great overall review Rusty and don’t listen to the 110mph “studs” who make it sound like they go out and pound it 300+ like it’s nothing.

      • enrique

        Mar 15, 2014 at 11:26 pm

        Steve,

        I have about 104-106mph club head speed and the Nike outperformed the BBa and SLDR. It did not outperform the i25. It has nothing to do with marketing budget. It’s a good club. The drivers you’ve mentioned throw far more $ at advertising.

        And 110mph studs? That’s not much. There are guys with far more club head speed that 110mph on this forum. I’ve played with a bunch of them. And since it’s a low spin Tour caliber driver I think it caters to those “studs”. Why not get someone of this ilk to review the driver?

  28. luke keefner

    Mar 15, 2014 at 7:21 am

    Thanks Rusty for the honest review. My average swing speed is not much different than yours. Just curious as to what your gamer driver is and what kind of carry you get compared to the Nikes?

    • Rusty Cage

      Mar 15, 2014 at 9:06 am

      Luke,

      My gamer driver (up until last year) was the Callaway Big Bertha Diablo – which never performed well for me anyway. I seldom ever used it and mostly relied on my Callaway Diablo fairway wood. I’m eager to put Covert Performance driver in play on the course; at the range it has been consistently accurate and reasonably long for my swing speed.

  29. kits013

    Mar 15, 2014 at 5:00 am

    thx for the review, Rusty !
    i know there are guys in golfwrx with swing speed of 130
    but majority ain’t long drive champ

    keep it up

  30. dunn

    Mar 15, 2014 at 1:19 am

    Not trying to be mean at all and respect honesty ……like me reviewing a road race motorcycle at 60mph when its designed to perform at 120mph……is all, I am not equipped for job…on side note I did hit these in store….I am around 103-107mph and was really impressed with these over last years….50g was too weak but 60g stiff in tour head was great., good numbers and feel great, i did notice they seem easier to hit than last years as well…love to hit one on course

  31. dunn

    Mar 15, 2014 at 1:06 am

    Why is a guy who swings 95mph doing a review?….he cant even generate enough speed to accurately evaluate the tour head……nothing against him at all but get appropriate players that this was designed for testing them…..or have 3 guys do the review…one at 90mph, one. At 100-105 and maybe one at 110 or higher

    • Jay

      Mar 15, 2014 at 3:35 am

      Because the vast majority of golfers swing at around 90 mph. The tour head is not designed for 120 mph. If it was then you have no business even thinking about it since your swing speed is only 103 mph. Your swing speed is not much faster than the reviewer so I’d suggest you take note of his review instead of looking for a review by a fast swinger (ie. non typical golfer).

  32. bootscrilla

    Mar 14, 2014 at 8:50 pm

    Maybe I’m just weird but I just can’t handle the red head especially with a white swoosh in such an unusual spot. Put the swoosh in the middle of the crown and make it smaller (like Callaway, Titleist) and I’m sold.

  33. Martin

    Mar 14, 2014 at 7:39 pm

    I can’t believe I just read a review of a driver by a guy with a 95mph SS.

    Good for you buddy, I swing it between 95-100 and my carries on the monitor are around 215. The best numbers I have ever produced is with a SLDR 10.5 jacked up to 12 with a regular shaft.

    My numbers with last years Covert was short with lots of spin.

    • Lawrence Williams

      Mar 15, 2014 at 9:03 am

      Hey Martin, given your specs you should try the Jetspeed driver…..the increase in carry while staying low spin is amazing. I hit all the low spin -low launch heads and almost went with CT2 in regular flex but did more research and picked up a jetspeed 10.5* with custom shaft…….added 15-20 yds to my normal 210 of carry and even more downwind. Give it a shot!

      • Martin

        Mar 15, 2014 at 2:21 pm

        Tried the Jetspeed the same day, spin was about 1,000 rpms higher.

  34. Doe

    Mar 14, 2014 at 4:35 pm

    I didn’t suggest that reviewers must be scratch – but the ability to carry a golfball with a driver over 160 yards might help avg WRX readers glean a bit more data from the article.

    Keyboard Magazine is not going to hire me to review the latest Steinway grand piano if chopsticks is the limit of ability. Nobody would give any credence to my thoughts on the instrument.

    • Zak Kozuchowski

      Mar 14, 2014 at 4:58 pm

      These drivers were tested by Rusty as well as several golfers of various ability levels, from better-than-scratch to high handicappers. Those Doppler radar launch monitor results, as well as the votes of our panel of elite custom fitters located across North America, are what led to our rating of “4.5” for these drivers.

      Rusty’s job was to create an in-depth review for golfers seeking more information on the Covert 2.0 drivers: the technology in the clubs and what it does, the performance he experienced and the looks, sound and feel. The reality is that there are a lot more golfers in the world who hit their drives 200 yards than 300 yards, even though many are not willing to admit it on the internet.

      • David

        Mar 14, 2014 at 6:13 pm

        Thanks for your review, Rusty. It was an honest one!

        Keep enjoying the game. Regardless of how far you hit the ball, it’s still a lot of fun!

      • Xreb

        Mar 14, 2014 at 6:46 pm

        True and it got guts on Rusty’s part to admit that in a review as opposed to padding those numbers

  35. Billy

    Mar 14, 2014 at 3:56 pm

    Great Review, love my 2.0 performance. Of course LOVE the red head as well.

  36. Doe

    Mar 14, 2014 at 3:35 pm

    Your average driver carry distance was 160 yards????? 197 yards TOTAL???

    I’m having a hard time believing that. I’m not quite sure you were the right person to review this club, no offense. A serious comment.

    • Rusty Cage

      Mar 14, 2014 at 4:14 pm

      Doe,

      I respect your opinion. In all honesty, the 2.0 Tour seems better suited for someone who generates more club head speed than I do. There is a reason why it’s a tour-issue club (that’s not a knock on the driver). I did however get very good performance out the performance head and shaft at factory settings and it’s better fit for a wider range of handicaps.

      • Jack

        Mar 15, 2014 at 12:28 am

        I’m surprised the fitter didn’t swap out the shaft for you to get the optimal results. 95mph swing speed should be easily besting 160 carry, tour or not.

        • Rusty Cage

          Mar 15, 2014 at 7:01 am

          Jack,

          I did note in the review that we actually did swap Kuro Kage shafts between drivers – which did improve launch and carry results slightly, but not significantly. Testing out additional shafts that aren’t stock would’ve changed the scope of the article from a review of the equipment as is (off-the-rack testing) to an article that emphasizes a proper fitting – introducing an unfair component in terms of evaluating the drivers.

          Obviously anyone who actually intends to purchase the Coverts, or any other clubs for that matter, wouldn’t simply be satisfied with their off-the-rack launch numbers. Ideally, they would go through a fitting session to find the right head and shaft combo for their swing – irrespective of manufacturer.

    • Jim

      Mar 14, 2014 at 8:27 pm

      I think it is great to get some slower swings testing these clubs its very hard to find info on whats is out there thats possibly better. My dad swings driver around 82 mph and might get 215 out of his driver , on a perfectly stuck ball with drier conditions . This year he got himself the big bertha driver 13.5 senior flex and he will probably play it cranked to 15.5 in hopes of getting a little more hang time on the tee shots . So i say thank you for posting this review and hopefully you could do more of this with the newer drivers.

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Driver Reviews

GolfWRX Spotlight: Tour Edge Exotics C721 driver

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Tour Edge’s Exotics line of high-end golf clubs has been known for excellent fairway wood and hybrid performance over the years. The Chicago-based company has been consistently putting out high-quality products, and golfers are really taking notice. The new line of C721 drivers, fairway woods, and hybrids take yet another big leap forward from last year’s EXS line. 

The new C721 driver takes a lot of technology from the 2020 EXS line and further refines and expands on it. I know it is a little cliche when companies say every model is their best ever, but Tour Edge is 100 percent right this time.

When unboxing the C721 the first thing I noticed was the much-improved looks and shape over the previous Tour Edge drivers. The biggest change to my eye is the added bulge, giving a more rounded and softened topline.

The overall shape of the C721 is slightly stretched from front to back, giving it just a hint of a triangular look. The Ridgeback is a titanium spine flanked by two carbon fiber wings that add stability and forgiveness to the head, but they can also work together and an additional aiming device to ensure you are lined up down the center of the fairway. 

Getting the C721 out on the course is where you really start to appreciate all the technology that went into this driver. Well-struck shots are very long, very boring, and will hang with anything out on the market today. Center contact is rewarded with a long and very low spin shot that is just fun to hit.

The sound and feel are very solid, you can really feel the ball compress on the face as it leaves at high speed. The sound is more of a muted crack and much quieter than I anticipated. If you practice on an enclosed range your ears will thank you for your choice in drivers. Shots hit away from the center of the face retain a lot of ball speed and stay online really well.

My miss is low on the heel and those misses stayed in the air fairly well and went a good ways. Shots hit down on the heel or higher on the toe side still stay online really well due to the Ridgeback spine and rear weight. The C721 is just slightly higher than mid-launch for me, but the low spinning head never allowed my shots to balloon or rise even into the wind. I do wish the face was just a touch deeper as I had to play with my tee height in order to find the optimal setup. The better players will enjoy the neutral weighting and there seems to be very minimal draw built into the driver.

Overall, the Tour Edge Exotics C721 driver is a great club that will probably be overlooked by too many golfers. If you are looking for added distance, a lot of forgiveness and want to keep some money in your pocket, then you should seriously take a look at Tour Edge.

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Driver Reviews

Review: Ping’s G400 and G400 LST Drivers

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I still remember the first time I hit Ping’s G30 driver. It was July 2014, and I was at Ping’s HQ in Phoenix. Super low-spin drivers were all the rage at the time. With their forward center of gravity, they were helping golfers optimize their launch conditions beyond their wildest dreams: crazy high launch, ridiculously low spin. Many in the business, including myself, had one of these drivers and spent many launch monitor sessions trying to figure out how to get more distance from these high knuckleballs. The bad news was that forward-CG drivers, by nature, were really unforgiving. Bad shots were really short and crooked.

Before I knew the G30 was a big deal, Marty Jertson, Ping’s Director of Product Development, explained to me his vision for the perfect driver inside a conference room at Ping Headquarters. In his eyes, the perfect driver didn’t have the low, forward center of gravity (CG) that was being touted at the time. Its CG was located as low and as rearward in the driver head as possible, which he said would offer the best of both worlds: optimized launch conditions on good shots, as well as the best possible forgiveness on bad shots.

Building the perfect driver was a long way off (and still is), but Jertson was excited where Ping had landed with the G30. When it was released, the driver was a powerful testament to his vision. Its rear-CG design created great distance on good and bad shots, and it was also a very straight driver. The G30 sold incredibly well and, as a result, the industry mostly shifted away from forward-CG drivers.

It’s been nearly three years since the release of the G30, and Ping has just made another counterintuitive driver release. The company shrunk the size of its new G400 drivers in a climate where full-size drivers have become the norm. Granted, it’s only 15 cubic centimeters smaller, but it’s noticeable at address. Compared to the Ping G drivers they replace (which replaced the G30), the G400’s look like they cut carbs.

Despite their slimmer frames, however, the G400 drivers are actually more forgiving than the G drivers (which were even more forgiving than the G30). That’s why Ping representatives say smaller is actually better in the G400’s case. The drivers have the lowest, most rearward CG of any Ping drivers ever, and their smaller size is said to improve their aerodynamics so golfers can swing them fractionally faster. The other big change is a new face material made of T9S+ titanium, which is thinner and more flexible to help golfers generate more ball speed.

Ping_G400_LST_2

For this review, I wanted to put the G400 and G400 LST to the test against the G and the G LST drivers that they replace, so I took them to the Launch Pad at Carl’s Golfland in Bloomfield Hills, Mich. I hit five shots with each driver on Trackman IV, and to ensure as much of an apples-to-apples comparison as possible, I tested each driver head with the same shaft. Each driver head was adjusted to the same loft, or as close as possible.

Note: The G, G LST, and G400 drivers I tested were 10.5-degree heads adjusted to 9.5 degrees. The G400 LST had a loft of 10 degrees, and it was adjusted to 9.4 degrees.

The Test

PingG400_2017

In my personal driver tests, I don’t usually see a huge uptick in distance or accuracy when comparing the latest drivers to the most recent models from the same manufacturer. Improvements generally come in the form of improved head shaping, a better feel, or enhanced adjustability. That’s why I was surprised to see such a big change in my launch conditions and dispersion with the G400 drivers.

G400 Test Results: With the G400, I launched my drives an average of 1.6-degrees higher than I did with the G while dropping spin an average of 416 rpm. That led to a significant improvement in distance. With my swing speed and ball speed staying about the same, I added an average of 7.2 yards more carry distance and 8.7 yards more total distance.

G400 LST Test Results: First, a note about the G400 LST. It has a CG that’s slightly lower and more forward than the standard G400 driver to help golfers reduce spin. Like the G30 LST and G LST, it’s still very much a rear-CG driver, but its design helps high-speed golfers who can consistently find the center of the club face maximize distance without highjacking forgiveness. When I test Ping drivers, the LST is generally the model that creates the best performance, and the G400 LST was no exception. I saw an average of a 1.2-degree higher launch angle with all other things staying about the same when I compared it to the G LST. The result was an average of 6.6 yards more carry distance and 3.1 yards more total distance. It was the longest and straightest driver I hit in the test.

Note: Ping also sells a G400 SFT (Straight Flight Technology) driver, which has added draw bias. To learn more about it, click through to tech story on the G400, G400 LST and G400 SFT drivers. 

Dispersion

G400_Dispertion

One way to explain the improved launch conditions is that I hit the G400 drivers more consistently. As you can see in the Trackman dispersion chart, I hit the G400 and G400 LST drivers straighter on average than the G and G LST. Is that its slightly enhanced forgiveness shining through? Maybe, maybe not.

To me, the changes Ping made to the look and feel of the driver were just as important as the performance difference I saw on Trackman. I’ve always preferred smaller driver heads, or at least 460-cubic-centimeter drivers that appear smaller than their size. For that reason, I felt more confident with the G400 drivers in my hands. I didn’t mind that I didn’t see any added swing speed or ball speed from the smaller driver head. I was sold on the looks alone.

I also preferred the sound of the G400 drivers to the G drivers. There was definitely much more of a “thwack” than a “ping” at impact, which made the G400’s feel more powerful. Looks and feel are subjective, of course, but to me the improvement was night and day. I don’t think it’s a stretch to say that my fondness for the looks and feel of the G400 was at least a contributing factor to my improved performance in the test, if not the most important factor. When I like the way a club look at address, I tend to hit it better, and I know I’m not alone.

I do want readers to keep in mind that this was a one-person test and I hit a limited amount of balls. Yes, it’s a great indication that the G400 driver can be measurably better than a G driver, but it’s not a guarantee.

I also want to address the weaknesses of the G400 drivers. While they’re few, they could push golfers into another driver model in a fitting. Unlike Callaway’s GBB EpicTaylorMade’s M1 or Titleist’s 917 drivers, the G400’s don’t have CG adjustability. That means there’s no way to fine tune ball flight outside of a shaft or loft adjustment. A bigger deal for some golfers might be the G400 crowns. Despite their smaller size, there’s still a lot to look at address, as was the case with the G drivers.

Ping_G400_LST_4

Aerodynamic features on the front of the crowns, “Turbulators,” have been thickened for the G400 release. There’s also Ping’s “DragonFly Technology,” a geometry on the back of the driver crowns that helps push CG lower and more rearward in the driver heads. I personally think the G400 crowns give the drivers an old-school, muscle car-like look, but there’s no question they won’t fly with all golfers.

Whatever your thoughts about what’s on top of the G400 drivers, there’s no question that what’s under the hood can offer something the G and G30 drivers did not. Maybe you’ll like the smaller head. Maybe you’ll prefer the quieter sound. Maybe the improved forgiveness will show up on a launch monitor or on the course. Or maybe you’ll just flat out rip a G400 farther and straighter down the middle like I did.

If that last bit happens, try not to second-guess it.

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Driver Reviews

Members Choice: The Best Driver of 2017

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What determines the best driver on the market; is it the opinion of professional club fitters, professional golfers or testing results from a group of amateurs?

At GolfWRX, we believe all three sources can lead golfers to an answer. Being a website founded by passionate golfers with a mission to serve passionate golfers, though, we place a special emphasis on the opinions of our GolfWRX Members — the most knowledgeable group of golfers on the planet. No other group of golfers in the world tests golf clubs as frequently or as extensively as GolfWRX Members. So who better to poll to get an initial indication of the best performing drivers so far in 2017?

So we asked them, “What’s the best driver of 2017?” They voted for the three drivers they felt most worthy of the title and provided feedback about their selections in our special forum thread. You can see the results below (as of the first three weeks of voting), as well as quotes we pulled from GolfWRX Members about the drivers from our forum.

Remember that our polls will remain open for voting throughout the year, and we’re going to keep an eye on the percentages as more and more golfers have an opportunity to test these drivers. We’re also working on another Best Driver list, which will evaluate clubs in another important way. Stay tuned!

Keep in mind that there’s no single driver on the market that is the absolute best option for every golfer: that’s why nearly every manufacturer makes at least two different models. As this list indicates, however, some drivers are working better than others this year. Happy Testing!

Note: Forum posts were minimally edited for grammar, style, spelling and clarity.

Cobra King LTD Black (3.00 percent of votes)

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  • The General: All-black LTD is really clean looking. I’m about to cover up the orange on my LTD with lead tape. Orange is played out
  • mh7vwLove my LTD, but wish the black finish (or even this gray) didn’t have that subtle checkering you see in some like. Prefer plain black.
  • dbleagI am a fan of the black/orange combo. The performance and sound of the LTD is very appealing to me. I also like that the standard length is 45 inches. For me, that helps it be super-accurate. With the low-spin design, I hit it longest of the current offerings and can’t remember the last time I missed a fairway. Straight, solid, low spin and nice.
Further Reading

Mizuno JPX-900 (3.20 percent)

Mizuno_JPX_900_Driver

  • johnnythundersJPX goes straight. Best real-deal shaft and is long and very adjustable.
  • KT35That blue head looks awesome sitting on the ground. I hit balls off the toe and heel and didn’t see the big drop off in distance like the previous models.
  • nmortonThe JPX-900 is definitely more forgiving compared to the JPX-850, and sounds much better. Though they did sacrifice a bit by going with a little larger profile, but it’s easy to get used to. The graphics are so so, but this driver performs. I’m really digging the Evo II (shaft).
  • jay65I can see that Mizuno is really making a decent effort with its drivers/fairways in terms of tech and aesthetics, and they compliment the new JPX-900 line of irons really well, but if they’re going to make any inroads they really have to address this issue of their custom shafts options. It’s rubbish.
  • bok006The JPX-900, after being properly adjusted by the fitter, gave me an extra 20 yards just like that. My swing speed suggested I was borderline S to X (flex), but the fitter said unless I was fighting a hook I should stick with the S.
  • bubbagump: …the JPX-900, when properly fit, is just as long on a consistent basis than all the new models I tried in real life situations. It looks great, sounds solid and just knows the way to keep the ball in play.  
  • ChazbI’m 69 years old, have a swing speed of 91 mph and played nine with the JPX-900 this morning. It was in the 40s with a brisk wind hit it around 220 to 230 yards. It was a fairway finder, has great feel and is one of the easiest to control drivers I have ever hit. I can’t wait ’til it is warmer and can dial it in more. So far I have the two weights all the way forward for a lower flight and the other set with a draw bias with 10.5 degrees of loft. This driver is the real deal; it may not be the longest or the shortest, but it is a fairway finder which IMO makes it a winner.
Further Reading

Ping G (3.80 percent)

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  • Wesquire: Ping G is the most forgiving so it wins.
  • bopper53: Ping G hands down. Great distance and the most forgiving.
  • Dannydubbbs: The Ping G series is just too forgiving. The distance is comparable between most models, but Ping always seems to win out with forgiveness.
  • Bruin BearThe Ping G is going to be overlooked because it’s looked at as “game improvement,” but this driver is a beast. I liked the LS, but it requires a faster swing to get results and in the cold outdoors I just don’t have that all the time. I think the G is the perfect blend of performance and forgiveness.
  • cmrl1986Only reason I switched from the Ping G25 was that the G felt less harsh off the face. Same distance just about.
Further Reading

Cobra King F7+ (3.90 percent)

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  • EntourageLife: Ball really flies off face. Driver head controls spin well. Not one drive “ballooned” and trajectory was high and best of all… very easy to work ball right to left for a confident draw.
  • GollieThe F7+ is another great offering from Cobra… I didn’t get the “MAN, this is gonna take my LTD out of the bag” feeling, but it has very good sound, feel and performance.
  • J13F7+ is a great offering from Cobra and IMO is in the top-3 drivers this year. Epic is the standout for me numbers wise, then M series and F7+ are right behind it. Love the Agera (shaft) in there!!! Such a great shaft; I can’t seem to get mine out of the bag.
  • Golfer from MOHit both Cobras lefty and as a lefty the LTD is the shizzle. Last year it was the LTD and Big Bertha down to the absolute wire… the F7+ is more workable than the LTD, but not longer and a little worse on mishits.
  • BoognishI took a few swings with the F7+ at Golf Galaxy yesterday. 9.5 degrees with heaviest weight forward. The stock shaft is actually the same model I play in my GBB (albeit in smoked black instead of yellow). Ball flight and distance were similar to my GBB with good consistent sub-3000 backspin. Sound was OK, feel was harder than the GBB.
  • thechief16Just from the range (no LM), I didn’t see a noticeable performance improvement with the F7+ over the original King LTD. And I like the look and sound/feel of the LTD better.
Further Reading

Ping G LS Tec (4.90 percent)

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  • drvrwdgeI played the G LS with the Ping Tour 65X (shaft) tipped an inch for about a year. Just put the HZRDUS Yellow 75 6.5 tipped an inch and never thought it was possible, but it’s longer and straighter. Best driver shaft combo I’ve ever hit. You can feel that HZRDUS throughout the entire swing. Really gives you a solid connected feel.
  • Mtngolfer1: I am not sure that I would consider this a 2017 Driver, but my vote went to the Ping G LS Tec. The fact that my G is still holding its own against the latest 2017 releases has me very excited to see what Ping will release later this year.
  • 3woodvt: Fairway finder and plenty long.
  • pitchinwedgeI’ve found the LS to be nearly as fade biased as the M family. I get pretty good results with the LS by making a conscious effort to make more of an in-to-out swing. Any lapse in concentration and everything goes right. The M’s require even more effort, which is the reason I stayed with the LS instead.
  • 3 Jack ParAfter an up and down year with the G LS, I’ve actually recently gone back to my G30 LS head. I only have a couple of rounds as a sample so far, so I can’t really draw a conclusion about whether one or the other is better, but with the same shaft it seems like my G30 head might be a little longer. Honestly, the performance differences are pretty minimal if you really compare the two generations.
Further Reading

Titleist 917D3 (5.30 percent)

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  • GavaThe 917D3 is in my bag now, and I’ve found it incredibly long with a recently purchased Graphite Design Tour AD MJ 7TX shaft. Feel and accuracy has been a real improvement as well.
  • Togatown22I find my 917D3 to be just as forgiving as my 915D2 was, and man do I prefer looking down at the head shape and color versus the 915. Very confidence inspiring.
  • NIxhex524I would definitely give the D3 a whirl. I feel like Titleist has made great strides at making the smaller head way more hittable for us ams.
  • KPH808So in conclusion, I was hitting the ball about 9 yards further on average and 3-4 mph faster ball speeds with the 917D3 vs. the 915 D4. The biggest thing for me was the forgiveness between the two; the 917D3 was more forgiving on mishits.
  • brushieThe 917D3 head feels soft like the 910 and sounds great. I never had an issue with the 915 sound; it wasn’t great, but it didn’t bother me too much. This is much better, though. The 917D3 head shape is perfect to my eye as well. The area where the 917 shines is forgiveness. 

Further Reading

TaylorMade M1 440 (5.35 percent)

TaylorMade_M1_440_Feat

  • Tigermatt31: The M1 440 is best driver I’ve had ever.
  • TollBros: The M1 440 is definitely lower spin than the M1 460 or M2 from last year. Launch angle isn’t really any lower, but spin is lower for sure.
  • specimania: This year’s 440 is more forgiving.
  • MCozYes, this 440 is more forgiving, and yet it also appears to be more workable than both of the previous M1 and M2s.
  • nitramTo save you a bunch of reading and crunching numbers, I quickly concluded there was a little more forgiveness and exactly +0.4 mph ball speed with the 440. By forgiveness I simply mean this: A 1.48 smash 440 will give you the same ball speed and distance as a 1.49/1.50 430. But if you get a 1.50 from both there is no measurable gain. Side-to-side dispersion was better by 4.7 feet with the 440. Workability was a wash between them, although the 430 seems a bit more fade biased whereas I’ll describe the 440 as a scosche more neutral.
  • tj24: I hit the M1 440 with my Aldila RIP at an 80-gram X-flex. For me, the spin numbers were around 1700 rpm which is probably to low for my swing. I did, however, like the shape of the head and I felt like I could easily work the ball both ways.
  • halfsumoI really think they nailed it with the shape of this 440 head. Nice pear shape, no weird bulges or ridges that you have to get used to.
Further Reading

Titleist 917D2 (6.65 percent)

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  • tsletten: Love the sound of the 917D2.
  • bladehunter: No doubt the 917D2 is an accurate, forgiving driver that doesn’t look as big as it is and sounds fantastic.
  • JStangMaybe it’s just me, but I find the face to be more shallow (top to bottom) with the 917D2 than other drivers that I’ve tried lately.
  • LuckyLowbrowI was actually spinning it too low with the D4. Going up to the D2 normalized my spin rate, but led to such an improvement in consistency across the face.

Further Reading

TaylorMade M1 460 2017 (11.81 percent)

TaylorMade_M1_460-Feat

  • Ereim: I ended up going with the M1 460. It gave me a slightly tighter dispersion, and I liked looking down at it slightly more.
  • jdenham15: The 2017 TaylorMade M1 is a great driver, but I tend to miss wide right and struggled to turn it over.
  • ZBigStick: The M1 460 gave me the best results. Was able to increase launch without much added spin with the (T-Track) weight. Feel is good and felt forgiving; dispersion results backing that up.
  • BillMurrayGolfingThe face is hot, receptive, thin and makes a nice sound. I like that.
  • JStangSound and feel were both fantastic. I couldn’t ask for much more in the sound and feel department than what this club offers. Plenty of feedback was provided based on impact as I would expect. I could easily tell where I missed based on feel.
  • tnordJust as another tester found, moving the weight back and forward absolutely does impact how the club sounds. I’m much more a fan of the weight back.
  • chickenpotpieMoving the slider to the draw position made the feel of the driver a little harsher. Feel was much much smoother with that weight in the middle. I didn’t see any such changes with the front/rear slider.
Further Reading

TaylorMade M2 2017 (11.86 percent)

M2_Speed_Pocket

  • ZBigStickI liked the feel of the new M2 but seemed to get better results and numbers with the new M1. Could be the extra 5 grams of head weight?
    It was dynamite with the GD TP-6 (shaft)!
  • erock9174On Trackman it didn’t put up the most ball speed, but counting all shots the M2 had the longest average distance.
  • gripandripThe M2 seems to have a little bit of a fade bias for me. And the head is HUGE. Maybe it’s a mental thing to be able to turnover a head that large.
  • Bomber_11M2 has very big shoes to fill, as the 2016 M2 was arguably one of the best drivers of the last 3-4 years.
  • LONG&STR8It’s hard to ignore the sound of the new M2. That may be TaylorMade’s biggest fail with that driver, as the sound and feel was one of the best things about the first version that I’ll have in the bag until something better comes along.
  • Z1ggy16The new M2 was terrible for me, not sure why. Unsure if it was the shaft I used but it spun up like a monster and ball speeds weren’t any better than previous M2.
  • Peanut191I don’t really think that the new M2 was much of a step backward, probably more that it doesn’t seem like a big step forward compared to last year’s model. I was hitting my 2016 M2 against a 2017 M2 indoors (which usually amplifies the louder, more obnoxious sound) and I didn’t notice that much of a difference in sound. It could have been that I might have just happened to get a hold of a head that was more muted than normal with the new one, but I just didn’t notice much difference. Performance wise, I could tell that the 2017 was slightly more forgiving than the 2016 model, but I was basically getting the same ball speed and spin numbers, so I didn’t see the need to upgrade.
  • gioguy21: Played 54 holes this weekend. The M2 was as reliable as it could get. I hit 11/12 fairways Friday, 10/12 Saturday and 5/9 or so yesterday (windy). Controllable, just wants to go straight. The sound no longer bothers me. I think it’s when hitting indoors or in range bays that it gets unbearably loud. Makes a different sound when hit on the screws I’ve found, similar to last years M2/M1 with less high-pitched ring. The forgiveness is very obvious, as I hit a couple that were close to center of the face but either high or little out toward the toe that flew similar trajectory and distance to how a well struck shot would react. I think where this driver really shines is the ability to either tee it high and hit it with higher trajectory or the ability to hit it lower with a low tee (3/4 of the ball under the crown) and hit laser beams that don’t move left or right.
  • G-BoneFrom what I’ve seen on Trackman, 2017 M1 was a big jump from 2016; however, 2016 M2 was so good, 2017 is a minor jump.
Further Reading

Callaway GBB Epic (14.91 percent)

GBB_Epic_Hero

  • HDTVMAN: I hit both the Callaway Big Bertha Fusion and Epic with a 44.5-inch UST Recoil F3 shaft and the results were very close. From customer testing, it appears the Epic is longer for those with higher (95+) swing speeds. I have also seen that 44.25-44.5-inch lengths promote tighter dispersion with customers, no loss of distance and better over-all drives.
  • mbbrewer: Tried them all and for me Epic was the one. Fastest ball speed, lowest spin and tightest dispersion.
  • Ereim: Epic felt great, looked great and the numbers were basically 99.9 percent optimized for my swing.
  • johnnylongballz72There is Epic and there is the M series… then there is everyone else. The votes here show it, the PGA Tour use shows it and launch monitors everywhere show it.
  • misplacedtexan83: GBB Epic/Sub Zero pushed the envelop in design and materials to produce increased ball speed and gains. For once a driver did what a company said it would do.
Further Reading

Callaway GBB Epic Sub Zero (16.91 percent)

GBB_Epic_Sub_Zero_Hero

  • jdenham15: I tested the Epic Sub Zero and Epic against my 2016 TaylorMade M1 and the ball speed was 5 mph higher on average, which gave me about 10 yards more carry disstance. That was great, but the part that sold me was the forgiveness. I love my Epic Sub Zero. I feel like it’s easier to turn over and I can work it both ways.
  • Z1ggy16Sub Zero was hands down the best, including my gaming M1 (yeah, not even top-3) due to the combination of lower spin, good forgiveness and feel and looks.
  • jimhaire: I had a 2016 M2 and went with the Epic Sub Zero. The look at address suited my eye and the feel off the face was better for me. And the club went straight.
  • Sef: I have tested a lot of these drivers and for me the Epic Sub Zero was so much better than everything else. I wish I could just apply all three votes to it.
Further Reading

Members Choice 2017

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