Equipment
Forum Thread of the Day: “Are there any old-school drivers that can keep up with today’s models?”
Today’s Forum Thread of the Day comes from theothertwo, who asks fellow GolfWRX members if they feel that there is an old-school driver that can keep up with today’s models. Our members have been giving their views on the subject, with many believing that there are plenty of older models that can still enhance your game.
Here are a few posts from the thread but make sure to check out the entire discussion and have your say at the link below.
- DixieD: “510tp, J33r, FT Tour. Have all these in my collection, and they still make it into my bag and don’t lose any distance to my 917. I’d say the J33r may be slightly shorter, but we are talking 5 yards on good hits with my 105 swing speed. The feel of them is unmatched by today’s offerings.”
- seleezyt: “Ping g15. I’m sure you could go back even more to g10 and rapture, but the g15 was just as long in a recent test for me. Hit against ts2 and g400 and m3.”
- agolf1: “Titleist 983E if your strike is very good. Titleist 910D2 if you want something that resembles today’s forgiveness. I played with an old 983E once this year. It is great when you catch it right but absolutely horrible if you miss at all (both loss of ball speed and direction).”
- RobS14526: “Ping G2/5/10 are still fantastic. I still think the longest combo I’ve ever had was an Orlimar HipTi 420 with an early Taylormade Mitsubishi Tour shaft. Russian titanium baby!”
Entire Thread: “Are there any old-school drivers that can keep up with today’s models?”
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Editor’s note: This is an excerpt from a piece our Andrew Tursky originally wrote for PGATour.com’s Equipment Report. Head over there for the full article.
…The Jailbird craze hasn’t really slowed down in 2024, either. According to Odyssey rep Joe Toulon, there are about 18-20 Jailbird putter users on the PGA TOUR.
Most recently, Akshay Bhatia won the 2024 Valero Texas Open using a broomstick-style Odyssey Jailbird 380 putter and Webb Simpson is switching into a replica of that putter at the 2024 Wells Fargo Championship.
Now, Fowler, who essentially started the whole Jailbird craze, is making a significant change to his putter setup.
Fowler, who has had a couple weeks off since the 2024 RBC Heritage, started experimenting with a new, custom-orange Jailbird 380 head that’s equipped with a standard 35-inch putter build, rather than his previous 38-inch counter-balanced setup.
According to Fowler, while he still likes the look and forgiveness of his Jailbird putter head, he’s looking to re-incorporate more feel into his hands during the putting stroke.
He told GolfWRX.com on Tuesday at the Wells Fargo Championship that the 38-inch counterbalanced setup “served its purpose” by helping him to neutralize his hands during the stroke, but now it’s time to try the standard-length putter with a standard-size SuperStroke Pistol Tour grip to help with his feel and speed control.
Although Fowler was also spotted testing standard-length mallets from L.A.B. Golf and Axis1 on Tuesday, he confirmed that the custom Odyssey Jailbird 380 is the putter he’ll use this week at the 2024 Wells Fargo Championship.
Head over to PGATour.com for the full article.
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- Akshay Bhatia what’s in the bag accurate as of the Wells Fargo Championship. Bhatia is deciding between drivers. More photos from the event here.
Driver: Callaway Rogue ST Max LS (9 degrees @7.2, 2 grams lead tape heel, 4 grams toe)
Shaft: Fujikura Ventus Black 7 X (44 7/8 inches, tipped 1 inch)
Driver: Callaway Paradym Ai Smoke Max D (9 degrees @7)
Shaft: Fujikura Ventus Black 7 X
3-wood: Callaway Paradym Ai Smoke Max (15 degrees @13.9)
Shaft: Fujikura Ventus Black 8 X (43 inches, tipped 1.5)
Hybrid: Callaway Apex UW Prototype (19 degrees @17.8)
Shaft: Fujikura Ventus Black 10 X
Irons: Callaway X Forged UT (21 degrees) Buy here, Callaway Apex TCB Raw (5-PW)
Shafts: KBS $-Taper 125 S+
Wedges: Callaway Jaws Raw (50-10S @49, 54-10S, 60-08C @61)
Shafts: KBS Hi-Rev 2.0 135 X
Putter: Odyssey Versa Jailbird 380
Grip: SuperStroke Zenergy Split
Grips: Iomic
Ball: Callaway Chrome Tour
More photos of Akshay Bhatia’s WITB in the forums.
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- Emiliano Grillo what’s in the bag accurate as of the Wells Fargo Championship. More photos from the event here.
Driver: Callaway Paradym Ai Smoke Triple Diamond (9 degrees @10)
Shaft: Project X Denali Blue 60 TX
3-wood: Callaway Paradym Ai Smoke Triple Diamond (15 degrees)
Shaft: Project X HZRDUS Smoke Blue RDX 70 TX
5-wood: Cobra LTDx Prototype (18.5 degrees)
Shaft: Project X HZRDUS Smoke Blue RDX 70 TX
Irons: Callaway Apex TCB (4-9)
Shafts: Project X 6.5
Wedges: Callaway MD3 Milled (46-08S), Callaway Jaws Raw (50-10S, 54-10S, 60-08T)
Shafts: True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue S400
Putter: Odyssey White Hot OG #5
Grip: SuperStroke Zenergy Flatso 1.0
Grips: Golf Pride MCC
Check out more in-hand photos of Emiliano Grillo’s clubs here.
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Akshay Bhatia WITB 2024 (May)
Akshay Bhatia what’s in the bag accurate as of the Wells Fargo Championship. Bhatia is deciding between drivers. More photos...
Emiliano Grillo WITB 2024 (May)
Emiliano Grillo what’s in the bag accurate as of the Wells Fargo Championship. More photos from the event here. Driver: Callaway...
Webb Simpson WITB 2024 (May)
Webb Simpson what’s in the bag accurate as of the Wells Fargo Championship. More photos from the event here. Driver:...
Keegan Bradley WITB 2024 (May)
Keegan Bradley’s WITB accurate as of the Wells Fargo Championship. >14 clubs pictured. Obviously, Bradley will reduce that number to...
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Sam
Jan 16, 2019 at 4:27 pm
We have to keep in mind as well that club fitting has really changed things. I have been fitting people for 15 years and seen how drastic of a change the right shaft and head combo can make. If you require a custom club, I could put pretty much any driver in your hands and it would wouldn’t change much. new drivers would be more forgiving and probably 5+ yards longer. The biggest I’ve seen though is reducing the spin and optimizing ball flight. I used to love the 983k and erc fusion heads for their shape and overall playability. I compared my 983k from over 10 years ago to my Custom Fit Epic Subzero and its on average about 34 yards of difference. Still, straightest driver I’ve hit to this day is the Callaway C4 haha. sounded like a marshmallow and the distance was terrible but man it the ball only flew straight.
Tom
Jan 8, 2019 at 5:00 pm
Yes, as long as they don’t suffer metal fatigue, older models are the same as what is being touted as “better” designs of today. The USGA rules mandate that clubs CANNOT exceed defined performance standards, thus, performance cannot be improved….
These performance standards set by the USGA have been in place for the past several years… if not longer.
Michael
Dec 21, 2018 at 5:23 pm
Still using the TM Burner Superfast TP. Haven’t found anything better.
Art Williams
Dec 22, 2018 at 2:37 pm
Was playing my 2013 Callaway Razr Fit Extreme for a few years with mixed results. Went back this past fall to my 2008 Hyper X. Was just as long but it felt better and sounded better. Will stick to it for now. Don’t remember why I left it. Couldn’t resist the marketing I guess.
Steve Cantwell
Dec 21, 2018 at 3:14 pm
It’s the Christmas season. New clubs sure would look nice under the tree. However, as good as that sounds, I sure love my R7 TP irons as well as my Burner driver and 3 woid. While my clubs are more than 10 years old, and I have tinkered with newer products over the years, I always find myself coming back to this trusted set up. New clubs? No thank you! Maybe next year…
TONEY P
Dec 21, 2018 at 3:09 pm
The 983K was one of the best drivers made for a good golfer. The R 7 superquad is one of the straightest drivers ever built.
Robert
Dec 21, 2018 at 1:47 pm
Is Fred Couples still using a Taylormade Sldr? I remember something on TV this past year where he did not want to bother with another driver fitting. Believe Sei Young Kim set the LPGA scoring record this past year in Wisconsin using a Sldr and Mizuno MP18-SC irons.
Dennis
Dec 20, 2018 at 11:37 am
Played yesterday with my 07 Burner TP and my new TS3 and virtually no difference in distance.I actually like the feel of the Burner better.
Vince
Dec 21, 2018 at 11:27 am
I played the last 2 years with a Callaway Hawkeye v f t titanium
9 degree and it is great
It is just 10-15yards shorter than new models but
I can hit it straight as a arrow and it is light
Richard Douglas
Dec 20, 2018 at 2:20 am
I haven’t played a 3-wood since I put the TM SLDR Mini-Driver in the bag. It functions like a second, slightly shorter driver that can still be hit off the deck. I use it for all tight drives; it’s probably 20 yards longer than my old 3-wood.
ogo
Dec 19, 2018 at 6:33 pm
The design of the driver clubhead represents ~10% of the driver’s performance. 90% is the shaft… without doubt…. and anybody who thinks differently is just a gullible gearhead !
Brad
Dec 19, 2018 at 9:10 pm
This is easily the silliest thing I’ve read in recent memory.
Gunter Eisenberg
Dec 19, 2018 at 10:43 pm
I totally agree. I stuck a $500 exotic shaft into my 1983 Titleist Tour Model Persimmon Driver and I outdrove a buddy of mine with his M4 with similar swing speed.
Tom
Dec 19, 2018 at 2:03 pm
Of course, all this stuff is the same over the last 6-8 years, just repackaged and marketed as something better, USGA rules dictate the level of potential product innovation, not manufacturers….Sellers be Sellin!
Upgrade your graphite wood shafts and re-grip, that’s all you need to spend money on..
David Sims
Dec 19, 2018 at 12:21 pm
Titleist 905R, still as straight and long as anything out there. Much straighter and right there with all my buddies M1,M4’s and Callys.
TONEY P
Dec 21, 2018 at 3:02 pm
That 905R is great driver.
Brian S.
Jan 8, 2019 at 4:20 pm
Yep, still have mine too with the Proforce Shaft. Put a 910D3 in play this past year (yes, i know that is still old school, LOL), but it was an upgrade to the 905. I can honestly say, i havent seen much difference. The old girl is still standing by and might end up back in the bag this year.. We’ll see!
Kyle R
Dec 19, 2018 at 12:14 pm
Taylormade r7 Superquad for me is the club I have fell in love with. I have tried numerous drivers to upgrade over the years, However the fairway finding ability of the R7 Superquad can not be matched for me. I even picked up a backup one to keep on hand. Distance wise I may leave 10 or so yards on the table, however I still average 280-290 with the R7 at 110-115mph Driver speed, plenty long.
chad
Dec 19, 2018 at 12:20 pm
i second the r7 superquad. best driver ever made. Bought a like new head off ebay and i put an oban kiyoshi white stiff shaft in. The thing cant miss a fairway. i dont care if i give up 10 yards when you’re 40 yards right in the weeds and im in the fairway
Regis
Dec 21, 2018 at 12:57 pm
Yeh I’ve kept mine as well. Also the R9 Super Tri. I never spent the time to experiment by fitting them with different high end shafts but I will some day. Maybe this weekend
Dan Malloy
Dec 21, 2018 at 1:02 pm
Last I saw Tom Lehman was still using an R-7 superquad