Equipment
Forum Thread of the Day: “Most iconic/best cult following driver of all time?”
Today’s Forum Thread of the Day comes from Pert1862 who asks fellow members for their view on which driver is the most iconic and has the best cult following of all time. Our members delve into the driver’s they feel deserve the top spot in this category, with the Cobra L4V proving a popular choice.
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.
- jrshields3: “Adams 9015D was THE cult following driver when I first joined this group. I had 3 with different shaft combos, still have one that I occasionally take out to the range.”
- pert1862: ” Cobra L4V driver. A legend that can be had for 50 bucks on eBay! My kinda club. I bet she still holds her own with the modern drivers.”
- Big A HG: “Has to be the Cobra L4V by GolfWRX standards. I rarely saw them in the wild, but I actually gamed two L4V’s because of the thread and finally got kicked out of the bag last year for me.”
- Krosch3: ” Superquad for me. It still is in my bag to this day. Have tried others, the Ping g400 LST was most recent. My accuracy with the R7 is unmatched and distance wise I can’t see myself getting much longer than I already get out of it.”
Entire Thread: “Most iconic/best cult following driver of all time?”
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Equipment
A shocking Backstryke putter appearance + 7 interesting gear photos from the Zurich Classic
Welcome to New Orleans, where TPC Louisiana plays host to the 2024 Zurich Classic. In between breakfast beignets and nightly Creole feasts, PGA Tour players are also competing in the unique two-man format at the Zurich this week.
Although the vibes in Nawlins are a bit lighter-fare than the recent back-to-back competitions the Masters and the RBC Heritage signature event), the gear news was no less serious this week.
We spotted some recent changes from Rory McIlroy, a very rare Odyssey Backstryke putter, dove into the bag of legendary New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees, and spotted Patrick Cantlay continuing to test new equipment.
Get your beads out and crack your crawfish, because it’s time for an equipment rundown from The Big Easy (meaning New Orleans, of course, not Ernie Els).
See all of our photos from the Zurich Classic here
Rory’s on-and-off lob wedge
Since the end of 2023, Rory McIlroy has had an on-again, off-again relationship with a Titleist Vokey K-Grind lob wedge. In his last start, it was on, and the wedge is back in the bag again this week. We got a great look at the complicated grind that McIlroy uses.
View this post on Instagram
A full look into McIlroy’s bag above also shows that he switched out of the TaylorMade BRNR Mini Copper that he used at the RBC Heritage, and he’s back into the Qi10 core 3-wood. As we discussed last week, McIlroy will likely keep the BRNR around as a course-specific club, trading it in and out for the 3-wood.
See Rory McIlroy’s full 2024 WITB from the Zurich here
Turning Back the clock
Unless Tommy Gainey is in the field, it’s unlikely you’ll ever see Odyssey’s Backstryke technology make an appearance on the PGA Tour.
But then, when you least expect it, Russ Cochran shows up.
For more than a decade – since the 2013 Sony Open in Hawai’i – Cochran has been stuck on 599 PGA Tour starts. This week will be his 600th.
Cochran is in the field at the Zurich this week playing alongside Eric Cole, whose regular caddie is Reed Cochran, Russ’s son.
The Backstryke putter was first released back in 2010, and its unique design helps shift the axis point of the putter closer to the CG of the head. And, the putter is getting a nod this week at the Zurich Classic, thanks to Cochran’s 600th career PGA Tour start.
The putter is certainly awesome, but don’t forget to check out Cochran’s full WITB from this week.
Drew Brees with a Super Bowl winning Scotty Cameron putter
Drew Brees, a legendary retired quarterback for the hometown New Orleans Saints, made an appearance at the Zurich’s Wednesday Pro-Am, playing alongside Zach Johnson, Ryan Palmer, and current Saints QB Derek Carr.
Brees’ bag included a TaylorMade Stealth2 Plus driver, a BRNR Mini 13.5-degree, a Stealth 5-wood, a mixed set of P-790 and P-760 irons, Milled Grind Hi-Toe wedges, and a custom Scotty Cameron “New Orleans Saints” putter, which Scotty made for Brees following his Super Bowl MVP-winning performance in 2010.
View this post on Instagram
It should also be noted that Brees has his Venmo QR code as a bag tag.
If you’re gambling with Brees on the course, just know that not having cash won’t work as an excuse.
Brilliant.
See Drew Brees’ full WITB from the Zurich here
Stricker’s unrecognizable putter
Steve Stricker has made numerous upgrades to his bag recently, including a new TSR3 driver and T100 irons, but his longtime Odyssey White Hot No. 2 putter is still going strong. It’s the most recognizable unrecognizable putter ever.
Here’s a better look at Stricker’s flatstick, which he started using back in 2007.
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Patrick Cantlay has opened the equipment-switching floodgates
Over on the PGA Tour’s Equipment Report this week, we covered Cantlay’s recent switch into Ping Blueprint S irons, and a Titleist TSR2 driver.
Cantlay hadn’t switched irons for about seven years, so the iron switch he made at The 2024 Masters came as a shock to the norm. He simply isn’t one to change gear very often, so anytime Cantlay makes a switch, it’s news.
It seems the floodgates of equipment testing have opened up a bit for Cantlay, who was also spotted testing a custom Scotty Cameron blade putter on Tuesday this week. By Wednesday, Cantlay was back practicing with his familiar Scotty Cameron T5 Proto mallet, but it’s certainly something to keep an eye on going forward.
Daniel Berger’s custom Jailbird site lines
Berger, who’s currently using Odyssey’s Ai-One Mini Jailbird mallet putter, has a unique 3-dot, 2-line alignment on the crown of his navy-white-navy-white mallet putter. Looking down at the putter, it’s easy to see why this alignment system would help; it just seems impossible to set up to the ball off-center, or misaligned to the target.
Also, for anyone worried, you can rest easy. Yes, he’s still playing the 2013 TaylorMade TP MC irons, which we highlighted in our recent “Modern Classics: Old vs. New” video testing series.
FitzMagic teams back up
Brothers Matthew and Alex Fitzpatrick are teaming up once again at the Zurich this year, and Bettinardi Golf hooked them up with some festive “FitzMagic” headcovers to match this week.
See what else is in Alex Fitzpatrick’s WITB here
And, with that, we say goodbye to the Zurich Classic in New Orleans. Don’t forget to check out all of our photos from this week, including 30 unique photo galleries full of equipment photos.
We’ll see you next week in Texas for the 2024 CJ Cup Byron Nelson!
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- Alejandro Tosti what’s in the bag accurate as of the Zurich Classic.
Driver: Srixon ZX5 Mk II LS (9.5 degrees @10.5)
Shaft: Project X HZRDUS T1100 75 6.5
3-wood: TaylorMade Qi10 Tour
Shaft: Project X HZRDUS Black 80 TX
Hybrid: TaylorMade Qi10 Tour Rescue (22 degrees)
Shaft: Project X HZRDUS Smoke Black RDX 6.5 100
Irons: Srixon ZX7 Mk II (4-PW)
Shafts: True Temper Dynamic Gold Mid Tour Issue X100
Wedges: Cleveland RTX6 ZipCore Tour Rack (50-10 MID, 54-10 MID, 58-10 MID, 60-06 LOW)
Shafts: True Temper Dynamic Gold Mid Tour Issue X100, S400
Putter: Scotty Cameron
Grips: Golf Pride MCC Plus4
Check out more in-hand photos of Alejandro Tosti’s WITB in the forums.
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View this post on Instagram
Driver: TaylorMade Stealth 2 Plus (10.5 degrees)
Mini driver: TaylorMade BRNR Mini Copper (13.5 degrees)
5-wood: TaylorMade Stealth Plus (19 degrees)
Irons: TaylorMade P790 (4-8, PW), TaylorMade P760 (9)
Wedges: TaylorMade MG Hi-Toe (52-09, 56-10, 60)
Putter: Scotty Cameron Select Newport 2 Prototype
Check out more in-hand photos of Drew Brees’ clubs here.
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Dave Portnoy places monstrous outright bet for the 2024 Masters
John Daly stuns fans into silence with brutal opening tee shot on PGA Tour Champions
Things got heated at the Houston Open between Tony Finau and Alejandro Tosti. Here’s why
Justin Thomas on the equipment choice of Scottie Scheffler that he thinks is ‘weird’
Tiger Woods arrives at 2024 Masters equipped with a putter that may surprise you
‘Absolutely crazy’ – Major champ lays into Patrick Cantlay over his decision on final hole of RBC Heritage
Report: Tiger Woods has ‘eliminated sex’ in preparation for the 2024 Masters
Two star names reportedly blanked Jon Rahm all week at the Masters
2-time major champ announces shock retirement from the sport at age of 33
Report: LIV Golf identifies latest star name they hope to sign to breakaway tour
Alejandro Tosti WITB 2024 (April)
Alejandro Tosti what’s in the bag accurate as of the Zurich Classic. Driver: Srixon ZX5 Mk II LS (9.5 degrees...
Drew Brees WITB 2024 (April)
View this post on Instagram A post shared by GolfWRX (@golfwrx) Driver: TaylorMade Stealth 2 Plus (10.5 degrees)...
Daniel Berger WITB 2024 (April)
Daniel Berger what’s in the bag accurate as of the Farmers Insurance Open. More photos from the event here. Driver:...
Rasmus Højgaard WITB 2024 (April)
Rasmus Højgaard what’s in the bag accurate as of the Zurich Classic. Driver: Callaway Ai Smoke Triple Diamond (10.5 degrees)...
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19th Hole2 weeks agoDave Portnoy places monstrous outright bet for the 2024 Masters
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19th Hole3 days agoJustin Thomas on the equipment choice of Scottie Scheffler that he thinks is ‘weird’
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19th Hole2 weeks agoTiger Woods arrives at 2024 Masters equipped with a putter that may surprise you
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19th Hole3 days ago‘Absolutely crazy’ – Major champ lays into Patrick Cantlay over his decision on final hole of RBC Heritage
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19th Hole2 weeks agoTwo star names reportedly blanked Jon Rahm all week at the Masters
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19th Hole1 week agoReport: LIV Golf identifies latest star name they hope to sign to breakaway tour
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19th Hole1 week agoNeal Shipley presser ends in awkward fashion after reporter claims Tiger handed him note on 8th fairway
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19th Hole1 week agoBrandel Chamblee has ‘no doubt’ who started the McIlroy/LIV rumor and why
Timmy
May 17, 2019 at 9:06 am
R7 Superquad. Wish I still had mine. Been scouring ebay for one in good shape recently.
Aztec
May 11, 2019 at 2:31 pm
Orlimar HIP 420 Ti.
Gino
May 18, 2019 at 9:50 pm
Kuch is a d bag
Mike Brincko
May 5, 2019 at 10:07 pm
Tour Edge Exotics Tour Proto, in another thread I stated my Rogue has been replaced by it. IMHO a much better driver for me at least, still a rocket launcher.
Brando
May 5, 2019 at 5:41 pm
Lot of Good choices in the comments. I am 39 so my first good driver was the original King Corba 9 degree deep face. Thing was a rocket with a unique sweet spot and Greg Norman and Tiger Used it. The Big Bertha war bird was awesome as well. 975d 905r 983e all very good. Yes Taylor Made 510tp First of the 757 Fujikura shafts and 580xd very good. I can’t seem to kick my 430 sldr with a 757 out of the bag . Tried 10 of the newer drivers can’t find one I like better. Maybe this year I will find something.
Scratchscorer
May 13, 2019 at 9:39 pm
I have an SLDR with the TP shaft and I cannot imagine replacing it with anything else. Might even purchase a backup of the same model and shaft combo.
Paul Latina
May 5, 2019 at 5:29 pm
975D. Best driver I ever hit and hit my longest drives ever with it. I had the EI70 x stiff shaft in it as well. Just beautiful and felt so good, maneuverable which ever way you wanted to go.
Jim Rockford
May 5, 2019 at 4:00 pm
Original titanium Great Big Bertha. That driver was the biggest single leap forward I think we will ever see. Maybe the first TM metal wood surpasses but that was just before my time to be able to make comment. Surely the GBB since the early 80’s though. And I hit the GBB with the terrible stock shaft. I can imagine that driver with a modern shaft likely being borderline game-able.
Greg
May 5, 2019 at 8:37 am
Anybody ever tested these against the current group? Particularly curious how the Adams 9015 stacks up on spin,forgiveness ect…
Mike
May 4, 2019 at 9:24 pm
I see more guys still using a TaylorMade Burner 2007 driver than any other.
Christian Larsson
May 4, 2019 at 9:16 pm
R510TP easily
TerryTMAC
May 4, 2019 at 9:25 pm
Of ALL time?
I’m going old school. Callaway Big Bertha – War Bird.
Best driver name too.
XLS CULT
May 4, 2019 at 6:47 pm
I’m going Cleveland Hi Bore XLS as well. Set up perfect, sounded nice, hit it nice distances and was a SERIOUS fairway finder. Why has Cleveland not made an adjustable version. I know people who still bag this driver…. nothing better.
Scratchscorer
May 13, 2019 at 9:41 pm
Agree with everything except the sound. That thing sounded atrocious lmao.
Greg Ellis
May 4, 2019 at 5:28 pm
Come on guy. Us old folks played persimmon. 1969 persimmon adapted with a very early adila graphite shaft and a “gamma fire” glass insert.
Dan Walker
May 4, 2019 at 4:05 pm
Nike Vapor Pro the blue and black version
Max R
May 10, 2019 at 11:46 am
“Supposedly” the best Nike driver ever built was the SQ2.
Timmy
May 17, 2019 at 9:09 am
Never owned one but tried and was very good. I had both red coverts. But the blue was just too fugly for 99% of buyers. RIP Nike golf equip.
Chris G
May 4, 2019 at 3:13 pm
Titleist 905S!
John Agnew
May 4, 2019 at 2:58 pm
Taylormade 580 XD …legal version…too easy to hit high and deep.
Jim
May 4, 2019 at 2:25 pm
2016 Taylormade M2 will go down as the best driver ever made
15th Club
May 4, 2019 at 2:07 pm
There actually is a rather clear answer that none of you are in thinking about.
Toward the end of the persimmon driver era, top players and collectors were madly buying up prime specimens of the MacGregor tour drivers from the late ‘50’s and early ‘60’s. The king was the Tommy Armour 693T, designed by Toney Penna. They sold, if you could find one, for upwards of a thousand dollars. A $1500 driver in 1977 would be more than $6000 in today’s dollars. The market was so frenzied that gold magazines were doing stories about it which only drove prices higher.
15th Club
May 4, 2019 at 2:10 pm
Sorry “golf” magazines not “gold”. But still the greatest bubble market in the history of golf equipment.
Pelling
May 4, 2019 at 9:49 pm
I played Toney Penna persimmon (driver, 3 wood, 4 wood, 5 wood) throughout the 1980’s-1990’s. Have them still, but haven’t hit in about 20 years. Don’t recall paying that much, but Penna’s were the best!!
Jim
May 4, 2019 at 6:21 pm
You’re absolutely correct. Sad thing is that most of today’s golfers are 20-30 something and don’t know any history at all, only current “events”.
Nack Jicklaus
May 19, 2019 at 8:05 am
Enlighten us all on the details of mashies and niblicks then. Tell us about teeing up gutta percha on a mound of sand. What is the best hickory shaft? Everyone knows their own time period best, including you.
chad bilkins
May 4, 2019 at 1:39 pm
Superquad is money. I bought a new head on ebay and stuck an oban kyoshi white shaft in there. Destroyed the rogue on the launch monitor last year
bob carroll
May 4, 2019 at 12:54 pm
PING G2
JC
Jun 7, 2019 at 11:08 pm
Finally, someone else sees the light! I game one currently, can’t find anything that can beat it, most underrated driver of the mid-2000s IMO.
Regis
May 4, 2019 at 12:39 pm
R7 limited. Box set came with 3 shafts. Low Medium and high flight. All good shafts. Took adjustability to the max. Way before it’s time
Walt
May 4, 2019 at 12:25 pm
My favorite was the Taylormade with a bubble shaft. I still have it and although I don’t currently use it I am constantly tempted to bring it back into play
Fred schubert
May 4, 2019 at 12:22 pm
Powerbilt citition
MarioB
May 4, 2019 at 11:50 am
Looks like no one knows the meaning of iconic. Or we would get interesting answers like McGregor super eye o magic, Powerbilt Citation, Woods Bros All American, Taylormade Burner, Callaway Big Bertha, Titleist 975D etc…
Bryan
May 4, 2019 at 9:07 am
The 460 Cleveland Launchers were super popular back in the college days.
Richard Douglas
May 3, 2019 at 4:14 pm
Almost all of the comments are about drivers that are iterations of what changed it all. I suggest going back to these three that, in order and together, changed drivers forever:
1. Taylormade Pittsburgh Persimmon. The club that popularized metal drivers.
2. Callaway Big Bertha. The club that started oversize metal drivers.
3. Callaway Great Big Bertha. The club that popularized titanium.
Everything else comes from the genesis created by these three clubs. Every development since is an incremental change, but those clubs are the foundation.
Harry H Adam
May 4, 2019 at 12:01 pm
Spot on.
Dan mead
May 4, 2019 at 1:53 pm
This is the answer. Probably need to consider ping eye 2 driver which was really the first oversize driver in its time. Big bertha and great big bertha where ahead of their time and the change from getting a new driver was real back then. These days the next model does next to nothing
Chris
May 4, 2019 at 7:52 pm
Nailed it. I remember when the BB, Great BB (and then Biggest BB) came out thinking, “holy crap, how much bigger can they possibly go?” They definitely changed the game.
Of the more “recent” (I.e 460cc era) drivers, I loved the Bridgestone J33r. Such a clean, simple look and solid feel off the club face.
Scott
May 4, 2019 at 8:54 pm
Yes. My thoughts exactly
Richard Chon
May 5, 2019 at 12:50 pm
Shoot. I didn’t even play golf when I was younger, but I remember how exicted my hockey teammates were about the GBB.
jgpl001
May 3, 2019 at 1:18 pm
905R all day long
983K out of the dead middle was a serious driver too
Brian
May 3, 2019 at 9:09 am
I do have a soft spot for the L4V. Back in those days I had just started spending time on the forum and I definitely got caught up in the hype (which was very real, by the way). Threw a Protopype in it and everything. If we’re being honest though, going back a tad further, the Titleist 975D is the standard by which all other “cult classics” are measured.
Dennis Sweeney
May 3, 2019 at 8:00 am
07 Burner TP, still have one and still use it quite often.
Dave S
May 3, 2019 at 12:54 am
905R, see a lot on the board. The R 460 head that went straight. Titleist put enough spin in there to fix what TM and Cally couldn’t.
The dude
May 2, 2019 at 10:13 pm
TM Superfast TP….if we are being honest (for good players)
Brandon
May 2, 2019 at 8:56 pm
Cobra LTD pro, Cleveland Hibore XLS.
JP
May 2, 2019 at 6:50 pm
905R should be at the top of that list.
Of course the Big Bertha should be hailed for its greatness and trailblazing ways, but it didn’t have the following the 905R did.
Nack Jicklaus
May 2, 2019 at 6:38 pm
The only golf club name that I have EVER heard non-golfers know of or talk about is the Big Bertha. I would say that somewhat indicates the reach and status of that club during its time and way after.
S
May 2, 2019 at 3:56 pm
SLDR, of course! The best driver ever made, and what started it all
Scratchscorer
May 13, 2019 at 9:44 pm
Agree
Tim Dennis
May 2, 2019 at 2:38 pm
905R and 910D3, M2 would be there with a little more consistent hit. Just too erratic for the weekend golfer. 905R was long and straight.
Mike Rohmann
May 2, 2019 at 1:54 pm
R7 SuperQuad especially the 282 version. Slightly different hosel I think. I have one that is almost brand new.
Adam
May 2, 2019 at 4:54 pm
back in highschool when I was on the golf team the superquads were badass
Alec
May 2, 2019 at 1:54 pm
Cobra LTD is probably themost recent Cult Driver
Alex
May 2, 2019 at 12:34 pm
905r and R7 superquad hands down. Epic and M2 will be in this thread in 5 years.