Connect with us

Driver Reviews

Cobra AMP Cell Driver: Editor Review

Published

on

Pros: Idiot-proof loft adjustability as long as you pick the right head. Your choice of four very cool colors.

Cons: The stock shaft in the non-Pro version, a proprietary Fujikura Fuel, plays softer than labeled. The “real deal” Mitsubishi Rayon Kurokage Black shaft that comes in the Pro version is better, but still might be too spinny for high-speed players.

Bottom Line: The colors will get all the attention. But just like previous drivers from Cobra, the AMP Cell drivers are long, straight and forgiving. The adjustability system isn’t perfect, and the lack of removable weights and ability to adjust the face angle or will be a loss for some. But it’s a solid all-around driver and one most golfers will enjoy tweaking.

Overview

Cobra sandwiches its AMP Cell technology between two specific trademarks: MyFly and SmartPad. MyFly refers to the adjustability of driver loft, while SmartPad (a specialy designed portion of the sole) ensures that the club will sit relatively square, regardless of the loft. The AMP Cell terminology certifies that discretionary weight is freed, increasing the effective sweet spot of the club by 12 percent.

“To save a few grams doesn’t sound like a lot, but it’s huge,” said Tom Preece, vice president of R&D for Cobra.

2Y9G9675_resize

Drivers available in Blue • Orange • Red • Silver

 

The AMP Cell boasts a titanium body and face, and comes in five colors (orange, blue, red, silver and for a limited time, green). The colors are solidly displayed, devoid of any distracting lines or geometric figures. The 45.75-inch standard shaft is a Fujikura Fuel, with weights from 55 to 63 grams. The MyFly technology allows for flexible lofts between 8.5 and 11.5 degrees, with 1-degree gaps, including two special “draw” settings at 9.5 and 10.5, which Cobra says gives the club a 2-degree more upright lie angle.

“The AMP Cell Driver offers golfers the adjustability, innovation, customization and choice they want but have not been able to get — until now,” said Bob Philion, president. “We are taking adjustability to another level with our MyFly technology, offering six different loft/trajectory settings golfers can change to adapt to their swing or playing conditions. The technology combined with the color choice reaffirms Cobra’s positioning as a performance driven brand infusing more joy into the game.”

The AMP Cell carries a street price of $299, while the smaller, lower-spinning AMP Cell Pro model of the club retails at $399. The limited-edition green AMP Cell, in honor of the first major championship of the year, has a price point of $399.

Performance 

566fc5415d377e2023a50452e5771779

The Cobra AMP Cell Driver features Cobra’s new MyFly technology, allowing you to select from six different loft/trajectory settings for optimized performance and distance based on your swing

 

The rounded sole of the Cobra AMP Cell allows golfers to adjust the lie of the club at address, regardless of hand position. It doesn’t matter if the hands are low, medium or high at address, the sole moves on an arc. There is no raised toe or heel to give the head an awkward feel or appearance. This makes great sense to the legion of golfers who all hold their hands in different places at address.

Our tester began experimenting with the Cobra AMP Cell set to 11.5 degrees. That loft, for a high-ball hitter, will bring rain from the clouds and might even threaten Felix Baumgartner’s altitude record and scare a few orbiting satellites. A drop to the opposite extreme, the 8.5-degree loft, will certainly bring shot trajectory to a boring, penetrating one.

At the higher loft, a good swinger might find an enhanced draw action. If you like the look of a right-to-left flight, keep your loft set high. The more you lower the loft, the straighter your flight will be. If you take it down to the 8.5 degree setting, you might even catch a fade. Despite these performance variations, the club face maintains a consistent directional look (in this case, square) through all four loft settings.

The AMP Cell comes with two additional draw-biased settings, labeled 9.5 D and 10.5 D. Cobra says the “D” settings simply make the club 2 degrees upright, but to our tester they brought the appearance of a slightly closed club face.

Watch the video below, where our Zak Kozuchowski compares Cobra’s ZL Encore to the AMP Cell. Click here for the full story. 

[youtube id=”htnj4cE9lto” width=”620″ height=”360″]

During his testing, there were a few hits that came courtesy of a wide-open club face. Although these shots missed the target on the right side, they did not do so in the way that serial slicers fear. These mistaken face-angle shots, along with balls low and high on the face, were pardoned by the AMP Cell technology.

Be aware that the 8.5-degree setting doesn’t play like an 8.5 — it’s more like a 9 or 9.5, which seems to increase launch trajectory and add a bit of spin. If you need a lower launch and less spin, opt for the AMP Cell Pro, which is 440 cubic centimeters (20 CC’s smaller than the AMP Cell), for better workability.

Looks and Feel

Some golfers like an odd geometric driver head, like the triangular and the boxy ones. Others insist on the traditional pear shape that continued from persimmon wood heads. If you like a rounded driver head, the round shape of the Cobra AMP Cell will catch your eye. As mentioned above, there are no distractions in the way of racing stripes, vents or figures.

post-1-0-69532400-1348603078_thumb

AMP Cell and E9 Technology for a 12% larger effective face delivering faster ball speeds even on mis-hits

 

The stock Fujikura shaft is a bit softer than labeled, so you might jump from an S to an X, or from an R to an S. Knowing this, our tester chose an X-Flex, which in most cases for him has delivered a ball flight that is too low and tends to fade. But he found the X to play more like an S, which gave him the ball flight and workability that he was looking for.

One of the biggest uncertainties when buying a new driver is the sound they create. The visual aspect is apparent from first glance, but the auditory feedback happens only after you strike the ball. If you love everything about the club but can’t stand the sound it makes, it’s a tough sell. The Cobra AMP Cell has a sound to match its appearance: full, consistent, agreeable.

Watch our hilarious video below with Cobra’s VP of R&D Tom Pernice and Cobra-Puma Spokesman John O’Hurley.

[youtube id=”KgG_EtyjtZA” width=”620″ height=”360″]

The louvered head cover that accompanies the club is novel and nuanced. If you’ve ever put a wet driver back in the cover, you know that funky smell that comes after a while with a sealed head cover. The gaps in the AMP Cell cover allow for drying air to flow in and eliminate the moisture and the funk. It represents attention to detail that won’t change your club choice, but will make you a bit happier that you purchased a Cobra AMP Cell driver.

post-1-0-83487000-1348603088_thumb

 

MyFly Technology: 1 Driver, 6 settings

 

The wrench is very easy to manipulate — you only need to make certain that you align the teeth on the shaft and the clubhead portions of the hosel before locking down. But make sure you only use a Cobra wrench, because it has teeth that are smaller than those from other OEM’s.

The color interaction on the AMP Cell is admirable, and the minor silver piping that frames the major portion of the club head is a nice touch. As a member of our tester’s foursome remarked with a tinge of envy, “That club makes you look like a player. That’s sweet.” For the aesthetically-inclined, “sweet” is high praise.

 

The Takeaway

846becbadf899d4abbc7debb5a642436

If you’re looking for a new driver to replace an old or untrustworthy one, you should pay a visit to the Cobra AMP Cell aisle. If you’re a slow swinger, the non-Pro version is the one for you. It more forgiving with its larger size, higher launch and higher spin. If you’re a golfer who pounds the ball with consistency, take some swipes with the Pro version. For serious slicers, Cobra also offers a non-adjustable offset version for $249, but we recommend you get a lesson instead.

The key to the Cobra AMP Cell, as with any big-ticket purchase, is the shaft. As indicated above, the labeled stiffness might be a bit misleading, so don’t just grab an S or an R because you always have. Work with a certified fitter to reveal your tendencies and determine the proper component equation.

Tested by GolfWRX Featured Writer Ron Montesano

Specs

The Cobra AMP Cell (non-Pro) is adjustable from 8.5 degrees of loft to 11.5 degrees of loft. It’s available with a 45.75-inch proprietary Fujikura Fuel shaft in Lite, R, S and X flexes with a swing weight of D4.

The AMP Cell Pro is adjustable from 7.5 degrees to 10.5 degrees of loft, and comes with a 45.25-inch “real deal”  6–gram Mitsubishi Rayon KuroKage Black Shaft in R, S and X Flexes at a swing weight of D5.

Click here to see even more photos of the Cobra AMP Cell Driver.

Your Reaction?
  • 65
  • LEGIT13
  • WOW6
  • LOL7
  • IDHT10
  • FLOP5
  • OB6
  • SHANK27

We share your golf passion. You can follow GolfWRX on Twitter @GolfWRX, Facebook and Instagram.

10 Comments

10 Comments

  1. D yetter

    Oct 20, 2016 at 11:08 pm

    I have had the AMP Cell driver for a couple years, it is one of the best drivers I have ever owned. For the most part, I don’t see much difference in the loft adjustments, and I hit the ball consistently. In the middle of the face. Just played today and shot 4 over par, I am 66 years old. The regular shaft fits me well.

  2. RJL

    Mar 11, 2015 at 7:01 pm

    Fyi, one may also take the extra stiff standard fuel shaft and the pro head to create a bomber! Smaller head with the longer shaft creates a great flight and will kill those hard hooks. This with a strong swing will give you a 300+ club.

  3. kdog

    May 19, 2014 at 10:58 pm

    i bought an amp cell with the stock stiff shaft-hi launch. This shaft is total f’ng garbage. It’s too soft and whippy–total sh–. It messed up my game and I don’t even play it(after trying a few times) These makers of clubs assume everybody sucks at golf and swings slow, so they continue to manufacture garbage and market this nonsense to “improve” your game. I’m fouled on cobra and fujikura for marketing this crap.

  4. Bubba

    Sep 17, 2013 at 11:59 pm

    The fairway wood is fantastic as well. Knocked the X Hot FW out as well. 14 D setting goes long and straight for me.

  5. Bubba

    Sep 17, 2013 at 11:58 pm

    Took the advise of review. Got the XS shaft . Long and accurate. Have the X Hot and G25 and this driver will stay in the bag. Best driver of 2013. Best that I’ve hit.

  6. bestgoftclubs

    Sep 14, 2013 at 11:06 am

    It may be available in several colors and the coolest feature is the adjust-ability

  7. Mark J

    Aug 24, 2013 at 6:02 pm

    Yes you can….Edwin Watts just did it for me, and was a simple unscrew old shaft, then screw in new shaft. It didn’t even take 5 minutes.

  8. Jordan

    Aug 16, 2013 at 2:01 am

    In the interest of tinkering, is it possible to put the Pro shaft into the non Pro driver? I’ve had the non Pro Cell for quite some time now and love it. My buddy just happened to ask me the other day and it got me curious.

    • Robt. Flowers

      Mar 5, 2014 at 3:15 pm

      Works like a charm. Either sleeve will work in either head. just did it today and let “PRO” at PGA Superstore watch as I changed them out since he said it couldn’t be done. Only change is of course the loft aadjustment max on the Pro is 10.5 as opposed to 11.5 on the stadard AMP Cell head.

  9. gunmetal

    Jul 22, 2013 at 12:24 am

    Most under the radar performer of the drivers this year. Cobra’s best yet!

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Driver Reviews

GolfWRX Spotlight: Tour Edge Exotics C721 driver

Published

on

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.

Your Reaction?
  • 103
  • LEGIT12
  • WOW6
  • LOL2
  • IDHT1
  • FLOP1
  • OB2
  • SHANK5

Continue Reading

Driver Reviews

Review: Ping’s G400 and G400 LST Drivers

Published

on

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.

Your Reaction?
  • 676
  • LEGIT83
  • WOW48
  • LOL18
  • IDHT12
  • FLOP22
  • OB15
  • SHANK58

Continue Reading

Driver Reviews

Members Choice: The Best Driver of 2017

Published

on

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)

3f7f45629f386b15ed7bbbaa529e0826

  • 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)

7adaa1412b79ca8c7cc5a0b788f55058

  • 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)

cec33621c8ab9450c778e79b3b280da1

  • 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)

463210496f8e1487a5ff2fdcf38109a1

  • 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)

f5830abf21efeb00cab7cbe4329a9972

  • 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)

4edf1bce10b81caa57e8ccc4079bd3fd

  • 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

Your Reaction?
  • 652
  • LEGIT92
  • WOW45
  • LOL39
  • IDHT16
  • FLOP39
  • OB34
  • SHANK255

Continue Reading

WITB

Facebook

Trending