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TaylorMade RocketBallz Tour Driver Review

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TaylorMade has notably been the leader in Drivers out on tour and in retail shops. While the R11s family seems to receive most of the TMag driver buzz, we are looking towards the RocketBallz Driver to be the 2012 Dark-horse of the year. While surveying a select few top 100 fitters, we found this driver to float to the top slot in late year polling. The ball speeds and dispersion performance are best in breed. Here is a quote from a well respected member of GolfWRX aka “Bob57“…

“Most of the tests I’ve seen list the RBZ as the highest ball speed producing driver today.”

_______________________________________________________________________

Editor Review by: fore_life

Pros: Great pop on center strikes while being surprisingly forgiving on miss-hits. Launches high with low spin, and flight can be adjusted accordingly with the FCT system.

Cons: The white color, while not visually off putting, may be a bit a problem for someone who wants to keep the driver for a few seasons at least, as it shows every spec of dirt and any little ding that may occur.

Bottom Line: We have lift off. Sean O’Hair was right. This thing is a Rocket Ballz!

_______________________________________________________________________

REVIEW:
TaylorMade’s latest driver offering features inverted cone technology to help produce maximum ball speed from all across the face and the company’s Flight Control System (FCT) to fine tune ball flight to your desired shot shape. Let me preface this part by saying that when it comes to drivers, I tend to favor the traditional head shapes and sounds. To my eyes, nothing looks better than a simple black club head without any fancy alignment aides or gimmicks, and nothing sounds sweeter to my ears than the sweet THWACK produced by many of the drivers that have gained legendary status out here in message board land. I’ve owned the legendary J33r, the 9015d, the 905r,the Nike VR tour, the Superdeep, and my most recent gamer, a 983e, all of which have that meaty thud upon impact.

LOOKS:
When I got word that I had been selected to review the RocketBallz driver, my initial thoughts were “I wonder if they’d make me a black one?” I have taken short glimpses at the older r11 models and that’s as far as it went, I just wasn’t into the color. It made the 460cc club head look even larger.

 

Upon receiving my RBZ, what immediately stood out to me was how “not huge” the club head appeared. I feel that the lime/silver graphics on the rear of the crown do a great job of breaking up the visual lines, and the overall club head shape looks much better and dare I say more traditional that that of the non-tour RBZ model. Much less of a triangle shape going on here. The matte black finish of the club face really pops against the white background, and accompanied by the ahina ion plated shaft, I had one sweet looking club on my hands.

I do have to say that the white color doesn’t bother me from a visual /performance aspect, it does bother me on the level that it shows every little piece of dirt/debris and if you plan on keeping it in the bag for a few seasons, it seems that it could drive someone crazy if you are a stickler about not having paint chips or dirty clubs (like me).

PERFORMANCE/PLAYABLILITY:
After much back and forth with Rob (HipCheck), I confirmed my custom specs for the RBZ Tour. I went with the 9 degree head shafted with the 60x Diamana Ahina, tipped one inch, playing at 44.5″. I also asked if possible, could they throw and extra wrap of tape underneath the new grip, which nicely is absent of any markings so it appears the same no matter which setting you have the FCT adjusted to. When the box arrived, I dug and found that it was built to my specs, with a VERY quick turnaround time once my specs were submitted.

Once again (and probably more in the future here) I will reference my past drivers as the baseline on performance/feel. My gamer before the RBZ arrived was a 983e 8.5 degree that I shafted up with a 66xx UST proto shaft. Ball flight felt true to loft, and I was getting pretty good results. Well, I thought I was getting good results.

Here is a great Technical discussion with TaylorMade about the RBZ Driver:

First swing at my local range shocked me as I launched my ball suuuuper high, but man, it just kept flying and flying, holding its peak trajectory, no ballooning whatsoever. Time and time again, just high bombs on the neutral setting. But we all know how range time can be deceiving, so I was extremely excited to see how this bad boy would perform on the course.

First round was at Papago out here in Phoenix on a day where the high peaked out just under 80 degrees, a little windy, and fairways in soft conditions. It’s 7,333 yards from the tips, 75.0/130. I tied my personal best on that track with a 74 first time out. The high launch most definitely increased carry distances and I was able to take some more aggressive lines off the tee which was nice, but even more was just how forgiving mishits where. Shockingly so. Misses high and on the toe stayed pretty true and distance was superb on mishits. I’ve got 4 rounds in now with the RBZ, played with multiple friends, and all seem to have noticed both how much higher I hit this set up, and how much more forgiving it appears to be. Drivers I’ve played in the past were MUCH more taxing on bad days, and if the tour plays so forgiving, I can’t even imagine how much of a cinch the non tour must be. Center strikes are freaking deep! I know a lot it to be said for the proper shaft/head combo, and maybe I just hit the nail on the head with this set up, but this is the most consistently deep set up I’ve ever gamed. Good stuff.

 

FEEL/SOUND:
Speaking of mishits, there is a definitive audible difference when not struck on the bolts. When hit on the screws, it’s a very loud but yet a powerful sound IMO, not anything “tinny” in nature. Mishits do sound a bit harsh, but really not nearly as bad as I was expecting given some of the reviews I had read beforehand. Do not be mistaken, it is not a quiet driver and you will probably pull a few looks while whacking this thing on the range or on the course, but the feel of the driver and performance negates any sound complaints, at least for me. Hell it’s could make a little kitten “meow” when hit and if put out good results, I’d be all for it.

The clubface does feel extremely hot though and it really feels like you can feel the ball shooting off the face, nothing of which I have experienced before in a driver. IMO, if you’ve hit the TEE fairway line, then that is the best thing I can compare it to, the balls just seems to FLY off the face.

Overall the club has a great balance and feel to it. Good solid weight to the club head, in fact the head has a stout and heavy feel, very reminiscent of my old j33r. Just a solid feeling driver that inspires confidence.

 

OVERALL BOTTOM LINE:
Say what you will about the TMAG marketing juggernaut, but the results I am getting from this bad boy cannot be overlooked. I have not hit any of the latest offerings from other manufactures nor do I have launch monitor data to back me up, just real life performance on courses that I have played numerous times. Time and time again I found myself flying the ball past where I would previously roll out to. 320 all carry on wet fairways? Why the hell not! 290 on mishits high on the toe? Superb!

2 buddies hit the driver on an Easter Sunday round, went home and immediately began looking to replace their old drivers. I hope they can chime in here with any additional input/insight.

I’d like to say thanks again to GolfWRX and Taylor Made for providing me with this opportunity. This site has been an extreme asset to myself and the golfing community worldwide.

 

DISCUSS THE TAYLORMADE RBZ DRIVER REVIEW HERE IN THE FORUMS

 

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GolfWRX is the world's largest and best online golf community. Expert editorial reviews, breaking golf tour and industry news, what to play, how to play and where to play. GolfWRX surrounds consumers throughout the buying, learning and enrichment process from original photographic and video content, to peer to peer advice and camaraderie, to technical how-tos, and more. As the largest online golf community we continue to protect the purity of our members opinions and the platform to voice them. We want to protect the interests of golfers by providing an unbiased platform to feel proud to contribute to for years to come. You can follow GolfWRX on Twitter @GolfWRX and on Facebook.

46 Comments

46 Comments

  1. Dendo

    Jul 22, 2013 at 8:23 pm

    I used to hit around 230yds with my old driver, now 240-260 or so with the tour 9 RBZ. Pretty straight. Very high flight. Dialled it down to 8 degrees. Still very high flight so I will take it down to 7.5 – might get a few more yards.

    So all you 300 yds guys – congratulations.

    But real congrats goes to the guys that can hit the center of the fairway everytime whatever the distance.

  2. ursa1

    Jul 18, 2013 at 10:19 pm

    I am hitting my RBZ just fine. I read a review from 2008 for the exotics xcg driver//They were about 399. dollars then..I went to a local store and got a used one for 49. with a aldila dvs r shaft..guess what..I am hitting it 10-15 yds further than my rbz..Goodbye RBZ..hello tour edge exotics..

  3. fernando

    Jun 10, 2013 at 8:30 am

    Guys: being very honest…I play every day several courses in Ft. Lauderdale, Fl I am very consistente with mu irons wedges and putter. I play high seventies everyday at every course.
    I have been using an old FT-IQ TOUR driver that puts me right in the center of the fairway everytime.
    225 yards less to worry about.
    I became greedy and wanted more distance!
    Bought the RBZ Tour 9 and I’ m not even near the distances many of you talk about. My swing is absolutely decent. My speed very adequate, My hits: very accurate, I keep the ball in the enter of the fairway as well. But I have never hit more than 237 yds no matter how ard I try. Does anybody feel like I do?
    thanks to all of you.

    • jim

      Jun 18, 2013 at 12:58 am

      Take it back. It may be defective. I just bought the driver today and immediately played a round with it. I was laughing and smiling every time I hit the ball off the tee.

    • Old man cranking

      Aug 8, 2022 at 2:40 pm

      Perhaps a longer ball might have made a difference.

  4. tiger comeback 2013

    Dec 31, 2012 at 7:50 pm

    i used to have a burner 2.0 super fast and changed to this last week i used to hit 250 with burner now i hit 270.

  5. Spencer

    Dec 9, 2012 at 9:48 pm

    Just got the 10.5 and hit a really bad snap hook tuned it up to . and dead straight 270yd for a 15 year old

  6. Colt

    Dec 3, 2012 at 10:24 pm

    I hit my RBZ Tour driver with a Mitsubishi Alpha X flex shaft 370-380 yards consistently and have hit many drives over 400 yards since I have gotten this driver in September. Does anyone know the best way to get in to long drive competition?

    • ned

      Dec 8, 2012 at 2:26 pm

      335+ carry = SS 135+ they will come find you!
      Give Art or Jason or Brian at LDA a call!

  7. Nap

    Nov 25, 2012 at 12:05 am

    Why is it everyone hits the ball 300+ yards? Why don’t you head for the tour?

    • Tom

      Nov 25, 2012 at 6:56 pm

      No reason to be bitter, golf is a hobby. I have a full time job and three kids and I work hard at my game. The amount of talent it takes to compete on tour is exponential from hitting the ball long or even being a scratch golfer.

  8. Buck Holiday

    Nov 21, 2012 at 5:26 am

    Gained yardage ranging from 15 to 30, even 40 yrds!
    Hating TM because they’re a popular and giant company is dumb.

  9. Mugs

    Nov 17, 2012 at 2:22 am

    I’m in Pennsylvania and play in the poconos all the time. Rbz took my game to a new level. Winning !!!!

  10. Mugs

    Nov 17, 2012 at 2:19 am

    RBz r the best clubs I’ve hit. Making lots of money I got the whole set. It’s on

  11. Tom

    Oct 17, 2012 at 9:43 pm

    I am a scratch golfer and tried the RBZ Driver, 3 wood and 5 wood at Dicks Sporting Goods. I was a bit freaked out by the added distance. (I asked if they were juicing the screen and they claimed they weren’t) Was hitting the driver 290-320, 3 wood 270-280 and 5 wood 240-250. Next day I bought them (with permission of the wife early birthday and xmas present). I have had them for two months and play 3 time a week. The driver was much lighter than my old one and took a few weeks to get use to hitting (club open at impact). I can now attest that they are as every bit as long as advertised. Great clubs, have changed my game.

  12. bomber

    Oct 8, 2012 at 12:12 pm

    Bull, worst driver yet. Not adjustable and the ads leed you to believe you can make two adjustments, not so… When you lower loft you open the face and increase loft and close face. The face is painted and marks very easily. $250 wasted. Also not longer than the burner, buyer beware.

    • ned

      Dec 8, 2012 at 2:24 pm

      r7 quad txxxx b still blows by the r11s &- r9 superdeep w/x con 7 and whiteboard, still longer , straighter, solid-

  13. kenny

    Oct 5, 2012 at 5:14 pm

    have haad my 10.5 rbz with reg shaft now for 4 weeks and dont get the distance you guys talk about is so bad i,am taken big loss and taken the club back with my old big bertha 460 ican blitz 250 to 275 i have to say american golf have been less than impressive words fail me #############

  14. Pingback: GolfWRX.com – TaylorMade RocketBallz Tour Driver Review | Golf Products Reviews

  15. Lenny

    Sep 10, 2012 at 9:21 am

    Mauro -get fit properly and you should see improvements, good luck

  16. Mauro

    Sep 1, 2012 at 1:32 pm

    From the comments everybody sounds like a low handicap golfer. How would this driver work for a senior who has started playing recently and still shoots in the 90’s? I now have a Cobra driver, a few years old, and my distance is less than 180 yards…Painful!

  17. Cory

    Aug 9, 2012 at 11:34 pm

    This driver is awesome! I was hitting the 460 burner and was at 4400 rpm and ballooning everything. Now that i have the rbz 9.5 with the ozik hd6 I have brought the spin down to 1800 rpm and have been flying the ball right around 270 on each shot. I have also found that with this driver and shaftI am able to really control my ball flight, whereas with the burner I had no control.

  18. Ron

    Aug 3, 2012 at 4:22 pm

    I don’t think the speed groove/channel thing would keep the smash legal on the driver.

  19. Roger

    Jul 28, 2012 at 10:32 pm

    I have the Tour 10.5 and it carries 270 almost on a dime every time. The thing that sold me was the spin: I had 2700 rpm with my Rapture 9 degree but my spin is less that 2100 rpm with the TM RBZ. I get about 25 yards of roll and can even hit the RBZ off the turf……….yes turf. The ball goes so high I tried it from the turf and it does pretty well there too. Great stick.

  20. Kevin

    Jul 23, 2012 at 12:14 pm

    I’m a lefty and I golf atleast 4 times a week and I just got this driver. I have a really bad cut( ball goes right to left) and this diver is making it worse.

    • rickybobby

      Nov 4, 2012 at 10:50 pm

      you slice hard and you bought the rocketballz tour? you must not be the brightest. the tour’s is or should be straight, with no offset, unlike other drivers that arnt tour.

    • Brent

      Apr 17, 2013 at 4:45 pm

      Wouldn’t make sense to buy a Tour club if you are a high-handicapper as most that hit a slice are. the problem isn’t the club it’s your swing.

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  22. Pingback: Taylormade Rocketballz Tour Gold Coast- Get The Best From It

  23. kyle

    Jul 4, 2012 at 1:20 pm

    so is tm gonna put a speed pocket in one of there rbz drivers? If they do im sold. The rbz fairway wood is super long with that speed pocket. I think they would be crazy not to put it in a driver.

    • Dakota

      Jan 26, 2013 at 12:55 pm

      They can not do that because it would boost the cor (spring effect) to make it illegal.

  24. Tim Martinez

    Jul 3, 2012 at 10:33 pm

    After reading your review I went to a TM demo. I am already a huge TM fan entire bag is TM including the new Penta. I was still playing the orig R9. I was ready for a new driver and so when I was fit for a Rocketballz Tour TP with real Diamana Kaili I didnt blink. Week later driver made it here and I had planned range time anyway as I had a 2 day tournament coming in 2 days. The driver was the same as when I demoed it. PURE>>>> I never do this that fast put I put it in play for the tournament. First day great! Almost drove the first green 345 yds 8) Second day I wanted to be there a little early to warm up as I put my self in the final group and was 3 shots from the lead. I began warming up and moved into the drier and today it just wasnt right… I look down and theres a one inch crack right thru the alignment aide in the crown. 3 days old… I was so hyped about the driver I Was gonna bite the bullet and get the 3 wood too. Still a TM fan but a little cracked…

  25. jim

    Jul 2, 2012 at 5:12 pm

    after hitting the tour rbz on the simulator, i noticed my launch angle was better and i loved how it felt. i bought it expecting good results. the first thing i noticed was that my misses were 30yds longer. after about 30 swings things came together. 300 yds is no longer a quest, its an expectation…now 340 is my quest. do the math…..

  26. Rowan

    Jun 30, 2012 at 9:19 pm

    I personally find the RBZ tour to be horrible compared to the razr fit. Razr you can work the ball is 10-15 yds longer than RBZ. Trust me you will be doing yourself a favor by trying out the RAZR and “Performance over paint”

  27. Mike

    Jun 28, 2012 at 5:50 am

    Bought the 10.5 degree regular flex in addition to the HL 3 wood & 21 degree 7 wood. Once I found my swing on the range yesterday I was flying the 7 wood 180m(just short of 200 yards carry). I have never got close to that with any other 7 wood.
    No idea how far I was hitting the driver as the last marker on the range is at 200m but my balls are going places they have never visited.
    No complaints from me. Great looking clubs, great feel. Can’t understand why some people go on about the sound – I love it!!
    Highly recommended but at the end of the day it’s really all about your swing – rubbish swing, rubbish result whatever clubs you hit.

  28. Jacob

    Jun 27, 2012 at 1:23 pm

    RBZ 10.5 regular shaft=bombs for me!

  29. brenmuldoon1

    Jun 25, 2012 at 10:01 pm

    Can someone please explain the “inverted cone technology” to me. My logic says it would make a sweet spot smaller – if thats possible, but the reviewer says it makes off center hits go further – how?

  30. roho

    Jun 23, 2012 at 3:05 pm

    Are the face angles open on this tour version?

  31. Ian

    Jun 20, 2012 at 8:28 am

    I went to the pro shop yesterday and got them to tape up a normal RBZ 10.5 Stiff and the RBZ TP Tour 10.5 Stiff.
    The normal version went far too high for me.
    The Tour version with the TP shaft was awesome though. Much more penetrating flight and plenty of hang-time and roll. I bought it obviously..
    I havent tweaked the settings at all as I want to see what it does on the course with some Pro-V1X’s first and take it from there.
    Playing tomorrow evening and can’t wait for the first long par4.

  32. John

    Jun 19, 2012 at 2:26 pm

    I love the RBZ. Just bought it a couple days ago and the ball just flies off so fast its somtimes hard to follow but i love the driver. When you catch the sweet spot you’ll definatly hear it, but im not complaining when im hitting 300 or more yards with it. Overall, the best driver I have ever hit.

  33. Jason

    Jun 6, 2012 at 6:03 am

    I have a RBZ tour 9 degree with a Matrix Ozik black tie stiff and have never been happier, hit it 300+ metres constantly and have never found a workable shaft like this before. I have gone through 3 shafts before this one to find the one. The others were good just not as consistant and yes for sure the miss hits still get out there but when you get it off the screws its hot!! low boring flight that runs a little extra when it hits the ground just to rub it in to my playing partners.

  34. Lee

    Jun 3, 2012 at 5:56 am

    Great review and pretty much spot on to my findings with the club. I’m gaming the 9 degree tour with the stock xcon 6 stiff shaft shortened to 44.5. This baby has increased my club head and ball speed by 3-4 mph and raised my smash factor from 1.41 to an amazing 1.48. I’ve also previously had problems launching the ball to high however I’m now consistently around 13 degrees which the pro who did my fitting attributes to the shorter shaft length. In my opinion a great club at a great price point.

    • William Mackay

      Jun 27, 2013 at 12:32 pm

      My friend has one of these, he got the white top covered by Carbonfibre skin. It looks the business. Will try & get photo to upload.

  35. Rob Bennett

    May 8, 2012 at 2:49 pm

    Great review.. I’ve been hitting the Tour 9* with a Miyazaki Kusula Black 61x shaft in it and it is a bomber with a great ball flight and tons of consistancy. You are right, the mishits are unbelievable…they don’t feel great, but work out nicely the majority of the time.

  36. Pingback: TaylorMade RocketBallz Tour Driver: Featured Review | Augusta Blog

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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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