Equipment
The hottest drivers of 2019
More than likely, it’s the most expensive club in your bag, and the one you spend the most time researching before purchasing. OEMs direct rivers of cash into developing new driver technologies, and no shortage of resources into telling the stories of the latest and greatest in the world of the big dogs.
With respect to the new technologies and the associated stories, we present, in no particular order (OK, it’s alphabetical order), these are the most buzzworthy, hottest drivers of 2019 (so far).
Callaway Epic Flash
The lowdown: The Carlsbad-based company follows up the Epic-complementing Rogue with a driver whose story isn’t immediately visible upon a first glance at the club. Flash Face technology is the centerpiece of Callaway’s 2019 driver offering, and with it, beyond the usual distance-boosting claims, the company has done something truly interesting: leveraged artificial intelligence to create a golf club.
Cobra King F9 Speedback
The lowdown: Every driver company boasts a couple of technological advances with its new driver launches; maybe a new crown to save weight, an aerodynamic crown for more club head speed, a different sole design, a way to shift CG to dial in trajectory, higher MOI, or a different face technology. Cobra has thrown the kitchen sink at its new King F9 Speedback drivers, checking off all of those boxes.
Mizuno ST190G
The lowdown: Mizuno Golf is about more than just irons; that’s the message the company is keen to drive home with its launch of the Mizuno ST190 and ST190G drivers. In announcing its lowest spinning, most technology-packed driver in company history, with the 2019 Mizuno driver, the company seeks to position itself as one that has quietly innovated in the driver space for years. With respect to the specifics of the Japanese company’s most recent weaponry, the ST190 and 190G feature a forged Sp700Ti face (10 percent stronger than 6-4 titanium) with the company’s ultra-light Cortech structure, as well as a carbon composite crown.
Ping G410 Plus
The lowdown: To put into perspective what Ping is bringing to the table with its new driver, we have to think about how a driver is modified through custom fitting. The challenge presented to the design team was: how can the company bring moveable CG fitting to every golfer while also improving MOI and add ball speed? This is where all of the previous technology advances, along with the 16g of moveable mass positioned to the furtherest reaches of the perimeter to allow for a tour level fitting experience.
TaylorMade M5
The lowdown: TaylorMade’s M5 driver features a Speed Injected Twist Face, building on the Twist Face technology the company debuted with the M3 and M4 drivers last year. The M5 clubface is designed to initially exceed the USGA’s COR limit. In simple terms, TaylorMade takes all of the heads they produce, pushes them past the USGA limit in regards to COR, and works backwards to ensure they fall within the parameters — the algorithm-driven process of resin injection into the clubs via the two ports on the face brings the figure just inside the acceptable range.
Titleist TS2
The lowdown: TS2 and TS3 drivers have a 20 percent thinner titanium crown than the 917 drivers, allowing weight to be placed lower and deeper for lower CG (center of gravity) and higher MOI (moment of inertia, a measure of forgiveness). The faces also use variable thickness for faster ball speeds across the face, and this year, the faces have been made 6 grams lighter. With the combination of weight savings from the face and crown, these drivers have the lowest CG ever for a Titleist driver, and MOI is 12 percent higher than the 917 drivers.
In our forums, users are talking about top of bag setups that are non-traditional or thought-provoking in some way. Original poster @SuperSpurs106 inquired about other members who might use unorthodox set-ups to help with gapping issues or weak spots.
They wrote:
“I currently have a PING G430 driver, TM Qi35 3W and a TM Qi4D 7W. Driver and 7W are fine but can’t get on with my 3W and have always struggling with this club over the years. Thinking of adding a 2H which I know would look odd. Just wondering if anyone else had a weird set up at the top of their bag?”
Our members in the forum have offered up their thoughts and personal experiences with non-traditional top of bag set-ups, and their reasoning for thinking outside of the box to begin with. 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.
- BowMain42: “Don’t worry about what “looks” odd. If the club does what you need it to do, it’s the right club.”
- scooterhd2: “I cant hit 3 woods either. Thats why I roll with a unicorn XL Hibore 2 wood. 400 cc head at 16 degrees of loft and its just a monster 3 wood off the tee. Off the deck, we are playing the f6 baffler. 5 wood at 41.75 inches and its easy to control.”
- phizzy30: “I had driver, 3 metal, 2/4 hybrid once upon a time as a higher ss player. 4 hybrid is gone and in place is a driving iron nowadays. I don’t think what you’re proposing is weird in anyway, however the yardage gap might be glaringly huge between driver and 2 hybrid. What is it about your 3 metal that has got you all messed up? You could always go 4 metal with shorter shaft and see if that works.”
Entire Thread: “Interesting clubs at top of bag”
If you aren’t a member, join us in the GolfWRX forums today!
In our forums, one user has gone searching for fellow users of a mini driver. In a post, @TightFade asked for other mini driver users to chime in with their weapon of choice, the reason for employing a mini, and what club follows it in the bag.
@TightFade asked:
“What mini are you playing? What spot in the bag did it take over? What’s the next club after it? For me: Elyte mini 13.5. Replacing 3w. Next up club looks like it’ll be 5w.”
Our members in the forum have been sharing their own bag setups featuring the mini driver, and the various reasons they purchased one in the first place. 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.
- RCGA: “Ping G430 Max 12* ‘Thriver.’ Next club is a 4w and 2i (I play a weird course).”
- JMB3: “R7 at 12.75 with Diamana BB 63s. 3w replacement. Next Club: Elyte Ti 5w at 17*.”
- ColdOkieGolf: “R7 15.5 turned down to 13.5 It replaces the 3w. I found it surprisingly easy to hit off the deck, and it’s very rare that I need or want to hit something beyond 250 from the fairway, so next club is my 7w.”
- ChaosTheory: “I’m sub-90 MPH with driver. But I’m able to hit DOD. I have been wanting something like the R7 15.5, so I just ordered one. I have a spot in the bag so nothing has to go. But I could see it replacing my trusty 4 wood, which I never use for approach shots. Just tee shots and lay ups. If I drop the 4 wood, I will turn my 7 wood down to ~20 degrees and will have good gaps. I recently tried a thriver build: 12 degree driver turned to 14, with a heavier 44 inch shaft and added head weight. I hit it great. Very accurate and not overly high, but the problem was that it sometimes went as far as a typical drive. And that’s not what I needed. So I will probably turn the 15.5 up to 16.5 or even 17.5. It’s all theoretical at this point. ?”
Entire Thread: “Members of the Mini Driver Club…Check In.”
If you aren’t a member, join us in the GolfWRX forums today!
- Chris Gotterup had >14 clubs in his bag when photographed prior to the Memorial Tournament.
Drivers: TaylorMade Qi4D (8 degrees), Ping G440 LST (9 degrees @8), Ping G440 LST (7.5 degrees)
Shafts: Project X HZRDUS Smoke Grey 6.5 TX 70 g, Project X HZRDUS T1100 Handcrafted 6.5 TX 70 g, Project X HZRDUS Smoke Grey 6.5 TX 70 g
Mini driver: TaylorMade BRNR (13.5 degrees)
Shaft: Project X HZRDUS Black TX 80 g
5-wood: TaylorMade Qi4D (18 degrees)
Shaft: Mitsubishi Chemical Diamana WB Wood Shaft 83 TX
7-wood: TaylorMade Qi4D (21 degrees)
Shaft: Mitsubishi Diamana WB Wood Shaft 83 TX
Irons: TaylorMade P770 (3), Bridgestone Tour B 220 MB (4-9)
Shafts: KBS C-Taper 130 X
Wedges: TaylorMade MG5 (46, 52, 56, 60)
Shafts: KBS C-Taper 130 X, True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue X100
Putter: TaylorMade Spider X Tour
Grip: SuperStroke Zenergy Pistol 2.0
Grips: Golf Pride Z Grip Cord
Ball: Bridgestone Tour B X Mindset
Check out more in-hand photos of Chris Gotterup’s clubs here.
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Chris Gotterup had >14 clubs in his bag when photographed prior to the Memorial Tournament. Drivers: TaylorMade Qi4D (8 degrees), Ping...
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Coy Mordaunt
Jan 29, 2021 at 2:28 am
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Steve
Apr 3, 2019 at 1:28 pm
Being a over 70 golfer and still getting 250 yards with a Rouge Callaway I am going to support the distance claims of all the major OEM’s. Yea, close to $500 or more is high but they are longest clubs ever….I have several older drivers in the barrel at home that will never see the tee box again to prove that.
Central Oregon Golf
Apr 1, 2019 at 5:31 am
Is this headline considered clickbait -or- just a poor attempt to grab headlines from the same buzzwords used on other websites in the golf world? Asking for a friend…
Wtf
Mar 22, 2019 at 9:49 pm
This website is going downhill fast. Really unfortunate. Articles are useless drivel.
Elimination of witb from tournament sites each week.
And an utter meltdown off the mobile app. How do you release something to the public that is full of bugs??? It’s 2019!!!
Hopefully someone buys this site out and fixes the mess that has been made since Tursky left.
What a shame.
Scott
Mar 18, 2019 at 6:39 pm
I was surprised to see the PXG Gen 2 driver not on the list. I really like it. I bought mine in January this year. The price point is not much more than the Taylormade M5 and I think it is a better driver. Better feeling and better performing in my opinion.
john
Mar 18, 2019 at 4:58 pm
What people forget is the claims made about distance are based on tests done by machines where every single swing is identical to the last. In the real world, none us make the exact same swing two shots running so any potential gains are unrealised. With drivers pushing the £500 mark on a regular basis, it’s delusional to expect the club to do what the swing isn’t capable of. In my opinion, what we should be looking for from any new equipment is greater forgiveness. Better to be hitting 240 from the fairway than 250 from the rough.
Michel Van Dam
Mar 13, 2019 at 12:41 pm
i just bay M4 driver, about 2055 i wil bay a new driver, if i still live hi hi!
Morten Buckhoj
Mar 9, 2019 at 5:50 am
This is just the top6 brands….where is Tour Edge Exotics, Wilson, XXIO, Srixon…..??? My best guess is that they are equally good with as much tech….
Birdiemachine650
Mar 8, 2019 at 11:03 pm
Where’s th PXG love???
Joe
Mar 12, 2019 at 9:04 pm
Most folks ain’t gonna drop $800-1,000 on a driver… just sayin’
DLB
Mar 13, 2019 at 8:51 pm
Price point for PXG Gen2 drivers is less than what you stated.
JB
Mar 15, 2019 at 8:24 am
PXG Gen 2 driver retails at $575. The Taylormade M5 retails at $549. Just sayin’
Kyle
Apr 5, 2019 at 4:29 pm
PXG offers handcrafted Project X shafts as stock offerings. Those would be an up charge with other OEMs.
Anthony
Mar 8, 2019 at 5:57 pm
Does anyone have any first hand experience with the Mizuno?
Funkaholic
Mar 18, 2019 at 2:23 pm
I haven’t hit this one yet but, I have bagged the JPX900 for a while now and I would put it up against any of the bigger names any day of the week.
Warren R
Mar 24, 2019 at 6:27 am
Hit ST190 during a demo day on a whim. First off, it’s a beautiful club, it instills a lot of confidence. Contact was excellent. Three things stood out 1. You know exactly where the ball struck the face 2. Flight is lower than expected (hosel is adjustable) but very consistent 3. The distance numbers far exceeded the M5 I was trying and my gamer/backup (carry distance 310 w/ gamer/backup, 305 with M5, 335 with ST190, farthest was 355). Needless to say, had to get one (currently in the mail).
I would highly encourage you give it a try, if you can!
Jacopo Ferrero
Mar 8, 2019 at 12:36 pm
I own a Cortex Wilson and a Cobra F9 , same performances , same shaft , how can you leave the Wilson out of this article ?
N D Boondocks
Mar 8, 2019 at 2:22 pm
As long as there’s even a smell of subjectivity to ‘hottest’, I think you can be sure that there will always be excellent products that are dissed.
Mike McDonald
Mar 8, 2019 at 12:31 pm
I lead a sheltered life. Just curious if High Heat or GX clubs have ever had reviews. I have 2 daughters and looking to put them into a driver-woods that are easy to hit with good results They do not NEED 400-600 dollar golf clubs
Russell Ziskey
Mar 7, 2019 at 11:14 pm
I miss the official GolfWRX Gear Trials methodology of 2016 –
http://www.golfwrx.com/352108/2016-gear-trials-best-drivers-club-test/
I understand that the testing and evaluations done in 2016 probably were funded from revenue streams which may not exist now for GolfWRX but I echo other comments that this article just a catalogue of all the major OEMs driver offering for 2019 – having an objective and comparative ranking of the drivers is much more helpful.
Doug
Mar 8, 2019 at 1:07 pm
Exactly!!
Ace
Mar 7, 2019 at 8:17 pm
Im a Callaway guy (Rogue Draw currently) but boy does that Cobra F9 look sweet…On the other end of the spectrum how the mighty have fallen over at Titleist. IMO its the weakest entry on the list by far and even their long standing hold on balls is under assault by Big dogs like Callaway, small vendors
like Snell (My fav) & Sams club of all places.
HDTVMAN
Mar 8, 2019 at 12:22 pm
I fit clubs and commented on how Titleist has been no where in sight in drivers for many years. However, I was just recently invited to Titleist in Oceanside to learn about the TS Drivers. All I can say is that these drivers are FOR REAL! We were asked to bring our current driver, and virtually every fitter in our group out-drove our driver with the TS. This included speed, distance, and dispersion. The TS is not your dad’s Titleist, anymore.
JCGolf
Mar 7, 2019 at 10:41 am
How is this an article. “The hottest drivers of 2019” i.e. every single driver from the major companies.
Dormie
Mar 7, 2019 at 7:14 am
So it’s just happens to be that the hottest drivers of 2019 are just the newest drivers from the leading manufacturers. They’re all the hottest drivers.
Just title the article “newest drivers for 2019” if your concerned about pissing off advertisers.
Danny Bentley
Mar 6, 2019 at 8:23 pm
How could you leave off the PXG Gen2 drivers ?
Tom
Mar 6, 2019 at 6:03 pm
All sizzle, no steak. USGA equipment standards INSURE these clubs cannot perform better than previous models! Sellers be sellin! Save your money!!!
Alex
Mar 6, 2019 at 7:08 pm
Ball speeds and distance would indicate otherwise…is it worth 500 bucks every year? That’s for a consumer to decide. However making bold claims like that isn’t even close.
Brandon
Mar 6, 2019 at 11:41 pm
Enjoy your R7…
KK
Mar 7, 2019 at 2:23 pm
Love this comment! I was thinking 975D with the red Graffaloy shaft
Doug
Mar 7, 2019 at 3:02 am
Someone is not an engineer I hear.
Addison King
Mar 7, 2019 at 11:55 pm
Dumb, drivers are getting more aerodynamic and more forgiving every year. The COR limit is measured from a perfect hit out of the middle of the face
Dan
Mar 26, 2019 at 1:00 am
They don’t use COR anymore. They use CT, and it’s tested on 9 parts of the head. Heal, center, toe by top middle, bottom. Gotta pass all 9 to conform. Wilson Triton of driver v driver 1 fame was nonconforming on the high toe.