Equipment
Today from the Forums: “True game-changing drivers from each company in the last decade?”
Today from the Forums, we delve into the topic of drivers from the last 10-years from major manufacturers which have had a game-changing effect. WRX member, PepsiDuck, asks fellow members: “Which drivers (over the last decade) really pushed the bar forward in driver performance? And do you think the latest batch of drivers will make the list?” Our members have been having their say.
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.
- plim123: “2018-19 was probably the biggest collective leap forward in drivers. Ping G400, Titleist TS, Callaway Epic Flash, Cobra F9, Mizuno ST190 (although TM’s M1 was before). Before that, they were a lot of evolutions, not revolutions (Titleist 910-917, ping g10-g30, Callaway Raxr x to x hot to xr16, etc., and Cobra/Mizuno had barely any driver market share).”
- Titleist84: “Overall biggest advances were adjustable heads for both weight and shafts, as well as maintaining distance on off-center hits.”
- AmazinBlue: “For Taylormade, it’s to be the SLDR. It brought two major factors to the forefront ok not of custom fitting that is at the center of driver design today. 1. The low/forward CG ti allow for lower spin and higher launch to create greater carry. 2. The sliding moveable weight that has been the staple of TM drivers for years since and Callaway was so threatened they patented every “sliding” term used in describing a driver ever since. Overall the greatest invention was the adjustable hosel adapter, allowing fitters and consumers the opportunity to swap shafts in seconds and find the right shaft for a player, not just the shaft that comes standard.”
- cardoustie: “TM510tp and 2016 m2. Ping has had multiple, Tisi Tec, original Rapture, g400. Titleist is 975d. Callaway, way back, the first big bertha. EVERYONE has one, ditto for Great Big Bertha and then Biggest Big Bertha. I ignored the ten years.”
Entire Thread: “True game-changing drivers from each company in the last decade?”
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- Adam Scott what’s in the bag accurate as of the 2024 CJ Cup Byron Nelson.
Driver: TaylorMade Qi10 (10.5 degrees)
Shaft: Fujikura Ventus Blue 6 TX
Driver: TaylorMade BRNR (13.5 degrees)
Shaft: Fujikura Ventus TR Blue 7 TX
5-wood: TaylorMade Qi10 (18 degrees), TaylorMade Stealth 2 (18 degrees
Shaft: Fujikura Ventus TR Blue 9 X, Fujikura Ventus TR Blue 9 X
7-wood: TaylorMade Stealth (21 degrees)
Shaft: Graphite Design Tour AD DI Black 9 X
Irons: Srixon ZX Mk II (3), Srixon ZX5 Mk II (4), Srixon ZX7 Mk II (5), Srixon Z-Forged II (6-9)
Shafts: Graphite Design Tour AD DI Hybrid 105 X (3), True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue X100
Wedges: Titleist Vokey Design SM10 (50-12F, 54-08M), SM9 (LW), WedgeWorks (LW)
Shafts: True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue X100 (48-54), S400 (LW)
Putter: L.A.B. Golf Mezz.1 Proto
Ball: Titleist Pro V1
Grips: Golf Pride Tour Velvet
See the rest of Adam Scott’s WITB in the forums.
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Driver: TaylorMade Qi 10 (9 degrees)
Shaft: Mitsubishi Tensei 1K White 70 TX
3-wood: TaylorMade Qi 10 Tour (15 degrees)
Shaft: Project X HZRDUS Black 80 TX
Irons: TaylorMade P790 (3), TaylorMade P7MC (4-6), and TaylorMade P730 (7-PW)
Shafts: True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue X100
Wedges: TaylorMade MG4 (50-09SB, 54-11SB, 58-08LB)
Shafts: True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue S400
Putter: TaylorMade TP Reserve Juno
Grips: Golf Pride Tour Velvet
Ball: TaylorMade TP5x
Check out more in-hand photos of Pierceson Coody’s WITB here.
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Ben Griffin might be a little too young to remember some of the iconic Maxfli golf balls that won on tour, but that isn’t stopping him from putting the newest Tour X ball from the brand in play. Today, Maxfli and Griffin announced an exclusive partnership that will see the PGA Tour player using the company’s four-piece golf ball.
While Griffin might be the first PGA Tour player to put a new Maxfli golf ball in play, he isn’t the first profesional golfer to do so. Lexi Thompson has been playing the Maxfli Tour golf ball on the LPGA Tour since the beginning of the 2024.
View this post on Instagram
We caught up with Ben at the CJ Cup Byron Nelson in Texas this week to ask him about the new ball switch.
“I was able to finally get my hands on some and try it and immediately I saw faster ball speed with the driver, which is always something every golfer wants to see.
“Then I had to test a lot around the greens and test irons, test spins, test everything like that. Basically, I came to the conclusion that I thought this was probably one of the best golf balls for my game.
“And so I decided to make it official and partner with them and very excited to help kind of launch this golf ball and see where it takes us.”
Griffin’s ball of choice is the Maxfli Tour X, a four-piece golf ball that is made for highly skilled players that want consistent distance off the driver and spin around the green. An updated core design helps add the ball speed that Griffin mentioned and two ionomer mantle layers separate low spin driver shots from higher spin iron and wedge shots. Maxfli uses Center Of center-of-gravity balancing to ensure each ball has consistent flight in the air and roll on the green. Like all golf balls on tour, the Tour X features a cast urethane cover for maximum performance, and it has a tetrahedron dimple pattern to enhance aerodynamics.
It is exciting to see a golf ball at a lower price point — $39.99 at Golf Galaxy — being used by a top 100 ranked player in the world like Ben Griffin, and equipment junkies will be keenly watching his performance with the new ball.
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Adam Scott WITB 2024 (May)
Adam Scott what’s in the bag accurate as of the 2024 CJ Cup Byron Nelson. Driver: TaylorMade Qi10 (10.5 degrees)...
Pierceson Coody WITB 2024 (April)
Driver: TaylorMade Qi 10 (9 degrees) Shaft: Mitsubishi Tensei 1K White 70 TX 3-wood: TaylorMade Qi 10 Tour (15 degrees)...
WITB Time Machine: Billy Horschel’s winning WITB, 2017 CJ Cup Byron Nelson
The tournament bearing the name of one of golf’s all-time greats is now known as the CJ Cup Byron Nelson....
Austin Cook WITB 2024 (April)
Austin Cook what’s in the bag accurate as of the Zurich Classic. More photos from the event here. Driver: Ping...
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Craig
Feb 7, 2020 at 7:25 pm
There have been some pretty clear generations
1. Wood drivers
2. Metal drivers – TaylorMade Burner or Pittsburg Persimmon
3. Oversize drivers (190cc +) – Big Bertha
4a. Adjustable drivers – TaylorMade R7
4b. Mega oversize drivers (300cc +) – Heaps of brands
4a & 4b were around the same time, although you could argue the Biggest Big Bertha was the original mega oversize at 290cc.
The introduction of Tour/Subzero drivers get honorable mention.
Tom54
Feb 7, 2020 at 5:08 pm
I have to agree with the others about the R510TP that 757 speeder shaft was awesome and gorgeous with the red/chrome graphics. From what I remember was extremely pricey even by today’s standards.
jgpl001
Feb 7, 2020 at 6:28 am
Ditto, same combo for me too
R510TP with the 757 always brings a smile to my face, probably the biggest game changer I ever had back in the day
Saying that the Original Great Big Bertha was a stunning leap forward at the time of its release and served me well for many years
Moses
Feb 6, 2020 at 6:28 pm
The R510 TP was a game changer driver for me. I never hit a driver so long and accurate and it was the first time an OEM gave us a club with a true premium shaft in the legendary Fuji 757. Not so sure I agree with some of the other clubs mentioned above.