Peaksy68

Steward Golf Q Follow – Official MGS Forum Review by PMookie
My Game and a little about me
 
I live in West Monroe, LA, which is in the Northeast part of the state, 4 ½ hours North of New Orleans, 3 ½ North of Baton Rouge, and I’m only about 45 miles from the Arkansas line, 55 from Mississippi.  I’m 53 years old, and I’ve been playing since I was little. I learned to play at Pat’s Par 3 in Ypsilanti, MI, now called Miles of Golf. My Dad was a high school golf coach, and my first official tournament was the Ann Arbor Junior Open in the summer of 1982, finishing third. I play to a 4.7 GHIN as I type this, but my lowest ever score is just 74.
 As far as testing the Stewart Q, I’m going to be testing it on the course I play all the time, and I will perform some tests in my backyard as we have a pretty good slope that I wouldn’t find on local courses. One thing I’m really happy to learn is that my greens fees will be going from $48 per round to just $20 per round because I’ll be walking! BONUS!!!
I’ve watched a few video reviews of the Q Follow on YouTube, and read some reviews on various sites online. There only a few issues I’ve seen with the device and one was posted here on by someone who also posted the same issue over on WRX, and it’s an issue with the handle coming apart from the cart. I’ve also seen it mentioned that there are some who had carts that simply couldn’t go straight (others had corrected the issue themselves), and some “jumpy carts”, so we’ll see. For something that costs $2,700, I don’t foresee many problems, but that’s why we’re testing isn’t it?
 So, that’s about it for me for now. I really look forward to getting the cart and getting it out in the backyard, and on the course. Thank you, MGS and Stewart, for the opportunity to be a tester! I greatly appreciate it, and I look forward to y’all’s questions all along the way.








Stewart Q Follow- Official MGS Forum Review by PMookie
First Impressions:
From the moment the Q Follow arrived at my door I was impressed! The box had a great look to it with the big “Q” on the side, the styrofoam that encased the Follow had the Stewart logo on it, and there was a BUNCH of information in the box to guide a user! Really nice. Once I got the Follow out of the box and was able to look it over, I really didn’t want to get the thing dirty! I’m big on how rims/tires look on cars… I don’t like huge ones, but I like them to look “muscular”, different. Well, the Follow has just that, and add the red accent behind the wheels?! Wow! Next were the carbon accents, the finish of the body, all of it black… Man! Such a great looking cart! I took a bunch of pics and added them in my “unboxing” so you can see them there. Add to all of this the CART BAG that showed-up a few days later and I was completely taken-aback! I even mention in one of my videos that it’s an impressive looking machine! 
As far as getting the Q Follow on the course the first time, and getting it underway, I found it to be VERY easy to learn the controls and to get used to them. I had not “practiced” at all at home before I took it out of my vehicle and began to guide it across the parking lot to the driving range before my round, so I was a little nervous, but there was no reason to be. Easy-breezy. I used the arrows on the remote to guide it at first, but once I got on the first hole I engaged “follow mode” and was highly impressed! It worked just as I’d hoped it would by staying right behind me. It really did feel like I had my own personal caddie! So many people at the course stopped to take a look because I’m the only person that plays there that has a remote controlled cart. I had a number of people ask me about it, I could hear folks say, “Look at that,” and even had a college kid tell me how cool it was. Overall, all things included, I was quite impressed. 





5 out of 5 stars!
 
Aesthetics: 
I mentioned a lot in the first impressions paragraph above about the aesthetics, so I won’t belabor the point too much, but I found this to be a beautiful machine, and the carbon accents do add a degree of refinement to it for sure. Are they worth an additional $300? Nope, but they sure look good! I’m going to take a minute here to talk about the bag, even though it isn’t being reviewed… Aestheically, it’s gorgeous. It has some of the same carbon looking accents, the red coloring on it really pops especially since it’s “shiny”, and the Stewart logo on the ball area looks awesome! Really cool!

5 out of 5 stars!
 
The Numbers:
This didn’t really apply to our review so I’m giving a perfect score anyway…
5 out of 5 stars!
 
On-The-Course:
The Q Follow performed better than I expected on-course. Follow mode was fantastic and I ended-up using it about 80% of the time the last two rounds I played using it. The MAIN feature of this cart is the follow mode, and I wouldn’t want any other remote control cart if it didn’t have this same ability! Really, it’s that good! I was able to trust it to follow me up-and-down hills, mounds, across “bridges”, and even up to the teeboxes and it never wavered, fell over, or had any issue keeping-up. There was only ONE time it had difficulty and I showed that in a video. The issue, I believe, was that my bag just didn’t weigh enough to keep the cart tilted forward so it got “caught” on a steep incline. The instructions for the Q Follow to have one’s bag weigh around 31 pounds (not sure how many “stones” that is for those across the pond, HA!) and I would say that would be one piece of advice I would “follow” (ha!) for anyone that gets one of these. Weight of one’s bag DOES make a difference in performance, not just going up hills, but in the general on-course performance it’s smoother and not as “jerky”. 

5 out of 5 stars!
 
The Good, the Bad, the In-Between:
Well, one thing I have not mentioned until this point was that when my Q Follow was taken outside for the first time to try and practice, I started to “unfold” it and the right “fender” or “wing” fell right off. It was broken… Wow. A $3,100 machine and the carbon wing was already an issue. It turns out that the piece is not carbon at all, just plastic finished to look like carbon, and the two connections are VERY flimsy, thin pieces that can break easily. It was a complete bummer, and I was pretty upset. A positive about having something broken? I was able to test the customer service right away! I emailed them and had a response within an hour or two that new ones were on their way. The new pieces arrived just two days later, but no instructions were in the box. The wings are not “snap-on”, they are “screw-in”, so I had NO idea how to replace the wing. I email again, and I get the response within hours. Stewart sent me two wings, and I was glad they did because it turned-out the left wing was broken as well! Ugh. Not a good look, again, for SUCH an expensive machine. I got both wings on after a little difficulty, but I would definitely suggest that Stewart design those parts to be a little thicker, and able to take a beating. The Q Follow is going to be folded, and unfolded many times over years I would hope, and flimsy plastic isn’t going to cut it long-term. I was not impressed by how cheap the wings were, and I’m glad I didn’t have to pay the excessive fees to replace them. On that note, all of the accessories are over-priced in my estimation. We didn’t get anything that wasn’t made of plastic or rubber, so for someone to pay $40 for a phone holder is a bit much for a $.10 piece of rubber. I guess they figure one is spending three-grand so money isn’t an issue… Maybe, I just think it’s excessive.


2 out of 5 stars!
 
Play it or Trade it:
There is NO doubt it’s a PLAY IT! 100%, no questions asked. It’s a great machine, and I REALLY enjoy it! I still need to calibrate the thing so it stops drifting left, but it has been awesome to go to the course and walk 9 again once-a-week. The Q Follow REALLY makes the rounds more enjoyable. I can stay in-tune with my round, but not have to PUSH or CARRY my bag. I can hit the “follow mode” button, put the remote on my rear pocket, and just walk. It’s fantastic. I thoroughly enjoy it!
5 out of 5 stars!
 
Conclusion:
The Q Follow is a great looking remote control cart that does everything Stewart says it does, and it does it with flying colors! It’s simple and intuitive to use, the follow mode is amazing, it really is like having one’s own caddie, and outside of some manufacturing shortcuts, it’s something I think anyone would enjoy having! If one can afford it, I say “go for it”!
 
FINAL SCORE: 27/30
Literally, the only issue I had was with the wings and the lack of quality in their construction, but everything else about the Q Follow was top-notch and lived-up to its billing. 

 

Greetings Spies.  My name is Bill and I reside in southwest Montana. I'm ecstatic and honored to have been selected among the thousands of who applied to test the Stewart Q Follow Electric Caddie.  A HUGE THANK YOU to the folks at Stewart Golf and MyGolfSpy for providing this great testing opportunity!!  I find these forum-based product reviews to be very informative and meaningful.  Marketing claims are "put to the test" by fellow amateur players with no strings attached.  I have used these reviews as part of my recent equipment changes and will do my best to provide you all with a meaningful review of the Stewart Q Follow Caddie.

Please check out my introduction/bio here.  
So as many of you may know, through our discussions on the forum, my preferred mode of travel on the course is walking. 
18th hole at Wine Valley during this years PNW Spy Meet-up.

Unless the course does not allow walking, I rarely opt for an electric/gas cart. To be brutally honest, I just don't like bouncing around, getting in/out and traversing the fairway.  Further, many courses limit where power carts can go (i.e. 90 degree rule, off fairways altogether, and green approach areas).  I prefer the cadence that walking affords - allowing me to think about the upcoming shot (or blowing off steam from the previous shot 😊). If I want to stay in the shade of a tree line as the group makes its way down the fairway, or just mosey along enjoying the sights, I have that option. Plus, it's great exercise and helps keep me stay loose - especially on colder days. I recently upgraded from a Sun Mountain Speed Cart to a Caddy-Tek EZ-V8 (which I did an unofficial review on here). 
I've seen some of the various electric walking carts on courses and always was interested in them. At 62 years of age, I'm still in pretty good shape but will admit that some course terrain is beginning to tax the legs and lungs a wee bit.  Having a multi-mode, powered push cart seems like a great option. So when I saw the opportunity to test the Stewart Q Follow Caddie, I was really excited. From what I've read, this looks to be an industry leader in lightweight, compact design, and follow/tracker technology.
A few questions that immediately come to my mind and are of interest include;
battery life and how much it drops off (or not) during a round or even 27 holes recharging time stability on side hills ability to power through heavy rough and uneven terrain do I have to switch out of follow mode when walking onto the greens and tees? how easy is it to drive/steer using the remote? and, ultimately for me, will having the powered functionality offer a seamless transition from my many years using a simple push-cart? If you have any specific questions or things you would like myself and other testers to investigate, please reach out to us and we'll do our best to cover them in our reviews. 
 
Final Review - Stewart Q Follow Golf Trolley
 First Impressions (4 of 5 stars)
Once again, I want to open this review with a HUGE Thank You to both Stewart Golf and MGS for providing us the opportunity to test/review the Stewart Q Follow Caddie.  I don't mind repeating myself in saying that these forum product reviews are of more value to me than most all other reviews I read.  In fact, now when I consider buying new golf products, I always check to see if a forum, Hit Squad, or both have been done when whittling down information leading to a buy or move on decision.
My initial impression of this product was very well engineered and excellent build craftsmanship.  The shipping box was heavy duty and packing protection top notch. The packing arrangement makes for easy removal and, perhaps as important, easy to repack (I had the opportunity to test this out with our move to AZ).  Help instructions are in the right places - isn't that so often overlooked these days. My shipment had definitely seen some rough handling, and gave the protective packaging a serious test.


Upon getting the cart out and unfolded, I was quite impressed by its look - which I would describe as quite modern, stylish, and sleek.  The "black carbon" version we received has some nice accents (wheel fenders) that give it just the right amount of "pop".


Little details like pressed-fit, sealed wheel bearings, and cooling fins on the drive motor, are not features one would see on low end products.

The key technology of the Stewart Q Follow is the Bluetooth follow mode. With that function selected, the cart is seeking the handheld pendant. When I first trialed this in the yard, it was without a bag on the cart, and I found the cart quite erratic.  At first, I thought it was due to not holding the pendant still (as in clipped to my belt) but, after getting the clubs aboard, the cart became quite steady.  It still makes some jerky direction changes but nothing excessive.  The bottom-line is that the follow technology works as advertised.  Soon into my third round, I began not really thinking about the cart too much and just felt confident my clubs would be within arm's reach when I got to my ball.
Personally, I found trying to hook the pendant onto my belt or pants/shorts pocket each time I selected "follow" a pain.  Upon arriving at the ball, you can stay within the "no follow" zone, and it won't attempt to move to you.  But, on a several occasions, I would just get outside that range while setting up for the shot and the cart you suddenly swivel and move towards me. What worked best for me was simply carrying the pendant in my hand as I walked to my ball, then place it on my bag, take the shot, pick up the pendant and start walking.  My testing showed the carts steering to be nearly identical whether on my belt or in my hand.  I even swung the pendant around while watching and the carts steering was hardly affected at all.
 
Aesthetics (5 of 5 stars)
I really like the look of the cart. As I mentioned above, it has a very modern look with just enough bling in the right places. The light grey rubber handle inserts and bag strap, the exposed carbon fiber basket-weave fenders, grey wheel rims, and red inner wheel covers blend really well. Overall, it is quite compact folded up and not as large as one might think a "battery powered" cart would be.  

The battery nest fits perfect and simply blends into the cart base for a streamline look.


The Numbers (4 of 5 stars)
Unlike the accuracy of a range finder or carry distance for clubs, this category for a bag cart is a bit challenging.  But, I will touch on a key thing that can definitely effect "one's numbers (scoring)" and that is fatigue.  I've used non-motorized golf push carts for the better part of 45 years and while their designs have evolved to make them more compact and feature rich, they still require manual labor.  As we get older, that effort becomes more and more noticeable.  On courses with significant elevation and slope changes, I've really started to notice that my stamina wanes as the holes roll along.  Add in some heat index and that just makes manual carts feel heavier with each passing yard.
The rounds I have played using the Stewart Q Follow Caddie have significantly reduced the level of fatigue I feel as compared to my manual push cart. I cannot yet equate better scoring with the Stewart Q but it stands to reason that being less fatigued over the course of a round will more likely than not help ones scoring.

On The Course (4.5 of 5 stars)
The Stewart Q Follow worked better than I expected in both manual drive and follow modes. I say better than expected because I had visions of looking back for my clubs only to see them some distance back and off-track. I used the follow mode about 90% of the time and it always kept up with me.  With the exception of it finding a pothole as it left the cart path and falling over, it never had an issue.

The first course I tested on had a really good mix of terrain. The carts paths are mostly gravel and some not so smooth.  There were plenty of bumps and lumps which did tend to knock the steering off course a bit, but the tracking technology did a very good job of making corrections.  It did get a bit jumpy at times when this happened, but nothing all that drastic. 
While the cart does well going up hills, going down steep hills isn't so good - particularly if you walk at normal pace.  What I found worked was to just walk slow and kind of guide it along close behind. On a few grades, I noted the brakes having to engage to slow travel and skid the wheels. Of course the instructions suggest using manual steering and use of the handle in these situations, but what fun is that? 🙂.
The course also had plenty of side hills and I purposely walk up the slopes and in a zig-zag manner to see how the tracking worked.  It did a good job making steering adjustments but definitely was working the two wheel motors pretty hard.  Still, I was quite impressed with its ability to keep up.

The Good, the Bad, and the In-between (3.5 of 5 stars)
The "good" points are:
The cart is very compact folded up which will really help those driving cars with limited trunk space. It is very easy to unfold and refold once you get the sequence down. Battery life is as advertised. We received the 36 hole battery and, following each of my 18 hole rounds, the app showed close to 60% remaining. The battery app is easy to use and provides status whether connected to the cart or charging cords. The quick dis-engage design of the rear wheels, for full manual mode, is very easy.  Removing and replacing the battery is easy and the recharge time for it and the remote pendant as described in the user manual. The cart adjusts well to the players walking pace.  I found this really helpful when slowing down and "helping" the cart through odd terrain.  This even works on moderate downhill grades. Switching to manual/pendant steering is easy and one quickly gets the feel for how much left and right arrow is needed to make course adjustments. The cart had very ample torque and climbing power.  I took it up a few quite steep inclines and it had no problem.  The two "wheelie wheels" do a great job at keeping the cart from tipping over backwards.  The "bad" points are:
The handle is a bit on the flimsy side.  On several holes with moderate contours around the greens and tees, I dis-engaged the rear wheels from the motor and pushed the cart.  I found the amount of flexing in the handle a little concerning.  When using my current cart, I sometimes will give it a pretty hefty shove going over curbs. I would be concerned about this handle holding up under similar situations. To be fair, maybe it will sustain way more flexure and stress than I think... but it just made me nervous. Storage is pretty much non-existent. I found myself really missing the mesh cargo net bag, storage tray, and zippered storage pocket on my current Caddy-Tek cart. For me, this was a big negative that affected scoring. The "In-between" points are:
The cart folded is a bit heavy and I could see this maybe being an issue for older folks (even more so for women) lifting in/out of car trunks. It seems the "glide stop" mode should be the default.  The carts stops quite abruptly if this mode is not on, and I should think most users will want this on... so why not make it the default? The cart does work fine with lighter than optimum weight bags, but the tradeoff is that the cart tends to pop wheelies a bit more when starting off and when following up steeper inclines. Play it or Trade it? (4 of 5 stars)
To be brutally honest, I'm on the fence on this one.  I walked one of my (new to me) courses today using my cart and was taking note of all the uneven surface changes I went through moving from greens to tees.  Most of the cart paths stand several inches higher than the ground and I could see myself having to do quite a bit of "helping" the Stewart Q cart through this - whether in follow or manual steering.  Staying on the concrete paths would be a solution but there are a good many more direct/shorter paths through packed gravel that the walking folks use. I need to get a few rounds in with it on the courses here to make this final decision.  I do think it will help reduce fatigue, especially on hot days, and that is a BIG incentive. While my Caddy-Tek cart is quite light and easy to push, I still feel it towards the end of rounds.  I'm definitely going to put the Stewart Q through more paces and testing here and see how it works out.
One factor I'm interested in is battery life and and adverse effects of use and storage in hot climates - like Arizona hot in summer months. They recommend charging at near room temps, which is fine and doable, but what about use and storage in a garage that's near 100F?
I'm quite sure I would not have spent the MSRP for this cart.  I had previously looked at battery powered, manual steer units and opted not to invest the $700 to $1000 for some of those. I do think the build quality and technology are excellent, and the follow mode a really helpful feature, but the price seems a bit high IMO.
Conclusion
In a nutshell, the Stewart Q Follow Caddie is the real deal and does what it was designed to do.  With the exceptions noted above and two key design aspects (weak handle and virtually no storage), the cart manual and follow steering modes work very well. It works well over moderately uneven terrain; gravel paths, over tree roots, and low curbs (say up to an inch).  Straight out of the box, the cart is assembled and, with the help of fantastic instructions, requires only a few base and handle movements to be ready to load your bag and head off to the tee.  After the round is done, the fold and store sequence is very easy and surprisingly compact.  It is a little on the heavy side and could be an issue for some lifting into and out of deep trunks. 
The ability to quickly disengage both the rear wheels is great in the event of either the cart or pendant batteries running out, a system malfunction, or forgetting to bring the pendant with you (which I nearly did 😬 ). With the wheels disengaged, the cart feels very much like any other push cart.  It rolls along fine but keep in mind the weight of the battery will require expending a few more calories.  It's also worth noting that the handle is no where near as rigid as most carts and tends to twist/flex a bit if pushing forward over curbs, cart paths, etc.  There are other reviews on this product where handles breaking have happened - so just something to consider and remember when using.
It seems to work well with various golf bags.  I used my Sun Mountain Four 5 kickstand bag and it had no issues.  Stewart Golf does recommend using a bit heavier bags to minimize "wheelies" during drive motor starts, but I did not find that an issue.  While perhaps not optimum, it's nice to know the cart can be used with a pretty wide range of bags.
The $2699 to $3099 MSRP (depending on options) is pretty high as compared to other battery powered, manual pendant steer carts.  Because I'm not real familiar with the competing products, I won't try and justify the cost of this product except to say I think the Stewart Q Follow is a top-shelf product with respect to engineering and build quality.  
I think the bottom-line is that if you really love to walk but are finding doing so with a manual push cart too taxing, and you want a high end, quality built cart with state-of-art follow mode feature, the Stewart Q Follow should definitely be on your list.  I must say that the follow mode is quite cool.  Simply walking from shot to shot with "Stewey" tagging along and having your clubs there when you get to the ball could be habit forming.
Thank you for reading this review.  Be sure to check out the "comments" section with the many posts we testers made chronicling our experiences using this product.  Also, check in periodically as myself and the other testers will be adding more findings in the comments section as we get more experience using the product.  
Final Score (25 out of 30 stars)
 

MyGolfSpy Official Review
Stewart Q Follow By sirchunksalot
Here's a link to my pre-testing review:
https://forum.mygolfspy.com/tests/45-stewart-q-follow-electric-caddie/?do=findComment&comment=10325
 
Stewart Q Follow Final Review
It’s been a fun walk these past few weeks testing the Stewart Q Follow. I’ve had a great time putting this trolley through its paces on the course and around the house. As someone who just started walking, I can say it brings a special enjoyment to the game being able to walk the course and soak in all it has to offer instead of zipping along in a cart. Thank you Stewart Golf and MyGolfSpy for allowing me to be a tester of such a fine product.
First Impressions 5/5 stars
Pulling the Stewart out of the box, I was immediately impressed with how good it looks. It was folded up compactly and felt sturdy. Opening it up was a breeze, push a couple of buttons and it was ready to go. I’m ashamed to admit this, but closing it back up the first time took a minute because I didn’t see the button on the bottom of the handle you have to push to fold it back up.

My first experience navigating it was just pure fun. I placed my bag on it and ran it through my yard and the neighbors yard. The remote fit nicely in my hand and it didn’t take long for me to get the hang of controlling it.
Aesthetics 5/5 stars
This is one good looking golf cart. It has a minimalistic design that is still able to draw the attention of onlookers on the course.  

The carbon looking fenders contrast nicely against the matte black color of the rest of the Stewart. There is also a section of carbon below the handle near where it folds sporting a “Q” logo. They also added a nice touch to the button on the frame of the handle by adding the British flag to it.


It's well designed to fold compactly and fits well into the trunk of my VW Jetta along with my bag, leaving room to spare for my work boots, golf shoes, golf balls, and any extras I choose to have in there.

The Numbers 3.5/5 Stars
This is going to be an unorthodox portion of this review and I would like to give @GolfSpy_BOS the credit for coming up with the idea for this part. The push/electric cart isn’t a typical forum review where we can give hard data on how a club improves your game.
I was able to play a round with @Tom the Golf Nut and compare the Stewart to the MotoCaddy. We had a race down one fairway where the MotoCaddy took home the prize due to its quick acceleration. At its top end, the Stewart was able to keep a respectable pace but couldn’t catch up.

Also during that round, I noticed smoother, quieter turning and better downhill braking from the MotoCaddy.
Comparing the Stewart to my push cart, I noticed a drastic increase to my stamina during and after my rounds. It was really evident after the round with Tom where I woke up at 3:30, drove 157 miles, walked a hilly course, and drove back home. I still had energy and was not passing out when I walked through the door at home. On a typical work day where I wake up at the same time I’m usually fighting to stay awake on the 25 mile drive home.
I also saw better scoring and play on all but one round during the testing period. I blame myself for that outlier, I lost focus and my game suffered from my mental lapse.
Rounds are more enjoyable being able to take in the sights and sound of the course compared to rushing along in a cart. Maneuvering the trolley let me focus on something other than my game and kept me from dwelling on bad shots.
On the Course 5 of 5 Stars
The Stewart did everything you would ask for during a round. It carried my clubs and kept them secure, even in some less than desirable places. I took it up hills, down hills, into the woods, and through a gully on my course where it had no business being without incident. It did turn over on me once on a steep side hill, scuffing the handle, but it’s not designed for those and was totally the fault of the driver.
I love follow mode and think it’s the defining characteristic of the cart. It allowed me to simply stroll along the fairway with both hands free and let me take the opportunity to drink water and film without having to worry about manning the remote.
The Q Follow also garnered quite a bit of attention from fellow golfers. I received a lot of comments and some questions that allowed to talk both about the cart and the forum. I’m also sure there’s a post out there somewhere on social media with a video because one guy asked me to navigate over toward him.
The Good, The Bad, and the In Between 3/5 stars
Good:
Setup of the cart is simple, you push a button and lift the front wheels, set it on the ground and maneuver the bag holder into place, and push another button to lift the handle assembly. After that, you just place your bag on the trolley, secure it, and turn the cart and remote on.
I can’t say enough how much I love follow mode. There’s something nice about clipping the remote in your belt and walking along with the cart behind you. It frees up your mind and lets you simply enjoy the walk.
The Stewart is easy to charge, the battery snaps loose and you pick it up, insert the charging cable into the color coded ports, and you’re good to go.

Speaking of charging, the 36 hole battery is lives up to its name. I’ve played mostly nine hole rounds and seen a loss of about 22% after each round.
Bad:
I would be remiss not to bring up the handle design, I think it’s a weak point in the trolley and could snap if the cart fell over. It flexes when manually turning the cart and I use caution when I turn it by hand. I know there’s a lot that goes into engineering a product like this, but I would like to see some reinforcement in the handle in future models.

20220926_165321.mp4 Downhill braking is a little weak. I tried to stop the Stewart while hitting a shot on a downhill lie at Tom’s course and it kept going at a moderately fast clip. It took a few tries to get it to slowly roll so it wouldn’t run away from me. I’ve also seen it roll back down hills when I’ve attempted to stop it to pick a club from my bag.
There have been times when follow mode loses connection. I’ll be walking down the fairway and won’t hear the sound of the motors and look back to see the Q Follow sitting in place. I had that happen three consecutive times on one hole and had to walk back to it and engage follow mode again.
The In Between:
Since they’re not officially a part of the review, I thought I'd say thank you to Stewart Golf for including some extras to add to the enjoyment of this testing. The bag, phone holder, umbrella tube, and ball holder are all great products and add to the utility of the Q Follow.


I stated early on that this is a heavy product, but when I compared it with the MotoCaddy they were similar in weight.
It’s a bit more expensive than its competitors ($3100 with 36 hole battery), but follow mode is a pretty unique feature that allows you to focus on the walk instead of keeping your attention on the cart.
Play It or Trade It 5/5 stars
I truly believe the Q Follow has added it my enjoyment of walking and leaves me less exhausted after my rounds. It’s fun to control and have behind me when I want to free my hands up on the course. As fall golf has arrived, I’ll be spending most of my time with it on the course.
TLDR
The Stewart is a quality and fun product that can make your walk less tiring. It’s easy to control and follow mode is a great feature that you don’t see in some of the other popular electric carts. It performs well on the course and can take on some of the toughest terrain.
It’s not without issues, losing connectivity with the remote during follow was my biggest peeve.
It’s a premium product with a fairly premium price, but if you’re looking for an electric trolley it's one I would recommend looking at.
Final Score 26.5/30 stars
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

In case you haven't seen it, here is my intro for this...
https://forum.mygolfspy.com/tests/34-nippon-modus-115-iron-shafts/?do=findComment&comment=8092
Early Impressions.
These shafts are clean and simple but exude class. To me they look like they mean business.




I can't tell you what it was like to build them, my club pro did the hard work for me but what a beautiful job he did!!



I can definitely feel the added weight compared to the old shafts but they do feel stable. I will add more once I have used them in anger.... But if the play as good as they look I will be in heaven 😍😍🥰
First Impressions 5 out of 5 stars
Aesthetics
I could wax lyrical about the looks of these but I think my comments in my first impressions say enough. In short I like these a lot!!.
Aesthetics 5 out of 5 stars
Data and on the course performance
Well, I had grand plans of firing up Arccos and being able to down load a pile data here for you all but life and the weather has gotten in the way.

But what I can give you are some snippets to whet your appetites.
These shafts launch high. I hit them along side my gamers with the AMT White shafts and there was a definite difference. 
Here is my T100s wedge with the AMTs...
And here is the Cobra Wedge with the Modus shaft...
The two strikes felt the same yet the Modus just flies so much higher!! Even the 4 iron gets up and goes...
That leads nicely into distance. I was using these irons last year with the KBS C-Taper Lites and I was getting Ok distance. I was surprised that I lost no distance when I changed to the T100s, even though the T100s are higher lofted and more of a players iron. My average for a 9 iron was 120 metres or 131 yards. So when I came to a shot last weekend of 137 metres (149 yards) I decided to give the 9 iron a go just because I didn't want to go long. Boy was I surprised when I hit the ball 6 inches past the hole!! The same thing happened with my 7 iron, average of 140 metres (153 Yards) and I hit it 154 metres (168 yards) on the fly. These shafts for me have unleashed the true potential of the Cobra heads. I am at least a club longer with all of my irons and yet they still stop with the extra height.
Spin wise I have been getting a lot of spin on the greens but we are officially in winter so the greens are soft too. I do worry that, with the extra height, these could spin up too much into a stiff breeze and just kill the distance gains.
The other side affect of the shafts is that my ball flight is straighter. I had to adjust on the course and not aim for as much draw. I think this comes from where these shafts kick but I'm not complaining!!
Data 5 out of 5 stars
On the Course 5 out of 5 stars
Takeaway
These shafts are heavy but this makes them stable for me, they launch like missiles but have the distance to go with it and the spin seems to be controlled. But (and it's a big but) these are not for every one. I have a rhythmic swing with just enough speed to warrant stiff shafts and I think if I had a little less speed these shafts would not be a good fit.
 
If you are a person who needs light shafts, struggles with hitting the ball too high or has elbow or wrist injuries then I don't think these shafts are for you. Try them for sure but I think the 105s might be a better fit. 
So for me these are great shafts over all but maybe just a touch too heavy and launch just a touch too high for our windy conditions.
Takeaway 4 out of 5 stars.
Play or Trade
Well this is where the rubber hits the road, so to speak. Am I going to race out and throw these shafts in my T100s?
After reading the rest of this review you would think its an emphatic yes.... but you would be wrong.

I think the combination of the stunning T100S heads and these shafts would launch the ball so high and create so much spin that they would be almost unplayable for me. Also I found swinging the extra weight in all of them to be tiring and I was have been feeling it at the end of rounds. So that leaves me with a conundrum, I like these shafts a lot but, for me, they need to be in power heads for them to truly work and that's not where I want my game to be. So they will be in my back up set and I may pull them out during the winter from time to time but they will not be replacing my current gamers. You could say that I am keeping them but really just to be admired from a distance and pulled out when I'm feeling brave

Play Or Trade 2 and a half stars out of 5
Conclusion.
Nippon have done a fantastic job with these shafts and they fit into the range perfectly. In the right hands they will be absolute weapons. I recommend trying these during a fitting for sure but don't expect miracles. For me they are really good but not the best fit which is why they are staying on the sidelines.
Final Score  26.5 out of 30 Stars.
Thank you again to Nippon and MGS for allowing me to put these shafts to the test and thank you to my fellow spies for reading my thoughts. I hope it helps you with your search for the set of clubs you have been dreaming of...
Cheers, John 

https://forum.mygolfspy.com/tests/29-sub70-949x-fairway/?do=findComment&comment=7893
 
First Impressions (500 Words) (4 out of 5 Stars)Click the link above
Aesthetics (5 out of 5 Stars) 
Describe the following:
General Shape: This club is pleasing to my eye, not only just looking at it, but at address setting up or a shot both at the range and on the course, it gives me confidence I can pull off the shot I want just before I pull the trigger. 
How does the overall look come together? From the face to the carbon fiber top it is a very good looking club.
How does the appearance compare to other clubs in the same category? I don't have much to compare it to. I had a Callaway epic flash 3 wood. I sold/borrowed it to a friend. It's a nice looking club and this Sub70 is just as nice if not better IMO. 
Are they flashy? Do other players notice them in your bag without being prompted? I wouldn't call this club flashy, it is a very nice looking club but who buys a club that looks good. Performance and cost are what we should be using in buying clubs correct at least that's what I do. So if flashy means performance this thing is a Lamborghini ( my dream car).
 
Describe how the club sounds and feels
Does it sound: loud, quiet, harsh, smooth, or other? This has a smooth sounding tic, or thwack to it. Some clubs sound odd like dull thud or an obnoxious ting or the ever brutal Sasquatch. Even on miss hits it has a nice note.  
Does it feel soft, crisp, dull, clicky? For those that played baseball/softball when you hit a home run, you don't feel the ball leaving the bat. You swing and the ball just flys off the bat like it's a surprise. Well this has that same feeling, the ball just fly's off the face.
Does it feel consistent across the face, or are mis-hits noticeably pronounced?There might be a slight difference in feel, but you really need to hit off the toe like almost miss the ball before you really know how far outside or inside you missed the club face. It would be more noticeable in ball flight but even then not much of difference. I have a 1 iron that when I miss the sweet spot it rattles may hands. This is the club I am hoping to replace
Does the sound/feel affect your performance? Short answer is no. Other than exuding confidence I can pull off what shot I want to play. Granted I am a 15/16 handicap I can pull off shaping the ball on occasion and on purpose. 
 
The Numbers (5 out of 5 stars)
Accuracy – Are you able to consistently hit your target?  What’s the dispersion like? On the range once I got the weights adjusted to fit my swing I was able to try and work the ball. After getting a feel, I would go 3-5 shots trying to draw then fade then straight. I would do 5- 6 rounds each or until I lost the feel and needed to hit some wedges to cool down a bit. I was able to work the ball at will (wish I could do this on the course). This really gave me confidence once I got on the course, lie dependent of course. Tough to simulate rough and lie types from a mat, still it helps in knowing I've already made the shot and can do it again when it matters. 
Distance – Raw distance regardless of direction: I'm having issues with my launch monitor so it was hard to know for a fact the distance. When on the course I was using  it for shots from 225-250. At the range with well used balls it seems distance was from 215-250. I will say I was hoping for a little more distance, that said I have never had a 4 wood before and wasn't sure what to expect. I am not deducting points for this. 
Trajectory – High, low, or somewhere in between? All depends on strike. A solid strike the ball flys high, straight and on target. I've tried a few shots from the rough with rain the night before and as it dried out getting more fluffy lie. I lost a little bot of distance a slight draw. When I tried to hit more of a cut from the rough I go the outcome I wanted with a nice ball flight on target. This a make contact and the ball will do what you want type of club, no need to crank it up. Make your normal swing and you're good to roll.
 
On-Course (5 out of 5 stars)
Pressure – When you step up to a difficult shot with something on the line (money, best score, water water water) can you execute for success? I have mentioned earlier that this club gives me confidence. I feel I can take this club and make the shot. I do need to dial in the distance and then re-work the top of my bag. I want this club in my bag, I'm just not sure where it will fit as of right now. 
What factors were you pleased with? It's easy to swing, I can feel the club all the way through my swing. It's my swing that gets out of wack and I can sometimes correct during the swing to get the ball to go on target. I really like how easy this club is to adjust to fit my swing. 

Final Performance Comments:
Overall, how did it perform? I had really high expectations from this club. I've made it no secret that I play Sub70 irons, and 3HY. I totally love my irons and 3 HY and have had plenty of other golfers mention how they look, sound and feel. I have a bit higher swing speed than most people I play with so it's hard for them to get a good feel as I have KBS Tour 130 shafts in my irons. This 4 wood has lived up to my expectations. As mentioned I will be re-working the top of bag to fit this in. 
Did it help improve your scores? By how much? Hard to tell at this point as I have only played it on the course 3 rounds. In those 3 rounds I would say it saved 2-3 strokes per round. How you ask, well when I top my driver and it goes less than 100 yards or just hit a bad drive and the ball is in the rough with a yardage of 230 plus I have made some great saves to put me back on track for a par or limit the big numbers.  
How, if at all, did this product change your overall impression of the OEM? As mentioned I have Sub70 irons and my opinion is, Sub70 is my first look at any club they have that I can put in my bag. 
What feature would you change or eliminate from the next generation of this model? Hands down the head cover. It isn't bad, but it has an old style look and feel. I replaced the head cover on my hybrid, but I have left this on as I want people to ask me about this brand of club. 
What features do you really like, and would most like to see continued or evolved in future models? I like the simple easy on the eyes looks. The ease of adjustability is fantastic, This I hope stays. Some engineers want to make changes just for change, Change is not always good or needed. If it isn't broke don't fix it, tune it up sure but no need to revamp anything. 
The Good, the bad, the in between ( 4 out of 5 stars)
The good is a long list that I hope I listed out above. The bad is the club head cover and that is nit picking at best. The only in-between would be the swing and that isn't fair to ding the club for being a 15 handicap. 
 
Play it or Trade it? (5 out of 5 stars)
Absolutely want to fit this in my bag and keep it there. I feel like I should take a point off for them making such a good club and making me re-work the top end of my bag. 
 
 
Conclusion
I had very high expectations for this club. I have Sub70 699 pro Irons and a 3 hy. These perform tremendously well for me and I expect the same from the 949x 4 wood, It does not disappoint. A workable club even for a borderline hack as myself at a 15/16 hdcp. Very easy to hit starting at the range mats, to turf, fairway and then from the rough. To me this club gives me confidence in that I am able to pull of shots to get me out of trouble and save strokes one my game and we can all use that. I do plan to keep this in my bag and I have mentioned a few times that I now need to re-work the top end of my bag. I did have to make adjustments from the stock settings. This is an easy adjustment and I believe thought and care went into the design/system to make it so. My advice to anyone looking for a 4 wood that this be their first stop. 
OEM's are easier to find and try out sure, but is it really worth the money to say I play the (pick whatever brand) rather than have a club that is as good if not better for less money? My opinion is no, I am good with an off brand club that's works, cost less and now I can take that money and put to a different use. 
 
Final Score (28 out of 30 stars)
I  took 1 point from first impressions as the shaft and head combo took some time to get used to. Not their fault as I gave them 2 options of shafts to choose from, but it still caught me off guard. 
I took one point off from GOOD, Bad, and in between. The club head cover needs a re-due. This does not affect the club performance one bit, but it is still part of the club and experience. 
 
I will post some data over the summer and how I am going to fit this club in my bag. If anyone has questions please ask away. 
 
Thank you to MGS for continuing their efforts in getting information to all of us on all things golf. 
Thank you to Sub70 for providing us with products to the readers of MGS. Keep up the great work.

The Review (updated 5/26/2022)
Sub70 949X 5 Wood  – Official MGS Forum Review by @MrBandit
Sub70 949X  - Intro
 I have been golfing for the past 18yrs, started after leaving the military and moving to San Francisco, I never expected to play golf. Everyone in my office played golf and they took me to a par 3 course in San Francisco and I remembering making par on the 4 hole (easy game, LOL) have been hook since.
Once I moved back to NYC, I began to play more and become more competitive and really get hooked on the game. Now living in Texas, my game as become more consistent as I get the play year-round vs 6 months a year when I was in NYC.
Started playing in some of the US AM Tour tournaments again, and this has help my confidence and concentration since every shot counts and cannot just waste a shot if I was just playing around with friends.

My game – Currently at 8.4 HC, up and down, struggle with concentration in the middle of the round causing silly mistakes, which escalates those numbers quickly. Hence my scores fluctuating from 77 to 87.  Chipping and putting has help keep my rounds under control, getting up and down from around the greens. Which I considered that my strength of my game.  I struggle at times with my mid irons, but I compensate with my wedge game and putting.

My driving accuracy has improved when I switch over to the new TaylorMade Stealth HD 9.0 a few months ago, put the same Nippon NS Regio MB+ 65 shaft I have been using since last year. which help keep the ball in the fairway and eliminating one side of the fairway. Distance has improve coming from the TourEdge Exotic Pro. 

Looking forward to adding a 5 Wood to my bag and replacing the 3Wood. I come to the realization am a man of a certain age now with excessive mileage that going for the green in 2 is not going to be in the cards very often and play to my strength of wedge game into the greens.
Am expecting great things from this Sub70 949X.

 
First Impressions  (5 out of 5 Stars)
Packaging hits the mark, Black box with Sub70 branding catches the eye right away. Inside the box, hand written note thanking for the purchase and to enjoy the product. Inside comes with adjusting tool, Sub70 ball Marker and sticker.
In the pouch it comes with additional weight to be able to adjust as need it.

The 5 wood is stunning when looking down on it, carbon head reflects up nicely. The 5 wood sits well at address. Smaller head , just slightly bigger than my TE 3 Hybrids. Its a confident look when addressing the ball.
The Hzrdus 60G Shaft really makes you feel you are swinging faster and not feeling like you are out of control.

Took it out on range briefly to give it a try, and the sound was solid, good penetrating ball flight, and it was consistent ball flight and center strikes. Swing the club felt confident and sturdy. Sub70 claims their utilizing nascent technologies to improve ball flight, trajectory, and spin, which I could tell. Since it comes with additional 6 &12 gram weights it will allow you to adjust the ball flight even further. Am happy with the standard setup right now.  Straight ball all day.

The I took it out to the course for the first time, in the late after noon and the hits off the tee and off the fairway are solid, its a fairway finder for about 205-210 yds consistently. This will give you the confidence that you can hit that tight fairway and keep it in play. I need to get more reps, I haven't really gone after it, its has been solid strikes(so far) every time which was a happy surprise. Usually with 3 wood you have the tendency to top it at times or flare it right . This was down the middle every time.
Aesthetics (5 out of 5 Stars)  
General Shape – Small head, just a little larger than a 3Hybrid and smaller than your 3wood. Graphics/Badging – Simple clean graphic on bottom of the head, #5, 949x and sub 70 logo. How does the overall look come together? – the club looks sharp; it looks like you will smash it every time. How does the appearance compare to other clubs in the same category? Its clean looking, carbon head looks stunning at address. It’s a good-looking club, plain and simple with no extra flare. Other unique details – 2 weights to allow you change characteristics of the club performance. Are they flashy? Do other players notice them in your bag without being prompted?
Club Is not flashy while in the bag, head cover black with the white sub70 diamond logo.
People have commented on the sound and consistency of club. Sound: Sound is a solid, not dull but you can tell if you hit it. It feels consistent even on mis-hits. You can tell if you hit it on the toe or heel but out of the ordinary.




 
The Numbers (4 out of 5 stars) 
Accuracy – by far one of the most accurate woods I have ever hit. If you don’t like straight this is not for you. Distance – Consistently between 215-230 yds. Trajectory – High and landed soft, but also you can hit low, it was great to have that option. Forgiveness – One thing that was very impressive was the miss hits, either toe, heel, high or low the club was consistently straight. You will lose some yards from non-center hits but it was nothing that will discourage you from hitting the club. I found to be a solid fairway finder with enough distance to give you to the opportunity to reach the green. Control – Another thing I notice was how easily was to hit the club, didn’t turn on your hands, it was aim and swing and you was on target. Built tons of confidence the more I used the club. Workability – This could be the only downside of this club, it was pretty much straight, I had to go way out of the way to try to cut the ball (which I like to do)So I had to settle (happily) to be a straight club. On-Course (5 out of 5 stars)
While on the course this where the club really shine, when you had to hit the shot, fairway, get to the right distance. Out of 7 rounds with this club only once it didn’t perform and this was only because of user error, not the club fault.

I was able to get to comfortable distance with the 5 Wood, longest 235yds, but it was steady between 215-230yds. Hitting High straight shots that landed softly, miss hits that went straight and out of harm’s way. The more I used the club the more confident it was bringing me to pull it when I need it a 220-230yds shot knowing that I was going to get the desired results.

Long par 3 that were 200-215yds, it was nice to hit this club with confidence that I can hit high, and it would land softly on target.

Par 5 is the main reason I went with the 5 wood, as i have realized that a lot of the par5 I play I could no longer reach it 2, that I could instead place myself in situation to have a wedge in hand to be able to attach the flag when possible. And it works as intended, it gave me better opportunities to score since I knew I was in a preferred yardage. I didn’t have to scramble because my 3 wood went left or right or not long enough and had to recover from not favorable spots.

 
Final Performance Comments:
Overall, how did it perform? Over performed expectation Did it help improve your scores? It improves my scoring by at least 2shots, specially on the par 5 since I was using wedges for my 3 shot on every Par 5 How, if at all, did this product change your overall impression of the OEM? Performance of the club made me start thinking about other clubs from SUB70, with the current performance of the 5 wood. What feature would you change or eliminate from the next generation of this model? Nothing.  
The Good, the bad, the in between (5 out of 5 stars)
Everything about this process was excellent, from using their fit tools, to asking for specific specs and getting exactly what was requested.
The club exciding expectation on performance and the aesthetics of the club where solid. This is what
 
Play it or Trade it? (5 out of 5 stars)
This club is 100% Play it, if you haven’t tried it, you are missing out on a steady performer. By far the most consistent club I have ever hit. It will be hard to replace this club from my bag.
 
Conclusion
Having heard of Sub70 before but never have been able to use one of their products I had reservations on how the Sub70 5 Wood would perform. But from the distinctive packaging and personalized handwritten notes. From the range session to the on-course performance, the club exceeded expectations and made me wonder why I didn’t try them before and now made me thing about looking into their other products ie. hybrids or even 3 wood (not that am using mine currently, because of the 5 wood) but it made me wonder If I need to reconsider replacing my current one with a Sub70.
I’m very happy that I got the opportunity from GolfSpy to test and review this club and I would simply say if you consistency and performance Sub70 should be in your options.

 
Final Score (29 out of 30 stars)
 
 

Introduction for Sub70 949 Fairway
Added First Impressions
https://forum.mygolfspy.com/tests/29-sub70-949x-fairway/?do=findComment&comment=8373
Final Review
OK, here we are, about 3 weeks later, and the short answer to any question is Yes, this club will be in the bag for the foreseeable future.  Now to the details.
After those first few outings, I kept the Sub70 in the bag over a number of rounds.  Some were normal club rounds, a couple were more serious inter-club matches.  I mentioned in my introduction, I was interested in this review opportunity because both my 3-wood (Titleist 915F) and hybrid (Titleist 816 H2) are about 6 or 7 years old, and I've been considering replacing both.  The Sub70 5-wood seemed like a potential replacement for the hybrid, I was hoping for similar distance (200 yards or so) and higher ball flight.  So I used the 5-wood everywhere I might have used the hybrid, and a few more besides.  It was a bit of a journey for me, I made similar mistakes to those I made with previous club changes, I swung harder and expected more.  That doesn't work for me, and probably doesn't work for most people.  I found that I could hit tremendous hooks by setting up just a little too far away and catching the ball towards the toe.  This club CANNOT fix bad swings.  
Then I settled down, started making normal swings with proper set-ups.  And like magic, the ball started to fly reasonably straight, reasonably high, and consistent distances.  I wasn't magically hitting every shot in the center of the clubface, but I wasn't near as far off as on some of my earlier swings.  And the more I relaxed, the better the shots became.  I wasn't sure what to expect from the rough, but the seems to glide through the grass, and the ball jumps up pretty well.  I'm now hitting it pretty straight to a slight draw, consistently hitting fairways and/or greens, I'm really pleased.  
On to the ratings:
Aesthetics - 5 of 5
Its simply a good looking club, nothing flashy, nothing complicated, just solid.  I'm a pretty traditional guy, and this club looks pretty traditional to me.  The carbon fiber for the club body is the “new normal”, and I like it.  No alignment dot or logo, that's just fine.  The sole is also fairly simple, and I like that, fancy graphics don't help to hit the ball.  The sound is solid, a nice subdued click.  The feel is consistently solid, even on those god-awful hooks I was hitting originally.  I can feel the off-center, but its not real harsh.
The Numbers – 5 of 5
I'm usually more of a on-course guy, but there's a new indoor Trackman Simulator facility near me, so I booked a half-hour there.  I ended up spending an hour hitting, no additional charge, a big thanks to https://www.tapinleesburg.com/.  I hit a few different clubs, but concentrated on my hybrid and the Sub70 5-wood.  I feel like the distances are a little less than “reality”, with reality being based not (as much) on my ego but on real distances on the golf course.  But I think the trends are probably accurate.  I've edited out a few obvious mishits, but the figures show the results.  Based on the Trackman numbers, the 5-wood is about 5 yards longer than the hybrid, and has an apex about 10 feet higher.


Dispersion seems a little wider with the 5-wood, but I hit more shots with it.  Take away those two wild shots to the right, and the patterns are pretty similar. 

 In short, I got just the performance I hoped for.
On the Course – 5 of 5
Hitting off a smooth mat in a Trackman simulator is one thing, but what matters is on-course performance.  I'm pretty happy with the 5-wood.  I've hit it from a tee on par-3 holes, level lies, uphill and (less often) downhill lies, ball above and below my feet.  I've played from the fairway and from the rough.  Generally, I'd say the 5-wood is easier to hit solidly and get flying than the hybrid, especially from light to moderate rough.  Reasonable mishits still flew straight enough, with little loss of distance.  I honestly have not a single complaint, the club simply works.  Its not magic, it doesn't make up for poor decisions of poor swings, but if I do my job, the club does its job.  Facing a 200-yard par-3, I can pull this and believe I am GOING to hit the green.  
The Good, the Bad, the In-Between - 5 of 5
I'm not sure what all belongs here, but I've considered a few things about the company and their business model.  One drawback to Sub70, and other DTC clubs, is that most of us will never be able to hit one before we buy it.  But Sub70 offers a 60-day money back guarantee.  They have a demo program, you can try a club for a nominal cost.  I'm not sure there's anything more they can do to make things work.  The selection of shafts and grips seems pretty good to me.  So Sub70 gets 5 stars, not only for the one club I have, but for the way they do business.
The one suggestion, and I docked a half-star in my initial impressions, I'd prefer paper instructions with the club.  I'd rather not have to find the website to figure out how to add a degree of loft when I'm getting ready to play, I want to have that stored in my golf bag.  
Play it or Trade it?  5 of 5
This club is in my bag for the summer, and probably beyond.  I'm reworking my wedges this Spring too, reducing from 3 clubs to 2, so I'll have a spot to fill at the long end of my bag.  I'll certainly be looking at Sub70, maybe even a 3-wood to replace my current one, and a 7-wood to fill the gap between the 5-wood and my longest iron.
Conclusion
I applied for this Review because I was considering changing out my current hybrid for something that would get me about the same distance, with a little higher ball flight.  I got just that with the Sub70 949x 5-wood, slightly longer distance, noticeably higher ball flight.  Beyond that, its plenty forgiving, and easier to hit from poor lies.  This club is a keeper, and my experience will definitely lead me to consider Sub70 clubs in the future.

The Review 15th November 2021
 
Sub 70 849 Pro Driver – Official MGS Forum Review by Peaksy68
Intro
I’m testing a 10.5˚ Sub70 849 Pro with a Project X Evenflow Riptide 65gm 6.0 shaft, chosen from the list of stock options available.
Thanks to MyGolfSpy and Sub70.  I’m really excited to have been one of the first (if not the first) to play a Sub70 849 Pro in Australia
 
I've been playing for nearly 30 years, 20 of those seriously. The vast majority of my golf is in formal competitions, which is normal for golf in Australia. Only competition rounds are allowed for handicapping, and every competition round is entered into the Golf Australia handicap site.
On course, (and off) I love a bit of banter, and try to enjoy myself, while still trying to score the best I can. I spent the first half of my golf “career” just turning up and playing, never practicing at all.
My oldest daughter started playing when she was about 6, and started attending weekly junior clinics with the club pro when she was about 10. While these were on, I filled in time with some practice, and my handicap dropped from 10-12 down to 6 in 4 months. Amazing to see what a bit of practice can do.
I love the constant challenge that golf offers, and both the competitive and social aspect of the game.  While I enjoy the occasional scramble or 4BBB, I love the fact that what I score on the course is usually entirely up to me, be it good or bad.
 
My Game
My handicap is currently 6.8, based mainly around a solid game off the tee, solid fairway woods and a competent chipping and putting game.  Covid has had an impact on both my ability to play and practice. Taken with major works at my club closing the practice green and severely limiting other short game practice I’m reasonably happy with where my game is at.  To be realistic the last year I’ve been more focussed on golf as an escape from the daily grind of being a healthcare worker during a pandemic.
My current driver is a Ping G400 SFT, which I was fitted into. I was fitted into an Aldila Xtorsion shaft, and is longer than any driver I have previously played. Perhaps the Xtorsion being counterbalanced has allowed this.  I have been implementing some changes to my swing over the few months preceding this test, mainly to do with set up and alignment. This has resulted in significantly more misses left, and a more pronounced left to right ball flight.
 
My swing is reasonably short, with limited hand/wrist action after a series of injuries to my left wrist. I can incorporate more wrist cock, but it becomes too painful so I just avoid looking at my abbreviated swing as much as possible.  After surgery for a frozen right shoulder, I’ve had to rely on a full shoulder turn and staying attached to get club head speed.  Any over swing causes a significant chicken wing of my right arm, resulting in my bad miss, a very ugly block cut.
I’m in no way long off the tee, but not short either.
The biggest strength of my game is attitude. I never quit, and I'm more interested in the score I write down than how I did it.  I hit around 2/3 of fairways, with most misses slight and on the good side.
 
 
 
 
First Impressions
 
Having never seen a Sub70 club in the flesh, I was a little unsure what to expect.  On removing it from the packaging, I was immediately impressed.  The Sub70 849 Pro is a very good-looking driver.  Nothing too fancy or flashy, but in no way boring.  The finish is blemish free.
 

 
At address it looks great, the carbon fibre crown looks classy and modern, but still understated.
 

 
The number of loft/face angle and weight combinations available is perhaps a little overwhelming. I would love to see some information included that details what different weights would usually do to ball flight in different positions. 
 
 
My aim at the onset of test the Sub70 849 Pro is to determine whether it’s performance for me is good enough to warrant replacing my current driver.  I’ll be using data from Shotscope to make the comparison as accurate as possible.  Overall driving stats are probably most important for me, definitely not just distance.  My course has extreme rough not far off most fairways so keeping the ball in play is imperative.
 
I decided to give MyGolfSpy forum readers an inside look at the Sub70 849 Pro in more ways than one.
 

 
My initial plan to get the driver settings optimized was to utilize my club’s range using their Toptracer setup, but a combination of worn range balls, technical issues with Toptracer and lack of appropriate tee heights moved my setting up on course.
 
After really struggling initially, I gripped down about an inch and got much better contact and results. I subsequently cut the shaft down about ½ an inch.
 
Final Review
Looks (10 out of 10 points)
 
I really like the look of this driver. I’d probably describe it as sleek and modern, but with classic lines.  The head pairs well with the Project X Evenflow Riptide Shaft. As a disclaimer, unless the looks were so distracting to influence my swing, I’m not too fussed with appearances.  Happily, the Sub70 849 Pro actually looks good, and I like the clean lines at address.
 
Sound & Feel (10 out of 10 points)
 
The sound is great, and very well suited to my ear. Solid clank, pretty much Goldilocks. Not too loud, not too metallic and definitely not high pitched.
 
The feedback I get from the head is perhaps better than any other driver I have played. I can tell almost exactly where the ball has come off the face, even before seeing the ball flight.
 
Basic Characteristics (16 out of 20 points)
 
As discussed earlier, I was planning to dial in my settings using Toptracer at my club’s range, but unfortunately this wasn’t possible.
I played a couple of rounds playing with a couple of loft settings and putting a 6 gram weight in the heel, replacing the 3 gram weight.  After shortening the shaft I settled on one notch higher loft and standard weight configuration.
 
I started the testing hitting with a low to medium ball flight. I’ve increased my tee height, and ball flight is now more in the mid range.  The different shaft took a bit of adjusting to, but I’m starting to feel comfortable with it.
 
The ball flight is very penetrating, and seems to bore through the wind very well. Given that I play most of my golf in 10-25mph wind, that’s a real bonus.
Good swings result in an extremely straight ball flight, with solid distance. Heel or toe contact does see a drop in distance, but nothing too significant and the ball has stayed in play. All of my very poor drives have been the result of very poor swings!
As I get more comfortable with the driver I’m taking slightly more aggressive lines, and have been taking driver on holes I often take 3 or 5 wood to avoid trouble at driver distance.
 
On-Course Performance (24 out of 30 points)
 
The more I’ve played the 849 Pro, the more it’s growing on me.
 
 
This was a well struck drive, 240 yards into the wind, dead centre.
 
 
 
The penetrating ball flight really impresses me, as does the feedback it gives. The Shotscope Data shows a performance average drop of 4 yards from my Ping G400 SFT. This includes most of my set-up period, and most of my play has been of unseasonably wet fairways.  I’m looking forward to playing it when the fairways are in their usual very firm and fast condition. I fully expect the stats to improve as I get more used to the club .and conditions improve. The Sub70 849 Pro is listed as a 2 wood on my Shotscope.
 

 
 
A couple of highlights of the testing have been driving the green on par 4’s. The first was with an audience of old guys who let me play through. I think they thought I was better than I really am.
 

 
During my last round of testing I drove the shortened par 4 10th at my club.  Slightly uphill and into the wind. The slopes short of the green mean the window for hitting the green is only about 5 yards wide, and I thought I was a real chance of a hole in 1, finished 8 feet past the hole after missing the pin by a few inches.
 

 
 
 
Miscellaneous (4 out of 10 points)
Probably the biggest negative (and only significant one) is the headcover.  It looks great, but is very difficult to get on
 
 
 
 It is even tougher to get on when its warm, the rolled in outer material really sticks to the club head.
 

 
As someone who is a little visually challenged, I’d love to see the weights more clearly marked. It’s almost impossible to see the labelling with the naked eye.
 Some more information regarding what different weight will do to spin and launch would be very useful in helping to dial in the settings.
 
Play it or Trade it? (16 out of 20 points) 
I’m planning on keeping the Sub70 849 Pro in the bag. The penetrating ball flight is very well suited to the windy conditions I usually play in, and the feedback is great. I'm looking forward to a long relationship, I think we can be good friends.

 
Conclusion
I’d encourage anyone who is a reasonable ball striker to strongly consider the Sub70 849 Pro.  Even without taking price into consideration, this is a very good driver. When price is factored in it becomes an extremely attractive proposition, particularly if you are able to get fitted or demo it.  The outstanding feedback, adjustability and shaft options really make it really worth a look.  Give one of the little guys a chance.
 
Final Score: (80 out of 100 points)
 
 

First let me say thank you to MGS and Callaway for giving us the readers of MGS a chance at reviewing these putters. It truly is an honor. 
A little about my game and some self reflection as it's something that I should have done much earlier to become a better golfer. Not to late to start on that I hope. My first intro into golf I was in 4th grade at a 9 hole course in AZ that has long been tore up and houses built on the land. My first tee shot went about 30 yards of what I remember being 200 yard hole, I am not positive. My second shot over water just short of the green was a pretty good one for never having played golf before. From there I began the journey which is ongoing today. 
Best putt I ever made I was at Bell Air GC in Phx. I believe it was the 17th hole, 3 tier green, cup on the bottom and of course my ball is on the top tier appox 40'.  I tap the ball and it barley makes the first lip, then over it goes. My brother who is a much better player than I and on the correct level lines up his putt and about to putt when my ball passes him rolls another 10' and plop, in the the cup it goes. I knew I made it as soon as it went over the first lip, my brother didn't think it went over. Been waiting 30 years to make another putt of that length ever since. 
I am at a 16.1 right now and trending down. Lowest I've been is 15 and at the time I thought I would it to single digits. life happens & changed that with injuries and a major shoulder surgery I am still recovering from and doing very well, I have my full swing back. 
I've always been a longer hitter of the ball at least with the guys I play with, just not the most accurate, that's changing as I am learning the game instead of just playing the game. Longest drive I ever hit 364 yards. Just caught it on the screws and a good roll.  3 years ago in March on a drizzly day in Oregon, number 12 at Langdon Farms I hit my 315 with not much roll. My avg distance is probably 270.  
My putting is avg. with a good day having 30 putts and a bad 40 plus.  Usually 2 putting everything with 2-3 3 putts per round and 1 or 2 1 putts. I am hoping with this new putter challenge/review it will get better. 
I have a trip next month to Bandon and looking forward to putting this White Hot OG #1 with a stroke lab shaft to the test. 16 guys in a Ryder cup style event with some pretty good players. 
 
Here are a few pictures from the unboxing of the putter. I like the colors, and the head cover is awesome. Not one of those cheap things that tear in the first rounds of use. I've done some putting on the matt shown and so far it has a nice feel, sound and roll. We shall see what happens once we actually get outside. 
 
   

 
 
I couldn't wait to put this thing to work. I rolled 30-40 putts with this club on the first day on 8' matt inside my house. Right away I was impressed with how it felt, sounded and reacted to my putting stroke. I then hit 15- 20 with my current gamer and my interest instantly went OH OH I have a big decision coming my way.
 
The White OG #1 was/is smooth the ball flowed off the face and I didn't notice it jumping, skipping or skidding on the ground. The club to me looks fantastic, the colors are great mix of placement very sleek looking and pleasing to my eye.
Now to be honest my current putter I won at a raffle and was happy to use it. My wife and I went back fourth between the Ping Zing and the odyssey White Ice. Now I love the White Ice putter. It was one I personally shopped for and it took me a long time to find one I liked and quite honestly one I wanted to pay for and take the heat from my boss for spending $200 on. After we/I won the Ping putter she decided she liked my White Ice better and took my precious. Here are all 3.

Now the weather here in Oregon in the fall is unpredictable. The first couple weeks i was relegated to putting indoors which is fine, but nothing beats getting outside on real grass in the elements. 
The first opportunity I had was after work. So on a blustery day I went to the driving range for two things. Hit a bucket to keep my swing in check and get ready for a 4 day trip to Bandon and start really testing the difference between putters.  I thought I had a picture of the practice green but it looks like I deleted a few I wanted for this review.  So with that I will tell you the OH White Hot #1 performed as it did inside on the mat. 
A little on how I tested. I am a feel putter I look at the line from behind the ball and if I have time I will walk to the other side & look there as well. I usually agree with my read with rare occasion I confuse the crap out of myself  and end up going right at the hole. 
I started the test from of course 3-5 feet to feel how the #1 reacted to my limited skills. From this range not much changed from the 3 putters other than I felt the OG #1 felt smoother off the face and gave me more of a sense of confidence.  
8'-10' Putts
Now these are the ones we all need to drop to score and save a par or bogy or worse and not blow up the round and be focused on where the drink cart is and how soon it will show up. I don't know my stats but I would say somewhere in the range 25%-35% make rate. Not great but I am trying to be honest in my game in this review. With this I do have a 2 part winter project to start and work on. 
In the 8'-10' range I did notice more makes with the OG #1. The goes where I think it should and it was a matter of picking the line and speed. The club seemed to be more forgiving. Meaning with the Ping and the White Ice I had bigger misses and the OG #1 was skirting edges. Again more confidence in my putting. 
I found the same results from 10'-15' and 15' to 20' putts. More makes and closes misses with the OG #1. The percentage is lower of course but I see that number changing. 
Now I consider lag putts from 25' and out of course trying to make putts but leave them within a tap in range out to knee knocking 3'.  
This is where I saw the biggest difference from the 3 putters I was using for this test. 
 
 
I felt I really had to hit the crap out of the ping and White Ice to get the ball to the hole. With the OG #1 it seemed like a more smooth stroke and less effort to to get and keep the ball on line. Needless to say I was feeling I knew what my decision was going to be at the end of this test. 
Nerves of steel or paper are the keys to having good and bad days on the green. This test has opened my eyes that I may not be as good a putter as I thought. 
I've got to say carrying 2 putters and playing those 2 in the same round isn't the best decision I've made. My plan was to warm up with both the OG #1 and the Ping Zing and switch ever other hole. Hind sight says I should have played 9 with one and the other 9 with the other.  I left the White Ice in my wife's bag. I forgot to put a putter back in her bag, she had to barrow one from the course she played and that ended the 3 club challenge.  
Here is what I found during round play. I was sinking more 1 putts and from further away with the OG #1. My lag putting was much better and I felt leaving more makeable putts and less 3 putts. I found myself using the OG #1 more and more. 
I played in scramble and had a hot day on the green. Part of that is from watching the other 3 guys putt and the big factor is my confidence was at a point where in my mind I couldn't miss.  I dropped a few long putts that day with the longest being 30'. Now every blind squirrel finds nut every once in while. that said during this test I have dropped more 25' putts than I have in the last 2 years combined. 
The final big test for me was my trip to Bandon and 4 days of at what I consider Golfs Disneyland. 
I was going to bring my 2 putters and go use the 1 acre practice green to my advantage. Not making excuses, I forgot the Ping Zing. So I was like ok, the OG #1 will be put through the paces and make my final decision. 
The OG #1 had its work cut out for itself as these greens are large potato chips and change by the hour being on the ocean and weather that is un-predictable. Luckily the weather was awesome for mid November. Not to windy for the most part dry very playable. 
I only hit about 30 warm up balls as I wanted to get on the green. My first impression was that these greens are quicker than where I live near Portland. It took some patience on my part and this would last all 4 rounds.
Day 1, Trails Number of putts on day one, 36. Four 1 putts along with four 3 putts, everything else was a 2 putt.  3 putted #'s 1 7,8, and 9. I'll call that just trying to figure out WTF I'm doing. The rest of the weekend was more of the same. shot 91
Day 2 we played Sheep ranch and my app wasn't picking up an it was a misting sprinkle day and the card was a mess. This is a bummer as I feel this was a good on the green for me but I don't know the total number of putts. Shot 88
Day 3 Bandon, total putts 40. part of this is due to a 4 putt on 17 where I missed clubbed and came up 120' short of the hole but still on the green. The was in the back and my you guessed it, on the front. two terrible lag putts followed by 2 decent putts for a DBL bogy 6. Shot 95. this did not feel like a big score. I do feel like I left a bunch of putts on the course, obviously, and couple of big mistakes and chunked chips makes for a big number.
Day 4 Pacific. 39 total putts. I was surprised I had that many putts. This is where the nerves kick in and instead of making a  15' putt for bird, I kick in for bog. Bad read and didn't see the brake going that much on hole 17.
I was hoping I would have done better in the putting department on this weekend.  That being said, my lag putting was very consistent. I felt I left most of the 25' plus putts within 3'. This was the case on the Bandon course. All day in a match play format I would leave the ball at the 3'-4' distance. The guy I was playing apologized for not giving me more putts. I told him not to worry about it as I was putting everything out regardless. 
Conclusion
To finalize this review. 
I want to apologize for the lack of pictures and videos. I guess I deleted a bunch and didn't know it until wanting to load them up. 
The Odyssey OG White Hot #1 with stroke lab shaft is a great looking putter, smooth stroke and the sound of the ball coming off the face is pleasant to my ear. 
the feel is great and you really really need to miss either way out on the toe or off the heel not have a forgiving putt. 
Lag putting to me is huge plus. As long as I am confident in my stroke the ball rolls pure online and goes where I want it to go. 
Will this club make it into my bag and be my precious. An astounding YES Yes it will. I am looking forward having this club and getting better at the 15' and in putts and carry the confidence the club exhumes to my head. 
Biggest question I have now is which cover do I use??

 

 

 
Looks (10 out of 10 points)
Sound & Feel (10 out of 10 points)
 Basic Characteristics (20 out of 20 points)
On-Course Performance (28 out of 30 points)
Miscellaneous (10 out of 10 points)
Play it or Trade it? (19 out of 20 points)
 
Total points 97 out of 100
 
I took 2 points off for on-course performance for the fact I had or an having a hard time getting used to such a fantastic putter.  There is no perfect marriage as most will have some sort of bump in the road. 
I also took 1 point off for play or trade. i will not trade this for anything at this point. but there is a slight chance I could go back to the Odyssey White Ice, but that is a very slight chance. 
 
I hope I did this putter, MGS, and everyone who reads this review justice. Its unorthodox in the writing and my mistake of pictures and video's being deleted. 
Good luck to all, may you find your mis guided shot fluffy and playable. 
 
 

The Review 15th November 2021
 
Sub 70 849 Pro Driver – Official MGS Forum Review by Peaksy68
Intro
I’m testing a 10.5˚ Sub70 849 Pro with a Project X Evenflow Riptide 65gm 6.0 shaft, chosen from the list of stock options available.
Thanks to MyGolfSpy and Sub70.  I’m really excited to have been one of the first (if not the first) to play a Sub70 849 Pro in Australia
 
I've been playing for nearly 30 years, 20 of those seriously. The vast majority of my golf is in formal competitions, which is normal for golf in Australia. Only competition rounds are allowed for handicapping, and every competition round is entered into the Golf Australia handicap site.
On course, (and off) I love a bit of banter, and try to enjoy myself, while still trying to score the best I can. I spent the first half of my golf “career” just turning up and playing, never practicing at all.
My oldest daughter started playing when she was about 6, and started attending weekly junior clinics with the club pro when she was about 10. While these were on, I filled in time with some practice, and my handicap dropped from 10-12 down to 6 in 4 months. Amazing to see what a bit of practice can do.
I love the constant challenge that golf offers, and both the competitive and social aspect of the game.  While I enjoy the occasional scramble or 4BBB, I love the fact that what I score on the course is usually entirely up to me, be it good or bad.
 
My Game
My handicap is currently 6.8, based mainly around a solid game off the tee, solid fairway woods and a competent chipping and putting game.  Covid has had an impact on both my ability to play and practice. Taken with major works at my club closing the practice green and severely limiting other short game practice I’m reasonably happy with where my game is at.  To be realistic the last year I’ve been more focussed on golf as an escape from the daily grind of being a healthcare worker during a pandemic.
My current driver is a Ping G400 SFT, which I was fitted into. I was fitted into an Aldila Xtorsion shaft, and is longer than any driver I have previously played. Perhaps the Xtorsion being counterbalanced has allowed this.  I have been implementing some changes to my swing over the few months preceding this test, mainly to do with set up and alignment. This has resulted in significantly more misses left, and a more pronounced left to right ball flight.
 
My swing is reasonably short, with limited hand/wrist action after a series of injuries to my left wrist. I can incorporate more wrist cock, but it becomes too painful so I just avoid looking at my abbreviated swing as much as possible.  After surgery for a frozen right shoulder, I’ve had to rely on a full shoulder turn and staying attached to get club head speed.  Any over swing causes a significant chicken wing of my right arm, resulting in my bad miss, a very ugly block cut.
I’m in no way long off the tee, but not short either.
The biggest strength of my game is attitude. I never quit, and I'm more interested in the score I write down than how I did it.  I hit around 2/3 of fairways, with most misses slight and on the good side.
 
 
 
 
First Impressions
 
Having never seen a Sub70 club in the flesh, I was a little unsure what to expect.  On removing it from the packaging, I was immediately impressed.  The Sub70 849 Pro is a very good-looking driver.  Nothing too fancy or flashy, but in no way boring.  The finish is blemish free.
 

 
At address it looks great, the carbon fibre crown looks classy and modern, but still understated.
 

 
The number of loft/face angle and weight combinations available is perhaps a little overwhelming. I would love to see some information included that details what different weights would usually do to ball flight in different positions. 
 
 
My aim at the onset of test the Sub70 849 Pro is to determine whether it’s performance for me is good enough to warrant replacing my current driver.  I’ll be using data from Shotscope to make the comparison as accurate as possible.  Overall driving stats are probably most important for me, definitely not just distance.  My course has extreme rough not far off most fairways so keeping the ball in play is imperative.
 
I decided to give MyGolfSpy forum readers an inside look at the Sub70 849 Pro in more ways than one.
 

 
My initial plan to get the driver settings optimized was to utilize my club’s range using their Toptracer setup, but a combination of worn range balls, technical issues with Toptracer and lack of appropriate tee heights moved my setting up on course.
 
After really struggling initially, I gripped down about an inch and got much better contact and results. I subsequently cut the shaft down about ½ an inch.
 
Final Review
Looks (10 out of 10 points)
 
I really like the look of this driver. I’d probably describe it as sleek and modern, but with classic lines.  The head pairs well with the Project X Evenflow Riptide Shaft. As a disclaimer, unless the looks were so distracting to influence my swing, I’m not too fussed with appearances.  Happily, the Sub70 849 Pro actually looks good, and I like the clean lines at address.
 
Sound & Feel (10 out of 10 points)
 
The sound is great, and very well suited to my ear. Solid clank, pretty much Goldilocks. Not too loud, not too metallic and definitely not high pitched.
 
The feedback I get from the head is perhaps better than any other driver I have played. I can tell almost exactly where the ball has come off the face, even before seeing the ball flight.
 
Basic Characteristics (16 out of 20 points)
 
As discussed earlier, I was planning to dial in my settings using Toptracer at my club’s range, but unfortunately this wasn’t possible.
I played a couple of rounds playing with a couple of loft settings and putting a 6 gram weight in the heel, replacing the 3 gram weight.  After shortening the shaft I settled on one notch higher loft and standard weight configuration.
 
I started the testing hitting with a low to medium ball flight. I’ve increased my tee height, and ball flight is now more in the mid range.  The different shaft took a bit of adjusting to, but I’m starting to feel comfortable with it.
 
The ball flight is very penetrating, and seems to bore through the wind very well. Given that I play most of my golf in 10-25mph wind, that’s a real bonus.
Good swings result in an extremely straight ball flight, with solid distance. Heel or toe contact does see a drop in distance, but nothing too significant and the ball has stayed in play. All of my very poor drives have been the result of very poor swings!
As I get more comfortable with the driver I’m taking slightly more aggressive lines, and have been taking driver on holes I often take 3 or 5 wood to avoid trouble at driver distance.
 
On-Course Performance (24 out of 30 points)
 
The more I’ve played the 849 Pro, the more it’s growing on me.
 
 
This was a well struck drive, 240 yards into the wind, dead centre.
 
 
 
The penetrating ball flight really impresses me, as does the feedback it gives. The Shotscope Data shows a performance average drop of 4 yards from my Ping G400 SFT. This includes most of my set-up period, and most of my play has been of unseasonably wet fairways.  I’m looking forward to playing it when the fairways are in their usual very firm and fast condition. I fully expect the stats to improve as I get more used to the club .and conditions improve. The Sub70 849 Pro is listed as a 2 wood on my Shotscope.
 

 
 
A couple of highlights of the testing have been driving the green on par 4’s. The first was with an audience of old guys who let me play through. I think they thought I was better than I really am.
 

 
During my last round of testing I drove the shortened par 4 10th at my club.  Slightly uphill and into the wind. The slopes short of the green mean the window for hitting the green is only about 5 yards wide, and I thought I was a real chance of a hole in 1, finished 8 feet past the hole after missing the pin by a few inches.
 

 
 
 
Miscellaneous (4 out of 10 points)
Probably the biggest negative (and only significant one) is the headcover.  It looks great, but is very difficult to get on
 
 
 
 It is even tougher to get on when its warm, the rolled in outer material really sticks to the club head.
 

 
As someone who is a little visually challenged, I’d love to see the weights more clearly marked. It’s almost impossible to see the labelling with the naked eye.
 Some more information regarding what different weight will do to spin and launch would be very useful in helping to dial in the settings.
 
Play it or Trade it? (16 out of 20 points) 
I’m planning on keeping the Sub70 849 Pro in the bag. The penetrating ball flight is very well suited to the windy conditions I usually play in, and the feedback is great. I'm looking forward to a long relationship, I think we can be good friends.

 
Conclusion
I’d encourage anyone who is a reasonable ball striker to strongly consider the Sub70 849 Pro.  Even without taking price into consideration, this is a very good driver. When price is factored in it becomes an extremely attractive proposition, particularly if you are able to get fitted or demo it.  The outstanding feedback, adjustability and shaft options really make it really worth a look.  Give one of the little guys a chance.
 
Final Score: (80 out of 100 points)
 
 

The Review 15th November 2021
 
Sub 70 849 Pro Driver – Official MGS Forum Review by Peaksy68
Intro
I’m testing a 10.5˚ Sub70 849 Pro with a Project X Evenflow Riptide 65gm 6.0 shaft, chosen from the list of stock options available.
Thanks to MyGolfSpy and Sub70.  I’m really excited to have been one of the first (if not the first) to play a Sub70 849 Pro in Australia
 
I've been playing for nearly 30 years, 20 of those seriously. The vast majority of my golf is in formal competitions, which is normal for golf in Australia. Only competition rounds are allowed for handicapping, and every competition round is entered into the Golf Australia handicap site.
On course, (and off) I love a bit of banter, and try to enjoy myself, while still trying to score the best I can. I spent the first half of my golf “career” just turning up and playing, never practicing at all.
My oldest daughter started playing when she was about 6, and started attending weekly junior clinics with the club pro when she was about 10. While these were on, I filled in time with some practice, and my handicap dropped from 10-12 down to 6 in 4 months. Amazing to see what a bit of practice can do.
I love the constant challenge that golf offers, and both the competitive and social aspect of the game.  While I enjoy the occasional scramble or 4BBB, I love the fact that what I score on the course is usually entirely up to me, be it good or bad.
 
My Game
My handicap is currently 6.8, based mainly around a solid game off the tee, solid fairway woods and a competent chipping and putting game.  Covid has had an impact on both my ability to play and practice. Taken with major works at my club closing the practice green and severely limiting other short game practice I’m reasonably happy with where my game is at.  To be realistic the last year I’ve been more focussed on golf as an escape from the daily grind of being a healthcare worker during a pandemic.
My current driver is a Ping G400 SFT, which I was fitted into. I was fitted into an Aldila Xtorsion shaft, and is longer than any driver I have previously played. Perhaps the Xtorsion being counterbalanced has allowed this.  I have been implementing some changes to my swing over the few months preceding this test, mainly to do with set up and alignment. This has resulted in significantly more misses left, and a more pronounced left to right ball flight.
 
My swing is reasonably short, with limited hand/wrist action after a series of injuries to my left wrist. I can incorporate more wrist cock, but it becomes too painful so I just avoid looking at my abbreviated swing as much as possible.  After surgery for a frozen right shoulder, I’ve had to rely on a full shoulder turn and staying attached to get club head speed.  Any over swing causes a significant chicken wing of my right arm, resulting in my bad miss, a very ugly block cut.
I’m in no way long off the tee, but not short either.
The biggest strength of my game is attitude. I never quit, and I'm more interested in the score I write down than how I did it.  I hit around 2/3 of fairways, with most misses slight and on the good side.
 
 
 
 
First Impressions
 
Having never seen a Sub70 club in the flesh, I was a little unsure what to expect.  On removing it from the packaging, I was immediately impressed.  The Sub70 849 Pro is a very good-looking driver.  Nothing too fancy or flashy, but in no way boring.  The finish is blemish free.
 

 
At address it looks great, the carbon fibre crown looks classy and modern, but still understated.
 

 
The number of loft/face angle and weight combinations available is perhaps a little overwhelming. I would love to see some information included that details what different weights would usually do to ball flight in different positions. 
 
 
My aim at the onset of test the Sub70 849 Pro is to determine whether it’s performance for me is good enough to warrant replacing my current driver.  I’ll be using data from Shotscope to make the comparison as accurate as possible.  Overall driving stats are probably most important for me, definitely not just distance.  My course has extreme rough not far off most fairways so keeping the ball in play is imperative.
 
I decided to give MyGolfSpy forum readers an inside look at the Sub70 849 Pro in more ways than one.
 

 
My initial plan to get the driver settings optimized was to utilize my club’s range using their Toptracer setup, but a combination of worn range balls, technical issues with Toptracer and lack of appropriate tee heights moved my setting up on course.
 
After really struggling initially, I gripped down about an inch and got much better contact and results. I subsequently cut the shaft down about ½ an inch.
 
Final Review
Looks (10 out of 10 points)
 
I really like the look of this driver. I’d probably describe it as sleek and modern, but with classic lines.  The head pairs well with the Project X Evenflow Riptide Shaft. As a disclaimer, unless the looks were so distracting to influence my swing, I’m not too fussed with appearances.  Happily, the Sub70 849 Pro actually looks good, and I like the clean lines at address.
 
Sound & Feel (10 out of 10 points)
 
The sound is great, and very well suited to my ear. Solid clank, pretty much Goldilocks. Not too loud, not too metallic and definitely not high pitched.
 
The feedback I get from the head is perhaps better than any other driver I have played. I can tell almost exactly where the ball has come off the face, even before seeing the ball flight.
 
Basic Characteristics (16 out of 20 points)
 
As discussed earlier, I was planning to dial in my settings using Toptracer at my club’s range, but unfortunately this wasn’t possible.
I played a couple of rounds playing with a couple of loft settings and putting a 6 gram weight in the heel, replacing the 3 gram weight.  After shortening the shaft I settled on one notch higher loft and standard weight configuration.
 
I started the testing hitting with a low to medium ball flight. I’ve increased my tee height, and ball flight is now more in the mid range.  The different shaft took a bit of adjusting to, but I’m starting to feel comfortable with it.
 
The ball flight is very penetrating, and seems to bore through the wind very well. Given that I play most of my golf in 10-25mph wind, that’s a real bonus.
Good swings result in an extremely straight ball flight, with solid distance. Heel or toe contact does see a drop in distance, but nothing too significant and the ball has stayed in play. All of my very poor drives have been the result of very poor swings!
As I get more comfortable with the driver I’m taking slightly more aggressive lines, and have been taking driver on holes I often take 3 or 5 wood to avoid trouble at driver distance.
 
On-Course Performance (24 out of 30 points)
 
The more I’ve played the 849 Pro, the more it’s growing on me.
 
 
This was a well struck drive, 240 yards into the wind, dead centre.
 
 
 
The penetrating ball flight really impresses me, as does the feedback it gives. The Shotscope Data shows a performance average drop of 4 yards from my Ping G400 SFT. This includes most of my set-up period, and most of my play has been of unseasonably wet fairways.  I’m looking forward to playing it when the fairways are in their usual very firm and fast condition. I fully expect the stats to improve as I get more used to the club .and conditions improve. The Sub70 849 Pro is listed as a 2 wood on my Shotscope.
 

 
 
A couple of highlights of the testing have been driving the green on par 4’s. The first was with an audience of old guys who let me play through. I think they thought I was better than I really am.
 

 
During my last round of testing I drove the shortened par 4 10th at my club.  Slightly uphill and into the wind. The slopes short of the green mean the window for hitting the green is only about 5 yards wide, and I thought I was a real chance of a hole in 1, finished 8 feet past the hole after missing the pin by a few inches.
 

 
 
 
Miscellaneous (4 out of 10 points)
Probably the biggest negative (and only significant one) is the headcover.  It looks great, but is very difficult to get on
 
 
 
 It is even tougher to get on when its warm, the rolled in outer material really sticks to the club head.
 

 
As someone who is a little visually challenged, I’d love to see the weights more clearly marked. It’s almost impossible to see the labelling with the naked eye.
 Some more information regarding what different weight will do to spin and launch would be very useful in helping to dial in the settings.
 
Play it or Trade it? (16 out of 20 points) 
I’m planning on keeping the Sub70 849 Pro in the bag. The penetrating ball flight is very well suited to the windy conditions I usually play in, and the feedback is great. I'm looking forward to a long relationship, I think we can be good friends.

 
Conclusion
I’d encourage anyone who is a reasonable ball striker to strongly consider the Sub70 849 Pro.  Even without taking price into consideration, this is a very good driver. When price is factored in it becomes an extremely attractive proposition, particularly if you are able to get fitted or demo it.  The outstanding feedback, adjustability and shaft options really make it really worth a look.  Give one of the little guys a chance.
 
Final Score: (80 out of 100 points)
 
 

The Review 15th November 2021
 
Sub 70 849 Pro Driver – Official MGS Forum Review by Peaksy68
Intro
I’m testing a 10.5˚ Sub70 849 Pro with a Project X Evenflow Riptide 65gm 6.0 shaft, chosen from the list of stock options available.
Thanks to MyGolfSpy and Sub70.  I’m really excited to have been one of the first (if not the first) to play a Sub70 849 Pro in Australia
 
I've been playing for nearly 30 years, 20 of those seriously. The vast majority of my golf is in formal competitions, which is normal for golf in Australia. Only competition rounds are allowed for handicapping, and every competition round is entered into the Golf Australia handicap site.
On course, (and off) I love a bit of banter, and try to enjoy myself, while still trying to score the best I can. I spent the first half of my golf “career” just turning up and playing, never practicing at all.
My oldest daughter started playing when she was about 6, and started attending weekly junior clinics with the club pro when she was about 10. While these were on, I filled in time with some practice, and my handicap dropped from 10-12 down to 6 in 4 months. Amazing to see what a bit of practice can do.
I love the constant challenge that golf offers, and both the competitive and social aspect of the game.  While I enjoy the occasional scramble or 4BBB, I love the fact that what I score on the course is usually entirely up to me, be it good or bad.
 
My Game
My handicap is currently 6.8, based mainly around a solid game off the tee, solid fairway woods and a competent chipping and putting game.  Covid has had an impact on both my ability to play and practice. Taken with major works at my club closing the practice green and severely limiting other short game practice I’m reasonably happy with where my game is at.  To be realistic the last year I’ve been more focussed on golf as an escape from the daily grind of being a healthcare worker during a pandemic.
My current driver is a Ping G400 SFT, which I was fitted into. I was fitted into an Aldila Xtorsion shaft, and is longer than any driver I have previously played. Perhaps the Xtorsion being counterbalanced has allowed this.  I have been implementing some changes to my swing over the few months preceding this test, mainly to do with set up and alignment. This has resulted in significantly more misses left, and a more pronounced left to right ball flight.
 
My swing is reasonably short, with limited hand/wrist action after a series of injuries to my left wrist. I can incorporate more wrist cock, but it becomes too painful so I just avoid looking at my abbreviated swing as much as possible.  After surgery for a frozen right shoulder, I’ve had to rely on a full shoulder turn and staying attached to get club head speed.  Any over swing causes a significant chicken wing of my right arm, resulting in my bad miss, a very ugly block cut.
I’m in no way long off the tee, but not short either.
The biggest strength of my game is attitude. I never quit, and I'm more interested in the score I write down than how I did it.  I hit around 2/3 of fairways, with most misses slight and on the good side.
 
 
 
 
First Impressions
 
Having never seen a Sub70 club in the flesh, I was a little unsure what to expect.  On removing it from the packaging, I was immediately impressed.  The Sub70 849 Pro is a very good-looking driver.  Nothing too fancy or flashy, but in no way boring.  The finish is blemish free.
 

 
At address it looks great, the carbon fibre crown looks classy and modern, but still understated.
 

 
The number of loft/face angle and weight combinations available is perhaps a little overwhelming. I would love to see some information included that details what different weights would usually do to ball flight in different positions. 
 
 
My aim at the onset of test the Sub70 849 Pro is to determine whether it’s performance for me is good enough to warrant replacing my current driver.  I’ll be using data from Shotscope to make the comparison as accurate as possible.  Overall driving stats are probably most important for me, definitely not just distance.  My course has extreme rough not far off most fairways so keeping the ball in play is imperative.
 
I decided to give MyGolfSpy forum readers an inside look at the Sub70 849 Pro in more ways than one.
 

 
My initial plan to get the driver settings optimized was to utilize my club’s range using their Toptracer setup, but a combination of worn range balls, technical issues with Toptracer and lack of appropriate tee heights moved my setting up on course.
 
After really struggling initially, I gripped down about an inch and got much better contact and results. I subsequently cut the shaft down about ½ an inch.
 
Final Review
Looks (10 out of 10 points)
 
I really like the look of this driver. I’d probably describe it as sleek and modern, but with classic lines.  The head pairs well with the Project X Evenflow Riptide Shaft. As a disclaimer, unless the looks were so distracting to influence my swing, I’m not too fussed with appearances.  Happily, the Sub70 849 Pro actually looks good, and I like the clean lines at address.
 
Sound & Feel (10 out of 10 points)
 
The sound is great, and very well suited to my ear. Solid clank, pretty much Goldilocks. Not too loud, not too metallic and definitely not high pitched.
 
The feedback I get from the head is perhaps better than any other driver I have played. I can tell almost exactly where the ball has come off the face, even before seeing the ball flight.
 
Basic Characteristics (16 out of 20 points)
 
As discussed earlier, I was planning to dial in my settings using Toptracer at my club’s range, but unfortunately this wasn’t possible.
I played a couple of rounds playing with a couple of loft settings and putting a 6 gram weight in the heel, replacing the 3 gram weight.  After shortening the shaft I settled on one notch higher loft and standard weight configuration.
 
I started the testing hitting with a low to medium ball flight. I’ve increased my tee height, and ball flight is now more in the mid range.  The different shaft took a bit of adjusting to, but I’m starting to feel comfortable with it.
 
The ball flight is very penetrating, and seems to bore through the wind very well. Given that I play most of my golf in 10-25mph wind, that’s a real bonus.
Good swings result in an extremely straight ball flight, with solid distance. Heel or toe contact does see a drop in distance, but nothing too significant and the ball has stayed in play. All of my very poor drives have been the result of very poor swings!
As I get more comfortable with the driver I’m taking slightly more aggressive lines, and have been taking driver on holes I often take 3 or 5 wood to avoid trouble at driver distance.
 
On-Course Performance (24 out of 30 points)
 
The more I’ve played the 849 Pro, the more it’s growing on me.
 
 
This was a well struck drive, 240 yards into the wind, dead centre.
 
 
 
The penetrating ball flight really impresses me, as does the feedback it gives. The Shotscope Data shows a performance average drop of 4 yards from my Ping G400 SFT. This includes most of my set-up period, and most of my play has been of unseasonably wet fairways.  I’m looking forward to playing it when the fairways are in their usual very firm and fast condition. I fully expect the stats to improve as I get more used to the club .and conditions improve. The Sub70 849 Pro is listed as a 2 wood on my Shotscope.
 

 
 
A couple of highlights of the testing have been driving the green on par 4’s. The first was with an audience of old guys who let me play through. I think they thought I was better than I really am.
 

 
During my last round of testing I drove the shortened par 4 10th at my club.  Slightly uphill and into the wind. The slopes short of the green mean the window for hitting the green is only about 5 yards wide, and I thought I was a real chance of a hole in 1, finished 8 feet past the hole after missing the pin by a few inches.
 

 
 
 
Miscellaneous (4 out of 10 points)
Probably the biggest negative (and only significant one) is the headcover.  It looks great, but is very difficult to get on
 
 
 
 It is even tougher to get on when its warm, the rolled in outer material really sticks to the club head.
 

 
As someone who is a little visually challenged, I’d love to see the weights more clearly marked. It’s almost impossible to see the labelling with the naked eye.
 Some more information regarding what different weight will do to spin and launch would be very useful in helping to dial in the settings.
 
Play it or Trade it? (16 out of 20 points) 
I’m planning on keeping the Sub70 849 Pro in the bag. The penetrating ball flight is very well suited to the windy conditions I usually play in, and the feedback is great. I'm looking forward to a long relationship, I think we can be good friends.

 
Conclusion
I’d encourage anyone who is a reasonable ball striker to strongly consider the Sub70 849 Pro.  Even without taking price into consideration, this is a very good driver. When price is factored in it becomes an extremely attractive proposition, particularly if you are able to get fitted or demo it.  The outstanding feedback, adjustability and shaft options really make it really worth a look.  Give one of the little guys a chance.
 
Final Score: (80 out of 100 points)
 
 

The Review 15th November 2021
 
Sub 70 849 Pro Driver – Official MGS Forum Review by Peaksy68
Intro
I’m testing a 10.5˚ Sub70 849 Pro with a Project X Evenflow Riptide 65gm 6.0 shaft, chosen from the list of stock options available.
Thanks to MyGolfSpy and Sub70.  I’m really excited to have been one of the first (if not the first) to play a Sub70 849 Pro in Australia
 
I've been playing for nearly 30 years, 20 of those seriously. The vast majority of my golf is in formal competitions, which is normal for golf in Australia. Only competition rounds are allowed for handicapping, and every competition round is entered into the Golf Australia handicap site.
On course, (and off) I love a bit of banter, and try to enjoy myself, while still trying to score the best I can. I spent the first half of my golf “career” just turning up and playing, never practicing at all.
My oldest daughter started playing when she was about 6, and started attending weekly junior clinics with the club pro when she was about 10. While these were on, I filled in time with some practice, and my handicap dropped from 10-12 down to 6 in 4 months. Amazing to see what a bit of practice can do.
I love the constant challenge that golf offers, and both the competitive and social aspect of the game.  While I enjoy the occasional scramble or 4BBB, I love the fact that what I score on the course is usually entirely up to me, be it good or bad.
 
My Game
My handicap is currently 6.8, based mainly around a solid game off the tee, solid fairway woods and a competent chipping and putting game.  Covid has had an impact on both my ability to play and practice. Taken with major works at my club closing the practice green and severely limiting other short game practice I’m reasonably happy with where my game is at.  To be realistic the last year I’ve been more focussed on golf as an escape from the daily grind of being a healthcare worker during a pandemic.
My current driver is a Ping G400 SFT, which I was fitted into. I was fitted into an Aldila Xtorsion shaft, and is longer than any driver I have previously played. Perhaps the Xtorsion being counterbalanced has allowed this.  I have been implementing some changes to my swing over the few months preceding this test, mainly to do with set up and alignment. This has resulted in significantly more misses left, and a more pronounced left to right ball flight.
 
My swing is reasonably short, with limited hand/wrist action after a series of injuries to my left wrist. I can incorporate more wrist cock, but it becomes too painful so I just avoid looking at my abbreviated swing as much as possible.  After surgery for a frozen right shoulder, I’ve had to rely on a full shoulder turn and staying attached to get club head speed.  Any over swing causes a significant chicken wing of my right arm, resulting in my bad miss, a very ugly block cut.
I’m in no way long off the tee, but not short either.
The biggest strength of my game is attitude. I never quit, and I'm more interested in the score I write down than how I did it.  I hit around 2/3 of fairways, with most misses slight and on the good side.
 
 
 
 
First Impressions
 
Having never seen a Sub70 club in the flesh, I was a little unsure what to expect.  On removing it from the packaging, I was immediately impressed.  The Sub70 849 Pro is a very good-looking driver.  Nothing too fancy or flashy, but in no way boring.  The finish is blemish free.
 

 
At address it looks great, the carbon fibre crown looks classy and modern, but still understated.
 

 
The number of loft/face angle and weight combinations available is perhaps a little overwhelming. I would love to see some information included that details what different weights would usually do to ball flight in different positions. 
 
 
My aim at the onset of test the Sub70 849 Pro is to determine whether it’s performance for me is good enough to warrant replacing my current driver.  I’ll be using data from Shotscope to make the comparison as accurate as possible.  Overall driving stats are probably most important for me, definitely not just distance.  My course has extreme rough not far off most fairways so keeping the ball in play is imperative.
 
I decided to give MyGolfSpy forum readers an inside look at the Sub70 849 Pro in more ways than one.
 

 
My initial plan to get the driver settings optimized was to utilize my club’s range using their Toptracer setup, but a combination of worn range balls, technical issues with Toptracer and lack of appropriate tee heights moved my setting up on course.
 
After really struggling initially, I gripped down about an inch and got much better contact and results. I subsequently cut the shaft down about ½ an inch.
 
Final Review
Looks (10 out of 10 points)
 
I really like the look of this driver. I’d probably describe it as sleek and modern, but with classic lines.  The head pairs well with the Project X Evenflow Riptide Shaft. As a disclaimer, unless the looks were so distracting to influence my swing, I’m not too fussed with appearances.  Happily, the Sub70 849 Pro actually looks good, and I like the clean lines at address.
 
Sound & Feel (10 out of 10 points)
 
The sound is great, and very well suited to my ear. Solid clank, pretty much Goldilocks. Not too loud, not too metallic and definitely not high pitched.
 
The feedback I get from the head is perhaps better than any other driver I have played. I can tell almost exactly where the ball has come off the face, even before seeing the ball flight.
 
Basic Characteristics (16 out of 20 points)
 
As discussed earlier, I was planning to dial in my settings using Toptracer at my club’s range, but unfortunately this wasn’t possible.
I played a couple of rounds playing with a couple of loft settings and putting a 6 gram weight in the heel, replacing the 3 gram weight.  After shortening the shaft I settled on one notch higher loft and standard weight configuration.
 
I started the testing hitting with a low to medium ball flight. I’ve increased my tee height, and ball flight is now more in the mid range.  The different shaft took a bit of adjusting to, but I’m starting to feel comfortable with it.
 
The ball flight is very penetrating, and seems to bore through the wind very well. Given that I play most of my golf in 10-25mph wind, that’s a real bonus.
Good swings result in an extremely straight ball flight, with solid distance. Heel or toe contact does see a drop in distance, but nothing too significant and the ball has stayed in play. All of my very poor drives have been the result of very poor swings!
As I get more comfortable with the driver I’m taking slightly more aggressive lines, and have been taking driver on holes I often take 3 or 5 wood to avoid trouble at driver distance.
 
On-Course Performance (24 out of 30 points)
 
The more I’ve played the 849 Pro, the more it’s growing on me.
 
 
This was a well struck drive, 240 yards into the wind, dead centre.
 
 
 
The penetrating ball flight really impresses me, as does the feedback it gives. The Shotscope Data shows a performance average drop of 4 yards from my Ping G400 SFT. This includes most of my set-up period, and most of my play has been of unseasonably wet fairways.  I’m looking forward to playing it when the fairways are in their usual very firm and fast condition. I fully expect the stats to improve as I get more used to the club .and conditions improve. The Sub70 849 Pro is listed as a 2 wood on my Shotscope.
 

 
 
A couple of highlights of the testing have been driving the green on par 4’s. The first was with an audience of old guys who let me play through. I think they thought I was better than I really am.
 

 
During my last round of testing I drove the shortened par 4 10th at my club.  Slightly uphill and into the wind. The slopes short of the green mean the window for hitting the green is only about 5 yards wide, and I thought I was a real chance of a hole in 1, finished 8 feet past the hole after missing the pin by a few inches.
 

 
 
 
Miscellaneous (4 out of 10 points)
Probably the biggest negative (and only significant one) is the headcover.  It looks great, but is very difficult to get on
 
 
 
 It is even tougher to get on when its warm, the rolled in outer material really sticks to the club head.
 

 
As someone who is a little visually challenged, I’d love to see the weights more clearly marked. It’s almost impossible to see the labelling with the naked eye.
 Some more information regarding what different weight will do to spin and launch would be very useful in helping to dial in the settings.
 
Play it or Trade it? (16 out of 20 points) 
I’m planning on keeping the Sub70 849 Pro in the bag. The penetrating ball flight is very well suited to the windy conditions I usually play in, and the feedback is great. I'm looking forward to a long relationship, I think we can be good friends.

 
Conclusion
I’d encourage anyone who is a reasonable ball striker to strongly consider the Sub70 849 Pro.  Even without taking price into consideration, this is a very good driver. When price is factored in it becomes an extremely attractive proposition, particularly if you are able to get fitted or demo it.  The outstanding feedback, adjustability and shaft options really make it really worth a look.  Give one of the little guys a chance.
 
Final Score: (80 out of 100 points)
 
 

The Review 15th November 2021
 
Sub 70 849 Pro Driver – Official MGS Forum Review by Peaksy68
Intro
I’m testing a 10.5˚ Sub70 849 Pro with a Project X Evenflow Riptide 65gm 6.0 shaft, chosen from the list of stock options available.
Thanks to MyGolfSpy and Sub70.  I’m really excited to have been one of the first (if not the first) to play a Sub70 849 Pro in Australia
 
I've been playing for nearly 30 years, 20 of those seriously. The vast majority of my golf is in formal competitions, which is normal for golf in Australia. Only competition rounds are allowed for handicapping, and every competition round is entered into the Golf Australia handicap site.
On course, (and off) I love a bit of banter, and try to enjoy myself, while still trying to score the best I can. I spent the first half of my golf “career” just turning up and playing, never practicing at all.
My oldest daughter started playing when she was about 6, and started attending weekly junior clinics with the club pro when she was about 10. While these were on, I filled in time with some practice, and my handicap dropped from 10-12 down to 6 in 4 months. Amazing to see what a bit of practice can do.
I love the constant challenge that golf offers, and both the competitive and social aspect of the game.  While I enjoy the occasional scramble or 4BBB, I love the fact that what I score on the course is usually entirely up to me, be it good or bad.
 
My Game
My handicap is currently 6.8, based mainly around a solid game off the tee, solid fairway woods and a competent chipping and putting game.  Covid has had an impact on both my ability to play and practice. Taken with major works at my club closing the practice green and severely limiting other short game practice I’m reasonably happy with where my game is at.  To be realistic the last year I’ve been more focussed on golf as an escape from the daily grind of being a healthcare worker during a pandemic.
My current driver is a Ping G400 SFT, which I was fitted into. I was fitted into an Aldila Xtorsion shaft, and is longer than any driver I have previously played. Perhaps the Xtorsion being counterbalanced has allowed this.  I have been implementing some changes to my swing over the few months preceding this test, mainly to do with set up and alignment. This has resulted in significantly more misses left, and a more pronounced left to right ball flight.
 
My swing is reasonably short, with limited hand/wrist action after a series of injuries to my left wrist. I can incorporate more wrist cock, but it becomes too painful so I just avoid looking at my abbreviated swing as much as possible.  After surgery for a frozen right shoulder, I’ve had to rely on a full shoulder turn and staying attached to get club head speed.  Any over swing causes a significant chicken wing of my right arm, resulting in my bad miss, a very ugly block cut.
I’m in no way long off the tee, but not short either.
The biggest strength of my game is attitude. I never quit, and I'm more interested in the score I write down than how I did it.  I hit around 2/3 of fairways, with most misses slight and on the good side.
 
 
 
 
First Impressions
 
Having never seen a Sub70 club in the flesh, I was a little unsure what to expect.  On removing it from the packaging, I was immediately impressed.  The Sub70 849 Pro is a very good-looking driver.  Nothing too fancy or flashy, but in no way boring.  The finish is blemish free.
 

 
At address it looks great, the carbon fibre crown looks classy and modern, but still understated.
 

 
The number of loft/face angle and weight combinations available is perhaps a little overwhelming. I would love to see some information included that details what different weights would usually do to ball flight in different positions. 
 
 
My aim at the onset of test the Sub70 849 Pro is to determine whether it’s performance for me is good enough to warrant replacing my current driver.  I’ll be using data from Shotscope to make the comparison as accurate as possible.  Overall driving stats are probably most important for me, definitely not just distance.  My course has extreme rough not far off most fairways so keeping the ball in play is imperative.
 
I decided to give MyGolfSpy forum readers an inside look at the Sub70 849 Pro in more ways than one.
 

 
My initial plan to get the driver settings optimized was to utilize my club’s range using their Toptracer setup, but a combination of worn range balls, technical issues with Toptracer and lack of appropriate tee heights moved my setting up on course.
 
After really struggling initially, I gripped down about an inch and got much better contact and results. I subsequently cut the shaft down about ½ an inch.
 
Final Review
Looks (10 out of 10 points)
 
I really like the look of this driver. I’d probably describe it as sleek and modern, but with classic lines.  The head pairs well with the Project X Evenflow Riptide Shaft. As a disclaimer, unless the looks were so distracting to influence my swing, I’m not too fussed with appearances.  Happily, the Sub70 849 Pro actually looks good, and I like the clean lines at address.
 
Sound & Feel (10 out of 10 points)
 
The sound is great, and very well suited to my ear. Solid clank, pretty much Goldilocks. Not too loud, not too metallic and definitely not high pitched.
 
The feedback I get from the head is perhaps better than any other driver I have played. I can tell almost exactly where the ball has come off the face, even before seeing the ball flight.
 
Basic Characteristics (16 out of 20 points)
 
As discussed earlier, I was planning to dial in my settings using Toptracer at my club’s range, but unfortunately this wasn’t possible.
I played a couple of rounds playing with a couple of loft settings and putting a 6 gram weight in the heel, replacing the 3 gram weight.  After shortening the shaft I settled on one notch higher loft and standard weight configuration.
 
I started the testing hitting with a low to medium ball flight. I’ve increased my tee height, and ball flight is now more in the mid range.  The different shaft took a bit of adjusting to, but I’m starting to feel comfortable with it.
 
The ball flight is very penetrating, and seems to bore through the wind very well. Given that I play most of my golf in 10-25mph wind, that’s a real bonus.
Good swings result in an extremely straight ball flight, with solid distance. Heel or toe contact does see a drop in distance, but nothing too significant and the ball has stayed in play. All of my very poor drives have been the result of very poor swings!
As I get more comfortable with the driver I’m taking slightly more aggressive lines, and have been taking driver on holes I often take 3 or 5 wood to avoid trouble at driver distance.
 
On-Course Performance (24 out of 30 points)
 
The more I’ve played the 849 Pro, the more it’s growing on me.
 
 
This was a well struck drive, 240 yards into the wind, dead centre.
 
 
 
The penetrating ball flight really impresses me, as does the feedback it gives. The Shotscope Data shows a performance average drop of 4 yards from my Ping G400 SFT. This includes most of my set-up period, and most of my play has been of unseasonably wet fairways.  I’m looking forward to playing it when the fairways are in their usual very firm and fast condition. I fully expect the stats to improve as I get more used to the club .and conditions improve. The Sub70 849 Pro is listed as a 2 wood on my Shotscope.
 

 
 
A couple of highlights of the testing have been driving the green on par 4’s. The first was with an audience of old guys who let me play through. I think they thought I was better than I really am.
 

 
During my last round of testing I drove the shortened par 4 10th at my club.  Slightly uphill and into the wind. The slopes short of the green mean the window for hitting the green is only about 5 yards wide, and I thought I was a real chance of a hole in 1, finished 8 feet past the hole after missing the pin by a few inches.
 

 
 
 
Miscellaneous (4 out of 10 points)
Probably the biggest negative (and only significant one) is the headcover.  It looks great, but is very difficult to get on
 
 
 
 It is even tougher to get on when its warm, the rolled in outer material really sticks to the club head.
 

 
As someone who is a little visually challenged, I’d love to see the weights more clearly marked. It’s almost impossible to see the labelling with the naked eye.
 Some more information regarding what different weight will do to spin and launch would be very useful in helping to dial in the settings.
 
Play it or Trade it? (16 out of 20 points) 
I’m planning on keeping the Sub70 849 Pro in the bag. The penetrating ball flight is very well suited to the windy conditions I usually play in, and the feedback is great. I'm looking forward to a long relationship, I think we can be good friends.

 
Conclusion
I’d encourage anyone who is a reasonable ball striker to strongly consider the Sub70 849 Pro.  Even without taking price into consideration, this is a very good driver. When price is factored in it becomes an extremely attractive proposition, particularly if you are able to get fitted or demo it.  The outstanding feedback, adjustability and shaft options really make it really worth a look.  Give one of the little guys a chance.
 
Final Score: (80 out of 100 points)
 
 

The Review 15th November 2021
 
Sub 70 849 Pro Driver – Official MGS Forum Review by Peaksy68
Intro
I’m testing a 10.5˚ Sub70 849 Pro with a Project X Evenflow Riptide 65gm 6.0 shaft, chosen from the list of stock options available.
Thanks to MyGolfSpy and Sub70.  I’m really excited to have been one of the first (if not the first) to play a Sub70 849 Pro in Australia
 
I've been playing for nearly 30 years, 20 of those seriously. The vast majority of my golf is in formal competitions, which is normal for golf in Australia. Only competition rounds are allowed for handicapping, and every competition round is entered into the Golf Australia handicap site.
On course, (and off) I love a bit of banter, and try to enjoy myself, while still trying to score the best I can. I spent the first half of my golf “career” just turning up and playing, never practicing at all.
My oldest daughter started playing when she was about 6, and started attending weekly junior clinics with the club pro when she was about 10. While these were on, I filled in time with some practice, and my handicap dropped from 10-12 down to 6 in 4 months. Amazing to see what a bit of practice can do.
I love the constant challenge that golf offers, and both the competitive and social aspect of the game.  While I enjoy the occasional scramble or 4BBB, I love the fact that what I score on the course is usually entirely up to me, be it good or bad.
 
My Game
My handicap is currently 6.8, based mainly around a solid game off the tee, solid fairway woods and a competent chipping and putting game.  Covid has had an impact on both my ability to play and practice. Taken with major works at my club closing the practice green and severely limiting other short game practice I’m reasonably happy with where my game is at.  To be realistic the last year I’ve been more focussed on golf as an escape from the daily grind of being a healthcare worker during a pandemic.
My current driver is a Ping G400 SFT, which I was fitted into. I was fitted into an Aldila Xtorsion shaft, and is longer than any driver I have previously played. Perhaps the Xtorsion being counterbalanced has allowed this.  I have been implementing some changes to my swing over the few months preceding this test, mainly to do with set up and alignment. This has resulted in significantly more misses left, and a more pronounced left to right ball flight.
 
My swing is reasonably short, with limited hand/wrist action after a series of injuries to my left wrist. I can incorporate more wrist cock, but it becomes too painful so I just avoid looking at my abbreviated swing as much as possible.  After surgery for a frozen right shoulder, I’ve had to rely on a full shoulder turn and staying attached to get club head speed.  Any over swing causes a significant chicken wing of my right arm, resulting in my bad miss, a very ugly block cut.
I’m in no way long off the tee, but not short either.
The biggest strength of my game is attitude. I never quit, and I'm more interested in the score I write down than how I did it.  I hit around 2/3 of fairways, with most misses slight and on the good side.
 
 
 
 
First Impressions
 
Having never seen a Sub70 club in the flesh, I was a little unsure what to expect.  On removing it from the packaging, I was immediately impressed.  The Sub70 849 Pro is a very good-looking driver.  Nothing too fancy or flashy, but in no way boring.  The finish is blemish free.
 

 
At address it looks great, the carbon fibre crown looks classy and modern, but still understated.
 

 
The number of loft/face angle and weight combinations available is perhaps a little overwhelming. I would love to see some information included that details what different weights would usually do to ball flight in different positions. 
 
 
My aim at the onset of test the Sub70 849 Pro is to determine whether it’s performance for me is good enough to warrant replacing my current driver.  I’ll be using data from Shotscope to make the comparison as accurate as possible.  Overall driving stats are probably most important for me, definitely not just distance.  My course has extreme rough not far off most fairways so keeping the ball in play is imperative.
 
I decided to give MyGolfSpy forum readers an inside look at the Sub70 849 Pro in more ways than one.
 

 
My initial plan to get the driver settings optimized was to utilize my club’s range using their Toptracer setup, but a combination of worn range balls, technical issues with Toptracer and lack of appropriate tee heights moved my setting up on course.
 
After really struggling initially, I gripped down about an inch and got much better contact and results. I subsequently cut the shaft down about ½ an inch.
 
Final Review
Looks (10 out of 10 points)
 
I really like the look of this driver. I’d probably describe it as sleek and modern, but with classic lines.  The head pairs well with the Project X Evenflow Riptide Shaft. As a disclaimer, unless the looks were so distracting to influence my swing, I’m not too fussed with appearances.  Happily, the Sub70 849 Pro actually looks good, and I like the clean lines at address.
 
Sound & Feel (10 out of 10 points)
 
The sound is great, and very well suited to my ear. Solid clank, pretty much Goldilocks. Not too loud, not too metallic and definitely not high pitched.
 
The feedback I get from the head is perhaps better than any other driver I have played. I can tell almost exactly where the ball has come off the face, even before seeing the ball flight.
 
Basic Characteristics (16 out of 20 points)
 
As discussed earlier, I was planning to dial in my settings using Toptracer at my club’s range, but unfortunately this wasn’t possible.
I played a couple of rounds playing with a couple of loft settings and putting a 6 gram weight in the heel, replacing the 3 gram weight.  After shortening the shaft I settled on one notch higher loft and standard weight configuration.
 
I started the testing hitting with a low to medium ball flight. I’ve increased my tee height, and ball flight is now more in the mid range.  The different shaft took a bit of adjusting to, but I’m starting to feel comfortable with it.
 
The ball flight is very penetrating, and seems to bore through the wind very well. Given that I play most of my golf in 10-25mph wind, that’s a real bonus.
Good swings result in an extremely straight ball flight, with solid distance. Heel or toe contact does see a drop in distance, but nothing too significant and the ball has stayed in play. All of my very poor drives have been the result of very poor swings!
As I get more comfortable with the driver I’m taking slightly more aggressive lines, and have been taking driver on holes I often take 3 or 5 wood to avoid trouble at driver distance.
 
On-Course Performance (24 out of 30 points)
 
The more I’ve played the 849 Pro, the more it’s growing on me.
 
 
This was a well struck drive, 240 yards into the wind, dead centre.
 
 
 
The penetrating ball flight really impresses me, as does the feedback it gives. The Shotscope Data shows a performance average drop of 4 yards from my Ping G400 SFT. This includes most of my set-up period, and most of my play has been of unseasonably wet fairways.  I’m looking forward to playing it when the fairways are in their usual very firm and fast condition. I fully expect the stats to improve as I get more used to the club .and conditions improve. The Sub70 849 Pro is listed as a 2 wood on my Shotscope.
 

 
 
A couple of highlights of the testing have been driving the green on par 4’s. The first was with an audience of old guys who let me play through. I think they thought I was better than I really am.
 

 
During my last round of testing I drove the shortened par 4 10th at my club.  Slightly uphill and into the wind. The slopes short of the green mean the window for hitting the green is only about 5 yards wide, and I thought I was a real chance of a hole in 1, finished 8 feet past the hole after missing the pin by a few inches.
 

 
 
 
Miscellaneous (4 out of 10 points)
Probably the biggest negative (and only significant one) is the headcover.  It looks great, but is very difficult to get on
 
 
 
 It is even tougher to get on when its warm, the rolled in outer material really sticks to the club head.
 

 
As someone who is a little visually challenged, I’d love to see the weights more clearly marked. It’s almost impossible to see the labelling with the naked eye.
 Some more information regarding what different weight will do to spin and launch would be very useful in helping to dial in the settings.
 
Play it or Trade it? (16 out of 20 points) 
I’m planning on keeping the Sub70 849 Pro in the bag. The penetrating ball flight is very well suited to the windy conditions I usually play in, and the feedback is great. I'm looking forward to a long relationship, I think we can be good friends.

 
Conclusion
I’d encourage anyone who is a reasonable ball striker to strongly consider the Sub70 849 Pro.  Even without taking price into consideration, this is a very good driver. When price is factored in it becomes an extremely attractive proposition, particularly if you are able to get fitted or demo it.  The outstanding feedback, adjustability and shaft options really make it really worth a look.  Give one of the little guys a chance.
 
Final Score: (80 out of 100 points)
 
 

The Review 15th November 2021
 
Sub 70 849 Pro Driver – Official MGS Forum Review by Peaksy68
Intro
I’m testing a 10.5˚ Sub70 849 Pro with a Project X Evenflow Riptide 65gm 6.0 shaft, chosen from the list of stock options available.
Thanks to MyGolfSpy and Sub70.  I’m really excited to have been one of the first (if not the first) to play a Sub70 849 Pro in Australia
 
I've been playing for nearly 30 years, 20 of those seriously. The vast majority of my golf is in formal competitions, which is normal for golf in Australia. Only competition rounds are allowed for handicapping, and every competition round is entered into the Golf Australia handicap site.
On course, (and off) I love a bit of banter, and try to enjoy myself, while still trying to score the best I can. I spent the first half of my golf “career” just turning up and playing, never practicing at all.
My oldest daughter started playing when she was about 6, and started attending weekly junior clinics with the club pro when she was about 10. While these were on, I filled in time with some practice, and my handicap dropped from 10-12 down to 6 in 4 months. Amazing to see what a bit of practice can do.
I love the constant challenge that golf offers, and both the competitive and social aspect of the game.  While I enjoy the occasional scramble or 4BBB, I love the fact that what I score on the course is usually entirely up to me, be it good or bad.
 
My Game
My handicap is currently 6.8, based mainly around a solid game off the tee, solid fairway woods and a competent chipping and putting game.  Covid has had an impact on both my ability to play and practice. Taken with major works at my club closing the practice green and severely limiting other short game practice I’m reasonably happy with where my game is at.  To be realistic the last year I’ve been more focussed on golf as an escape from the daily grind of being a healthcare worker during a pandemic.
My current driver is a Ping G400 SFT, which I was fitted into. I was fitted into an Aldila Xtorsion shaft, and is longer than any driver I have previously played. Perhaps the Xtorsion being counterbalanced has allowed this.  I have been implementing some changes to my swing over the few months preceding this test, mainly to do with set up and alignment. This has resulted in significantly more misses left, and a more pronounced left to right ball flight.
 
My swing is reasonably short, with limited hand/wrist action after a series of injuries to my left wrist. I can incorporate more wrist cock, but it becomes too painful so I just avoid looking at my abbreviated swing as much as possible.  After surgery for a frozen right shoulder, I’ve had to rely on a full shoulder turn and staying attached to get club head speed.  Any over swing causes a significant chicken wing of my right arm, resulting in my bad miss, a very ugly block cut.
I’m in no way long off the tee, but not short either.
The biggest strength of my game is attitude. I never quit, and I'm more interested in the score I write down than how I did it.  I hit around 2/3 of fairways, with most misses slight and on the good side.
 
 
 
 
First Impressions
 
Having never seen a Sub70 club in the flesh, I was a little unsure what to expect.  On removing it from the packaging, I was immediately impressed.  The Sub70 849 Pro is a very good-looking driver.  Nothing too fancy or flashy, but in no way boring.  The finish is blemish free.
 

 
At address it looks great, the carbon fibre crown looks classy and modern, but still understated.
 

 
The number of loft/face angle and weight combinations available is perhaps a little overwhelming. I would love to see some information included that details what different weights would usually do to ball flight in different positions. 
 
 
My aim at the onset of test the Sub70 849 Pro is to determine whether it’s performance for me is good enough to warrant replacing my current driver.  I’ll be using data from Shotscope to make the comparison as accurate as possible.  Overall driving stats are probably most important for me, definitely not just distance.  My course has extreme rough not far off most fairways so keeping the ball in play is imperative.
 
I decided to give MyGolfSpy forum readers an inside look at the Sub70 849 Pro in more ways than one.
 

 
My initial plan to get the driver settings optimized was to utilize my club’s range using their Toptracer setup, but a combination of worn range balls, technical issues with Toptracer and lack of appropriate tee heights moved my setting up on course.
 
After really struggling initially, I gripped down about an inch and got much better contact and results. I subsequently cut the shaft down about ½ an inch.
 
Final Review
Looks (10 out of 10 points)
 
I really like the look of this driver. I’d probably describe it as sleek and modern, but with classic lines.  The head pairs well with the Project X Evenflow Riptide Shaft. As a disclaimer, unless the looks were so distracting to influence my swing, I’m not too fussed with appearances.  Happily, the Sub70 849 Pro actually looks good, and I like the clean lines at address.
 
Sound & Feel (10 out of 10 points)
 
The sound is great, and very well suited to my ear. Solid clank, pretty much Goldilocks. Not too loud, not too metallic and definitely not high pitched.
 
The feedback I get from the head is perhaps better than any other driver I have played. I can tell almost exactly where the ball has come off the face, even before seeing the ball flight.
 
Basic Characteristics (16 out of 20 points)
 
As discussed earlier, I was planning to dial in my settings using Toptracer at my club’s range, but unfortunately this wasn’t possible.
I played a couple of rounds playing with a couple of loft settings and putting a 6 gram weight in the heel, replacing the 3 gram weight.  After shortening the shaft I settled on one notch higher loft and standard weight configuration.
 
I started the testing hitting with a low to medium ball flight. I’ve increased my tee height, and ball flight is now more in the mid range.  The different shaft took a bit of adjusting to, but I’m starting to feel comfortable with it.
 
The ball flight is very penetrating, and seems to bore through the wind very well. Given that I play most of my golf in 10-25mph wind, that’s a real bonus.
Good swings result in an extremely straight ball flight, with solid distance. Heel or toe contact does see a drop in distance, but nothing too significant and the ball has stayed in play. All of my very poor drives have been the result of very poor swings!
As I get more comfortable with the driver I’m taking slightly more aggressive lines, and have been taking driver on holes I often take 3 or 5 wood to avoid trouble at driver distance.
 
On-Course Performance (24 out of 30 points)
 
The more I’ve played the 849 Pro, the more it’s growing on me.
 
 
This was a well struck drive, 240 yards into the wind, dead centre.
 
 
 
The penetrating ball flight really impresses me, as does the feedback it gives. The Shotscope Data shows a performance average drop of 4 yards from my Ping G400 SFT. This includes most of my set-up period, and most of my play has been of unseasonably wet fairways.  I’m looking forward to playing it when the fairways are in their usual very firm and fast condition. I fully expect the stats to improve as I get more used to the club .and conditions improve. The Sub70 849 Pro is listed as a 2 wood on my Shotscope.
 

 
 
A couple of highlights of the testing have been driving the green on par 4’s. The first was with an audience of old guys who let me play through. I think they thought I was better than I really am.
 

 
During my last round of testing I drove the shortened par 4 10th at my club.  Slightly uphill and into the wind. The slopes short of the green mean the window for hitting the green is only about 5 yards wide, and I thought I was a real chance of a hole in 1, finished 8 feet past the hole after missing the pin by a few inches.
 

 
 
 
Miscellaneous (4 out of 10 points)
Probably the biggest negative (and only significant one) is the headcover.  It looks great, but is very difficult to get on
 
 
 
 It is even tougher to get on when its warm, the rolled in outer material really sticks to the club head.
 

 
As someone who is a little visually challenged, I’d love to see the weights more clearly marked. It’s almost impossible to see the labelling with the naked eye.
 Some more information regarding what different weight will do to spin and launch would be very useful in helping to dial in the settings.
 
Play it or Trade it? (16 out of 20 points) 
I’m planning on keeping the Sub70 849 Pro in the bag. The penetrating ball flight is very well suited to the windy conditions I usually play in, and the feedback is great. I'm looking forward to a long relationship, I think we can be good friends.

 
Conclusion
I’d encourage anyone who is a reasonable ball striker to strongly consider the Sub70 849 Pro.  Even without taking price into consideration, this is a very good driver. When price is factored in it becomes an extremely attractive proposition, particularly if you are able to get fitted or demo it.  The outstanding feedback, adjustability and shaft options really make it really worth a look.  Give one of the little guys a chance.
 
Final Score: (80 out of 100 points)
 
 

The Review 15th November 2021
 
Sub 70 849 Pro Driver – Official MGS Forum Review by Peaksy68
Intro
I’m testing a 10.5˚ Sub70 849 Pro with a Project X Evenflow Riptide 65gm 6.0 shaft, chosen from the list of stock options available.
Thanks to MyGolfSpy and Sub70.  I’m really excited to have been one of the first (if not the first) to play a Sub70 849 Pro in Australia
 
I've been playing for nearly 30 years, 20 of those seriously. The vast majority of my golf is in formal competitions, which is normal for golf in Australia. Only competition rounds are allowed for handicapping, and every competition round is entered into the Golf Australia handicap site.
On course, (and off) I love a bit of banter, and try to enjoy myself, while still trying to score the best I can. I spent the first half of my golf “career” just turning up and playing, never practicing at all.
My oldest daughter started playing when she was about 6, and started attending weekly junior clinics with the club pro when she was about 10. While these were on, I filled in time with some practice, and my handicap dropped from 10-12 down to 6 in 4 months. Amazing to see what a bit of practice can do.
I love the constant challenge that golf offers, and both the competitive and social aspect of the game.  While I enjoy the occasional scramble or 4BBB, I love the fact that what I score on the course is usually entirely up to me, be it good or bad.
 
My Game
My handicap is currently 6.8, based mainly around a solid game off the tee, solid fairway woods and a competent chipping and putting game.  Covid has had an impact on both my ability to play and practice. Taken with major works at my club closing the practice green and severely limiting other short game practice I’m reasonably happy with where my game is at.  To be realistic the last year I’ve been more focussed on golf as an escape from the daily grind of being a healthcare worker during a pandemic.
My current driver is a Ping G400 SFT, which I was fitted into. I was fitted into an Aldila Xtorsion shaft, and is longer than any driver I have previously played. Perhaps the Xtorsion being counterbalanced has allowed this.  I have been implementing some changes to my swing over the few months preceding this test, mainly to do with set up and alignment. This has resulted in significantly more misses left, and a more pronounced left to right ball flight.
 
My swing is reasonably short, with limited hand/wrist action after a series of injuries to my left wrist. I can incorporate more wrist cock, but it becomes too painful so I just avoid looking at my abbreviated swing as much as possible.  After surgery for a frozen right shoulder, I’ve had to rely on a full shoulder turn and staying attached to get club head speed.  Any over swing causes a significant chicken wing of my right arm, resulting in my bad miss, a very ugly block cut.
I’m in no way long off the tee, but not short either.
The biggest strength of my game is attitude. I never quit, and I'm more interested in the score I write down than how I did it.  I hit around 2/3 of fairways, with most misses slight and on the good side.
 
 
 
 
First Impressions
 
Having never seen a Sub70 club in the flesh, I was a little unsure what to expect.  On removing it from the packaging, I was immediately impressed.  The Sub70 849 Pro is a very good-looking driver.  Nothing too fancy or flashy, but in no way boring.  The finish is blemish free.
 

 
At address it looks great, the carbon fibre crown looks classy and modern, but still understated.
 

 
The number of loft/face angle and weight combinations available is perhaps a little overwhelming. I would love to see some information included that details what different weights would usually do to ball flight in different positions. 
 
 
My aim at the onset of test the Sub70 849 Pro is to determine whether it’s performance for me is good enough to warrant replacing my current driver.  I’ll be using data from Shotscope to make the comparison as accurate as possible.  Overall driving stats are probably most important for me, definitely not just distance.  My course has extreme rough not far off most fairways so keeping the ball in play is imperative.
 
I decided to give MyGolfSpy forum readers an inside look at the Sub70 849 Pro in more ways than one.
 

 
My initial plan to get the driver settings optimized was to utilize my club’s range using their Toptracer setup, but a combination of worn range balls, technical issues with Toptracer and lack of appropriate tee heights moved my setting up on course.
 
After really struggling initially, I gripped down about an inch and got much better contact and results. I subsequently cut the shaft down about ½ an inch.
 
Final Review
Looks (10 out of 10 points)
 
I really like the look of this driver. I’d probably describe it as sleek and modern, but with classic lines.  The head pairs well with the Project X Evenflow Riptide Shaft. As a disclaimer, unless the looks were so distracting to influence my swing, I’m not too fussed with appearances.  Happily, the Sub70 849 Pro actually looks good, and I like the clean lines at address.
 
Sound & Feel (10 out of 10 points)
 
The sound is great, and very well suited to my ear. Solid clank, pretty much Goldilocks. Not too loud, not too metallic and definitely not high pitched.
 
The feedback I get from the head is perhaps better than any other driver I have played. I can tell almost exactly where the ball has come off the face, even before seeing the ball flight.
 
Basic Characteristics (16 out of 20 points)
 
As discussed earlier, I was planning to dial in my settings using Toptracer at my club’s range, but unfortunately this wasn’t possible.
I played a couple of rounds playing with a couple of loft settings and putting a 6 gram weight in the heel, replacing the 3 gram weight.  After shortening the shaft I settled on one notch higher loft and standard weight configuration.
 
I started the testing hitting with a low to medium ball flight. I’ve increased my tee height, and ball flight is now more in the mid range.  The different shaft took a bit of adjusting to, but I’m starting to feel comfortable with it.
 
The ball flight is very penetrating, and seems to bore through the wind very well. Given that I play most of my golf in 10-25mph wind, that’s a real bonus.
Good swings result in an extremely straight ball flight, with solid distance. Heel or toe contact does see a drop in distance, but nothing too significant and the ball has stayed in play. All of my very poor drives have been the result of very poor swings!
As I get more comfortable with the driver I’m taking slightly more aggressive lines, and have been taking driver on holes I often take 3 or 5 wood to avoid trouble at driver distance.
 
On-Course Performance (24 out of 30 points)
 
The more I’ve played the 849 Pro, the more it’s growing on me.
 
 
This was a well struck drive, 240 yards into the wind, dead centre.
 
 
 
The penetrating ball flight really impresses me, as does the feedback it gives. The Shotscope Data shows a performance average drop of 4 yards from my Ping G400 SFT. This includes most of my set-up period, and most of my play has been of unseasonably wet fairways.  I’m looking forward to playing it when the fairways are in their usual very firm and fast condition. I fully expect the stats to improve as I get more used to the club .and conditions improve. The Sub70 849 Pro is listed as a 2 wood on my Shotscope.
 

 
 
A couple of highlights of the testing have been driving the green on par 4’s. The first was with an audience of old guys who let me play through. I think they thought I was better than I really am.
 

 
During my last round of testing I drove the shortened par 4 10th at my club.  Slightly uphill and into the wind. The slopes short of the green mean the window for hitting the green is only about 5 yards wide, and I thought I was a real chance of a hole in 1, finished 8 feet past the hole after missing the pin by a few inches.
 

 
 
 
Miscellaneous (4 out of 10 points)
Probably the biggest negative (and only significant one) is the headcover.  It looks great, but is very difficult to get on
 
 
 
 It is even tougher to get on when its warm, the rolled in outer material really sticks to the club head.
 

 
As someone who is a little visually challenged, I’d love to see the weights more clearly marked. It’s almost impossible to see the labelling with the naked eye.
 Some more information regarding what different weight will do to spin and launch would be very useful in helping to dial in the settings.
 
Play it or Trade it? (16 out of 20 points) 
I’m planning on keeping the Sub70 849 Pro in the bag. The penetrating ball flight is very well suited to the windy conditions I usually play in, and the feedback is great. I'm looking forward to a long relationship, I think we can be good friends.

 
Conclusion
I’d encourage anyone who is a reasonable ball striker to strongly consider the Sub70 849 Pro.  Even without taking price into consideration, this is a very good driver. When price is factored in it becomes an extremely attractive proposition, particularly if you are able to get fitted or demo it.  The outstanding feedback, adjustability and shaft options really make it really worth a look.  Give one of the little guys a chance.
 
Final Score: (80 out of 100 points)
 
 

The Review 15th November 2021
 
Sub 70 849 Pro Driver – Official MGS Forum Review by Peaksy68
Intro
I’m testing a 10.5˚ Sub70 849 Pro with a Project X Evenflow Riptide 65gm 6.0 shaft, chosen from the list of stock options available.
Thanks to MyGolfSpy and Sub70.  I’m really excited to have been one of the first (if not the first) to play a Sub70 849 Pro in Australia
 
I've been playing for nearly 30 years, 20 of those seriously. The vast majority of my golf is in formal competitions, which is normal for golf in Australia. Only competition rounds are allowed for handicapping, and every competition round is entered into the Golf Australia handicap site.
On course, (and off) I love a bit of banter, and try to enjoy myself, while still trying to score the best I can. I spent the first half of my golf “career” just turning up and playing, never practicing at all.
My oldest daughter started playing when she was about 6, and started attending weekly junior clinics with the club pro when she was about 10. While these were on, I filled in time with some practice, and my handicap dropped from 10-12 down to 6 in 4 months. Amazing to see what a bit of practice can do.
I love the constant challenge that golf offers, and both the competitive and social aspect of the game.  While I enjoy the occasional scramble or 4BBB, I love the fact that what I score on the course is usually entirely up to me, be it good or bad.
 
My Game
My handicap is currently 6.8, based mainly around a solid game off the tee, solid fairway woods and a competent chipping and putting game.  Covid has had an impact on both my ability to play and practice. Taken with major works at my club closing the practice green and severely limiting other short game practice I’m reasonably happy with where my game is at.  To be realistic the last year I’ve been more focussed on golf as an escape from the daily grind of being a healthcare worker during a pandemic.
My current driver is a Ping G400 SFT, which I was fitted into. I was fitted into an Aldila Xtorsion shaft, and is longer than any driver I have previously played. Perhaps the Xtorsion being counterbalanced has allowed this.  I have been implementing some changes to my swing over the few months preceding this test, mainly to do with set up and alignment. This has resulted in significantly more misses left, and a more pronounced left to right ball flight.
 
My swing is reasonably short, with limited hand/wrist action after a series of injuries to my left wrist. I can incorporate more wrist cock, but it becomes too painful so I just avoid looking at my abbreviated swing as much as possible.  After surgery for a frozen right shoulder, I’ve had to rely on a full shoulder turn and staying attached to get club head speed.  Any over swing causes a significant chicken wing of my right arm, resulting in my bad miss, a very ugly block cut.
I’m in no way long off the tee, but not short either.
The biggest strength of my game is attitude. I never quit, and I'm more interested in the score I write down than how I did it.  I hit around 2/3 of fairways, with most misses slight and on the good side.
 
 
 
 
First Impressions
 
Having never seen a Sub70 club in the flesh, I was a little unsure what to expect.  On removing it from the packaging, I was immediately impressed.  The Sub70 849 Pro is a very good-looking driver.  Nothing too fancy or flashy, but in no way boring.  The finish is blemish free.
 

 
At address it looks great, the carbon fibre crown looks classy and modern, but still understated.
 

 
The number of loft/face angle and weight combinations available is perhaps a little overwhelming. I would love to see some information included that details what different weights would usually do to ball flight in different positions. 
 
 
My aim at the onset of test the Sub70 849 Pro is to determine whether it’s performance for me is good enough to warrant replacing my current driver.  I’ll be using data from Shotscope to make the comparison as accurate as possible.  Overall driving stats are probably most important for me, definitely not just distance.  My course has extreme rough not far off most fairways so keeping the ball in play is imperative.
 
I decided to give MyGolfSpy forum readers an inside look at the Sub70 849 Pro in more ways than one.
 

 
My initial plan to get the driver settings optimized was to utilize my club’s range using their Toptracer setup, but a combination of worn range balls, technical issues with Toptracer and lack of appropriate tee heights moved my setting up on course.
 
After really struggling initially, I gripped down about an inch and got much better contact and results. I subsequently cut the shaft down about ½ an inch.
 
Final Review
Looks (10 out of 10 points)
 
I really like the look of this driver. I’d probably describe it as sleek and modern, but with classic lines.  The head pairs well with the Project X Evenflow Riptide Shaft. As a disclaimer, unless the looks were so distracting to influence my swing, I’m not too fussed with appearances.  Happily, the Sub70 849 Pro actually looks good, and I like the clean lines at address.
 
Sound & Feel (10 out of 10 points)
 
The sound is great, and very well suited to my ear. Solid clank, pretty much Goldilocks. Not too loud, not too metallic and definitely not high pitched.
 
The feedback I get from the head is perhaps better than any other driver I have played. I can tell almost exactly where the ball has come off the face, even before seeing the ball flight.
 
Basic Characteristics (16 out of 20 points)
 
As discussed earlier, I was planning to dial in my settings using Toptracer at my club’s range, but unfortunately this wasn’t possible.
I played a couple of rounds playing with a couple of loft settings and putting a 6 gram weight in the heel, replacing the 3 gram weight.  After shortening the shaft I settled on one notch higher loft and standard weight configuration.
 
I started the testing hitting with a low to medium ball flight. I’ve increased my tee height, and ball flight is now more in the mid range.  The different shaft took a bit of adjusting to, but I’m starting to feel comfortable with it.
 
The ball flight is very penetrating, and seems to bore through the wind very well. Given that I play most of my golf in 10-25mph wind, that’s a real bonus.
Good swings result in an extremely straight ball flight, with solid distance. Heel or toe contact does see a drop in distance, but nothing too significant and the ball has stayed in play. All of my very poor drives have been the result of very poor swings!
As I get more comfortable with the driver I’m taking slightly more aggressive lines, and have been taking driver on holes I often take 3 or 5 wood to avoid trouble at driver distance.
 
On-Course Performance (24 out of 30 points)
 
The more I’ve played the 849 Pro, the more it’s growing on me.
 
 
This was a well struck drive, 240 yards into the wind, dead centre.
 
 
 
The penetrating ball flight really impresses me, as does the feedback it gives. The Shotscope Data shows a performance average drop of 4 yards from my Ping G400 SFT. This includes most of my set-up period, and most of my play has been of unseasonably wet fairways.  I’m looking forward to playing it when the fairways are in their usual very firm and fast condition. I fully expect the stats to improve as I get more used to the club .and conditions improve. The Sub70 849 Pro is listed as a 2 wood on my Shotscope.
 

 
 
A couple of highlights of the testing have been driving the green on par 4’s. The first was with an audience of old guys who let me play through. I think they thought I was better than I really am.
 

 
During my last round of testing I drove the shortened par 4 10th at my club.  Slightly uphill and into the wind. The slopes short of the green mean the window for hitting the green is only about 5 yards wide, and I thought I was a real chance of a hole in 1, finished 8 feet past the hole after missing the pin by a few inches.
 

 
 
 
Miscellaneous (4 out of 10 points)
Probably the biggest negative (and only significant one) is the headcover.  It looks great, but is very difficult to get on
 
 
 
 It is even tougher to get on when its warm, the rolled in outer material really sticks to the club head.
 

 
As someone who is a little visually challenged, I’d love to see the weights more clearly marked. It’s almost impossible to see the labelling with the naked eye.
 Some more information regarding what different weight will do to spin and launch would be very useful in helping to dial in the settings.
 
Play it or Trade it? (16 out of 20 points) 
I’m planning on keeping the Sub70 849 Pro in the bag. The penetrating ball flight is very well suited to the windy conditions I usually play in, and the feedback is great. I'm looking forward to a long relationship, I think we can be good friends.

 
Conclusion
I’d encourage anyone who is a reasonable ball striker to strongly consider the Sub70 849 Pro.  Even without taking price into consideration, this is a very good driver. When price is factored in it becomes an extremely attractive proposition, particularly if you are able to get fitted or demo it.  The outstanding feedback, adjustability and shaft options really make it really worth a look.  Give one of the little guys a chance.
 
Final Score: (80 out of 100 points)
 
 

The Review 15th November 2021
 
Sub 70 849 Pro Driver – Official MGS Forum Review by Peaksy68
Intro
I’m testing a 10.5˚ Sub70 849 Pro with a Project X Evenflow Riptide 65gm 6.0 shaft, chosen from the list of stock options available.
Thanks to MyGolfSpy and Sub70.  I’m really excited to have been one of the first (if not the first) to play a Sub70 849 Pro in Australia
 
I've been playing for nearly 30 years, 20 of those seriously. The vast majority of my golf is in formal competitions, which is normal for golf in Australia. Only competition rounds are allowed for handicapping, and every competition round is entered into the Golf Australia handicap site.
On course, (and off) I love a bit of banter, and try to enjoy myself, while still trying to score the best I can. I spent the first half of my golf “career” just turning up and playing, never practicing at all.
My oldest daughter started playing when she was about 6, and started attending weekly junior clinics with the club pro when she was about 10. While these were on, I filled in time with some practice, and my handicap dropped from 10-12 down to 6 in 4 months. Amazing to see what a bit of practice can do.
I love the constant challenge that golf offers, and both the competitive and social aspect of the game.  While I enjoy the occasional scramble or 4BBB, I love the fact that what I score on the course is usually entirely up to me, be it good or bad.
 
My Game
My handicap is currently 6.8, based mainly around a solid game off the tee, solid fairway woods and a competent chipping and putting game.  Covid has had an impact on both my ability to play and practice. Taken with major works at my club closing the practice green and severely limiting other short game practice I’m reasonably happy with where my game is at.  To be realistic the last year I’ve been more focussed on golf as an escape from the daily grind of being a healthcare worker during a pandemic.
My current driver is a Ping G400 SFT, which I was fitted into. I was fitted into an Aldila Xtorsion shaft, and is longer than any driver I have previously played. Perhaps the Xtorsion being counterbalanced has allowed this.  I have been implementing some changes to my swing over the few months preceding this test, mainly to do with set up and alignment. This has resulted in significantly more misses left, and a more pronounced left to right ball flight.
 
My swing is reasonably short, with limited hand/wrist action after a series of injuries to my left wrist. I can incorporate more wrist cock, but it becomes too painful so I just avoid looking at my abbreviated swing as much as possible.  After surgery for a frozen right shoulder, I’ve had to rely on a full shoulder turn and staying attached to get club head speed.  Any over swing causes a significant chicken wing of my right arm, resulting in my bad miss, a very ugly block cut.
I’m in no way long off the tee, but not short either.
The biggest strength of my game is attitude. I never quit, and I'm more interested in the score I write down than how I did it.  I hit around 2/3 of fairways, with most misses slight and on the good side.
 
 
 
 
First Impressions
 
Having never seen a Sub70 club in the flesh, I was a little unsure what to expect.  On removing it from the packaging, I was immediately impressed.  The Sub70 849 Pro is a very good-looking driver.  Nothing too fancy or flashy, but in no way boring.  The finish is blemish free.
 

 
At address it looks great, the carbon fibre crown looks classy and modern, but still understated.
 

 
The number of loft/face angle and weight combinations available is perhaps a little overwhelming. I would love to see some information included that details what different weights would usually do to ball flight in different positions. 
 
 
My aim at the onset of test the Sub70 849 Pro is to determine whether it’s performance for me is good enough to warrant replacing my current driver.  I’ll be using data from Shotscope to make the comparison as accurate as possible.  Overall driving stats are probably most important for me, definitely not just distance.  My course has extreme rough not far off most fairways so keeping the ball in play is imperative.
 
I decided to give MyGolfSpy forum readers an inside look at the Sub70 849 Pro in more ways than one.
 

 
My initial plan to get the driver settings optimized was to utilize my club’s range using their Toptracer setup, but a combination of worn range balls, technical issues with Toptracer and lack of appropriate tee heights moved my setting up on course.
 
After really struggling initially, I gripped down about an inch and got much better contact and results. I subsequently cut the shaft down about ½ an inch.
 
Final Review
Looks (10 out of 10 points)
 
I really like the look of this driver. I’d probably describe it as sleek and modern, but with classic lines.  The head pairs well with the Project X Evenflow Riptide Shaft. As a disclaimer, unless the looks were so distracting to influence my swing, I’m not too fussed with appearances.  Happily, the Sub70 849 Pro actually looks good, and I like the clean lines at address.
 
Sound & Feel (10 out of 10 points)
 
The sound is great, and very well suited to my ear. Solid clank, pretty much Goldilocks. Not too loud, not too metallic and definitely not high pitched.
 
The feedback I get from the head is perhaps better than any other driver I have played. I can tell almost exactly where the ball has come off the face, even before seeing the ball flight.
 
Basic Characteristics (16 out of 20 points)
 
As discussed earlier, I was planning to dial in my settings using Toptracer at my club’s range, but unfortunately this wasn’t possible.
I played a couple of rounds playing with a couple of loft settings and putting a 6 gram weight in the heel, replacing the 3 gram weight.  After shortening the shaft I settled on one notch higher loft and standard weight configuration.
 
I started the testing hitting with a low to medium ball flight. I’ve increased my tee height, and ball flight is now more in the mid range.  The different shaft took a bit of adjusting to, but I’m starting to feel comfortable with it.
 
The ball flight is very penetrating, and seems to bore through the wind very well. Given that I play most of my golf in 10-25mph wind, that’s a real bonus.
Good swings result in an extremely straight ball flight, with solid distance. Heel or toe contact does see a drop in distance, but nothing too significant and the ball has stayed in play. All of my very poor drives have been the result of very poor swings!
As I get more comfortable with the driver I’m taking slightly more aggressive lines, and have been taking driver on holes I often take 3 or 5 wood to avoid trouble at driver distance.
 
On-Course Performance (24 out of 30 points)
 
The more I’ve played the 849 Pro, the more it’s growing on me.
 
 
This was a well struck drive, 240 yards into the wind, dead centre.
 
 
 
The penetrating ball flight really impresses me, as does the feedback it gives. The Shotscope Data shows a performance average drop of 4 yards from my Ping G400 SFT. This includes most of my set-up period, and most of my play has been of unseasonably wet fairways.  I’m looking forward to playing it when the fairways are in their usual very firm and fast condition. I fully expect the stats to improve as I get more used to the club .and conditions improve. The Sub70 849 Pro is listed as a 2 wood on my Shotscope.
 

 
 
A couple of highlights of the testing have been driving the green on par 4’s. The first was with an audience of old guys who let me play through. I think they thought I was better than I really am.
 

 
During my last round of testing I drove the shortened par 4 10th at my club.  Slightly uphill and into the wind. The slopes short of the green mean the window for hitting the green is only about 5 yards wide, and I thought I was a real chance of a hole in 1, finished 8 feet past the hole after missing the pin by a few inches.
 

 
 
 
Miscellaneous (4 out of 10 points)
Probably the biggest negative (and only significant one) is the headcover.  It looks great, but is very difficult to get on
 
 
 
 It is even tougher to get on when its warm, the rolled in outer material really sticks to the club head.
 

 
As someone who is a little visually challenged, I’d love to see the weights more clearly marked. It’s almost impossible to see the labelling with the naked eye.
 Some more information regarding what different weight will do to spin and launch would be very useful in helping to dial in the settings.
 
Play it or Trade it? (16 out of 20 points) 
I’m planning on keeping the Sub70 849 Pro in the bag. The penetrating ball flight is very well suited to the windy conditions I usually play in, and the feedback is great. I'm looking forward to a long relationship, I think we can be good friends.

 
Conclusion
I’d encourage anyone who is a reasonable ball striker to strongly consider the Sub70 849 Pro.  Even without taking price into consideration, this is a very good driver. When price is factored in it becomes an extremely attractive proposition, particularly if you are able to get fitted or demo it.  The outstanding feedback, adjustability and shaft options really make it really worth a look.  Give one of the little guys a chance.
 
Final Score: (80 out of 100 points)
 
 

Sub70 845 Pro – Official MGS Forum Review by Shapotomous
Intro
I am thankful to be chosen for testing and looking forward to see how this driver compares to my custom weighted G410+ with an Accra shaft upgrade (especially in the spin #’s and its impact on distance & accuracy).  I’ve been playing over 50 years (still waiting for my first HIO by the way) and currently around a 5 handicap.  I’ve been getting out about twice per week – a 9 hole league and as many as I can get in on a weekend evening.  I moved to the G410 from a G10 in late 2019.  I liked the G10 so much I stuck with Ping & experimented with a couple shafts, loft / lie adjustments and head weights to settle on the current version of the gamer. 
With a warm weather comfortable swing speed about 105, usually carrying about 240 and pretty straight, the driver doesn’t get me in much trouble and I consider it a strength of my game on the courses & tees I usually play.  A small draw or fade will be prevalent for the round depending how my back feels and I play it rather than trying to fight it.  Keeping it in play at about 250 yds is my #1 priority, I don’t swing at 100% to gain an extra 15 yards at the expense of accuracy.  I am stubbornly ignoring the oft quoted length statistics so that I stay out of the trees at 275!  I don’t mind aiming over a hazard or a few trees if I know the carry number is below my normal 240.  A few years ago some disk issues in my lower back had robbed me of some distance and playing time.  Thankfully through stretching and light workouts and equipment advances I’ve been able to turn the clock back about 10 years in how it feels and got back that distance.
 My miss is an infrequent over the top pull.  I think it generally shows up if my top half gets ahead of my bottom half.  It doesn’t play favorites and can happen on occasion with woods, hybrids or irons (maybe even the putter  😱 ).
If a par 5 is about 500 I can usually get on in two if my drive gets a little friendly roll to it.  Usually a 7i thru pw will get me onto the par 4’s on the courses & tees I play.  At times some young punk will drag me to the back tees and the 5 & 6 irons &  hybrids get used quite a bit more on the par 4’s.
I have a small synthetic putting green in the backyard but ironically putting can be a weakness if I don’t play a lot.  For me green reading breaks and speed have to be ‘played’ rather than ‘practiced’ in the backyard.  The practice green is fast and flat so it’s good for dialing in a consistent stroke but not developing touch so I get too mechanical.  This backyard green has turned 45 – 65 yard wedges shots into a strength as thousands of balls have been hit to it so those distances are in my DNA now.
 I couldn't find an assistant but after a few times with bad camera aim, I have this one from tonights testing...
 
First Impressions
Some of the marketing for this head indicates it is on the lower spin side of the spectrum.  This intrigued me as I have been considering a LST version of the G410 that has been my gamer for the past two seasons and I noticed in some launch monitor sessions my spin numbers can get up to 3000 and I believe rob me of some distance.  The various weights that are provided with the driver allow the flexibility to tweak the performance and really appealed to the ‘experimenter’ side of my golf personality.  The adjustable loft / lie settings the adapter provides seem to be standard with the industry now.
The first look at the club when opening up the box I believe shows care & quality.  Foam spacers that hold the shaft keep the club in place in the box.  The sticker on the head with the weight (201.6g) tells me each head gets specific attention in this detail.  The selections I made when choosing the set up were delivered accurately.  I used the Get Fit button on the website and went with the recommendations after filling out the info, standard length & grip and stiff shaft.  I picked the Hazrdous Smoke 60g, 6.0 shaft to go with a 9* driver head.  A few Sub70 stickers, tees, the CEO business card and a thank you card completed the package and are a nice touch.  It comes with extra varied sole weights which for a tinkerer like me is fantastic!  I had to buy a weight kit off the bay for the G410+.  Between the weights and the loft adjustments I believe I can tune this club pretty well to feel good to me.
 
The reference point for me testing this driver will be how it performs compared to the G410+ I am gaming.  I hit my driver as accurately as any other club in the bag so the 849 Pro will need to match its accuracy and provide some added distance maybe through a little lower spin rate.  The feel is also important.  I don’t have to ‘work’ to swing the current driver it matches my natural swing very well with the weight and loft set up tweaks I made.  I would like to see how much adjustment would be needed to my swing to get the same or better performance from the 849 Pro.  There are various head weights to try out and three different spots to put them so there are many options to dial it in.
Head Comparison Pic’s…


 Extra Weights!! 
 
Testing will consist of sessions hitting balls on the ‘range’ which in this case will actually be on the course at the best driving hole using Snell MTB-X balls.  I will hit a couple shots then alternate drivers to make sure I don’t have a warm up or getting tired bias to the results.  I will also take it out to a couple holes that require a fade or draw and see if I can work the ball with the same success rate as the gamer.  Of course I will then use the 849 Pro during rounds to see how it performs under scoring pressure.  I will use my mevo during these sessions to check ballspeed and height and maybe spin.  I can measure yardage with a range finder at the location of the balls.  Finally I will also book a trackman session to get some spin numbers since there are claims is this has been engineered for lower spin.
Final Review
 
Looks 8 out of 10 points)
The look of the club is understated with its all black coloring.  Being a traditionalist, I prefer this to the various colors you can get on other manufacturers.  The only alternate to black that I would consider is if someone came up with a design that mimics the persimmon grain pattern of my youth!   The shape and size are comparable to some other drivers and I like the rounded look from the face to back of the club.  It doesn’t look too oval shaped or elongated in either he toe to heel or face to back directions.  The standard 9* loft setting has to my eye a slightly closed look to it when sitting on the sole, however the spec data says its 0.5* open.  I experimented while testing and settled on two clicks lower in loft which seemed to move the face away from the slightly closed look.  The Hazrdous Smoke shaft also has a darker plain, color to it which matches the all black head to complete the understated look.
Standard setting pic...slightly closed look to my eye?  

 
Real Nice Look - Nothing Flashy - Weighting settled at toe & center ports used, heel port empty.

 
 
Sound & Feel 9 out of 10 points)
Sweet spot hits have a nice solid feel and are similar to a flushed shot with a blade iron where you don’t feel the ball pushing back on the clubhead at all.  Those sweet spot hits have a nice muted click, not a loud thwack or any kind of a ringing sound.  It has the better sound of a wooden spoon on a metal pot rather than a metal spoon if that makes sense.  In comparison it is quieter than the G410.  While trying out different weight combinations and finally leaving the heel spot empty did not change the sound at all.
The ball jumps off the clubface and the ball flight on those hits gets out there quickly and laser-like rather than a high rounded ball flight.  Mis-hits can certainly be felt in comparison to a sweet spot hit for immediate feedback.  My miss tends to be a toe hit or thin hit and I could tell by the slight twist feel where on the face impact occurred before confirming it with the ball mark.  The overall club weight and the swingweight feel to the club are right in my wheelhouse.  Out of the box it was within 1g of my gamer and within ½ a swingweight so it has a very familiar feel.  I had nothing new to get used to in the weight department. 
Basic Characteristics 18 out of 20 points)
I spent some ‘range’ and Mevo time dialing in the adjustability with loft and head weights before using it on the course.  I had gone through the same process with the gamer but in that case had to buy the extra varied weights off eBay.  It is a great feature Sub70 supplies them with the club.  It came with the 12g in the center and a 3g in the toe and heel along with extra 6g, 8g & 10g weights.  I settled on a 12g in the toe and 6g in the center slot with nothing in the heel.  I went with 2 clicks lower in loft mostly to get away from the slightly closed face look at the standard setting. 
Actual range time was used just to get a feel for swinging the club since range balls where I go  are not good indicators of ball flight performance.  So I went to the course a few evenings with some real balls (Snell MTB-X) and used the best driving hole on the course for testing.  Wide open and a slight uphill landing area so overall distance isn’t skewed by a long roll out from hitting something hard on the ground. 
 
On-Course / LM Performance 27 out of 30 points
In the overall performance category it did not disappoint.  My reference point of comparison is the G410+ driver and the tee ball is a strength of my game.  I consistently get comments from new playing partners about the distance (I’m no Bryson but relative to my age & size I seem to exceed first impressions!) and fairways hit with the driver.  The 849 Pro ball flight, distance and dispersion numbers on the course and on the launch monitors I used were very comparable to the G410.  In addition to the numbers game, I can say I have the same workable feel for this club as I do the G410.  If I need to favor a fade or draw I am able to get that ball flight with as much success with either driver.   
I had about the same success rate hitting it on the screws and squaring up the face.  I wondered if the shaft difference between the clubs (Hazrdous S in the Sub70 vs the Accra M5 in the Ping) would result in a performance impact but I did not notice anything in either distance or dispersion.  The Sub70 felt a little whippier but the clubhead did not lag and stay open. 
Mishits had about the same effect to them between the clubs I was comparing.  The mishit with the biggest impact for me is a ball hit low on the face, it ends up with higher spin rate and shorter carry by about 20 yards.  This effect is the same for both the 849 Pro and the G410 low mishits.  The slight toe mishit also performed about the same between clubs, a more pronounced draw with only a slight impact to overall distance.  I have a habit of checking the face impact spot after each shot and could consistently tell by feel what the ball mark would then confirm. 
Trackman Session Data
                 Club Spd    Ball Spd    Face Ang.   Launch Ang.    Carry    Dyn. Loft    Spin Rate    Height
                 Mph           Mph           Deg           Deg                 Yds       Deg              Rpm          Ft
                                    
849 Pro    15 shots                                
Average        101.1        150            6.4             12.9               247.8       14.6            2617           92
Consistency    1           1.4              1.7              0.8                 3.8          0.8             260            9
                                    
G410    13 shots                                
Average        100.6       148.2         4.7             12.3               240.5      14.2            2877           89
Consistency    1.3         2.2            2.3              1.5                 7.9           1.5             287            13 
The Spin Factor:
I was especially interested in spin numbers since the promotional material indicates this is on the low spin end of the spectrum.  I used a trackman session to compare to the G410+ and the 849 Pro did come in about 260 rpm’s lower on average for sweet spot hits and slight toe hits.  Low on the face hits ended up with about the same spin rate between the two clubs.  It would be interesting to test if spin data changed based on using different weights in the three different ports.  Maybe that will be a winter time trackman session experiment.  It would be a good excuse for a couple Jan & Feb indoor sessions to help keep the swing loose through the winter!
 Miscellaneous 8 out of 10 points
The careful packing, extra items pictured above and the individual head weight data label on the club indicate attention to detail  to me.  I also love the varied weights that come with it to help customize the performance of the club.  I always asked for opinions on the looks of the club and the only negative comment was from a TM fanboy saying it was missing some blue color to it…but he is admittedly biased.  Maybe to appeal to a larger audience some color could be in the next iteration.  I had a few people hit it through the round and all liked the sound & feel of a good hit.  These were players from a wide range of ability from 5 handicap through about 25.
 One issue I noticed is the headcover is not easily put on the club.  The opening is too tight vs. the size of the driver head.  Especially if the club is damp from dew.  A little wider opening with a gather at the midpoint like other headcover designs would help.  I put the headcover on after each use and it was very frustrating so my 1970’s Eastern European Olympic judge mentality came out and I deducted 2 points. I will HAVE to get an aftermarket cover.
 Play it or Trade it? 19 out of 20 points
To score this category I am simply looking at the features / performance / price point in comparison to the current driver market mfg's which get most of the attention….the Ping’s, TM’s, Callaway’s, Cobra’s & Titleist’s.  Having a Ping G410+ I was able to do a direct comparison to the Sub70 849 Pro and found there is no real difference in performance between to the two for me.  The Sub70 price point being at $300 for the version I tested is below the other brands giving it the advantage.  There are quite a few upcharge shaft selections available if someone has a favorite model they are trying to get and again even with the price adder it is still a bargain compared to the other manufacturers. 
I will be PLAYING the 849 Pro going forward and waiting for the MGS aftermarket head cover to get back in stock!! 
Conclusion
To summarize, I found the Sub70 849 Pro driver to be a quality product equal in performance to my G410+.  I used launch monitor data, course performance, feel, looks and sound parameters for the comparison.  When looking at the price of the Sub70 compared to other manufacturers that is where the real advantage is realized.  At $300 for the version I tested it is a bargain compared to the other major manufacturers with no drop off in performance for my game.  There was no drop off in distance or dispersion and I may even get a little more out of it with some more adjustable weight experimentation over the winter.  I don’t swap clubs very often so I can see myself playing this one for the next 5 years or so.
Final Score: 91 out of 100 points
 

Introduction
I’m Michael and I’m a first-time tester for MGS. I play most of my golf at Werribee Park Golf Club, which is west of Melbourne, Australia (Down Under!). It’s a brilliant part of the world to play golf and has one of the best views from the clubhouse of any course I’ve been to. I also venture out to other golf courses about 4-8 times per year; one of the best was playing Curlewis (close to where my in-laws live) after being invited by @Peaksy68.


A typical view of Australian golf in the middle of winter.

View from the clubhouse
I have been playing golf since I was 14, so have been playing for 20 years. Up until the last 3 years I haven’t had a regular playing schedule, but now it’s weekly. I’ve been able to go from an 18 handicap down to 8 in those 3 years. Typically, I gain strokes from driving, lose a little from approach and short, then putting is a small gain. Lately I’ve been driving terribly but my short game has been better than normal; skewing my recent averages.
                                 
  
Current 10 round averages - Overall stats are vs 8 Handicap, Putting vs 5 handicap (gives a testing baseline of 0.0)
 
My golfing is mainly on Saturday mornings, and I don’t usually have much of an opportunity to practice during the week. With the PuttOUT equipment I’ll be able to practice putting at home without having to go to a dedicated facility. It looks like a good range of equipment to make sure my putting is top notch. This should combine well with an AimPoint session I did recently. I’ve found it useful for reading greens.
 
First Impressions
In our box of goodies we received a Premium Pressure Putt Trainer (titanium white and dark grey – a colour combo that doesn’t seem to be on the online shop), a large putting mat (3.7m x 0.66m or 12ft x 3ft), and a Putting Plane Alignment Stick Set. I haven’t seen the packaging on the other colours of the Pressure Putt Trainers, but the silver band at the bottom of the packaging would be a nice colour pop to match the different colours of the trainers.
 
Packaging - The packaging is quite nice, with clear indications about what each item is for and links to ideas for how to use the equipment. I noticed how the packages could be merchandised both on a shelf standing up, or on a hook – a nice touch. There aren’t excessive amounts of packaging so it’s easy to get everything out. One minor issue is on the top of the Alignment Stick Set’s packaging. The closing tab detaches with an unsatisfying tear rather than a clean detachment. It’s an incredibly minor criticism, but it would make the user’s experience a little nicer.

Pressure Putt Trainer Packaging - I hope the silver band at the bottom changes with the colour of the product.

Alignment Stick Set Packaging with carry bag

Top of the Alignment Stick Set packaging - has unsatisfying tearing
 
Storage - Living in an apartment, I can’t permanently setup any golfing equipment, so the thought the designers have put into easily putting away each product seems to be very useful. I have a 4 x 4 set of Kallax shelves in my office and a golf area in the wardrobe for storing my gear. I think that I will be able to easily take out and put away all elements of the kit. The mat comes with a storage bag to keep it neatly rolled up when not in use. The way the Pressure Putt Trainer and the Putting Plane Alignment Stick Set fold up is ideal to fit into my golf storage area. A big tick for consideration of storage.

Easy to find places to store both the Pressure Putt Trainer and the Alignment Stick Set
 
Unrolling mat - For the test period I’ll be continually rolling and unrolling the mat to use it. First impressions are that the mat is thick, has plenty of different markings for different activities, and the edges are highly reinforced. It looks like it will last a long time. Only issue is that the centre of the roll doesn’t lie flat. Maybe that’s because it’s brand new and needs to relax (who am I to criticise for not relaxing), or maybe it’s just physics of rolling up a mat. It’s doesn’t really affect the performance of the matt, but I’ll see how it goes over time.

Matt rolled out - plenty of markings and a decent length that can fit in my living room

The centre of the mat doesn't lay flat. Will see if it just takes some time to relax
 
Assembling Alignment Stick Set - There are plenty of pieces that look like will enable a variety of different putting activities. All the parts disassemble and have a dedicated storage area in the bag, so it’s easy to pack away and keep all the bits. The small rubber tube that enables the two alignment sticks to be joined is a nice touch. I like the idea of the gates to give immediate feedback about starting line, but having the alignment sticks to ensure that the equipment is lined up properly is a nice feature.

The Alignment Stick Set allows many options and disassembles for storage. Pocket is for the gate parts.

Use of extended alignment stick ensures ball, gate, and target are aligned (sticks sag but are straight along putt line)
 
Goals for testing
My 10 round average for strokes gained putting is currently sitting at 0.0 against a 5 handicap, so I think a good goal for putting success would be to get it to +1.0, but any improvement will be worth it. I’ll post updated stats after any round I play to see how I’m progressing.
 
 
With my practice I want to make improve my ability to start my ball on my intended line, with appropriate pace. I really want to try out the variety of possible activities that can be done with the gear, as this will help with keeping practice fresh (putting practice can easily get stale) and evaluating how the gear can help you to develop a repeatable, accurate stroke. If there are any drills you want me to try out to see if they’re possible with the gear, please let me know in a comment.
 

 
With my reviewing, I used all of the different elements of our sets over different weeks. I started with just the mat and the Pressure Putt Trainer, then used the Alignment Stick Set with more regularity later on.
 
Quality of components (10 out of 10 points)
For all 3 elements of the set, the products are made well, have quality materials, and are well put together. As identified in my initial impressions, I could only fault some very minor packaging experience issues.
 
Ease of use (10 out of 10 points)
With the Pressure Putt Trainer and the putting mat, it was obvious what the purposes of each product were. With the Alignment Stick Set, it’s a more complex product. There are many more applications and combinations the product can be used in, so some were not initially obvious. This was solved with informative packaging with examples of the different ways the products can be setup.
 
Basic Characteristics (17 out of 20 points)
Starting with the mat, it does everything you would want from an indoor practice mat. It rolls at a green-like speed, has assorted targets and alignment lines for practice. It makes a great base to build putting practice from.
 
With the Pressure Putt Trainer, having the smaller target meant I was able to focus with greater detail. It also meant that I had a more difficult goal that a standard hole size; great for rehearsing putts inside 6 feet. By having the goal of the perfect speed and line to nestle in the target, it was rehearsing starting the ball on line, with appropriate pace, and made practice interesting with the satisfying “plop” into the small target.
 
With the Alignment Stick Set, its fundamental purpose is to rehearse starting the ball on line. Sadly, with all the arrangements there was only loose feedback that I was starting my putts on line. The gates were much wider than a golf ball and can’t be narrowed for making tighter pass/go for starting putts on line. As I stated in the mid-review comments, by having multiple slots in the round rubber feet, the difficulty for starting on line could be changed.
 
On-Course Performance (## out of 30 points)
For my review, it’s impossible to evaluate on course performance; public health orders where I live prevented golf being played during the review period. I had one round on the 31st of August, but with 50km/h winds (31 miles) my poor putting stats were influenced more by the conditions than any practice I had done with the products.
So sadly, I’m going to have to ignore this part in my scoring of the products. I’ll revisit this in about a month and update this.
 
Miscellaneous (10 out of 10 points)
The strongest characteristic of all the products in our set is the quality of materials and finish. They don’t really affect the ability of the products to help your golf game but if you’re spending money on products, it’s better if they’re well-presented. For example, the Pressure Putt Trainer’s materials have a nice matt finish, the putting mat has reinforcement around the perimeter of the mat and a thicker base layer than others I’ve seen on the market, and the stainless steel in the Alignment Stick Set gives it a premium feel.
 
The other area of strength for all products was the thought put into how they are packed away for easy and small storage. The bag with multiple pockets on the Alignment Stick Set where every part had a place is well thought out. As a result, all the products take up minimal space in a closet.
 
Keep it or Trade it? (14 out of 20 points)
 
Putting Mat – keep. It does everything a putting mat should. Rolls up, rolls truly, can be vacuumed occasionally to keep it clean, and has a range of useful markings. Technically I’m not going to keep this one, but a friend is buying a Medium mat and then we are trading. The medium mat will fit my home better.
 
Pressure Putt Trainer – keep. This is a unique product in the putting practice market; providing a little reward for making a perfect putt but also indicating made putts. With the added convenience of it being able to fold away neatly when not in use, the different colour options, and its suitability for people who aren’t “golfers”, it’s a real winner.
 
Alignment Stick Set – trade. I really wanted to like this product, but I just didn’t find it useful. I tried all the different setups that it can do, and none of them convincingly aided starting the putt on line, and the product is not designed to train correct speed. I’m sure there will be someone who thoroughly disagrees with me who will love it though. It is a well-made product that you can tell has been thought about in design, but it just doesn’t gel with me.
 
Conclusion
I thank both PuttOUT and MGS for giving me the opportunity to review these products. The process really got me thinking about putting practice, and was the trigger for some enlightening discussions with the professionals at the facilities I go to. Overall, I commend PuttOUT for the quality of materials, construction, finish, and storage of their products. You can tell they have gone to great effort to get this right. For the Putting Mat and Pressure Putt Trainer, these are great products that I think help to keep my practice fresh and improve my putting. I want to practice more with these two products. Whilst the Alignment Stick Set is a well-made product, I didn’t find it useful to get my putts starting on line. I'm thinking of modelling and 3D printing some custom feet for my Alignment Stick Set.
Final Score: (61 out of 70 points)

PuttOUT - Official MSG Forum Review by Steve Davies (DStar) 
 
2nd August 2021
 
Into
I’ve been testing the PuttOUT large mat, pressure putt & alignment stick set for nearly a month. After a few evenings of initial testing to see what worked for me I came up with six tests/practice routines that I would use to complete the review.
These included using the gates & alignment sticks and the dreaded ‘Perfect Putt’.
The results can be found here: PuttOUT Test Results
Each session took around an hour to do and my aim was three sessions a week. 
I have also recorded my progress when playing on the course but these numbers only give an indication of my number of putts per hole/round as I don’t have any data on putt distances but we have some really tough greens and, on some, a 2-putt is a welcome number. 

 
Quality of components - 9
All of the products on test were very nicely packaged, clear/crisp graphics with instructions on use printed on each item. The individual items all felt well made and, as a set, blended really nicely together. 

On opening the packaging the parts felt really nice. As an engineer by trade I am particularly interested in quality of fit and finish and, overall, this was excellent. The only issue in this area was with the alignment plane - when the sticks were inserted I found that they did not line up perfectly with the holes in the gates, it would fit but needed a little persuasion. 

I had no issues with any items breaking or becoming unusable and I had my mat set up in our conservatory which gets very hot and I experienced no issues with the mat losing shape.
I really liked the bag for the alignment stick set as all of the components fitted well with a pocket on either side for a gate/feet set - very nicely thought out! 

 
 
Ease of Use - 9
I’m a typical man! New stuff, take it out of the box and try to put it together..
The pressure putt is simple to use, folds out nicely and I liked the aluminium button for the perfect putt target. 

The gates & feet go together and it’s obvious how these fit.
The alignment set took a little time to work out but then I read the instructions - easy peasy! 
The mat rolled out flat 1st time and stayed flat throughout the test. I did hoover it before use, every time. 
 
Basic Characteristics - 18
 
I found that as soon as the PuttOUT kit arrived I couldn't wait to try it. Having never used any training aids before I was keen to get it set up ASAP.
I still really enjoy the challenge of improving my putting and I am seeing some really good improvements in my game as a result of using the PuttOUT set regularly which means I will continue to use this equipment. 
The tests I devised are working for me and, going forward, I will look to add in different tests to keep the practice interesting. I can see that doing the same thing over and over may lead to less use but I think there are enough options to keep me coming back.
I found that the mat is quite good for short chip shot practice too although I would use an old mat or piece of astroturf to chip off as I'm not sure how much use the mat could take.
 

20210801_104259_001.mp4 I may add in a mirror as an alternative aid and will take the gates & pressure putt to the course to use on the practice greens to help improve further.
After a few hours of use I could really feel and see how my stroke and distance control was improving - this was backed up by my results on the course too. 
It started to become obvious which putts were good and which were bad. The repetition has really made a difference to my putting stroke. 
On the whole I found the kit easy to use and quite intuitive in how it can help improve my game. 
I did find that the alignment plane didn’t really work for me but others may find that it does. I can appreciate the idea but found a better way, for me, to use the gates/sticks to help with my alignment. 
 
On Course Performance - 30
 
I really do think that doing this test/review has made a huge difference to my confidence with the putter. 
I now stand over the ball without the dread of not really knowing what I’m doing. I can line up the putt, make a good stroke and have faith that I’m doing it right. 
I may not get the read right but the stroke is feeling so much better. 
The numbers in my data don’t really show the full story as it’s hard to achieve a perfect putt. As long as I was scoring 5 or more on each test I was happy as that meant I had, effectively, holed the putt I was aiming for - a perfect putt was a bonus. 
All of the kit on test performed flawlessly and I think that PuttOUT have produced a well thought out system that works well together (or on their own too).
One thing I would change would be to have two different sized gates as this could further increase the difficulty to help improve accuracy. 
Personally, I wouldn’t buy the alignment plane. I would be happy with a pair of gates and sticks as, for me, these were the best aids in that particular set. 
Did it help improve my scores? Even if the figures don’t show it I would say, without doubt, that this has improved my scores. Putting is a hard thing to quantify as it could be 2 putts from 8 feet or 2 putts from 30. We have large, undulating greens and I’m finding I am much less likely to 3-putt than I was before. I’m lagging long putts to a couple of feet for easy tap-ins much more regularly and I feel confident that I can do that on most putts. 
 
Miscellaneous - 8
 
I thought the whole package was a very well thought out set. All of the items can be used together or separately which gives a lot of scope for finding the best way to use them for different people. 
Everything came well packaged and presented and feels high quality.
 
Keep it or trade it - 18
 
On the whole I believe the improvements in my putting make this a sound buy. I will definitely be keeping it as part of my ongoing practice as I try to improve my game. 
The items represent good value for money, maybe a little highly priced if I was buying but it is all very good quality kit. The mat, in particular, seems very durable and consistent as a putting mat should be.
I think the gates and sticks go well together but would add the plane as an option as it didn’t work for me. 
I would also have two different sized gates rather than both the same size as that would give some variation on difficulty and further help with accuracy practice. 
I would also change the printing on the mat slightly. As most people would probably use known distances I would change the small lines (either side of the 1’ markers) to have rings that are the same size as the gate feet. This would make it easier to line up the gates with the central line.

Who would benefit from this set? Me for a start! I think that any golfer looking to improve their putting would find these products very useful. 
 
Conclusion
 
Overall this has been a great test. I’ve found the products easy and fun to use and will continue to use them. They can be tucked away fairly easily and the reinforced mat bag is a great touch as is the alignment stick set with pockets to keep all the bits safe.  
The perfect putt is so hard to get but so satisfying when you do and it’s showing it’s worth on the course which is where it matters.
Thanks to MGS for choosing me for this test/review and if you need any information do get in touch. 
 
Final Score - 92 
 
Well done PuttOUT on a great product...
 

Hello fellow spies. Here we go ... starting my PuttOUT testing and review.
First, a big thank you to MyGolfSpy and PuttOUT for this opportunity! I will give it my best.
Some background: I began my golf journey 7 years ago and my current handicap is 19. Putting is both my favorite and the best part of my golf game. From the beginning putting seemed easy. Although I’m right hand dominant, I began putting left handed because it felt more natural. I do some things left handed and some right and but easily switch back and forth for many things without even thinking about it. After 3.5 years lining up as a lefty, I allowed myself to be talked into a right handed Edel putter fitting. It works but it also feels like more work. Until last year, I typically 2-putted with a few 1-putts and 3-putts each round.
A couple years ago I started working on putting in earnest. Last year @downlowkey gave me a PuttOUT Pressure Trainer that I’ve used regularly and experienced success with in lowering my number of putts.

(On the left is my original PuttOUT Trainer cup; on the right is the newer version included in out testing kit.)
A few months ago @downlowkey also gave me the Bettinardi SS38 Armlock putter that he reviewed for MGS. With the armlock, PuttOUT and a lot of practice I've managed to further lower my average putts per round to ~31. But in the past few weeks I was delighted to play two rounds with 29 putts and one with 27 putts. For me to consider this new comprehensive PuttOUT setup a success, I want my average putts per round to be sub 30 and make more 10-12 foot putts. I feel more confident at the 15 foot range than facing a 2 footer and hopefully PuttOUT can fix that.
Being a fairly good putter, leaves fairway hits, or miss hits, as my weakness. That is where I seem to put myself in difficult spots that add strokes. I regularly find bunkers, deep rough and water, plus I seem to be an expert at smashing into trees. I’m rarely on the green in regulation, but once there I relax and putting is good. It’s not unusual for me to score a 6+ on a hole but with only 1 or 2 putts. I can leave my playing partners shaking their heads, but they like me as a scramble partner.
When my PuttOUT shipment arrived I was impressed how well everything was secured in the boxes.

(Above top photo is the Putting Mat wrapped in protective plastic inside the shipping box. Bottom photo is the box containing the Putting Plane Alignment Stick Set and Pressure Putt Trainer cup minus the stuffing to keep stuff from moving around.)
The PuttOUT packaging design and quality is superb (more about that later). At first I thought I must be missing the instructions but it’s all there with steps and illustrations printed right on the packaging.

(Above are some of the instructions printed on the packaging. More cumbersome than a booklet would be, but don't throw it out!)
 
The mat is larger than I anticipated 12’ ½” x 26¼” and very well made.


(Above top photo is the PuttOUT Mat setup in my den. Bottom photo shows the heavy stitching on the edges, like a well made throw rug that keeps the corners from flipping up.)
It is easy enough to roll out for practice and roll back up for storage. I have identified 6 places in my house with hard floors that I can set it up. I plan to leave it setup in my den for most of the duration of this test so it will be ready to use every day. I will move it to a carpeted area for at least a week to see if that makes any difference.
I enjoy the challenge of the Pressure Putt Trainer but so far I’m not thrilled with the Putting Plane Alignment Stick Set. I’m a visual learner and don’t like the clutter between my ball and target. But if it helps me improve, I will learn to love it.

(As you can see, the top alignment stick obscures being able to see the center alignment line on my putter. The Pressure Putt Trainer cup is on the left end, a metal gate to putt through is in the center, and two alignment sticks are connected in a row above the white center line on the mat.)
If you have questions or ideas you would like me to try, let me know and I’ll do my best to provide answers.
My LGA gives an award each year for the best putter. The score is determined by keeping up with our number of putts on each hole throughout the year when we have monthly play days. The end score is achieved by adding up the lowest putts we had for each hole. My goal is to win that in December with some help from the PuttOUT practice package!
Stage 2 Review
Time for scoring my PuttOUT kit experience. Albeit inconsistently, I have practiced many hours since setting up the PuttOUT package. I was hitting 150 – 200 putts a day for long stretches and then nearly a week would pass without finding time to practice. Some nights I would wake up and unable to fall back asleep, I would get up and putt. Trying to score those "perfect putts" can be quite addictive.
 
 
Quality of components: 10 out of 10 points
Everything from PuttOUT is well made and seems quite durable. From the informative packaging to the different components the quality and attention to detail is evident - i.e. the heavy stitching on the mat edges which helps keep it flat.

 
rubber tips on the ends of the alignment sticks to help keep them secured in the gates

 
nubs on the bottom of the Perfect Putt trainer to keep it from moving around

 
printed markings on the mat to encourage proper alignment, distance control and creative practice

 
and the knap on the mat is short and dense, similar to real grass greens... I only wish the greens at my home course were this thick.
Ease of Use: 7 out of 10 points
The package we received was easy to figure out/setup and included a large practice mat. I left the mat setup for the duration of our review period but did test how easily it can be rolled up and stowed in the storage tube. I had to reroll it a few times to make it fit. One point deducted for the difficulty getting it back in the storage tube. I imagine the small and medium size mats are probably a little easier to manage.
If you have sufficient space, the large mat is nice. That said, the medium size would probably be my first choice because I would be more likely to keep it setup full time. I think being able to just walk over and use it for a few minutes encouraged me to practice more.
(Note: In one of the above photos from my first review stage of my review, you can see and compare a 7 ft throw rug next to the PuttOUT mat. Prior to being selected for this review, that rug was my practice putting mat and the surface on which I practiced extensively with my original PuttOUT Pressure Trainer. It worked for me.)
Setting up the different components is fairly straightforward although a little awkward getting the parts of the Putting Plane, sticks and gates properly aligned/oriented. I'm deducting 2 points for this issue.
Basic Characteristics:  16 out of 20 points
I like putting through the gates but didn’t find the alignment sticks and putting plane particularly helpful. Depending on what part of your putting needs work, the alignment sticks and plane guide could be useful. The putting plane has hash marks one inch apart for visual feedback on the length of your back stroke and follow through.
 
I tend to rise to a challenge and making "perfect putts" was no exception. I practiced until I could make them semi-regularly. But the reality is that "perfect putts" are not mandatory. PuttOUT states that if a putt rolls back to you from the Pressure Trainer cup, it would have likely dropped in the hole – that’s what matters most to me.
 
Each practice session, it would take me a few minutes to get a feel for my putting. As I would get in the groove, more putts would be “made” putts but not necessarily "perfect putts". I would liken it to spending some time on a practice green prior to round of golf. Practicing for a few minutes on the PuttOUT mat before heading out for a proper round of golf has become my typical routine.
I deducted 4 points because my mat had a distinct ripple that adversely impacted putts. And it wasn’t only one mat. I oddly received 4 mats in my shipment. I gave one to another Spy and the other two to local high school golf teams. But I checked out all the mats and each one had a distinct ripple in the same place. The other Spy, laid a heavy flat board on his mat for a few days which helped. The ripple in my mat did not completely smooth out even after being setup for 4 weeks.
On Course Performance: 27 out of 30 points
Scoring in this area was difficult for me determine. This new PuttOUT practice package did not make much difference in my putts per round during our short testing time, but my prior experience with the original PuttOUT Pressure Trainer made a significant difference. I feel like if I had not already been using that original Pressure Trainer for the past year, this new version would have been much more impactful. So I counted my past Pressure Trainer history and putting improvements in my on course scoring category. Rather than be repetitive, you can read above in my First Stage Review how my average putts per round improved.
I deducted 3 points because I did not find all of the components in our kit significantly helpful.
I track my stats with a Shot Scope V3 every time I play, although recently I haven’t had time to analyze all of my rounds. In the past it indicated that of my missed putts, 60% were short. I’ve always had difficulty judging distance. I don’t have new figures yet, but I do feel like I am leaving fewer putts short since practicing on the PuttOUT mat. That in and of itself is worth it. In my most recent round, I had 3 one-putts and the rest two-putts. More putts than I want but of those two-putts, 9 of my initial putts (10 - 20 feet) finished inside 18” and most were not short. So I feel like the PuttOUT mat has probably helped with pace.
Miscellaneous: 5 out of 10 points
I originally deducted 10 points because the instructions are only printed on the packaging. This is a significant oversight to me. Keeping up with all of the product packaging in order to reference the instructions and tips is rather cumbersome. A small booklet/brochure would have been my preference. Including info on all of the available components in the booklet might also entice consumers to order more parts of the complete package.
Then I added 5 bonus points back in for the ways, beyond only practice putting, that PuttOUT can be creatively used. The putting games you can create using PuttOUT are limited only by your imagination. The coach for one of the high school golf teams I gave PuttOUT to is very excited about creating competitive games to get her players to practice pressure putting. Plus, following the lead of @DStar, I’m excited to continue using PuttOUT for practicing short chip shots in my house.
 
Trade It or Keep It: 20 out of 20 points
I will definitely keep the PuttOUT practice package - it has encouraged me to practice more and I have seen improvement in certain segments of my putting performance (i.e. distance control).
Conclusion: 85 out of 100 points
If you want to become a better putter, I would absolutely encourage you to purchase the PuttOUT Pressure Trainer. While I feel like the same quantity of putting practice on an actual green will improve your stats, the Pressure Trainer is so addicting and easy to use that it encourages you to rack up more practice time. The Pressure Trainer folds up small and flat for storing/traveling. When the practice green at our club was closed for several months and inclement weather kept me indoors, I could still work on my putting. The putting mat is very nice but not essential. Happy putting!

MyGolfSpy- Callaway Epic Max LS Review
Stage 1 Introduction/Initial Impressions
 
I can’t thank MGS enough for the opportunity to review another product and especially one so coveted as the Callaway Epic Max LS! I was fortunate enough to review and test Bridgestone e12’s back in 2019 (or as we know it the Pre-Covid era…) I guess I didn’t mess that review up enough for them to banish me to the cellar of the forum, so again thank you MyGolfSpy for the opportunity.

As for myself, I’m a 37-year-old civil engineer from the beautiful Cumberland Plateau in Tennessee. I live in what is known as the “Golf Capital of Tennessee”. Crossville, TN is a wonderful place to visit, vacation and play golf as there are several courses with great layouts. I have played golf for almost 30 years now and played all sorts of sports growing up. I was fortunate to play baseball in college at Tennessee Tech University and have spent my after-college competitiveness solely on golf. I have probably improved from a 12 handicap in college to my peak last year of 4.2 GHIN. I’m currently carrying a 5.1 but we had a new addition to my family last summer and its be harder to sneak out and get rounds in for the past 12 months.  
 

I am blessed with a wonderful garage practice area complete with a SkyTrak, Bridieball Putting green and other various golf improvement tools. So, while the rounds have been slimmer so far this year, I have practiced more than ever. I really feel confident every time I step up to hit the ball and there is never that feeling uncertainty over the ball.

As for my game, I feel like the strength of my golf game comes from my ability to create speed and distance with the driver and use my wedges to hit greens and give myself opportunities for bridies/pars. Of course, with distance sometimes comes inaccuracy as I often have more “Penalty” strokes in a round than I would prefer due to OB and hazard balls. I’m always looking for increased accuracy and dispersion with the driver and am excited to see how the EPIC Max LS compares to my current Ping G410LST.
In 2018 after reading MGS reviews/tests and taking instruction from a local PING pro I decided to get fitted for the Ping G400. The pro fit me into a PING G400 LST, that eventually cracked and was replaced with a PING G410 Plus that I swapped for a PING G410 LST last fall. I have been super pleased with the change as I’m certainly a golfer that needs to keep his backspin numbers down with the driver. Typically, I carry the driver around 275-280 yards with a swing speed around 110-115. With a strength of my game being my distance, I like to take advantage of it as often as I can on par 5s and be as aggressive as I can reasonably be. My strategy being to hit second shots as close to the green as possible on every par 5.

Over the past year I have changed ball flight with my driver from someone who has always fought a fade/slice to hitting a more draw bias. It has been challenging but getting to practice whenever I want has been key to making slight adjustments to my swing. I added a new set of irons to my bag as well, playing the new Mizuno JPX-921’s.
But enough about myself, y’all didn’t come here to date my golf game, y’all came for the Bombs, activated calves and the shiny new Callaway Driver!
On June 18th this beauty arrived on my doorstep, it was a bittersweet arrival as Callaway sent a stiff shaft and not X stiff flex shaft that I was fit for.

The actually fitting was an adventure all itself, as I was notified I had been selected for this test a few days before a 10 day vacation, so I had to drive an hour during the vacation to the closest PGA Superstore to try out shafts and clubhead lofts. Of course, any reason to visit a PGA Superstore is always a plus for any vacation. 

The fitting was probably one of my worst driving sessions in months but after trying out half a dozen X stiff shafts I settled on the stock MMT 60. The shaft felt extremely similar to the KuroKage shaft that is currently in my Ping G410 driver. After my original driver fitting in 2018, I have come to realize the importance of being fit for the proper shaft, especially for the longest and fastest swinging club in your bag. If I could only be fit for one club in my bag it would certainly be the driver.
The PGA Superstore fitting was also the first opportunity to put the Callaway Epic Max LS against my current gamer. With both clubs having 9 degrees of loft, similar X shafts and weights set to fade bias, my initial impression is this is going to be a very close contest to see which club comes out on top, as the ball speed, backspin and sidespin numbers were all extremely similar.

When I compare the two drivers’ side by side, I will have to say I’m excited that the Epic Max LS seems to have a smaller profile and slightly larger footprint. The shape reminds me more of the G400 LST I had a few years ago. While I have never been a huge fan of the Callaway chevron for alignment, I also didn’t like the Ping turbulators at first either and have grown to love them.

Let’s talk about the “Jailbreak Speed Frame” for a moment, as a structural engineer I’m very familiar with how frames work and where they are supposed to reinforce structural members. I can see a benefit to the frame over the two Jailbreak bars to give added reinforcement to the face structure. I think the claim from Callaway is that the reinforcement helps with off-center hits. It makes sense to me that by reinforcing the bottom and crown of the club you are restricting the twisting forces that would be on the clubface during an off-center hit. What I’m not certain of is how much the impact of a golf ball on the clubface puts stress on the bottom and crown of the club. I would think perhaps with the thin metal of the crown and sole it might have added benefit, but we shall see.

Once the correct shaft arrives (and I’m praying it will be very soon) I’m ready to hit the ground running with testing and comparing the clubs. I’ve got the SkyTrak ready to give me accurate numbers as well as an opportunity to run different tests every day and look closely at ball speed and spin numbers. I’ve also got several upcoming tournaments and practice rounds I’ll be playing in the next few weeks, so I’ll have lots of course experience with the Epic Max LS as well.

It’s going to take a lot to knock the Ping G410 LST out of my bag. I’ve already shared some screen shots from a round on Father’s Day weekend where the ole Ping was already starting to put up a fight. If the Callaway can do as it claims and keep mishits straighter and can tighten my dispersion, then it will certainly win the spot in the bag. I’ve always been a golfer that makes a decision with a club and sticks with it until the club has become technologically obsolete, so having two drivers only one generation apart to choose from is going to be new ground for me. Hopefully in the coming weeks it will become abundantly clear which one works best for me and my journey will help those of you reading make a decision on what’s right for your game.
I can’t emphasis enough how thankful I am that MGS entrusted this test and review to me and I’ll work hard to pay back that trust.
 
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 
Final Review
Again, I can’t thank MyGolfSpy and Callaway enough for allowing me to test and review such an amazing product. Due to a mistake in the original club building I have been using the Callaway Epic Max LS for exactly one month. In those four weeks, I’ve played in several tournaments, rounds on the course, driving range sessions and hundreds of balls hit on a Skytrak Launch Monitor. I’ve done my best to test every faucet of the driver in comparison to my current gamer, a Ping G410 LST. I hope these scores, testing data and review gives everyone who reads it a firsthand account of the club and if it would fit their game.
Looks (9 out of 10)
The Callaway Epic Max LS really is a sharp looking club. The shape and glossy black crown of the club are appealing to the eye. The round footprint of the club is classic. The face graphics look tough and give you the impression the sweet spot is huge and covers most of the face, which it feels like sometimes when you hit it off-center.

I’m not a huge fan of the color scheme, a darker green might have looked sharp next to the gray, white and black. The chevron alignment aid isn’t my favorite either, but I was not a fan of Ping turbulators when I first began playing them. I did mention in the comments earlier that during testing I kept getting the feeling the chevron alignment aid feels slightly on the heel, and I mean millimeters from center but just not quite in the middle. I’m sure it has to do with the actual center of gravity of the entire club, not just the center of the face or where it sets on the crown of the club. 
Overall, the club is very appealing to look at when set up to the ball and really gives the player confidence to make a swing that would result in some serious bombs. I have some very minor issues with the appearance but it’s a very attractive driver.
Sound and Feel (9 out of 10)
The feeling of impact with the Epic Max LS is firm and quieter than the Ping G410 LST. The best thing I can compare it to is the feeling of a hammer hitting a nail versus a tennis racket hitting tennis ball. The G410 LST certainly gives the feeling like it springs the balls off the club face more but from my testing that doesn’t result in faster ball speed or longer carry distance. I rather enjoy the quieter sound at impact, especially when most of my practice comes indoors. I've tried to capture the sound on the following video, you can hear a clear difference. 
Basic Characteristics (20 out of 20)
 
There isn’t a single category that I can think of where the Epic Max LS underperformed the G410 LST. Both had similar trajectory, launch, workability, ball speed. The clear edge going to the Epic Max LS in carry distance, accuracy, and forgiveness. Balls hit off center had a remarkable ability to carry much further than anticipated and curve less. During testing on my Skytrak launch monitor, the Epic had a significantly lower standard deviation (29.1 to 44.4) of shots hit offline from the average yards offline, meaning the dispersion should be tighter.
 

 
With extensive testing I can say with a degree of certainty that the Epic Max LS is longer, the caveat being that it’s not significantly longer. Most of the testing showed it carried 1-3 yards longer on similar swings. Ball speed was very similar with slight differences. Off-center hits with the Epic Max LS did seem to create more ball speed than off-center hits with the G410 LST. That may lead to credence that the “Speed Frame” does what it says, providing more ball speed and less side spin than other drivers.
 
On-course/LM Performance (30 out of 30)
 
On the course, I didn’t notice huge differences in performance, I felt like poor swings resulted in poor shots and good swings resulted in good shots. I didn’t find myself longer on the course with the Epic Max LS than the Ping G410 LST but if my Skytrak is telling me it carries 1-3 yards longer, I’m not sure that’s something noticeable on the course. It certainly didn’t change the clubs I hit into greens from what I have in previous rounds.
 
Where I do feel like there is room for the Epic to solidify itself in my bag is with accuracy, shot dispersion and mishits. The G410 LST has never provided the consistency and accuracy I felt like I was getting with my G400 LST. While I haven’t noticed a huge improvement on the course, I have noticed differences on my Skytrak. Ball hits off-center, usually on the toe, come off hot and straight as if they had been squared up. There were at least half a dozen balls I hit that I would assume would carry short and left but instead just kept going with balls speeds over 170 mph and landing very close to where I wanted them. The following screenshots were all on center-toe hits.  
 

 
The requirement I put on the Epic Max LS to make it into my bag was that it would tighten my shot dispersion and give me more accuracy off the tee. One of the glaring weakness is my game is the penalty shots my driver costs me each round in hazards or OB. While my distance helps making up some of those shots in a typical round if I can eliminate one or two OB balls each round that would be Epic.
 
Miscellaneous (4 out of 10)
 
There are a few little things that I felt like could have gone better with this test and the Epic Max LS. The most frustrating would have to be a mistake in shipment. Callaway originally sent a stiff shaft instead of the extra stiff shaft I needed for the test. I wasn’t the only tester in which this happened to but for whatever reason I had to wait nearly 5 weeks to receive the replacement shaft that I needed to conduct the test. I can’t complain too much as Callaway did eventually remedy the issue. It just limited the amount of time I was able to test the product properly. Another small issue would have to be the headcover was extremely tight to take on and off the club, which is not a big deal as I've got a sweet white Mizuno headcover I use for my driver. 
 
Play it or Trade it (20 out of 20)
 
Let’s see what club will be donning my white Mizuno head cover drum roll please….
 

 
 
 
Well, if you’ve been reading along that was anticlimactic. This session about a week ago on my Skytrak is what really cemented it in the bag. 
 

 
I will be certainly putting the Epic Max LS into my bag. It was slightly longer than my current driver and provided improved accuracy with both center and off-center hits. I would however probably not go out and buy one if I had a driver one to two generations old. While I feel like it beat my G410 LST in accuracy, it constantly reminded me of the accuracy with my G400 LST and didn’t seem so drastic I would feel the need to purchase one. Of course, I’m a golfer that believes it’s the Indian and not the arrow when it comes to equipment.
 
The Epic Max LS is designed for golfers that create a lot of backspin on the tee and are looking to lower those numbers to maximize their distance and accuracy. Its certainly top notch for this generation of equipment. If you are someone who needs lower spin off the tee and want to replace a driver older than 3 years I would certainly recommend purchasing the Epic Max LS.
 
If I apply these same metrics for my Ping G410 it would score in the mid to upper 80’s due to how much I like that club. In fact, a part of me wanted it to out preform the Epic Max LS for various reasons but I can’t overlook the improvements that I feel the Epic Max LS provides. Its going in my bag and not likely to come out any time soon.
 
Final Score: 92 of 100
 
Again, Thanks MGS for entrusting this test to me and Callaway for providing the equipment for an unbias testing platform. 
 

 

Introduction
First off thanks to MSG for selecting me as a tester for the Epic Max LS and for Callaway for offering the testing opportunity. I started golfing with my Dad around 12 and played a lot in high school before a lull around college, but now I am back. I have been getting more serious about the game in the past couple years, and as a person who works with data well MSG was a site I really liked.
So… about that golf game. I have been self-taught all this time (code for never 100% sure what I am doing and always working on something) but have backed into a halfway decent game. Putting is probably the strongest part of my game with things getting worse the further back from the green we go. Which of course means driving is the biggest issue. I have always fought a slice and now that I understand the swing more adding too much dynamic loft. This means I am always down to try a new driver to help get that swing into shape.

EpicDriverSwingShorter.mp4 So, with this test I am looking forward to working with a driver that has a more forward center of gravity to help with dynamic loft and to keep the spin manageable. Of course, Callaway’s biggest driver story has been jailbreak now the AI Speed Frame coupled with the AI Flash Face. To go with this speed Callaway has moved their low spin version in their more forgiving driver shape, now its speed and forgiveness, what’s not to like. To top it off the rear movable weight can affect COG and closure rates of the clubs. What can’t this club do? The real question is does it matter? Well let’s get busy finding out.
Testing Strategy
To that end I want to be transparent about how I am testing the driver on performance. My current gamer is Cobra SZ Extreme at 9° that will serve as the comparison. There is a local location with a GC Quad where I can collect data including head data. So here are they ways I will be testing.
Shot Scope for strokes gained data Measured GC Quad performance including Ball speed Spin Rates Dispersion Ball speed retention of off-center hits (I mean I never mishit it) Launch Etc. I hope to deliver some cool looking charts about this data to make it exciting. I know exciting charts is a bit of an oxymoron but trust me I do that for a living. The overall goals will be if this driver can reduce spin and manage launch without sacrificing dispersions this will be a home run of a test. 
First Impressions
It all started as all these tests do, with a long brown box…



 
The only tool for a job like this, the golf swiss army knife,  I knew my Dad gave this to me for a reason . Opening this was like Christmas in the summer! The box was very well packed and looked well cared for, and there was a great attention to detail. I also really like the personal card with the specs of your order on it. As my first MSG test I might just have to frame this on and put in in my office 
First impressions are that this club looks absolutely great. With the shiny carbon crown, chev log and small epic and the back of the club head. A nice clean look, with that hint of tech, a nice balance for sure. The sole of the club has a nice color scheme, with the carbon toe section. I really like my choice of the HZRDUS Smoke Black and the Lamkin UTx with green cap, which in all honesty color matching was the main reason for picking that grip. It was a good call by me as the club looks sharp. Will it help me hit it better of course no, but I sure will look good slicing it into the woods.
The bottom might be a little busy for some but coming from the Cobra SZ Extreme it looks almost a bit understated by comparison. Speaking of comparisons, the shape is indeed elongated some, that more modern look, and very similar to the SZ Extreme. One change is obviously the Max LS has the weight adjustability which the fiddler in me will probably mover around way too many times.
One tiny negative is that the head cover is currently a bit tough to put on, but I am sure that will get easier as I use it more, which of course will be a lot now. Overall, this is everything I expected and more. I can't wait to get to the range and the course and give this a baby a whirl. And early returns are that if you hit the ball as you intend then yes it does go well off the tee. Stay tuned for more!
 
 


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Final Review - 8/23
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Final Review
Well, it has been a fun summer with the Epic and as my first MSG testing opportunity I have really enjoyed the process. Getting to take a good look at a great new club and compare to my current gamer has been an amazing opportunity. Again, thank you so much to the MSG team and Callaway I am truly grateful. So, lets dive on in and see if the driver lived up to its name…
Looks - 10 out of 10
Right from opening that wonderful big brown box on my door step this driver has looked amazing. I love the simple black top with the carbon starting to show through, simple chev alignment aid is just perfect. I also am a fan of an elongated driver look like the SZ Extreme and the Max LS is in that mold, though makes sense as I still have a soft spot for my old ’07 TM Burner. Then on the sole I really like Callaway’s color choices, as green is a personal favorite. The toe piece is a nice design choice and I think adds some nice pop to the bottom of the club. The sole might seem busy compared to a TSi3 say, but a step down from my Cobra SZ or the Rad Speed so I think it fits in that middle ground. I also enjoyed how the shaft and grip I choose to fit the color way of the driver for one complete package.
Sound and Feel - 8 out of 10
Overall, I have enjoyed both the sound and feel of the club. I have found the sound to be more muted than my Cobra. More like a dull ping, like a cowbell with the end covered say, whereas the Cobra had that high pitch to it that was less pleasant. I still would have preferred a bit more muted on the sound, that duller Taylormade crack that sounds more like a baseball bat, but the Callaway is still very good. Personally, feel is something that I struggle to tell the difference on with many clubs and is not something that would affect how I feel about a club as long as it performs. The Callaway and my Cobra both feel similar with a nice solid feeling, which after camping reminds me of hitting a tent stake into the soft ground, that last strike when you hit the ground and the stake there is a firm feel with some rebound. Solid but with that face flex as the ball takes off, sorry to those that use campers that is the best comparison I got right now.
Basic Characteristics - 19 out of 20
Now to the basics of the club and what I have felt about it. My first swing with the driver was on course and it did not disappointment. A nice low fade to the middle of that fairway. Coming into this test understanding more how I deliver the club I was hoping for a club that could help lower launch and spin, and well the Epic Max LS with their more forward CG did the trick. This driver has definitely brought the launch down, even on my bad swings versus my Cobra. With that has come a more controllable spin as well. When working on a launch monitor, I noticed the immediate effect in my dynamic loft coming down at least a couple degrees to pull that launch down and spin.
I did get to play around with the sliding weight and hosel adjustments which does help control the launch and face closure rate when using the weight. In testing both on the launch monitor and driving range the forgiveness has been exceptional. It has tightened my dispersion and I have found the confidence to hit driver on tighter holes again. Just check out this one range session where the Epic took the Cobra to the cleaners.
Club
Swing Speed
Ball Speed
Total Distance
Fairway %
Epic Max LS
100.8
145
258
70%
SZ Extreme
101.2
137.9
246.3
40%
 
To pair with this forgiveness the distance potential has been really great. Especially in my last GC Quad session, as seen in the images here, the Epic has come alive. When getting the ball position right the Epic just dominated. Getting dynamic loft down to 18, still hitting a few degrees up on it, resulting in low 2000s spin with launch in and around 15 leading to multiple balls carrying 270 and rolling out to just over 290, the final rows of the GC Quad data below. These are numbers I have not seen with my Cobra and I think really speaks to its power. One thing I wanted to include but lost with a failed GC Quad data export was the ball speed on mishits, one of Callaway’s big claims. Though anecdotally the smash factor on off center hits did seem to be a bit better on Callaway, though its tough to say without that data (shakes fist in the air).



The only small nitpick is that head does seem a bit slow higher on the face, when hitting one higher on the face on course and on the monitor took off a bit more speed that I would have liked, but again a very small issue.
On Course Performance - 28 out of 30
As mentioned previously the first ball on course was my first swings with the club and the Callaway went off out without a hitch. A nice lower fade to center cut and this was a pattern that continued where this club really performed. Even when swinging poorly this club fit me much better. It reduced my curvature left to right and lowered the peak height. Of course, it was not immune to my really bad swings, but keeping that more forgiving shape with the more forward CG feels like it delivered the best of both worlds. On a number of occasions when hitting the SZ Extreme and the Max LS side by side the Callaway was hitting it longer on average and in a much better window almost every time.
The driver really came alive in my last round at Owls Nest where I hit multiple drives over 260 even on a windy day. I hit the driver on a few holes where it might have been a bit silly, and it still delivered. It even helped me play a slightly longer tees than I normally do and still never had more than a 7 iron into any par 4s, which when I normally play these tees there are couple holes with much longer second shots. Really the only reason I took a couple points off is because there have been a few balls that felt like ok hits but then they go much shorter than expected given the feel of strike. Overall, though as seen in the shot scope highlights below this club has delivered. I was only gaining about 0.6 shots against a 5 handicap for the season, but in the rounds with just the Epic I am gaining 1.5 shots off the tee versus a 5 cap, now that’s an improvement. In that final round at Owls Nest, I actually hit it so well I gained 0.62 shots against a scratch golfer off the tee. Now that is Epic!


 
 
 
 
 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Miscellaneous - 7 out of 10
From the packaging to the custom order slip the little extras has been great with the Epic. The only nitpick was that the head cover is a bit hard to put on at first, it’s a tight squeeze for sure. Though I will say I love the look of the headcover itself. I even like the simple headcover wrench as well that was included. Only other points lost, as other have mentioned, was for the shaft issues everyone had, I was the lone lucky one to have the right shaft from the start.
Play It or Trade It - 20 out of 20
Well this should come as no surprise to anyone who has followed along or read this far, but I love this club and it will be staying the bag for sure. The driver has done everything I was looking for it to do. It lowered the launch and brought the spin down even with poor swings. With the SZ it was tough to get the spin below 3000 on even good swings, and with the Epic it does that easily and with the right delivery I can get it spinning around 2100 for some serious distance increase. The movable weight has also helped me swing with confidence to hit a slight fade instead of a slice as well. Though I felt this might be the case when I did True Golf Fit this spring the Epic Max LS was the second-best option for me and the first was a SIM. Both are forward CG, low spin heads which made the SZ Extremes days numbered and well they have come to a close. The Epic is a driver that just works for me and that is priceless it might be $530 but I see no need to change it any time soon so it is worth that investment.
Total – 92 out of 100
I came into this year having gained some speed it felt like my driver and the delivery I was making with it were off. So, I decided to see if I might get to test the new driver from Callaway knowing this driver might fit my new swing better. From swing one this driver has delivered. My spin dropped, my launch dropped, and I started hitting it longer that I had been by about 10 to 20 yards. This trend continued on course and on the launch monitors. Each time I came to put the SZ Extreme up against the Epic Max LS the Cobra just didn’t stack up. Then in my last round with the Epic the result was put beyond a shadow of a doubt with distance and consistency that I have not had for a long time in a driver. So, the winner by knockout is the Epic Max LS.