It is an honor to be a part of testing this driver, thank you MGS and Sub70. I plan to test this driver against three other drivers I have. I will be testing the driver on the course, at Golftec (GCQuad/Foresight), and on the range with my Rapsodo MLM so I will have some good data and video. I will try to be as consistent as possible with balls and shafts. About me, I am married with two 10 month old puppies and an avid golfer. Also, "Hi. I am a hockey player, but I am here to play golf" Happy Gilmore...I played D-1 college hockey and did not take golf seriously until about 6 years ago. I have had some success since I started playing tournaments (qualified for the USGA Mid-Am in 2017 and 2021). Photos of me and the family below!
Here is my golf info intro with some bolded items to get the short and sweet:
I am a tournament golfer so I practice/play during the season most days. Even if it’s just rolling a few putts on the Perfect Practice Mat or swinging the Orange Whip. I am kind of a golf geek and enjoy the process. My forte is hitting it far and putting well. Handicap is +2.5. Swing tempo is 3.4:1 (data from Zepp) and Driver swing speed is 115+ MPH. My natural ball flight is right to left, but I can play shots both directions. Typical miss that would cause problems is left. My current gamer is the original Taylormade M1 with a Mitsubishi Tensie Pro Orange 70TX. I went back to this club this year after going through a plethora of Taylormade drivers (3 Sims, 2 M5s) that kept breaking. The M1 also performed very well in the MGS winner's test, which made me go back! I love the looks of the M1 driver. I was not fit for this driver. With driver in hand ball flight is the priority, but the look of the clubface is really important to me as well. Some drivers set up looking like they closed and I do not like that! I do not like taking chances with aggressive lines, unless I know I can hit it past all of the trouble. I mostly “play conservative, but cocky” (Dr. Bob Rotella quote). I am going for par 5’s in 2 as much as possible and not many that I can't reach. The statistics show that the closer you are the better and I rarely lay up to a specific yardage. Into par 4s a wedge is my typical club.
First Impressions
Coming out of the box it was fun: Business card, tees, hand written note, and stickers along with the wrench and weights. Club looks really clean. Headcover is not the best, needs to be broken in or a little bigger. The OEM Statesand I AGREE "849 Pro Driver continues Sub 70's aesthetic of clean, classic lines, dark colors, and performance driven shapes". The 450cc 849 Pro provides the higher level ball striker a good soft sound: "sound of the driver has been optimized as well, so as not to draw looks at impact, but only after people have seen where the ball has landed." I chose the lowest launch/spin shaft available without an upcharge,Project X HAZRDUS Smoke 6.5 with the stock Lamkin Crossline 360 to fit a profile close to my Gamer. Sub 70 fits my notions that it is a better players direct to consumer priced option. The lower price point with a touch of good business (card and extras) was nice! This club will earn a spot in my bag if it performs better (distance and dispersion are important to me off of the tee). I will be testing with Rapsodo MLM, Golftec (foresight/GCQuad), driving range, and on course. It will be fun to test the most extreme settings for fade and draw bias!
I subtracted 1 point here because of the head cover (it is not the best) and the stock settings of the club face look a little closed as shown above. I think Sub70 hit the mark on looks and the "less is more” moto that they live by. The general shape is your classic pear head with a little bit of an extended back. The graphics are perfect and very clean and neat much like a Titleist driver. The look comes together perfectly and I love the appearance compared to some drivers that have too much going on with coloring/alignment aids/etc. The 849 Pro Driver continues Sub 70's aesthetic of clean, classic lines, dark colors, and performance driven shapes.
Sound & Feel (10 out of 10 points)
I would say the sound/feel is perfect (check the MLM videos attached). The sound and feel are my favorite parts of this driver. The sound is a comfortable sound that sounds like a nice low frequency dull thwack. The feel is consistent across the face on pronounced miss-hits without any noticeable dings/dongs/thwacks. Compared to my M1 Gamer the sound and feel are better. This driver is along the lines of the Sim2 sound which is great. The sound of the driver is optimal, so mentally I know it will not draw looks from other players at impact.
Basic Characteristics (17 out of 20 points)
-1 because the driver spun more than my gamer. -1 because the stock setting looks a little closed to my eye. -1 because it is finicky to change out the small weights. Of note the driver’s stock swing weight was D5.8 and when I added the 10G weight to the toe the driver swing weight went to E0.1
The trajectory is higher than my gamer, but still good (in the recommended range based on trackman recommendations). The club is very workable and has numerous settings to fine tune with the different weights. There was not a noticeable difference in accuracy from the two clubs. I did move more weight to the toe and was hitting the Sub70 Pro, “like a pro”. Total distance was good, but a little shorter than my gamer because it spun more. Hard to tell if that is more of a shaft thing, but that is my guess. Forgiveness was as expected and I was pleasantly surprised by the feel still being solid on low hits. This driver is adjustable. Changing out the weights on the club is not as easy as your standard weights that slide because you will have to carry the other weights in a pouch. No problem with keeping the driver in play when I lofted down. With the stock settings, the club sat a little closed for my eye. I was pleased with the accuracy, the mishit’s feel, and the distance was good. The extra weights to find a good combo for swing weight and mishits is awesome. The one factor that is lacking is the club at its stock settings looks a little closed.
On-Course / LM Performance (27 out of 30 points)
I subtracted 3 points because the club was shorter, spun more, and it did not have a noticeable improvement.
The club performs well in all circumstances. I hit it well in the Monthly Rapsodo long drive contest where there are no mulligans. Three straight shots and they all count. (ignore the Launch direction on the Sub70, lining up the MLM is tough)
I would rank this club right up there with the best of the best. I would rank it ahead of these clubs I have hit: TMade Sim2 (not a fan of the thing on the back of the club and it spins more than my current gamer), Ping G425 (do not like the grooves on top of the club), the PXG 0211 (not adjustable enough). My gamer, the TMade M1 works for me (shaft probably plays in to this too). I rank the clubs that I have hit this past year in the following order Gamer, Callaway Epic, Sub70, PXG 0211, Sim2, and Ping G425.
This product changed my impression in a good way. As I eluded to in my intro, they did a couple extra things when the club was delivered like tees, stickers, notes so that was nice. The price point for the driver is great. Golfers can get the upgraded shaft and pay a similar price to the other guy’s stock driver shafts. I had an issue with the driver and their customer service is great!
The features I would change are the head cover (it is a little snug) and the look of the club at address (looked closed compared to the M1). The feature I really like about the driver is the adjustability. I think you could really get dialed in without having to put lead tape on the driver. There are numerous combos to get the correct swing weight, loft, and feel with the removable weights. I did not notice a noticeable improvement in scores with the driver
Miscellaneous (8 out of 10 points)
I subtracted a couple points here because I had an issue with the driver epoxy. In the video attached. I think the issue is probably a 1 in 20,000. They did add couple extra things when the club was delivered like tees, stickers, notes so that was nice. The price point for the driver is great. Golfers can get the upgraded shaft and pay a similar price to the other guy’s stock driver shafts. I had an issue with the driver and their customer service is great!
Play it or Trade it? (17 out of 20 points)
I am going to trade it. My Gamer, the M1, gave me my best year of golf in 2021. The Sub70 Pro has a great asking price, great customer service, and is a beautiful looking/sounding club. I would like to get some data with my Gamer Shaft (Tensie pro orange) in order to compare apples to apples. The 70 gram 6.5 low launch HZRDUS Smoke is a close shaft but it is not the same. This club is for a serious golfer looking to fine tune their feel.
Conclusion
In conclusion, the 849 Pro Driver has clean, classic lines, dark colors, and a nice pear shapes. The 450cc driver is smaller and allows a higher level ball striker maximum adjustability…The driver’s carbon head has up to 20 grams of weight adjustability in the heel, toe, and rear section of the head. I liked the look of the club better when I lofted down which opened the club face. I think you have an affordable, great looking/sounding driver that is workable in both directions. If they offer a shaft you love, I think this club can find a spot in your bag, just find a better head cover.
Sub70 849 Pro Driver
Posted
INTRO
It is an honor to be a part of testing this driver, thank you MGS and Sub70. I plan to test this driver against three other drivers I have. I will be testing the driver on the course, at Golftec (GCQuad/Foresight), and on the range with my Rapsodo MLM so I will have some good data and video. I will try to be as consistent as possible with balls and shafts. About me, I am married with two 10 month old puppies and an avid golfer. Also, "Hi. I am a hockey player, but I am here to play golf" Happy Gilmore...I played D-1 college hockey and did not take golf seriously until about 6 years ago. I have had some success since I started playing tournaments (qualified for the USGA Mid-Am in 2017 and 2021). Photos of me and the family below!
Here is my golf info intro with some bolded items to get the short and sweet:
First Impressions
Coming out of the box it was fun: Business card, tees, hand written note, and stickers along with the wrench and weights. Club looks really clean. Headcover is not the best, needs to be broken in or a little bigger. The OEM States and I AGREE "849 Pro Driver continues Sub 70's aesthetic of clean, classic lines, dark colors, and performance driven shapes". The 450cc 849 Pro provides the higher level ball striker a good soft sound: "sound of the driver has been optimized as well, so as not to draw looks at impact, but only after people have seen where the ball has landed." I chose the lowest launch/spin shaft available without an upcharge, Project X HAZRDUS Smoke 6.5 with the stock Lamkin Crossline 360 to fit a profile close to my Gamer. Sub 70 fits my notions that it is a better players direct to consumer priced option. The lower price point with a touch of good business (card and extras) was nice! This club will earn a spot in my bag if it performs better (distance and dispersion are important to me off of the tee). I will be testing with Rapsodo MLM, Golftec (foresight/GCQuad), driving range, and on course. It will be fun to test the most extreme settings for fade and draw bias!
Info on the driver:
https://www.golfsub70.com/sub-70-849-pro-driver.html
Video of my initial impressions:
https://youtu.be/8V6PoH1hAOY
Final Review
Looks (8 out of 10 points)
I subtracted 1 point here because of the head cover (it is not the best) and the stock settings of the club face look a little closed as shown above. I think Sub70 hit the mark on looks and the "less is more” moto that they live by. The general shape is your classic pear head with a little bit of an extended back. The graphics are perfect and very clean and neat much like a Titleist driver. The look comes together perfectly and I love the appearance compared to some drivers that have too much going on with coloring/alignment aids/etc. The 849 Pro Driver continues Sub 70's aesthetic of clean, classic lines, dark colors, and performance driven shapes.
Sound & Feel (10 out of 10 points)
I would say the sound/feel is perfect (check the MLM videos attached). The sound and feel are my favorite parts of this driver. The sound is a comfortable sound that sounds like a nice low frequency dull thwack. The feel is consistent across the face on pronounced miss-hits without any noticeable dings/dongs/thwacks. Compared to my M1 Gamer the sound and feel are better. This driver is along the lines of the Sim2 sound which is great. The sound of the driver is optimal, so mentally I know it will not draw looks from other players at impact.
Basic Characteristics (17 out of 20 points)
-1 because the driver spun more than my gamer. -1 because the stock setting looks a little closed to my eye. -1 because it is finicky to change out the small weights. Of note the driver’s stock swing weight was D5.8 and when I added the 10G weight to the toe the driver swing weight went to E0.1
The trajectory is higher than my gamer, but still good (in the recommended range based on trackman recommendations). The club is very workable and has numerous settings to fine tune with the different weights. There was not a noticeable difference in accuracy from the two clubs. I did move more weight to the toe and was hitting the Sub70 Pro, “like a pro”. Total distance was good, but a little shorter than my gamer because it spun more. Hard to tell if that is more of a shaft thing, but that is my guess. Forgiveness was as expected and I was pleasantly surprised by the feel still being solid on low hits. This driver is adjustable. Changing out the weights on the club is not as easy as your standard weights that slide because you will have to carry the other weights in a pouch. No problem with keeping the driver in play when I lofted down. With the stock settings, the club sat a little closed for my eye. I was pleased with the accuracy, the mishit’s feel, and the distance was good. The extra weights to find a good combo for swing weight and mishits is awesome. The one factor that is lacking is the club at its stock settings looks a little closed.
On-Course / LM Performance (27 out of 30 points)
I subtracted 3 points because the club was shorter, spun more, and it did not have a noticeable improvement.
The club performs well in all circumstances. I hit it well in the Monthly Rapsodo long drive contest where there are no mulligans. Three straight shots and they all count. (ignore the Launch direction on the Sub70, lining up the MLM is tough)
I would rank this club right up there with the best of the best. I would rank it ahead of these clubs I have hit: TMade Sim2 (not a fan of the thing on the back of the club and it spins more than my current gamer), Ping G425 (do not like the grooves on top of the club), the PXG 0211 (not adjustable enough). My gamer, the TMade M1 works for me (shaft probably plays in to this too). I rank the clubs that I have hit this past year in the following order Gamer, Callaway Epic, Sub70, PXG 0211, Sim2, and Ping G425.
This product changed my impression in a good way. As I eluded to in my intro, they did a couple extra things when the club was delivered like tees, stickers, notes so that was nice. The price point for the driver is great. Golfers can get the upgraded shaft and pay a similar price to the other guy’s stock driver shafts. I had an issue with the driver and their customer service is great!
The features I would change are the head cover (it is a little snug) and the look of the club at address (looked closed compared to the M1). The feature I really like about the driver is the adjustability. I think you could really get dialed in without having to put lead tape on the driver. There are numerous combos to get the correct swing weight, loft, and feel with the removable weights. I did not notice a noticeable improvement in scores with the driver
Miscellaneous (8 out of 10 points)
I subtracted a couple points here because I had an issue with the driver epoxy. In the video attached. I think the issue is probably a 1 in 20,000. They did add couple extra things when the club was delivered like tees, stickers, notes so that was nice. The price point for the driver is great. Golfers can get the upgraded shaft and pay a similar price to the other guy’s stock driver shafts. I had an issue with the driver and their customer service is great!
Play it or Trade it? (17 out of 20 points)
I am going to trade it. My Gamer, the M1, gave me my best year of golf in 2021. The Sub70 Pro has a great asking price, great customer service, and is a beautiful looking/sounding club. I would like to get some data with my Gamer Shaft (Tensie pro orange) in order to compare apples to apples. The 70 gram 6.5 low launch HZRDUS Smoke is a close shaft but it is not the same. This club is for a serious golfer looking to fine tune their feel.
Conclusion
In conclusion, the 849 Pro Driver has clean, classic lines, dark colors, and a nice pear shapes. The 450cc driver is smaller and allows a higher level ball striker maximum adjustability…The driver’s carbon head has up to 20 grams of weight adjustability in the heel, toe, and rear section of the head. I liked the look of the club better when I lofted down which opened the club face. I think you have an affordable, great looking/sounding driver that is workable in both directions. If they offer a shaft you love, I think this club can find a spot in your bag, just find a better head cover.
Final Score: (87 out of 100 points)