New vs old drivers

[djahubes]

With the recent run of driver testing contests (yes, I've applied for them all), I'm curious - how many of you out there play a driver more than a few generations old?

 

For instance, I'm playing a Cobra HS9 X. Which is about a decade old. Crazy, I know. But every time I drag it to a launch monitor, it equals or exceeds the numbers of the newer sticks. Which is all the more reason I'm curious about the current driver reviews out there, especially the Mizuno and Nike. I'd like the time to get a new one in the course and see if it's worth putting in my bag.

 

So, long story short, are there any other tech holdouts out there?

 

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My opinion only, no 10 yr old driver can match anything current. Maybe hitting middle consistently, but anything off center no chance.

 

 

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[GeekingGolf]

I am still rocking the Nike Ignite 460 with stock shaft nothing can touch it.

 

 

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[Street11]

Cobra F6 here, and I love it - not sure if the F7 would be worth the $$$ for me to upgrade.

 

 

http://www.instagram.com/libertyballmarkers

 

http://www.ebay.com/usr/libertyballmarkers

I have the F6+ with a HRZDUS Black 6.5 75G and it's an absolute beast. I love it. In the bag for years to come. Love that sound.

 

 

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[dadivots]

Basically the MOI etc in accordance with the rules has been maxed out for some time. Mostly what any of the companies are doing now is messing around with weight placement with regards to loft and face angle. Really they are not doing anything new that us old timers have not been doing with lead tape and or hot melt for years. Look at Callaway's Gravity Chamber there is nothing new and revolutinally there. Toney Penna did it over 40 years ago with the persimmon drivers. IMHO the best improvements are in shaft technology and the technology in tuning them. To add to Rev's suggestion I would like to take some of the older heads and put universal quick fit adaptors on the shafts and test them with newer more modern shafts compaired to the newer stuff. Also keep a roll of lead tape handy to make weight corrections. The only reason I am hitting a newer Titleist driver now is because I made a smoking hot trade on it and a Nike Vapor Pro and like the shafts in both. If I had not done that trade I would be hitting my older custom Hathaway or my older Hogan CS-5

I have to go with this; shaft. And confidence per results comes second. Plenty of tech out there to get you that too.

A local bomber has played an original Orlimar 9* with the stock 5.1 R shaft since it was new.

And played it with 115-20 ch speed to boot. 280 all day and more if he wanted it. Cracked it a month ago and has gone all sideways on the latest tech (and the numbers) rather find some one who will spec him to what he had and work with him from there; tech says that R cant possibly work. Fitted with the latest greatest and on his second driver already. Being side by side in the fairway with us old farts was for lack of a better word, sad to see , so Im waiting for the second one to get nixxed too. 

Moral of the story... If it aint broke dont fix it.

If it does break, get the right 'mechanic' to fix it.

[Shankster]

Best advice for anything right there.

 

"If it ain't broke don't fix it"

 

 

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[Justin H]

My opinion only, no 10 yr old driver can match anything current. Maybe hitting middle consistently, but anything off center no chance.

 

 

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I think 'match' is the wrong word.  The differences in the numbers was not enough to justify spending $300-400 on a new club. I did eventually end up picking up a SLDR, but mainly for the shaft.  The low/forward CG suits me better too. 

 

I'll end up with a 2016 M2 at some point...for me, the moral of the story is, how much expendable income do you have to spend on a club?  I think that drives decisions for a lot of us. 

[mtisdale]

I would love to see some more head to head testing on old vs new.

I have the Ping G5 10.5 deg driver and I've loved it since the day I borrowed if from a friend on the driving range one day.

 

I haven't hit anything better yet. Still hitting around 270 yrd  average with long being 290-300

[MDGolfHacker]

I would love to see some more head to head testing on old vs new.

I have the Ping G5 10.5 deg driver and I've loved it since the day I borrowed if from a friend on the driving range one day.

 

I haven't hit anything better yet. Still hitting around 270 yrd average with long being 290-300

If I was hitting the driver that distance and I was in the fairway, I wouldn't get rid of it either!!

 

MDGolfHacker

[Smalls1588]

I honestly never noticed astounding differences until I switched to the M2 (2016). Previously I played an old cobra, then the Anser, to the G25, then to a SLDR, and now onto the M2. I don't know if it was just a mental thing of owning the top of the line driver for that year for the first time in my life, or if it really is the tech. But I genuinely hit the ball about 30 yards further than I did and exceedingly straighter. Could be proper fitting too going from an X Oban Kyoshi White to a stock Fuji shaft in a S.

 

 

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[mtisdale]

well that's the catch, it's not always in the fairway.. That right there is where I keep hoping the new tech will help out. I just keep working on my swing and it usually gets much straighter by mid season..

[dcorun]

I'm playing the R15 with a Accra F150 and nothing has come close to knocking it out of the bag. IMHO it is the best TM driver since maybe the R5 Series. It is accurate, more forgiving than it gets credit for and LONG with the right shaft. It's also very easy to adjust. I've compared it to the Epic, M2, XR and D2 so far this year. Not worth the money to change. Still have the F7, F7+ and Z565 to try so, we'll see.

[dcorun]

I also played the Cleveland Launcher for 3-4 years with a UST all white shaft which I can't remember the name of. A BOMBER!

[Titlemade]

I have been playing my Callaway FT5 for the past 15 years. Like you, every time I compare it to new drivers on a launch monitor it compares favorably or close enough not to justify the additional cost. I recently compared my FT5 to the Callaway EPIC. On the computer screen the EPIC is 25-30 yards longer & just as straight...actually more forgiving. So, I'm anxious to hit this thing outside & I'm afraid I'll have to invest $500 to get it! If the results are the same as the monitor...money well spent!

 

 

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[downlowkey]

Ok, I am still playing with the TaylorMade R9 SuperDeep TP that I got on June 1st, 2010. I know that there had been testing done that shows that the ball speeds on drivers of this era are comparable to the hot new stuff of today. That is regulated by USGA and R&A rules. The improvements in the past 7 years have to do with spin and launch conditions. If your 2010 era driver is a perfect fit for launch... High LA, and low Spin, there is Very little improvement to be had by purchasing a new club..... If you hit the center of the club.. When I am swinging well, there is no discernible gain to be had by switching to something new. Believe me. I try EVERYTHING. EVERY YEAR.

I was gaming a Callaway FT Tour for ~7 years before it literally exploded on the range last Fall. The M1 430 I picked up as a replacement is a terrible substitute.

[Honest Wes]

With the recent run of driver testing contests (yes, I've applied for them all), I'm curious - how many of you out there play a driver more than a few generations old?

 

For instance, I'm playing a Cobra HS9 X. Which is about a decade old. Crazy, I know. But every time I drag it to a launch monitor, it equals or exceeds the numbers of the newer sticks. Which is all the more reason I'm curious about the current driver reviews out there, especially the Mizuno and Nike. I'd like the time to get a new one in the course and see if it's worth putting in my bag.

 

So, long story short, are there any other tech holdouts out there?

 

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Titleist 910 from 905R.

 

 

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[EthanSterlingPrice]

Oldest club in my bag is my Nike VRS 3-wood 4-5 years oldish. I'm using a Vapor Speed driver right now. Still have my first r7 driver though and I do hit it on occasion.

 

 

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[Canucklehead]

My first switch from my dunlop starter set was a driver. Bought a Callaway RAZR fit (I believe came out 2011) and nothing has been able to beat it. I've taken it and demoed every club in store every season. Lots of clubs can match it.... But nothing has out hit my baby yet!!

 

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[poprocksncoke]

Haven't found one to knock the r11s out of the bag yet.

[tvrepairex]

Bought a Cobra F6 recently but I still hit my TM R11 as well most of the time.

 

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[Rtracymog]

I was gaming a Callaway FT Tour for ~7 years before it literally exploded on the range last Fall. The M1 430 I picked up as a replacement is a terrible substitute.

If you miss that 430 at all it just goes nowhere. Definitely not the most forgiving thing in the world.

 

 

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[GeekingGolf]

I wonder if we compensate in our swings at all for our current equipment. I have a Nike Ignite 460 and nothing has beat it yet wonder if over time I have made subtle changes to my swing to allow for a gods shot

 

 

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[DuncanFLA]

Primary weapon is a Callaway Razr Hawk driver, occasionally I dig out the Mizuno Blue Rage driver. But, for the most part, I prefer the Razr Hawk.

 

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[alfred480]

I switched to a 2015 Nike Vapor Flex with a Diamana blue 60s+ shaft gained about 30 yards of carry with that combination. Its a smaller head but it works really well. I think one of the biggest things is the shaft has to be optimal for you and the head in the correct settings for your swing speed and tempo.

[PlaidJacket]

I switched to a 2015 Nike Vapor Flex with a Diamana blue 60s+ shaft gained about 30 yards of carry with that combination. Its a smaller head but it works really well. I think one of the biggest things is the shaft has to be optimal for you and the head in the correct settings for your swing speed and tempo.

Wow. So total distance gained is something like maybe 60 yards!!

 

I still play my 2014 SLDR. I've tried to change (just because) but can't do it. It's been too damn consistent and reliable. Although I do like the Epic and might... might consider one next year or whenever Callaway puts out a newer model. I refuse to pay for a new current year model when a last year model is the same.

[DuncanFLA]

Primary weapon is a Callaway Razr Hawk driver, occasionally I dig out the Mizuno Blue Rage driver. But, for the most part, I prefer the Razr Hawk.

 

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I picked up a slightly used Callaway XHot driver. WOW! Much better than the Razr Hawk!

 

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[GolfJunkie302]

I used the super old TaylorMade R7 Superquad for quite a while. Loved it! I did just get the M1 because the Superquad had a rather large fracture in it...

 

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[Txmason123]

I switched from an old 2007 Big Bertha Driver to a 2014 Big Bertha with a lot larger head.  I definitely prefer the newer club.  That oversized head is a lot more forgiving and hits the ball farther.  I have the old 2007 3 wood as well.  I wonder if upgrading that to a newer version would give the same improvement?  It seems that more research and development goes into drivers than fairway woods.  If you have any insight into this, please give a shout.

[AH1980MN]

Fairway woods have come a long way in ten years...

[yungkory]

I switched from an old 2007 Big Bertha Driver to a 2014 Big Bertha with a lot larger head.  I definitely prefer the newer club.  That oversized head is a lot more forgiving and hits the ball farther.  I have the old 2007 3 wood as well.  I wonder if upgrading that to a newer version would give the same improvement?  It seems that more research and development goes into drivers than fairway woods.  If you have any insight into this, please give a shout.

 

They'll be more forgiving for sure. You'll get more distance and less dispersion off your mis-hits, but you'll probably see similar distances on pured shots.

[AH1980MN]

Newer fairways are alot easier to get off the deck, imo.