First driver fitting experience

[Chanchorp13]

It was time for an upgrade. After many years of faithful service, my Callaway Diablo Octane driver was ready for retirement. I needed to see how the new twist face technology on the Taylormade would make me a FIR hitting machine, and of course how the Jailbreak tech in the Callaway was going to give me epic distance! These are the clubs Tiger, DJ, Phil, Rory, etc all play, and the same tech that I have heard discussed each time there is a commercial on PGA radio or golf channel.... 

With holiday gift cards in hand and an excitement level that rivaled Masters week, I drove across the street to the PGA superstore i conveniently live near. After getting situated in a fitting bay, I warmed up with my old driver while the fitter grabbed several clubs for me to grip n rip. I started by hitting 10 balls with each of the OEM drivers I was handed, each time analyzing the numbers that appeared on the simulator screen. In between clubs, we would make certain that we documented the change so we could compare the data at the end. All the while, i was noticing subtle things about the feel, look, and sound of each driver head. 

When it was all said and done, I could not believe that neither the TM or Epic had generated the best results. Instead, I was now stuck between two fantastic drivers, and for very different reasons. The first was the Ping G400max, and with this I could not miss a (virtual) fairway... it was so forgiving, and yet It also had ideal launch angles and solid carry... the only thing i wasnt fond of was the loud, tinny sound that came with impact.... but how could i go with anything else!!!

But then there was the TS2.... It wasnt the FW magnet that the Ping seemed to be, but it had something more tangible....I had no idea hitting a golf ball could feeeeel that damn good! Even mishits felt as if they too were produced in the sweet spot factory.... It also produced the highest ball speed and carry of all the drivers I hit that day, which helps lol!

So... I went with the beautiful feel, clean pear-shaped look, and faster ball speed of the TS2 and have since been having a ton of success off the tee box this season. 

I felt like writing this for a couple reasons, and maybe some can relate... I think a lot of times people make purchases solely based on the marketing/ tour pro endorsements of these club manufacturers and to that i would say, make sure you get fit or at the very least give other options a try before you spend a ton of $$.

Also, some may say I should have gone with what seemed like a more forgiving club in the Ping.... but I would argue that looks, and feel are almost as important if not more so... When i stand over the ball I have a ton of confidence that I made the right choice, and also that my little white ball is going a long way, and hey... as long as it's still in play its good, right???

 

 

 

[PING Apologist #9]

Good post! Now I am "somewhat" of a PING guy, just ask anyone...  so here I am to "help"...maybe...

Sound is putting you off? Check out my review of the G410 SFT... I was not a fan of the sound  of this model either when I wrote it up, but is has grown on me especially with the continued positive results I am getting with it lately. Let me know what you think!

Perhaps the Max will grow on you some if you give it more time. Remember that a lot of the sound characteristics PING drivers have are due to their continued use of metals for the entire head. Though I still think PING went a little backwards in sound from the G400, I'm OK with an avarage of 240-245 up from 220-230.

Did you try any of the newer G410 models? IMHO, they outperform the G400 series though there is no G410 Max to compare to.

 

 

[yungkory]

9 hours ago, Chanchorp13 said:

It was time for an upgrade. After many years of faithful service, my Callaway Diablo Octane driver was ready for retirement. I needed to see how the new twist face technology on the Taylormade would make me a FIR hitting machine, and of course how the Jailbreak tech in the Callaway was going to give me epic distance! These are the clubs Tiger, DJ, Phil, Rory, etc all play, and the same tech that I have heard discussed each time there is a commercial on PGA radio or golf channel.... 

With holiday gift cards in hand and an excitement level that rivaled Masters week, I drove across the street to the PGA superstore i conveniently live near. After getting situated in a fitting bay, I warmed up with my old driver while the fitter grabbed several clubs for me to grip n rip. I started by hitting 10 balls with each of the OEM drivers I was handed, each time analyzing the numbers that appeared on the simulator screen. In between clubs, we would make certain that we documented the change so we could compare the data at the end. All the while, i was noticing subtle things about the feel, look, and sound of each driver head. 

When it was all said and done, I could not believe that neither the TM or Epic had generated the best results. Instead, I was now stuck between two fantastic drivers, and for very different reasons. The first was the Ping G400max, and with this I could not miss a (virtual) fairway... it was so forgiving, and yet It also had ideal launch angles and solid carry... the only thing i wasnt fond of was the loud, tinny sound that came with impact.... but how could i go with anything else!!!

But then there was the TS2.... It wasnt the FW magnet that the Ping seemed to be, but it had something more tangible....I had no idea hitting a golf ball could feeeeel that damn good! Even mishits felt as if they too were produced in the sweet spot factory.... It also produced the highest ball speed and carry of all the drivers I hit that day, which helps lol!

So... I went with the beautiful feel, clean pear-shaped look, and faster ball speed of the TS2 and have since been having a ton of success off the tee box this season. 

I felt like writing this for a couple reasons, and maybe some can relate... I think a lot of times people make purchases solely based on the marketing/ tour pro endorsements of these club manufacturers and to that i would say, make sure you get fit or at the very least give other options a try before you spend a ton of $$.

Also, some may say I should have gone with what seemed like a more forgiving club in the Ping.... but I would argue that looks, and feel are almost as important if not more so... When i stand over the ball I have a ton of confidence that I made the right choice, and also that my little white ball is going a long way, and hey... as long as it's still in play its good, right???

 

 

 

I went from G400 Max to TS2 as well. Ball speeds were up, and similar to what you saw, accuracy was no worse. I think if I had a better fit, it would've put up a better fight against the Flash. Congrats on your new weapon, it's a beast!

[Golfspy_CG2]

This was such a great post.  Thanks for sharing it. 

One reason it's so great is you had no problem saying you were initially influenced by the marketing of TaylorMade and Callaway.  

Being that we--golf forum readers---represent less than 1% of the golf playing/buying public, we have been informed enough to not always fall for the hype but look for real data and get fit. 

I see it si many times in our Pro Shop people go straight for the M5/M6 and ask which one Rory or DJ is playing.    

Kudos to you and your fitter for taking the time to find what worked best for you.  

Both your finalist drivers are excellent and you couldn't have gone wrong with either one.  

The TS2 is plenty forgiving in its own right as well as long as any other current driver out there. 

When I tested it against the G410 on Trackman, they were very very close.  

Enjoy the new stick and keep us updated on it. 

[SmoothG]

Did you keep track of your stats on the golf course before the driver change?  I'd like to see the on course results after you put a few rounds on the new stick.  Did FIR go up?  Driving distance? and most importantly did your score go down?

[Jbmullin]

Your experience sounds like mine , went in thinking flash or f9 but walked out with a ts2.
Sound, look, performance, it to me has it all.

I dont know what it is about twist face and speed injections but I've hit m3,m4,m5 and m6 and I just can't control them, worst of the lot for me.


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[ballplayer002003]

On 5/31/2019 at 3:02 PM, Chanchorp13 said:

It was time for an upgrade. After many years of faithful service, my Callaway Diablo Octane driver was ready for retirement. I needed to see how the new twist face technology on the Taylormade would make me a FIR hitting machine, and of course how the Jailbreak tech in the Callaway was going to give me epic distance! These are the clubs Tiger, DJ, Phil, Rory, etc all play, and the same tech that I have heard discussed each time there is a commercial on PGA radio or golf channel.... 

With holiday gift cards in hand and an excitement level that rivaled Masters week, I drove across the street to the PGA superstore i conveniently live near. After getting situated in a fitting bay, I warmed up with my old driver while the fitter grabbed several clubs for me to grip n rip. I started by hitting 10 balls with each of the OEM drivers I was handed, each time analyzing the numbers that appeared on the simulator screen. In between clubs, we would make certain that we documented the change so we could compare the data at the end. All the while, i was noticing subtle things about the feel, look, and sound of each driver head. 

When it was all said and done, I could not believe that neither the TM or Epic had generated the best results. Instead, I was now stuck between two fantastic drivers, and for very different reasons. The first was the Ping G400max, and with this I could not miss a (virtual) fairway... it was so forgiving, and yet It also had ideal launch angles and solid carry... the only thing i wasnt fond of was the loud, tinny sound that came with impact.... but how could i go with anything else!!!

But then there was the TS2.... It wasnt the FW magnet that the Ping seemed to be, but it had something more tangible....I had no idea hitting a golf ball could feeeeel that damn good! Even mishits felt as if they too were produced in the sweet spot factory.... It also produced the highest ball speed and carry of all the drivers I hit that day, which helps lol!

So... I went with the beautiful feel, clean pear-shaped look, and faster ball speed of the TS2 and have since been having a ton of success off the tee box this season. 

I felt like writing this for a couple reasons, and maybe some can relate... I think a lot of times people make purchases solely based on the marketing/ tour pro endorsements of these club manufacturers and to that i would say, make sure you get fit or at the very least give other options a try before you spend a ton of $$.

Also, some may say I should have gone with what seemed like a more forgiving club in the Ping.... but I would argue that looks, and feel are almost as important if not more so... When i stand over the ball I have a ton of confidence that I made the right choice, and also that my little white ball is going a long way, and hey... as long as it's still in play its good, right???

 

 

 

Nice post!  I have said this before, and I think I am in the minority here...I hate the way the Ping looks.  It has too much going on for me looking down at it.  I like simple and clean, the TS2 looks and feels amazing!  Good choice!

[russtopherb]

Kudos to you for being open minded going into your fitting and not buying into the hype. If more people ignored what Rory and DJ play ('cause they certainly don't have either of their games!) and took all the marketing with a grain of salt, I think we'd see a lot more happy and better golfers out there.

Thanks for the share!

[JonMUSC08]

On 5/31/2019 at 3:02 PM, Chanchorp13 said:

It was time for an upgrade. After many years of faithful service, my Callaway Diablo Octane driver was ready for retirement. I needed to see how the new twist face technology on the Taylormade would make me a FIR hitting machine, and of course how the Jailbreak tech in the Callaway was going to give me epic distance! These are the clubs Tiger, DJ, Phil, Rory, etc all play, and the same tech that I have heard discussed each time there is a commercial on PGA radio or golf channel.... 

With holiday gift cards in hand and an excitement level that rivaled Masters week, I drove across the street to the PGA superstore i conveniently live near. After getting situated in a fitting bay, I warmed up with my old driver while the fitter grabbed several clubs for me to grip n rip. I started by hitting 10 balls with each of the OEM drivers I was handed, each time analyzing the numbers that appeared on the simulator screen. In between clubs, we would make certain that we documented the change so we could compare the data at the end. All the while, i was noticing subtle things about the feel, look, and sound of each driver head. 

When it was all said and done, I could not believe that neither the TM or Epic had generated the best results. Instead, I was now stuck between two fantastic drivers, and for very different reasons. The first was the Ping G400max, and with this I could not miss a (virtual) fairway... it was so forgiving, and yet It also had ideal launch angles and solid carry... the only thing i wasnt fond of was the loud, tinny sound that came with impact.... but how could i go with anything else!!!

But then there was the TS2.... It wasnt the FW magnet that the Ping seemed to be, but it had something more tangible....I had no idea hitting a golf ball could feeeeel that damn good! Even mishits felt as if they too were produced in the sweet spot factory.... It also produced the highest ball speed and carry of all the drivers I hit that day, which helps lol!

So... I went with the beautiful feel, clean pear-shaped look, and faster ball speed of the TS2 and have since been having a ton of success off the tee box this season. 

I felt like writing this for a couple reasons, and maybe some can relate... I think a lot of times people make purchases solely based on the marketing/ tour pro endorsements of these club manufacturers and to that i would say, make sure you get fit or at the very least give other options a try before you spend a ton of $$.

Also, some may say I should have gone with what seemed like a more forgiving club in the Ping.... but I would argue that looks, and feel are almost as important if not more so... When i stand over the ball I have a ton of confidence that I made the right choice, and also that my little white ball is going a long way, and hey... as long as it's still in play its good, right???

 

 

 

Great job leaving biased out of it! I recently had done a fitting as well and told the pro that i dont care what driver you put me in, al I want is to hit it long and hit the fairway consistently. After a poor range session (poor hitting on my part) my fitting pro did an excellent job deciphering my good shots to the best combination of driver and shaft. In my case i ended up with the TM M6. For my swing it was down to the TS2, Callaway Rogue (yes he fit me for LAST years club), and the TM M6. I took the clubs out to the course for a range and course session and after looking at the #'s again it worked out the TM M6 was the most consistent. though not fully the longest but close.

Since getting the new driver about 1-2 months ago i have added about 15yds to my drives, hit approx 65-70% fairways and dropped about 5 strokes! Its amazing what the RIGHT equipment for your swing can do for you scores. You HAVE to be non-biased if you want the best equipment for YOUR game.

[revkev]

I loved this post for a different reason than others

I could sense the joy and excitement that you had with your experience and are still having with your new driver.

My it continue for years to come (until it’s time to do it again.)

Nice writing!


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[golfertrb]

It was time for an upgrade. After many years of faithful service, my Callaway Diablo Octane driver was ready for retirement. I needed to see how the new twist face technology on the Taylormade would make me a FIR hitting machine, and of course how the Jailbreak tech in the Callaway was going to give me epic distance! These are the clubs Tiger, DJ, Phil, Rory, etc all play, and the same tech that I have heard discussed each time there is a commercial on PGA radio or golf channel.... 
With holiday gift cards in hand and an excitement level that rivaled Masters week, I drove across the street to the PGA superstore i conveniently live near. After getting situated in a fitting bay, I warmed up with my old driver while the fitter grabbed several clubs for me to grip n rip. I started by hitting 10 balls with each of the OEM drivers I was handed, each time analyzing the numbers that appeared on the simulator screen. In between clubs, we would make certain that we documented the change so we could compare the data at the end. All the while, i was noticing subtle things about the feel, look, and sound of each driver head. 
When it was all said and done, I could not believe that neither the TM or Epic had generated the best results. Instead, I was now stuck between two fantastic drivers, and for very different reasons. The first was the Ping G400max, and with this I could not miss a (virtual) fairway... it was so forgiving, and yet It also had ideal launch angles and solid carry... the only thing i wasnt fond of was the loud, tinny sound that came with impact.... but how could i go with anything else!!!
But then there was the TS2.... It wasnt the FW magnet that the Ping seemed to be, but it had something more tangible....I had no idea hitting a golf ball could feeeeel that damn good! Even mishits felt as if they too were produced in the sweet spot factory.... It also produced the highest ball speed and carry of all the drivers I hit that day, which helps lol!
So... I went with the beautiful feel, clean pear-shaped look, and faster ball speed of the TS2 and have since been having a ton of success off the tee box this season. 
I felt like writing this for a couple reasons, and maybe some can relate... I think a lot of times people make purchases solely based on the marketing/ tour pro endorsements of these club manufacturers and to that i would say, make sure you get fit or at the very least give other options a try before you spend a ton of $$.
Also, some may say I should have gone with what seemed like a more forgiving club in the Ping.... but I would argue that looks, and feel are almost as important if not more so... When i stand over the ball I have a ton of confidence that I made the right choice, and also that my little white ball is going a long way, and hey... as long as it's still in play its good, right???
 
 
 

Such a well written post - I could really feel your enthusiasm and the sheer joy of a new club. It sounds like you made the perfect choice! Keep us posted on your progress and thanks for sharing.


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