What Equipment Have You Tested?

[OdinSnipes414]

I have tested Sub70 three wood and their 699 pro utility 2 iron and absolute love them both! They are at a low cost point being DTC and clean enough to look great in my bag! And the customer service is top notch! I also tested out ODIN golf balls the X and the X1. Those have also made it to the bag as they again meet the needs! The X1 is comparable to a pro v1 but half the cost and the company gives back to you so you can spend more money on golf.

 

 

 

[LeftyMatt89]

I tested last weekend two shafts with my Stealth plus 2 head. Kuro Kage XT 60TX and a Ventus Black TR 6X

 

Kuro Kage XT 60TX is an old faithful whiteboard Mitsubishi shaft I have gotten along well with in the past. I hit some pretty good ones on the range but I had a tendency to lose a few right which is the one miss I really hate and gives me trouble in a round. I will give it another range session but the right miss is a quick way to ruin a round. 
 

Ventus Black TR 6X is the shaft I’ve used since it came out. Previously in a triple diamond rogue head. The shaft is launching a little higher in then Stealth head and I am having to make an adjustment to ball placement to help with this. I love that this shaft wants to go straight and it didn’t have the right miss. So far this shaft is winning out. 

[Vegan_Golfer_PNW]

Didn't test but I did look at the Paradym X and TD along with the Srixon ZX5 LS and Aerojet LS. The TD looks like it will be easy to launch. The face seemed higher and looked like more loft than it really was. Also did a waggle test of the shafts that were in all of them. The Kai Li white and Blue in 60s I could not tell the difference from waggling and both seemed very stable for a stiff shaft. The gen4 hzrdus black felt more loose than either of those, as did the RDX red. Took a gander at the Mizuno Pro 225 2i they had in the pro shop as well. That looks very user friendly, although likely not as much as my 21* UW  

[edingc]

2 hours ago, Vegan_Golfer_PNW said:

The TD looks like it will be easy to launch. The face seemed higher and looked like more loft than it really was.

Can confirm the TD is pretty good off the upper half of the face. Not really that floaty/knuckleball-esque, definitely higher launch. The taller face is one of the reasons I wanted it. Feels hard to miss (though I've come close ).To me it also sits more square than the standard Paradym, though that's probably debatable.

I have zero issues launching the TD, though my driver setup this year favors the higher launch/more erratic results type of delivery with the ball played outside my left shoulder/on my left big toe. I can't bring myself to bring the ball more in line with my instep - it's incredibly uncomfortable and I'd also need to go to a lower tee to do so.

[dback]

I have gone in and hit the Cleveland Launcher Halo hybrids a few times, specifically the 2 hybrid and have absolutely loved it just too cheap to pull the trigger on when I have a Srixon 3 hybrid that functions pretty well in the same role for my bag. I love the rail technology, I'm sure there is data showing that it works great and that it doesn't do anything but have the rails gives me so much confidence, especially because my mishits tend to be chunky. 

I am yet to hit a 5 wood that doesn't balloon like crazy on me (known steep swinger, working on shallowing that out but not there yet). I hit my 3 wood well but can also get a bit spinny with it, so I love the piercing ball flight on windy days or dried out summer fairways. I am playing The Dual at the Loop hosted at Forest Dunes (check it out, reversible links style golf course designed by Tom Doak). Late summer, links style golf feels like the perfect course to have the low piercing, big rollout shot in my bag. We will see if I give in for that.

[GolferXY]

I currently game a 3 and a 4 Ping G30 hybrids and generally loathe them.  I usually pull or hook them, but when I pure them it's 190 with the 4 and 205 with the 3. I like the spread but not the inconsistency.

I went in and hit the Paradym, Titleist SR3, Stealth 2, Ping 430, and the Calloway Apex, all in 4 (25, 26 degrees). 

I hit the Paradym and the Titleist very consistently.  Paradym was 205 yard carry every.single.time.(!) and was the longest.  The Titleist carried 203 every.single.time.(!) And had the best dispersion and spin rate.  The Titleist also had the least roll out, highest peak height, and was second to the Ping in spin.

The Ping was disappointing to me. I liked the looks of the Ping the best, with the lime highlights and larger head shape but it spun too much and only carried 195. Dispersion was also disappointing to me as I was hitting it left - I'm a righty - and besides more yardage gave me the same ball flight as my gamers I'm looking to replace.

I've never liked the feel of the Stealth and have found d nothing to gain from the Stealth 2.

The Apex was on sale, but it gave me nothing on my gamers, and didn't feel good off the face, and the rails on the bottom made it look too tall behind the ball on tight lies. I would like to see if those rails make a difference on the course but I don't want to buy something I don't like the feel of just to see if I like the results on the course.

Bottom line, I'd buy the Titleist if I actually spring for new clubs, but I'll need to buy another club to cover the gap that will create. For now, I'm keeping the Pings.

- GY

[Stereotype]

Recently tried out @GolfSub70 659 CB's (6i & 9i) through their demo program and was pleasantly surprised. They were weaker lofted than my current irons (Cobra F8) but I think I actually gained a bit of distance. This was my first time playing a forged iron, the feel was great and still had some decent forgiveness. I don't think I was punished too much on off-center shots but definitely got the feedback. Plus, they just look damn good at address. Haven't pulled the trigger yet on a purchase as I want to test their v1 699 pros first. 

[cksurfdude]

On 6/5/2023 at 11:24 AM, Stereotype said:

Recently tried out @GolfSub70 659 CB's

I did a demo of their 699 V2's - really liked them, even with a heavy steel shaft .. I play lighter graphite shafts. Not sure why I'm not ordering a set ...

Anyway if you read around through different threads in this forum you'll see there's a lotta love for Sub 70!

[Stereotype]

5 hours ago, cksurfdude said:

I did a demo of their 699 V2's - really liked them, even with a heavy steel shaft .. I play lighter graphite shafts. Not sure why I'm not ordering a set ...

Anyway if you read around through different threads in this forum you'll see there's a lotta love for Sub 70!

I have seen the love all around for @GolfSub70 and it's definitely understandable. I'm wondering why there seem to be so many who have tried a demo but aren't purchasing. I think we all can agree that they are solid clubs at an amazing price with great customer service, just an odd dynamic to not purchase. And I'm definitely including myself in that statement. 

[cnosil]

7 hours ago, Stereotype said:

I have seen the love all around for @GolfSub70 and it's definitely understandable. I'm wondering why there seem to be so many who have tried a demo but aren't purchasing. I think we all can agree that they are solid clubs at an amazing price with great customer service, just an odd dynamic to not purchase. And I'm definitely including myself in that statement. 

Interesting question.  I think that is bigger than just a Sub70 question and would require an understanding of why people try something and don’t purchase in any market.   You indicated that you did the same thing; why didn’t you purchase?   Does it get back to brand perception? Resale value?  Just curiosity to try what people are talking about?  

[cksurfdude]

11 hours ago, Stereotype said:

I'm wondering why there seem to be so many who have tried a demo but aren't purchasing.

 

4 hours ago, cnosil said:

 I think that is bigger than just a Sub70 question and would require an understanding of why people try something and don’t purchase in any market.

Yeah good questions...

For me, there are one or two others .. at least, including JPX HMs maybe Srixon .. that I'd still like to try before making a decision.

Plus it's not like what I have now is "bad" .. they're ok actually .. just on the hunt for that ever elusive better ...

 

 

[Fred Mitchell]

I have never laid eyes on a Sub 70 club and only seen 1 set of PXG irons, nothing else, rural Alabama isnt known for their magnificent golf club selection but if you guys need one of the biggest selections of rifles and shotguns come on down. 

 

[Stereotype]

On 6/7/2023 at 5:54 AM, cnosil said:

Interesting question.  I think that is bigger than just a Sub70 question and would require an understanding of why people try something and don’t purchase in any market.   You indicated that you did the same thing; why didn’t you purchase?   Does it get back to brand perception? Resale value?  Just curiosity to try what people are talking about?  

I think for me, there's more I want to try to figure out what's best for me. My current equipment performs well enough. But I think it's more that my buying process is extremely long when it's supposed to be a "long-term investment". I hate the feeling of buyer's remorse. But re-reading sub-70's customer satisfaction guarantees that the trigger may get pulled faster. 

[johnssel]

On 9/6/2022 at 11:48 PM, Sluggo42 said:

When I bought my cobra sz king 3 wood, it was just killing it in the booth at Roger Dunn. It has an adjustable hosel, and I have had it on 14.5D for ever. But for some reason, it never seemed to be a club I could hit ever since I left the store.  I have since then been looking for a Callaway epic max to match my magical 5 wood.

So this morning for some whim, I adjusted it to +1 standard, or 15.5 now.

I had 2 opportunities to hit it today, and both shots were incredible. Just by ever so slightly adjusting it, it now lays flat and perfect to my eye, instead of the closed look it had before the adjustment. I cannot express the happiness I felt after those 2 shots, as they returned my brain to how I felt about the club originally, and why I bought it in the first place. The shots were like tall rockets with an ever so slight draw, and looong. Shaft is a Tensi Blue S.

it was almost like a new club, and I suppose the lesson here is to not be afraid to tinker with your settings, if able to, as it’s almost like a new club. It’s funny because I never wanted to buy it in the first place, cuz I wanted a matching Mavrik, but the cobra just dominated everything else in testing. I was almost reluctant to buy it, but I think it was on sale too, so I said what the heck.

It's great to hear that you were able to find success with your Cobra SZ King 3 wood by adjusting the loft setting. Tinkering with the settings of your golf clubs can indeed have a significant impact on performance and your overall experience with the club.

It's not uncommon for golfers to go through an adjustment period when transitioning from hitting clubs in a store or testing environment to using them on the course. Factors such as different turf conditions, real-time pressure, and individual swing characteristics can all influence how a club performs outside of the controlled environment.

By experimenting with different loft settings, you were able to find the configuration that suits your eye and swing. The slight adjustment to +1 standard loft made a noticeable difference in the club's appearance at address and produced desirable shot characteristics for you. 

Your experience highlights the importance of customization and finding the right settings for your clubs. Golf equipment manufacturers often provide adjustable features precisely for this reason, allowing golfers to fine-tune their clubs to match their preferences and optimize performance.

Edited June 9, 2023 by johnssel
remove some irrelevant answer

[haller]

I had a friend lend me a 60 degree recently. I had been in the market for a higher lofted wedge after being in a few deep green side bunker situations that my 56 couldn’t save me from. I was always a person who preferred having 3 wedges in the bag; a PW, 50, and 56. Figured I could just open the face on the 56 to act as my higher lofted wedge. This works well most of the time but I found it inconsistent and as I alluded to before, sometimes doesn’t work at all. 
 

After using a 60 degree for the past 5 rounds, I absolutely love it! Not only does it get me out of dicey situations, it also gives me another club with a consistent distance when I take full swing. Will definitely be purchasing one of my own very soon.

Edited June 13, 2023 by haller

[Paul Hedrick]

I was recently chosen as a tester for the T(Less)Driver.  I put it through its paces, worked with it as much as I could.  I am of the opinion that it just does not meet the claims the manufacturer claims, or at least for me it does not.  While, yes, it did nearly always hit straight, I just could not get the distance I am getting from my current driver.  I will continue to practice with it, of course, in hopes if getting improved performance.

[Fongle]

49 minutes ago, Paul Hedrick said:

I was recently chosen as a tester for the T(Less)Driver.  I put it through its paces, worked with it as much as I could.  I am of the opinion that it just does not meet the claims the manufacturer claims, or at least for me it does not.  While, yes, it did nearly always hit straight, I just could not get the distance I am getting from my current driver.  I will continue to practice with it, of course, in hopes if getting improved performance.

I've seen one being used oncourse before, and looking past the marketing, it just seemed like a flatter driver with high loft and a short shaft, with average build quality. The guy using it seemed to hit his 7 wood better in the few times I saw him try use it

[ChazBlack12]

On 5/17/2023 at 12:08 AM, GolferXY said:

I currently game a 3 and a 4 Ping G30 hybrids and generally loathe them.  I usually pull or hook them, but when I pure them it's 190 with the 4 and 205 with the 3. I like the spread but not the inconsistency.

I went in and hit the Paradym, Titleist SR3, Stealth 2, Ping 430, and the Calloway Apex, all in 4 (25, 26 degrees). 

I hit the Paradym and the Titleist very consistently.  Paradym was 205 yard carry every.single.time.(!) and was the longest.  The Titleist carried 203 every.single.time.(!) And had the best dispersion and spin rate.  The Titleist also had the least roll out, highest peak height, and was second to the Ping in spin.

The Ping was disappointing to me. I liked the looks of the Ping the best, with the lime highlights and larger head shape but it spun too much and only carried 195. Dispersion was also disappointing to me as I was hitting it left - I'm a righty - and besides more yardage gave me the same ball flight as my gamers I'm looking to replace.

I've never liked the feel of the Stealth and have found d nothing to gain from the Stealth 2.

The Apex was on sale, but it gave me nothing on my gamers, and didn't feel good off the face, and the rails on the bottom made it look too tall behind the ball on tight lies. I would like to see if those rails make a difference on the course but I don't want to buy something I don't like the feel of just to see if I like the results on the course.

Bottom line, I'd buy the Titleist if I actually spring for new clubs, but I'll need to buy another club to cover the gap that will create. For now, I'm keeping the Pings.

- GY

I'm still swinging a Ping G30 3-wood.. it was a "freebie" from a friend when i decided to pick up my clubs again. I generally don't like hitting woods and have supplemented my bag with a Cobra KingTech hybrid and a srixon 2-iron.. It's rare that I need to hit something in the 275-280 range so the 3-wood stays stashed away. that being said, the way the ball jumps of the ping isn't anything special when i compare it to the rest of my bag. Maybe it's user bias, maybe I need to do a full woods fitting... either way definitely feel where you're coming from. 

[Fred Mitchell]

Roughly 2 months into owning my 1st Utility iron. TaylorMade DHY4. I ordered through TM and chose the high flight and spin Fuji Speeder NX shaft senior flex standard loft/length/lie midsize tour velvet grip. Speaking for myself this thing goes straight, thin goes low and runs out decent length , sweet spot is high and long compared to my 5 iron, fat shots are well fat shots but all are straight. If this thing has a weakness for me is it doesnt do well for fat/chunk shots which are operator error anyway. 

[Bobby Mieczkowski]

Hoping this falls in testing category, but I upgraded my irons this spring and woods last year. Is it still worth it to get them fitted or am I going to be sold on a bunch of stuff I don’t need?  Appreciate the feedback.

[cnosil]

12 hours ago, Bobby Mieczkowski said:

Hoping this falls in testing category, but I upgraded my irons this spring and woods last year. Is it still worth it to get them fitted or am I going to be sold on a bunch of stuff I don’t need?  Appreciate the feedback.

 Fitting is about finding the shaft and heads that work best this can also include lie angles and length.  Since you have clubs, you are in the fine tuning stage which would be lie and loft adjustments to optimize gapping and flight.   
 

if you go to a fitter and indicate that is what you want to do, that is what should be done.  If the clubs don’t fit you well and your results are inconsistent, there may be some recommendations for changes.   
 

I can’t answer about the credibility of the fitter you are going to to answer how they will treat you.   It is your responsibility as a consumer to understand the process so you don’t get sold a bunch of stuff you don’t need.  

[Bobby Mieczkowski]

Just now, cnosil said:

 Fitting is about finding the shaft and heads that work best this can also include lie angles and length.  Since you have clubs, you are in the fine tuning stage which would be lie and loft adjustments to optimize gapping and flight.   
 

if you go to a fitter and indicate that is what you want to do, that is what should be done.  If the clubs don’t fit you well and your results are inconsistent, there may be some recommendations for changes.   
 

I can’t answer about the credibility of the fitter you are going to to answer how they will treat you.   It is your responsibility as a consumer to understand the process so you don’t get sold a bunch of stuff you don’t need.  

Thank you! This was the kind of response I was looking for. Really appreciate the feedback.

[Josh Ross]

I haven't tested them yet, but I was invited to Bridgestone's HQ to test a new ball on site with them. I'm going July 5th and get to hit a new ball and give them feedback. I've been invited twice before and couldn't make it work but I finally get to do it! Apparently I get a free hat and a dozen balls for coming out, should be a really cool experience! Played Bridgestone exclusively before switching to Snell and then Maxfli after doing the testing here. Might be time to try them out again.

[sirchunksalot]

1 hour ago, Josh Ross said:

I haven't tested them yet, but I was invited to Bridgestone's HQ to test a new ball on site with them. I'm going July 5th and get to hit a new ball and give them feedback. I've been invited twice before and couldn't make it work but I finally get to do it! Apparently I get a free hat and a dozen balls for coming out, should be a really cool experience! Played Bridgestone exclusively before switching to Snell and then Maxfli after doing the testing here. Might be time to try them out again.

That is just so cool you're getting to do that. Bridgestone makes a good ball. Have fun with it and I can't wait to read about your experience with it. 

[cnosil]

8 hours ago, Josh Ross said:

I haven't tested them yet, but I was invited to Bridgestone's HQ to test a new ball on site with them. I'm going July 5th and get to hit a new ball and give them feedback. I've been invited twice before and couldn't make it work but I finally get to do it! Apparently I get a free hat and a dozen balls for coming out, should be a really cool experience! Played Bridgestone exclusively before switching to Snell and then Maxfli after doing the testing here. Might be time to try them out again.

Very cool.  Doing tests like this is always fun;  its why I do most wanted testing.  

[tdroma98]

On 6/22/2023 at 7:47 PM, Bobby Mieczkowski said:

Hoping this falls in testing category, but I upgraded my irons this spring and woods last year. Is it still worth it to get them fitted or am I going to be sold on a bunch of stuff I don’t need?  Appreciate the feedback.

Bobby, getting fitted could help. If you're at a point of working on your game and seeking to improve, having clubs that fit you, will certainly help.  Getting fit for the correct Shaft length & club lie, plus the type of shaft is important.  As you improve and you upgrade equipment, you have a base for the upgrade. 

[FallenSaber]

I have been testing out an app that is an AI driven swing analyzer. It's called Golf Fix. I plan to do an unofficial review of it soon but so far I like it. It has helped me more conscious about certain aspects of my swing and its helped fix some trouble spots. I have been using almost every day for the past 3 weeks and solely focusing on my driver swing which has been a real struggle for me lately. I feel like I'm making more consistent contact though it truly hasn't helped my slice too much. I am also working with an instructor though we exclusively worked with irons to the point. This app certainly won't replace a quality instructor but it could help you better understand your swing mechanics and where your trouble areas might be.

[GaryF]

On 6/8/2023 at 12:14 PM, Stereotype said:

I think for me, there's more I want to try to figure out what's best for me. My current equipment performs well enough. But I think it's more that my buying process is extremely long when it's supposed to be a "long-term investment". I hate the feeling of buyer's remorse. But re-reading sub-70's customer satisfaction guarantees that the trigger may get pulled faster. 

What you describe is a lot like me. I  Don’t buy clubs very often, my last purchase about 14 years ago.  I still hit them pretty well (last week tied my lowest score ever -79), but I know I have out aged them.  I did buy a new driver about 5 years ago and it’s the 2016 Callaway version and love it.  Sub 70 was intriguing but I never hit them.  Over the past year, I hit everything, and attended a number of demo/fitting days at my club.  I ended up going to a brand agnostic fitter and settled on Mizuno 923 HMs and Ping hybrid/woods. 

Take your time, try them all out, seek advice from experts, then move forward. 
 

 

Edited June 29, 2023 by GaryF

[MichaelC_81]

I recently went past my local golf store for a bit of a window shop, as you do, and seen the Paradym driver sitting on the rack so thought I would see if it hits as good as it looks. Unfortunately the standard wasn't for me (something about too much back swing)... so I tried the triple diamond. Immediate improvement. Spin rate dropped and so did the ball flight, but distance was still lacking. So the golf pro I was dealing with, handed me the Ping G430 LST (with the stiff tour-pro shaft)... wow!! First drive was almost arrow straight, 20m lower from when I started, and my back spin was at about 1400. The more I hit with it, the more it felt amazing and really consistent. I could see the salesman getting a bit excited, so I politely asked how much I would be looking at and he said "at the moment it's on special for $850. (AUD)"... I thanked him for his time and efforts and walked out empty handed... BUT I've have been thinking about that dam club ever since...

[Josh Ross]

On 6/24/2023 at 2:40 AM, Josh Ross said:

I haven't tested them yet, but I was invited to Bridgestone's HQ to test a new ball on site with them. I'm going July 5th and get to hit a new ball and give them feedback. I've been invited twice before and couldn't make it work but I finally get to do it! Apparently I get a free hat and a dozen balls for coming out, should be a really cool experience! Played Bridgestone exclusively before switching to Snell and then Maxfli after doing the testing here. Might be time to try them out again.

Well, the two hour trip to Bridgestone turned into three hours, and right before I got there they called and said a storm just rolled through and made the testing facility unusable for the day. They invited me back today but I couldn't make it work. Seems like a cool test, he told me it was for a new design that was going on the ball to help with mental focus. It's something they're collaborating with Jason Day on and they were looking for feedback. He also told me I was first on the list for the next ball test, and it would be testing prototypes for new versions of their current balls. Still got my dozen of Tour BXS balls and a hat, and since my dad tagged along to observe they gave him some Tour BRXS and a hat too!