The search for driver consistency

[GolfSpy_BEN]

Hello Folks! 
 

Many of you have seen me around the forum popping up in various threads here and there. I have written about my evergreen fascination with muscleback blades. More recently, I  wrapped up testing the latest Titleist irons. Now, I am starting this thread as a means of having a place to record my thoughts and findings as I figure out a path forward regarding the Driver in my bag. As the title describes, I am looking for consistency, so I am going to put the 3 drivers currently in my possession up against one another and see which wins out. 
 

Let’s meet the competitors:

Current Gamer

The current gamer is a Titleist TSR3, 9 degrees with a stiff Tensei black 1K shaft. I have it adjusted up 1.5 degrees with the weight set in the second to last position towards a draw bias.

Former Gamer

A Callaway Rogue ST TD LS, 9 degree with a Tensei white X-stiff shaft. I have it set up 1 degree.

Former Former Gamer

A Ping G425 Max, 9 degree with the Ping tour stiff shaft. I have it adjusted 1.5 degrees with the weight toward the heel to promote a draw bias. 
 

My small miss is a push fade. My big miss is banana slice. My over compensating miss is a low hook. 
 

A part of this journey is going to be working toward eliminating the over the top move that periodically works it’s way into my swing when I’m either trying to kill it or starting to fatigue. I will also be using a series of range sessions to determine which of these 3 drivers gives me the best distance, dispersion, reliable shot shape. 

[Shapotomous]

With the loft adjusted to +1 or +1.5 degrees does the face look closed to you?  I gamed a 9* until recently switching to a 10.5*.  I wanted higher ball flight and tried lofting up the 9* for a while but it closed the face too much for my eye.  I had very inconsistent misses with it.  With the 10.5 set neutral it has been an automatic fairway finder.

[GolfSpy_APH]

3 hours ago, Ben Joest said:

Hello Folks! 
 

Many of you have seen me around the forum popping up in various threads here and there. I have written about my evergreen fascination with muscleback blades. More recently, I  wrapped up testing the latest Titleist irons. Now, I am starting this thread as a means of having a place to record my thoughts and findings as I figure out a path forward regarding the Driver in my bag. As the title describes, I am looking for consistency, so I am going to put the 3 drivers currently in my possession up against one another and see which wins out. 
 

Let’s meet the competitors:

Current Gamer

The current gamer is a Titleist TSR3, 9 degrees with a stiff Tensei black 1K shaft. I have it adjusted up 1.5 degrees with the weight set in the second to last position towards a draw bias.

Former Gamer

A Callaway Rogue ST TD LS, 9 degree with a Tensei white X-stiff shaft. I have it set up 1 degree.

Former Former Gamer

A Ping G425 Max, 9 degree with the Ping tour stiff shaft. I have it adjusted 1.5 degrees with the weight toward the heel to promote a draw bias. 
 

My small miss is a push fade. My big miss is banana slice. My over compensating miss is a low hook. 
 

A part of this journey is going to be working toward eliminating the over the top move that periodically works it’s way into my swing when I’m either trying to kill it or starting to fatigue. I will also be using a series of range sessions to determine which of these 3 drivers gives me the best distance, dispersion, reliable shot shape. 

I know you don't like the sound of the Ping G425 Max (not the biggest fan myself) however the forgiveness is crazy stupid good. 

Any thoughts on using that just as a fairway finder to try and rebuild some confidence?

[KC Golf]

I share your trial and tribulations on driver consistency. It’s really costing me some low potential rounds. I game the TSR3 9 deg set to C2 with a GD Tour AD 6S.  I find if I have similar push Fades my big miss is either a straight hook usually from a heel strike or a slice. With my new swing from my Coach I am hitting straighter balls but I seem to hit a left hook if I stand too close to the ball. If I stay further away then I seem to be fine. 

I shallow out on a full swing so I have to line carefully.  Since I don’t return to the same spot. 

I think it’s more practice than the driver but under pressure in matches I seem to fade it out much can put me into trouble. 

Not sure what my solution is since I think the forgiveness on misses given spin parameters looks pretty good. 

[GolfSpy AFG]

So @Ben Joest, I’m curious what you’re doing off the tee.  Do you typically hit a cut or a draw?  Are you a guy who sticks to one shape or are you trying to work the ball?

Just kind of curious how much consistency concerns are equipment versus swing related…

[Josh Parker]

Will be following along on this topic. It's the weakest part of my game right now and working with my pro to fix. 

[cnosil]

I’ll second @Getoffmylawn questions.    I guess I have had the word “consistency” beaten out of my brain when it comes to golf because we are all fairly consistent with our swing.  What are you trying to improve and how do you think a different driver will fix?   
 

as a 2.0 handicap you must do pretty well off the tee and generally avoid trouble.   
 

you describe your miss as a push fade with the occasional slice that after you hit too many if you get your hands overactive and hit the low hook.   You also describe and over the top move due to fatigue.   Everything there sounds reliable and consistent.   

my “stayed at a holiday in express” thought is face control would be the area to work on.   

[Vegan_Golfer_PNW]

29 minutes ago, cnosil said:

I’ll second @Getoffmylawn questions.    I guess I have had the word “consistency” beaten out of my brain when it comes to golf because we are all fairly consistent with our swing.  What are you trying to improve and how do you think a different driver will fix?   
 

as a 2.0 handicap you must do pretty well off the tee and generally avoid trouble.   
 

you describe your miss as a push fade with the occasional slice that after you hit too many if you get your hands overactive and hit the low hook.   You also describe and over the top move due to fatigue.   Everything there sounds reliable and consistent.   

my “stayed at a holiday in express” thought is face control would be the area to work on.   

Second this. Foot spray is your friend. 
 

my question, do you try to hit driver at different speeds? Might be time to just go all out with it and learn to swing fast more consistently. Scott Fawcett does this and says it’s the only block practice he does as it’s the only time on the course you can have everything setup the way you want. 

Edited October 4, 2023 by Vegan_Golfer_PNW

[GolfSpy_BEN]

7 hours ago, GolfSpy_APH said:

I know you don't like the sound of the Ping G425 Max (not the biggest fan myself) however the forgiveness is crazy stupid good. 

Any thoughts on using that just as a fairway finder to try and rebuild some confidence?

As a matter of fact, yes. I played a virtual round at the Top Tracer Range, where I used it and the TSR on alternating holes. Beyond the sound, which reminds me of the aluminum bats we used as kids in little league, the G425 is still a reliable driver. When I moved away from it initially, it was for distance reasons. As it’s top end is lower than the Callaway or Titleist. Although, I do wonder what a change of shaft might do.

[GolfSpy_BEN]

4 hours ago, Getoffmylawn said:

So @Ben Joest, I’m curious what you’re doing off the tee.  Do you typically hit a cut or a draw?  Are you a guy who sticks to one shape or are you trying to work the ball?

Just kind of curious how much consistency concerns are equipment versus swing related…

 

54 minutes ago, cnosil said:

I’ll second @Getoffmylawn questions.    I guess I have had the word “consistency” beaten out of my brain when it comes to golf because we are all fairly consistent with our swing.  What are you trying to improve and how do you think a different driver will fix?   
 

as a 2.0 handicap you must do pretty well off the tee and generally avoid trouble.   
 

you describe your miss as a push fade with the occasional slice that after you hit too many if you get your hands overactive and hit the low hook.   You also describe and over the top move due to fatigue.   Everything there sounds reliable and consistent.   

my “stayed at a holiday in express” thought is face control would be the area to work on.   

Hayes, my stock driver shape is a cut. I can hit a draw, but if I overcook it, it becomes a hook. 
For clarity, I am a good putter. I rarely 3-putt. I am a good to great wedge player. I am an above average ball striker. These are the aspects of my game that have laid the foundation for a low handicap. Where I am inconsistent, is off the tee with a driver. Here are two examples from my last round out:

There is 60 yards of difference between these tee shots. Both resulted in pars, so neither hurt. What I am seeking is to get to a place in my game where I pull driver and I know what it will carry. I would trade in the 300 yd drive to have 2 holes where it went 275. So this exercise is part figuring which of the 3 drivers I have puts me in the best position to achieve this and taking a deeper look at my swing to pick out where the inconsistency creeps in.
It may ultimately prove unrealistic to try to dial the driver in to such a degree, but I think this is a key component to getting to scratch. Coupled with going from a good to great putter, but that’s for a different thread. 

[GolfSpy_KFT]

Great thread, @Ben Joest. Looking forward to following along. Off the tee is my biggest killer, notably crashing my scores. On Monday I shot a 103 with terrible tee shots except for about two holes, both of which I had good tee shots and pars. Two Sundays ago I shot a 90 with driver consistently playable. I think MANY of us on the forum can relate to this one and will be really beneficial!

[Vegan_Golfer_PNW]

32 minutes ago, Ben Joest said:

 

Hayes, my stock driver shape is a cut. I can hit a draw, but if I overcook it, it becomes a hook. 
For clarity, I am a good putter. I rarely 3-putt. I am a good to great wedge player. I am an above average ball striker. These are the aspects of my game that have laid the foundation for a low handicap. Where I am inconsistent, is off the tee with a driver. Here are two examples from my last round out:

There is 60 yards of difference between these tee shots. Both resulted in pars, so neither hurt. What I am seeking is to get to a place in my game where I pull driver and I know what it will carry. I would trade in the 300 yd drive to have 2 holes where it went 275. So this exercise is part figuring which of the 3 drivers I have puts me in the best position to achieve this and taking a deeper look at my swing to pick out where the inconsistency creeps in.
It may ultimately prove unrealistic to try to dial the driver in to such a degree, but I think this is a key component to getting to scratch. Coupled with going from a good to great putter, but that’s for a different thread. 

What length do you play driver at? You may need to optimize that to get the best face contact. Then play for a roughly 60 yard dispersion off the tee. Good luck on your journey 

Edited October 4, 2023 by Vegan_Golfer_PNW

[mbrodeur86]

We're in the same boat. I went from a 3.6 to a 5.3 because I suddenly can't hit my driver. This driver is also fitted. I know the old adage that it's the Indian and not the arrow but I wonder if sometimes we can make a swing change that "unfits" us from our fitted equipment? I want to hit push fades. My miss is both sides. I had a friend lend me an old TaylorMade Sim driver with a HZRDUS black shaft and although I still hit some bad shots the shots weren't as bad. Right now I can go ob left or right. Thinking of making a switch but I have more testing to do

[GolfSpy_BEN]

1 minute ago, Vegan_Golfer_PNW said:

What length Rod you play driver at? You may need to optimize that to get the best face contact. Then play for a roughly 60 yard dispersion off the tee. Good luck on your journey 

Randy, 

This gets to another piece of this equation. There are stock length shafts in all three drivers. I’ve been fit for irons a couple times, but I’ve never been fit in to any driver I’ve played. I can see a driver fitting in my future, probably not to buy, but at least to figure out if my specs match how im currently set-up.

[Vegan_Golfer_PNW]

2 minutes ago, Ben Joest said:

Randy, 

This gets to another piece of this equation. There are stock length shafts in all three drivers. I’ve been fit for irons a couple times, but I’ve never been fit in to any driver I’ve played. I can see a driver fitting in my future, probably not to buy, but at least to figure out if my specs match how im currently set-up.

Interesting. You can always tinker. Grip down and check contact. Once you find a good spot, add lead tape until it feels good. I found for me 44.5” is great (although I am battling hooks now with my swing work) but contact is more centered. Let me know if you want advice on that. 

[Shrek74]

21 minutes ago, Ben Joest said:

Hayes, my stock driver shape is a cut. I can hit a draw, but if I overcook it, it becomes a hook. 
For clarity, I am a good putter. I rarely 3-putt. I am a good to great wedge player. I am an above average ball striker. These are the aspects of my game that have laid the foundation for a low handicap. Where I am inconsistent, is off the tee with a driver.

There is 60 yards of difference between these tee shots. Both resulted in pars, so neither hurt. What I am seeking is to get to a place in my game where I pull driver and I know what it will carry. I would trade in the 300 yd drive to have 2 holes where it went 275. So this exercise is part figuring which of the 3 drivers I have puts me in the best position to achieve this and taking a deeper look at my swing to pick out where the inconsistency creeps in.
It may ultimately prove unrealistic to try to dial the driver in to such a degree, but I think this is a key component to getting to scratch. Coupled with going from a good to great putter, but that’s for a different thread. 

I can't relate to the quality ball striking with irons, but I can with the putter and wedge comment. I am working on the iron swing with my swing coach though as I really want to get better there.

But what I really relate to is the inconsistent driver part. At this point in my journey, I've almost stopped hitting my driver and just pull 3 wood off the tee unless it's a really long and straight hole. I don't go right, with anything really. But I can overcook my natural baby draw or just straight up pull it. Plus, at a Titleist Demo Day a few weeks ago I found out I was hitting almost everything heel-side. That's what's been causing my spin to skyrocket and 100mph swing speed to only go 220, which is why I hit 3 wood since I can get to that point and even farther (as I hit my 3 wood really well). I actually just picked up a lightly used Stealth+ Rocket 13.5* "2 wood" to test out for now for some more yards off the tee while I figure out my swing problem and why it's always heel-side.

My current gamer is a Callaway Rogue ST Max LS, 9* turned down to 8*, neutral. I have a HZRDUS Smoke Yellow 60g 6.0 shaft playing just over 46". I think that length is causing me some problems as my previous drivers were all around 45". I was fit into the shaft and do really well with the entire HZRDUS line (Red in my 3 wood, Blue in my 5 wood, and Black in my hybrids) and wish they offered them in iron shafts. I may look for a replacement shaft to have it play around 44.5"-45" but with the end of the season upon us, I may just wait for my fitting in May to worry about any of that and just keep working on my swing over the winter.

But I definitely want to follow along and see how you work through things and see if any of it can work for me and my trials.

[Byrnzee]

Will be following this journey for you as I am also looking to become more consistent off the tee (and in general). Good luck and I look forward to hearing about your progress!

[cnosil]

44 minutes ago, Ben Joest said:

 

There is 60 yards of difference between these tee shots. Both resulted in pars, so neither hurt. What I am seeking is to get to a place in my game where I pull driver and I know what it will carry. I would trade in the 300 yd drive to have 2 holes where it went 275. So this exercise is part figuring which of the 3 drivers I have puts me in the best position to achieve this and taking a deeper look at my swing to pick out where the inconsistency creeps in.
It may ultimately prove unrealistic to try to dial the driver in to such a degree, but I think this is a key component to getting to scratch. Coupled with going from a good to great putter, but that’s for a different thread. 

Was launch angle similar on these?  Was the problem face contact?  Different ball flights?   As Randy has said,  I’d probably look at face contact and launch.  Spray some foot powder and see where you are hitting the face.   Launch angle could be too flexible of a shaft causing the shaft to not release consistently.  

[GolfSpy_BEN]

4 minutes ago, cnosil said:

Was launch angle similar on these?  Was the problem face contact?  Different ball flights?   As Randy has said,  I’d probably look at face contact and launch.  Spray some foot powder and see where you are hitting the face.   Launch angle could be too flexible of a shaft causing the shaft to not release consistently.  

Thanks Chris!

Based on the ball marks i usually see on the face, I am center to toe. I rarely if ever catch one towards the heel. That is one thing I’m currently working on, is eliminating a high toe strike. 
I can use the Rapsodo and some foot spray to get a baseline for strike location and launch angle.

In regard to shaft flex, a fitting would definitely help me determine if the shaft profiles I’ve been playing are optimal. Given the 3 I’m working with, there is a bit of variance there.

[tdroma98]

14 hours ago, Ben Joest said:

Hello Folks! 
 

Many of you have seen me around the forum popping up in various threads here and there. I have written about my evergreen fascination with muscleback blades. More recently, I  wrapped up testing the latest Titleist irons. Now, I am starting this thread as a means of having a place to record my thoughts and findings as I figure out a path forward regarding the Driver in my bag. As the title describes, I am looking for consistency, so I am going to put the 3 drivers currently in my possession up against one another and see which wins out. 

Let’s meet the competitors:

Current Gamer

The current gamer is a Titleist TSR3, 9 degrees with a stiff Tensei black 1K shaft. I have it adjusted up 1.5 degrees with the weight set in the second to last position towards a draw bias.

Former Gamer

A Callaway Rogue ST TD LS, 9 degree with a Tensei white X-stiff shaft. I have it set up 1 degree.

Former Former Gamer

A Ping G425 Max, 9 degree with the Ping tour stiff shaft. I have it adjusted 1.5 degrees with the weight toward the heel to promote a draw bias. 

My small miss is a push fade. My big miss is banana slice. My over compensating miss is a low hook. 
 

A part of this journey is going to be working toward eliminating the over the top move that periodically works it’s way into my swing when I’m either trying to kill it or starting to fatigue. I will also be using a series of range sessions to determine which of these 3 drivers gives me the best distance, dispersion, reliable shot shape. 

Great thread @Ben Joest! 
Curious about the types of shafts in each of your drivers. Two Tensei  - one black & one white Tensei.  One Stiff & & one X-Stiff & one Ping Tour Stiff.  I understand the driver heads are different, have you thought about finding a compatible shaft for all three driver heads? 

Reason I ask, after my GBB Subzero driver head cracked, I focused on the driver shaft when testing  new drivers.  Got a driver fitting at PXG 0311 & 0211 with a Hzrdus Black 60 gram 6.0 shaft coming out on top. The stiffer tip helped with correcting banana type flights. 4 months later, not happy with the PXG, I got fitted for the Paradym X Driver, I wanted a draw bias face & the fitting came down to two shafts with one being the Hzrdus Black 60gram 6.0. So I went with Hzrdus Black and even picked lost distance from the PXG driver.  I no longer worry where the ball is going while standing on the tee, there is a confidence level which I think is due to the shaft.  

Do you think having the same shaft in each driver, you can feel comfortable with, would give you the confidence in achieving your desired ball flight, would help?

[GolfSpy_BEN]

1 hour ago, tdroma98 said:

Great thread @Ben Joest! 
Curious about the types of shafts in each of your drivers. Two Tensei  - one black & one white Tensei.  One Stiff & & one X-Stiff & one Ping Tour Stiff.  I understand the driver heads are different, have you thought about finding a compatible shaft for all three driver heads? 

Reason I ask, after my GBB Subzero driver head cracked, I focused on the driver shaft when testing  new drivers.  Got a driver fitting at PXG 0311 & 0211 with a Hzrdus Black 60 gram 6.0 shaft coming out on top. The stiffer tip helped with correcting banana type flights. 4 months later, not happy with the PXG, I got fitted for the Paradym X Driver, I wanted a draw bias face & the fitting came down to two shafts with one being the Hzrdus Black 60gram 6.0. So I went with Hzrdus Black and even picked lost distance from the PXG driver.  I no longer worry where the ball is going while standing on the tee, there is a confidence level which I think is due to the shaft.  

Do you think having the same shaft in each driver, you can feel comfortable with, would give you the confidence in achieving your desired ball flight, would help?

@tdroma98, great questions!

I think there is something to the head/shaft combination. 
 

I went to the range today and will be posting the results a bit later, while I was there I talked to the Head pro about shaft fitting, but they didn’t carry anything beyond the stock options for each driver. 
 

I am considering which head I like the best and once that is narrowed down, I would like to get fit into better shaft. Specifically, I like the Ventus Red and would like to try some of the Graphite Design options.

[tdroma98]

That's great Ben! I'd be interested to see which brand driver head & what driver shaft you get fitted for and if it makes a difference in controlling your ball flight. 

[GolfSpy_BEN]

From today’s range session:

Titleist TSr3

Callaway Rogue ST TD LS

Ping G425

 

Observations

The Ping had the tightest dispersion circle. 
All 3 had decent smash factor averages, which supports the feeling I had during the session that I was making good contact.

The TSr3 was on average the longest with carry and total distance.

The Ping was the shortest on average carry and total distance. 

In terms of shape, I was pleased with all three. As an aside, what Rapsodo classifies as a slice, in person looks to be more of a fade. I didn’t have any banana slices, but there were a couple pull hooks.

I think I can narrow this race down to the TSr 3 and the G425. The Rogue had a couple of the longest drives of the day, but the dispersion is quite a bit wider and I have to start somewhere.

The overall takeaway for me, is the G425 would be a no-doubter if it was a little longer given the accuracy on display. It makes for a tempting experiment to determine if a better shaft can improve distance while maintaining accuracy

[GolfSpy_BEN]

A decent drive from each of the competitors:

 

   

 

 

 

[cnosil]

10 hours ago, Ben Joest said:

A decent drive from each of the competitors:

 

 

 

 

Interesting seeing the video.   I don’t know if it is the angle or not, but that looks like a pull fade and not a push fade.    Based on “optimal” numbers your launch angle is too low, should be 12-15* and you are showing 8-10*.  Don’t know if you are swinging down and/or delofting or just need more static loft on the club.   On the graphs that show all the shots, is the graph showing ball flight?  If so that shows a lack of consistency in launch.  

[Vegan_Golfer_PNW]

Thanks for sharing. Two things I notice. Two totally different shaft profiles between the ping and the TSR. That will contribute to how you deliver the head for both. If you could I would try to test a similar profile in the ping to the TSR, a tour black 2.0 or something. Like Chris said, your launch seems all over the place. Could be the range balls. Would like to see on course or indoor data with non range balls. For me, I would personally optimize the most out of the ping as you are toughest with it. Play with loft, shaft profile and weighting. May even want to try a new ball like left dash to increase your peak height and lower spin. 

[GolfSpy_BEN]

16 minutes ago, cnosil said:

Interesting seeing the video.   I don’t know if it is the angle or not, but that looks like a pull fade and not a push fade.    Based on “optimal” numbers your launch angle is too low, should be 12-15* and you are showing 8-10*.  Don’t know if you are swinging down and/or delofting or just need more static loft on the club.   On the graphs that show all the shots, is the graph showing ball flight?  If so that shows a lack of consistency in launch.  

I think the angle skews the shot tracer a little bit. Pull fade describes the shot shape for the Ping pretty well. The average launch angle for the Ping and the Titleist was 11 degrees. It was 10.7 for the Callaway. In terms of ball flight, the Ping is the closest to consistent. I need some time on a Trackman, to give numbers but watching all the videos indicates that my angle of attack is too steep and I need to work on not going past parallel in the back swing. Also, I am using too much arms and not enough legs.

[GolfSpy_BEN]

2 minutes ago, Vegan_Golfer_PNW said:

Thanks for sharing. Two things I notice. Two totally different shaft profiles between the ping and the TSR. That will contribute to how you deliver the head for both. If you could I would try to test a similar profile in the ping to the TSR, a tour black 2.0 or something. Like Chris said, your launch seems all over the place. Could be the range balls. Would like to see on course or indoor data with non range balls. For me, I would personally optimize the most out of the ping as you are toughest with it. Play with loft, shaft profile and weighting. May even want to try a new ball like left dash to increase your peak height and lower spin. 

The inconsistency of range balls cannot be discounted. For example, the longest total distance yesterday with a range ball was 271 yds. The longest total distance from Saturdays round was 301. I played a ProV1x on Saturday, but I may try the left dash.

 

[cksurfdude]

..and on the other end of the player spectrum...

... I can't (won't) try to offer any swing advice - Ben it sounds like you've got all that very well covered - but relate a few things that have helped me go from not even carrying a driver in the bag (really) to where it's now like the best club in my bag and I look forward to the next tee shot (really!).

First.. which is clearly not your problem.. was just tell myself "it's time" and get over my stoopit mental block about hitting driver

Followed up by lessons, practice, more swing lessons, more focused practice, ...

One technical aspect, mentioned earlier, that I found to be critical is being extra careful with the setup on the tee - checking that tee height, ball position and my distance to the ball are all as close to the same thing every time as I can make them.

The biggest thing, though, I believe that contributed to me really starting to hit the driver is getting involved in the "Otto Phlex Experiment" (thread started by another from member) - pun on Auto Flex - the underlying idea being set aside ideas of swing speed = shaft flex and try a lighter weight and lighter flex shaft.

The general rule of thumb is start out two weight classes and two flexes lighter.

I started out by taking my wife's old driver to the range and after the first few funky swings started to like it. Then I adjusted the swing weight on it with lead tape and liked it even more -- *note that this is a critical component to get your feel right!

It's not for everyone but definitely seems to be working for me .. I believe that for me and the way I swing it's helping me make better contact and launch the ball better.

In fact after the Paradym testing ended I switched to my "O-P" shaft (40/A) from the fitted one (50/R).

So all that said... my suggestion is look into it, and if it seems interesting find a demo day or a shop where you can try out different shaft weights and flexes.

Edited October 6, 2023 by cksurfdude

[Shrek74]

On 10/4/2023 at 6:56 PM, Ben Joest said:

From today’s range session:

Titleist TSr3

Callaway Rogue ST TD LS

Ping G425

 

Observations

The Ping had the tightest dispersion circle. 
All 3 had decent smash factor averages, which supports the feeling I had during the session that I was making good contact.

The TSr3 was on average the longest with carry and total distance.

The Ping was the shortest on average carry and total distance. 

In terms of shape, I was pleased with all three. As an aside, what Rapsodo classifies as a slice, in person looks to be more of a fade. I didn’t have any banana slices, but there were a couple pull hooks.

I think I can narrow this race down to the TSr 3 and the G425. The Rogue had a couple of the longest drives of the day, but the dispersion is quite a bit wider and I have to start somewhere.

The overall takeaway for me, is the G425 would be a no-doubter if it was a little longer given the accuracy on display. It makes for a tempting experiment to determine if a better shaft can improve distance while maintaining accuracy

Some observations/thoughts from your post.

If you like the G425 (who wouldn't love that dispersion and consistency) but want more distance, the G430 is supposed to be longer with more ball speed compared to the G425 with a better sound. If you're looking to replace stuff, might want to at least give it a test. Trading in or selling the others if the 430 works would likely pay for it or at least most of it.

I agree the Callaway TD is tougher to hit consistently and well. It's a tour head and even though you strike the ball well, still might be a bit more difficult to control as the dispersion shows.

The TSR3 is a great driver. Tour proven and lots of great adjustability, especially with the 5 slots now verses the previous 3. Proper shaft might help with dispersion and maybe even a bit more distance.

I tried the TSR2 & 3 in a demo day here a few weeks ago and they felt pretty good. I just need to fix my heel strikes before I can pull a trigger on something new myself. I was hitting the TSR2+ FW as far as I was hitting the driver due to those heel strikes and flushing the 2+. Not sure if you figured out your strike pattern or not, but that might help for when you see/talk to fitters.