When is a New Driver REALLY Worth It??

[Wesleyb22]

So I've had my Cobra F9 in the bag since early 2020. Loved it from the start and I still see some really good performance with some loft and weight placement changes as my swing has improved. I don't really plan to or feel the need to upgrade anytime soon. But this begs the question of when does driver technology actually result in an appreciable difference for an average golfer? I know getting fitted is king, but is 5 yards longer or 10 yards tighter dispersion over 5 years worth the $600 price tag? Not to mention the extra $150+ for a premium shaft fit (ahem velocore).

Any testing out there that shows driver data over a 5 year span? F9 vs Darkspeed, M5 vs QI10, Epic Flash vs Paradym Smoke... etc. I feel like 5 years might be that grey area where it might be worth it, or it might not. All opinions or references to testing welcome.

[JaySavay]

I can’t say that buying the newest driver is going to make anything better, but I’m also not a nerd with drivers.

I think when you really boil it down, it’s all a matter of opinion how technology has moved forward. Take the Qi10 from Taylor made for example; same rough design as a blend between a Sim2 and a Stealth, new tech on it is the 10k inertia to help keep balls from slicing and dicing, and the best part of all, they put a blue carbon face instead of a red one (in my opinion best change ever lol). I guess I can also say the same with Cobra. I got my buddy’s king radspeed to try out for a couple months and loved that, and would honestly mess around and still hit it to this day. GREAT driver but old tech, still works amazing. When it really boils down to it, majority of us aren’t going to see the biggest difference unless you do the research and take the stats on every golf shot. And what I can say is, “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it” play with what you love and change when you’re ready to change.

Im also stuck in the boat of whether to get a new driver or not, and I do like Taylormade so I guess I’ll be ponying up that $600

[vandyland]

So, my thoughts (however flawed) are that most of the technological improvements in the last several years with drivers is that there are more "profiles" available with multiple heads and that the faces have gotten better (across most all OEMs) at retaining ball speed no matter where you hit it. Let me put down two players and where I think they might or might not get much help:

Player 1: Hits the ball all over the face and generally has trouble keeping spin down (somewhere in the 3000+ rpm territory). To me, this is the player that most benefits from today's advancements in technology. Most major OEMs have a lowest spin, lowish spin and moderate spin option head now. Since this player misses the center of the face a lot, they need some of these "enhancements" but would need to verify that with a fitting where they see their general miss with both their current gamer and a new challenger driver(s).

Player 2: Hits the ball in the center most all the time and already has a pretty good spin profile on their ball. Even if this player has a 3-4 year old driver, I don't think they are going to see a material change in performance with a new driver. 

This is all anecdotal. Personally, I am closer to "Player A" than "Player B". I was happy with my Cobra Radspeed XB driver but then I got a chance to hit the Mizuno ST-Z 230 driver and I noticed that on dead center strikes, the drivers were very similar in performance. But on toe/heel strikes, the Mizuno was waaay better. Not just in ball speed but also staying straight. And in general I think you see that with the new Pings and TaylorMades as well.

One note on Cobra, I think they are chasing absolute ball speed so I would think the darkspeed would likely be faster than your current driver by a decent margin but maybe not any more forgiving...I could be wrong. 

Edited February 7 by vandyland

[cnosil]

25 minutes ago, Wesleyb22 said:

So I've had my Cobra F9 in the bag since early 2020. Loved it from the start and I still see some really good performance with some loft and weight placement changes as my swing has improved. I don't really plan to or feel the need to upgrade anytime soon. But this begs the question of when does driver technology actually result in an appreciable difference for an average golfer? I know getting fitted is king, but is 5 yards longer or 10 yards tighter dispersion over 5 years worth the $600 price tag? Not to mention the extra $150+ for a premium shaft fit (ahem velocore).

Any testing out there that shows driver data over a 5 year span? F9 vs Darkspeed, M5 vs QI10, Epic Flash vs Paradym Smoke... etc. I feel like 5 years might be that grey area where it might be worth it, or it might not. All opinions or references to testing welcome.

 

Worth it is player dependent.  MGS has done some studies of drivers over time and newer technology is generally better, but it is just how clubs evolve over time.  5ish  years seems to be the timeline to see something significant.    I think what is happening is what @vandylandmentioned in that there are more profiles of heads and shafts that help players deliver the clubs better and more forgiveness away from the center which generates better results.   

I am currently over the 5 year mark of driver age and could probably find some more forgiveness and maybe some additional ball speed but for me it's not worth $600 and I compare against drivers that are a couple of years older to save some money.

[GolfSpy_APH]

The biggest key for me isn't total distance. While I may be able to find one that gets out there a little further I find the spin control and consistency is far better in many newer models as well as overall forgiveness. Horrible swings still yield horrible results, but the newer ones I do find much better than older. The F9 itself was and still is fantastic. It's a driver I really liked as well, but I did find it lacked that forgiveness to earn a place in my bag.

[RickyBobby_PR]

Whenever I feel like a new driver.

Now if I’m looking to see if something better exists it comes down to how the driver looks and sounds along with the feel with the shaft.

The results have to improve results on mishits and allow me to keep my preferred ball flight. A couple yard increase in carry distance, improved launch characteristics that optimize carry and total all go into determining if one is better than the other.

[RonnieB]

I recently got fitted for the Qi10 max. I settled on the Qi10 max with a ventus tr-5-2 shaft. I could careless about the distance, I know I am not the longest hitter. However, I can say that the Qi10 max allows me to have smaller dispersions with my swing than the TaylorMade Sim driver that I was fitted and played since 2020. I tend to toe the ball more than I like and the Qi10 max seems to be more forgiving than the Sim or the Cobra LTDX I have played. 

[William P]

For me it comes down to the misses. Don't get me wrong, a few extra yards is always welcome, but that feeling of confidence knowing that your misses are still going to provide a tighter dispersion and playable outcome is supreme. I have a ball flight preference that I look for as well, but it does not carry the same weight as consistency and accuracy. 

After all, as @GolfSpy_APH said above, you will still have the ugly swing from time to time, and no club will fix that. I would also add that an extra 5-10 yards left or right OB is still OB...

[barney_bogey]

Old driver vs current driver difference: twist face technology. There's been times when I've hit something real spinny and I'm shocked that the ball didn't go OOB. I do believe leaps in technology help the average guy but not so much that you need to stay current every year.

B

[Rob Person]

Honestly, eliminate the NEWNESS factor, and just hit some of the new drivers side by side with yours.  It may be significant changes in distance loft, etc, or it may not. Perhaps maybe a newer shaft and an adjustable insert is all that is needed.

Now, if your driver is damaged or face worn out, that could be a proponent for getting a new one.

[bens197]

I am less interested in the newer drivers simply because I have realized I am about maxed out on distance for my potential.

My interest is more in shaft technology and finding something that will suit me better than what I already have.  It's why I have a near new Tensei 1K white in my 7 year old G400 LST and I will probably get into a Ventus black with my TSi3 sooner than later.

[Josh Parker]

I am with many on this topic. I want tighter dispersion more than distance. I would think 5 to 6 years is probably lacking some technology.  

[MattWillGolf]

I was fit into my G400 Max 5 years ago and am considering getting a fitting for something new. But I am not sure, given my game if it will make a lot of difference. Turning Stone has manufacturer fitting days coming up and I am toying with booking a Ping fitting. It costs $100 and with the fitting you get a dozen balls, a glove and $50 credit for a same day purchase. I am also considering PXG as well, but they are not participating at this event. So that is another fitting cost I need to consider. If I was a smart man, I would have taken advantage of the free Black Ops fitting they offered veterans prior to product launch. 

[GolfSpy_KFT]

Some really good answers here so far and like others have said, I think what defines "worth it" comes down to the individual. Would I pay $600 for 5 more yards? Personally I would not. However, if there was a driver/shaft combo that would help make my misses less penalizing and keep a so-so strike in play vs. OB, then it may be worth it. 

There's also nothing saying you need to go brand spanking new vs. new to you. When I got fit for my TSi3, I didn't want to pay the $550 price tag for a new club. I waited until the offseason, I think it was January or February, then got a gently used one for $320 online. The TSr came out later that year, but I wasn't bothered by that because the TSi3 was so much less punishing on mishits than my previous driver (TM SLDR). 

I will be considering a new driver this year as Titleist is going into a driver two cycles past my TSi, so will see if there are enough improvements in tech to justify an upgrade. If not, I'm perfectly happy with the performance I get now.

[billpierce]

For the folks fitted recently - it seems the ability to find the right shaft/driver combo is much easier today than say 2017 when I got my driver.  I read in the forums how the takomo golf testers really loved the clubs but wanted to replace the shafts so a combo set with right shafts seems to matter most (particularly on dispersion).

So that said, how are the fitting experiences? I am about to head to PGA superstore and have no idea whether it will be positive or not!

[Quigleyd]

11 hours ago, Wesleyb22 said:

So I've had my Cobra F9 in the bag since early 2020. Loved it from the start and I still see some really good performance with some loft and weight placement changes as my swing has improved. I don't really plan to or feel the need to upgrade anytime soon. But this begs the question of when does driver technology actually result in an appreciable difference for an average golfer? I know getting fitted is king, but is 5 yards longer or 10 yards tighter dispersion over 5 years worth the $600 price tag? Not to mention the extra $150+ for a premium shaft fit (ahem velocore).

Any testing out there that shows driver data over a 5 year span? F9 vs Darkspeed, M5 vs QI10, Epic Flash vs Paradym Smoke... etc. I feel like 5 years might be that grey area where it might be worth it, or it might not. All opinions or references to testing welcome.

What kind of internet golfer question is this? Of course a new driver is worth it.

[KC Golf]

If you are a club ho, aren’t you buying a new one every six months?  I wish I had that kind of budget since getting fitted for a new driver is like Xmas!

I agree with many on this post.  I think a good fairway finding driver with decent distance for your particular swing is what makes the most sense for the majority of golfers.  If you find one it’s hard to not keep it as your gamer.  My TSR3 is what works for me.  The Stealth 2 when I tried it went a bit further, when I hit it on the screws, but was a lot less in avg distance compared to the Titleist on slight mis-hits.  I don’t have the consistency to hit any club on the screws remotely consistently…

[Shapotomous]

I love it when a new model comes out because the choices in the used market increase!!

Over time ( lets say 5 years) you may not get much of a performance boost  from changes in clubhead tech.  But maybe your swing has evolved (or de-volved) to the point that a change in loft or shaft choice helps performance.  And maybe a shaft change works better with a different clubhead since those things are tightly intertwined.  

It can be fun to try out the different options if you like hitting golf ballsand are a bit of a data nerd.  Or you can live vicariously through @Golfspy_CG2 ! 

[RickyBobby_PR]

16 hours ago, billpierce said:

For the folks fitted recently - it seems the ability to find the right shaft/driver combo is much easier today than say 2017 when I got my driver.  I read in the forums how the takomo golf testers really loved the clubs but wanted to replace the shafts so a combo set with right shafts seems to matter most (particularly on dispersion).

So that said, how are the fitting experiences? I am about to head to PGA superstore and have no idea whether it will be positive or not!

I disagree it’s easier today than in 2017. It was just as easy in 2017 as it is today.

a good fitter will be able to get a golfer in the right setup. The only changes other than some new brands coming on the market is the materials used to make the shafts. There are shaft like the AD-DI that have been in use for many years that perform as good or better than newer high end shafts.

No upcharge shafts haven’t really changed either. But again it comes down to how good the fitter is and what options are available to the fitter

[Wesleyb22]

19 hours ago, GolfSpy_APH said:

The biggest key for me isn't total distance. While I may be able to find one that gets out there a little further I find the spin control and consistency is far better in many newer models as well as overall forgiveness. Horrible swings still yield horrible results, but the newer ones I do find much better than older. The F9 itself was and still is fantastic. It's a driver I really liked as well, but I did find it lacked that forgiveness to earn a place in my bag.

This is a great point actually. Seems OEMs are finally pushing the forgiveness capabilities rather than pure distance. Significant improvement on miss-hits (without giving up too much distance) might be the one thing that would convert me.

[Wesleyb22]

18 hours ago, Rob Person said:

Honestly, eliminate the NEWNESS factor, and just hit some of the new drivers side by side with yours.  It may be significant changes in distance loft, etc, or it may not. Perhaps maybe a newer shaft and an adjustable insert is all that is needed.

Now, if your driver is damaged or face worn out, that could be a proponent for getting a new one.

This is what I'd love to do, but not just with brand new models. My driver is in great shape, but I wish I could find a fitter that had a model or two prior clubs to compare against my own in a fitting. They always either push or only carry the "latest and greatest"

[Hacker60521]

I tend to go for a full bag fitting (TrueSpec) and replace my clubs every 5 years or so. Couple of reasons. First, my game has changed over five years so the clubs should as well, and the fitting guides that. Second, the fitting tells me what’s working and what’s not.

[Wesleyb22]

17 hours ago, GolfSpy_KFT said:

Some really good answers here so far and like others have said, I think what defines "worth it" comes down to the individual. Would I pay $600 for 5 more yards? Personally I would not. However, if there was a driver/shaft combo that would help make my misses less penalizing and keep a so-so strike in play vs. OB, then it may be worth it. 

There's also nothing saying you need to go brand spanking new vs. new to you. When I got fit for my TSi3, I didn't want to pay the $550 price tag for a new club. I waited until the offseason, I think it was January or February, then got a gently used one for $320 online. The TSr came out later that year, but I wasn't bothered by that because the TSi3 was so much less punishing on mishits than my previous driver (TM SLDR). 

I will be considering a new driver this year as Titleist is going into a driver two cycles past my TSi, so will see if there are enough improvements in tech to justify an upgrade. If not, I'm perfectly happy with the performance I get now.

This is pretty much what I did with my F9 now. Difference is I went in blind on shaft just knowing I needed something heavy S or an X flex. Knowing what I know now I would have researched more on that, but the combo has worked well so far. I will absolutely roll with the previous generation or two as well when I do pull the trigger. I just need to test out some head/shaft combos to know what works well and what doesn't.

I went the same gently used route on my current irons and that's been the best investment I've made in my bag so far.

Respect for gaming a SLDR though. I'm sure the forgiveness was a welcome sight! 

[Wesleyb22]

1 hour ago, RickyBobby_PR said:

I disagree it’s easier today than in 2017. It was just as easy in 2017 as it is today.

a good fitter will be able to get a golfer in the right setup. The only changes other than some new brands coming on the market is the materials used to make the shafts. There are shaft like the AD-DI that have been in use for many years that perform as good or better than newer high end shafts.

No upcharge shafts haven’t really changed either. But again it comes down to how good the fitter is and what options are available to the fitter

I think you're right. There just seem to be more good, knowledgable fitters out there now, and golfers have a better idea of what they're looking for vs blindly trusting juiced distances on a launch monitor.

[Rob Person]

40 minutes ago, Wesleyb22 said:

This is what I'd love to do, but not just with brand new models. My driver is in great shape, but I wish I could find a fitter that had a model or two prior clubs to compare against my own in a fitting. They always either push or only carry the "latest and greatest"

 Nothing wrong with comparing last year's models, as quite a few places still carry them. Like I said, bring yours, and explain up front that you want to get numbers from your current one, and newer ones, then ask if anything yours can upgrade with (shaft, adjustment, etc).  I would think a quality fitter would allow this, especially if you are paying for it.

[RickyBobby_PR]

42 minutes ago, Wesleyb22 said:

This is what I'd love to do, but not just with brand new models. My driver is in great shape, but I wish I could find a fitter that had a model or two prior clubs to compare against my own in a fitting. They always either push or only carry the "latest and greatest"

I don’t have numbers on how many fitters there are now vs 2017 but I don’t think there is a significant amount more. Also don’t have data on number of fittings between those times but I would guess they are up, but would venture to guess the number of off the rack purchase whether in store or online is still higher than fittings.

I don’t think the amount of info out there has changed much, I’ve been reading golf forums for more than a decade and the information was out there back then.

I think it comes down to the number of people getting fit is growing, and talking to fitters and other experts there is still a very large number of bad fitters out there compared to actual good ones

Edited February 8 by RickyBobby_PR

[GolfSpy_KFT]

57 minutes ago, Wesleyb22 said:

This is pretty much what I did with my F9 now. Difference is I went in blind on shaft just knowing I needed something heavy S or an X flex. Knowing what I know now I would have researched more on that, but the combo has worked well so far. I will absolutely roll with the previous generation or two as well when I do pull the trigger. I just need to test out some head/shaft combos to know what works well and what doesn't.

I went the same gently used route on my current irons and that's been the best investment I've made in my bag so far.

Respect for gaming a SLDR though. I'm sure the forgiveness was a welcome sight! 

LOL the SLDR was a rocket ship when you hit it out of the center. But my goodness, maybe one of the least forgiving drivers ever made. I didn't game it on purpose, either haha. I had an R11s that dented at the toe of the face so sent it in for warranty and got the SLDR back. Was not good for my game 

[tdroma98]

On 2/7/2024 at 12:46 PM, cnosil said:

I am currently over the 5 year mark of driver age and could probably find some more forgiveness and maybe some additional ball speed but for me it's not worth $600 and I compare against drivers that are a couple of years older to save some money.

I think @cnosil & @vandyland make some good points. Overall, I'm not sure it's worth spending $600 on any driver.  If it wasn't for my Callaway Subzero driver face cracking after 7 yrs, I'd still be using it.  How much forgiveness do you need? So I get 5 more yards out of a new driver?  Is it worth $600? 
I'm taking @cnosil advice & wait. 

 

 

[Hacker60521]

22 hours ago, Rob Person said:

 Nothing wrong with comparing last year's models, as quite a few places still carry them. Like I said, bring yours, and explain up front that you want to get numbers from your current one, and newer ones, then ask if anything yours can upgrade with (shaft, adjustment, etc).  I would think a quality fitter would allow this, especially if you are paying for it.

@Rob Person if a fitter won’t let you start with your current driver as a baseline something’s wrong. During my last fitting at TrueSpec, the fitter couldn’t find a driver that worked better for me than my current Callaway XR in terms of distance and dispersion. Probably a fluke, but the launch monitor placed ten of my shots within 10 yards of each other. So the fitter simply said I wouldn’t change your driver. Saved me a ton of $$$ but I’ve referred a few people to him because of his honesty 

[RickyBobby_PR]

23 hours ago, Rob Person said:

I would think a quality fitter would allow this, especially if you are paying for it.

Its now fittings start. The fitter will have the golfer warmup if they hadn’t already. This accomplishes two things. First the golfer gets loose and second the fitter gets to watch their swing and can ask questions about misses, ball flight, what they want to change or accomplish. The  when the golfer is loose and ready they will have them use whatever club is being replaced to get a baseline, that baseline is used to compare the different choices along the way and then use that info to show the golfer the differences and let the golfer make whatever decision they want