Golf spy has been going down hill a lot lately. Between their PR stunts. Sponsorships. Their reviews. Not trust worthy anymore. Would trust you more than them haha
Having 'invested' in a minty Cobra Speedzone itself 2 years old, I recently picked up a SLDR and I can honestly say the difference between the two often comes down to what swing I turn up to play with. So on any particular day either one can perform best. I agree with what you say 'slim margins'. And the pair still cost less than one '22 model driver.
I totally agree. I went for a driver fitting last month to upgrade from my M3. I hit my M3 farther and straighter than the 2022 clubs. 245 yds. I did upgrade to a heavier shaft though which gave me better dispersion. The fitter reccomended I get lessons instead of a driver. I got a tip from Paul Wilson golf. My grip was the issue. My thumb was in the way. Preventing me from using proper wrist hinge. Starting using my body more. Now I'm averaging 260 yds or more. I actually went backwards and bought a 2016 M2 on a trade for a 3 wood for 86 bucks. I've had a 299 yd drive on the course with it. I don't need to spend 550 dollars on a new driver. I just needed that one tip to fix my swing.
And it was one of your videos on the M2 that convinced me to get the M2 for the value. It sounds better than the M3. I think I prefer the bulge and roll face more than the twist face tech. When I hit it right it just explodes off the face. I get lower spin than the M3 even with the weights of the M3 all the way forward. Strange but true for me.
Simon I flipping love your channel, I got the original rogue a while back upgraded the shaft, sold the old one and I dont think any upgrade could warrant the extra 200-300 quid. I wish more people dabbled in the second hand market and saved money. Keep it up xx
Simon, I am a college golfer in the states, looking to get fitted for a driver, but save some money. Do you think I should go into a fitting and ask to demo older driver stock (2019-2020-2021) , and whichever one works best to me, purchase for hopefully as a demo they want to get rid of? This would hopefully remove any tolerance issues as I'd be using the exact club which worked best. Thanks, best regards.
I rarely change drivers. I dread the thought of changing my current driver. My driver fits me it feels great and it performs as well as the swing I put into it. I had a Titleist 915 D2 for years and only changed to a Titleist TS2 after extensive testing on different days. I did get better launch and spin with the TS2 but my main reason for changing was that my dispersion improved. Overall I don't think I hit drives any further on average but I do hit less trees.... I did get fitted for last 2 drivers the biggest benefit for me was overall length of drivers was 44.5 inches I just hit the middle more often at that length and I am quite tall :)
Simon, you talk so much sense. I have given up 5/10 yards to get straight drives and have so much confidence now on the tee with my TM SIM 2 (bought new but at reduced price fitted when the Stealth came out)
Erm what are you even talking about they literally do golf experiments with average golfers and use thousands of data points as opposed to 5-50 normally UA-camrs have …poor take
You are absolutely correct. My quick story. My G400 loved it, decided to to update a bit , new irons the complete bag. Updated to the Sim 2 Max driver, on those great drives I did hit a bit farther about12 yards. But I am all over the place. Regret trading in that G400. I am now looking for one in Mint condition.
Well done! I won a Cobra Radspeed had it fitted etc. My go is still my 2017 Big Bertha Fusion (betters dispersion, 5 yards shorter, stays in fairway) when it’s wet my Nike Sweet 13 comes out, which is fun to hit and hear! Great video
@@SASGolf I got fitted for the F9 and just moved the Ventus Velocore R5 A shaft in the LTD x. Went to range and hit about 200 balls to find the right settings for me, funny because it seemed the stock 10.5 was best compared to the 9.0 of the F9. The off center distance improvement was the most significant difference I noticed if I'm being honest.
Been using a Burner Superfast 2.0 since 2011 and since I've gained some weight and gotten stronger, I hit my driver 20-30 yards farther than I did when I first got it. I just don't want to give it up, the club works so well and the matte white finish on the head was Taylormade's best look IMO.
I have the Burner driver & 3 hybrid with the Superfast tech. They have everything the modern ones do apart from Twist Face, which in my experience makes no difference to an amateur.
Can concur with you Simon. Took up golf with 10 yo Wilson CGi woods. Moved up to (on your recommendation) the TM SLDR and that was a revelation. Bought a TM Sim, higher loft that worked better for me. When it was cranked down, it performed identical to the older club.
I agree. I think we started to peak around when the R11 came out and now there are such small increases in drivers since then that it’s almost unnoticeable. I got fitted for my Sim 2 against my old R11 which was battered and there was a marginal gain. I just wanted something new and shiny
Speaking the truth! This is something the big brands don't want people thinking about though. How else are they going to keep selling new drivers that do the same thing more or less?
You 100% correct matey, I use to have a taylormade R7 last year used to hit it 280Y, upgraded to a taylormade M4 lost distance 250Y, then a cobra F9 same 250Y, now I use a taylormade R9 superdeep after watching your video on it, just hit my personal best of 310Y with it today.
So true.... I still game my cobra F9 and I don't see any reason to upgrade.... I find the middle I if fairways even if it not long enough.... But I do carry it average of 245 Meter .. I'm more than happy with it as it always on the fairway.... Only thing I'm looking to is to get 4 or 3 hybrid as I don't have these 4 or 3 iron.... With my age of 51 not sure if I'm correct to going for hybrid
I completely agree. I have recently tested drivers to replace my 2016 Epic. The Epic is still a great driver but I was looking for a little more forgiveness. The 3 club heads I liked were the Stealth, TSi2 and Callaway Rogue. The Rogue performed exactly the same as my current driver, but more variable (probably because I was more used to the Epic). The Stealth and TSi2 however were noticeably better than my Epic but only when we paired it with the right shaft, I was getting 10-12 extra yards of carry but I think it was the shaft was more compatible with me than the shaft in the Epic.
I agree with you. I've just bagged a TaylorMade 2009 Burner driver for £60 which I find gives me exactly the same results as Ping G425 and is as long as the Stealth. One of my playing partners is an upgrade junkie, but after trying my Burner, he agrees.
I think we're seeing some plateauing in golf gear. No reason to get new shiney stuff just for the sake of it, I'm playing really well with a 5 year old Rogue driver, 2008 AP1's...
Could not agree more Simon. I have started playing a 2014 SLDR ... Straightest, longest driver I have ever played. Sure I still miss a few fairways and sometimes don't catch it right, but I did that with my Mavrik and my TM Mini too. New not always better.
Absolutely agree, bought a PXG 0211 fitted this year, not near as consistent as my Taylormade M2 2017, don't want to give up on the PXG but too many slack drives , great video again 🏌🏻🏌🏻🏌🏻
Ping G driver was and is still the best driver I have ever had (while im busy putting a shaft in my cleveland xl custom this evening LOL)...because golfers are never happy.
Hi Simon, love the content! Wondering what you think about the Callaway Razr X irons for a first proper set. Been playing for a year or two on and off and want to upgrade from some old Dominos.
This is just the video I need right now, currently using a tm r580xd which is for me pretty good, just got back into the game after 4 years off and now think I need something with newer tech in. Have just re gripped a r11 ready to try out this weekend but on the hunt for an m2
Hi Simon , great video as usual. Many golfers are gullible when it comes to the marketing of the big companies and will spend a lot of money for little or no significant gains as you so rightly say, and would be better off having lessons from their club pro to iprove their swing..I have demo'd a few drivers on the course recently, Ping G400 , Ping G425 , Callaway Rogue (2017) ,Cobra LTDx , and found no significant gains , if any . The ping G400 and Cobra best sound and feel(, hated the sound of the G425 and Rogue) , but no real increase in distance or consistency ,so couldn't justify spending in the region of £500 , so stayed with my second hand Taylormade M2 which is by far the best driver I have ever owned in terms of confidence , sound , accuracy and distance. Back in the day loved Titleist drivers , 975 ,905 , 983 mainly for their feel. . I think it is hugely important to demo a potential new driver on the course that you regularly play at in a variety of conditions, it may be that , like at my course ,distance is not a priority, whereas accuracy is .How many times do you hit the driver in a round anyway .A potential 5 yard gain is totally insignificant , so often my playing partners hit it 20 yards past me off the tee into the rough ,and then duff their approach shots ,and I come off with a better score . I think if you are an average golfer like me , with a 14 handicap who's not always swinging well , you would be better off improving your iron play and chipping and putting , these are where the real gains are to be made. Thanks for the content Simon , your videos are always informative and relevant. Cheers
Much as I enjoy My Golf Spy, I wonder if they actually live in the real world at times. Apart from the desire to have us all upgrade our driver to gain an inch or two, their determination to lead is to the promised land of top of the line golf balls that require a mortgage to buy is just a bit over the top. Yes, Pro V 1’s etc. are great but how much do we actually lose if we are using let’s say a Kirkland for the mostly social golf we all play? Their info is really interesting…but I think it’s worth taking with a large grain of salt. Keep up the good work Simon. Always look forward to your videos and love the daft trick shots.👍
2008 burner driver (never hit further or better). Titleist DCI year 2000 5-pw. Mizuno jpx 3 hybrid. SLDR 5W. Cobra CXI 52 & 56. Daiwa balance putter. Everything is old and I equalled my lowest score ever on the weekend. As Simon has said, find what works for you.
i have a Mizuno 190 driver then brought a sim 2 played with it for a while - went ok, but started to wander into the trees, then went back to the Mizuno - straight as an arrow, didn't play for six months, when i came back the Mizuno was very erratic, so brought a 2nd hand lighter shaft for the sim2, and hit it straighter. Summary i can't play for shite, it could be my swing as in trying to hit it harder, rather than keeping the tempo in check, when i swap back and forth.
Older equipment still performs for me. I have a bag with Titleist 909 Comp driver, TaylorMade V Steel 5 wood, Taylor Made 200 Forged irons, Taylormade Rossa Fontana putter.... All at least 12 years old. They all work for me. Cheaper to get lessons rather that buy clubs to fix your game.
My sense is that this now is true across the whole bag. Maybe a bit better forgiveness but for us average golfers it really boils down to the swing we have that day. Maybe the next thing we my see some tech improvements on will be the shafts but that will likely result in restrictions eventually if they improve.
For me it's all about feel. If I use a driver that feels right, I hit it much better and subsequently also longer. This can make a massive difference for me, yet I don't see any correlation to the year the club came out. Anyway, still love to try new stuff to find the driver that gives me the best feeling.
Great video Simon! Ironically I won a G425 last year and got fitted for it as I was upgrading my irons at the time. It replaced my R1 (nod to the second hand market, I had the R1 for 6 years and sold it for what I paid for it…). Is there a difference, well the R1 didn’t stay on the planet, some lessons and the G425 does, distances were similar, G425 probably by about 10 yards. Fast forward through a winter in the gym, it’s a big difference as carry’s up to 260 and it goes where I’m aiming!
Using my x2 hot I got from new…. No intention of changing unless I have a significant increase in skill and need to change to a stiffer shaft (or I might just get a new shaft)
I had a callaway ft9, 14 years old, went for a fitting for this years rogue, took 6/7 combinations of shaft/loft/head to beat the numbers on the old one, by 15 yards if flushed
im on my 3rd driver in 2 years .callaway ftiz to ping g30 now taylormade m4 ..still slice the ball ..need a lesson but to scared to have one..im not a big hitter i get 160 to 180 yrds carry ..i must be losing loads of distance
I've got a Nike SQ Sumo Squared which i really get on with (driving is probably my strongest area of my game) which is 2009, would you say an upgrade would benefit me?
I had the regular shaped SQ in 10.5. Very straight along with overly high and spinny. The 9 was similar. Most of the drivers since 2014 or so have reduced spin in their design. That is where a few extra yards have been found.
Simon long term, second to getting golf tuition, where is it best to spend your money, to improve your golfing experience? Better quality balls or keep on chasing the latest equipment trends?
From my experience, the age of the driver isn't as important as we are being told. I still play the Titleist 905R coupled with a Graphite Design YS6+ stiff shaft. I've tried newer models, and other makes. But haven't seen any benefit to convince me to replace the big stick in my bag.
Couldn’t agree more. 5 years could be right depends on where we slot the 5 years between. Before the TM R7 era, probably right and very true. However, there are so little margin on technology that the brands that could play around, I doubt if there is a big difference. Take TM SLDR as a classic example, it a smash even in nowadays standard. I would say switching to a different shaft and that might revitalise the good old trusty driver. Golf equipment has gone into a trendy product and obviously there are trend setters. My opinion doesn’t mean I disagree with MyGolfSpy as a whole, only on this particular topic.
I've been playing for decades and I've seen it so many times where a friend is using an old reliable driver for years and decides to upgrade, get's all excited thinking he's about to suddenly become a tour player and then can't hit it on the course to save his life.
I used the Taylormade R7 Superquad and didn’t see any significant gains that could convince me to switch drivers until SIM2 Max. And I only switched because the R7’s face was so worn. 😂
I have the original rogue. Testwd all the new stuff. No difference whats so ever. My brother has the 915 d2. Its a little heavier but distance is the same as mine and it still hits the fairway with a good swing and missed with a bad😂 My old old driver the titlest 975d i used to play. There you can see a massive difference between that and my newer driver. My new one is longer and muuuuuch easier to hit
Apologies for referencing other sites but Golfbidder tested all Ping G drivers and saw little or no difference. Did same with Callaway in time of BB Alpha, Diablo, etc. Same results
Is the reason MGS says to get a new driver after 5 years because the existing club has some “deadness” in it from being hit so much that a new driver is warranted?
I'm going to go out on a limb and say that, at the very least, the Cobra LTDx LS I just ordered this morning should be better than the Nike SUMO 460 that I've been gaming since I bought it new probably in 2007? I sincerely hope it is, because I had been on the fence about replacing it for the last while. We shall see how I hit the new one. I hit the old one solid, so hopefully I'll see at least some sort of gains out of the newer tech.
@@SASGolf , I'm hoping what I'll find is that my solid shots and slight misses will go a bit further. When I hit slightly off center on the Nike, it's pretty glaringly obvious. I don't have a slice and my natural shot shape is straight or a draw. My try-to-kill-it-with-a-tired-back miss is a duck-hook, but I've pretty much practiced myself out of that one. I'm not a super long hitter to begin with, but I definitely had this nagging feeling that my driver was getting tired. Thousands of shots off the face have to account for something. Definitely looking forward to getting some range and sim time with it to see if it's the driver, or if I just suck and am not generating the speed I need for better than 250 yard roll-out.
@@SASGolf So my new driver arrived today! I was hitting in the backyard net when the FedEx truck pulled up! Unboxed it and headed straight for the practice range. It is a night and day difference to hitting the old Nike. I don't have a launch monitor, so don't have hard numbers, but my mishits were flying at least 10 yards further than a solid strike with Nike, and I literally giggled when I caught it square. It was shockingly longer. I want to get on the sim to find out exactly how long, but I'm willing to bet it's at least 25 yards total. It just comes off the face so fast! Shot shape didn't change much at all, which is odd. My Sumo was a 10.5 with a YS6+ stiff shaft. The LTDx LS that I got is a 9.0 with the HZRDUS SMOKE IM10 60 stiff shaft. Launch looked about the same. Aside from a couple that I got under and flared to the right (which weren't even that far right), it was super straight. All in all, I'm blown away. It just seems to make effortless power. So I'd guess I say 15 years is probably too long to wait to replace a driver, lol. 5 years, highly unlikely.
For many of us when what we have is looking visibly worn OR looking dated a change to something newer can be fun. From what we are seeing so far, the Stealth doesn't appear to be anything special for performance. At average amateur swing speeds, the difference between your M2 and a Stealth are further minimized if both fit reasonably well. Go for looks if you need a change!😍
Simon it's all about transfer of energy and that can need to be created nor destroyed. The umph you put in is the same as the umph you get out. They are obviously not engineers or physicists. I am. They are talking crap.
I’m not a big Fan of MGS… that being said, I completely agree with your thoughts on this video. They do a great job at MGS, don’t get me wrong. My distaste is with some of their opinions that gets embedded into their data.
accuracy over distance for me. easy for me to say that though I'm tall with long arms so naturally can hit a ball a fair way. just the direction that I need to work on 😂😂😂
I'm not a fan of the guys at MGS, but I suspect that what they are alluding to is that a newer driver will perform better on off-centre strikes because that's what the manufacturers have been working on, allegedly. But the reality is that if you have a driver that was fitted for you, the gains you will see out on the course with a newer driver will be marginal at best.
Never heard a truer word on drivers, the 2016 to 2018 are still best drivers what ever brand, i tried new drivers eg taylor made, ping callaway and i gone back to havingmy taylor made aeroburner black series which suit me best, finf fairways bt 80% and average 220 yards so save money in next few years keep driver in bag.
....i wonder if the 5 year comment is more about how your swing may have changed during that time, so a fitting is "almost guaranteed" to provide a benefit. in other words, maybe they were thinking about swing evolution vs tech.
There is a lot I disagree with my golf spy. Like that time they said lake balls are rubbish because they go soft. Sorry. Plastic does not let in water and even if it did it would go hard! You can't compress water. I got to 5 on lake balls and won 4 of my 6 singles knockouts on lake balls. They do talk quite a bit of bollox on occasions.
if anything i would look at a shaft update rather than a new driver in most cases. thats just me. shafts can be "fit" for your swing. and i imagine all the heads are good and pretty close in performance. if you like the look, just get a shaft that shows your distance and dispersion are better. again, just my opinion
I recently upgraded from my Cobra F6 plus driver, to a RadSpeed xB driver. I don't see much difference in performance, but my main reason for changing was acoustics. The Cobra F6 plus driver, might be the worst sounding driver ever made. At least to my ears.
I just picked up a Radspeed xb as well coming from a cheaper tommy armour 845. I’m yet to get it to the range but I could tell with just the practice hits that I was definitely getting improvement. I can’t wait to hit it😁
It is true that over the years ball speed and distance has improved on off centre strikes. But is that what we really want? To be poor golfers who can't find the middle? Get some lessons. But centre face hasn't changed - the laws of golf say so. One thing that you don't notice is drivers are getting longer. This years offerings are as much as 45 & 3/4 inches. The last thing a 20 handicapper needs is more shaft. I feel they do it so that their driver wins the youtube tester smash into a tv screen award. People buy drivers based on a muscle bound 129mph GC Quad youtube Pro. It's all wrong.
Instead of spending£500????? plus on a driver I believe you would get better results in spending£250 on lessons and if you still wanted a new driver you could pick up a bargain for the other£250 🙈🙉🙊ps I recently bought a "new"driver,a 8 yr old Titleist 9.5 stiff shafted 917 model for the princely sum of£50!!!!!!.... works a treat 🎊🎉🌟
Its the placebo effect bro. Golf is about the feels. If i feel good with a new club, ill play good. Also. Was totally not expecting a rant. You didnt even swing a club this video. Smh.
In 2022 I use a 910D3. Absolutely gorgeous club head and the drives easily go further than any driver I have ever tried. Why? Because I’ve spent weeks at the range getting the absolutely perfect settings for me. No chance I’m switching to anything else. As an update , I found a ts3 driver head and am going for a shaft fitting to see if there is any improvement over my current gamer.
Pretty sure mygolfspy has jumped the shark... The podcast on yt is basiclly unwatchable these days after the long break they took when they lost some people and the couple regular vids theyve done with just Adam are pretty laughable. They dont have us "average" golfers in mind like they claim they do because us "average" golfers dont really give a sh*t about the mountains of data they put out. We just want to go out an play, have a few beers, chop it around and have a good time. No more no less...
Thanks for watching guys! Love to hear your thoughts on this one!
Golf spy has been going down hill a lot lately. Between their PR stunts. Sponsorships. Their reviews. Not trust worthy anymore. Would trust you more than them haha
I try newer drivers but I always go back to my Cobra S9-1M offset driver and fairway woods from 2009
Does say “almost” but I still agree
This is the best and most forthright video on drivers I’ve ever watched. Thanks for your honesty.
Having 'invested' in a minty Cobra Speedzone itself 2 years old, I recently picked up a SLDR and I can honestly say the difference between the two often comes down to what swing I turn up to play with. So on any particular day either one can perform best. I agree with what you say 'slim margins'. And the pair still cost less than one '22 model driver.
I use a 2014 SLDR with a shorter shaft (44.5 inches), works great!!!😁
You are the man! Loving the trick shots lately.
I totally agree. I went for a driver fitting last month to upgrade from my M3. I hit my M3 farther and straighter than the 2022 clubs. 245 yds. I did upgrade to a heavier shaft though which gave me better dispersion. The fitter reccomended I get lessons instead of a driver. I got a tip from Paul Wilson golf. My grip was the issue. My thumb was in the way. Preventing me from using proper wrist hinge. Starting using my body more. Now I'm averaging 260 yds or more. I actually went backwards and bought a 2016 M2 on a trade for a 3 wood for 86 bucks. I've had a 299 yd drive on the course with it. I don't need to spend 550 dollars on a new driver. I just needed that one tip to fix my swing.
And it was one of your videos on the M2 that convinced me to get the M2 for the value. It sounds better than the M3. I think I prefer the bulge and roll face more than the twist face tech. When I hit it right it just explodes off the face. I get lower spin than the M3 even with the weights of the M3 all the way forward. Strange but true for me.
Simon I flipping love your channel, I got the original rogue a while back upgraded the shaft, sold the old one and I dont think any upgrade could warrant the extra 200-300 quid. I wish more people dabbled in the second hand market and saved money. Keep it up xx
Thanks Peter! Glad you watch the channel. Original rogue is top tier mate 💪
Simon, I am a college golfer in the states, looking to get fitted for a driver, but save some money. Do you think I should go into a fitting and ask to demo older driver stock (2019-2020-2021) , and whichever one works best to me, purchase for hopefully as a demo they want to get rid of? This would hopefully remove any tolerance issues as I'd be using the exact club which worked best. Thanks, best regards.
Medal tee time at 0645 on a Sunday morning is the new "Cold, rainy night away at Stoke"
I rarely change drivers. I dread the thought of changing my current driver. My driver fits me it feels great and it performs as well as the swing I put into it. I had a Titleist 915 D2 for years and only changed to a Titleist TS2 after extensive testing on different days. I did get better launch and spin with the TS2 but my main reason for changing was that my dispersion improved. Overall I don't think I hit drives any further on average but I do hit less trees.... I did get fitted for last 2 drivers the biggest benefit for me was overall length of drivers was 44.5 inches I just hit the middle more often at that length and I am quite tall :)
I have the original Callaway Rogue sub zero. I have tried the recent models from various brands but the gains are too small for me to swap .
Simon, you talk so much sense. I have given up 5/10 yards to get straight drives and have so much confidence now on the tee with my TM SIM 2 (bought new but at reduced price fitted when the Stealth came out)
Their take is so often out of touch with the regular average golfer nevermind the high handicappers imo
Erm what are you even talking about they literally do golf experiments with average golfers and use thousands of data points as opposed to 5-50 normally UA-camrs have …poor take
Fantastic honest Vlog, something many amateurs should get behind
You are absolutely correct.
My quick story. My G400 loved it, decided to to update a bit , new irons the complete bag.
Updated to the Sim 2 Max driver, on those great drives I did hit a bit farther about12 yards. But I am all over the place. Regret trading in that G400.
I am now looking for one in Mint condition.
Well done! I won a Cobra Radspeed had it fitted etc. My go is still my 2017 Big Bertha Fusion (betters dispersion, 5 yards shorter, stays in fairway) when it’s wet my Nike Sweet 13 comes out, which is fun to hit and hear!
Great video
I've upgraded from the F9 (2019 model) to the 2022 LTD x and I notice a dispersion difference and a significant gain in distance on off center hits.
Did you get fitted for it mate?
@@SASGolf I got fitted for the F9 and just moved the Ventus Velocore R5 A shaft in the LTD x. Went to range and hit about 200 balls to find the right settings for me, funny because it seemed the stock 10.5 was best compared to the 9.0 of the F9. The off center distance improvement was the most significant difference I noticed if I'm being honest.
@@TMar1961 good to hear that mate! If it that combo is working with you, keep it! Cheers pal.
@@SASGolf I'm 60 and it's probably the last driver I'll ever buy, have the TEC X irons on order (7-gw) with the same belief.
I hit f9 until it cracked. There is no measurable difference in the Ltd ls. Poppy cock
Brilliant. Agree with everything you said. I have a Mizuno MP-001 Driver from like 20 years ago that I hit just as far as my 2017 TaylorMade M2.
Been using a Burner Superfast 2.0 since 2011 and since I've gained some weight and gotten stronger, I hit my driver 20-30 yards farther than I did when I first got it. I just don't want to give it up, the club works so well and the matte white finish on the head was Taylormade's best look IMO.
I have the Burner driver & 3 hybrid with the Superfast tech. They have everything the modern ones do apart from Twist Face, which in my experience makes no difference to an amateur.
Love your totally different approach to the golf UA-cam world .
Keep up the great work and effort you put into making fantastic content.
Can concur with you Simon. Took up golf with 10 yo Wilson CGi woods. Moved up to (on your recommendation) the TM SLDR and that was a revelation. Bought a TM Sim, higher loft that worked better for me. When it was cranked down, it performed identical to the older club.
I agree. I think we started to peak around when the R11 came out and now there are such small increases in drivers since then that it’s almost unnoticeable. I got fitted for my Sim 2 against my old R11 which was battered and there was a marginal gain. I just wanted something new and shiny
I still use g400max driver love it
Speaking the truth! This is something the big brands don't want people thinking about though. How else are they going to keep selling new drivers that do the same thing more or less?
I love these themes, same as srong lofts = more hybrids in the bag. Great work Simon.
You 100% correct matey, I use to have a taylormade R7 last year used to hit it 280Y, upgraded to a taylormade M4 lost distance 250Y, then a cobra F9 same 250Y, now I use a taylormade R9 superdeep after watching your video on it, just hit my personal best of 310Y with it today.
So true.... I still game my cobra F9 and I don't see any reason to upgrade.... I find the middle I if fairways even if it not long enough.... But I do carry it average of 245 Meter .. I'm more than happy with it as it always on the fairway.... Only thing I'm looking to is to get 4 or 3 hybrid as I don't have these 4 or 3 iron.... With my age of 51 not sure if I'm correct to going for hybrid
I still my Cobra F6 driver longer and straighter than Rapspeed :) U are so so right
I always enjoy your comments and insights. It makes me curious to know what clubs you carry in your bag? I'd love to see a 'what's in the bag' video.
I completely agree. I have recently tested drivers to replace my 2016 Epic. The Epic is still a great driver but I was looking for a little more forgiveness. The 3 club heads I liked were the Stealth, TSi2 and Callaway Rogue. The Rogue performed exactly the same as my current driver, but more variable (probably because I was more used to the Epic). The Stealth and TSi2 however were noticeably better than my Epic but only when we paired it with the right shaft, I was getting 10-12 extra yards of carry but I think it was the shaft was more compatible with me than the shaft in the Epic.
I agree with you. I've just bagged a TaylorMade 2009 Burner driver for £60 which I find gives me exactly the same results as Ping G425 and is as long as the Stealth. One of my playing partners is an upgrade junkie, but after trying my Burner, he agrees.
I think we're seeing some plateauing in golf gear. No reason to get new shiney stuff just for the sake of it, I'm playing really well with a 5 year old Rogue driver, 2008 AP1's...
You are on fire today, Simon. Great talking points!
Could not agree more Simon. I have started playing a 2014 SLDR ... Straightest, longest driver I have ever played. Sure I still miss a few fairways and sometimes don't catch it right, but I did that with my Mavrik and my TM Mini too. New not always better.
Absolutely agree, bought a PXG 0211 fitted this year, not near as consistent as my Taylormade M2 2017, don't want to give up on the PXG but too many slack drives , great video again 🏌🏻🏌🏻🏌🏻
Great value the PXG to be fair! Thanks Andy. 🙌
Living there 0211 irons , hopefully will get into driver over time , keep up the good work !!!
Ping G driver was and is still the best driver I have ever had (while im busy putting a shaft in my cleveland xl custom this evening LOL)...because golfers are never happy.
Hi Simon, love the content! Wondering what you think about the Callaway Razr X irons for a first proper set. Been playing for a year or two on and off and want to upgrade from some old Dominos.
2008 King Cobra Speed LD works as good now as it did when I bought it. I’ve tried 3 newer drivers over the years with no added benefits.
This is just the video I need right now, currently using a tm r580xd which is for me pretty good, just got back into the game after 4 years off and now think I need something with newer tech in. Have just re gripped a r11 ready to try out this weekend but on the hunt for an m2
Hi Simon , great video as usual. Many golfers are gullible when it comes to the marketing of the big companies and will spend a lot of money for little or no significant gains as you so rightly say, and would be better off having lessons from their club pro to iprove their swing..I have demo'd a few drivers on the course recently, Ping G400 , Ping G425 , Callaway Rogue (2017) ,Cobra LTDx , and found no significant gains , if any . The ping G400 and Cobra best sound and feel(, hated the sound of the G425 and Rogue) , but no real increase in distance or consistency ,so couldn't justify spending in the region of £500 , so stayed with my second hand Taylormade M2 which is by far the best driver I have ever owned in terms of confidence , sound , accuracy and distance. Back in the day loved Titleist drivers , 975 ,905 , 983 mainly for their feel. . I think it is hugely important to demo a potential new driver on the course that you regularly play at in a variety of conditions, it may be that , like at my course ,distance is not a priority, whereas accuracy is .How many times do you hit the driver in a round anyway .A potential 5 yard gain is totally insignificant , so often my playing partners hit it 20 yards past me off the tee into the rough ,and then duff their approach shots ,and I come off with a better score . I think if you are an average golfer like me , with a 14 handicap who's not always swinging well , you would be better off improving your iron play and chipping and putting , these are where the real gains are to be made. Thanks for the content Simon , your videos are always informative and relevant. Cheers
Love your views. 👍
Much as I enjoy My Golf Spy, I wonder if they actually live in the real world at times. Apart from the desire to have us all upgrade our driver to gain an inch or two, their determination to lead is to the promised land of top of the line golf balls that require a mortgage to buy is just a bit over the top. Yes, Pro V 1’s etc. are great but how much do we actually lose if we are using let’s say a Kirkland for the mostly social golf we all play? Their info is really interesting…but I think it’s worth taking with a large grain of salt. Keep up the good work Simon. Always look forward to your videos and love the daft trick shots.👍
2008 burner driver (never hit further or better).
Titleist DCI year 2000 5-pw. Mizuno jpx 3 hybrid. SLDR 5W. Cobra CXI 52 & 56. Daiwa balance putter.
Everything is old and I equalled my lowest score ever on the weekend.
As Simon has said, find what works for you.
i have a Mizuno 190 driver then brought a sim 2 played with it for a while - went ok, but started to wander into the trees, then went back to the Mizuno - straight as an arrow, didn't play for six months, when i came back the Mizuno was very erratic, so brought a 2nd hand lighter shaft for the sim2, and hit it straighter. Summary i can't play for shite, it could be my swing as in trying to hit it harder, rather than keeping the tempo in check, when i swap back and forth.
Older equipment still performs for me. I have a bag with Titleist 909 Comp driver, TaylorMade V Steel 5 wood, Taylor Made 200 Forged irons, Taylormade Rossa Fontana putter.... All at least 12 years old. They all work for me. Cheaper to get lessons rather that buy clubs to fix your game.
My sense is that this now is true across the whole bag. Maybe a bit better forgiveness but for us average golfers it really boils down to the swing we have that day. Maybe the next thing we my see some tech improvements on will be the shafts but that will likely result in restrictions eventually if they improve.
For me it's all about feel. If I use a driver that feels right, I hit it much better and subsequently also longer. This can make a massive difference for me, yet I don't see any correlation to the year the club came out. Anyway, still love to try new stuff to find the driver that gives me the best feeling.
Great video Simon! Ironically I won a G425 last year and got fitted for it as I was upgrading my irons at the time. It replaced my R1 (nod to the second hand market, I had the R1 for 6 years and sold it for what I paid for it…). Is there a difference, well the R1 didn’t stay on the planet, some lessons and the G425 does, distances were similar, G425 probably by about 10 yards. Fast forward through a winter in the gym, it’s a big difference as carry’s up to 260 and it goes where I’m aiming!
Using my x2 hot I got from new…. No intention of changing unless I have a significant increase in skill and need to change to a stiffer shaft (or I might just get a new shaft)
I had a callaway ft9, 14 years old, went for a fitting for this years rogue, took 6/7 combinations of shaft/loft/head to beat the numbers on the old one, by 15 yards if flushed
I still have the Cobra f8 and it's still preforming as I want, I can't see any upgrading this year.
It’s a great driver mate. 🙌
In Shields test of Ping Drivers, the G20 stood out as being as good if not better than the following drivers.
im on my 3rd driver in 2 years .callaway ftiz to ping g30 now taylormade m4 ..still slice the ball ..need a lesson but to scared to have one..im not a big hitter i get 160 to 180 yrds carry ..i must be losing loads of distance
I've got a Nike SQ Sumo Squared which i really get on with (driving is probably my strongest area of my game) which is 2009, would you say an upgrade would benefit me?
I had the regular shaped SQ in 10.5. Very straight along with overly high and spinny. The 9 was similar. Most of the drivers since 2014 or so have reduced spin in their design. That is where a few extra yards have been found.
@@stevenhughes3338 hahahaha fair point that
2nd swing did a good video comparing Titleist drivers from 910 D3 to TS3 I think. There wasn't much difference at all. It's an interesting watch.
Hopefully I can do similar tests going forward with any luck, il go and check them out.
@@SASGolf
Their video was all Trackman stats. I like your on course comparison videos every bit as much. It's both sides of the coin. 👍
Simon long term, second to getting golf tuition, where is it best to spend your money, to improve your golfing experience? Better quality balls or keep on chasing the latest equipment trends?
I feel a little better now because I still put a Firesole in the bag
From my experience, the age of the driver isn't as important as we are being told. I still play the Titleist 905R coupled with a Graphite Design YS6+ stiff shaft. I've tried newer models, and other makes. But haven't seen any benefit to convince me to replace the big stick in my bag.
My Nike Sumo SQ has that same shaft in it.
I used to have one of those.
I play an M3. Never letting it go. Set to 8 degrees. Stiff matrix maru 75g shaft. High launch low spin mister for me.
Couldn’t agree more. 5 years could be right depends on where we slot the 5 years between. Before the TM R7 era, probably right and very true. However, there are so little margin on technology that the brands that could play around, I doubt if there is a big difference. Take TM SLDR as a classic example, it a smash even in nowadays standard. I would say switching to a different shaft and that might revitalise the good old trusty driver.
Golf equipment has gone into a trendy product and obviously there are trend setters. My opinion doesn’t mean I disagree with MyGolfSpy as a whole, only on this particular topic.
I've been playing for decades and I've seen it so many times where a friend is using an old reliable driver for years and decides to upgrade, get's all excited thinking he's about to suddenly become a tour player and then can't hit it on the course to save his life.
I've been one of them 🤣
@@follyfour506 Me too, hahaha
I used the Taylormade R7 Superquad and didn’t see any significant gains that could convince me to switch drivers until SIM2 Max. And I only switched because the R7’s face was so worn. 😂
Launch monitor Queens don't usually work on the golf course
I have the original rogue. Testwd all the new stuff. No difference whats so ever.
My brother has the 915 d2.
Its a little heavier but distance is the same as mine and it still hits the fairway with a good swing and missed with a bad😂
My old old driver the titlest 975d i used to play. There you can see a massive difference between that and my newer driver. My new one is longer and muuuuuch easier to hit
My golf mate (approaching 80) still plays his TaylorMade R7, and consistently outdrives me. He has tried newer drivers but to no avail.
When you bring up Bryson adding ball speed by adding swing speed, even he was using a 5 yr old Driver
Great point that.
Apologies for referencing other sites but Golfbidder tested all Ping G drivers and saw little or no difference. Did same with Callaway in time of BB Alpha, Diablo, etc.
Same results
SLDR is still smashing them deep, when I hit it well.
My calloway fusion driver is never coming out of my bag
Damn I was waiting for Simon’s number on those different heads.
I can say, without a doubt, the center of the face of my Ping G410 Driver is in nearly new condition. Yep. Ugh!
Is the reason MGS says to get a new driver after 5 years because the existing club has some “deadness” in it from being hit so much that a new driver is warranted?
Thats Honesty all the way....
I'm going to go out on a limb and say that, at the very least, the Cobra LTDx LS I just ordered this morning should be better than the Nike SUMO 460 that I've been gaming since I bought it new probably in 2007? I sincerely hope it is, because I had been on the fence about replacing it for the last while. We shall see how I hit the new one. I hit the old one solid, so hopefully I'll see at least some sort of gains out of the newer tech.
I think that’s a pretty safe bet there mate to be fair. Look forward to hearing the results though 👀
@@SASGolf , I'm hoping what I'll find is that my solid shots and slight misses will go a bit further. When I hit slightly off center on the Nike, it's pretty glaringly obvious. I don't have a slice and my natural shot shape is straight or a draw. My try-to-kill-it-with-a-tired-back miss is a duck-hook, but I've pretty much practiced myself out of that one. I'm not a super long hitter to begin with, but I definitely had this nagging feeling that my driver was getting tired. Thousands of shots off the face have to account for something. Definitely looking forward to getting some range and sim time with it to see if it's the driver, or if I just suck and am not generating the speed I need for better than 250 yard roll-out.
@@SASGolf So my new driver arrived today! I was hitting in the backyard net when the FedEx truck pulled up! Unboxed it and headed straight for the practice range.
It is a night and day difference to hitting the old Nike. I don't have a launch monitor, so don't have hard numbers, but my mishits were flying at least 10 yards further than a solid strike with Nike, and I literally giggled when I caught it square. It was shockingly longer. I want to get on the sim to find out exactly how long, but I'm willing to bet it's at least 25 yards total. It just comes off the face so fast!
Shot shape didn't change much at all, which is odd. My Sumo was a 10.5 with a YS6+ stiff shaft. The LTDx LS that I got is a 9.0 with the HZRDUS SMOKE IM10 60 stiff shaft. Launch looked about the same. Aside from a couple that I got under and flared to the right (which weren't even that far right), it was super straight.
All in all, I'm blown away. It just seems to make effortless power.
So I'd guess I say 15 years is probably too long to wait to replace a driver, lol. 5 years, highly unlikely.
Sumo 5000
Driver
5 wood
Still 300 yards and 255 yards
I should move from my 2016 M2 to the Stealth??? Actually, when the head is great, the main thing to change, if necessary, is the shaft.
For many of us when what we have is looking visibly worn OR looking dated a change to something newer can be fun. From what we are seeing so far, the Stealth doesn't appear to be anything special for performance. At average amateur swing speeds, the difference between your M2 and a Stealth are further minimized if both fit reasonably well.
Go for looks if you need a change!😍
Simon it's all about transfer of energy and that can need to be created nor destroyed. The umph you put in is the same as the umph you get out. They are obviously not engineers or physicists. I am. They are talking crap.
👍
Just picked up a Srixon z785 , replacing my 15yr old Nike driver. Hit it just as far as the Nike. It’s the Indian not the arrow
Probably part of thedifference they talk about is because the person that uses the driver changes, and not only equipment
I’m not a big Fan of MGS… that being said, I completely agree with your thoughts on this video.
They do a great job at MGS, don’t get me wrong. My distaste is with some of their opinions that gets embedded into their data.
accuracy over distance for me. easy for me to say that though I'm tall with long arms so naturally can hit a ball a fair way. just the direction that I need to work on 😂😂😂
I'm not a fan of the guys at MGS, but I suspect that what they are alluding to is that a newer driver will perform better on off-centre strikes because that's what the manufacturers have been working on, allegedly.
But the reality is that if you have a driver that was fitted for you, the gains you will see out on the course with a newer driver will be marginal at best.
I think its probably pretty accurate in the sense that in 5 years YOU change as a golfer and you might be getting better or worse in that time.
If they never made another new golf club, we could all just choose which ones actually work the best instead of which is “newest”
Never heard a truer word on drivers, the 2016 to 2018 are still best drivers what ever brand, i tried new drivers eg taylor made, ping callaway and i gone back to havingmy taylor made aeroburner black series which suit me best, finf fairways bt 80% and average 220 yards so save money in next few years keep driver in bag.
....i wonder if the 5 year comment is more about how your swing may have changed during that time, so a fitting is "almost guaranteed" to provide a benefit. in other words, maybe they were thinking about swing evolution vs tech.
There is a lot I disagree with my golf spy. Like that time they said lake balls are rubbish because they go soft. Sorry. Plastic does not let in water and even if it did it would go hard! You can't compress water. I got to 5 on lake balls and won 4 of my 6 singles knockouts on lake balls.
They do talk quite a bit of bollox on occasions.
if anything i would look at a shaft update rather than a new driver in most cases. thats just me. shafts can be "fit" for your swing. and i imagine all the heads are good and pretty close in performance. if you like the look, just get a shaft that shows your distance and dispersion are better. again, just my opinion
I play the 917 d2 now and tbh I can't find a better driver
It’s a great club, should of kept the one I had last week. Thanks George.
That's why I don't ever play golf at 7am...
I recently upgraded from my Cobra F6 plus driver, to a RadSpeed xB driver. I don't see much difference in performance, but my main reason for changing was acoustics. The Cobra F6 plus driver, might be the worst sounding driver ever made. At least to my ears.
I just picked up a Radspeed xb as well coming from a cheaper tommy armour 845. I’m yet to get it to the range but I could tell with just the practice hits that I was definitely getting improvement. I can’t wait to hit it😁
It is true that over the years ball speed and distance has improved on off centre strikes. But is that what we really want? To be poor golfers who can't find the middle? Get some lessons. But centre face hasn't changed - the laws of golf say so. One thing that you don't notice is drivers are getting longer. This years offerings are as much as 45 & 3/4 inches. The last thing a 20 handicapper needs is more shaft. I feel they do it so that their driver wins the youtube tester smash into a tv screen award. People buy drivers based on a muscle bound 129mph GC Quad youtube Pro. It's all wrong.
5 yards wow
Instead of spending£500????? plus on a driver I believe you would get better results in spending£250 on lessons and if you still wanted a new driver you could pick up a bargain for the other£250 🙈🙉🙊ps I recently bought a "new"driver,a 8 yr old Titleist 9.5 stiff shafted 917 model for the princely sum of£50!!!!!!.... works a treat 🎊🎉🌟
Its the placebo effect bro. Golf is about the feels. If i feel good with a new club, ill play good.
Also. Was totally not expecting a rant. You didnt even swing a club this video. Smh.
True completely agree on the placebo effect especially with putters. Haha apologies but let’s be honest wouldn’t added anything to this video.
@@SASGolf gotta get that B roll - this is youtube after all! None the less, appreciate the content keep grinding my dude 👍
In 2022 I use a 910D3. Absolutely gorgeous club head and the drives easily go further than any driver I have ever tried. Why? Because I’ve spent weeks at the range getting the absolutely perfect settings for me. No chance I’m switching to anything else. As an update , I found a ts3 driver head and am going for a shaft fitting to see if there is any improvement over my current gamer.
I can’t swing lighter drivers, I have more speed with heavier clubs.
Pretty sure mygolfspy has jumped the shark... The podcast on yt is basiclly unwatchable these days after the long break they took when they lost some people and the couple regular vids theyve done with just Adam are pretty laughable. They dont have us "average" golfers in mind like they claim they do because us "average" golfers dont really give a sh*t about the mountains of data they put out. We just want to go out an play, have a few beers, chop it around and have a good time. No more no less...
Great video Simon . Can you do something a bit crap please for a change for i'm starting to like you too much!
Key word is almost 🤷♂️. I think it's yourself that has changed over 5 years therefore needing a refit for an update...hence the guarantee
Simon .. I was hoping you would give us some evidence from your own perspective. Hit those drivers and show us
Five years you should definitely see improvements if you have been playing any golf at all.