Early Driver Testing

Typhoon

Since I have nothing going on I figured I’d start this up now. I had an “ interview” at a private club near where I test all the new equipment so I ran in there for an hour afterwards. I hit everything at 9 or 9.5 degrees. The Ping LST was at 10 degrees.

Callaway Mavrik sub zero: $499
Ball Speed 160
Launch 16.4 degrees
Spin 1950
Carry 283
Total Distance 305

Callaway Flash Epic sub zero $539 was basically the same as the Mavrik but still just sounds hollow.

Cobra Speedzone $449
Ball speed 160
Launch 15 degrees
Spin 1586
Carry 285
Total Distance 312

Cobra F9 $349 ( demos for $249)
Ball Speed 164
Launch 13 degrees
Spin 2009
Carry 283
Distance 306

Ping G400max $349
Ball Speed 164
Launch 15 degrees
Spin 1786
Carry 290
Distance 318

Ping G400LST: $299
Ball Speed 165
Launch 14 degrees
Spin 2300
Carry 284
Total Distance 305

The Taylormade SIM was not on the sales floor yet, I’ll do that when I can vs.the M5.

So...
Callaway: The Mavrik is a better looking head. Sits better on the heel to square up the club face . That line the went from toe to heel on top of the Epic flash clubheads is gone. So the crown looks nice and clean. Just the alignment chevron. Mavrik sounded solid. Epic Flash just sounds hollow and terrible. The hollow sound translates into a hard feel. On the flip side the Mavrik had a pleasing muted solid sound which translated into a softer feel. Surprisingly the Mavrik is cheaper... I’d give the win to the Mavrik even if they were the same price. No performance gains but sound is a world of difference.

Cobra:
Speedzone took a while to dial in. The F9 was easier to hit straight. Both clubs were hit with the heavy weight forward. Speedzone’s lack for control might have been due to the spin being too low. Clubhead looked fine. Where the milled face piece meets the crown was a little off putting at first but after a while it was unnoticeable. The F9 is a steal right now at $349. Virtually no advantage to the Speedzone. F9 wins.

Ping:
Since I have the G400max and rave about it here I felt the need to grab the demo they have and hit it as well to see how it compared. It had the stock Alta cb shaft from the 410 in it somehow. The G400max continues to impress me. You heard a lot of talk about too much spin, less ball speed...only good for going straight. I hit it most of the year and disputed all that talk. I killed it. Hitting it here in this test, I got the best numbers too. The LST supported its claims of having the most ball speed in the Ping Line, maybe that is due to the smaller head size like they say. For some reason I never saw crazy low spin numbers for it, and this round of testing showed the same.

So, as usual, you really won’t see any benefit from one year to the next. If your driver is 5 years old, then yes....but, it looks to me from what I just did that you can buy last years model ( G400max or F9), save some cash and get just as good performance as this years models.

Par4QC

Typhoon If you are going to try anything LD, you better get that SS up about 20 notches. You'll have to be out around 375 to do any good; but that figure would give you a win. Esp. in the old man division.

colej

Typhoon

your numbers with that new cobra look pretty good?!?!?

have you shafted your paderson velocity yet?

johnnydoom

If I change the units from yards to feet I might get a representative idea of how they’ll work for me🥴

Thank you for posting the comparison numbers. I’m always interested to see head to head in a numerical way like that👍🏻 And good luck with the interview process.

Typhoon

johnnydoom
People can scales the distances to their own games. I was glad I could throw a driver in that was close to mine, the G400max and all the numbers I got lined up to what I normally see.

i wanted you guys to see a comparison of last years to this years etc...

ode

The LST launched the lowest and had the most spin.....I wonder if a slightly higher loft with a different shaft might yield better numbers......that being said the other combos yielded good-great results.....15+ launch and sub 2000 spin .... You play a different.game then most the rest of us!

The max def has me interested!

Typhoon

ode

The LST had last years stock shaft in it. I wouldn’t have went higher in loft. It’s just an odd club for me.

Par4QC

ode Maybe I'm behind in my studies, but the LST looks to be the best club for him. iirc, at 165 ball speed, he was swinging around 112. Launch/spin should be as is posted; launch could lower possibly with more spin.

I gotta hit the books...……….

ode

Par4QC the ping LST and cobra f9 #'s are the only ones that look normal to me.....the other ones almost don't seem realistic (not say it can't happen). IMO you'd have to have perfect aoa and contact to get those numbers. I don't put much stock in LM #'s anyways as they never translate to the course for me....I gotta see what's going on/ball flight outside!

Typhoon

Par4QC

Reading a few reviews on the g400lst and the 410lst. Seems the “suck up forums” rave about the 410lst only because the mfg gets them outings, free stuff etc... so God forbid should they say it’s as good as the previous year.

i watched some TXG, Micheal Newton, Rick Shiels videos and there is almost zero difference between them. I might try to wheel and deal a G400 LST 8.5 too.

Typhoon

Par4QC

I wasn’t looking at the WLD Masters division, I’d have no chance and I wouldn’t pay to get out there to finish near the bottom. They used to have 2 more divisions after the Masters/senior division. If they had those still, different story. Right now it’s Open and Masters, Masters is over 45 years old. No thanks... I’m 58. They used to have champions and grand champions or something but there was no fan interest so they dumped it.

There is another group, US senior LD or something with more divisions but nobody gives a shit about it. For that it’s like 345 yards. I’m hitting it 320 with my 45” driver at 9.75 degrees right now. Once I pick up a 9 degree G400max and put the longer Paderson shaft in it then I’ll see what’s up.

sdandrea1

I got to demo a G410 Plus on Thursday for 5 holes. I don't think it was any longer than the G400 Max I tried, but I REALLY liked the sound/feel.

Interesting that you put a lot more spin on the ball with the LST than you did the Max.

Typhoon

ode

It was the Foresight GC2 Launch Monitor so it’s reliable but we’re using range balls there too. I prefer to hit outside as well to get a rep feel for how far it’s going.

i hit outside today, it was 60 degrees and winter so the air quality is not conducive to keeping the ball in the air but I was clearing the fence at 280 and into woods and brush somewhere.

Typhoon

ode

if I find an LST head for short money I’ll grab it just because I have the shafts with the adapters on them already.

ode

Typhoon be interesting to see if anything could dethrone the max!

Eguller

Typhoon I wasn’t looking at the WLD Masters division, I’d have no chance and I wouldn’t pay to get out there to finish near the bottom. They used to have 2 more divisions after the Masters/senior division. If they had those still, different story. Right now it’s Open and Masters, Masters is over 45 years old. No thanks... I’m 58. They used to have champions and grand champions or something but there was no fan interest so they dumped it.

I was in a similar position when I gave up LD at age 60 - they had Senior and Super Senior divisions or something
on that order if I remember correctly. In my last Regional I missed Worlds by 6 yards. (4 in the grid at 335). I have to encourage you just to try it once. It was a blast to compete and see how you stack up. Careful though, it requires
constant training - Two torn rotators and a bicep forced me to give it up. Have fun with it as it doesn't last forever.

Typhoon

colej

No not yet, been lazy and forgot about it. Also wanted to have the 9 degree head to put the shaft adapter in and align.

I have 4 shafts to adapter up!!

Typhoon

Eguller

Made it through a few locals earlier and to the Pedc in AZ a few times. When they had all those Super senior divisions my plan was to stay in shape and outlast people.... compete again when I was older. Then they got rid of the divisions.

So I do plan on giving it another go, Since I’ve been out of work I’ve had extra time to train and work on the creating more speed. One last try.

Eguller

Typhoon 😃

Cwing

I’m still playing my 9.5* TM M4 that I was fit for at the Kingdom in Carlsbad 2-years ago yesterday (1/11/18). It has the stock stiff Atomos at 44.5. It is the dialed up to the higher setting. I still have a Callaway BB Fusion (heavy - 44.5 length with 12g weight) and a standard Callaway Epic in 10.5. I had not hit the Fusion or Epic since I got the M4.

At any rate, I’m thinking of making a switch for 2020 and would be interested in comparison between the g410 and the 400Max

Typhoon

Cwing
My boss has the 410 and I hit it a lot inside. I’ll try to remember to bring my driver to work this week and compare it for you

Typhoon

Cwing

Last night I hit the 410 and the max side by side on the sim. They were so close, it was a toss up. I’d have to hit them outside together. I can’t believe something beating the Max especially for forgiveness so I would hit 5 of each going back and forth. Anything I read online, those people have come to the same conclusion. The 410 is not better than the Max. It just offers a moveable weight and more hosel adjustments. I like the fact that the max does not have a moveable weight.

i was picking up 2 mph more ball speed with the 410 and a little better smash factor but I noticed when I was putting the headcovers on that the 410 was set a degree lower. That would account for both issues. The 410 look like it would launch lower anyway. I was getting 12.4 vs 16.4. Spin was 100 rpms apart. With those differences the 410 carried 296 and rolled to 326. The Max carried 300 and rolled to 325.

The 410 sound is more muted but it’s not a huge difference. I still like the Max. For some reason I just have so much confidence over the fact that I can rip at it and knows it’s going to be straight.

MartinD

Keeping an eye on this thread, as I'm thinking about updating the clubs that I'm using (and it makes sense to look at as many options as possible for those clubs before I make that investment...)

It's a good opportunity to try different things - was able to take a Titleist TS2 demo driver out for my round today (9.5°, delofted a little, Tensei Blue regular flex shaft - my swingspeed with driver is around 90mph on a good day at the moment). I had a decent day with the driver for the most part - the TS2 was a club I could be reasonably happy with, in that I hit quite a few good drives with it, but I wasn't seeing any significant improvements over my current driver (TM R510TP).