On a recent Off Course podcast with @Canadan talking to Tour Edge, the conversation about driver crowns came up. Matte vs glossy. I have always been a glossy person, but some matte (not black) looks pretty good. Do you have a preference?
Not so much a preference so much as long as it is done with what seems to be high quality, love the top line on the ST-X (gloss w/carbon), and the Cobra King Ltd had a great looking top visually but I’ve never liked the TM finishes on top.
In general I like the look of the matte crown if it's black. But with that said, I don't have a preference as I go to play a driver. Glossy or matte, I don't really care too much
That's one thing I can honestly say does not make any difference to me. Glossy or matte, black or grey, I don't seem to notice. I think I probably focus more on the club face than the crown. I even had one of those shiny blue Mizuno drivers briefly and that didn't bother me either. Heck, even the "Turbulators" on some Ping drivers I don't seem to notice and they are ugly as sin.
Can't say I have a preference for glossy versus matte. The size and shape of the head or accent colors are much more likely to influence the appeal for me. And I find crown garnishes (e.g. Ping's turbulators) to be very off-putting.
I think I lean toward matte, i don't need any extra distraction like a glare. I'm bad enough at this sport . Only drawback is I feel matte is a bit more susceptible to scratches and marks.