Drivers - 2013 vs 2019

Dark Mark

New member
Joined
Feb 7, 2012
Messages
3
Reaction score
0
Handicap
11.1
Hi all,

With 2019 shaping up as the year of the Driver, it has me thinking that it may be time for an upgrade.

I'm currently playing a 2013 Cleveland Classic XL Custom with a Matrix Ozik Black Tie 6M3 shaft.

My question is, how much improvement could I expect from a 2019 model Driver/shaft? I can't really complain about the Cleveland/Matrix combo, but if I were to gain an extra 20 yards then I wouldn't complain about that either!

Dark Mark
 
The only way you're going to know is to go hit them. I was playing a Ping G2 (2005), then a Wilson M3, F5 and then a Triton for a very short time. I thought 2019 would be the "year" for me to upgrade so I waited until the 2018s went on clearance and went and hit them all.

The Speedback was fine, Twist Face was ok, Flash Face was a bit better, and the EXS had a price I could live with. Then I went back a year to the Rogue SZ, M3 and a few others. The Rogue was within 5 yards and had a tighter dispersion than anything else out there. Once we dialed it in, I had 40+ yards and the tightest pattern I'd ever had.

I could have ordered up a Flash and gained a few feet, but it was $350 vs $550+ so I went Rogue and have never been happier.

So, go hit and compare. Make sure to take your current driver and see how they compare. You have a much sharper setup than I did at the end of last season, so it may not be as crucial for you to make the jump. Still fun to hit them all.

Sent from my SM-N960U1 using Tapatalk
 
Waazzupppp,

Appreciate the response- exactly what I needed to hear! :thankyou:

DM
 
The only way you're going to know is to go hit them. I was playing a Ping G2 (2005), then a Wilson M3, F5 and then a Triton for a very short time. I thought 2019 would be the "year" for me to upgrade so I waited until the 2018s went on clearance and went and hit them all.

The Speedback was fine, Twist Face was ok, Flash Face was a bit better, and the EXS had a price I could live with. Then I went back a year to the Rogue SZ, M3 and a few others. The Rogue was within 5 yards and had a tighter dispersion than anything else out there. Once we dialed it in, I had 40+ yards and the tightest pattern I'd ever had.

I could have ordered up a Flash and gained a few feet, but it was $350 vs $550+ so I went Rogue and have never been happier.

So, go hit and compare. Make sure to take your current driver and see how they compare. You have a much sharper setup than I did at the end of last season, so it may not be as crucial for you to make the jump. Still fun to hit them all.

Sent from my SM-N960U1 using Tapatalk

with all due respect, you're a 0.4 handicap. op is an 11.1. between the two of you, i would expect op to see better performance out of newer drivers that are being designed to have better ballspeeds on mishits. just my $0.02. granted, if you're asking about last year's models vs this year, i agree with you that the difference won't be massive.
 
with all due respect, you're a 0.4 handicap. op is an 11.1. between the two of you, i would expect op to see better performance out of newer drivers that are being designed to have better ballspeeds on mishits. just my $0.02. granted, if you're asking about last year's models vs this year, i agree with you that the difference won't be massive.
That's super true... I was just trying to say that I'm just not sure 2019 designs are THAT much better than the 2018 offerings.

Sent from my SM-N960U1 using Tapatalk
 
I think over that time frame, you'll see an improvement in off-center strikes from what you're playing now.

But, there's also a chance you could go to a 2017-2018 driver and see similar improvement. There are a LOT of good choices out there right now.
 
I think you would see yardage gains. I was playing a Nike VR Tour (2010) before switching to a Taylormade M1 2017. Probably gained 15 yards, which is great considering I'm 40 now and my swing speed has decreased. I'm not as accurate with this particular driver though.

Sent from my SM-G950U1 using Tapatalk
 
Very pertinent thread. I am driverless at the moment and am thinking I should buy a new TM 2017 m2 or cobra f8 for $300 in local dollars than $800 odd for the new callaway and tm offerings. The marginal improvements aren't worth $450 to $500, at least not for me.
 
Very pertinent thread. I am driverless at the moment and am thinking I should buy a new TM 2017 m2 or cobra f8 for $300 in local dollars than $800 odd for the new callaway and tm offerings. The marginal improvements aren't worth $450 to $500, at least not for me.
Definitely go hit them. I got lucky and found the perfectly fit Rogue that I needed. Not sure that everyone will be as lucky. If you are investing $300 in a club, it better be the right club. I wouldn't have made the move of the gains weren't there. Even at the lower street prices.

Sent from my SM-N960U1 using Tapatalk
 
a 2010 era Cleveland driver is/was in my bag. I took it to the shop two times this past year and they sent me home with it each time. We found a few clubs that improved dispersion. Because I could not stand not having newer clubs I purchased a couple of close out drivers (2016 & 2017) models from budget golf. One is shorter then my 2010 but more accurate. The 2017 model is a Triton and it has potential to move the 2010 out of the bag.

So much is shaft and swing related. If I think 2010 vs 2019- what has changed more, the clubs or my swing?
 
I was reading something the other day, don't recall where, and a fellow picked up a Rapture V2 for like $49 and was hitting as far as his 2016 TM driver.
 
I was reading something the other day, don't recall where, and a fellow picked up a Rapture V2 for like $49 and was hitting as far as his 2016 TM driver.

Well, those things happen for some people. Plus, the Rapture has a cult following.

But that is not the norm.
 
Drivers - 2013 vs 2019

All depends on how well the Cleveland driver fits you.
If your setup yields max results for you then my guess is you won't see much in the way of distance gains.

I use Game Golf to track my shots.
Here are my driver statistics for the past 3 seasons (yes I like to tinker with drivers, lol... and there were plenty more I had tested too but deleted the data from game golf so I have no way of pulling it up any longer, lol)

ac51a936d608acf43962a6849c978e7b.jpg





As you can see, I have a good mix of newer and older drivers in there. Some put up better numbers than others but all are relatively close on average. Any of the 13.5* drivers I felt I could game. I have stuck with the M3 because I feel like its a little more controllable than the Epic was for me and it sets up slightly open to my eye which I like. Also during the course of a round I would be hitting the Epic very well then all of a sudden lose it at the end of the round. I know that is swing related but I don't see the same issue with my M3.

Also those stats above for the M3 are with a 55g shaft and I have been messing around with a 65g. I have only gamed that shaft in crappy fall and winter conditions so distance is down but my Fairway % is 74% which is by far my best ever. I will continue to test it in better conditions and see if I can hit it the same distance as the lighter shaft.

Also someone mentioned the Rapture V2. I gamed that for a few months last year and really liked it. The problem was I play a baby draw when my swing is on and with that club I had a hard time turning it over and would hit these long pushes that got me into trouble. If I could do it all over again I would have kept that Rapture V2. Was really a solid club. On a short par 4, I hit one uphill 257 which was mostly carry and drove the green. Not sure I could pull that same shot off again.
 
Getting the right shaft and head combination for your swing is the key and not as easy as one might think. Tech is similar to 5 years ago IMO misfits might be a bit better than drivers from 2013 although I still love that Cleveland Classic you are gaming. Getting fit for the right ball could make just as big of difference as a new driver although it’s not nearly as fun!
 
I had the same question last year when I was upgrading my kit.

Almost weekly I went to my local golf shops to hit there secondhand clubs and get a feel for them I also took my Cleveland Launcher 460 (2006/7 model) with to compare. With my 2017 M2, I am getting 25-30 yards more distance. But the biggest gain for me is off-centre hits. Newer driver is way more forgiving.

For me, I would say the biggest difference in newer drivers is forgiveness rather than distance. Especially last 5 or so years. But that was my personal experience.

You may gain 10 or so yards, but doubt 20+ due to the club alone.But then again, a newer combination may just get things to click......
 
I think if you gain more than 5 yards over a 2013 model it will be because of better fit, not the club itself. That said, finding the right fit in 2019 is easier than ever. Most stores have good quality LMs, and the selection of heads/shafts from each OEM is huge right now.
 
Personally, it depends on how well you hit the center of the club face. You might see some increase in speed off the center of the face, or maybe increased dispersion with the right fit, but IMHO the forgiveness level of drivers has improved so much in the last 4-5 years. This is one of the reasons I am always buying the latest drivers because rarely do I find the center of the face.
 
Hi all,

With 2019 shaping up as the year of the Driver, it has me thinking that it may be time for an upgrade.

I'm currently playing a 2013 Cleveland Classic XL Custom with a Matrix Ozik Black Tie 6M3 shaft.

My question is, how much improvement could I expect from a 2019 model Driver/shaft? I can't really complain about the Cleveland/Matrix combo, but if I were to gain an extra 20 yards then I wouldn't complain about that either!

Dark Mark

If you are focused only on distance then know a longer shaft , such as 46" to 47" can produce the longest distance.
If you are looking for more consistently accurate driver shots then a shorter shaft, such as 44" will likely help the cause.
For drivers, I think head size should be a major factor in "fitting" players. Sadly, the equipment manufacturers do not offer the smaller (370CC to 420 CC ) driver head size.
 
shaft length went crazy in about 2009 as I recall. by 2015 everyone was making clubs too long for average golfers unfortunately. I now appreciate stock clubs I can get in 45 inches or less. Most are longer as prior post noted. When you hit it, if you hit it, of course it is longer.
 
Back
Top