Revisiting: Is 2019 the year of the driver?

Jman

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So, been thinking on this and went back and found the @Canadan thread from January and read back through it.

Since all the cards...er...drivers are on the table now, IS this legitimately the year of the driver? We have had years of one, two, or three good drivers and then some OK ones, but this year there seems to be legit weapons from the tee all over the industry.

What do you think?
 
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Well, I'll start then :alien:

IMO, yes. It is, probably easily more so than in the past because of the BREADTH of drivers that just flat out do their jobs.

I've played several this year I could easily interchange and game, and that hasn't happened to me much, usually about this time of year there has been a standout for MY game (Max last year, Epic the year before) but not this year. I could plug the Flash, F9, M5 in easily, and thats without having hit the Mizzy which is getting rave reviews still or the 410's or TS's.

SO MANY DRIVERS.
 
i think yes. it’s amazing to me that every oem is producing top notch gear, and they’re all pushing each other. if you lag behind, you will get lapped. and we all benefit.


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i think yes. it’s amazing to me that every oem is producing top notch gear, and they’re all pushing each other. if you lag behind, you will get lapped. and we all benefit.


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Agreed.

What makes it most for me is looking at something like the F9, it has LEGITIMATELY put Cobra right back in the thick of the driver talk. It isn't that their previous releases weren't good, but this is just something else.

Then look at a Srixon and Mizuno, both EASLIY (in my opinion) putting out the best drivers they have ever produced.

Wild wild year.
 
So, been thinking on this and went back and found the @Canadan thread from January and read back through it.

Since all the cards...er...drivers are on the table now, IS this legitimately the year of the driver? We have had years of one, two, or three good drivers and then some OK ones, but this year there seems to be legit weapons from the tee all over the industry.

What do you think?

Relative to shafts, I think the impact on shot making from changes to driver head designs is minimal. The "year of the driver", I think will come if and when the large OEM's discontinue proprietary shafts.
 
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Relative to shafts, I think the impact on shot making from changes to driver head designs is minimal. The "year of the driver", I think will come if and when the large OEM's discontinue proprietary shafts.

So you are saying all heads are the same?

A low forward CG head with a smaller cc will play the same way as a full cc low back CG head if they have the same shaft?
 
I'll agree, simply Yes. There are so many potent options to choose from, and it seems like every OEM has their best ever driver out this year (LOL... but performance is backing up the claims more than usual!)
 
Agreed.

What makes it most for me is looking at something like the F9, it has LEGITIMATELY put Cobra right back in the thick of the driver talk. It isn't that their previous releases weren't good, but this is just something else.

Then look at a Srixon and Mizuno, both EASLIY (in my opinion) putting out the best drivers they have ever produced.

Wild wild year.

Right now up 5% year over year on Golf Datatech is impressive and shows how much people have enjoyed that product.
 
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I'll agree, simply Yes. There are so many potent options to choose from, and it seems like every OEM has their best ever driver out this year (LOL... but performance is backing up the claims more than usual!)

Hahaha, truth, we operate in a world of claims as the golf nerds we are! But, it is fun that this year they are being backed up, a lot.
 
Right now up 5% year over year on Golf Datatech is impressive and shows how much people have enjoyed that product.

People don't realize, 5% is freaking HUGE!
 
Agreed.

What makes it most for me is looking at something like the F9, it has LEGITIMATELY put Cobra right back in the thick of the driver talk. It isn't that their previous releases weren't good, but this is just something else.

Then look at a Srixon and Mizuno, both EASLIY (in my opinion) putting out the best drivers they have ever produced.

Wild wild year.

and titleist is back in the mix too. other than the die hards, when is the last time people were excited about titleist and mizuno drivers?

it’s a great time to be a golf fan with a somewhat disposable income haha


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I can't speak to Cobra, or Titleist, or Callaway, or Taylormade. All I can say is that I love my Mizuno ST190HL. It's long and very forgiving.
 
Agree with everything James. Then a few steps down in price, and there are some nice drivers being released - EXS, D7, GS53. Good drivers aren’t relegated to the $500 price points.


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Agree with everything James. Then a few steps down in price, and there are some nice drivers being released - EXS, D7, GS53. Good drivers aren’t relegated to the $500 price points.


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This is a GREAT point too. Drivers that aren't just solid like in the past, but legit can COMPETE with all the 'giants'.
 
It's going to be more difficult to get folks who upgraded this year to upgrade again next year, that's for sure. I love Callaway, but I doubt many will go for Rogue Flash that already have an Epic Flash. They should do something different imo.
 
It's funny that on one hand it seems like for the past few years we've said the same thing, that it's the best year of the driver, but then on the flip side there are people who argue that drivers aren't improved enough over the past few years to warrant spending the money on a new one.

I'm on the side that this is the best year ever. You could seriously make just about any brands driver work for you this year, and work well.
 
I think I would agree that this year every OEM had a huge year with their line of drivers. I think of all the major brands the only OEM that my friends have not purchased in 2019 is Mizuno. It’s not that Mizuno is inferior, where I live Mizuno is just not pushed too hard and only one store in 2 hours that carries the brand.

Everyone I know is tickled with their performance of their new driver over prior years’ versions from the perspective of both distance and dispersion. As well I think OEM’s as well have invested more in fine tuning sound give the positive accolades given to Cobra’s F8 line in 2018.
 
It is certainly the year of the expensive driver. For me personally, spending money at the other end of the bag is going to be more beneficial.
 
Well, I'll start then :alien:

IMO, yes. It is, probably easily more so than in the past because of the BREADTH of drivers that just flat out do their jobs.

I've played several this year I could easily interchange and game, and that hasn't happened to me much, usually about this time of year there has been a standout for MY game (Max last year, Epic the year before) but not this year. I could plug the Flash, F9, M5 in easily, and thats without having hit the Mizzy which is getting rave reviews still or the 410's or TS's.

SO MANY DRIVERS.

I would almost argue it is more than the year of the driver. It is the year of awesome equipment in general. Callaway’s new offerings up and down the bag are exciting to many. Stroke lab is something new. Cobra has not only the F9 driver, but also the F9 irons. It introduced the MIM wedges. Mizuno’s JPX series is really good this year. Ping’s new wedge offerings look great. TaylorMade is still selling a boatload of P790s. The Spider X is popular. There is some really cool equipment other than clubs, too. The list goes on and on.
 
I think it's the year of the golf sandal because they keep coming up and I AM rocking them.

Ok... yes, I agree that it's the year of the driver followed closely by the year of the irons as there's also some incredible offerings in that category.

My calendar runs a year or two behind so I'll catch up to this year of the driver at one point or another. I'm on 2018 at the moment, that's really good for me.
 
Having recently gone through a fitting, I hit a lot of different drivers - Callaway, TM, Cobra, Titleist, Mizuno, Srixon, Ping

Some worked better than others, but there is certainly a good driver out there for everyone if you get properly fitted
 
I definitely agree that 2019 was a big year for smaller players to get back in the driver space (Cobra, Titleist, Mizuno), but I think 2017 was the last big year for Callaway/TM/Ping. For those companies, Epic, M1/M2, and G400 were the landmark releases. Those drivers are still getting lots of play locally and on tour.
 
I think it is. I have hit multiple drivers (cortex, M5, F9 and flash) and all of them have been really good. I have not hit the ping but I am sure it is excellent as well


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So you are saying all heads are the same?

A low forward CG head with a smaller cc will play the same way as a full cc low back CG head if they have the same shaft?

Relatively the same. For example, for driver shot making success I believe the following percentages are appropriate:

1) swing technique 90%
2) shaft 8%
3) head design 2%

However, it's known (by OEM's, equipment fitting shops, instructors etc...) that the overwhelming majority of people playing golf do not have the inclination and, or, time to learn and practice swing technique. Hence, the golf industry's emphasis on equipment changes as a means to help players enjoy the game more. Comparing head to shaft, I believe shaft is about 4 times more effective than is head (at helping players achieve improved shot making).
 
Whether or not the swing is the most important aspect, is irrelevant and I don't think anybody thinks otherwise.
If your numbers are accurate, someone should get only 2% different numbers out of an original Big Bertha and a current driver if they used the same shaft. That is incredibly inaccurate.
 
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