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Which OEM is the most "Innovative" in 2017

SuperStroke
I'd say Cleveland/Srixon and Callaway. Wilson also making a HUGE splash with the triton


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Drivers: Callaway and Wilson
Irons: Srixon
Wedges: Cleveland
Balls: Srixon

No opinion on hybrids and woods


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A very close call between Callaway (Jail Break), Cobra (CobraConnect and SL irons), and Cleveland for their 2135 line of (affordable) putters and their exceptional RXT-3 wedges. We've seen a lot of exceptional equipment come out during the past 12 months.
 
Odyssey's new microhinge face for the O-Works line is innovative. They are a Callaway company, right? With Jailbreak and the Microhinge insert, it's gotta be Callaway.


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Callaway. Cobra a distant second.


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KEV said:
Another thing you could possibly throw in for Cobra is the rails on their fairway wood and hybrid. I know it's not new but they brought it back mainstream for both.
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That and they looked deeper into optimizing how shallow or deep the rails are depending on club and typical use
 
Calloway is doing some pretty crazy stuff. The Microhinge in the O-Works putter is something I never even would have considered and the Jailbreak tech is a total flip.

Wilson with the triton and the slots on all C200/D300 is pretty impressive.

While I like Cobra I think the 1 length is an idea that has been around for a long time, but they are the first OEM to try and really make it work for the everyman.
 
I feel like half of this thread turned into "name your favorite company"...haha

First Wilson and the triton was 2016, but assuming we count that one since it is late in the year. It's pretty innovative.

Srixon? I mean I love the people and the products but they themselves called it sight evolution on THP radio. I'd love to know what people saw in 2017 and said "tops in innovation".

First OEM (cobra) to incorporate tech into club direct is innovative, but I would argue their Zero cg design was more as well as speed channel and flip slide weight (copied by TM). I think anyway.

Jailbreak is an obvious answer.

What was the TaylorMade innovation? I saw them mentioned and am genuinely curious. Good products without a doubt.

Titleist weight movement is innovative in 917. I'd like to see some aerodynamics innovation, but the weight movement is definitely innovative.
 
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I have a hard time with TM - the ad for the M2 irons literally says "now with slots". But I thought they didn't need slots? The more I think about it, the more I think it might have to be Callaway. They've been doing work on the materials side (fusion, epic), aerodynamics (XR16), and now there's jailbreak on the Epic. I know a couple of those things didn't come this year, but they've sort of all added up to where they are now. I haven't tried out the OWorks line to find out for myself, but that's definitely a cool design.

For Irons, the F7 are probably the best progressive iron set I've seen - so Cobra might win there.
 
I looked at the new m1/2 stuff from TM, I don't know that I'm seeing "innovation" looks like a logical progression, which is actually nice from them, they managed to keep a model line and just update it.

I'd say Cobras big innovation is the single length irons, not the irons themselves but making that style set easy to get without living next Wishon or someone similar.

Jailbreak is pretty freaking cool. I don't remember seeing anything like it before (not that there has or hasn't been, I just don't recall seeing it)
 
Guys guys guys, we're all missing the obvious answer

VERTICAL GROOVE DRIVER!
 
My vote goes to Cobra and Wilson Staff also. Tied for 1st IMO since I can't seem choose whether it's the mainstream one length offering or the crowd sourced reality show as most innovative. Several other OEMs advanced and improved their tech too but that happens to some degree with every release cycle.
 
JB said:
I feel like half of this thread turned into "name your favorite company"...haha

First Wilson and the triton was 2016, but assuming we count that one since it is late in the year. It's pretty innovative.

Srixon? I mean I love the people and the products but they themselves called it sight evolution on THP radio. I'd love to know what people saw in 2017 and said "tops in innovation".

First OEM (cobra) to incorporate tech into club direct is innovative, but I would argue their Zero cg design was more as well as speed channel and flip slide weight (copied by TM). I think anyway.

Jailbreak is an obvious answer.

What was the TaylorMade innovation? I saw them mentioned and am genuinely curious. Good products without a doubt.

Titleist weight movement is innovative in 917. I'd like to see some aerodynamics innovation, but the weight movement is definitely innovative.
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Great call on the Titleist. I really enjoyed my time spent with it and the weight change my fitter implemented really helped with dispersion - it was cool that he said they brought the innovation from Tour and put it in the drivers
 
To me, the truly innovative clubs from recent releases kind of stand alone. The jailbreak tech from Callaway, the W/S Triton with the different sole plates and weights, and the microhinge tech from Odyssey.
 
Callaway the amount of r and d that went into jailbreak and the proof that it does in fact work. It definitely is the most innovative

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OITW said:
Was surfing through the threads here and was thinking about the equipment I've tried and want to try from 2017.

It got me to thinking about OEMs and which one is the most "innovative" with their equipment this year.

For me I think it's Cobra with both the One Length Irons and the Cobra Connect - it might not be two items that are new but it brings single length to the masses at an affordable price and Cobra Connect is a way that combines social media with data and analytics and IMO these both make golf more fun which I think is huge and innovative

So what say you THP?
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I agree with you on Cobra bringing innovation to the masses. Callaway with Jailbreak technology and a slight nod to Wilson Staff. I would have to add Evnroll putters. I like the technology and have read good things about it. I really need to try these.
 
Wilson Golf
Callaway
Cobra

In that order. Right now though, they all have to be innovative or they're stagnant.
 
J-Pin said:
I agree with you on Cobra bringing innovation to the masses. Callaway with Jailbreak technology and a slight nod to Wilson Staff. I would have to add Evnroll putters. I like the technology and have read good things about it. I really need to try these.
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Good call on the EvnRoll - however wouldn't it be 2016?

so-illhacker said:
To me, the truly innovative clubs from recent releases kind of stand alone. The jailbreak tech from Callaway, the W/S Triton with the different sole plates and weights, and the microhinge tech from Odyssey.
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Yes, I think this will be huge for amateurs.
 
Wilson Staff. While not the first to borrow from drag-reducing qualities on driver crowns, they are probably being the most aggressive with it. I think their C200 and D300 irons are also really interesting in terms of taking visible tech in irons to a whole new level. It helps that it works. Triton's swappable plates is cool in how much material they're willing to move around.

Callaway's Jailbreak is a close second, because it addressed a known problem with drivers in a very successful way. I'm not sure micro-vortex generators will be around in a couple of years. But I'm confident jailbreak studs will still be around.
 
Callaway with the Jailbreak technology is the most innovative move in the driver since the adjustable/moving weights.
 
OITW said:
Good call on the EvnRoll - however wouldn't it be 2016?



Yes, I think this will be huge for amateurs.
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Yeah, but he keeps releasing new product. I am sure he will come up with something new this year. Plus, he wasn't mentioned in 2016.

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Cobra and Callaway, I think Cobra did something very interesting by incorporating Cobra Connect (Arccos) into this release cycle. Where they seem to be lacking is in getting the message out. This was in my opinion sort of a catch 22, they wanted to make the sensor smaller and they did. They did such a good job you cant even notice it on the rack in the big box stores. Callaway has seemed to find some real tangible ball speed with jailbreak, and they are doing a remarkable job of messaging. I think that some of the most innovative things happening in golf equipment are happening in the marketing of it, at Callaway.
 
For me its between Callaway's Jailbreak neck and Honma's dual cover 6 piece ball.
 
I think, in order -

Cobra - They made a driver (that is already impressive and innovative in its own right) that talks to your smartphone to give you real, game improving data at your fingertips. Even without their innovations in other categories (wedge finishes, one length...) this wins it for me. Yes I'm biased.

Wilson - I think sole plates are going to end up being a bigger deal than the jailbreak rods. As JB mentioned we're still looking forward to some aerodynamic advances, and I think the sole plates can answer that question. I thought Cobra would do this with the spaceport tech, but they haven't yet. Large scale weight and CG manipulation without impacting aerodynamics is a hugely innovative, and I believe you will see more companies doing this type of thing than you will adding jailbreak technology. Access to the interior of a club isn't new now, but I think it will be almost be a requirement going forward.

Callaway - Its a much different, very interesting, and really exciting way of going about it, but its still just a driver that is longer and straighter than whatever else it gets compared to. I realize it is still very impressive and very innovative, but its not enough to put them above their competitors. I'm not saying they weren't innovative, or that they weren't that innovative. They were just 3rd place for me. At this moment.
 
Hard not to say Callaway/odyssey with Jailbreak and O-works.
 
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