Swapped out my older model drivers (Ping versus Cobra)

Has anyone discovered a Driver that they never really thought of before, but yet tried it out on a whim at Golf Galaxy off their used rack, and somehow someway, absolutely fell in love with it?

I have been a Ping player for years and years and years, and have a philosophy of "if it ain't broke, don't fix it..." and play older model clubs and still play older model clubs no matter what year it is.

My #1 Driver has always been a Ping G10 with a 9° face and a stock Ping TFC-129(stiff) shaft. Over this past year, I started rapidly losing distance and had a very bizarre ball flight off the tee -- 15' high screamers that only carried 225 but yet with massive top spin so they rolled and rolled and rolled. I met with an instructor and was told that it was time to face the facts that I am getting older and no longer had the oomph and powerful swing speed needed for a 9° face and stiff shaft. It was time to change. "A man has to know his limitations" -- Clint Eastwood.

Long story short, I found a King Cobra 454 driver in a 10.5° face and a stock Cobra Mitsubishi Rayon SL-45 regular shaft. The guy at Golf Galaxy reset the indoor range machine back up for me, and I tried out the used driver. I couldn't believe it! I was nailing every single drive straight out there with a beautiful high launch arc, dead straight, carry 252... 258... and my (max/best) clubhead speed was 92 mph.

The guy at Golf Galaxy told me that I found the right club for my swing style and speed.

They took in my used Ping G10 and gave me credit/discount towards the used King Cobra 454 and I quickly paid the balance without blinking an eye. Anyone else switch brands and realize that another make/model of club is absolutely amazing?

I played a great round a couple years ago with a Titleist driver from 2002. It was definitely way shorter than today’s stuff though.

I’ve got just about everything other than this years stuff, I haven’t bought any of them. I often go back to an R15 430. It’s not as forgiving as some others but center strikes go further with it than any other club I’ve ever used. The R1 I have gets along well with me most of the time too. I bought it mainly for its shaft, it’s a high end Oban that would have cost me 3 times what I paid for the entire club had the eBay seller known what he had. I hit it really well so I’ve never swapped adapters out in it to play it in another club.

Thanks... My new/used Cobra 454 has a standard length of 45" and also has a black dot on the sole (i.e. sort of like Ping used to do back in the day?). It is such a forgiving driver and so easy to hit too. As long as it puts me in the center fairway (250+ yard drive), and leaves me with a nice 6 or 7 iron 2nd shot to the green, I'm happy...

Edit: For everyone, as seen in my signature, I am "old school" and will constantly play 15-20 year old clubs. I am frugal and just can't see buying brand new clubs that are so expensive they could be viewed as the closing cost on a new house!! :shock:

butchammon said:

Thanks... My new/used Cobra 454 has a standard length of 45" and also has a black dot on the sole (i.e. sort of like Ping used to do back in the day?). It is such a forgiving driver and so easy to hit too. As long as it puts me in the center fairway (250+ yard drive), and leaves me with a nice 6 or 7 iron 2nd shot to the green, I'm happy...

Edit: For everyone, as seen in my signature, I am "old school" and will constantly play 15-20 year old clubs. I am frugal and just can't see buying brand new clubs that are so expensive they could be viewed as the closing cost on a new house!! :shock:

Click to expand...

Hey nothing wrong with that.....

But you may find that “modern” clubs will offer certain advantages. Buying a generation or two back will still unlock that advantage, and will be 1/3 the cost. In the past two years I’ve bought (brand new clubs only) Mizuno MP15 3-pw (with Project X 6.0 LZ’s) for 249.00. Wilson staff D200 4-GW for $212.00. Nike Vapor Speeds 4-GW for 279.00 (with a Vapor Speed Driver w/ Diamana White x-flex). Callaway Razr X Forged 3-PW (with Px 6.0 LZ’s) for 169.00.

A pretty wide variety of clubs for all HC and swings. All had quality shafts and grips (The W/S clubs have the stock Wilson shafts and grips but they work great for my dad who uses them).

You can use whatever equipment makes you happy. You are leaving performance on the table though if they are too far back. I’ve posted some really good scores with substandard equipment. Hell, my only ever HIO was on a 267 yard par 4 and I hit it in with a Dunlop Goliath 400cc driver. That club is now 15+ years old and worth about 10.00. I probably wouldn’t get $5.00 on a trade in. I wouldn’t sell it for 5k just due to that. But the further you go back the more performance is left on the table. If you are ok with that, you go ahead and do you. But also know you can get a good set or modern irons for $300.00 or less and a model year or two older driver for $150.00 or less. I always buy st the end of the model year since I don’t want to spend 500.00+ on a club or 1k on a driver. I’ve found if I buy in the fall and play around with in the winter, I can basically rent the clubs for free from November through April. If they work I’ll keep them, if not I flip at the beginning of golf season for those north of the Mason/Dixon.

From the performance aspect, when I hit it on a Sim the Dunlop Goliath skies and fizzles out. A lot of that is shaft, but some of it is the head. I could put the same shaft in it as say my F8+ and it would still fall well shy. Today’s tech is better and that’s a generation and a half from modern. I saw the most ball speed I’ve ever seen from the Epic Flash. I’ll buy one once they drop in price to half of current retail, but until then I’ll stick with what I’ve got.

I know what you mean... I remember trying out a brand new (with the typical protective masking tape), totally right off the shelf, Ping G400 driver a while back.

I couldn't believe the feel, the playability, and the overall style, of the Ping G400 driver! I wanted to buy it so bad... But I almost had a coronary when I looked at the price tag and immediately realized that it cost as much as a monthly payment on a brand new Ford F150 crew cab 4X4!!! :shock:

My current driver is an Adams Fast 12 LS. I hit it avg 260 and straight. No use spending $400+ on hype.
A very good friend of mine spends the money on the new drivers. He thinks he hits them longer than his 2 and 3 year old drivers but in reality he doesn't.

Just picked up a Titleist 910 for $70. One round in, and this 10 year old driver does just fine, thank you.