FT-3 vs. FT-5 vs. FT-9??????

I'm looking to bag a new driver and am considering the three above in a tour version, if it can be found.

What are the strengths and weakness of all three????

Which one would you choose and why????

FT5 with the hosel.

not a huge fan of the FT-3 and the FT-9 is pretty much the FT-5 just looks different.

I disagree that the FT-5 and the FT-9 are similar. FT-3 has the hottest face of the 3, not very forgiving from what I could remember. This was back in 07. FT-5 is more forgiving, higher spinning head, extremely loud (baseball bat type loud). I like this one the best in term of looks. It looks great to me at address. FT-9 took me a bit of getting used to in term of its look. However it's very forgiving, lower spinning, and is not loud like the FT-5. I wish I could go back and give the FT-3 another try now that my game has improved and I know what my prefered shaft is compare to the stock Aldila shaft that was in the FT-3.

well after tonight forget all of them get the FT-Tour.... Went to the local golf galaxy and the callaway rep was there and handed me a FT-Tour... I was hitting it 345 consistently. Swing Speed 116, Ball Speed 160ish, launch 10-11* That driver was stupid long really why do i need to hit it 345. I would need to carry 6 wedges

The biggest hitter on the european tour is sponsored by Callaway, he still plays the FT-5. I bought an FT-9, then sold it, I saw no dfference between it and the FT-5. I like the sound of the FT-5 better, loud.

Try another driver, 345 rpm are very few

[quote name='Dave T.' date='17 June 2010 - 10:34 PM' timestamp='1276828477' post='2516671']
well after tonight forget all of them get the FT-Tour.... Went to the local golf galaxy and the callaway rep was there and handed me a FT-Tour... I was hitting it 345 consistently. Swing Speed 116, Ball Speed 160ish, launch 10-11* That driver was stupid long really why do i need to hit it 345. I would need to carry 6 wedges
[/quote]
I wouldn't trust their "launch monitors". I'd hit it outside and actually measure it, as I doubt you were really hitting it 345. Phil swings at about 120 and only (lol, only) hits it about 320 with driver.

[quote name='Dave T.' date='17 June 2010 - 09:34 PM' timestamp='1276828477' post='2516671']
well after tonight forget all of them get the FT-Tour.... Went to the local golf galaxy and the callaway rep was there and handed me a FT-Tour... I was hitting it 345 consistently. Swing Speed 116, Ball Speed 160ish, launch 10-11* That driver was stupid long really why do i need to hit it 345. I would need to carry 6 wedges
[/quote]
(shakes head at yet an other fooled by gimmicky launch simulators.)







116 mph of swing speed would need a 35 mph tail wind and a 80 foot elevated tee box to even think of seeing 345.


I would vote the FT3 in terms of feel and distance and FT9 for going straight.

FT-5 was my favorite driver of all time until I hit the FT Tour. You'll get a couple more mph of ball speed off of the FT-9 compared to the 5, but to me it felt dead, and I couldn't get over how it looked like a giant pancake on a stick. FT-3 is also a great driver, I've owned 3 different ones over the years. If you like loud and high launch, go FT-5. If you like a more muted sound, FT-3 is your ticket. If you have the money to do it right, go FT Tour.

I can hit the ball a long way... and usually dont believe a sim nor do I this time however I was hitting the club very solid and the drives were well over 300 maybe not in the 340s but they were long. I have a Titty 909D2 that have hit 340 on the golf course... You dont need to swing hard to hit it far... I am still sticking to the FT-Tour dont waist any time with the others.

[quote name='Dave T.' date='17 June 2010 - 11:46 PM' timestamp='1276836411' post='2516960']
I can hit the ball a long way... and usually dont believe a sim nor do I this time however I was hitting the club very solid and the drives were well over 300 maybe not in the 340s but they were long. I have a Titty 909D2 that have hit 340 on the golf course... You dont need to swing hard to hit it far... I am still sticking to the FT-Tour dont waist any time with the others.
[/quote]
Its simple Physics and Math, nothing personal, you must have a really dry course.

I've had an FT-3 and an FT-9. The FT-3 is still the driver I am most confident with. I don't quite like the sound it makes but everytime I stick it in the bag, my buddies know I am gonna be in the fairway. It's not the longest hitting driver I have but, it is by no means short as well. I will never sell it. It's pure confidence for me.

The FT-9 enjoyed a brief honeymoon with me and then deserted me very quickly. I always thought it hit the ball a long ways but was not as forgiving as the FT-3. I am surprised to learn that most folks find the FT-9 more forgiving than the FT-3. I suppose that's golf.

I'm sorry I am not able to give you a direct response since you actually asked about Tour versions of the 3 drivers. Good luck.

Dan

I just picked up a FT-5 I-Mix and took it to the range, the only reason I brought this club was that I was more interested in the BB shaft. I already have a FT-9 I-Mix and a FT Tour; the most consistant driver out of those 3 for me has been the FT-9, the longest is the FT Tour. Ive only had one range session with the FT-5, and after that I cant see me gaming this driver on the course. I found it to be a much higher spin than the other two, and as it is I-Mix I was swapping a few different shafts to see how it played. The FT-5 looks much better at address than the FT-9, but the FT Tour is clearly the best looking of all three. Im currently using the FT-9 until I can find a better shaft than the stock offering in the FT Tour, but if your looking for forgiving driver that you can consitantly bomb out there than the FT-9 would be a good choice

just my 2 cents, sorry Ive never hit an FT-3

Let me preface this by saying that driving consistancy is the worst part of my game and I have never hit the FT5 or 9, but I recently picked up a FT3 for cheap and I have never hit so many fairways in my life. I find it really easy to hit. Ive been searching for the right driver for years, trying Adams, Titleist, Taylormade, and so on. Im sure it is different for everyone, but the FT-3 fits the bill for me. It is in my bag to stay for a while.

I rank them best to worst:
FT3
FT Tour
FT9
FT5

Didn't care for the FT5 at all. I have a FT3 9.5 Tour as my backup. Longest driver I have ever hit and it is not as hard to hit as others have said.

I don't have the jack for the tour (maybe next year) but of the three I have owned all I like the ft-9 the best, for me its the best of both worlds forgiving and long.

Many thanks for the input on the FT's I appreciate it very much.

Last night I took a bunch of older clubs (set of irons and 3 fairway woods) into Golf Galaxy to take advantage of their current trade in program. They ended up giving me the middle price range of the USGA Blue Book instead of the lowest due to the condition of the clubs. Then they current program added an additional 30% to that total plus another $100 if you bought a Callaway, TM, or Nike product. I ended up walking out of the store with a new FT-Tour for my old clubs and $12.07 out of pocket .

I took it to the driving range last night and had a shoot out with my 9015D. Both have the same loft 9.5*and same flex stiff in stock shafts and if was a tossup as far as distance. However the FT-Tour was more consistent in the ball pattern disbursement. I think I'll look into a Blueboard for the 9015D to hopefully solve the shaft related challenges with that club.

Any input on the Blueboard's performance would be also appreciated.

I think the FT Tour is a great head, held back by the stock Voodoo shaft. If I can find an FT Tour with a BB 73S I'd be all over it.

I've hit just about every version of every head mentioned. My notes, take them for what it's worth, which ain't much:

FT-3: very long, but the least forgiving. It's also the best looking head of all three mentioned. Works better (for me) with a stouter shaft. Ugliest sound of the bunch, but you don't notice it after one range session.

FT-5: long and a bit more forgiving than the FT-3, head shape is not as appealing. Very susceptable to shaft issues (what works for you now won't work in this head. Almost zero carryover between this and other Cally/OEm products. Requires more saddle time to find a shaft for it.)

FT-9: Longest of the bunch and the most forgiving. Ugliest head shape of the three, but who cares when you're killing it. Better sound than the FT-5. Toe hits are duck hooks, heeled shots are subtle fades. Big improvement over the FT-5 on that front.



Now, the best:

FT Tour: Lights out, the best Callaway driver to date. Monstorously long, forgiving like the FT-9 and the great head shape of the FT-3. Hosel to boot. The stock shafts are awful, but mate this to something that works with your swing and you're money. I've hit drives this year I'd only dreamed of hitting, and I can get it out there.

Just my 2 cents.

R35