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Best Driver in the last 5 years?


tcatone5

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2016 M2

 

Technically, ALL drivers have have the same COR on their faces and head sizes because of USGA and R&A restrictions BUT for some reason, I keep seeing the 2016 M2 still being talked about even after its discontinuation. I'm not saying it's the longest driver made in the last 5 years but it seems to be a little more consistently longer than the others (just a little).

 

The first gen M series was the first time Taylormade had really lived up to the hype they put out around it since the original RBZ. The M1 and M2 put out really solid numbers for most everyone that tried it, the composite top made it standout in a crowd, and I remember Jason Day putting it in his bag right away and absolutely smashing with it (he was also playing out of his mind at the time). There are also those rumors that float around here about the 8.5* heads being too hot but technically legal, which meant pros were bagging the M2 long past when they would normally switch. This combo of tour presence, excellent numbers, and bag appeal is what has driven it's current cult status. It also helps that Taylormade's current offerings seem to be more centered around marketing and gimmicks (face screws, really lol) than outright performance like the clean, no nonsense 2016 M2 provided.

TM Stealth2 HZRDUS Black 6.0 60g

Titleist 915F 15* Aldila Rogue Black 80S

Ping G430 19* HZRDUS Smoke Red 6.0 80g

Srixon ZX7 4-PW C-Taper Lite 110s

Cleveland RTX 6 50,56,60

Ping PLD Oslo 4

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Epic deserves more love, not the most fun to hit driver , but dear god that thing was a LM warrior. Still cannot hit anything further

 

Mine is getting ready for it's 3rd season in the bag.

TSR4 Ventus Red
TSi3 3w AD DI7
TSi3 5w AD DI7
TSR2 7w AD DI7

TSR3 24 AV Blue X-Link 75
T150 6-G PX LZ
SM9 52/12/F-56/10/S TI S200 
Toulon Portland Garage 
ProV1x
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Ping G30 LST, G400 Max

Cobra F8+, now slightly bested by the F9, at least in my hands

Epic or Rogue, not a huge difference

2017/2016 M2

Club Champion Custom Callaway AI Smoke 11*, Aldila Ascent 40 Gram, A Flex

Srixon F45 4-wood, 17*, Kuro Kage 606 S
TXG Custom  SIM Max 7-wood, Accra FX 140 2.0 M2

TXG Custom Cobra Tech 5-hybrid, KBS TGI 75 R
TXG Custom PXG 0211 6-pw, 1* upright, Recoil E460 R
PXG 0211 GW, 50*, (new version), UST Recoil Dart R
TXG Custom Cleveland CBX 54*, Tour Issue DG Spinner 115 

Ping Glide 4.0 58*, Nippon 115 
TXG Custom Cobra Nova, KBS CT Tour Shaft

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2016 M2 is still in the bag. Nice combination of forgiveness and distance.

G430 max 10.5, Accra TZ Five 60s
Callaway Epic Super Hybrid 16, AD-IZ 75S
Callaway Rogue X 20, Oban Devotion 85S
Cobra King utility 25, Accra TZ6 95di
Ping I210 5-U, black dot

Callaway Jaws 56, W grind

Vokey 60, M grind
Scotty Newport 1.5

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I ended up with the M4 I hit the M6 and the grouping was a little tighter but no significant improvement vs the M4 and for $180 less it was a no brainer great distance and it really helped the fade in my shot everything stayed straight with the M4 D type. It is great when you step up to the tee with confidence. I wasn't a TM guy until now but things may change.

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After trying everything and playing the Cally Xhot, GBB and Epic, I've settled in on the

Ping G400 w/ the Hazrdus Yellow 71gm shaft. Could have gone G400 LST as well.

Both super forgiving.

Demo'd against the GBB and Epic, outdoors w/ trackman. G400 was about 6-10 yards longer and much straighter for me.

I love the sound off the Epic when pured, but there really was no comparison .........I was a little shocked, since I haven't liked Ping drivers in the past.

1st 2 rounds haven't missed a fairway with the G400.

Rogue ST Max LS Oban Devotion 6/03 10.5, -1* @45.25" 

Paradym 3HL  Kai’li 60 R
Ping G410 19*,  22* & 26* Riptide CB 80 5.5
Srixon ZX5 MKII 6-AW, SF i80cw R,  Or Cobra Forged Tec Black 6-GW, SF i95cw R   
PM Grind 2.0 54 and 58

Bettinardi Innovai Rev 6.0  33” 

 E.R.C. Soft TT/ Chrome Soft TT / TM Tour Response '20

 

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As a drawer of the ball with my miss being a hook, I have found recent drivers to be problematic for me. The obsession with distance has meant most drivers I've tried are designed with a draw bias to squeeze out a few extra yards, but at the cost of consistency and accuracy. I've also found newer drivers to be over 45", again to give more distance but at the cost of accuracy. Shafts are also a problem for me as I am aggressive through impact and need a stiff tip/low torque combo, which don't come stock so adds to price. In short, I can't recommend anything from the last 5 years cause I don't like any of them.

 

I play a TM r7 super quad TP with a GD Quattro tech, and although I give up 10 yards on the best drives with newer bombers, the confidence I have standing on the tee knowing where the ball is going makes up for it.

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TS2....combined with my Tensei Pro White shaft....best driver I have played since the original RBZ

PING G430 LST 10.5° | DIAMANA GT 60X

COBRA DARKSPEED X 3HF 16.5° | HZRDUS BLACK 70X

PING G425 7W 20.5° | DIAMANA GT 70X

SRIXON ZX5 5-6 | MMT TAPER 105TX

SRIXON ZX7 7-PW | MMT TAPER 105TX

PING GLIDE 4.0 50°/54°/58° | MMT WEDGE 125TX

ODYSSEY TRI-HOT 5K SEVEN DB

SRIXON Z-STAR DIAMOND 

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G400 Max. By far the most forgiving and straightest driver I’ve ever hit or gamed.

Callaway Paradym 12° - Fujikura Ventus Red 6s

Callaway Paradym 18° - Fujikura Ventus Red 7s

Callaway Paradym 21° - Fujikura Ventus Red 7s
PXG Gen 6 0311P (4-PW) - Oban CT 115s+
Titleist Vokey SM9 Raw 51° - Oban CT 115s+
Titleist Vokey SM9 Raw 55° - Oban CT 125s+
Titleist Vokey SM9 Raw 60° - Oban CT 125s+

Toulon Las Vegas DB

 

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Taylormade M5

Taylormade M2 2016

Cobra F9+

Taylormade M4

Ping G400 LST

Callaway Epic SZ

Cobra LTD Pro

Callaway Epic Flash SZ

 

Pick any of those that suits you and you'll be in business. You can add G400 max to the list too if you don't need ultra low spin.

 

Interesting....M4 is better than M6?

 

Slightly lower launch to loft which had some of our guys having a hard time keeping the launch down. Assuming this isn't an issue for you, the performance is on par assuming you can subtract loft. There are a lot of very good drivers. M3, rogue sz, the ts2, etc. I could keep making a list but these are the ones that stood out for one reason or another.

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Taylormade M5

Taylormade M2 2016

Cobra F9+

Taylormade M4

Ping G400 LST

Callaway Epic SZ

Cobra LTD Pro

Callaway Epic Flash SZ

 

Pick any of those that suits you and you'll be in business. You can add G400 max to the list too if you don't need ultra low spin.

 

Interesting....M4 is better than M6?

 

Slightly lower launch to loft which had some of our guys having a hard time keeping the launch down. Assuming this isn't an issue for you, the performance is on par assuming you can subtract loft. There are a lot of very good drivers. M3, rogue sz, the ts2, etc. I could keep making a list but these are the ones that stood out for one reason or another.

 

ic, so really only an issue for the really high speed guys playing the lowest lofted heads already?

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Bio Cell + and LTD were years ahead of their time.

 

SLDR if you're okay with a 230yd miss for every 330yd bomb.

 

First two years of the M series are all great drivers.

TSR2 8*, Ventus TR Red 7x

TSi2 15*, Diamana BF 80TX

TSR2 18°, Atmos TS Blue HB 8x 
Mizuno MP Fli Hi 21°, Recoil 110

MP-20 MMC  5-P, DG X100
SM8 50F, 54S, 58M (X7 "spinners")
Odyssey Eleven S
Tour BX

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I Agree with the previous posts and add LTD to the list.

 

There are plenty of great drivers to choose from in recent years.

 

It's not like the big OEMs spend all this time and money designing new clubs to put out junk.

 

I think my main question is when there is a new model every year is it worth the $200 extra to get the 2019 model opposed to the 2018 that just went on sale?

Id go with 917s. They are SUPER cheap at the moment
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I currently game the XR16 and still get great distance with it and have been generally happy with it. I am thinking about making a switch to a new driver mainly because the new models came out and last years have gone down in price.

 

What is the best driver that has come out in the last 5 years?

 

How much better could the clubs really be getting if they release a new model every year?

The XR16 may be the best driver I've hit. I ended up getting a G400Max, which is a candidate for your poll, certainly. In a fitting attempt with several drivers the XR16 was the longest in the batch...
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2016 M2

 

Technically, ALL drivers have have the same COR on their faces and head sizes because of USGA and R&A restrictions BUT for some reason, I keep seeing the 2016 M2 still being talked about even after its discontinuation. I'm not saying it's the longest driver made in the last 5 years but it seems to be a little more consistently longer than the others (just a little).

 

The first gen M series was the first time Taylormade had really lived up to the hype they put out around it since the original RBZ. The M1 and M2 put out really solid numbers for most everyone that tried it, the composite top made it standout in a crowd, and I remember Jason Day putting it in his bag right away and absolutely smashing with it (he was also playing out of his mind at the time). There are also those rumors that float around here about the 8.5* heads being too hot but technically legal, which meant pros were bagging the M2 long past when they would normally switch. This combo of tour presence, excellent numbers, and bag appeal is what has driven it's current cult status. It also helps that Taylormade's current offerings seem to be more centered around marketing and gimmicks (face screws, really lol) than outright performance like the clean, no nonsense 2016 M2 provided.

My son, 13, absolutely pounded his M2 until the crown cracked. TM sent him an M4...which, after trying it for a couple months, is being pushed aside by a replacement M2 that I found still in the wrapper. First session with it last night at the range...back out to the back of the range again... Great club.
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2016 M2

 

Technically, ALL drivers have have the same COR on their faces and head sizes because of USGA and R&A restrictions BUT for some reason, I keep seeing the 2016 M2 still being talked about even after its discontinuation. I'm not saying it's the longest driver made in the last 5 years but it seems to be a little more consistently longer than the others (just a little).

 

The first gen M series was the first time Taylormade had really lived up to the hype they put out around it since the original RBZ. The M1 and M2 put out really solid numbers for most everyone that tried it, the composite top made it standout in a crowd, and I remember Jason Day putting it in his bag right away and absolutely smashing with it (he was also playing out of his mind at the time). There are also those rumors that float around here about the 8.5* heads being too hot but technically legal, which meant pros were bagging the M2 long past when they would normally switch. This combo of tour presence, excellent numbers, and bag appeal is what has driven it's current cult status. It also helps that Taylormade's current offerings seem to be more centered around marketing and gimmicks (face screws, really lol) than outright performance like the clean, no nonsense 2016 M2 provided.

My son, 13, absolutely pounded his M2 until the crown cracked. TM sent him an M4...which, after trying it for a couple months, is being pushed aside by a replacement M2 that I found still in the wrapper. First session with it last night at the range...back out to the back of the range again... Great club.

 

Yeah the M2 is a real winner. I actually got my M2 head from a buddy who got the M3 when it came out. He says that he still hasn't hit the M3 as deep as the M2 he gave me lol. He knows he isn't getting it back though

TM Stealth2 HZRDUS Black 6.0 60g

Titleist 915F 15* Aldila Rogue Black 80S

Ping G430 19* HZRDUS Smoke Red 6.0 80g

Srixon ZX7 4-PW C-Taper Lite 110s

Cleveland RTX 6 50,56,60

Ping PLD Oslo 4

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