Driver upgrade from Ping i20

[Postal_Glass_Golf]

Been playing the same 9.5 i20 driver for quite a while now, love the look, love the feel, however it's probably about time to try something new. Was looking into a TM M2 with hzrdus smoke yellow 60 6.5 but before I commit I was looking for some community input considering a full fit isn't really in the cards right now and I'd also prefer something I can get at under 250 USD.

[rexroh]

I have had Ping K15 (most consistent driver I have hit) Ping G30 soft, TaylorMade M1 and now a TaylorMade M6.

The K15 was the shortest hence the move to the G30. The M1 I got cheap and was even longer still. Only 3 or 4 yards though.

I bought an M6 3 wood and was so impressed with that when the driver demo was on sale I bought that. It was a big improvement in distance and control over the M1. If you can stretch to an M6 I would recommend that I have not hit an M2 but I understand that they were good.

[Postal_Glass_Golf]

Sounds similar to my progression/regression, I went i15 to r11 to i20. It's my understanding that the jump from m1 to m2 was pretty significant and apart from draining the bank on a SIM, it's my best option. I've been out of the main scene for many years as most of the new tech has come out and I don't care much about overall adjustability but I don't want to stray too far from what I'm used to. Specifically looking at the 2016 model M2.

[hammergolf]

Have you tried a g400 or g400 lst? I think for the money they are hard to beat.

[Postal_Glass_Golf]

I've looked into them but the ridges on the back are actually an eyesore for me.

[dwh24]

Played the i20 for almost 6 years. The most similar look head shape wise is going to be the sub zero heads from Callaway. My Rogue SZ is almost identical the way it sits and the head size. Just add the carbon on top. I also love the M range as well. Those would be my picks. I played the m4 and still have my Ping i20 and my M6 in the closet. LOL

[Postal_Glass_Golf]

This is pretty much where my head is at with it, I love the i20 but wanting to get back into more serious play I'm sure there's a lot I'm leaving on the table. Gotta find a way to swing the rogue as a reference point. Considering the time I got this club Callaway was kind of sh*tting the bed with their drivers so I've got that lingering bad taste in my mouth.

[dmeeksDC]

I know that Ping driver. A total underrated comparison worth looking at for a relatively low cost is the Srixon z545 driver (2015) or the smaller z745. Check out Rick Shiels’ video review of the 545. No alignment aids, beautiful finish and shape. Easy to hit. Strong ball speeds.

[Terry Gold]

I feel ya. Played the i20 until last year (even replaced one after the internal faceplate cracked). Loved the look, feel, and sound/

That said, after comparing the numbers on trackman against last year's models, the reduction in spin and subsequent advantages that I got with the Epic Flash SZ was enough to justify moving on. Maybe they'll be in that price range you mentioned soon enough.

[Postal_Glass_Golf]

It's really a special club, would you think maybe dropping in a new shaft could keep it in the bag?

[Terry Gold]

Well, depends what you are looking for. But in any case, with the i20 being a fixed head, experimenting with shafts could get really expensive.

I'd honestly pay $100 to be properly fit. Test what else is out there against yours. There have been enough improvments in drivers since the i20 came out (2012?) that it won't feel like an unnecceary upgrade, most likely. Or, stick with you have if it's working for you. Best of luck in the search.

[Postal_Glass_Golf]

So the Epic Flash SZ was a definite bust, thankfully golf Galaxy has a lenient return policy on used clubs. Felt immediately reminded of why I haven't liked Callaway since I was about 18. It performed kinda ok but that sound is brutal and as per most of their modern drivers it just has that slightly unpleasant bulbous look. Thank you for the recommendation and I'm glad I was able to give it a shot but yeah that's a no from me dawg.

[bluedot]

OP, you really have three choices here. All are valid, but which one is best depends on what you want out of golf, and, to a somewhat lesser extent, how much you can spend. (I do think it is VERY likely that there are used drivers available at the price you mention that will give you better results, but finding the right head/shaft combination isn't automatic; it has to be intentional.)

Just keep the i20. You don't say in the OP that there is a particular problem with it, only that it's "probably about time to try something new." So the question is, "Why?" What are you looking for from a driver that the i20 doesn't give you? And without providing more information, all you are going to get here is a bunch of guys telling you about drivers they've liked. And those guys are making suggestions for you without knowing ANYTHING except that you currently use an i20; they not only don't know what you are hoping to improve, but they don't know the loft, the shaft, the shaft flex, your swing speed, your distances, your "normal" ball flight and your default misses. If money is a prohibitive factor, then figure out a way to get more information posted. You have access to a Golf Galaxy; most of them rent their simulators out for 30 min. slots for $20. If you did that once and got your information about launch angle and distance, then you could go on to some of their used drivers as a comparison, either before or after posting the numbers here for a better set of suggestions. If you can possibly swing the money, get somebody who knows what they are doing to fit you; most Golf Galaxy stores have at least one guy on hand who is a good enough clubfitter for your purposes. You'll get a lot of opinions about club fitting on this board, but guessing about what to do next, like you did with the Epci Flash, is the ultimate rabbit hole; you could do a lather, rinse, repeat of that for a long, long time without making nearly the progress that one fitting could do. If you told the fitter going in that you can only buy used or on sale items, with a price max that he knows, you'd get the job done a lot quicker and probably a lot cheaper in the long run.

[Postal_Glass_Golf]

Thanks for taking the time to type this out, you make many valid points, I have the stock 707 s-flex in the club at 9.5 because I for a long time enjoyed how light it was. After trying out a ts3 in the x I found that I got a similar flight path which was interesting because my swing speed caps at about 108 and I didn't think I had the juice to swing an x effectively and keep it straight with the light draw I usually play. The quandary I ran into is that the i20 was one of the last models that didn't offer a removable shaft option so I can't exactly stick a bunch of different shafts in there to make it easy to test against what I've got. I tend to hit it high and dry and don't really get much run out anymore so I know I need something that goes a bit lower naturally while maintaining the low spin to get the extra bit out of it. I've got a 2016 model M2 head on the way with a hzrdus smoke yellow 60 6.0 to stick in there that I was able to put together at a steal at $190. I enjoy TM drivers a lot as they've gotten past the r series, I just spun those older heads a lot and that's a major improvement that I know they've made with the M line. All of the super adjustable drivers I've tried just tend to make me overthink things and having a head that's a "what you see is what you get" is more ideal as I know I'll just have to swing the club correctly and make physical changes rather than tinkering all the time. At any rate thank you, and everyone else who gave input on this thread, and here's hoping the new big stick works out well.

[bluedot]

I hope it's a good club for you.

One other "fitting" related thing to think about: The relationship between spin, carry, descent angle, roll, and overall distance with a driver is an incredibly individualistic equation. Optimizing all of that is where the skills of a good club fitter and a Trackman really come into play. If you really get back into the game, you might want to investigate this, and find out if you really want more or less spin, more or less carry, more or less roll out, and so on.

Good luck!

[Postal_Glass_Golf]

The M2 with the smoke yellow has turned out to be an absolute cannon. Great sound, easy to index and solid overall feel without being too rigid. Set it one step low to reign in the balloon shot and I'm quite impressed with the launch not to mention it's done well to mitigate against my occasional quacker. Going to keep the i20 around in case my confidence goes out the window but I am thoroughly impressed with this build. 10/10 would recommend for anyone looking for a sub $250 driver that is trying to work the club on your own terms while keeping launch and spin low. Might suggest smoke black depending on the golfer but I seriously couldn't be happier for the price I spent ($194 shipped)