Best New Driver for 2015 - Give me your opinions

[swaldron]

Ok, what driver have you hit or bought that has you excited for 2015. I've hit the G30, the Cobra Fly Z + and Titleist 915 drivers and like them all so far. Haven't hit the R15, BB Alpha 815 or Nike yet, but plan to. Your thoughts, experiences?

[kody17]

915 D3 is what I ended up going with. I didn't really like the G30, but I didn't get to the the LS tec version, so that might be better. Didn't really like the feel of the R15. Thought the 915 felt 100 times better. Also hit the Fly Z and liked it quite a bit. Felt very nice and had good numbers with it.

[ciddyboy7]

I hit them all. The only two that really stood out to me were the Vapor Pro and the BB double black diamond. I have a launch problem but not a spin problem ie 19* of launch and 2100-2300 rpm. The were the only two that flat performed for me

[swaldron]

I like everything I've read about the double black diamond but I think its too much club for me. Haven't hit the G30 LS Tec yet but plan to.

[Prussell1]

for me I would look at the shaft first, I have my shaft and put it in a 915 and the numbers were no different, sound was a bit different but lfight launch and spin all within tolerance

[StarFleetGolfer]

I own 915d3, r15 430tp, g30ls, and Nike Flex. The 915 sounds and feels the worst, Nike flex sounds and feels the best. Distance stand outs on center strikes are the Flex , r15 and ls. Most forgiving is the g30ls. Best combination for me right now is r15 tp and g30ls.

[Gem]

I have an 8.5* 915D3 and a 9* 815 Alpha DBD.
I like the look of them both but the D3 spins way too much for me and feels quite hard. I have tried a few shafts and they all seem to spin far too much unless I hit a toe hook. Havent gamed a Titleist driver since the 983E and K and looks like this will be continuing.
I really like the way the DBD Alpha sits and spin wise it is not bad. The feel is a bit samey all over the face and it is difficult to tell if it is out the middle or not. I hit this pretty well but find I am hooking it a bit too easily which doesn't inspire confidence on a tight hole or when trying to hit a safe fade.
Not sure if I will stick with this yet or not and may end up back with my SLDR 9.5*.

I do spin the ball a lot so I am sure the D3 will suit many but not great for me.

[swaldron]

Anybody else?

[One Putter]

915, Holy crap man. Really liked my 913, hit the 915 and the difference was immediately obvious, it goes further and flies just as well.

[TMelectric]

My Mizuno JPX 850 beat out most of the drivers you listed. Don't overlook the Mizzy

[Toph84]

My experience is...

In terms of feel the G30 family and the 915 D3 and D2 are the stand outs. The feel at impact is a firm thwack. Downside (to some anyway) is that they are loud. The Cobra Fly Z+ and Cally 815 Alpha DBD follow in second in terms of FEEL, and when hit on the center the Nike Vapor Flex is amazing. The Nike Vapor Pro feels somewhat deadened/soft and has a muffled/muted sound. The R15 also felt a little softer than previous TM offerings. Only downside with the G30 family in terms of feel is no matter where you hit it on the face it feels like you killed it, which may not be bad for some.

In terms of distance the clear standouts for me where the G30 and G30 LS Tec (high launch, low spin), Nike Vapor Flex (low launch, low spin rockets), and the Cally 815 Alpha DBD and 915 D2 tied for 3rd (surprised by the D2 since I usually am a D3 guy).

In terms of looks I think the G30 is hideous but its like an ugly mutt that grows on you. The best looking in my opinion is by far the Nike Vapor Pro and Flex, followed by the Cally 815 Alpha DBD and 915 D3. The D2 looks more stretched out than usual for a Titleist. The R15 looks ok, they really did a nice job with the 430 TP, and the 460 black is pretty sharp as well. The Cobra Fly Z and Fly Z+ looks good, but the Cobra logo on the crown is still just not my cup of tea. The blue in the Cobras and the Mizuno 850 is sharp, but the feel on the Mizzy is not great.


Overall...


[b]Cobra Fly Z and Fly Z+:[/b] Stock shafts are WAAAAY too light, and the club overall feels very light. Logo is meh. Distance was good, and was not too punishing on off center strikes. If you are a Cobra fan, this is a good club. It may not be better than last years models, so if you already have a Bio Cell series driver, the upgrade might not be worth it.

[b]Aeroburner: [/b]Way way way too long of stock shaft, and too light. Hard to track throughout the swing. When struck, it feels solid across the face but the ball feels like a brick when you hit it due to club weight. Launch is high, spin was high, but for some that may be just what they need. Looks ok, but its A LOT of white.

[b]R15 460 and 430:[/b] The dual sole weights are a much better option over the SLDR, and it feels better than the SLDR, but there are better clubs out there IMHO. The weights do what they say and will show differences in the numbers. Nothing really stood out on this club but over all seemed solid. If your a TM fan, then go for it. If you have a SLDR and struggle with dispersion (get lessons and stop swinging for the fences!, jk...?) then the little extra forgiveness may be worth it on this club.

[b]Titleist 915 D2 and D3:[/b] Stock shafts are pretty good, and the feel of the clubs are great. Very solid at impact and the face feels HOT. They set up great behind the ball and the new alignment aid is good, once you get over the fact its different than it has been the past decade. They sound too loud and may not appeal to all in that category. I got the 3rd best numbers with the 915 D2 and they both spin much less for me than the 910 and 913 series. Great sticks. Overall the 915 D2 ties for 3rd place for me.

[b]Callaway 815 DBD: [/b]Look great behind the ball. Deep face on the DBD sets up great and screams low spin monster. Makes you feel like you can do anything with the club when shaping your shot. Off center hits feel very different than when struck center. DBD seems to punish off center hits by quite a bit. Good thing is the stock Speeder shaft is a great option with this club. Distance on centered hits is very good. Overall 3rd place for this club, tied with 915 D2.

[b]Nike Vapor Flex: [/b]Face feels hot and springy. Sound is firm but not too loud. The adjustability does not seem to have a significant affect on numbers in both the loft adjustments and flex flight weight thingy... I averaged 295 carry and 328 total with this club over 5 shots, with a dispersion of 6 yards. When I got tired and began mishitting the numbers fell off drastically. I did not like the stock shaft on this club however. Did not feel true to flex, and seemed soft. Stock grip is also no good IMHO, especially if your hands get wet. The shaft made the clubhead feel pretty heavy in comparison to the shaft. Overall 2nd place for this club, though, due to good numbers and clubhead feel. Downside is for $500 they could've given you a better shaft and a better grip.

[b]Nike Vapor Pro: [/b]Looks fantastic behind the ball. Then you hit it. Feels a little dead when compared to the others. Ball speeds were better on the Flex. Stock shaft offerings in this one were better. Other than looks, there was nothing special about this club other than Rory uses a version of it, and it was low spin. For some maybe that's enough.

[b]G30 and G30 LS Tec:[/b] Surprisingly I ended up buying the G30 over the LS Tec version due to the fact my spin numbers did not see a huge improvement, but it was like they said, about 400 rpm reduction in spin. I did like the slightly open face of the LS Tec but when my AVERAGE numbers were 294 carry and 332 total with the regular G30 combined with the Ping Tour 65 X-stiff, I had to buy it. Like I said before, when you first mess around with the club the turbulators just look hideous. The club is stretched out front to back and does not suite the better players eye. Then you hit it... And it goes far... And it goes straight... Again... And again... and even the poor swings and off center hits still go out there. Great club and was the overall winner for me. I am usually a Taylormade fan, just so you know there is no bias.

[Bamicus]

Hands down G 30. Tried em all

[lambo428]

I'm a regular flex person: of the drivers you've mentioned, the R15 destroys the BB Alpha 815, and outdoes the G30 which I liked but not as well as my Cobra Amp Cell Pro

[rocker40]

Mizuno jpx 850 driver ftw

[youngunz5840]

I have tried them all and the R15 has been my gamer for a couple of months now. I put a UST Chrome in it and love the combo it puts out mid-high drives that roll for a good amount of time. My next choice would be the G30LS it has better forgiveness for me but I cant justify getting rid of the r15 for it.

[Hookasaurus Rex]

[quote name='youngunz5840' timestamp='1424730905' post='11013345']
I have tried them all and the R15 has been my gamer for a couple of months now. I put a UST Chrome in it and love the combo it puts out mid-high drives that roll for a good amount of time. My next choice would be the G30LS it has better forgiveness for me but I cant justify getting rid of the r15 for it.
[/quote]

How much more forgiving is the g30ls compared to the r15? I have a black 460 r15 coming, but the other driver I'm currently interested in is the G30 LS.

[Ripken08]

I demoed a G30 on the course and then ended up buying it. Then I played so so with it and sold it. I have spent the past week demoing the G30 LST and it may be the best driver I have ever hit. They knocked it out of the park with this one.

[casey_0507]

[quote name='Toph84' timestamp='1424728387' post='11013063']My experience is...

In terms of feel the G30 family and the 915 D3 and D2 are the stand outs. The feel at impact is a firm thwack. Downside (to some anyway) is that they are loud. The Cobra Fly Z+ and Cally 815 Alpha DBD follow in second in terms of FEEL, and when hit on the center the Nike Vapor Flex is amazing. The Nike Vapor Pro feels somewhat deadened/soft and has a muffled/muted sound. The R15 also felt a little softer than previous TM offerings. Only downside with the G30 family in terms of feel is no matter where you hit it on the face it feels like you killed it, which may not be bad for some.

In terms of distance the clear standouts for me where the G30 and G30 LS Tec (high launch, low spin), Nike Vapor Flex (low launch, low spin rockets), and the Cally 815 Alpha DBD and 915 D2 tied for 3rd (surprised by the D2 since I usually am a D3 guy).

In terms of looks I think the G30 is hideous but its like an ugly mutt that grows on you. The best looking in my opinion is by far the Nike Vapor Pro and Flex, followed by the Cally 815 Alpha DBD and 915 D3. The D2 looks more stretched out than usual for a Titleist. The R15 looks ok, they really did a nice job with the 430 TP, and the 460 black is pretty sharp as well. The Cobra Fly Z and Fly Z+ looks good, but the Cobra logo on the crown is still just not my cup of tea. The blue in the Cobras and the Mizuno 850 is sharp, but the feel on the Mizzy is not great.


Overall...


[b]Cobra Fly Z and Fly Z+:[/b] Stock shafts are WAAAAY too light, and the club overall feels very light. Logo is meh. Distance was good, and was not too punishing on off center strikes. If you are a Cobra fan, this is a good club. It may not be better than last years models, so if you already have a Bio Cell series driver, the upgrade might not be worth it.

[b]Aeroburner: [/b]Way way way too long of stock shaft, and too light. Hard to track throughout the swing. When struck, it feels solid across the face but the ball feels like a brick when you hit it due to club weight. Launch is high, spin was high, but for some that may be just what they need. Looks ok, but its A LOT of white.

[b]R15 460 and 430:[/b] The dual sole weights are a much better option over the SLDR, and it feels better than the SLDR, but there are better clubs out there IMHO. The weights do what they say and will show differences in the numbers. Nothing really stood out on this club but over all seemed solid. If your a TM fan, then go for it. If you have a SLDR and struggle with dispersion (get lessons and stop swinging for the fences!, jk...?) then the little extra forgiveness may be worth it on this club.

[b]Titleist 915 D2 and D3:[/b] Stock shafts are pretty good, and the feel of the clubs are great. Very solid at impact and the face feels HOT. They set up great behind the ball and the new alignment aid is good, once you get over the fact its different than it has been the past decade. They sound too loud and may not appeal to all in that category. I got the 3rd best numbers with the 915 D2 and they both spin much less for me than the 910 and 913 series. Great sticks. Overall the 915 D2 ties for 3rd place for me.

[b]Callaway 815 DBD: [/b]Look great behind the ball. Deep face on the DBD sets up great and screams low spin monster. Makes you feel like you can do anything with the club when shaping your shot. Off center hits feel very different than when struck center. DBD seems to punish off center hits by quite a bit. Good thing is the stock Speeder shaft is a great option with this club. Distance on centered hits is very good. Overall 3rd place for this club, tied with 915 D2.

[b]Nike Vapor Flex: [/b]Face feels hot and springy. Sound is firm but not too loud. The adjustability does not seem to have a significant affect on numbers in both the loft adjustments and flex flight weight thingy... I averaged 295 carry and 328 total with this club over 5 shots, with a dispersion of 6 yards. When I got tired and began mishitting the numbers fell off drastically. I did not like the stock shaft on this club however. Did not feel true to flex, and seemed soft. Stock grip is also no good IMHO, especially if your hands get wet. The shaft made the clubhead feel pretty heavy in comparison to the shaft. Overall 2nd place for this club, though, due to good numbers and clubhead feel. Downside is for $500 they could've given you a better shaft and a better grip.

[b]Nike Vapor Pro: [/b]Looks fantastic behind the ball. Then you hit it. Feels a little dead when compared to the others. Ball speeds were better on the Flex. Stock shaft offerings in this one were better. Other than looks, there was nothing special about this club other than Rory uses a version of it, and it was low spin. For some maybe that's enough.

[b]G30 and G30 LS Tec:[/b] Surprisingly I ended up buying the G30 over the LS Tec version due to the fact my spin numbers did not see a huge improvement, but it was like they said, about 400 rpm reduction in spin. I did like the slightly open face of the LS Tec but when my AVERAGE numbers were 294 carry and 332 total with the regular G30 combined with the Ping Tour 65 X-stiff, I had to buy it. Like I said before, when you first mess around with the club the turbulators just look hideous. The club is stretched out front to back and does not suite the better players eye. Then you hit it... And it goes far... And it goes straight... Again... And again... and even the poor swings and off center hits still go out there. Great club and was the overall winner for me. I am usually a Taylormade fan, just so you know there is no bias.[/quote]

How is the fly z+ stock shaft way too light? (I'm assuming you mean the VLCT stock and not the tour blue or tour green)

[pavlam05]

Have any of you hit the Callaway XR Pro? I haven't had a chance to hit the G30 LS Tec with anything but a standard stiff shaft. I would love to try it with the Ping Pro 65x.

As far as the XR Pro though...hit it in a sim with the Speeder 765x and thought it felt and performed great. Waiting (in WI) to get a chance to hit some of them outside before I consider a new purchase (current gamer is an SLDR - Fubuki Alpha 60x).

[ZipinZ]

G30 LST with a GD BB7 ...... sweet combo!

[stratdogg_pro]

A properly tuned R1 still beats them all performance wise.

[OspreyCI]

G30 LST Tour 65... Say no more!

[setter02]

[quote name='Whats-it-too-ya' timestamp='1427865347' post='11259053']
G30 LST with a GD BB7 ...... sweet combo!
[/quote]

I just picked up a BB6X to try out against my Di7X when my LST comes in. Looking forward to it.

[swaldron]

Well, after hitting many drivers, its come down to the Titleist 915 D2 8.5 w/Dimana D+ white 70 and the PING G30 LS 9 w/ PING tour 80 shaft. Both clubs in stiff, both, for me that is, kill the ball and are simple, easy to hit. It seems like some on here don't like the shape or sound of the 915 but for me, this is a great combo. 105 swingspeed BTW

[flintof1]

I'll throw one out there that I am sure few have hit, the Krank Formula 6. Bananas long.

[aussiegolferer]

ping g30 lst

[Pens #1 fan]

I have tried them all, I had a 815 Alpha with rouge silver that spun to much so I sold it. I currently have a 915 D3 with GD DI 6 that I like. I just got my G30 LST I order it with the Tour 65, but have a Devotion 6 and Kiyoshi white to try in it. I also am ordering a Fly Z+ if I could pick a color out. I almost forgot I have a D2 coming with a Fuji Pro 63 TS. I say just get them all and have some fun. Oh

[Toph84]

[quote name='casey_0507' timestamp='1427854924' post='11258041']
[quote name='Toph84' timestamp='1424728387' post='11013063']My experience is...

In terms of feel the G30 family and the 915 D3 and D2 are the stand outs. The feel at impact is a firm thwack. Downside (to some anyway) is that they are loud. The Cobra Fly Z+ and Cally 815 Alpha DBD follow in second in terms of FEEL, and when hit on the center the Nike Vapor Flex is amazing. The Nike Vapor Pro feels somewhat deadened/soft and has a muffled/muted sound. The R15 also felt a little softer than previous TM offerings. Only downside with the G30 family in terms of feel is no matter where you hit it on the face it feels like you killed it, which may not be bad for some.

In terms of distance the clear standouts for me where the G30 and G30 LS Tec (high launch, low spin), Nike Vapor Flex (low launch, low spin rockets), and the Cally 815 Alpha DBD and 915 D2 tied for 3rd (surprised by the D2 since I usually am a D3 guy).

In terms of looks I think the G30 is hideous but its like an ugly mutt that grows on you. The best looking in my opinion is by far the Nike Vapor Pro and Flex, followed by the Cally 815 Alpha DBD and 915 D3. The D2 looks more stretched out than usual for a Titleist. The R15 looks ok, they really did a nice job with the 430 TP, and the 460 black is pretty sharp as well. The Cobra Fly Z and Fly Z+ looks good, but the Cobra logo on the crown is still just not my cup of tea. The blue in the Cobras and the Mizuno 850 is sharp, but the feel on the Mizzy is not great.


Overall...


[b]Cobra Fly Z and Fly Z+:[/b] Stock shafts are WAAAAY too light, and the club overall feels very light. Logo is meh. Distance was good, and was not too punishing on off center strikes. If you are a Cobra fan, this is a good club. It may not be better than last years models, so if you already have a Bio Cell series driver, the upgrade might not be worth it.

[b]Aeroburner: [/b]Way way way too long of stock shaft, and too light. Hard to track throughout the swing. When struck, it feels solid across the face but the ball feels like a brick when you hit it due to club weight. Launch is high, spin was high, but for some that may be just what they need. Looks ok, but its A LOT of white.

[b]R15 460 and 430:[/b] The dual sole weights are a much better option over the SLDR, and it feels better than the SLDR, but there are better clubs out there IMHO. The weights do what they say and will show differences in the numbers. Nothing really stood out on this club but over all seemed solid. If your a TM fan, then go for it. If you have a SLDR and struggle with dispersion (get lessons and stop swinging for the fences!, jk...?) then the little extra forgiveness may be worth it on this club.

[b]Titleist 915 D2 and D3:[/b] Stock shafts are pretty good, and the feel of the clubs are great. Very solid at impact and the face feels HOT. They set up great behind the ball and the new alignment aid is good, once you get over the fact its different than it has been the past decade. They sound too loud and may not appeal to all in that category. I got the 3rd best numbers with the 915 D2 and they both spin much less for me than the 910 and 913 series. Great sticks. Overall the 915 D2 ties for 3rd place for me.

[b]Callaway 815 DBD: [/b]Look great behind the ball. Deep face on the DBD sets up great and screams low spin monster. Makes you feel like you can do anything with the club when shaping your shot. Off center hits feel very different than when struck center. DBD seems to punish off center hits by quite a bit. Good thing is the stock Speeder shaft is a great option with this club. Distance on centered hits is very good. Overall 3rd place for this club, tied with 915 D2.

[b]Nike Vapor Flex: [/b]Face feels hot and springy. Sound is firm but not too loud. The adjustability does not seem to have a significant affect on numbers in both the loft adjustments and flex flight weight thingy... I averaged 295 carry and 328 total with this club over 5 shots, with a dispersion of 6 yards. When I got tired and began mishitting the numbers fell off drastically. I did not like the stock shaft on this club however. Did not feel true to flex, and seemed soft. Stock grip is also no good IMHO, especially if your hands get wet. The shaft made the clubhead feel pretty heavy in comparison to the shaft. Overall 2nd place for this club, though, due to good numbers and clubhead feel. Downside is for $500 they could've given you a better shaft and a better grip.

[b]Nike Vapor Pro: [/b]Looks fantastic behind the ball. Then you hit it. Feels a little dead when compared to the others. Ball speeds were better on the Flex. Stock shaft offerings in this one were better. Other than looks, there was nothing special about this club other than Rory uses a version of it, and it was low spin. For some maybe that's enough.

[b]G30 and G30 LS Tec:[/b] Surprisingly I ended up buying the G30 over the LS Tec version due to the fact my spin numbers did not see a huge improvement, but it was like they said, about 400 rpm reduction in spin. I did like the slightly open face of the LS Tec but when my AVERAGE numbers were 294 carry and 332 total with the regular G30 combined with the Ping Tour 65 X-stiff, I had to buy it. Like I said before, when you first mess around with the club the turbulators just look hideous. The club is stretched out front to back and does not suite the better players eye. Then you hit it... And it goes far... And it goes straight... Again... And again... and even the poor swings and off center hits still go out there. Great club and was the overall winner for me. I am usually a Taylormade fan, just so you know there is no bias.[/quote]

How is the fly z+ stock shaft way too light? (I'm assuming you mean the VLCT stock and not the tour blue or tour green)
[/quote]

Yes I am referring to the VLCT shaft. They only had it in stiff flex when I hit it. I know it says 65 grams with installed swing weight of D4, and maybe it has something to do with my drivers usually being set up at D7, but the stock stiff flex shaft when paired with whatever weight they have in the head off the rack, felt very light. I felt like I lost track of it in my swing a little bit and that the flex of the shaft felt pretty "whippy". Like I said, I know the shaft is 65g and the swingweight is apparently D4.

[Toph84]

And after having time to use the G30 more on the course, I have since traded it for an R15 460 TP. The G30 seemed harder to turn over when a shot requires a bigger draw, which is my preferred ball flight to begin with. I also noticed less distance than what I was used to. The G30 was a launch monitor monster, but did not live up to expectations during a round. I think it is still a good club, and will fit some people very well. For me, I think the R15 is the closest thing to my R11s as it gets, and I have dropped another Motore Speeder 7.2 Tour Spec X in the R15 so that it has the same shaft as my R11s and plays to the same length. Swingweight is almost identical to my R11s set up.

[SixtySomePing]

Ping G30 Tour 65 Stiff shaft straight and long.