Any juniors playing the new Cobra LTDx driver?

[heavy_hitter]

2 minutes ago, nikemojo said:

I agree, that's why I use the Sim Max. However he's the type who just wants to, and I quote, "hit bombs". 

If you look on the PGA tour, less than 10% of the players are using a Max version of a club head.  If you play a lot of junior high level tournament golf, very few are using a Max version.  Ball has to be in play, but by the same token a wedge is going to beat 8/9 iron into greens a majority of the time.  

 

The best driver on the market right now for bombs and dispersion is the Ping.  It is not going to be as long as the Sim+, Triple Diamond, or LTDxLS, but it is in the fairway.  I would sacrifice 5 yards of distance to be in the fairway more, would not sacrifice 10.

[nikemojo]

1 hour ago, heavy_hitter said:

If you look on the PGA tour, less than 10% of the players are using a Max version of a club head.  If you play a lot of junior high level tournament golf, very few are using a Max version.  Ball has to be in play, but by the same token a wedge is going to beat 8/9 iron into greens a majority of the time.  

 

The best driver on the market right now for bombs and dispersion is the Ping.  It is not going to be as long as the Sim+, Triple Diamond, or LTDxLS, but it is in the fairway.  I would sacrifice 5 yards of distance to be in the fairway more, would not sacrifice 10.

Yep, totally agree, suggested the G425 to him but he said he wanted a Cobra because of the distance. 

[heavy_hitter]

16 minutes ago, nikemojo said:

Yep, totally agree, suggested the G425 to him but he said he wanted a Cobra because of the distance. 

 

How far does he smack it our of curiosity?  

 

I will also say my 16 year old coming from the Sim2  low spin model, the dispersion is better in the Cobra low spin model and hits it further than the Sim2.

 

Still, it is best to get fitted and not pick one up off the rack just because.

[mojomover]

So... I might have gone a bit overboard but both my son (9- almost 10yr old) and I need new drivers, so we ordered a few... The contenders are as follows but we are likely going to stick with Tsi1 and experiment a bit with the shaft/headweight with that and the other drivers are for me to mess with 

 

1. Speedzone Junior (his old driver)

2. Titleist Tsi1 (his current driver)

3. LTDx Max Junior 

4. Stealth HD (got this through some random hookup for a steal)

 

We will be experimenting with these clubs over the next few days but for whatever its worth, since this comes up often on whether the cobra heads are the same as adult heads, I thought I could share the headweights here. 

 

1. Speedzone 194gm

2. Titleist TSi1 (with stock 9 gram) 186gm

3. LTDx Max Junior 198gm (this was a surprise)

4. Stealth HD 200gm (I ordered this with an adult stiff shaft, so wonder if they adjusted the SW by increasing the head weight. Wish I had ordered through the junior spec program launched recently)

 

I might have to order some lighter weights for the LTDx, got a 13gm weight for the TSi1 to bring it up a touch and a new shaft. 

Edited March 29, 2022 by mojomover

[mojomover]

Makes me wonder, if you are just looking for an LTDx Max head for an adult, buying the junior version maybe the way to go?

[heavy_hitter]

16 hours ago, mojomover said:

Makes me wonder, if you are just looking for an LTDx Max head for an adult, buying the junior version maybe the way to go?

The loft only comes in 12* and the adult shaft is Lite Flex.

Edited March 30, 2022 by heavy_hitter

[tiger1873]

On 3/29/2022 at 6:45 PM, mojomover said:

Makes me wonder, if you are just looking for an LTDx Max head for an adult, buying the junior version maybe the way to go?

 

I think most junior drivers are pretty much worthless compared to the adult ones.  Maybe it makes a difference on a real young kid.   Most kids seem to do just fine with the latest adult heads so no reason to buy the junior version.

 

I know you can save some money on a junior head but your still better off buying a used driver head to save money.

[libtech75]

Hit some stock drivers yesterday, Stealth, Ping Le2, Rogue and Cobra Ltdx, and Cobra was best overall for my 12 year old.  About 500 more spin, but carried 10 yards more than the Ping which was the next best, the driver was a little shorter in stock length which made my girl a little more comfortable moving up from her Junior F9 head with stock junior shaft.  She liked the looks and feel the best too.  Bought a new set of Cobra irons, so spend another $500 on a driver seemed ridiculous even for me.  Went on eBay and promptly found an unused store demo for under $300 so pulled the trigger.  

[Goldenhawk]

My youngest son tried the LTDx that a friend has.  He deems it OK.  Forgiving he says.  But not as forgiving as the Rogue ST Max that we keep around as a back up driver.  Side by side, my son hits his 9.0 Stealth driver at least 20 yards, if not more, past the LTDx.  But my son has a GD Tour AD IZ-6S Shaft in his Stealth.  The LTDx his friend has uses the stock shaft.

[Cut68]

On 7/10/2022 at 11:43 PM, Goldenhawk said:

My youngest son tried the LTDx that a friend has.  He deems it OK.  Forgiving he says.  But not as forgiving as the Rogue ST Max that we keep around as a back up driver.  Side by side, my son hits his 9.0 Stealth driver at least 20 yards, if not more, past the LTDx.  But my son has a GD Tour AD IZ-6S Shaft in his Stealth.  The LTDx his friend has uses the stock shaft.

My son went into the LTDx this year in the "pro' shaft which is an inch short (he's 5 ft tall). He loves the driver, but I'm going to have to put a new shaft in it as he's now closer to a stiff than the senior flex he has in it. 

[heavy_hitter]

On 7/10/2022 at 11:43 PM, Goldenhawk said:

My youngest son tried the LTDx that a friend has.  He deems it OK.  Forgiving he says.  But not as forgiving as the Rogue ST Max that we keep around as a back up driver.  Side by side, my son hits his 9.0 Stealth driver at least 20 yards, if not more, past the LTDx.  But my son has a GD Tour AD IZ-6S Shaft in his Stealth.  The LTDx his friend has uses the stock shaft.

Ventus Black 6TX in the LTDxLS is 295 carry.

[libtech75]

Is the difference between the LTDx Adult head and Junior head a matter of removing one of the weights (like the old F9)?  Younger daughter is transitioning from US Kids, and older daughter had success around same going to the (then) Cobra F9 head.  But we but her a specific Junior version back then. Older daughter just went to a Sim 2 head, so want to repurpose her LtdX adult head. 

[MB19]

On 10/27/2023 at 6:31 PM, libtech75 said:

Is the difference between the LTDx Adult head and Junior head a matter of removing one of the weights (like the old F9)?  Younger daughter is transitioning from US Kids, and older daughter had success around same going to the (then) Cobra F9 head.  But we but her a specific Junior version back then. Older daughter just went to a Sim 2 head, so want to repurpose her LtdX adult head. 

Yes, the old boss is same as the old boss in this case--just weight it how you want it.

 

Both of my kids made the jump to F9 Cobra after junior drivers--it worked for my daughter, who was 8.5 at the time and didn't work as well for my son, who was just turning 7 at the time.  I did farm out a different shaft for my daughter's, and toyed with various shafts for my son during the process.

 

If I had to do it all over again, they both would have went straight to TS1 heads, which are quite a bit lighter than the F9/Rad/LTDx heads.  I tried the latter two with my daughter over time, and it was just too heavy for her compared to the TS1 and later the TSi1.  Just months ago, I bought lighter weights for the failed LTDx/R Smoke 60g shaft experiment and she just wasn't squaring it up like she did her TSR1/Speedmesh 40R setup.  For reference, she is 12, 5'4/115, 85ss.

 

My son (10, 5'1/100, 84ss) inherited her TS1, and later her TSi1 along with her various shafts.  He'll likely inherit the TSR1 when his sister breaks 90ss and perhaps moves into something in the TSR2/Ping G430/Stealth 2 range after the new year (could be FEB, could be May--who knows?).

 

As someone who has experiment heavily with repurposed equipment with success, I highly recommend selling/trading that LTDx and getting a TSi1 for your daughter instead.  Even a TS1 would work.  If you want to spend the money, the TSR1 is a nice upgrade (bigger sweet spot) but maybe not completely necessary.

[libtech75]

I actually went the TS1 route and tried various shafts as well including the Fuji speeder with what was the lowest weight combo I could find at the time, but my older daughter never could find the right swing with that one as she consistently hooked it.  Made her scared to swing fast.

 

Once we changed over to the LTDx with a cutdown Helium shaft she was able to hit much straighter and farther drives.  She recently started having the same issue with that setup now and after we got fit, discovered she needed a stiffer shaft as her swing speed increased 10pm or so, so got fit for a Fuji Sakura shaft in Senior flex that we paired with a Sim 2 head I had lying around and she has gained 10-15 yards on her drive as she can safely rip it now without fear she will hook the ball.

So I took that ltdx head and attached an old flynn hybrid shaft which happens to be the exact recommended length from flynn for the younger daughter’s driver specs, and had her take some practice swings and she also hit it at least 10 yards farther but more importantly with substantially more height than her US kids UL.  I took out both weights.  We will see how that works out.

Edited November 1, 2023 by libtech75

[libtech75]

On 11/1/2023 at 12:42 AM, libtech75 said:

I actually went the TS1 route and tried various shafts as well including the Fuji speeder with what was the lowest weight combo I could find at the time, but my older daughter never could find the right swing with that one as she consistently hooked it.  Made her scared to swing fast.

 

Once we changed over to the LTDx with a cutdown Helium shaft she was able to hit much straighter and farther drives.  She recently started having the same issue with that setup now and after we got fit, discovered she needed a stiffer shaft as her swing speed increased 10pm or so, so got fit for a Fuji Sakura shaft in Senior flex that we paired with a Sim 2 head I had lying around and she has gained 10-15 yards on her drive as she can safely rip it now without fear she will hook the ball.

So I took that ltdx head and attached an old flynn hybrid shaft which happens to be the exact recommended length from flynn for the younger daughter’s driver specs, and had her take some practice swings and she also hit it at least 10 yards farther but more importantly with substantially more height than her US kids UL.  I took out both weights.  We will see how that works out.

 

Turns out I have a TS1 head from my older daughter's prior setups.  Purchased a slightly longer shaft from Flynn and tried it out at a tournament this weekend.  She hit it about the same distance as the LTDx but drives seem to be a little higher and straighter.  Will go with that setup for now. 

 

Purchased a new set of Alto irons last week with Flynn Shafts as younger daughter's new set up and she loves the clubs especially the wedge.  We went through the same thing when my older daughter went from 48" US kids UL to 51".  I looked at the TS5 set and the Flynn irons look much higher quality to me and there is no comparison with the wedge.  The black finish although looking cool, comes off pretty easily. It's already half worn off the sole of the wedge after a day.  Also went with the Prodi G hybrid vs. either the Flynn or the US kids - still hand's down the best hybrid IMO. 

 

[MB19]

On 11/1/2023 at 12:42 AM, libtech75 said:

I actually went the TS1 route and tried various shafts as well including the Fuji speeder with what was the lowest weight combo I could find at the time, but my older daughter never could find the right swing with that one as she consistently hooked it.  Made her scared to swing fast.

 

Once we changed over to the LTDx with a cutdown Helium shaft she was able to hit much straighter and farther drives.  She recently started having the same issue with that setup now and after we got fit, discovered she needed a stiffer shaft as her swing speed increased 10pm or so, so got fit for a Fuji Sakura shaft in Senior flex that we paired with a Sim 2 head I had lying around and she has gained 10-15 yards on her drive as she can safely rip it now without fear she will hook the ball.

So I took that ltdx head and attached an old flynn hybrid shaft which happens to be the exact recommended length from flynn for the younger daughter’s driver specs, and had her take some practice swings and she also hit it at least 10 yards farther but more importantly with substantially more height than her US kids UL.  I took out both weights.  We will see how that works out.

I'm glad you found a combo that works for both kids.  My daughter had some success with the Ladies LTDx Max driver with the stock shaft for a bit, but jumped a few MPH SS and started overdrawing it bad.  I messed around with a slightly firmer shaft, but it didn't seem to take.  She has that ladies Cobra setup in her fairway wood, which can work great or not depending on the day.

 

The TSR1 head has been very good, though we do swap out shafts every now and then as her swing seems to change every six weeks or so.  Using an older LA Golf Reign Silver 40 shaft this week, and with some adjustments she's back to maxing 180+ carry again.  It's like playing whack-a-mole, I swear.