2023 wxrs drivers comparison thread

[getitdaily]

Very interesting year this year. I can't remember the last time everything got released within a week of each other. In just the last 2 days we've seen cobra, ping, and taylormade. Last week was srixon and callaway. Demo models are all showing up at retail shops in the next week or so. My local watts has cobra and ping stuff in. Callaway expected this week and TM probably next week.

 

Thought it might be an interesting thread this year to have a dedicated driver testing thread where we all post what we've compared side by side. Rather than miscellaneous comparison posts in each OEM's release thread. 

 

Thoughts? If this is a dumb idea then I'll lock the thread...

Edited January 10, 2023 by getitdaily

[muniman]

Though it is a good topic for a thread, I  feel it would gain better traction after players have had more of a chance to actually compare the new stuff side by side. This time of year, most in the cold part of the country won't be able to play for another month, or so. 

[getitdaily]

2 minutes ago, muniman said:

Though it is a good topic for a thread, I  feel it would gain better traction after players have had more of a chance to actually compare the new stuff side by side. This time of year, most in the cold part of the country won't be able to play for another month, or so. 

Retailers will have all the demo heads in a week or so.  Lots of indoor testing will start this week.

[eric61]

I really like this idea. It'd be great to keep these comparisons in one place. 

[getitdaily]

1 minute ago, eric61 said:

I really like this idea. It'd be great to keep these comparisons in one place. 

I'll start a 3w comparison thread too...unless you want to author it...

[eric61]

6 minutes ago, getitdaily said:

I'll start a 3w comparison thread too...unless you want to author it...

All you man! I’m currently trying to resist the temptation to buy a G430 Max 3W with a Diamana TB 70X… but will probably give in within 24 hours.

[A.Princey]

2 hours ago, muniman said:

Though it is a good topic for a thread, I  feel it would gain better traction after players have had more of a chance to actually compare the new stuff side by side. This time of year, most in the cold part of the country won't be able to play for another month, or so. 

Ha, I wish! I’d say April is more of the reality. For folks in Canada, May!

[Tiptx1122]

All being released together is best for comparison test as it always was misleading when a reviewer would say how much longer this driver is or that then 2 months later the next one comes out and they as even more impressed. It's bad for most of us recreational golfer's as we have to wait for almost 3 more months or more to actually get out and play, but at least we can demo them now for ourselves to compare.

[Ri_Redneck]

Not interested in drivers this year, but a FW thread would be nice, I need a new 7w. I'm REALLY curious about the Aerojet FWs. Finally a Cobra FW without the rails!!!!! I know some like them, but I never have.

 

BT

Edited January 11, 2023 by Ri_Redneck

[getitdaily]

12 minutes ago, Ri_Redneck said:

Not interested in drivers this year, but a FW thread would be nice, I need a new 7w. I'm REALLY curious about the Aerojet FWs. Finally a Cobra FW without the rails!!!!! I know some like them, but I never have.

 

BT

I'll create one. Will be testing them tomorrow myself...paradym, stealth2+, cobra. 

[hokiealumn]

I was very fortunate to be used a tester of sorts with my local fitter for all of the new 2023 Equipment. I hit A LOT of balls and heres my quick summary of all of them:

• Callaway - Paradym TD and the whole Paradym line is going to be a problem for other manufactures this year. Its a big improvement over Rogue and Rogue netted me a 11 yd carry improvement over my SIM2.
• Ping G430LST - Its loud AF still for a 118SS. I hit 5 balls with it and moved on, couldn't get over the sound
• Cobra - Aerojet LS 9* head turned to its lowest setting sat super open and looks like it had 12* of loft at address. LTDX do not do this. I couldn't keep anything remotely playable with it in the grid.
• Taylormade - Stealth2+ - Decent numbers but I honestly preferred the look and sound of OG Stealth to Stealth2.
• Titleist - TSR 3/4 is where I spent most of my time as well as the Paradym. Ball speeds were fairly equal and spin was lower with the TSR4. Sound was great and TSR3 is way more forgivable than my current gamer (Rogue TDLS 9*)
• **Fitting Summary - Ultimately it came down to the Paradym and TSR3. Paradym was 8*, STD loft setting & Neutral. TSR3 9* was C1 and back weight at T1. First hit both with Ventus TR Black 6x and they were neck and neck but forgiveness nod was given to TSR3 as miss hits were not as punishing.

My fitter then put the Hzrdus Smoke Green 6.5 TX in each and things were night and day. Ball speed up, launch down, carry increased and spin maintained 2200ish in the TSR. Paradym remained mostly unchanged from the Ventus. Longest of the day was 118SS, 1.5 efficiency, 177 BS, 318yd carry with 343yd overall.

TSR3 9* with Hzrdus Smoke Green was the winner for me. Happy to have the TSR on order. If you are chasing max distance, Paradym may fit you well and Callaway will do very, very well with it this year.

[getitdaily]

Just now, hokiealumn said:

I was very fortunate to be used a tester of sorts with my local fitter for all of the new 2023 Equipment. I hit A LOT of balls and heres my quick summary of all of them:

• Callaway - Paradym TD and the whole Paradym line is going to be a problem for other manufactures this year. Its a big improvement over Rogue and Rogue netted me a 11 yd carry improvement over my SIM2.
• Ping G430LST - Its loud AF still for a 118SS. I hit 5 balls with it and moved on, couldn't get over the sound
• Cobra - Aerojet LS 9* head turned to its lowest setting sat super open and looks like it had 12* of loft at address. LTDX do not do this. I couldn't keep anything remotely playable with it in the grid.
• Taylormade - Stealth2+ - Decent numbers but I honestly preferred the look and sound of OG Stealth to Stealth2.
• Titleist - TSR 3/4 is where I spent most of my time as well as the Paradym. Ball speeds were fairly equal and spin was lower with the TSR4. Sound was great and TSR3 is way more forgivable than my current gamer (Rogue TDLS 9*)
• **Fitting Summary - Ultimately it came down to the Paradym and TSR3. Paradym was 8*, STD loft setting & Neutral. TSR3 9* was C1 and back weight at T1. First hit both with Ventus TR Black 6x and they were neck and neck but forgiveness nod was given to TSR3 as miss hits were not as punishing.

My fitter then put the Hzrdus Smoke Green 6.5 TX in each and things were night and day. Ball speed up, launch down, carry increased and spin maintained 2200ish in the TSR. Paradym remained mostly unchanged from the Ventus. Longest of the day was 118SS, 1.5 efficiency, 177 BS, 318yd carry with 343yd overall.

TSR3 9* with Hzrdus Smoke Green was the winner for me. Happy to have the TSR on order. If you are chasing max distance, Paradym may fit you well and Callaway will do very, very well with it this year.

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Did you try the td with the heavy weight back?

[hokiealumn]

Just now, getitdaily said:

Did you try the td with the heavy weight back?

Yes, Heavy weight forward for me fell out of the sky.

[getitdaily]

Just now, hokiealumn said:

Yes, Heavy weight forward for me fell out of the sky.

I assume launch came up by going heavy back. Do you recall how heavy back impacted launch/spin?

[hokiealumn]

I hit 3 balls and we moved the heavy weight back to the back. My fitter said he's still waiting on the weight kit for fine tuning the Paradym but we ended my fitting with the thought of I kept saying how much I preferred the feel and sound of the Paradym to the TSR3 (which I still do it sounds and feels superior) but we were constantly tweaking shafts, hosel settings trying to get to a similar window for what the TSR3 was giving me naturally. Im sure if we spent another session or two the Paradym could prove equal or better than the TSR 3 but it was giving me everything I wanted and was going to end up being a cheaper upgrade vs Paradym and Titleist is currently shipping in two weeks or less. All that factored in TSR is the right choice for me currently until something else comes along to knock it out of its place in my bag.

Edited January 12, 2023 by hokiealumn
Edits

[TJ83]

Great thread and ill be following along! 

 

Since there are no big box stores, and I work at 1 of the only 2 (yes 2) golf shops here I still have to buy blind. I'm a lefty and there's like 15 of us on island lol. 

 

Currently in "OG" Stealth plus, set at std 9*, ventus black 6x, 25 grams total in weight track toe side. I like the set up.

 

I'm most interested in trying a Cally Paradym Triple Diamond, but it's still early so ill follow along and collect as much info as I can. 

[getitdaily]

1 minute ago, TJ83 said:

Great thread and ill be following along! 

 

Since there are no big box stores, and I work at 1 of the only 2 (yes 2) golf shops here I still have to buy blind. I'm a lefty and there's like 15 of us on island lol. 

 

Currently in "OG" Stealth plus, set at std 9*, ventus black 6x, 25 grams total in weight track toe side. I like the set up.

 

I'm most interested in trying a Cally Paradym Triple Diamond, but it's still early so ill follow along and collect as much info as I can. 

On my way to hit fwys and the Callaway drivers. 

 

I have stealth+ 9. Ventus blue. 4g front and 10g extra weight back. Will compare the Callaway first and then stealth2 + this weekend.

[getitdaily]

More info coming. Triple diamond is legit. Didn't top stealth+ (og)  reg paradym just ok for me. 

[getitdaily]

Put my stealth+ up against paradym and paradym 3d. 

 

Stealth+ has ventus blue 6x, 4g front weight, 10g added to back weight. 9.0 loft.

 

Both paradyms were at 9.0. Neutral slider weight on the paradym and heavy weight back on the 3d. They both had a ventus black 6x.

 

3d is a really good head. The only knock on it is spin kicks up too much on low strikes. 

 

Just didn't get along with Regular paradym. A bit too much spin. Couldn't find the center very well.

 

My stealth+ is staying put. TM adapter going on the ventus black. See if I can go 9.75, raise launch and keep.spin down...

 

The club listed as "driver" is my stealth+. I hit it first and last. Wanted to make sure the slow I saw initially was just lack of warmup. 

 

 

[TJ83]

Thanks for sharing!! 

 

Was weight forward in triple d  low spin and low launch? 

[getitdaily]

4 minutes ago, TJ83 said:

Thanks for sharing!! 

 

Was weight forward in triple d  low spin and low launch? 

I didn't even try it with weight forward. That's a setup I know I wouldn't play. If anything I'd get custom weights and go 8/8. But good strikes were already really good. I was more interested in fairways today so I wanted to save swings. I'm not 30 anymore...

[Tommyboi95]

On 1/12/2023 at 1:10 PM, hokiealumn said:

I was very fortunate to be used a tester of sorts with my local fitter for all of the new 2023 Equipment. I hit A LOT of balls and heres my quick summary of all of them:

• Callaway - Paradym TD and the whole Paradym line is going to be a problem for other manufactures this year. Its a big improvement over Rogue and Rogue netted me a 11 yd carry improvement over my SIM2.
• Ping G430LST - Its loud AF still for a 118SS. I hit 5 balls with it and moved on, couldn't get over the sound
• Cobra - Aerojet LS 9* head turned to its lowest setting sat super open and looks like it had 12* of loft at address. LTDX do not do this. I couldn't keep anything remotely playable with it in the grid.
• Taylormade - Stealth2+ - Decent numbers but I honestly preferred the look and sound of OG Stealth to Stealth2.
• Titleist - TSR 3/4 is where I spent most of my time as well as the Paradym. Ball speeds were fairly equal and spin was lower with the TSR4. Sound was great and TSR3 is way more forgivable than my current gamer (Rogue TDLS 9*)
• **Fitting Summary - Ultimately it came down to the Paradym and TSR3. Paradym was 8*, STD loft setting & Neutral. TSR3 9* was C1 and back weight at T1. First hit both with Ventus TR Black 6x and they were neck and neck but forgiveness nod was given to TSR3 as miss hits were not as punishing.

My fitter then put the Hzrdus Smoke Green 6.5 TX in each and things were night and day. Ball speed up, launch down, carry increased and spin maintained 2200ish in the TSR. Paradym remained mostly unchanged from the Ventus. Longest of the day was 118SS, 1.5 efficiency, 177 BS, 318yd carry with 343yd overall.

TSR3 9* with Hzrdus Smoke Green was the winner for me. Happy to have the TSR on order. If you are chasing max distance, Paradym may fit you well and Callaway will do very, very well with it this year.

Unreal write up man well done. 

Must be nice to have that kind of power...ole mighty mouse over here gets excited when I can get my SS up to 113

[Vlade15]

On 1/10/2023 at 5:07 PM, muniman said:

Though it is a good topic for a thread, I  feel it would gain better traction after players have had more of a chance to actually compare the new stuff side by side. This time of year, most in the cold part of the country won't be able to play for another month, or so. 

Try another 2-3 months.

[SaVo_]

Swung the triple diamond today along with the stealth 2. Swung the paradym 2mph slower than stealth but got 2 mph more ball speed. Heel shots it held up well on cuts around 2600-2800, toe hits were a little on the lower side around 1700,1800. Overall, paradym looks wayyyyy better in person, (coming from someone who thought it looked like a hideous bowling ball on first impressions). It feels great to me right there with tsr which surprised me I dont remember a callaway driver feeling that good. I wish the triple diamond look was the same for all model with the no chevron crown but oh well. To me I feel TSR is still king but if anyone will come close or take the top spot i think itll be callaway this year. The stealth for me has seemed to take a step back, Honestly liked the og way more which I gamed all last year. Also very excited to see how the new Mizuno stz 230 does, it looks gorgeous it might be the sleeper of the year.

[Rpete33]

Tried all the newer heads today and the tsr4. For me the ping g430lst won out. a combination of distance forgiveness and feel. Tsr4 was highest for ball speeds at 185 but I felt it lacked feel compared to the ping. I wasn’t a fan of the Paradym for some reason. Went with ping g430 lst 9 in the flat minus setting, ping tour 2.0 black shaft

[hammergolf]

Pretty good test here. Unfortunately they didn’t have the Para to hit, but they say that’s coming.

 

 

[Wardman]

1 minute ago, hammergolf said:

Pretty good test here. Unfortunately they didn’t have the Para to hit, but they say that’s coming.

 

 

Was amazing how close everything was.

 

[hammergolf]

7 minutes ago, Wardman said:

Was amazing how close everything was.

 

I’ve said this for years. Nobody makes bad clubs. It’s just a matter of finding what works best and looks best.

[Red4282]

Following, will be interested to see everyones results. For me it was pretty easy. Went and looked at all the new heads. My Ltdx said wait a minute bro, im right here:

 

[Tommyboi95]

32 minutes ago, hammergolf said:

I’ve said this for years. Nobody makes bad clubs. It’s just a matter of finding what works best and looks best.

I can’t express this enough.
-Get the right shaft for the club you think looks and feels best  

-Make sure your swing weight and length is right 

-Work on perfecting that driver for the next 3 years.
 

Mentally I have finally come to terms with this mentality and it’s made my life so much better.