Driver Query

[TRS30]

After playing the G410 LST for about 2 year, I changed to the G425 Max at the start of the summer. This was mainly due to a few bad rounds of driving and looking for more forgiveness. While the 425 definitely lets me away with poorer swings I have noticed a drop off in distance (same shaft in both, noticed it on the course- 10/15 yards shorter on same struck shots). While I appreciate it's usually one v the other, I feel the 425 is too much in the forgiveness camp. 

 

What other drivers should I look at that lean more toward distance while still offering some forgiveness? 

[Ghostwedge]

This is a new one.....usually it's any Ping driver is 10-15 yds shorter than all the OEM's drivers. Probably your same struck shots aren't exactly that. 

Get some powder, spray or tape on the face and check hits out. I would do it out on your course on the hole or two where you noticed the distance drop. Maybe during a twilight round with nobody around.

[Mikey_HACKilroy]

Another add on to that is with the new club-head the general "vicinity" of the sweet spot has changed be it higher, lower, forward or back on the face. So striking the new driver in the same general spot as the last cannot be guaranteed to produce a comparable results. As Ghostwedge suggests, you need to use some powder spray and see where you're striking and then determine what adjustments need to be made.

 

Also, consider that more forgiveness is generally achieved by lengthening or otherwise increasing the weight on the trailing end/edge of the club head. It promotes better ball launching, and in some cases can cost distance, but it shouldn't be 10-15 yards.

That said, optimizing strike location is the best and easiest way to get the most out of your driver. It is also the simplest approach, which is usually best. 😄

[phizzy30]

Stealth 2+, Paradym X and Aerojet are all forgiving while being relatively long.  With that being said I would also recommend what @Ghostwedgeposted about the foot powder spray test before pulling the trigger on another driver. 

[hammergolf]

3 hours ago, TRS30 said:

After playing the G410 LST for about 2 year, I changed to the G425 Max at the start of the summer. This was mainly due to a few bad rounds of driving and looking for more forgiveness. While the 425 definitely lets me away with poorer swings I have noticed a drop off in distance (same shaft in both, noticed it on the course- 10/15 yards shorter on same struck shots). While I appreciate it's usually one v the other, I feel the 425 is too much in the forgiveness camp. 

 

What other drivers should I look at that lean more toward distance while still offering some forgiveness? 

430 LST is probably the best driver out that has the balance of distance plus forgiveness. 

[bluedot]

Two additional thoughts.

 

1. While I like the foot powder idea, if there is any way to compare the two on a monitor, try to do it.  That not only gives you a bigger data set, but you can study the results more carefully.

 

2. You don’t mention what, if any, adjustments you’ve made to the hosel settings, but don’t sleep on the idea that those two drivers MIGHT be different enough to need different settings to achieve the same results.  I’m speaking from Ping experience here; I was fitted to the G30 in the “big plus” setting, and used it that way for 4 years.  When I was fitted to the G400, I got the best results in the “little plus” setting, and the big plus didn’t work at all; the two drivers were that different.

[grochol17]

I'll add to this that I'm not a big fan of using on course distance comparisons to say one driver or ball is longer or shorter than the other.  There are too many factors that go into total distance, like whether or not one ball happened to hit a bit of a hard spot on the fairway or the other landed on a slight upslope, which killed any possible roll. 

 

For this kind of comparison, like @bluedotsaid, a launch monitor is the way to go so you can see what the differences are in launch conditions between the two.

[GeauxGolfLSU]

Titleist TSR2 is the answer here.

[Kai Slater]

Man, I wish I could find a driver that was actually too much on the forgiving side

[phizzy30]

9 minutes ago, Kai Slater said:

Man, I wish I could find a driver that was actually too much on the forgiving side

G400 MAX/G430 MAX are as forgiving as it gets. 

[Kai Slater]

3 minutes ago, phizzy30 said:

G400 MAX/G430 MAX are as forgiving as it gets. 

How do you think they compare to the Paradym?  Or for that matter, how my Epic Speed might compare to the Paradym?

[phizzy30]

Just now, Kai Slater said:

How do you think they compare to the Paradym?  Or for that matter, how my Epic Speed might compare to the Paradym?

Standard Paradym or the X version? 

[Kai Slater]

1 minute ago, phizzy30 said:

Standard Paradym or the X version? 

The standard version

[phizzy30]

Just now, Kai Slater said:

The standard version

G400/G430 MAX versions are stupid easy to hit and more forgiving than the Epic Speed.  I'd say Paradym and Epic Speed are a wash in that department. 

[TRS30]

Thanks guys. Will try to get on a LM and compare the two. 
 

Think I’m just trying to talk myself into a new driver 😂

[grochol17]

On 8/25/2023 at 5:33 PM, TRS30 said:

Thanks guys. Will try to get on a LM and compare the two. 
 

Think I’m just trying to talk myself into a new driver 😂

 

This is golfwrx... I'm surprised you didn't order a new one immediately after your original post.