Best driver 2024 discussion thread: Expert fitters on 3 swing speed ranges + most forgiving!

[GolfWRX]

Best Driver 2024 is live on the front page!

 

• Best driver 2024

 

After you digest the results, let us know what you think in the thread below!

 

And again, below is the how and why we do Best Driver this way. 

 

We have again broken our 2024 best drivers list into four total categories. Three are swing speed-based and the other forgiveness.

We select this format because every golfer fits into one of these categories regardless of age, handicap, or gender, and for a lot of golfers, forgiveness is the number one factor when selecting a driver.

 

When we reconfigured our Best Driver process in 2021, we reached out to our trusted fitters to discuss how they sort through the endless head combinations available to golfers. Time after time, swing speed and forgiveness were the highest-ranked choices, after that it comes down to adjustability to fit individual players and their trends.

 

 

Edited March 13 by GolfWRX

[golfinbrad]

No PXG Black Ops/Black Ops Tour?  That seems to be the front runner this year.

[Elkhair]

24 minutes ago, golfinbrad said:

No PXG Black Ops/Black Ops Tour?  That seems to be the front runner this year.

Its long, but its not very forgiving. 

[QuigleyDU]

TSR3 is a great choice. It really does everything well. No complaints here. I do think the DarkSpeed is more forgiving than it may look.

[golfinbrad]

14 minutes ago, Elkhair said:

Its long, but its not very forgiving. 

Depends on the person.  Got better results in both distance and forgiveness over the Darkspeed.  AI Smoke was pretty close in both for me.

[molecularman]

Interesting that the Ping 10K isn't on the list for the higher swing speed players.    Also interesting that the TM LS is, considering guys like Rory aren't using it.

[shoebox69]

It’s interesting how the boys at TXG (now Club Champion)  conduct there own testing and PXG stands up to all of the ones listed in the 95-105 category and doesn’t get a mention in this story.  What’s up here fellas?

[jda]

I don't even know what the best driver for 2022 or 2023 is yet.  Can we wait until people play with these for a while?  ...or change the title to "guessing what the best driver in 2024 is?"

[Poor Mans Ty Webb]

Srixon and Mizuno look at each other and sigh, defeatedly.  One is wearing a Bills hat.  The other wears a Lions hat.  Srixon laments, "oh well, there's always next year."  Mizuno replies, "at least we didn't get beat out by the KS1."

 

Camera pans over to Kirkland, wearing a Browns hat.

 

Edit to add: PXG stands in the background, wearing an Eagles hat, shouting obnoxiously into a megaphone, “JUST SO EVERYONE KNOWS, THIS IS BULL——! WE SHOULD’VE WON!”

 

Edited March 15 by Poor Mans Ty Webb

[300_Straight]

Lots of good options this year...

[dmeeksDC]

6 hours ago, Elkhair said:

Its long, but its not very forgiving. 

On Tour-1, maybe so. Some would dispute that. But the standard Black Ops is high MOI and very forgiving, like a Ping 10K or Smoke Max in forgiveness. Those are its direct competitors. 

[SwingBlues]

4 hours ago, 300_Straight said:

Lots of good options this year...

Not crazy buzz but 2024 is just stellar but also sad, end of some nice tech ala Callaway Jailbreak

 

❤️ the choices

[snagy2000]

9 hours ago, Elkhair said:

Its long, but its not very forgiving. 

They're very forgiving! Tour-1 across entire face. 

[GHIN n Juice]

Could the best driver of 2024 be last years Paradym that I picked up for next to nothing?  🤔

[Glock917]

Of course PXG would not be on here. This ranking is based on surveys from fitters working at an independent fitting studios.

 

How many of these studios carry PXG? Probably little to none. 

 

So understand the basis of this ranking before critiquing why a certain brand did not make the list.

 

 

[phizzy30]

I've tested most of them minus PXG and went with the AI Smoke TD which was the winner in the 106+ category so no surprise there.  It's pretty damn forgiving compared to past TD heads especially toe side which is my miss.  The runner up and so forth are spot on IMO.  TSR3 is always solid and so is the G430 LST. 

Edited March 14 by phizzy30

[Rosco1216]

Anybody else feel like the ranges could/should be tweaked? I mean honestly a guy at 90 is looking for basically the same thing as a guy at 105. Pretty much everyone 110ish and under is looking for maximum distance so long as dispersion doesn’t take a too much of a hit. Also IMO, a guy at 106 certainly isn’t looking for the same thing as a guy who is 120+.
 

maybe <105(or 100); 105-114(100-114);115+ 

 

thoughts?

[phizzy30]

On 3/13/2024 at 10:42 AM, molecularman said:

Interesting that the Ping 10K isn't on the list for the higher swing speed players.    Also interesting that the TM LS is, considering guys like Rory aren't using it.

Contrary to popular belief, a lot of pros aren't looking for super low spin heads because they want their misses to be playable which is why Rory is using the Qi10 core head like a lot of the PGA Tour guys are.  Sure, 1900-2200 rpm is great when you hit one on the sweet spot with a relatively square face, however the lower the spin, the misses tend to be bigger. 

Edited March 15 by phizzy30

[phizzy30]

1 hour ago, Rosco1216 said:

Anybody else feel like the ranges could/should be tweaked? I mean honestly a guy at 90 is looking for basically the same thing as a guy at 105. Pretty much everyone 110ish and under is looking for maximum distance so long as dispersion doesn’t take a too much of a hit. Also IMO, a guy at 106 certainly isn’t looking for the same thing as a guy who is 120+.
 

maybe <105(or 100); 105-114(100-114);115+ 

 

thoughts?

I would agree.  A guy at 120+ makes plenty of speed so he's probably gonna be looking at a setup that gives him a little more back spin to keep his misses playable.  That could mean a higher spinning head or change in balls. 

[Rosco1216]

1 hour ago, phizzy30 said:

I would agree.  A guy at 120+ makes plenty of speed so he's probably gonna be looking at a setup that gives him a little more back spin to keep his misses playable.  That could mean a higher spinning head or change in balls. 

Exactly. Even the longer tour players who’s strike consistency is exponentially more consistent aren’t going with latest uber low spin “faster” heads.

Edited March 14 by Rosco1216

[BWTgolfer]

So...what is the most forgiving???

[Mike412]

I just wish Callaway wouldn’t have stamped “Ai” all over their clubs this year, it’s atrocious and cheapens the look in my opinion. They even put it on the crown. How about Taylormade start using IBM Watson to design their clubs and they can stamp “Watson” on them. It just looks ridiculous, I understand it’s a big part of their story but it doesn’t have to be in the branding. I love Callaway drivers but I can’t get past that and I’m afraid it’s there to stay for a few releases unfortunately.

 

The TSr is my next driver.

[molecularman]

16 hours ago, phizzy30 said:

Contrary to popular belief, a lot of pros aren't looking for super low spin heads because they want their misses to be playable which is why Rory is using the Qi10 core head like a lot of the PGA Tour guys are.  Sure, 1900-2200 rpm is great when you hit one on the sweet spot with a relatively square face, however the lower the spin, the misses tend to be bigger. 

Yeah - I've heard a few folks mention that it's too low spin.   Which I find odd that Tiger is using it considering he says he likes a bit more spin. 

[Rosco1216]

9 hours ago, Mike412 said:

I just wish Callaway wouldn’t have stamped “Ai” all over their clubs this year, it’s atrocious and cheapens the look in my opinion. They even put it on the crown. How about Taylormade start using IBM Watson to design their clubs and they can stamp “Watson” on them. It just looks ridiculous, I understand it’s a big part of their story but it doesn’t have to be in the branding. I love Callaway drivers but I can’t get past that and I’m afraid it’s there to stay for a few releases unfortunately.

 

The TSr is my next driver.

“All over” is quite the stretch. I don’t even notice it when looking down on my max. Seems more noticeable on pics of the 💎💎💎 though. They also definitely do not look cheap and atrocious in person. 

[Mike412]

2 hours ago, Rosco1216 said:

“All over” is quite the stretch. I don’t even notice it when looking down on my max. Seems more noticeable on pics of the 💎💎💎 though. They also definitely do not look cheap and atrocious in person. 

I don’t think “all over” is a stretch at all. It’s on the sole, crown, and face of the driver and in 3 different places on the headcover. Idk where else you could put it. I’m saying the “Ai” gives it a cheap, gimmicky look. I love the rest of the driver. I mean why not just call it Paradym Smoke? That’s an awesome easy name, the “Ai” is just forced and unnecessary.
 

Edited March 15 by Mike412

[phizzy30]

Talked to my buddy yesterday who's an assistant manager and teaches out of the local golf store.  He has ties to certain tour pros that are on Cally staff.  He heard through the grape vine that there's a very strong possibility that the AI Smoke TD MAX will make it to retail.  However, the AI Smoke TD S may or may not make to retail. 

Edited March 15 by phizzy30

[Philfil]

On 3/13/2024 at 2:13 PM, Poor Mans Ty Webb said:

Srixon and Mizuno look at each other and sigh, defeatedly.  One is wearing a Bills hat.  The other wears a Lions hat.  Srixon laments, "oh well, there's always next year."  Mizuno replies, "at least we didn't get beat out by the KS1."

 

Camera pans over to Kirkland, wearing a Browns hat.

 

Edit to add: PXG stands in the background, wearing an Eagles hat, shouting obnoxiously into a megaphone, “JUST SO EVERYONE KNOWS, THIS IS BULL——! WE SHOULD’VE WON!”

 

Actually, I think Srixon is wearing a Cleveland Browns hat…and ASICS shoes….or is it Nike???…. I can’t keep up 🙃

[dhen9]

Is the "Most Forgiving Driver (Coming Tomorrow)" like the Free Beer Tomorrow?

[Curlly311]

I am not a Callaway guy but the AI Smoke Max and TD both really impressed me and it will probably be that or the Black Ops Tour that ends up in the bag this year.

[Don Scott]

As a 70 year old slower swing speed guy I have liked the Taylormade Stealth 2 HD and the Stealth Gloire fixed hosel drivers. For me at least, at the range, the Qi Max is noticeably longer . 15-20 yards longer on my best drives and very forgiving will less yardage drop off on mis hits. And I used the identical shafts on the Stealth 2 HD and Qi Max . Can’t wait to get this thing on a course !