Are new golf drivers just a huge con? I put the Taylormade Qi35 driver to the test against an older driver to find out if it’s truly an upgrade or just another marketing story. Are golf drivers actually improving, or are some “revolutions” in golf tech just clever sales tactics? Let’s break down the numbers, the feel, and the real-world performance to see if you should upgrade—or if your old driver is just as good!
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46 Comments
What driver is in your golf bag?
I game the latest drivers because I have lots of money and like new things
Broke my sim 2 got a qi10 now looking for just a sim2 head
Ping G430LST (bought in Black Friday sale following on course testing with a GC2 launch monitor). I am a whole stroke better (bebrassie Stokes Gained) over my last 10 rounds with the Ping than I was with my Callaway XR Speed. Completely different beasts. The swing weight of the Ping is much higher. Heavier head. Centre strikes are similar numbers (150mph ball, 14* launch, 2500 spin), but I am much more consistent (and confident) with the Ping. Why? Swing weight? Head weight? MOI? Placebo/honeymoon? I don’t know, but I am definitely better with the Ping.
But surely the qi range has 10k they said it so must be true lmao.
I still have my M1 in the bag, and I have used all the new drivers apart from 2025 ones. I like the look, feel, and dispersion of my M1.
Time for a course vlog? It would be good for muppet tour 2025.
How far do you have to go to see a noticeable difference? I’ve just upgraded to the Srizon ZX 7II from a TM M2.. there’s a different ball flight but distance? Negligible on the course. Slightly different spin though. Different sound and feel but numbers aren’t massively different.
Great video! I'm a 6 handicap senior and bought a sim2 with regular shaft 2nd hand for 200$. Like new. My second year with it and have yet to hit a longer straighter driver. My other is an older taylor burner and it's awesome too..
Modern drivers are just plastic, older models were solid titanium.
Lovely to see the comparison with older vs new showing almost no change. It's all about the player!
Im still gaming my old Big Bertha B21 driver and it still performs fine.
Golfers are just like little kids at Christmas time, we both know it's all BS but we are going to pretend . . . . . Just in case.😂😂😂😂😂
Great test Mark! Let's see those "deep dive" stats!! 😁
I get super low spin with the new Titleist GT2 as well… 1600 . I am sticking with my TSI2 2400 spin and 15 launch, weight in the back for forgiveness.
I think they are moving more and more weight forward each generation of drivers because that is the only way left to squeak out more potential distance
with COR already at max
Even TSR was less spin than TSI but at least it was still manageable spin.
Picked up a brand new Cobra LTDX-LS head for CHEAP and am getting better ball speeds and consistency than any of the new heads I’ve tried. I just think drivers peaked a long time ago and like you said if you know your specs get a prior model for cheaper and save your hard earned money!
Thanks looks like Titanium is still the best.
I'm still using the Paradym * with a Graphite Design Tour HD shaft, I find it easier to find the middle of the face, longer and also find it reasonably forgiving
Mark, is it possible to be fitted for just a shaft?
You raise some good points, would love to see you have a 25 hcap buddy next to you hitting them. Then we fully see if the edge they claim it gives you is only for us hackers, not you smooth swingers.
reply informative, as normal Mark. Many thanks for sharing your research…
With a top of the line driver I can hook and slice it so much further than before.
I think the SIM 2 sounded better&had a better clean hit,the qi35 was just a grass cutter,deffo not a step forward, sometimes on a course you need that trajectory to pass objects!! I do feel the performance outweighs the looks in this case.. I would buy the old model not just about money but overall playability!! Think these golf companies need to look at the amateur players market rather than the pro market as that's were there going to make there money!! Not what looks nice in a pro's bag.
I still play the SLDR. I tested it against the QI35 Max and the SLDR had better numbers.
SIM2 Line is the best TM has made for the average golfer in a decade. They seem almost lost with the carbon stuff…..The Spin profiles are Bizarre in this the QI35 line of drivers although I love the Fairways and hybrids in that new line.
I have SIM2 max, Strealth and a G430 Max 10k. On my launch monitor the (Mevo +) the Ping is the most forgiving but also has the lowest ceiling for max distance. The Stealth is the longest but least forgiving and SIM2 Max is the best all around. I also test with the same shafts on each (FUJIKURA Motore X F3 6.
I game a 4 year old Cobra Radspeed XB with a UST 4f2 shaft and I love it and won’t change until I either break it or wear it out.
I bought a new Ping G425 Max, 12degree loft graphite shafts back in 2021 for £499….now the G430 is £550 & G440 is £599….I'll be keeping the 425 thank you…i'm 27 handicap 70yo.
Mark, I’ve been watching you for almost 15 years now. Love the reviews you’ve always done and the old course vlogs. Appreciate all the time you spend on these videos
In the past 3-4 (hell 5-6?) years there hasn't been any appreciable improvement in… any golf equipment.
The driver is 10k! Ok, the last one was also but you didn't mention it.
It's AI! Oh, no one cares about AI? Ok, we'll drop it this coming year… 😅😅.
If last year's model was so great, why does it suck this year? Hmmm? 🤷
I pretty much buy the last model used anyway. Just bought a Ping G430 max for $225.
"are these golf companies just taking the mick"
Yes! And they have been for a long long time
I have the original sim in my bag. I think I’ve hit every driver out there and nothing out performs it. It blows everything out of the water by about 10 yards, and it’s consistent.
Why do you hit off a mat 1/2" higher than the mat? Doesn't that change lie angle and decent angle and….
With driver club face area the size it is anything resembling a hockey swipe can knock the ball a "fair way" down the middle. I have an old calloway X driver and still knock it up the back of the range having not played a round for 15 years from 20-30 handicap. Show me a putter and I crumple all the same.
Yes continue the test
Interesting observation, Mark. I'm in the market for a new driver this year. Currently gaming the 2023 DynaPower. Are you going to review the 2025 versions?
2016 taylormade m2 £150 brought a couple of years ago haven't found anything better certainly wouldn't pay £350-£400, I'd bet the m2 wouldn't be too far behind todays drivers on the launch monitors. been watching your videos for years learnt a lot from you many thanks mark.
You cannot compare two heads explicitly when using different driver shafts. Thus this test lacks robustness
Rules of trampoline, ball speed etc are limiting , basically it’s all about the player increasing speed, optimal launch, etc
Mark to echo a previous comment the review is exactly what I looking for. Had thoughts about replacing my Sim 2 and dropping 6 bills now instead of a new club put that’s towards lessons..
Still playing my Nike Victory Red Covert 2.0 Tour driver with matching woods and irons from mid-2010s. 4 HDCP and I only play 5-6 rounds a year. Can't justify paying $450+ for a new driver and $1k+ for new irons, especially when the difference is only a couple yards and dispersion really isn't much different. Not buying the narrative from manufacturers.
What I want from an "adjustable" driver is the assurance that I can set it to what is the optimum setting for ME. I did this with my Epic Flash, on a simulator, by making over 100 impacts with the 8 settings possible. After a statistical analysis, the significantly better setting for me was loft down to 9 from 10.5 with the fade bias at maximum. This resulted in less dispersion, less backspin and better flight height. Okay, so the difference from best to worst was only about 5 yards (longer driving distance and less dispersion) this made a decent difference on the course. I got my handicap down to a 6 on a 6300 yd, 132 slope course. Putting was still a problem so I bought the Lock 'n roll (Look it up!) which took 4 putts per round off my typical 34 putt round. All the gimmicks aside, getting comfortable with any club is the key.
I just assume the new drivers aren’t any better. They are all maxed out. I just buy for looks now.
Classic timing Mark! I told my buddy at work his sim2 can not be beat by the 2025 drivers.. He didn't fully believe me…. Just sent him this video! Cheers 🍻
The new TaylorMade is the third nicest looking driver this year after Titleist and Wilson. Amazingly, some shops near me still have new SIM2 drivers on the shelf. I tried the Stealth and wasn't a big fan of the carbon face. I'm a Ti guy.
Thanks Mark, great video. Where do you feel you would need to be in your game that would make sense in getting the latest driver. As a senior golfer with a low 20’s hcap who drives the ball a max of 240 it does not seem to make sense to go for the latest driver and hopping back a few generations saves you a ton of cash. I currently use a Gen 5 0311 PXG driver which was under 200 on ebay and I do play at altitude at nearly 5000 ft where the ball does travel further.