I couldn’t hit the Mavrik driver to save my life. All 300 yard drives, 200 yards out 100 yards right. I also haven’t seen much about the Tour Exotics drivers, but have found them to be extremely forgiving. It is not a premium brand though, so I doubt they would be on many people’s list.
So I bought the ping g410 upgraded from my old Taylor made m2 ...love it already I Play off 15 and for me feels very forgiving and gives me confidence ..v happy ..love the channel keep up the great work
I have an M2 and am leaning towards the g410 or g425, how much difference does it make? Is it more forgiving, does it get the same distance, less, more?
Just got fitted for a Mizuno ST200G, went from 250 average on my Strata box set driver to 275 and it is very forgiving. 17 handicapper. Absolutely love it.
Spot on Video! I'm a 28 Hcp and had a fitting for drivers about 6 months ago. I tried 5 drivers and they were the 5 in this video. I ended up with the Taylor Made (was a close call with the Cobra - nearly identical stat's) which surprised me, because I had already been fitted for the G410 irons.
I have a 28 handicap after a 10 year absence and settled on the Cobra F Max. I hit it high and straight a majority of the time. Now I am working on my distance. I especially love the 7 wood from the fairway.
Got fitted this year because I need all the help I can get. My list was 1 Sim max, 2 ST200, 3 G410, 4 Tour Exotics, 5 TS2. Don’t know why, but the Mavrik went every which way but straight for me. It may be a mental thing, but I’ve never hit Callaway products well.
I had a basic forgiving Taylor Made Burner 9.5 for 16 years. I now have a TSi3 9deg. Two completely different drivers. Bottom line - the same mistakes I made with the old Burner I'm still making with the TSi3. But - the Titleist woods are just sooooo cool and forcing me to play better!
I had a TM RBZ, great distance but lost quite a few drives on dispersion. Am now with SIM MAX D, lost a little distance, but dispersion is fantastic! Went from 19 to 15 handicap, plus played my first game below 80, scoring 78! Really looking forwards to 2021, we are covered in snow here in Quebec, Canada.
Great 5 choices James and I can’t argue with what you picked and the order you put them in. Looking forward to seeing what the manufacturers release next year and I’m even more excited to watch your reviews on them
Picked up a SpeedZone Extreme this year and LOVE walking up to the tee box now that driver has given me 100x more confidence then I did with my TS2 Cobra has def become a top tear player in golf
Spot on mate, I did a lot of research on the Cobra and love it. I have had Taylor made drivers for years so it was a bit scary to move away. I still love my Taylor made P790 Black edition irons with X100 shaft.
Thanks James I couldn’t agree more on the colour scheme of the Mavrik but seems to perform very well. Think you covered most mainstream brands and really like the look of the Mizuno ST200, Ping and Cobra SZ but in the Arctic white which seems to not feature much in publicity
Tried the Sim MAX off the shelf, absolutely hated it. Looked horrid and the dispersion was inconsistent to say the least. Went and got fitted from Taylormade to see if it was any better, got the dispersion in and consistent flight in a shaft I would never have tried otherwise. Sim Max 9* Speeder 757 TS X Best driver I have had in years.
I'm having lessons and my Pro has leant me his G410 Demo club. All i can say is that coupled with lessons I'm loving it and previously struggled with every driver i hit. Pretty sure its a buy for me in 2021 👍
I recently picked up a SZ Xtreme from a big box retailer’s demo sale here in Canada and I love it. The profile is huge and it’s a massive boost of confidence knowing that you can hit the thing. I upgraded from a TaylorMade R9 driver, so the upgrade was instantly noticeable.
I’m a 14 handicap golfer and I got fitted into the Mavrik SZ. I’m pretty decent ball-striker, I have the swing of a single figure handicap but the short game of a mid-high handicapper. 🤷🏻♂️
Just got a Cobra f8! Was able to try out at a Cobra fitting day. Added 20+ yards (210-230) and straighten out the slice. Very forgiving and yes Senior golfer @ 73
James, surely regardless of head forgiveness comes down to fitting, yes the low spin versions are more likely less forgiving but the anti draw/standard versions of any driver fitted correctly should give you a decent dispersion and forgiveness if its less than 5/6 years old.... (M2/TS2/Epic/F8/etc) and newer models
@@JamesRobinsonGolf I think if you take any manufacturer, take a club that's under 5 years old and they'll offer a more forgiving model that with the right fit will see minimal difference in dispersion, you might gain the odd yard and you might find the odd extra fairway over a season for normal club golfers. Yes for yourself/other professionals the marginal gains are worth it and more noticeable but your your average Sunday golfer a good fit 5 years ago (M2 and newer (other brands available)) to the latest TSI2 driver and I honestly don't think they'd notice
@@JamesRobinsonGolf be interesting to see mid handicap Mark test it.... pick 5 drivers 1 from each year over the last 5 with different brands, get him to hit a tonne of balls with each club, perhaps 50 or so per club alternating and see the difference
Dissapointed that you didn’t answer the burning question and the real reason that we all buy drivers. I need you to re rank your top 5 based on head covers alone 😂 Cheers, keep up the good work, rumour has it that Santa will be bringing me a green fore left shirt this year!
My club pro lent me a demo Ping G410, I drove it straight down the middle of the 1st hole and at least 30 yards past my usual driver. Needless to say I went back in the shop and bought it.
I’m actually going for a driver fitting tomorrow because I’m gaming an m5 at the moment but in need different loft settings as I have to have it in the super low spin settings as it’s a 12 degree head which now is way to much loft for me but now with it in these settings is costing me a lot of forgiveness
Had a fitting last week and bought Ping G410.... wow.... anyone thinking of getting fitted... please go to a professional, unlike a high street store they are more interested what gives you the chance to maximise the tech to your swing rather than just flogging you something shiny.
@@JamesRobinsonGolf just now need to either a) convince the Mrs to let me have it before Xmas, b) switch the head covers with old driver so she wraps wrong club or c) learn to be an expert at gift wrapping so I can sneak it out and put it under the tree without her noticing 😂😂
Iv had same golf set since i was 18,very forgiving yet poor Powerbilt 3-sw and 10.5 driver,always got round where ever i played in under 100 and its only since i retired from football after suffering a massive stroke at 30,iv just bought a used Ping i25 10.5 driver (goes down to a 9.5),i think but for £60 iv used on 1 round due to lockdown yet already put at least 60 yards on my drive,will deffo be looking to upgrade my irons as i get out more
I am a 16 handicap and I have tried the Mavrik with a simulator and the spin was just too high for me. The SIM was my favorite I tried but i decided to stick with my M5 in the long run.
Thanks for this video, I will change my driver soon. I am gaming a ping G at the moment. Your top 4 is basically what I wanna go hit and choose from. But I am leaning towards the cobra and mizuno
I went the regular speedzone purely because I preferred the look behind the ball. I found the extreme not as nice. But probably did cost myself some forgiveness. Tested Sim, and Mavrik but just found the Cobra ahead on bang for buck when I purchased. The issues I'm dealing with driving the ball I don't think I can really blame any club 🤣
Always enjoy these lists. Usually never buy these. I do research then go look. Like compact head deeper face and adjustability. Playing Taylormade M 5 tour 440 cc head. Next change in few years maybe shaft do to aging.
they will all have people they are best suited for. the only one i've tried at all is the mavrik max. i live in a small town that is a bit distant from any major center, so we're lucky to get 2 demo/fitting days a season. (only 1 last season) but got fit by the callaway guy, but couldn't improve on my 917.
Nothing has been able to get my Mizuno ST 180 HL out of the bag. I'm a 5.6 handicap and fell in for the driver as soon as I used it The only other driver that i'd look at would be Ping options because I have a full PING bag (minus driver and putter)
I got fitted for a cobra speedzone extreme this year. Went with the white and red one tho really didn't like the yellow. Was surprise went in thinking I was gonna get a ts2 or the mizuno st200 but the cobra out performed them. If I couldn't get it in white tho I wasn't gonna take it. I'm bit like u not a fan of the ping turbulators.
Had mine for 4 rounds after gaming the ts3 and it's a big upgrade in my eyes although distance is only slightly up on the ts3. Even tried the sim, mavrik against tsi3 and I just got better numbers from tsi3 and dispersion was incredible
Never had a driver that would correct a bad swing. Make a swing with an open face and it will not go straight. If you make off center hits with a somewhat square face most of the modern drivers will provide some correction and less loss of distance. Need to learn a better swing and you get that from lessons and practice. I currently swing a Cobra F9 set at 10.5 loft with a Hazardous Smoke 6.0 shaft. Does a good job for me
I play the Cobra F9 and i think the head is very short and doesnt give me confidence, when i hit it i really hit it but the height or lack off makes me think its not forgiving
Went to a driver fitting today (I play of 17). Surpised my self came away with speedzone in stiff with the weight at the front. Tried sim really didn’t get along with it. But both TSi 2/3 worked had same numbers as cobra to came down to feel.
Pxg 0811xf. I just switched to mavrik sz. Ypu will lose some yards with the pxg but it is so forgiving. Not to mention you can find them at a way better price now than you used to. If you're in the military it's a no brainer
I was going to post my own top 5 just for fun before watching the video but I got lazy and decided to just watch yours instead. :0) I think you nailed the top 5 in any case. No TItleist Drivers in there seems appropriate as the TS line was more 2018-2019 and the new ones are more 2021. As always, great video!
As relatively new to golf money was. Big thing for so had a fitting last year for my 50th birthday and had Wilson staff d7s driver ,3 ,5,7 woods 4iron -sand wedge and got to say glad they recommended them love them to bits would recommend them to any golfer 👍
I've gone TM R1 to SDLR, then to M2, now using M6, tried the Sim Max, but it was just as good as what i already had, so not this year... see what they bring out next year maybe ^^ Just seen your subscribers now, wow that shot up quick from when you hit the 100k mark. Keep up the great content James.
I am a 14 handicap and was fitted for a new driver by Club Champion in Las Vegas. I tried all of the ones in the video with the exception of the Muzino. I also tested the new Titleist TSI2 and TSI3. For me the TSI2 was by far the best choice as it was the longest, most tightly disbursed with a great sound and a very classy look. BTW where do you draw the line between High and Mid handicapper? How about good player and Mid Handicapper?
No you are not. I fancy Ping irons. Irons will be my next purchase . A friend of mine has a set of Ping irons that were fitted to him, and he his well pleased.
Honestly was really impressed by the Mizuno ST-200/ST-200X, which narrowly beat out the Cleveland Launcher HB Turbo on looks and feel. The money saved vs a Titleist/Ping/Callaway/Taylormade could go on a couple of sessions with a pro coach. At mid/high handicap its consistent straight hitting off the tee, not distance, that's the priority, and lessons would do more to help that than one of the top-priced drivers. I'm about 15hcp, using an old Wilson and old Mizuno, will probably go for the Mizuno ST and some lessons to cure some of the inconsistency!
Definitely take out the callaway. My fitter pushed it on me and I lost 30yrds and fairway percentage went down. Taking it back this week because they give you 90 days, and I have shotscope data to back up how bad it had been.
@@JamesRobinsonGolf they took it back but then "fit" me into a tsi3 with the upcharge shaft. Didn't buy it though, since there is already snow on the ground here.
I listened to your advice and tested the tsi range, sim, g410, maverick and none of them suited me then I tried my new mizuno st200 and its consistent and so forgiving 👍🏼 so THANK YOU for your advice 😁
Got a ping G30. Driver SFT thinking of upgrading to the G410 SFT but gonng to get fitted going to try the Cobra Extreme and a few more I’m a 28 handicapper bc my game management is shocking lol but great video always seem to care high street bandits push owt on us just go get a sale spent bucket loads of cash if wife knew how much I’d get divorced 😬😬
We heard a ton of comments about feel, sound, looks & even a headcover....... next to nothing about actual performance which should king for everybody. Which one performs best for those of us who don't always hit the middle of the club face?
I played the old tm burner that looked like a triangle the black one for years and years nothin could beat it out till it broke at beginning the season replaced it with mav and def distance increases but hard to say on accuracy its hard to beat a driver ur used to and confident with cause all the doubts we golfers put in our heads is not there cause u know uve used it for years u know what it does and capable of. Then u start over the new driver has to gain that confidence
Weird thing to say but I think you nailed it for the 5 to put in the list. From my objective and extensive experience I would have put Ping 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5 and given honorable mention to the other 4. Might seem to be just a tad prejudiced there, but I do like ping drivers and fairway woods. Same goes for TM hybrids. Same goes for Mizuno Irons, Cleveland wedges, and Odyssey putters. As I said objective, with maybe just a tad of prejudice.
Great vid James and great to see something with the move average golfer in mind - really good - the Cobra is the top of my list as I’m desperate to change from my Nike Covert
New to golf, looking to get into it when the courses reopen and give it a go. If i were to go into a shop i'd go straight to something with a big head on it, this vid definitely helps me make some better decisions. If i could win any clubs it would be amazing as it's been a tough year and im trying to find the money to get stuck in
I'm new to golf this year... unfortunately I can't afford any fancy new clubs... grabbed myself the TaylorMade R7 off ebay for £23.00. I'm over the moon with it!
Off-hand question for you, James. Should your fairway wood/hybrid, "ideally", match your driver? I've got the Ping G410 driver (awesome), but have an old Nike Fairway wood. Have been debating, pre-fitting, between the Cobra SZ and the Ping G410 3 wood and hybrid. Thought's on bag-matching woods?
Awesome video. Litterally had all the drivers I was considering and I was leaning towards the Cobra as I loved the F9 I just cracked and Im hoping for a little more forgiveness in the next one.
Bought the Cobra SZXtreme driver because I didnt have a driver in the bag. Unreal how consistent I have managed to be, puts a lot of pressure on the rest of the group as well 😂
I’m playing a Cobra F9 at present. Switched out my M5 for it. The Cobra fits my current swing far better than the M5, I think it sounds better also. Bottom line all of the top 5 are great drivers, it’s down to personal preference, cost and confidence.
You should have tested the most forgiving drivers from the last 5 years because most high handicap players don’t want to buy brand new clubs I play the callaway big Bertha fusion it’s a great fairway finder but I want to know which to choose to replace it, I want the same reliability but more distance
Currently playing off of 18 and I'm in the market for a new driver, and this cobra sz xtreme keeps popping up all the time! Might have to give it a whirl
im a total noob... 5 rounds played so far... i have used whatever came with the cheap rental set i used the first four rounds, some aluminum no-name i found in a house i was cleaning out, a Callaway AI Smoke Max, Taylormade QI10 Max, and Cobra Darkspeed Max... by far i liked the QI10Max and hit it the best in the trackman range... but i dont wanna shell out $500ish bucks on a driver so i bought a Callaway Rogue (the blue striped one) on Ebay instead for $120, still awaiting its arrival... ha
Cleveland Launcher HB Turbo. Everyone thinks I play a Ping , but it it was less than half of the Ping price. Why are the Mizunos so expensive in Oz? It can't be freight costs, we are closer to Japan than Europe is.
I hit my 3 wood better and further than I hit my Big Bertha driver. Now the big bertha, I had it shortened by a 1/2 inch and a stiff shaft added. When the shafts are wippy it throws off my rhythm and who know whats going to happen. That was my attempt to correct my worse club my driver. I never know where it will go. Is there a formula to use a shaft strength at a certain swing speed. ?
I'm afraid I am a driver addict. I hit a Cobra Speedzone 9 degree.hzrdous smoke 60g stiff, a Titleist TS2 8.5 evenflow prj.X 65G stiff and a Mizuno ST190 8.5 loft. I hit them all well when I am warmed up. So...its time stop testing drivers for a bit. Lol!
Love the way you golf pro guys do these driver reviews and generally hit them down the middle yet the course you seen to spray them all over the place.. Rick shiels being a fine example. Could you all get together for a mini tournament to discover the best player
The speedzone extreme is a great diver. Been using since about April and love it. They also just came out with their new version of the driver and those are supposed to great too.
Have the ping g410 plus , I’ve tried the g425 but the sound is terrible. However I have the g425 fairway and that’s fantastic.. ps I live in Asia and the g425 range has been out for months here , so has the cobra RAD .. 😉🏌️♂️⛳️🍻
I’m a senior, new to golf and use a Strong 3 instead of a driver. Any “driver substitutes” you think would be good for the new, senior player? Am I better off spending practice time and taking a few lessons to get comfortable with a driver? FYI, I am hitting my tee shots as well as some of my younger playing partners and shoot around 90.
I tried the Sim Max, The Titleist TS series, Taylormade M series and the Callaway Mavrik range , After all the testing at my local golf outlet the Mavrik Max for me came out clearly the winner, Out on the course that driver was putting me down the fairway at distances I haven't seen since my late 40's . My ball flight was lower , It was more penetrating, and I could still shape it if required, But I do agree with James , The F+*%$G orange color is B($@+)Y making my eyes bleed , W@F were they thinking ?? :)
The only golf shop in town doesn't care to actually fit you and if you want to try out more than one club its a fight since they don't want you to hit their products and not buy it. Closes fitter is 4 hours away. Any advice?
Come on then guys... what did I get wrong? Let’s discuss... (nicely) 😂⛳️🔥🎥
not much, but Sim Max is what i was fitted to and it beat the G410 and cobra speedzone and titleist ts2
@@neilross6227 nice
I couldn’t hit the Mavrik driver to save my life. All 300 yard drives, 200 yards out 100 yards right. I also haven’t seen much about the Tour Exotics drivers, but have found them to be extremely forgiving. It is not a premium brand though, so I doubt they would be on many people’s list.
Only got fitted with irons. Picked up a TS2 and love it. Can’t really say what the others would do in my hands.
Callaway Big Bertha B21 was definitely a winner for me this year
I think the Cleveland HB Turbo Launcher deserves to be on the list. It’s entire reason for existence is to help the mid to high handicap golfer.
Totally agree - and worth the money
So I bought the ping g410 upgraded from my old Taylor made m2 ...love it already I
Play off 15 and for me feels very forgiving and gives me confidence ..v happy ..love the channel keep up the great work
I have an M2 and am leaning towards the g410 or g425, how much difference does it make? Is it more forgiving, does it get the same distance, less, more?
Just got fitted for a Mizuno ST200G, went from 250 average on my Strata box set driver to 275 and it is very forgiving. 17 handicapper. Absolutely love it.
Agree with your choice for No. 1 cos I've bought one and love it! It just never gets me in trouble.
Spot on Video! I'm a 28 Hcp and had a fitting for drivers about 6 months ago. I tried 5 drivers and they were the 5 in this video. I ended up with the Taylor Made (was a close call with the Cobra - nearly identical stat's) which surprised me, because I had already been fitted for the G410 irons.
Thanks Andrew!
I have a 28 handicap after a 10 year absence and settled on the Cobra F Max. I hit it high and straight a majority of the time. Now I am working on my distance. I especially love the 7 wood from the fairway.
I would definitely agree. I have the Taylormade sim driver and with the angled face its has definitely helped with me slicing the ball. Love it
I've found the Cobra FMax Airspeed to be a very forgiving club for those of us with slower swing speeds.
Got fitted this year because I need all the help I can get. My list was 1 Sim max, 2 ST200, 3 G410, 4 Tour Exotics, 5 TS2. Don’t know why, but the Mavrik went every which way but straight for me. It may be a mental thing, but I’ve never hit Callaway products well.
I've got the Ping G410 and i Love it, & I think this is a fair Driver Review.
I had a basic forgiving Taylor Made Burner 9.5 for 16 years. I now have a TSi3 9deg. Two completely different drivers. Bottom line - the same mistakes I made with the old Burner I'm still making with the TSi3. But - the Titleist woods are just sooooo cool and forcing me to play better!
I had a TM RBZ, great distance but lost quite a few drives on dispersion. Am now with SIM MAX D, lost a little distance, but dispersion is fantastic! Went from 19 to 15 handicap, plus played my first game below 80, scoring 78! Really looking forwards to 2021, we are covered in snow here in Quebec, Canada.
Great 5 choices James and I can’t argue with what you picked and the order you put them in.
Looking forward to seeing what the manufacturers release next year and I’m even more excited to watch your reviews on them
Picked up a SpeedZone Extreme this year and LOVE walking up to the tee box now that driver has given me 100x more confidence then I did with my TS2 Cobra has def become a top tear player in golf
Love it Rick
Spot on mate, I did a lot of research on the Cobra and love it. I have had Taylor made drivers for years so it was a bit scary to move away. I still love my Taylor made P790 Black edition irons with X100 shaft.
Thanks James I couldn’t agree more on the colour scheme of the Mavrik but seems to perform very well.
Think you covered most mainstream brands and really like the look of the Mizuno ST200, Ping and Cobra SZ but in the Arctic white which seems to not feature much in publicity
Thanks craig!!! Appreciate your time buddy
Tried the Sim MAX off the shelf, absolutely hated it. Looked horrid and the dispersion was inconsistent to say the least.
Went and got fitted from Taylormade to see if it was any better, got the dispersion in and consistent flight in a shaft I would never have tried otherwise.
Sim Max 9*
Speeder 757 TS X
Best driver I have had in years.
I purchased the F9 when the price drop hit. Have not tested any new clubs. I would love to try a SIM, but doubt many would be disappointed with Cobra.
I'm having lessons and my Pro has leant me his G410 Demo club. All i can say is that coupled with lessons I'm loving it and previously struggled with every driver i hit. Pretty sure its a buy for me in 2021 👍
Love it Ben
Top 5 I would think: 5. Mizuno st200 4. Callaway Maverick Max 3. Ping 410 g410 2. Cobra Speedzone extreme 1. Taylormade SIM Max
I recently picked up a SZ Xtreme from a big box retailer’s demo sale here in Canada and I love it. The profile is huge and it’s a massive boost of confidence knowing that you can hit the thing. I upgraded from a TaylorMade R9 driver, so the upgrade was instantly noticeable.
I’m a 14 handicap golfer and I got fitted into the Mavrik SZ. I’m pretty decent ball-striker, I have the swing of a single figure handicap but the short game of a mid-high handicapper. 🤷🏻♂️
Using the wilson d7 - really works for me
Just got a Cobra f8! Was able to try out at a Cobra fitting day. Added 20+ yards (210-230) and straighten out the slice. Very forgiving and yes Senior golfer @ 73
James, surely regardless of head forgiveness comes down to fitting, yes the low spin versions are more likely less forgiving but the anti draw/standard versions of any driver fitted correctly should give you a decent dispersion and forgiveness if its less than 5/6 years old.... (M2/TS2/Epic/F8/etc) and newer models
100% comes down to fitting. But fitting only goes so far. Shaft and lift etc. Totally agree with ya though
@@JamesRobinsonGolf I think if you take any manufacturer, take a club that's under 5 years old and they'll offer a more forgiving model that with the right fit will see minimal difference in dispersion, you might gain the odd yard and you might find the odd extra fairway over a season for normal club golfers. Yes for yourself/other professionals the marginal gains are worth it and more noticeable but your your average Sunday golfer a good fit 5 years ago (M2 and newer (other brands available)) to the latest TSI2 driver and I honestly don't think they'd notice
@@JamesRobinsonGolf be interesting to see mid handicap Mark test it.... pick 5 drivers 1 from each year over the last 5 with different brands, get him to hit a tonne of balls with each club, perhaps 50 or so per club alternating and see the difference
Just picked up the Taylor Made SIM D driver. Not sure about "forgiving" but this thing is SWEET and feels good from take away thru contact.
Love it!
Dissapointed that you didn’t answer the burning question and the real reason that we all buy drivers.
I need you to re rank your top 5 based on head covers alone 😂
Cheers, keep up the good work, rumour has it that Santa will be bringing me a green fore left shirt this year!
Hahahaha brilliant. Best headcover has to be the PXG even if it should cost about £700 on its own lol
@@JamesRobinsonGolf I just fell off my chair!! £700 for a head cover!?
@@alandunwell5052 He is joking. Waiting on my new PXG driver to arrive. $375 USD
I’ve only ever used 4 drivers and it’s also in order of forgiveness(least to most)
Callaway erc2
Titleist 910 d2
TaylorMade M1
Titleist TS2
My club pro lent me a demo Ping G410, I drove it straight down the middle of the 1st hole and at least 30 yards past my usual driver. Needless to say I went back in the shop and bought it.
I’m actually going for a driver fitting tomorrow because I’m gaming an m5 at the moment but in need different loft settings as I have to have it in the super low spin settings as it’s a 12 degree head which now is way to much loft for me but now with it in these settings is costing me a lot of forgiveness
Just finished the fitting and come away with a sim driver in 9 degrees in draw setting in an aldila rouge
Like many, I Picked up golf again this year after taking 10 years off the game from my teenage years. I picked up the cobra SZ and I love it.
Had a fitting last week and bought Ping G410.... wow.... anyone thinking of getting fitted... please go to a professional, unlike a high street store they are more interested what gives you the chance to maximise the tech to your swing rather than just flogging you something shiny.
Couldn’t agree more John
@@JamesRobinsonGolf just now need to either a) convince the Mrs to let me have it before Xmas, b) switch the head covers with old driver so she wraps wrong club or c) learn to be an expert at gift wrapping so I can sneak it out and put it under the tree without her noticing 😂😂
Iv had same golf set since i was 18,very forgiving yet poor Powerbilt 3-sw and 10.5 driver,always got round where ever i played in under 100 and its only since i retired from football after suffering a massive stroke at 30,iv just bought a used Ping i25 10.5 driver (goes down to a 9.5),i think but for £60 iv used on 1 round due to lockdown yet already put at least 60 yards on my drive,will deffo be looking to upgrade my irons as i get out more
I am a 16 handicap and I have tried the Mavrik with a simulator and the spin was just too high for me. The SIM was my favorite I tried but i decided to stick with my M5 in the long run.
Thanks for this video, I will change my driver soon. I am gaming a ping G at the moment. Your top 4 is basically what I wanna go hit and choose from. But I am leaning towards the cobra and mizuno
I went the regular speedzone purely because I preferred the look behind the ball. I found the extreme not as nice. But probably did cost myself some forgiveness.
Tested Sim, and Mavrik but just found the Cobra ahead on bang for buck when I purchased.
The issues I'm dealing with driving the ball I don't think I can really blame any club 🤣
Nice!
I've just got the mavrik and love it and I like orange 👍
I gamed the SZ Xtreme all season and it made me so much more confident on the tee. Well that and learning how to swing correctly and not slice helped.
Always enjoy these lists. Usually never buy these. I do research then go look. Like compact head deeper face and adjustability. Playing Taylormade M 5 tour 440 cc head. Next change in few years maybe shaft do to aging.
I had a driver fitting, tried all of these and titleist ts2, best by far was the ping g410 sft, the dispersion was way better 👍🏼
Yes mate that doesn’t surprise me at all!
I just purchased the titleist TSI3 no mentions of the new drivers?
they will all have people they are best suited for. the only one i've tried at all is the mavrik max. i live in a small town that is a bit distant from any major center, so we're lucky to get 2 demo/fitting days a season. (only 1 last season) but got fit by the callaway guy, but couldn't improve on my 917.
Nothing has been able to get my Mizuno ST 180 HL out of the bag. I'm a 5.6 handicap and fell in for the driver as soon as I used it
The only other driver that i'd look at would be Ping options because I have a full PING bag (minus driver and putter)
If it works it works right Mike!
I got fitted for a cobra speedzone extreme this year. Went with the white and red one tho really didn't like the yellow. Was surprise went in thinking I was gonna get a ts2 or the mizuno st200 but the cobra out performed them. If I couldn't get it in white tho I wasn't gonna take it. I'm bit like u not a fan of the ping turbulators.
I am looking for a new driver to replace my Taylor made R9. My top five are Tour Edge C721 , the new Cleveland XL, the Mizuno ST, Ping G425 and
Hard to take 1 out of the 5. But I'm surprised you didn't mention the Callaway bigbertha, and the srixon drivers
Definitely want to try the Srixons. I personally think the BB is too slice biased. The Max Mav is more a blanket forgiveness
@@JamesRobinsonGolf draw biased 🙄
@@JamesRobinsonGolf Thanks for the info!!!
I was fitted Speedzone. I like it I just don't love it. I tried the Tsi3 and that driver is awesome.
Had mine for 4 rounds after gaming the ts3 and it's a big upgrade in my eyes although distance is only slightly up on the ts3. Even tried the sim, mavrik against tsi3 and I just got better numbers from tsi3 and dispersion was incredible
Never had a driver that would correct a bad swing. Make a swing with an open face and it will not go straight. If you make off center hits with a somewhat square face most of the modern drivers will provide some correction and less loss of distance. Need to learn a better swing and you get that from lessons and practice. I currently swing a Cobra F9 set at 10.5 loft with a Hazardous Smoke 6.0 shaft. Does a good job for me
I play the Cobra F9 and i think the head is very short and doesnt give me confidence, when i hit it i really hit it but the height or lack off makes me think its not forgiving
Went to a driver fitting today (I play of 17). Surpised my self came away with speedzone in stiff with the weight at the front. Tried sim really didn’t get along with it. But both TSi 2/3 worked had same numbers as cobra to came down to feel.
Pxg 0811xf. I just switched to mavrik sz. Ypu will lose some yards with the pxg but it is so forgiving. Not to mention you can find them at a way better price now than you used to. If you're in the military it's a no brainer
I have a Cobra F8 which I went for after testing the Cobra SZ and Sim range. Found the F8 to be straight, good sounding and easy to hit.
I was going to post my own top 5 just for fun before watching the video but I got lazy and decided to just watch yours instead.
:0)
I think you nailed the top 5 in any case. No TItleist Drivers in there seems appropriate as the TS line was more 2018-2019 and the new ones are more 2021.
As always, great video!
If I’m still going to be a mid to high handicapper after all this, give me the cheapest one...price does matter
Great point
As relatively new to golf money was. Big thing for so had a fitting last year for my 50th birthday and had Wilson staff d7s driver ,3 ,5,7 woods 4iron -sand wedge and got to say glad they recommended them love them to bits would recommend them to any golfer 👍
I've gone TM R1 to SDLR, then to M2, now using M6, tried the Sim Max, but it was just as good as what i already had, so not this year... see what they bring out next year maybe ^^ Just seen your subscribers now, wow that shot up quick from when you hit the 100k mark. Keep up the great content James.
Bought the Cobra driver 2 months ago. Great club. Very forgiving and gives me much greater consistency off the tee.
I am a 14 handicap and was fitted for a new driver by Club Champion in Las Vegas. I tried all of the ones in the video with the exception of the Muzino. I also tested the new Titleist TSI2 and TSI3. For me the TSI2 was by far the best choice as it was the longest, most tightly disbursed with a great sound and a very classy look.
BTW where do you draw the line between High and Mid handicapper? How about good player and Mid Handicapper?
Am I the only one that likes the look of the ping?
No you are not. I fancy Ping irons. Irons will be my next purchase . A friend of mine has a set of Ping irons that were fitted to him, and he his well pleased.
Biggest underrated driver is the Cleveland turbo HB launcher. I was fitted with Cobra SZ extreme and still go back to the Cleveland. Give it a hit.
Honestly was really impressed by the Mizuno ST-200/ST-200X, which narrowly beat out the Cleveland Launcher HB Turbo on looks and feel.
The money saved vs a Titleist/Ping/Callaway/Taylormade could go on a couple of sessions with a pro coach.
At mid/high handicap its consistent straight hitting off the tee, not distance, that's the priority, and lessons would do more to help that than one of the top-priced drivers.
I'm about 15hcp, using an old Wilson and old Mizuno, will probably go for the Mizuno ST and some lessons to cure some of the inconsistency!
Definitely take out the callaway. My fitter pushed it on me and I lost 30yrds and fairway percentage went down. Taking it back this week because they give you 90 days, and I have shotscope data to back up how bad it had been.
I hate hearing fitters pushing things on people
@@JamesRobinsonGolf they took it back but then "fit" me into a tsi3 with the upcharge shaft. Didn't buy it though, since there is already snow on the ground here.
Not surprised cobra was number 1, they've been nailing it recently. Cobra have entered my bag this year with the forged tec irons and the sz woods.
I listened to your advice and tested the tsi range, sim, g410, maverick and none of them suited me then I tried my new mizuno st200 and its consistent and so forgiving 👍🏼 so THANK YOU for your advice 😁
Actually tried the cobra aswell that was my second choice
Got a ping G30. Driver SFT thinking of upgrading to the G410 SFT but gonng to get fitted going to try the Cobra Extreme and a few more I’m a 28 handicapper bc my game management is shocking lol but great video always seem to care high street bandits push owt on us just go get a sale spent bucket loads of cash if wife knew how much I’d get divorced 😬😬
It was a good presentation of top clubs
We heard a ton of comments about feel, sound, looks & even a headcover....... next to nothing about actual performance which should king for everybody. Which one performs best for those of us who don't always hit the middle of the club face?
I'm still using taylormade r11s driver. So would the newer drivers give me more distance?
And accuracy down the fairway?
If it was well fitted and not much has changed then potentially not. Always worth trying though?
@@JamesRobinsonGolf thanks mate. Good stuff, keep em coming....cheers
I played the old tm burner that looked like a triangle the black one for years and years nothin could beat it out till it broke at beginning the season replaced it with mav and def distance increases but hard to say on accuracy its hard to beat a driver ur used to and confident with cause all the doubts we golfers put in our heads is not there cause u know uve used it for years u know what it does and capable of. Then u start over the new driver has to gain that confidence
Senior golfer 80mph club head speed still bagging my Callaway Epic Star. Let me know if you feel there's something out there to replace it. Thanks!
Weird thing to say but I think you nailed it for the 5 to put in the list. From my objective and extensive experience I would have put Ping 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5 and given honorable mention to the other 4. Might seem to be just a tad prejudiced there, but I do like ping drivers and fairway woods. Same goes for TM hybrids. Same goes for Mizuno Irons, Cleveland wedges, and Odyssey putters. As I said objective, with maybe just a tad of prejudice.
Great vid James and great to see something with the move average golfer in mind - really good - the Cobra is the top of my list as I’m desperate to change from my Nike Covert
New to golf, looking to get into it when the courses reopen and give it a go. If i were to go into a shop i'd go straight to something with a big head on it, this vid definitely helps me make some better decisions. If i could win any clubs it would be amazing as it's been a tough year and im trying to find the money to get stuck in
I’ve got the Cobra SZ driver and 3 wood. Both are brilliant clubs and make golf fun!
I'm new to golf this year... unfortunately I can't afford any fancy new clubs... grabbed myself the TaylorMade R7 off ebay for £23.00. I'm over the moon with it!
N that’s all that matters!! 😃
That’s a great club for sure
Off-hand question for you, James. Should your fairway wood/hybrid, "ideally", match your driver? I've got the Ping G410 driver (awesome), but have an old Nike Fairway wood. Have been debating, pre-fitting, between the Cobra SZ and the Ping G410 3 wood and hybrid. Thought's on bag-matching woods?
Awesome video. Litterally had all the drivers I was considering and I was leaning towards the Cobra as I loved the F9 I just cracked and Im hoping for a little more forgiveness in the next one.
I will be getting a Cobra Speedzone Xtreme here in the next few weeks. Was excited too see how high you ranked it.
Bought the Cobra SZXtreme driver because I didnt have a driver in the bag. Unreal how consistent I have managed to be, puts a lot of pressure on the rest of the group as well 😂
Cobra, Ping and SIM would be my 123 but never really thought of Mizuno. I have never tried a Callaway driver before or Titleist driver.
I’m playing a Cobra F9 at present. Switched out my M5 for it. The Cobra fits my current swing far better than the M5, I think it sounds better also. Bottom line all of the top 5 are great drivers, it’s down to personal preference, cost and confidence.
You should have tested the most forgiving drivers from the last 5 years because most high handicap players don’t want to buy brand new clubs
I play the callaway big Bertha fusion it’s a great fairway finder but I want to know which to choose to replace it, I want the same reliability but more distance
Currently playing off of 18 and I'm in the market for a new driver, and this cobra sz xtreme keeps popping up all the time! Might have to give it a whirl
Glad the Mizuno made it! Going for a fitting next season and I have been eyeing the ST200
James, quick question - how much distance would a mid handicapper lose on a drive winter V summer
I feel I’ve lost 20 yards
im a total noob... 5 rounds played so far... i have used whatever came with the cheap rental set i used the first four rounds, some aluminum no-name i found in a house i was cleaning out, a Callaway AI Smoke Max, Taylormade QI10 Max, and Cobra Darkspeed Max... by far i liked the QI10Max and hit it the best in the trackman range... but i dont wanna shell out $500ish bucks on a driver so i bought a Callaway Rogue (the blue striped one) on Ebay instead for $120, still awaiting its arrival... ha
Cleveland Launcher HB Turbo. Everyone thinks I play a Ping , but it it was less than half of the Ping price. Why are the Mizunos so expensive in Oz? It can't be freight costs, we are closer to Japan than Europe is.
I hit my 3 wood better and further than I hit my Big Bertha driver. Now the big bertha, I had it shortened by a 1/2 inch and a stiff shaft added. When the shafts are wippy it throws off my rhythm and who know whats going to happen. That was my attempt to correct my worse club my driver. I never know where it will go. Is there a formula to use a shaft strength at a certain swing speed. ?
Love the colour of the callaway , Hugo boss orange
not tried the mizuno or cobra, but looking forward to testing the new ping 425 and cobra next year.
Have you tried to g425 yet? I'm thinking about getting one but I don't want to spend 350 bucks and have it not be forgiving
@Tippy1017Is GeyForHydrx ok, thanks!
Just got the Exotic EXS driver. For the price point really like it as a high handicap.
Using a cobra f8 & it’s a lot straighter than my old M1. To have a forgiving driver u need a consistent swing to start with 😂😂
Niceeee
If you had a consistent swing, why would you need a forgiving driver? Isn't the forgiveness needed because your swing is inconsistent?
@@xxthadeucexx it’s forgiving not fixing 😂 my swing is more inconsistent than others 😆
@@scottstewart3954 Ahh. Gotcha.
I'm afraid I am a driver addict. I hit a Cobra Speedzone 9 degree.hzrdous smoke 60g stiff, a Titleist TS2 8.5 evenflow prj.X 65G stiff and a Mizuno ST190 8.5 loft. I hit them all well when I am warmed up. So...its time stop testing drivers for a bit. Lol!
Love the way you golf pro guys do these driver reviews and generally hit them down the middle yet the course you seen to spray them all over the place.. Rick shiels being a fine example. Could you all get together for a mini tournament to discover the best player
Looking at the Cobra, why wouldn't you want it, it looks like a racing car? I'd love to try it sometime (already have an F7)!!
The speedzone extreme is a great diver. Been using since about April and love it. They also just came out with their new version of the driver and those are supposed to great too.
Cobra sz. Didn’t doubt it for a bit.
Have the ping g410 plus , I’ve tried the g425 but the sound is terrible. However I have the g425 fairway and that’s fantastic.. ps I live in Asia and the g425 range has been out for months here , so has the cobra RAD .. 😉🏌️♂️⛳️🍻
I’m a senior, new to golf and use a Strong 3 instead of a driver. Any “driver substitutes” you think would be good for the new, senior player? Am I better off spending practice time and taking a few lessons to get comfortable with a driver? FYI, I am hitting my tee shots as well as some of my younger playing partners and shoot around 90.
I tried the Sim Max, The Titleist TS series, Taylormade M series and the Callaway Mavrik range , After all the testing at my local golf outlet the Mavrik Max for me came out clearly the winner, Out on the course that driver was putting me down the fairway at distances I haven't seen since my late 40's . My ball flight was lower , It was more penetrating, and I could still shape it if required, But I do agree with James , The F+*%$G orange color is B($@+)Y making my eyes bleed , W@F were they thinking ?? :)
The only golf shop in town doesn't care to actually fit you and if you want to try out more than one club its a fight since they don't want you to hit their products and not buy it. Closes fitter is 4 hours away. Any advice?
Is Big Bertha 21B not in there?