Tested some drivers and made a purchase

[kfowler]

I was in the market for a new driver and had time to try a bunch out. I was looking to bring down my ball flight and find a club that was fairly neutral. Below is in order of rank of how I liked them. All were stiff and 9-9.5* loft.

1.) Ping G15: Their new driver. I ended up buying this one. Seemed to have a very hot face. Pretty traditional looking. Very good penetrating flight and distance. Face seemed very easy to close. Sounded like a whip cracking when you hit the ball. Very nice. Really felt alive in my hands.

2.) Nike Dymo Squared: Very easy to hit. Nice flight. Decent distance. Tin can sound at impact. Damn ugly. I liked it though.

3.) Callaway FT-9: Pushed some shots at first but then hit pretty nice. Good distance. Sounded dull coming off the face. Miss hits were still good. Good penetrating flight.

4.) Taylor Made R9 460: I liked TM so I thought I would dig this one more. Some reason it felt bulky and I never felt like I had solid contact. Dull sounding at impact. Not bad but nothing special. Ball flight was higher than I liked.

5.) Callaway FT-iQ: After hitting the Nike, I thought I'd like this one more. I just couldn't get comfortable with it. We just didn't connect. Shots never seemed solid.

6.) Cobra S9-1 F Speed: Yuck. Hated this one. High flight and seemed shortest. Did not like the impact sound at all.

[laxbballgolf]

Nice choice.

I am bummed out by the driver offerings so far this year. Like you said, the G15 is pretty traditional, so it's nice, although I think it's a little clunkier than the G10 or G5 were. But most of the other new ones (except Bridgestone and Titleist IMO) look gimmicky and I think they even look kind of cheap when you look at them closely. I realize that technology sells, but I just want a good solid club that will last a long time. It bums me out.

Of course, I haven't even swung most of the clubs I am making a sweeping generalization about, so for all I know they might perform superbly, but I really don't like the way they look.

[Msokol13]

Good choice (see my signature)

One of the biggest reasons I've chosen PING clubs for almost my who bag is the traditional lines their drivers and putters have. I like their irons because they are tanks...literally hold up better then any other set of irons I've ever had.

Prior to PING irons I was playing Mizuno MP-33's, the feel was amazing but damn did they get torn up on the face and sole.

[plark]

You didnt like the cobra?! I when I hit the Cobra I loved it..

[Dub]

Cool....glad to hear you like it.

I know firsthand how solid the G10's were. Which shaft did you go with??

[kfowler]

You didnt like the cobra?! I when I hit the Cobra I loved it..

Cobra and I have never connected for some reason. I've never liked their drivers. They've just never felt right in my hands. I have a buddy who loves his. Funny how that works from person to person.

[kfowler]

Cool....glad to hear you like it.

I went with the stock TFC 149D stiff. My old TM Burner had the RE AX Lite 50gram shaft. The Ping shaft is 60 grams. It took me a little while to get used to the heavier shaft as I was hitting everything right. As I settled in, the control was much better and the ball flight was much more penetrating that than the RE AX. My SS's avg. 102, BTW.

[Dub]

How is the G15 still working for you?

[Taylor Shrake]

G15s are awesome... Tradional looking head but still crazy MOI and distance

[mdl]

Hey Taylor,

You need to update your handicap, or is your country club like the easiest course in the country? Cause I count 10 of your last 25 scores between 74 and 78, which means you'd have to be playing like a 67/100 course or something to have a 12.5 index...

[leezer99]

Hey Taylor,

Maybe it's a par three course.