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The Wilson DYNAPWR Carbon driver is a strong performance with premium looks and feel.  A big step in the right direction for Wilson Golf.

Introduction

Wilson’s history in golf goes a long way when it comes to selling traditional irons like the Staff Model Blades [review HERE] or iconic putter like the 8802 [review HERE].  History, however, does not sell drivers, which is part of the reason Wilson has had a hard time establishing a role in the modern driver market.  They aim to change that with a new lineup centered on the Wilson DYNAPWR Carbon driver.  I tested it to see if it could modernize Wilson’s reputation.

Looks

On paper, the look of the new Wilson DYNAPWR Carbon driver isn’t remarkably different than the Dynapower Carbon (note the spelling difference) from 2023 [review HERE].  Both have carbon fiber crowns with very modest graphics.  In practice, however, the new DYNAPWR Carbon driver is a big step forward.  The gloss finish on the carbon fiber looks much more high end, and the ribbon of steel at the leading edge is much thinner.  There’s also been a subtle change to the shape with the new model sweeping slightly toward the toe.

Similarly, the look of this club in the bag has been elevated.  There’s glossy carbon fiber everywhere, making it look like an F1 car.  The Wilson branding is centered between “DYNAPWR” and “Carbon” toward the heel and toe and adjustable weights fore and aft.

Topping off this premium look is the quilted headcover.  This is a look we rarely see from OEMs, and I think it’s great.  You might argue there are too many other things going on – they could have given the quilting center stage – but it’s definitely not a boring cover.

The Wilson DYNAPWR Carbon driver is the middle ground between the DYNAPWR LS and DYNAPWR Max.  It’s not as long from front-to-back as the Max but not as short as the LS.  All three models have tall faces, but the LS is about 1/8″ taller than the other two.

Sound & Feel

I started hitting the Wilson DYNAPWR Carbon driver in a dome, which I consider to be a torture test for the sound.  If a driver sounds good in a fitting bay or a dome, it’s going to sound great outdoors.  The DYNAPWR Carbon passed that test, prompting me to describe it as, “Delightful” in my notes.

On center, the sound is a little louder than average with mid-low pitch.  It’s a round “pop” that is, truly, delightful.  “Pop” may have you thinking that this club sounds hollow, but somehow it doesn’t.  It’s a full, rich tone.  Off-center strikes pick up a slight metallic character and become more of a whip crack.  This provides strong audio feedback without making any strikes unpleasant.

The feel provides another strong form of feedback, but it takes a backseat to the sound.  My hands got a solid sensation, and they knew where the ball met the face, but the satisfaction came from the sound more than the feel.

Performance

The most modern element of driver performance is ball speed and the preservation thereof, so let’s start there.  On center, the Wilson DYNAPWR Carbon driver is in the running with the very best.  My top swings produced ball speed on par with anything else I’ve hit this year.  This driver also does a good job keeping speed up on mishits.  It’s not among the elite in terms of preserving ball speed, but it still belongs in the game improvement category.

The Wilson DYNAPWR Carbon driver’s name is well earned: per Wilson, 58% of the surface area of is carbon fiber.  Their goal in using this much carbon fiber isn’t just to make the club look cool – it’s to move weight into the positions where it will help golfers the most.  With all this optionality, Wilson created a club with mid-low launch and spin.  The stock shot hits a trajectory just north of boring with plenty of roll out.

*A note on the numbers above: I tested a 10.5 degree head with a 50 gram, stiff flex Fujikura Ventus TR Blue variant.  I normally test 9 degree heads with 60 gram X-flex shafts.

Wilson also gave the DYNAPWR Carbon driver dual adjustability.  The hosel has six settings, all related to loft and face angle.  You can add up to two degrees of loft or remove up to one degree.  These changes come with alterations to the face angle, as explained HERE.

The other half of the adjustment puzzle are the movable weights.  There are two weight ports – one near the face, one on the trailing edge.  Per Wilson, the DYNAPWR Carbon driver comes with 6 and 12 gram weights, though mine came with weights that are 3 and 9 grams.  Regardless, placing the heavier weight forward can lower spin around 150 RPM; putting the heavier weight back boosts the stability slightly.  It’s not a game-changing adjustment but a way to fine tune the performance and feel.

Overall, the Wilson DYNAPWR Carbon driver does a good job as the “middle driver” in the 2025 lineup.  It lives up to Wilson’s claims of offering a balance of “forgiveness and workability.”  Players that need lower spin can find that in the Wilson DYNAPWR LS driver, and those seeking more forgiveness should try the Wilson DYNAPWR Max driver.

Conclusion

I’m unsure if the Wilson DYNAPWR Carbon driver will fully reverse the company’s fortunes in the driver category, but it’s definitely a step in the right direction.  Wilson has created a club with a premium look and sound and the performance to compete with the bigger names.

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Wilson DYNAPWR Carbon Driver Price & Specs

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The PING G440 MAX driver is outstanding.  At or near the top of every performance category.  High launch with moderate spin.  Great sound and feel.  Straightforward, impactful adjustability.

Introduction

When I ask a fitter, “What’s good right now?” they almost always say, “Everything.”  So when I see a fitter light up and proactively name one product, I know it’s special.  That was the case with the new PING G440 MAX driver, which one fitter referred to as, “Probably the driver of the year.”  I tested one to see if this was the club that would put PING back at the top of my bag.

Looks

The address look of the PING G440 MAX driver is a bit cleaner than its predecessor, the G430 MAX [review HERE].  Instead of the visible texture, the G440 MAX has a Carbonfly Wrap crown which was previously seen only on the LST model.  Additionally, the subtle crown graphics are done in a barely-noticeable grey.  This is still recognizable as a PING driver thanks to the turbulators on the leading edge and the matte black crown.  Turning to the footprint, PING created a conventional, nearly-symmetrical shape that doesn’t look stretched from front to back.

In the bag, the PING G440 MAX driver has a stream of gloss black separating the matte black heel and toe.  The PING branding takes center stage with “G440” and “MAX” surrounding it on either side.  I like the return of the blue accents because it reminds me of some of the first PING clubs I loved, the G2 and G5.

Side by side, the PING G440 MAX bears a strong familial resemblance to other two G440 drivers, the SFT and LST, but there are subtle differences.  Next to the LST, the G440 looks a touch longer front-to-back and is slightly less symmetrical.  The SFT and MAX look almost identical in size and shape, but the SFT sits a bit closed at address in the neutral setting.

Sound & Feel

PING touts the Carbonfly Wrap crown as not only a performance feature but also helping to produce a “more muted, pleasing sound at impact.”  I don’t typically associate carbon crowns with helping the sound, but it certainly seems to work in this case.  Even with a range ball, the PING G440 MAX driver is below average in volume, producing a mid-bass “thwack.”  There are no metallic notes, but it can get a little “pop” on mishits, which is a nice piece of audio feedback.

The feel of the G440 MAX is similarly excellent.  It’s solid across the entire face, so you don’t get that cringey, “Oh no, I hope I get to the fairway” feeling on the low toe.  On center, the feel is transcendent: a blend of high speed pop with strength and force.  Despite being one of the most stable drivers on the market, the G440 MAX provides good feedback through the hands on strike location.

Performance

I’m not normally the type of guy who enjoys plowing through giant buckets of balls on the range, but I make an exception at this time of year.  Seeing all the new drivers go head-to-head on a range or on the launch monitor helps me to appreciate the differences between clubs that are all objectively good.  What I observed in my testing is that the PING G440 MAX driver is scary good when it comes to forgiveness and consistency, and could be in a tier all its own.

I think of forgiveness in plateaus.  Centered strikes are the top of the mountain; they set the bar.  Small misses are the next step down, and I want to know how far from the peak they are and how big is the “small miss” area.  Finally, you get to the lowest tier – the big misses – and I want to know if those shots go anywhere and in what direction.  At every level, the PING G440 MAX driver is excellent.  Small misses are almost indistinguishable from pure strikes, and you need to hit the very edge of the face to see an ugly result.

Also, I want to be clear that the top of the mountain is as high as I’ve seen with any other driver.  In the past, some players have felt that PING drivers don’t have the same top end speed as others, but that’s definitely not the case here.  PING gave the G440 MAX driver a shorter, thinner face for more ball speed across a larger area.

Before I move away from ball speed and forgiveness, I’ll answer the question on the mind of the gear nerds: is the PING G440 MAX driver more forgiving than the G430 MAX 10K [review HERE]?  PING does not mention an MOI number with the G440 MAX, so I’ll assume it’s less than 10K which means that it’s objectively less forgiving.  That said, my experience hitting both clubs was similar: every shot wants to go high and straight.  

Turning to launch and spin, the G440 MAX launches high with moderate spin.  “High launch” is one of the notes I got from several fitters, too.  They told me that they were fitting players into less loft in this model and not seeing launch angles drop.  In my testing, the launch was both high and consistent thanks to PING’s “lowest CG ever.”  The spin is also consistent across the face, but it can change a lot when your shot shape changes [get further insight into launch monitor numbers HERE].

Speaking of shot shape, PING drivers continue to have arguably the most impactful adjustability in golf.  There are three positions for the 29 gram weight, and they’re labeled for clarity.  This is a big weight, and you will instantly see the impact of those movements on your ball flight.  The 8-position hosel allows you to add or subtract 1.5 degrees of loft or make the lie 3 degrees flatter than standard.  Combined, this gives you a huge range of possibilities for trajectory and direction control.

Finally, PING is among the industry leaders in shaft options.  There are four excellent PING-specific options plus the Denali Red and Mitsubishi TENSEI 1K Black [review HERE].  The stock length will vary depending on the shaft that you choose – 46″ with the PING Alta CB Blue, 45.5″ with the PING Tour, Denali, or TENSEI.  PING also details the changes that the different shafts will make on swing weight on their website, but the G440 MAX comes stock at D3.

*I tested all three PING G440 driver heads with the PING Tour 2.0 Chrome to make the launch monitor data an apples-to-apples comparison of the heads.

Conclusion

After about a decade of gaming PING drivers exclusively, I’ve spent the last year trying other things.  And the saying is true: absence makes the heart grow fonder.  While I won’t make any final decisions until we have better weather in Chicago, the PING G440 MAX driver is the clubhouse leader to be my gamer in 2025 thanks to its astounding levels of high end performance and consistency.

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PING G440 MAX Driver Price & Specs

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The Callaway Elyte driver is another step forward from one of the best OEMs.  Excellent ball speed on and off center.  Meaningful adjustability.  Lower spin than previous generation.

Introduction

As a pedant, the misspelling in Callaway’s Paradym clubs has always irked me.  I had the same initial reaction when I saw “Elyte” until I realized that this one had meaning behind it.  The name of these clubs is a nod to Ely Callaway Jr, the founder of Callaway Golf.  Naming these clubs after the person who oversaw the original Big Bertha is a bold step.  I tested the Callaway Elyte driver to see if it lives up to the name.

Looks

The Callaway Elyte driver is promoted as having a “refined, fast” shape designed to boost speed.  It definitely looks aerodynamic – the oval shape tapers gently from front to back and is nearly symmetrical.  The face is also a little taller than the Elyte X driver.  One other thing that stands out at address is the Thermoforged Carbon crown.  The visual texture of it is a bit different than other carbon fiber crowns.

In the bag, the Callaway Elyte driver has a lot going on.  At the rear of the sole, there are three weight ports.  A high gloss, dark silver “V” covers the center of the sole and almost hides a round weight near the face.  Small slashes of candy green appear at the edges of the heel and toe, reminding me of some of my favorite Callaway drivers of the last few years.

Sound & Feel

For several years, club design shifted strongly toward minimalism – limited colors and modest branding.  That trend seems to be reversing, and with it comes an acceptance of bigger impact sounds, too.  On centered strikes, the Callaway Elyte driver delivers a pronounced, low-pitched “boom.”  It’s a deep, bass-y sound that could strike fear into your opponent’s heart.  On off-center hits, it’s equally loud, but the sound is a “crack.”  This provides very clear audio feedback distinguishing good strikes from poor.

Callaway married this imposing sound with a solid feel.  Despite all the tech in this club face, it feels more traditional than fast.  Like the sound, your hands will clearly know the feel of a miss versus a pure strike, but locating impact with precision takes some focus.

Performance

Over the last few years, I associate Callaway drivers with face technology more than anything else, so I’ll start there.  The Callaway Elyte drivers all share Ai 10X Face.  The name comes from having 10 times more control points than the previous generation’s Ai Smart Face.  With this design, Callaway not only aims to maximize ball speed across the face but also optimize launch and spin whether you hit it flush or not.

It came as no surprise to me when my launch monitor testing showed that the Callaway Elyte driver produces ball speed that is – sorry, but this has been my word for years – elite.  And the tech lives up to the story, keeping that ball speed high across the face.  I needed to get on the outer edges of the face to lower my smash factor near 1.4.

Turning to launch and spin, Callaway bills the Elyte driver as “Mid-Low Spin” and “Mid-High Launch.”  I definitely agree with the first part – the Elyte seems to be noticeably lower spinning than the Paradym Ai Smoke MAX [review HERE].  This spin reduction is likely driven by the aforementioned Thermoforged Carbon crown.  With regard to launch, I would rate it “Mid” not “Mid-High,” but that’s a pretty fine distinction and your mileage may vary.

Callaway also changed the adjustability on the Elyte driver.  They refer to this weighting system as “discrete” – it has three separate ports – versus the sliding weight of the Paradym Ai Smoke MAX.  A someone who gets a bit obsessive about gear, I like this discrete system more – it eliminates worrying about fractional moves in the sliding weight.  When you pair the 13 gram weight with the adjustable hosel, you can see very substantial changes to both your shot shape and trajectory.

Overall, I think the Callaway Elyte driver is a solid, iterative improvement on the Paradym Ai Smoke MAX.  Callaway states that consumers gained up to 8 yards with an average of 1.8 yards gained when comparing the two.  Based on my testing, higher spin players are the ones more likely to get closer to that 8 yards gained.

Finally, comparing the Callaway Elyte driver to the other Elyte drivers, this is the do-it-all, middle of the bell curve model that’s meant for most players.  Callaway states that the Elyte has “Higher” forgiveness for players with handicaps from 0-20.  The Elyte X [review HERE] has “Highest” forgiveness for players with handicaps up to and beyond 30.  Both drivers share the Thermoforged Carbon Crown and titanium body construction.  The Elyte Triple Diamond has merely “High” forgiveness, for players with handicaps +5 to 10.  The Elyte also sits in the middle when it comes to launch and spin with the Elyte X launching and spinning higher, the Triple Diamond lower.

Conclusion

While it’s not the leap forward that Big Bertha was (within the current rules, I don’t think anything could be), the Callaway Elyte driver is a strong performer that deserves to be considered alongside the best of 2025.  The combination of excellent ball speed and forgiveness will help Callaway to maintain the dominant position it’s established over the last few years.

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Callaway Elyte Driver Price & Specs

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The Srixon ZXi driver has the potential to help the brand break through into the woods market.  Elite ball speed, great sound and feel, and very strong forgiveness.

Introduction

Last week, I was having dinner with a fitter who works for a major shaft company.  He told me, “I’ve gotten a couple unusual calls recently – people asking if we have the new Srixon drivers in our demo matrix.  I’ve never gotten calls about Srixon drivers before.”  I had just started testing the Srixon ZXi driver earlier that day, and I told him that he should expect to get that question a lot more as the season goes on.  Srixon has built a monster.

Looks

At address, the Srixon ZXi driver keeps things pretty traditional.  It’s well-shaped – not overly long with just a little tilt toward the heel.  The photo above makes the texture on the crown look more pronounced than it is – in some light, you can’t see it at all.  Srixon also kept the unique Y-shaped alignment aid that we saw on the last generation of drivers.  My only aesthetic complaint is that the alignment aid is not in the geometric center, which is a peeve for me because I feel like it enhances my tendency to strike the heel.

In the bag, this driver looks great.  The center of the sole is gloss black, which is really eye catching against the matte finish everywhere else.  There’s also more details on the Srixon ZXi driver than many of its peers – slashes of silver and geometric designs – and I applaud Srixon for going a little bolder.  Finally, the headcover displays Srixon’s stock red, white, and black color scheme, and I love that they included the “handle” to make it easier to pull off.

Sound & Feel

First impressions are important, and the Srixon ZXi driver made a great one.  My first swing produced an imposing, mid-volume “crack.”  The feeling through my hands was even better – the sensation of tremendous speed but without the face feeling thin behind the strike.

As the “middle” driver in the Srixon lineup, I think the ZXi does a perfect job with feedback.  You can feel the impact location fairly easily, but the sound stays consistent if you make reasonable contact.  When you get to the outer edges of the face, the volume does rise and the sound becomes a less powerful “pop.”

Performance

Given the exhilarating sound and feel, the first thing I wanted to see on the launch monitor was how much ball speed the Srixon ZXi driver was producing.  I was very pleased to see that the feel aligned with reality: this club produces elite ball speed.  This is thanks to the new i-Flex face design which allows the center of the face to be thinner than in the previous generation.

The ZXi driver stayed impressive with strong ball speed on mishits, too.  Shots in the middle of the face lost no more than 3 MPH compared to perfect ones.  Even on the really poor strikes, the ZXi kept my smash factor in the low 1.4s which made those shots playable.

As I continued testing, I started to appreciate how straight this driver is.  Looking back at my review of the ZX5 Mk II driver [read it HERE], this is something Srixon has carried forward.  While I could hit a push or pull, I needed to work to make this driver hook or slice wildly.  This gave me more confidence to try to hit controlled fades and draws because I wasn’t afraid of the ball getting away from me.

Turning to launch and spin, the Srixon ZXi driver wants to launch on a medium trajectory with mid spin.  Anything in the middle of the face or above launched skyward and carried forever.  Interestingly, the ZXi also does really well with thin strikes.  Typically a bottom groove strike flies low with ballooning spin, but this driver just hits mid-low bullets.  That ability to get a good result up and down the face further contributes to having more confidence on the tee.

The Srixon ZXi driver has two modes of adjustability.  The more powerful adjustment is at the hosel.  A new adapter sleeve allows you to adjust the loft, lie angle, and face.  With three degrees of freedom for loft and lie and six degrees for face angle, you can make substantial changes to your ball flight.  The two weights at the back are for fine tuning the direction and swing weight.  The ZXi comes with 10 gram and 4 gram weights, and you can buy weights from 2 grams to 16 grams.  You can see the impact of the weighting on good strikes, but you shouldn’t expect the weights to fix a big slice or hook.

Finally, the Srixon ZXi driver comes stock with a version of the Fujikura Ventus TR Blue shaft [review HERE].  I know the forums will pooh-pooh this because it’s not the aftermarket version, but it performed beautifully for me.  Srixon also has numerous other shaft options from Mitsubishi, Aldila, Project X and more – many available without an upcharge.

Conclusion

The Srixon ZXi driver is the total package.  It has elite performance on quality strikes but won’t punish you for misses.  The look, sound, and feel are all top notch.  Throw in two modes of adjustability and you have a driver that can compete with anything on the market.

Visit Srixon HERE

Srixon ZXi Driver Price & Specs

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The PXG Wildcat golf clubs are a set built for new players or those who want more help on the course.  Nine club set makes great sense for many players.  Strong value.

Introduction

When PXG first entered the game, the one thing that everyone knew was that their clubs were expensive.  Several years later, there is not a single OEM doing more for the budget-conscious golfer.  The PXG Wildcat golf clubs are a follow up to the 0211 Z line [review HERE] and arguably the best way for new and higher handicap players to get a sensible set of clubs with great performance at a reasonable price.

Looks

Overall, the PXG Wildcat golf clubs have a sharp, premium look that’s largely in line with the rest of PXG’s offerings.  The black and silver color scheme is the same, the PXG branding is the same, and the black headcovers even have the same QuickStick magnets.  You’re not going to see the elaborate mill marks like on the Sugar Daddy III wedges [review HERE], but that’s reflective of the price gap.

Starting at the top of the bag, the PXG Wildcat driver looks really good.  The crown is a high gloss black with a white stripe that gives the shape definition.  It’s round and symmetrical, not stretched or leaning toward the heel.  The only sign that it’s meant for higher handicap players is that the face is a little closed.

You get a very similar story with the PXG Wildcat fairway wood.  It has a traditional, symmetrical shape that I found really appealing.  The face depth is average, making it comfortable to hit off the tee or turf.  It’s also a little closed at address, which makes sense for the target audience.

While all three of the woods are better looking than I expected, the PXG Wildcat hybrid may take top prize.  It’s slightly pear shaped, which is something we usually only see in players hybrids.  The alignment mark skews slightly toward the heel and there’s some offset, both of which nod toward a draw bias.

Finally, the PXG Wildcat irons are thick.  In the bag, they show off their ultra wide, anti-digging soles.  At address, the top line is thick and softly rounded, there’s a healthy dose of offset, and the large face encourages players to take a confident swing.

Sound & Feel

Starting again at the top of the bag, the PXG Wildcat driver was a pleasant surprise.  Most “high handicap” drivers are loud and unrefined.  This club, in contrast, has medium volume with a concentrated, mid-pitch, metallic tone.  The ball feels fast off the face.  There’s moderate feedback through the hands and ears when you have more than a slight mishit.

Both the Wildcat hybrid and fairway wood lean toward the prototypical fairway wood sound.  Both are quieter than the driver but higher pitched and more metallic in tone.  The feel in both is more fast than solid, which should provide confidence and excitement for the newer player.

Finally, the PXG Wildcat irons have the soft, bouncy feel that I’ve come to associate with many of PXG’s premium irons.  The ball feels like it’s springing off the face, even on slight mishits.  This feel accompanies a quiet “thud” which doesn’t change unless you hit only the bottom groove.

Performance

The PXG Wildcat driver is the club that really helps the Wildcat golf set stand apart from other premium options.  It’s built to 44″ with 16 degrees of loft, so it’s engineered to be a fairway finder.  And PXG didn’t skimp on the materials either, making the entire head and face from titanium for durability and ball speed.  This is a high launch, high spin club – largely as a result of the loft – but these are good things for a new player or any player without a lot of swing speed.  But the real selling point is the dispersion.  Players can stand on the tee feeling confident that their shot is going to go in the right direction and get the hole started the right way.

Both the PXG Wildcat fairway wood and PXG Wildcat hybrid carry forward that idea of making the long game less intimidating.  Both of these clubs have more loft than you might expect – 19 and 26 degrees, respectively – but, as with the driver, that’s the key to making them work so well.  That added loft gets the ball airborne, and strong ball speed across the face gives every shot the potential to carry a long way.  The additional loft also helps those longer shots to land softer – something golfers struggle with at almost every handicap level.  There is a notable draw bias in these clubs, which will help players fight that hated slice.

From a technology standpoint, the PXG Wildcat irons might be the most exciting and best value in this set.  These irons feature the same proprietary XCOR2 polymer core that PXG uses in their Black Ops irons [review HERE].  This material supports an ultra-thin face which means that players get exceptional ball speed, even on mishits.  The thick soles help player by lowering the CG for higher ball flight and providing insurance against digging.

While these irons are miles from my gamers [the PXG 0317 T, review HERE], I had a ball hitting them.  Every shot launched high and carried forever.  With so much forgiveness, I felt free to swing away.  That freedom led to exceptional accuracy.  PXG put a note in this box saying that these irons aren’t for me, but I’m not so sure about that.

Overall, the PXG Wildcat golf clubs deliver on their promise of exceptional performance for the new or high handicap golfer.  Every club is easy to hit with a look that promotes confidence.  It is worth noting that this set is offered with graphite shafts only – Project X Cypher – in R, A, or L flex.

If you’re wondering about the PXG Black Hawk putter which can be included in the Wildcat set, I have a full review HERE

Conclusion

Available as a complete set or individually, the PXG Wildcat golf clubs are a great choice for a new golfer, someone coming back to the game, or any higher handicap player looking for great value.  As a nine-club set, this covers everything that most players need without giving them things they don’t, and it lets players take advantage of great technology without breaking the bank.

Visit PXG HERE

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The Callaway Elyte X driver delivers on its promises of maximum forgiveness and help with a draw.  Long, heel-leaning footprint.  Loud, booming impact sound.

Introduction

Callaway has been on a torrid stretch when it comes to drivers.  For the last two years, whenever I talk to fitters, Callaway drivers are among the best sellers, the best performers, and the default choice to reach for in any fitting.  The Callaway Elyte X driver looks to continue that trend, boasting superior speed and heightened forgiveness for players who want more help off the tee.

Looks

The first thing that struck me when I looked down at the Callaway Elyte X driver is the Thermoforged Carbon crown.  While carbon fiber materials are nothing new in driver crowns, something about the texture of the Thermoforged Carbon was very different to my eye.  To be honest, I found it a bit distracting, though I expect I would have gotten used to it over time.

In terms of shape, the Elyte X driver is very long from front to back, noticeably longer than the standard Elyte driver.  The face is slightly shut at address, and the shape leans toward the heel where the standard Elyte is symmetrical.  These are the hallmarks of draw-biased, max-forgiveness drivers.  They don’t appeal to my eye, that’s just subjective; others may find this look very attractive.

The sole of the Callaway Elyte X driver is fairly busy.  Small slashes of green at the periphery give the driver some personality.  The Callaway and Elyte X branding are at the toe and heel, as is common in modern drivers, and the middle is dominated by a large “E”.  Also prominent is the movable weighting.

Sound & Feel

The Callaway Elyte X driver is one of the louder drivers I’ve tested recently.  It’s not deafening – this is no Nike Sumo – but it seems that while many OEMs are going quieter and quieter, Callaway decided to let this one sing out.  The sound is not unpleasant, and it offers plenty of feedback on strike quality – it’s a “crack” on mishits, a low-pitched “boom” on pure strikes.

Through the hands, the Elyte X feels solid on pure strikes.  Mishits don’t feel bad or hollow, but they have less “oomph” to them.  In terms of feedback, you can clearly distinguish a miss from a quality strike, but I had to really focus to locate impact with any precision.

Performance

The Callaway Elyte X driver is the successor to the Paradym Ai Smoke Max D and Paradym X drivers [review HERE].  This is the Elyte that’s built for maximum forgiveness and help fighting the slice.  On both of those counts, it succeeds.  This is easily the most forgiving of the Callaway Elyte drivers, offering solid ball speed across the face.  Where it really shines is on the bigger mishits.  If you put a ball on the extreme heel or toe, the Elyte X driver will give you a fairly decent result where even the standard Elyte will significantly drop your distance.

Moving to the direction and dispersion, Callaway is offering something new with the Elyte X.  This driver has a movable weight, allowing you to choose between “Neutral” and “Draw.”  I would argue that the choice is more like “Draw” or “Extreme Draw,” but either way it’s nice to have options.  When paired with the adjustable hosel, it gives you good flexibility for choosing a shot shape.

The tech story on the Callaway Elyte X driver is more about iterative improvements than revolutionary change.  The Thermoforged Carbon crown is a lighter material than other carbon fibers, which gives Callaway more flexibility with the CG and shaping.  Callaway also continues to push the AI story with “Ai 10x Face” which has “10 times more control points” than last generation’s Ai Smart Face.

Overall, I think the Elyte X driver delivers on its promises.  It launches fairly high with mid spin.  The forgiveness is stout but not game changing.  It will help a lot of players who slice, and the added flexibility of movable weighting is a meaningful upgrade over past generations.

Comparing the Callaway Elyte X driver to the other Elyte drivers, this one is built for players who need more forgiveness.  This club has “Highest” forgiveness where the Elyte driver is “Higher.”  That added forgiveness is reflected in the suggested handicap range: 0 to 30+.  Additionally, the Elyte X is designed to launch higher and spin more than the Elyte.  Players who want even higher launch – and lighter weight – should opt for the Callaway Elyte Max Fast driver.

Conclusion

If you’re in the market for a club that offers strong forgiveness and help fighting your slice, the Callaway Elyte X driver deserves to be in the mix.  This is not a leaps-and-bounds improvement over previous generations, but the added flexibility of movable weights is a solid upgrade.

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Callaway Elyte X Driver Price & Specs

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The PXG Secret Weapon is a mini driver that can keep you in play off the tee and bring long par 5s into reach.  Excellent ball speed and accuracy.  Loads of customization potential with four weight ports and an adjustable hosel.

Introduction

It’s hard to keep a secret when that secret is helping to win a PGA Tour event.  The new PXG Secret Weapon was officially under embargo until last week, but that embargo was just a formality after Jake Knapp used the Secret Weapon to win the Grant Thornton Invitational.  Jake called this mini driver “so reliable” and a “game changer” after securing the victory, and there’s no doubt it can be both of those things for you, too.

Looks

At address, the 300 cc PXG Secret Weapon looks more like an oversized fairway wood than a driver.  Setting it next to my PXG Black Ops fairway wood [review HERE], it’s a bit bigger in every dimension, but the proportions are similar.  The one exception is the face depth, which is substantial.

For those that want all the details, I measured the face height of the Secret Weapon at 1.75″ compared to 1.375″ and 2″ for the Black Ops fairway wood and driver, respectively.  That same gap – about 3/8″ bigger than the FW and 1/4″ smaller than the driver – is true of the heel-to-toe measurement. From front to back, the Secret Weapon is almost perfectly between the 3″ Black Ops FW and 4.5″ Black Ops driver [review HERE].

The aesthetic package of the PXG Secret Weapon is otherwise very similar to Black Ops.  The club is almost entirely black with a carbon fiber crown.  There are four weight ports on the sole, surrounding a silver PXG logo.

Finally, there’s no way that I wasn’t going to shout out this head cover.  The “Shhh” Skull is fantastic – simultaneously tough and funny.  Yellow is not remotely my color, and I’m generally allergic to stock covers, but this one is staying in the bag.  Standing ovation to PXG for this.

Sound & Feel

I started hitting the PXG Secret Weapon off the turf and found a slightly hollow, mid-pitch “pop” at impact.  It was a pleasant sound, but it didn’t match the excellent ball speed the club was producing.  When I got the ball onto a short tee – and the strike onto the center of the face – the sound became much more solid and forceful.

This same level of feedback clarity is found in the hands.  Off-center shots feel poppy, like the ball is bouncing off the club face.  Again, not bad, but not super satisfying.  When you pure the ball, you get a strong, solid feel that matches the sound and makes you want to hit the Secret Weapon exclusively.

Performance

The concept of mini drivers is very appealing: you get a more forgiving, more accurate driver alternative and a “Bombs away!” fairway club all in one.  For players who struggle with a traditional 15 degree 3W, however, this promise is more fiction than fact since they can’t get much out of these clubs off the turf.  In that same vein, the bigger the club is, the harder it can be to hit from the ground.  Make it too small, and it’s no better off the tee than a normal 3W.  All that to say, designing a mini driver that delivers on its promises is hard.

I put the PXG Secret Weapon to the torture test right away, attempting to hit it off the turf with my rusty winter swing.  Despite the face height, the excellent proportions and slightly open face made me think I could produce some good shots, and I did.  The launch angle never cracked double digits, but the ball speed was outstanding, and the spin was extremely low.  What these shots lacked in carry distance, they made up for with Kipchoge-esque run outs.

Before I get into how the PXG Secret Weapon performed off the tee, I want to say a word about mini drivers in general.  Since they are neither a driver or a fairway wood, you will likely need to do some experimenting with tee height.  Similarly, the unique shaft length and head size might require you to find something a bit different than your pure driver or fairway wood swing.  If you’re going to give a mini driver a try, be prepared for a little break-in period.  

Off the tee, I treated the PXG Secret Weapon like a fairway wood more than a driver (trying to swing level or even a bit down), and I teed it fairly low.  This combination produced outstanding results.  The launch angle jumped up and the spin moved up into the optimal range.  I was giving up little distance compared to my driver, but the accuracy with the shorter shaft and increased loft was exceptional.

What separates the Secret Weapon from any other mini driver is the ability to tune it to your needs.  This club has four weight ports and comes stock with two 2.5 gram weights and two 15 gram weights.  PXG offers weights from 2.5 to 20 grams, so you can make this draw or fade biased, high or low spin, heavy or light.  I used the heavier stock weights in the toe and rear to offer more forgiveness and fade bias, and it performed beautifully.  Players that are willing to trade forgiveness for lower spin and even more ball speed can pack more weight closer to the face.  The hosel is also adjustable, tuning the loft from 11.5 to 13.5 degrees.

Overall, the PXG Secret Weapon delivers on the promise of the mini driver.  This is a versatile club that goes long and straight from the tee or turf.  When you add in the ability to tune the weighting and hosel, this is a club that almost all golfers should consider for their long game.

Conclusion

If you want to play out of the short grass more often this season – or reach longer par 5s in two – consider putting the PXG Secret Weapon in your bag.  There are endless possibilities with loft, shaft, and weighting, so work with a PXG fitter to get this built to your needs.  When your friends see the results, you’ll have as hard a time keeping this club secret as Jake Knapp.

Visit PXG HERE

PXG Secret Weapon Price & Specs

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The Cleveland HiBore XL driver has excellent forgiveness thanks to the unique triangular shape.  Big hitting area.  Mid launch and spin.  Very consistent results.

Introduction

If you don’t think of World #1 Vijay Singh when you hear “Cleveland HiBore XL driver”…I guess you’re younger than me.  Which is probably a lot of you at this point.  Be that as it may, Cleveland has brought back this classic name for their newest big stick.  Though the shape is miles from that of the original HiBore XL, they’re similar in that they have no regard for convention.  I tested this new driver to see if triangular drivers are the next big thing in high MOI.

Looks

I think we have to start with the shape.  While a lot of forgiving drivers have leaned toward a triangle shape, the Cleveland HiBore XL driver simply is a triangle.  It’s a little jarring, but I found that I liked it better than some of the drivers that compromise between round and triangular.  Moving on, the crown is matte black and there are depressions on the heel side.  Additionally, the entire shape leans slightly toward the heel, hinting at a draw bias.

The sole of the HiBore XL driver is very sharp, predominantly a plain mirrored black.  “Cleveland” and “HiBore XL” branding are placed toward the toe and heel, respectively.  There are two small blue graphics – a color that dominates the head cover – and a removable weight at the very back of the sole.

Sound & Feel

With many drivers, centered contact produces the loudest, most boastful impact sound.  The Cleveland HiBore XL driver flips that norm.  On center, this driver is below average in volume with a thinner sound, allowing the results to speak for themselves.  When your shots miss the mark a mark, impact has a louder, fuller sound.  While this is unusual, it does provide outstanding feedback to the golfer.

The feedback through the hands is much more muted due to the high MOI shape.  No matter where the ball met the face, the feel is a middle of the road blend of fast and solid.  I had to spend some time with the HiBore XL before I had a good feel for my impact location.

Performance

According to Cleveland, the shape of this driver was created by artificial intelligence.  They asked for a large face with low and deep weighting, and this is what they got.  The face of this club is 19% larger which Cleveland states will lead to up to 24% fewer partially missed shots.  They also claim that the HiBore XL is 17 yards longer on extreme off center strikes compared to Launcher XL 2 [review HERE].  While we’d all like to think we’re not “partially missing” shots with our driver, getting an extra 17 yards from our worst misses sounds pretty good.

Based on my testing, the Cleveland HiBore XL driver delivers when it comes to forgiveness.  What stood out most was the stability.  I never felt like the face was twisting wildly on off-center strikes, and this was borne out in the dispersion.  If I got the face reasonably close to square, the ball ended up in the fairway.

Looking at launch and spin, I would agree with Cleveland’s rating of this driver at mid-high launch with mid spin.  On my best swings, the HiBore XL driver put the ball on a soaring trajectory and still got solid run out.  What was interesting during my launch monitor testing was how much the launch and spin jumped around to produce consistent yardage.  I could see a numbers geek shaking their head but a player on the course loving the fact that the ball kept ending up in the same spot.

That depression on the heel side of the crown is not just for looks, it’s Cleveland’s ActivWing Technology.  This is designed to help the Cleveland HiBore XL driver to achieve “more consistent clubhead delivery.”  Obviously I could not test this particular element independently, but the club does deliver strong consistency overall.

Finally, the Cleveland HiBore XL driver has two modes of adjustability.  There’s a hosel adjustment that spans three degrees of loft and a weight port at the back.  The stock weight is 12 grams, but other weights are available for purchase separately.  Additionally, Cleveland has a HiBore XL Lite which uses lighter components and offers a draw bias for players that need higher launch and anti-slice performance.

Conclusion

For the player who likes looking down at a big club face knowing they have loads of forgiveness behind them, the Cleveland HiBore XL driver is tough to beat.  Though it’s unusually shaped, this driver produces the kind of consistent results that will make you feel more confident on the tee.

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Cleveland HiBore XL Driver Price & Specs

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The Titleist GT4 driver is built to help high spin players get more distance off the tee.  Very low spin,  mid launch.  Lots of adjustability.  Smaller head – 430 cc.  Tremendous ball speed.

Introduction

For the highly skilled Titleist fans, the number 4 is special.  In the last several driver families, 4 denotes the lowest spinning, smaller model, the one reserved for the best ball strikers.  While that’s not a category I fall into – especially off the tee – I put the new Titleist GT4 driver through its paces to find out who it is for and if those of us with more pedestrian driving abilities can consider bagging it.

Looks

While I’m completely enthralled with the look of the GT3, it’s hard not to turn your head at the Titleist GT4 driver.  At 430 cc, it’s simultaneously attractive and intimidating.  It has a slight pear shape, leaning toward the toe, as you would expect from a players driver.

In the bag, the GT4 looks a lot like its brothers.  The sole is predominantly black with the “GT4” branding sitting on a slash of silver.  “Titleist” and the loft indication are pushed to the extreme toe and heel.  The one unique feature of the GT4 is the weight port next to “GT4”, but it’s very subtle – the antithesis of “Look at me!” tech.

Above you can see the Titleist GT4 driver (left) side-by-side with the GT3.  To my eye, the GT4 looks very similar to the GT3, just smaller in every way.  Though the GT4 gives the impression of being much smaller, the difference in face width and front-to-back depth is only about 1/8″.

Sound & Feel

Like its brothers, the Titleist GT4 driver has a quiet, understated impact sound.  On center, there’s a satisfying “crack,” but the volume is turned way down.  It’s very impressive that Titleist was able to maintain this more traditional sound despite the use of a multi-material head.

The sound of impact marries perfectly with the solid feel.  This is as close as you can get to the feel of a persimmon driver in modern clubs.  Though the GT4 has a thin, high tech titanium face, it feels more like you’re hitting the ball with a sledgehammer.

Predictably, the feedback from the Titleist GT4 driver eclipses even the GT3.  Your hands will immediately know where the ball met the face.  I never found the feel to be unpleasant, but there’s definitely less reward on mishits than on pure strikes.

Performance

The Titleist GT4 driver’s main reason for being is low spin.  If you’re a player who generates over 3,000 RPM of spin on your driver, the GT4 has the potential to unlock substantial distance gains.  Drew was fit into the the GT4, and it’s easily the longest driver I’ve ever seen him hit.

The other half of the GT4’s distance equation is its incredible speed.  This is one of the most aerodynamic heads in golf, which helps players to generate more club speed and ball speed.  The new aerodynamics were unlocked by the multi-material construction [learn more about this direct from Titleist on the podcast HERE] which is the major upgrade over last generation’s TSR4 [review HERE].

In golf equipment, as in life, there are tradeoffs.  To get that ultra low spin, some forgiveness is sacrificed.  While not as taxing as you might think, the Titleist GT4 driver is definitively the most demanding of the GT drivers.  The Speed Ring face keeps the ball speed fairly high on mishits, but if you’re routinely missing the center of the face by large margins, it would be best to opt for the GT2 driver [review HERE].

As in the last generation, each GT driver has its own package of adjustments.  All three drivers have Titleist’s SureFit hosel with 16 positions for changing loft and lie.  To this, the Titleist GT4 driver adds “Dual Spin-Control Settings.”  This translates to two weight ports – one near the face, one at the trailing edge – where you can swap a heavier and lighter weight.  With the heavier weight forward, you get the lowest spin possible.  Pushing the heavier weight back adds more forgiveness (my numbers above were achieved with this setting).  Per Titleist, with the weight back, the GT4 has forgiveness somewhere between the GT2 and  GT3 driver [review HERE].

For me, the GT4 is a blast to hit, but it’s not my ideal fit.  When you hit it pure, the ball comes out on a penetrating trajectory and runs for days.  The smaller head feels controlled and nimble during the swing, begging you to draw or fade it around doglegs.  However, I don’t think I’ve ever had a driver spin 3000 RPM, and I do need more forgiveness, so the GT3 will be staying in my bag [full WITB HERE].

Conclusion

For players that are willing to give up a little forgiveness to drop spin and optimize their numbers, the Titleist GT4 driver is one of the best you can buy.  Better players will be surprised at how forgiving this smaller head is, particularly with the heavier weight back, and all players will appreciate the speed unlocked by this aerodynamic head.  Make sure to visit a Titleist fitter to get the right GT driver in your bag.

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Titleist GT4 Driver Price & Specs

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The Sub 70 859 Pro driver utilizes a unique approach to MOI to deliver loads of forgiveness in a low spin players driver.  Clean looks.  Quiet, traditional impact sound.  Great feel.

Introduction

Based in Sycamore, Illinois, Sub 70 has become a favorite of those in the know because they offer high quality clubs at low, direct to consumer prices.  Their recent 849 Pro driver [review HERE] was a favorite of Drew and many other players who need lower spin.

The new Sub 70 859 Pro driver may take the company from industry darling to mainstream success.  Based on a genuinely unique theory of how to make a driver more forgiving, its performance will turn heads while its price puts a smile on golfers’ faces.

Looks

Sub 70 remains dedicated to their all-black aesthetic, which gives the 859 Pro a stealthy, understated look.  The crown is matte black at the leading edge and fades into a dark carbon fiber.  There are no alignment aids or graphics of any kind on the crown.  At 450cc, the Sub 70 859 Pro driver isn’t frighteningly small, but the smaller volume and traditional, symmetrical shape combine to give it a strong appeal to the skilled player.

There are several points of interest on the blacked out sole.  On the heel, there’s a patch of carbon fiber which is not mirrored on the toe side – a deviation from the norm that hints at its target audience.  Additionally, there’s a channel near the leading edge and two removable weights at at the trailing edge.  Overall, it’s a very sharp design that subtly suggests high end performance.

Sound & Feel

I was hitting the Sub 70 859 Pro driver side-by-side with my Titleist GT3 [review HERE], which I consider a very quiet, traditional-sounding driver.  Switching between the two, there was no significant difference in volume – the Sub 70 reinforced its players appeal with a quiet impact sound.  The tone is metallic and mid-high in pitch, but it’s not shrill and doesn’t ring out.  Overall, it’s a very satisfying sound.

The sound is good, but the feel on center is great.  My first strike was slightly high on the face.  My second swing was perfect, and the feel made my eyes pop.  It’s solid but springy in the very best way.  The ball feels absolutely launched without the face feeling weak and thin behind the ball.  Additionally, there’s outstanding feedback on strike location through the hands.

Performance

The Sub 70 859 Pro driver carries some of the most intriguing copy I’ve read in a long time.  I’m paraphrasing liberally, but it essentially says that everyone else is measuring MOI in a way that, if not wrong, is certainly suboptimal.  They claim that their ART-Aligned Face Design delivers, “exceptional ball speed, accuracy, and control across the entire face, offering consistent performance regardless of impact location”.  If you want the deep dive on the science, check out my podcast with Sub 70 HERE.  I’m going to jump into whether or not it works.  

When I started hitting the 859 Pro, what stood out most was the trajectory.  This driver was living up to its players looks with a low, piercing ball flight.  My launch monitor confirmed what my eyes saw: lots of shots around or even below 2,000 RPM, launching around 10 degrees.  This isn’t optimal for my speed, but there is a visceral satisfaction to those boring drives which the high flyers don’t seem to match.  As I got more in tune with the Sub 70 859 Pro driver, I got my numbers up to the ones you see above.  The ball flight was still quite strong, but I picked up substantial carry distance.

While I was paying more attention to the numbers and feel in my initial series of shots, the dispersion started to creep into my consciousness.  Specifically, the launch direction.  Usually, I’m good for a couple balls fouled right or yanked left, but I wasn’t seeing that.  I also wasn’t seeing any shots with wild curvature.  Almost every ball started on the target line and fell softly to the left or right.  For me, this gave strong support to Sub 70’s claims about the performance of ART-Aligned Face Design.  I would not have expected a sub-460cc players driver to deliver this tight dispersion.

On other measures of forgiveness – ball speed, launch and spin robustness, and distance consistency – the Sub 70 859 Pro driver continued to outperform expectations.  Ball speed didn’t drop off terribly except on the worst misses.  Launch was very consistent.  The spin could move a few hundred RPM depending on strike location, but it never got so high that it created a weak ball flight.  Overall, the tight dispersion and predictable distance make this a players driver by looks but a mid-handicapper’s driver by forgiveness.  

Finally, the Sub 70 859 Pro driver offers players a lot of adjustability.  There are two weight ports at the rear of the head, and the driver comes stock with weights of 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 12, 14, and 16 grams.  I want to emphasize that: the driver comes with all the weights; they’re not an additional purchase.  Standing ovation to Sub 70 for that.  Additionally, the hosel has twelve settings which can take the face from as much as five degrees open to three degrees closed and add or subtract two degrees of loft.

In my testing, I found that using the more extreme weight settings made a moderate change in my ball flight.  Smaller weight changes, naturally, made smaller ball flight changes.  I think that the best function of the weights is dialing in swing weight, but they do have value in tuning your best strikes.  I found that with extra weight toward the toe, my best swings produced gorgeous shots that fell gently to the right.  For more dramatic ball flight changes, use the hosel.

Conclusion

Some are fond of saying, “It’s not the arrow, it’s the archer,” but what if the theory behind your arrows is all wrong?  If you’re searching for a driver that will help you get off the tee more consistently, the Sub 70 859 Pro driver and it’s unique approach are worth a try.

Visit Sub 70 HERE

Sub 70 859 Pro Driver Price & Specs

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