Driver – Golfing Networks

Viktor Hovland brought 1 driver to Canada. It wasn’t his gamer

admin — Fri, 12 Jun 2026 20:37:42 +0000

Welcome to Fully Equipped’s weekly Tour equipment report. Every Friday of PGA Tour weeks (plus other times, if news warrants), GOLF equipment editor Jack Hirsh runs you through some of the biggest news surrounding golf clubs on Tour, including changes, tweaks and launches.

Viktor Hovland showed up to this week’s RBC Canadian Open with one driver. Normally, that wouldn’t be much of a story, but the driver Hovland brought wasn’t the same one he used in his last start at the PGA Championship or for the last six years.

“That’s one way to switch,” Ping Tour Rep Kenton Oates told GOLF. “Leave your security blanket in Oklahoma and call it a day.”

Oates was not on site at TPC Toronto this week. The Canadian Open is typically a quiet week in gear on the PGA Tour, as the Tour trucks that typically service players don’t make the trip north of the border for logistical reasons. That also means companies send a much more limited Tour staff.

This week, Ping sent Spencer Rothluebber, who texted Oates earlier this week to tell him that Hovland did not even bring his longtime Ping G425 LST gamer to Canada.

The only driver he had was a Ping G440 LST, a driver Hovland has been working toward getting in the bag for much of the past two seasons.

Hovland has worked with Ping’s team every few months recently in testing the G440 LST and newer G440 K drivers. He even has gamed both the new models at different points, with the LST seeing the bag at last year’s Masters and the K going in play at this year’s WM Phoenix Open. But he keeps reverting back to his safety net of the G425 that he’s captured all but one of his seven PGA Tour victories with.

PING G440 LST Custom Driver

The G440 driver family (MAX, LST, SFT) is optimized to deliver more ball speed through multiple advancements, including PING’s deepest CG in a driver to date and a shallower, thinner face, while continuing to ensure the game-changing forgiveness expected from a PING driver. The G440 LST (Low Spin) design appeals to players with faster swing speeds, providing lower spin and more control in 9° and 10.5° lofts with the three-position back weight.
HIGHLY FORGIVING
Lighter head weight allows for heavier back weight.
FASTER FACE
Shallow, thinner, face increases ball speed for more distance, higher launch.
SOUND DESIGN
New shaping, carbon crown and internal ribs produce muted impact experience.
FREE-HOSEL DESIGN
Saves weight to lower CG, increase forgiveness. Allows for more heel-side face flexing for consistent ball speed across face.

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ALSO AVAILABLE AT: PGA TOUR Superstore

Oates said the 440s outperform the 425 in every category in testing. The hold-up was peak height.

“I tried out the new 440 last year because it is faster,” Hovland said earlier this year in Phoenix. “The spin consistency off the face is a joke. If I hit it off the heel or the toe with a 425, the spin discrepancy is very large. Like if I hit it off the toe, I can spin it under 2000. If I hit it off the heel, I can maybe get up to 3000. Versus the 440, it’s very tight. It goes from maybe 2000 to 2600, so a huge gap.

“However, the problem is it launches a little bit higher for me. And for some reason, just with the setup that I’ve tested with, it tends to go a bit more to the right. Right now with my golf swing, when I get stuck, my miss is already a high right miss. If I hit this driver, it’s just getting exenuated.”

When Hovland last tested at the Truist Championship and PGA Championship, Oates initially thought the 440 K would have the edge, but as they went on, the LST had a clear advantage in start line, just a touch more right than the K.

Viktor Hovland is in a Ping G440 LST this week for the first time since playing the model at the 2025 Masters.

Hovland has been testing 440 LST and 440K every few months in hopes of finding the replacement for his longtime G425 LST gamer.

This week in Canada, Hovland surprised… pic.twitter.com/SMWoeL8qGw

— Jack Hirsh (@JR_HIRSHey) June 12, 2026

Hovland finally became comfortable at home in his three weeks off between the PGA and this week. A big factor was a shift to the Fujikura Ventus TR Black+ 6-X shaft, which has a stiffer mid-section, more like the Speeder 757 shaft he plays in his 425.

“As he tightened his swing up a little bit, to me it felt like it was just coming out of the proper start line every time,” Oates said. “TR Black Plus was a home run on paper right away because it should have dropped his spin, and it should give him a better feel.”

With the new build, Oates said Hovland could finally take advantage of the 3-4 mph of extra ball speed he got from the 440 head.

Specs
Ping G440 LST 9.0
Actual loft: 7.4
Ping Trajectory 2.0 setting: Flat Dot
Shaft: Fujikura Ventus TR Black w/ Velocore+ 6-X
Tipping: 1″
Length: 45.75″ EOG
Swingweight: D5+
Grip: Golf Pride MCC Black/Blue 60R (+1 wrap)

Check this out

This section is dedicated to cool photos we’ve snapped recently on Tour, but haven’t had a reason to share yet. This week, check out 2024 Canadian Open winner Robert MacIntyre’s highly customized Scotty Cameron Phantom 9.5R putter.

Robert MacIntyre’s Phantom 9.5R has a couple of unique modifications.

Jack Hirsh/GOLF

Odds and Ends

Some other gear changes and notes we’re tracking this week.

Alex Noren returned to the Quantum Max D after a brief stint back in the Paradym Ai-Smoke Max D … Nick Taylor and Taylor Moore joined Hovland in moving to the 440 LST … Wyndham Clark went back to his Ping G440 Max 3-wood and went from 10.5˚ to 9.0˚ loft on his Qi4D driver … Hovland also added a new TaylorMade Qi4D 3-wood … Harry Hall, after using Callaway Rouge ST for his past two starts, is back in a GTS3 driver … Tom Kim re-added his Titleist 20˚ GT1 hybrid alongside his GTS3 5-wood, opting for a three-wedge setup … Kensei Hirata added the new TaylorMade Spider Tour V Torched … Michael Thorbjornsen added a TaylorMade Qi4D 5-wood.

3 things you should read/watch

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The sneaky benefits of a 15-degree mini driver, explained

admin — Mon, 08 Jun 2026 20:13:59 +0000

Earlier this year, TaylorMade quietly added a new loft option to its R7 Quad Mini Driver: 15.5 degrees.

That was significant because modern mini drivers had settled into both 11.5˚ and 13.5˚ options, with 13˚-13.5˚ being the most common for golfers to find a suitable club to replace their 3-wood and give themselves a true secondary option off the tee.

And if the modern 3-wood sits between 14˚ and 16.5˚, what is the purpose of a 15.5˚ mini driver? On this week’s episode of GOLF’s Fully Equipped, co-hosts Johnny Wunder and Jake Morrow discussed this topic.

In the episode, as Morrow and Wunder explained recent changes they’ve made to their bags in the last few months, Morrow noted he’s playing a TaylorMade R7 Quad 15.5˚ Mini driver.

“I don’t understand it,” Wunder said. “I don’t know what universe that has benefits for anybody.”

But Morrow explained that the 15.5˚ loft solves a simple problem.

TaylorMade R7 Quad Custom Mini Driver

PERFORMANCE FOR THE MODERN PLAYER
Inspired by one of the most iconic models in TaylorMade history, the R7 Quad Mini Driver pays homage to what’s come before, while creating its own modern identity in the same breath. It’s that very modern design that incorporates proven TaylorMade technologies to give golfers versatility and playability.
R7 QUAD WEIGHTING SYSTEM
The new quad weighting system features four movable weights (13g x2, 4g x2) that provide the ultimate in spin management and shot shape control. Forward CG creates a penetrating flight best suited for maximizing distance whereas rear CG helps prioritize control and ease of use from the deck. Shot shape can also be fine-tuned helping create the most optimal flight. Additional weights can be purchased for a wider range of adjustability.
INFINITY CARBON CROWN
A new satin Infinity Carbon Crown has been added to the R7 Quad Mini Driver chassis creating a stunning look while saving weight for better mass optimization. The cosmetic package is clean, elegant, and confidence-inspiring.

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ALSO AVAILABLE AT: PGA TOUR Superstore, TaylorMade

Many players agree that the R7 Quad sits slightly shut at address, and many players loft down the club to help solve for that. But then you’re playing with less loft than you want simply for optics’ sake.

With a 15.5˚ mini, you can loft the club all the way down on TaylorMade’s 2˚ FCT adapter and play the club at a 13.5˚ loft with a square or even open face angle.

“It’s literally built so you can put the adapter in the lower position and have a square face,” Morrow said. “It’s a square-faced, 13-and-a-half-degree mini driver. That’s what it really is.”

This setup works well for Morrow because if he’s going to play his mini driver, he doesn’t want it to go more than 260 yards. While you might want to set up a driver to go as far as possible, the mini driver is more of a position club. That’s also why Morrow’s mini driver is just over 42 inches long.

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TaylorMade’s move to two-year driver cycles makes sense now

admin — Sat, 06 Jun 2026 04:30:24 +0000

TaylorMade won’t release new drivers in 2027, signaling a major shift in how golf equipment companies approach innovation and consumers.

The annual driver launch used to feel like a law of golf equipment physics.

Every January, the cycle repeated itself. New faces. New crowns. New carbon patterns. More speed. More forgiveness. More distance. And for nearly a quarter century, few companies leaned into that rhythm more aggressively than TaylorMade Golf.

Now, that cycle is changing.

TaylorMade has announced it plans to move its driver lineup to a two-year product cadence, meaning the Qi4D family introduced in 2026 will remain the company’s flagship driver line through 2027, with the next major driver launch anticipated in 2028.

In some ways, the decision feels overdue.

Driver technology is still advancing, but the giant leaps that once defined the category have become increasingly rare. Fifteen or 20 years ago, manufacturers could introduce genuinely transformative changes in short bursts. Adjustable hosels, movable weights, multi-material construction and carbon-fiber crowns dramatically altered what drivers could do and how fitters could tune them. Those changes created obvious performance stories that golfers could see immediately.

Today, that environment no longer exists.

Modern drivers are already operating extremely close to the limits established by the USGA and R&A. Ball speeds are tightly regulated. The moment of inertia (MOI) ceilings are getting hit. Aerodynamics can still improve, but usually in smaller increments. The challenge today is not discovering massive gains, but finding tiny advantages in launch, spin consistency, stability and acoustics without sacrificing something else in the process.

For golfers, those facts, along with high prices, have changed the buying equation.

A decade ago, many players replaced drivers every two or three years because noticeable gains often justified the expense. Now, if a golfer already owns a properly fit driver from one or two generations ago, convincing him or her to spend $650 or more for a few hundred RPM of spin optimization or slightly improved forgiveness becomes far more difficult.

That reality has golfers holding onto drivers longer, especially when those clubs continue to perform at a high level. A two-year cycle acknowledges what many players are already doing naturally instead of pretending every January introduces a must-have breakthrough.

The move could also benefit fitters and retailers.

Modern driver fitting has become remarkably sophisticated. Loft, face angle, shaft profiles, swing weight, CG positioning and adjustable weighting systems all interact differently depending on the golfer. It often takes months for fitters to fully understand the nuances of an entire driver family, especially when several major manufacturer releases release drivers at the same time.

Giving the Qi4D lineup two full seasons in the marketplace allows fitters to become more confident and more precise with recommendations. It also gives golfers more time to learn the product, see it in fittings, watch Tour adoption patterns develop and gain confidence before making a purchase.

And from a business perspective, the strategy likely reduces pressure internally as well.

Launching a new driver every year requires enormous research, development, marketing and manufacturing resources. Extending the product cycle creates more time for meaningful innovation instead of forcing engineers and designers to chase marginal gains simply because the calendar demands it.

That doesn’t mean innovation stops. It may actually mean the opposite.

If TaylorMade uses the extra time to produce larger, more meaningful improvements instead of annual cosmetic refreshes and incremental tweaks, golfers could ultimately benefit from fewer launches that matter more when they arrive.

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An Honest Review of The Callaway Rogue ST Driver

admin — Wed, 03 Jun 2026 02:31:47 +0000

This Callaway Rogue St driver review seeks to analyze the qualities of the Max design.

Out of the three options in the Callaway Rogue drivers series, the Max is built for the average golfer demanding accuracy, distance, and forgiveness.

The other two golf clubs suit fast swinging low-handicap players and inconsistent high handicappers. The Rogue ST Max LS is a low spin option and accelerates ball speed for maximum distance. Conversely, the Callaway Rogue ST Max D provides a draw bias that combats sidespin for straighter drives.

As the latest Callaway Driver, the Max range is a premium product. You can expect to fork out a pretty penny. However, if you are on a budget, you should review our top 10 drivers under $200.

For readers looking for a quick summary, here are the highlights/lowlights:

Product Overview

Callaway Golf Rogue ST Max Driver

Highlights:

The consistency of ball speed on shots out the middle and off-center.
The Jailbreak Speed Frame keeps your clubface square at impact to impart extreme ball velocity while restricting backspin.
The Tungsten Speed Cartridge and slight draw bias encourage straight ball flight for added accuracy.

Lowlights:

The biggest turn-off of the Rogue ST is its premium price.
The Tungsten Speed Cartridge sticks out from the back of the crown at address, which can be off-putting.

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Overall Rating and Thoughts

This review highlights an impressive creation that helps you maximize your distance without relinquishing forgiveness. The Tungsten Speed Cartridge escalates the driver’s MOI and accelerates ball speed on mishits. Together they produce consistent distance and accurate flight for an improved fairway in regulation record.

Furthermore, the presence of a Jailbreak Speed Frame increases the zone on your clubface that accelerates ball speed. Plus, it restricts backspin rpm encouraging additional yards off the tee.

The lower CG positioning is set up to help you launch your drives higher and longer. Finally, an adjustable hosel allows you to set up for your preferred ball flight. Given its qualities, it makes an ideal driver for mid-handicappers.

I am suitably impressed with the performance features of the Callaway Rogue ST driver and applaud their engineers. However, the excessively high price point rules it out for the average golfer, especially with a looming recession. Therefore, I suggest an older, affordable version such as the Epic Speed or Max.

If money is not an issue, then I won’t stand in your way. You can take a closer look at the Callaway Rogue ST driver here.

Quick Overview of The Callaway Rogue ST Driver

Tungsten Speed Cartridge

Engineers at Callaway employed a Tungsten Speed Cartridge which places 26 grams of tungsten weight in the driver’s head.

The cartridge increases the stability of the Callaway Rogue ST drivers to ensure the highest MOI head. MOI stands for moment of inertia, which represents the ability of a clubface to resist twisting during your swing. As a result, it encourages a square face to prompt a straight tee shot.

Furthermore, this stable driver works to maintain ball speed on off-center strikes. This provides exceptional forgiveness levels to the average golfer to keep you long and straight on the golf course.

Jailbreak Speed Frame

Jailbreak Speed Frame technology enhances the stability of your Callaway Driver, horizontally and torsionally. The aim of this structure is to quicken ball speed on all strikes. Therefore, the club maintains velocity on heel and toe mishits and contact low off the clubface.

In addition, this construction helps you reduce spin to boost distance results. Ultimately, Tungsten Speed Cartridge and a Jailbreak Speed Frame provide the best combination of distance, low spin, and forgiveness.

Titanium Unibody Construction

Callaway relied on a Titanium Unibody Construction to bolster stability and lower center of gravity (CG). These two features collaborate to produce explosive ball speed, a high MOI, and ball flight.

The deep and low CG helps golfers with average swing speed to consistently launch their golf ball into the air, leading to maximum carry distance. In addition, the high MOI profile resists twisting to remain square at contact. This leads to consistently straight shots for optimal accuracy.

Triaxial Carbon Crown And Sole

The engineers used a Triaxial Carbon Crown to reduce the total mass of the new Rogue ST drivers. This weight is then repositioned deep into the driver’s head, which enabled the team to lower the CG.

The low positioning of the CG encourages a high launch off the tee to ensure consistent carry and total distance.

Slight Draw Bias

The stock setup of the Rogue ST driver positions the head in a slight draw bias. This helps right-handed golfers combat left to right side spin on off-center strikes, leading to slices and a poor fairway in regulation record.

Although this helps serial slicers hit straighter shots, it can be detrimental to some golfers. The draw bias construction could worsen your results if you tend to hook your shots.

Adjustable Hosel

Despite the slight draw bias profile of the Rogue ST Max driver, it contains an adjustable hosel enabling you to alter the setup. The hosel lets you change the loft and lie of the clubface to achieve your desired launch and shot shape.

Weakening the loft of this driver encourages increased spin for a higher launching shot. However, keep in mind that an open clubface can cause you to generate right-to-left sidespin, prompting a fade.

Conversely, strengthening the loft of your golf club closes the face angle and encourages a low to neutral ball flight. Furthermore, the closed clubface of this driver sets you up to produce a draw.

Lofts

Callaway offers the Rogue ST Max driver in 3 stock loft options. The strongest lofted construction is 9 degrees, while 10.5-degrees works for the average golfer.

Lastly, a 12-degree loft design is the weakest option for slow-swinging golfers.

Faster swingers should consider the strong lofted 9-degree driver, which you can strengthen or weaken. You can reduce the loft on this driver to 8 degrees for a lower launch and 11 degrees for a higher flight.

In addition, the 10.5-degree driver can adjust to 9.5 and 12.5-degrees. Finally, the weaker 12-degree club strengthens up to 11 degrees and weakens to as much as 14 degrees.

Shafts

The Rogue ST Max driver offers 4 stock shaft options to promote an optimal launch for consistent distance and accuracy. Mitsubishi dominates the shaft offering with three different ranges.

Fast and medium driver swing speeds should produce their desired ball flight with the Tensei AV Blue 55 and 65 graphite shafts. Both these options are crafted in regular and stiff flex. Regular flex works for average swing speeds, while stiff flex performs for faster swingers.

Moreover, the Tensei AV White 65 graphite shaft is set up for fast and super faster swing speeds. These shafts are offered in stiff and extra stiff flex.

The final option is the Fujikura Ventus Blue 5 and 6 shaft, which works for fast and moderate swing speeds. These shafts are constructed in regular, stiff, and extra stiff flex. Therefore, they are built for moderate, fast, and super fast clubhead speeds.

Ultimately, the stock shafts for the Rogue ST Max driver are ideal for mid, fast, and super fast golf swings. They are not designed to perform for slower swingers.

What I Like About The Callaway Rogue ST Max

Consistent Ball Speed

The stand-out feature for me was the consistency of my ball speed on shots out the middle and off-center. My average ball speed hovers around 142 mph, which is my benchmark for all driver tests.

The Callaway Rogue ST Max performed optimally in this area during the test. The lowest ball velocity that I generated was 140.3 mph, slightly off-center to the right. Otherwise, the remaining swings yielded maximum speed for my game.

Thanks to the consistent ball speed, I generated optimal distance, which is why I appreciate this asset.

Low Spin

When low spin and explosive ball speed partner, they work to produce maximum yardage in your long game. The Jailbreak Speed Frame in this driver bolsters the stability of the clubhead and face at impact. This keeps your clubface square at impact to impart extreme ball velocity while restricting backspin.

My typical backspin rpm on drives ranges from 2200 to 2300, and the Rogue ST Max delivered the goods. My average was 2275 rpm during the tests, putting me exactly where I needed to be.

Straight Flight

The Tungsten Speed Cartridge and slight draw bias encourage straight ball flight for added accuracy. The former enhances MOI to reduce twisting and promote a square clubface at impact.

In addition, the slight draw bias combats side spin, which induces slices to keep you on the fairway.

What I Dislike About The Callaway Rogue ST

Price

The biggest turn-off of the Rogue ST is its premium price. It carries a recommended retail price of $549.99, which is excessive for the average golfer. However, there is no disrespect to Callaway because their engineers have created a gem of a product.

Appearance

The Tungsten Speed Cartridge sticks out from the back of the crown at address, which is off-putting. When I looked at it the first time, I was reminded of the horrors bestowed upon my eyes by the Nike Sasquatch. Other than this issue, the rest of the club is clean and appealing.

The Wrench Is Not Included

You generally need to acquire the wrench to adjust the hosel separately. This is annoying and adds to the cost of an already expensive item. When you are forking out a premium for a golf club, the least you could expect is to receive a complementary wrench.

Matt Stevens

Matt Callcott-Stevens started playing golf at the age of 4 when Rory Sabattini’s father put a 7-iron and putter in his hand. He has experienced all the highs and lows the game can throw at you and has now settled down as a professional golf writer. He holds a Postgraduate in Sports Marketing and has played golf for 28 years. Current Handicap: 8

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Golfweek Q&A: Why TaylorMade is slowing its driver release schedule

admin — Fri, 29 May 2026 13:46:25 +0000

Learn why TaylorMade believes longer product cycles could benefit golfers, fitters and future innovation.

Last Friday, TaylorMade Golf confirmed that it is moving its metalwood lineup (drivers, fairway woods and hybrids) to a two-year product cycle. That means the Qi4D family introduced in 2026 will remain the company’s flagship metalwood line through 2027, with the next major driver launch expected in 2028.

Golfweek spoke with Brian Bazzel, a vice president at TaylorMade who is in charge of product creation, as well as research and development, about why the company made the decision, what it means for golfers and fitters, and how modern driver production is changing.

Golfweek: TaylorMade, for a long time, has been one of the companies that leads the metalwood category. The cadence has been that every year new drivers come out. What changed internally that made you decide the time is right to now move to a two-year product cycle?

Bazzel: I don’t know if it was so much an internal change as it was sort of studying what was going on in the market. Certainly, there’s things happening inside the building related to the advancements of innovation, and the impact or the complexity of those innovations to deliver more performance. We’re definitely studying and understanding what it takes these days to stay on top of things. And the reality is, it just is more complicated to show significant gains. So, between what consumers are doing externally and what it would take internally to do the things that we think are meaningful, it kind of added up to this decision.

Golfweek: How much did the fact that you’re getting close to the limits on things like moment of inertia (MOI), ball speed and overall performance factor based on the USGA and R&A rules, go into this decision?

Bazzel: We still believe there’s meat on the bone. We do believe there are advancements. And if you think about it, in a perfect state, I know they won’t allow it for it, but if you can get maximum COR [coefficient of restitution, a measure of a club face’s springiness] across the entire face every time for the player and add all the corrective nature to that driver so that even your worst swings would result in something better. I mean, that’s still what we’re going after. And there’s still ways to do that. But the reality is we are pushing up against a lot of the rules. But, I’d also say that the creativity and sort of innovative spirit that we have here still leaves us with a lot of opportunity.

Golfweek: Do you think golfers have become skeptical about year-over-year gains in drivers?

Bazzel: I think humans are naturally skeptical. To some degree, it’s a good quality of people to question things. And I would say in this world, and certainly with our company in the golf space, when we make these advancements, even if they’re small things, we like to ‘story tell’ them. We like to speak loudly about them and be proud of them. And sometimes I think people either don’t see it the same way or are expecting something more. Or (they) think maybe what we’re talking about is not as consequential as it would be to them as it is to us. It is the nature of the business and that’s okay.

Golfweek: How much does price factor into this? Drivers have become significantly more expensive over the last several years.

Bazzel: Well, I think every company is dealing with the same thing. It’s quite challenging to push performance without any cost. I mean, if you want to stay ahead, these products are complicated. The manufacturing, the materials, and so on. And so, I think more than anything, what we’re looking at is the understanding that golfers are forking over real money for these products, a meaningful amount of money. And we want to ensure that they’re getting every bit, if not more, than they even expected out of that product. And I don’t think it’s going away. I don’t think an extended life cycle gives us huge opportunities to be more efficient or more cost-effective. But planning our business, I think, will become a little bit more stabilized. And if it does turn out to stabilize pricing in the future, that would be great. But I don’t think that’s the spirit of the decision at this point. It’s just, again, I would say if there’s any connection, it’s the value of what people are spending versus what they’re getting.

Golfweek: How does a two-year cycle change the way TaylorMade approaches product development internally?

Bazzel: “Well, it’s still a little bit new, but as we look to the future, we’re so used to having these ideas just constantly flowing and then chipping away at those ideas. As you get further out, the funnel gets a little wider. For us, now, I would say it’s changing right now internally and it’s exciting. It’s energizing to the teams because I think we feel like we can dive even deeper on these products than we maybe have been able to in the past.

Golfweek: You’ve mentioned that keeping Qi4D in the market for two years could benefit fitters and consumers. How?

Bazzel: “Yeah, I think, honestly, it’s an exciting time for our fitters to be able to recognize the fact that they’re going to be able to use this tool, this sort of weapon, and that they can ensure that the golfers that for they’re fitting, it’s optimized for them. And it takes time, learning the product. And they don’t just learn TaylorMade products. They have to learn across the whole breadth of our competitors as well. But, understanding the nuances and how it applies to all these unique swings out there, I think this is an area where we’re really interested in and we want to be very supportive to our fitters

We have a fitting council, and they’ve asked for some things like this. And again, I think they’re just as excited as we are to be able to, in this case with Qi4D, kind of continue down the path. And they know they’re going to be able to feel more confident, I think, in what they’re doing on a daily basis. That leads to golfers being more enthused with their product, which is what we’re all trying to do.

Golfweek: Were you surprised by how much attention this decision received in the equipment world when the news broke last week?

Bazzel: I don’t know if I’ve read all the reactions, to be honest. I think we believe we’re doing this for all the right reasons. And honestly, and transparently, we’re constantly looking at the portfolio of our products in Qi4D and beyond. Are we addressing all the golfers out there in the way that’s most beneficial? And if we find opportunities that we’re not currently addressing, we’re going to introduce things that make sense

At the end of the day, I think most golfers have leaned in and said this is the right move. They’re listening, they understand, and can kind of see the bigger picture on this one. So far, even our partners, our retailers, have embraced this idea as we’ve been talking to them over the last couple of months. They’re in the business of selling more products as well, but they think this can lead to, again, a better business in the future.

Golfweek: You mentioned that fitting technology continues to evolve rapidly. How important is that to the future of metalwoods?

Bazzel: I think the fitting tools that are coming at us, the data acquisition, is enabling us to learn more. Even if you did get fit a year ago or two years ago, I think the advancement in fitting, and being able to apply these products in a way that golfers and understanding golfers at a deeper level, is going to lead to even better products in the future. Let’s just say you had an incremental change in a product, but you had a massive improvement in the fitting technologies and understanding the golfer so that you can get an even better fit. That’s part of this as well.

I think that’s changing rapidly in terms of understanding the golfer’s swing, 3D motion, certainly launch monitors and so on and so forth. And then, just the understanding of the golfer’s psyche within that. I mean, there’s so much opportunity that we think beyond just the physical part itself, but the applying of the part to the golfer, this is ripe for innovation.

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Cobra Golf® and Volition America Release Driver Honoring American Military Heroes

admin — Tue, 26 May 2026 12:27:49 +0000

Bringing Together Power and Purpose to Support Folds of Honor Foundation

Images: Volition LE Drive

Carlsbad, Calif. – COBRA Golf, a leader in golf club innovation, today introduced the limited-edition OPTM X VOLITION AMERICA driver. Featuring an army green colorway and military-inspired design, a portion of proceeds from the OPTM X Volition America driver will go directly to Folds of Honor Foundation, which supports the families of fallen American military heroes by providing educational scholarships to their families.

“We’re honored to stand alongside Volition America and Folds of Honor Foundation in supporting our nation’s heroes,” said Russ Kahn, president of Cobra Puma Golf. “This partnership allows us to champion their mission and encourage others to join us in uplifting the families of those who serve.”

The Volition America driver features the OPTM X model’s impressive technologies, including POI (Product of Inertia) Shaping, Adaptive POI Weighting, H.O.T. Face and FUTUREFIT33. The groundbreaking new low POI design of the OPTM X driver, which is delivered via both improved shaping and adaptive weighting, works with Cobra’s other metalwood technologies to reduce shot dispersion by up to 23 percent. Unlike MOI (moment of inertia), which is a measure of how resistant a clubhead is to twist on off-center hits on the vertical and horizonal axes, POI measures how a clubhead rotates diagonally across all axes at once. For that reason, a high MOI is desired to correct off-center hits while a low POI is desired to deliver more accurate shots that don’t create as much gear effect. The result is tighter dispersion down range.

The new limited-edition COBRA OPTM X Volition America driver also features COBRA’s game-changing FUTUREFIT33 ADJUSTABLE HOSEL SYSTEM, the most significant and innovative metalwood fitting technology to date. The system allows for 33 unique loft and lie settings that can be adjusted independently, unlocking an unprecedented number of fitting options.

“Volition America was founded to honor the sacrifice of our military heroes and give back to their families in a meaningful way,” said John Sapiente, CEO of Volition America. “Partnering with Cobra Golf on this limited-edition driver is a powerful way to raise awareness and support for Folds of Honor, and we’re proud to see this mission brought to life through such an innovative product.”

The limited-edition OPTM X Volition America driver retails for $699 and comes standard (right-hand only) with Mitsubishi Tensei 1K Black shaft with unique graphics and limited-edition headcover. It will be available online and at select retailers beginning April 28.

To purchase the OPTM X Volition America driver or learn more about Cobra Golf’s partnership with Volition America and Folds of Honor Foundation, please visit www.cobragolf.com.

Media Contact: Emily Scott, JDPR, emilys@jdpr.com

About VOLITION AMERICA

Volition America is leading a movement of proud patriotism, empowering Americans to understand the value of choice, not just on special holidays, but throughout the calendar year. In collaboration with leading active-lifestyle brands, Volition America is growing its product offering, as it builds a community of loyal, like-minded followers, while leading a movement to unite Americans through our shared patriotic values. Volition America has a commitment to supporting the children of fallen American heroes, by donating a percentage of all proceeds to Folds of Honor Foundation. For more information, please visit www.volitionamerica.com.

About COBRA PUMA GOLF

COBRA PUMA GOLF is a corporate division of PUMA, one of the world’s leading sports brands, designing, developing, selling, and marketing footwear, apparel and accessories. COBRA PUMA GOLF is an inclusive company, promoting game enjoyment for golfers of all abilities, attitudes and styles. The brand’s full-range portfolio includes COBRA Golf’s high-performance drivers, fairways, hybrids, wedges, putters, and irons, as well as PUMA Golf’s sport lifestyle inspired footwear, apparel and accessories. Fusing performance and style, COBRA PUMA GOLF brings a focus on innovation, technology, compelling design and superior performance with an edge to the global golf marketplace. For more information, visit cobragolf.com and pumagolf.com.

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An Honest Review of The TaylorMade M4 Driver

admin — Tue, 26 May 2026 10:47:32 +0000

The first time I tested the M4 driver was in 2018, shortly after its release.

As TaylorMade has launched several drivers since, I thought it would be fun to hit the range again and see how it compares to a newer model. Therefore, I have written a TaylorMade M4 driver review here to determine if it is still a force to be reckoned with.

After introducing you to the features and performance of this driver, I will assess how it compares to the manufacturer’s latest releases. In addition, the analysis will help you decide if the TaylorMade M4 driver is suited to your swing.

For readers looking for a quick summary, here are the highlights/lowlights:

Product Overview

TaylorMade M4 Driver

Highlights:

TaylorMade M4 produces a solid, explosive sound to warn your partners that a bomb is flying down the fairway.
Forgiveness is one of the crucial features of the TaylorMade M4 driver.
By adding an adjustable hosel, TaylorMade allows you to tinker with the loft, angle, and your clubface lie.

Lowlights:

would like them to offer more stock shafts that cater to every swing speed and tempo.

Check Price on Amazon

Overall Rating and Thoughts

The TaylorMade M4 is an exceptional driver. Although it is a few years older than newer models from the equipment giant, it remains relevant. Like new TaylorMade drivers, the M4 is highly forgiving, reduces spin, and generates rapid ball speed.

Overall, it gives the average golfer everything we need off the tee; and it is at a fraction of its release price. If you are after a highly forgiving, long, and adjustable driver, you should consider the TaylorMade M4 driver.

Overall Rating: 9.5/10

Quick Overview of The TaylorMade M4 Driver

Features

Twist Face Technology

The first stand-out feature of the M4 driver is its new twist face technology. Well, it was fresh back in 2018. The revolutionary new face curvature for that time produced a corrective face angle to combat off-center strikes.

Therefore, striking the ball in the high toe increases the loft of the face. Conversely, if the clubface catches the ball off the low heel, it reduces the apex of your shot. This is done to produce a consistent spin on all drives.

Furthermore, helping you get your ball airborne, the twist face technology resists side spin on heel and toe mishits. As a result, you produce straighter shots for an improved fairway in regulation record.

Excess side spin off the club face causes hooks and slices, which is the fastest way to ruin your hole before it begins.

Speed Pocket

When we miss the center of the driver’s face, we reduce the coefficient of restitution (COR), which slows down our ball speed. The loss of velocity leads to a weaker launch and a loss of distance.

Fortunately, TaylorMade’s engineers employed Speed Pocket technology to boost speed on all shots. Therefore, you enjoy consistent ball flight and distance on all connections.

Speed pocket technology is effective when you catch the ball low off the face. It springs into action and accelerates your ball speed to produce optimal yardage. Without this technology, your driver delivers inadequate spin and velocity for adequate yardage.

Hammerhead Slot

A hammerhead slot is inserted into the driver’s sole to support the outer portions of the slot. That reduces the mass, encouraging a more flexible face through impact. This benefits you on off-center hits, where you need all the ball speed necessary to produce sufficient distance off the tee.

In addition, the increased flexibility of the TaylorMade M4 driver expands the sweet spot for maximum forgiveness. As a result, the wider sweet spot delivers ample ball speed across the face for consistent distance off the tee.

Geocoustic Technology

Geocoustic tech employs sole shaping techniques to deliver superior sound and feel at impact. Therefore, you enjoy the rewarding acoustics of your clubface, striking the ball on every tee shot.

Furthermore, TaylorMade added a recessed sole contour construction to the head, freeing up weight in the clubhead. That enabled the engineers to craft a larger flexible clubface with an enhanced sweet spot. As a result, it delivers maximum forgiveness.

Adjustable Hosel

The M4 driver features an adjustable hosel, enabling golfers to alter their loft by 2 degrees of additional or less loft. Plus, adjustments impact the angle of the clubface.

For example, strengthening the loft by 2 degrees can open your clubface up to 4 degrees. That sets your driver up to deliver a fade bias. Conversely, lowering the loft by 2 degrees closes the club face by 4 degrees. This positions the driver for a draw bias.

In addition, altering the loft impacts the level of backspin RPM you produce at impact. Weakening the loft by 2 degrees can boost your backspin by 400 RPM. That setup prompts a high launch, ideal for slower swingers.

On the contrary, strengthening the loft helps you deliver a low spin off the driver’s face for maximum distance.

To alter the loft, you need a wrench to help you loosen the screws on the sole. Rotate anti-clockwise to slacken the screws, and remove them. Then, slip the head of the shaft. Turn the hosel to achieve your desired loft.

You can follow the video below by Golfbidder for a visual representation of the procedure:

Lofts

TaylorMade crafts the M4 driver in three key loft settings. The lowest lofted design is 9.5-degrees, followed by a 10.5-degree construction. Finally, golfers with a slow driver swing speed should appreciate the 12-degree driver.

Shafts

The only stock shaft available on the M4 is the Fujikura Atmos Red 5. Fujikura constructed this shaft in stiff, regular, and senior flex. Therefore, they are designed for golfers who produce fast, average, and slow club head speed.

Performance

Price

As an older model driver, the M4 is now at a convenient price point for mid and high-handicappers. It has come down by $200 to $300 in price, making it far more attractive to the average golfer than new premium drivers from TaylorMade.

Feel and Sound

Geocoustic technology delivers a solid deafening sound at impact. Exactly the noise you expect to hear from your driver when you crush it out of the sweet spot. In addition, it offers a relatively soft feel as it drowns out vibrations on off-center strikes.

Spin

On average, I generate 2100 RPM of backspin with my driver. When I tested the M4, I averaged 100 mph less than that, clocking in at 2000 RPM. I am satisfied with this level, and it is what I expect to receive from my big stick.

Forgiveness

The M4 delivers exceptional all-around forgiveness, from accelerating ball speed on off-center strikes to minimizing side spin. This support helps you achieve optimal distance and accuracy.

Distance

TaylorMade built the M4 to accelerate ball speed and reduce spin on your drives. My average driving distance is 270-yards, and the M4 produced 274-yards in testing. Therefore, it creates slightly more distance than my regular driver.

What I Like About The TaylorMade M4

Sound

Off the clubface, the TaylorMade M4 produces a solid, explosive sound to warn your partners that a bomb is flying down the fairway. Geocoustic technology helped the engineers execute advanced sole shaping techniques. This means that the clubhead is crafted for optimal sound and feel at impact.

Forgiveness

Forgiveness is one of the crucial features of the TaylorMade M4 driver. The presence of a flexible clubface, enlarged sweet spot, and hammerhead slot ensures a forgiving driver.

Its flexible face springs into the ball at impact and accelerates velocity. This prompts a high launching, long flying ball, resulting in exceptional distance. Even when you strike the ball low off the face.

Furthermore, its face curvature construction beats off unwanted spin prompted by off-center strikes. This reduces the risk of you hooking or slicing your drive into trouble.

Low Spin

Low spin off the tee enables you to produce piercing ball flight and prompt optimal forward roll upon landing. When I create excess spin, I balloon my drives and lose distance. The ball shoots into the air and descends rapidly before coming to an abrupt halt.

The beauty of the M4 is that it contains an adjustable hosel. Therefore, you can continuously strengthen the loft of your driver to reduce backspin RPM.

Adjustable Hosel

By adding an adjustable hosel, TaylorMade allows you to tinker with the loft, angle, and your clubface lie. If you are generating excess backspin RPM you can strengthen your driver’s loft to reduce spin. Conversely, you can weaken the loft to encourage additional backspin RPM.

Moreover, the hosel alters the angle of the face. You can set your club up to induce a draw or a fade. Strengthen your loft on the adjustable hosel, and keep your clubface open and ready to prompt a fade shape.

Contrarily, weakening the loft closes the club face by up to 4 degrees, encouraging the club to promote a draw.

This feature is suited to mid and high handicappers still identifying the perfect composition for their swings.

What I Dislike About The TaylorMade M4

Shaft Options

There is little not to like about the TaylorMade M4 driver. It is forgiving, feels superb, and delivers optimal distance on all strikes. However, they are skint on stock shaft options. There is only one brand of stock shaft available.

I would like them to offer more stock shafts that cater to every swing speed and tempo.

Related Reading: Since they are a highly reputable manufacturer, TaylorMade’s golf clubs are not found in the bargain bin. However, if the price is everything to you, there are more affordable options. Find your ideal big stick among our 10 best drivers under $200.

Matt Stevens

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LPGA Tour’s The Chevron Champion Swings Big with Graphite Design Tour AD FI-6 Shaft Powered TaylorMade Qi4D Driver

admin — Sat, 23 May 2026 12:15:17 +0000

Carlsbad, CA – Pro’s Choice Golf Shafts, Inc. announced today that the winner of the LPGA Tour’s The Chevron Championship, held in Houston, TX, was playing a Graphite Design Tour AD FI-6 Stiff flex wood shaft in her TaylorMade Qi4D Driver. The champion claimed her third Major and 17th career win after posting a 4-day score of 65, 65, 70, 70 for a total of 18 under par, winning by 5 strokes.

On the DP World Tour, the winner of the Volvo China Open, held in Shanghai, China, was playing a Graphite Design Tour AD VF Utility Driving Iron in his Titleist T100 #3 Iron, claiming his 9^th DP World Tour title.

“Congratulations to The Chevron Championship winner for capturing her third Major and regaining the number 1 ranking. What a great exhibition of Accuracy and Distance and we are ecstatic she plays Graphite Design Tour AD FI”, stated Wayne Ageno, President, Pro’s Choice Golf Shafts, Inc.

The new 2026 Tour AD FI – Flight Intelligence – is the next evolution in golf shaft technology from Graphite Design. Designed and manufactured at Graphite Design’s Japan factory headquarters for players who demand precision, power, and consistency, the Tour AD FI features a futuristic look, complete with a sleek new TOUR AD logo, and is finished with a green-to-gloss black fade with silver accents.

Like the other high-performance Tour AD wood shafts, the Tour AD FI utilizes premium, aerospace-quality carbon-fiber materials and is available in 40g R2, R1, S flex and X flex, 50g R2, R1, S and X flex, 60g SR, S, X, and TX flex, 70g S, X, and TX flex, and 80g X flex.

The Tour AD FI shaft profile is Firm+ in the butt section and Firm+ in the center section and has a Stiff tip to promote Mid-launch angles and Low to Low/Mid-ball spin rates. It utilizes Graphite Design’s proprietary AD Shield technology and the new TORNADO TIP TECH, along with the modern Torayca M40X and T1100G material technologies, to reliably transmit the player’s input to the club head, allowing for consistent shot-making and enhanced performance on the course.

Whether shaping shots or maximizing distance, the new Tour AD FI adapts to your swing, delivering unparalleled stability and responsiveness. Elevate your game with a shaft that thinks as fast as you play – because intelligent performance starts with the new Tour AD Flight Intelligence golf shaft from Graphite Design.

About Pro’s Choice:

Pro’s Choice Golf Shafts is the exclusive distributor of Graphite Design golf shafts in the United States, Canada, Mexico, Europe, UAE, South Africa, South America, and Australia. Pro’s Choice Golf Shafts distributes all of the current Graphite Design shafts, including the new 2026 Graphite Design Tour AD FI wood shaft model, as well as the Anti-Gravity aG33-3, Tour AD GC, Tour AD VF, Tour AD CQ, Tour AD UB, Tour AD XC, Tour AD IZ, and Tour AD DI models of shafts. The company is located in Carlsbad, California, with a distribution warehouse located in Southern California.

About Graphite Design:

Located in Chichibu, Japan, Graphite Design has over 36 years of experience designing and manufacturing premium graphite-composite golf shafts. Numerous Graphite Design shafts can be seen in play by the best professional players on all tours worldwide. Validating the company’s “Tour AD” logo, all of Graphite Design’s Tour-proven shafts specifically promote “Accuracy and Distance”. On Tour, Graphite Design shafts recorded 44 Global tournament victories in 2025 and have helped numerous golf professionals earn well over 580 tour victories and multi-millions of dollars in prize money since inception.

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Callaway Quantum Mini Driver Testing

admin — Sun, 17 May 2026 12:07:02 +0000

True Spec Golf, the premium brand-agnostic club fitting company, took the Callaway Quantum Mini Driver straight into the bay to see what it can really do. Same head, two setups. Heavy weight back for stability and forgiveness, then flipped forward to chase speed and lower spin. Then it was put it to the real test… off the deck. Ball speed, launch, spin, versatility. Let’s see which setup actually wins.

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Titleist GTS300 mini driver arrives on Tour in Charlotte

admin — Mon, 11 May 2026 12:13:59 +0000

Titleist’s new mini driver hits the PGA Tour this week at Quail Hollow. Here’s what we know.

The Titleist GTS 300, a yet-to-be-released mini driver, was added to the USGA’s Conforming Driver Head list on Monday, and Titleist is debuting the club this week at the PGA Tour’s Truist Championship at Quail Hollow Club in Charlotte. It arrives as the next evolution in a club category that has quietly gained traction among serious players over the past several seasons.

Titleist hasn’t announced a price, a consumer release date or spelled out exactly what separates the GTS300 from its predecessor, the GT280 mini driver, but the name tells us something. If the GT280 was 280 cubic centimeters in volume, the GTS300 is almost certainly 300 cc, which is still well below the 460 cc limit for drivers but significantly larger than a typical 3-wood, which runs between 190 and 200 cc.

And when it comes to metalwoods, size matters. A lot.

Think of club head volume like the wheelbase on a car. The bigger the wheels, the more stable the ride. A larger head typically has a higher moment of inertia (MOI) and is harder to twist on off-center hits, which means more consistent ball speed when you miss the sweet spot. Compared to a 3-wood, the GTS300 should be significantly more forgiving, while still being easier to control than a full-sized 460cc driver.

That’s the whole point of the mini driver category. It lives in the space between a driver and a 3-wood. Longer and more forgiving than a fairway wood, shorter and more manageable than a driver. For certain players, those who use their 3-wood exclusively off the tee and almost never need it from the fairway, a mini driver can be a revelation. It fills a distance gap while also offering more reliability off the tee.

The GTS300 has two interchangeable weights in the sole: an 11-gram and a 3-gram, like its predecessor. Where those weights sit should change how the club behaves.

In the standard setup, the heavier 11-gram weight sits in the back, pushing the center of gravity (CG) rearward to promote a higher launch angle and slightly more spin.

Move the 11-gram weight forward, put the 3-gram to the back, and the club’s personality should change. The CG will shift toward the face, the launch drops and spin rates should decrease, and the GTS300 will likely create a flatter, more piercing trajectory. That flexibility, paired with the SureFit adjustable hosel, should allow players and fitters to fine-tune the distance and trajectory the GTS300 produces.

Cameron Young and Justin Thomas helped shape the design, and now the game’s best players are free to put it in their bags. No word yet on when the rest of us can get our hands on one, but based on history, look for it this summer.

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