FairwayFred Posted June 28, 2004 Report Share Posted June 28, 2004 I recently had a large Launch Monitor session with 9 different drivers. I hit 40 balls with each driver. 10 with each and then back through the lineup to ensure that I did not get tired and skew the results. The numbers are the average of those 40 balls. This really was an enlightening experience. I would highly suggest that everyone get on a launch monitor if they can. It really is an invaluable tool in driver fitting. You can take others opinions but untill you test for yourself on a launch monitor you are just guessing. (And before you all ask, no these are not all my drivers :wah: ) -------------------------------------------------------------- 9* Gemini 355 Aerotech Steel Fiber 85 S flex This is the driver that has been in my bag for most of the year. I love the shape, I think it is one of the best shapes of any driver on the market. It reminds me a lot of the J340. Everything is just perfectly proportioned. Feel is ok, could be a little more solid but its not too loud. It is a pretty typical Titanium sound. It is consistently long. In my testing the ball speed number seemed to vary the least, they were all up around 150-155 with nothing really below 150. Most of the other clubs gave me a slow number here and there on a mis**t. The dual face technology really works. I really like this shaft, it is snappy and responsive. It kick a lot like a Dynamic Gold. Normal swings produce a draw for me like most drivers. This is a driver that I will keep around for sure. It works very well for me. Swingspeed: 107 Launch Angle: 13.1 Spin Rate: 3123 Ball Speed: 153 Carry Distance: 254 Total Distance: 269 ----------------------------------------------------------- 9* Gemini 355 Fujikura TrTi46 X Flex This shaft does not fit me nearly as well as the Aerotech as you can see by the numbers. It is just too stiff for me. Swingspeed: 106 Launch Angle: 13.7 Spin Rate: 3512 Ball Speed: 151 Carry Distance: 250 Total Distance: 261 -------------------------------------------------------------- 9.5* Taylor Made r7 TP Tour Issue Fujikura 660TR S Flex I actually like this driver. I have messed around with it quite a bit and found the screws to do what they are said to do. I do not like the look or feel much, it is much too round and tingy. The shape almost looks like a half circle it is so round. Typical Taylor Made. But the club performs well. With the weights in the extreme fade position I am able to hit a pretty consistant straight ball but I can still make it go left. With the weights in the extreme draw position I get nothing but sweeping draws. I get a little too much spin with this driver and it seems to hurt distance. All in all a very good driver the best Taylor Made driver I have hit to date. Swingspeed: 106 Launch Angle: 13.5 Spin Rate: 3546 Ball Speed: 153 Carry Distance: 257 Total Distance: 265 -------------------------------------------------------------- 8.5* Titleist 983K Tour Issue Fujikura 660TR S Flex I like the looks and feel of this driver but I spin it too much. The face could be a little deeper but it has a great Titleist pear shape. Feel is good although it could be a little more muted. Ballflight with this club was a draw although I could fade it if I tried hard. Not my favorite but not my least favorite. I wish I would have had an E there to compare to as I seem to like that head better than the K. Swingspeed: 108 Launch Angle: 13.9 Spin Rate: 3854 Ball Speed: 151 Carry Distance: 254 Total Distance: 262 -------------------------------------------------------------- 9.5* Callaway BB2 415 Tour Issue Fujikura Pro95 S Flex This is a nice driver. It has a rounder shape than previous Callaways but it has a nice deep face and hides its size very well. The shaft has always been a favorite of mine. It has a good feel athough louder than I would prefer. My normal ballflight was a draw but I did hook a few which is what I try to guard against. This is the best Callaway driver I have hit in a while. Swingspeed: 105 Launch Angle: 14.1 Spin Rate: 3266 Ball Speed: 156 Carry Distance: 255 Total Distance: 264 -------------------------------------------------------------- 9* TourStage X Drive 390 Pro Spec Aerotech Steel Fiber 85 S Flex This is another great driver. The shape is good although the hosel has a little shelf behind it which makes it slightly strange looking at address. Almost as if the hosel is slightly inset which it really isn’t. Not my favorite shape but not bad either like the r7. Feel is excellent, typical TourStage. Very solid with a nice crack. Again, I really like this shaft. I feel like I hit this combo a little too low which the number supported. Normal swings produce a slight draw although I can hook it. This thing is very neutrally weighted but not quite fade biased like the Maru Spec. All in all a very solid all around performer. Swingspeed: 108 Launch Angle: 11.7 Spin Rate: 2954 Ball Speed: 150 Carry Distance: 253 Total Distance: 265 -------------------------------------------------------------- 8.5* TourStage MR23 Maru Spec Fujikura Speeder 652 S Flex This driver people either love or hate. Most people hate it. I seem to love it. The shape is excellent. Nice pear shape with a deep face. It looks a lot smaller than 370cc which is also a bonus. Feel is perfect, best feeling driver I have ever hit. Very solid and thwacky. The performance of this driver was a bit of a surprise to me. It was by far the most consistent ballfight and best launch numbers. I hit my 4 longest drives with this driver. I have always shied away from light shafts but this one works very well for me at 44” in this head. The numbers were better than my other Maru with the GD TourAD and the ballflight was a lot more consistent. The ball does not want to turn left with this driver which is exactly what I need. All my shots with this driver were straight to a little fade which is exactly what I want. I feel like I can swing hard at it and eliminate the left side of the course. With all the other clubs I never seem to know which direction the ball is going. It may not be the most forgiving driver but ,especially with this shaft, I find it to be plenty forgiving. Toe hits are much better than heel hits which again fits me very well because almost all of my mis**ts are out on the toe. I did not expect to fall for this driver, it was actually for sale at the time of the tests. Based on this launch monitor testing and some subsequent range time and on course testing this driver is now in the bag and my driving has been much improved. Swingspeed: 109 Launch Angle: 13.1 Spin Rate: 2783 Ball Speed: 159 Carry Distance: 259 Total Distance: 277 -------------------------------------------------------------- 8.5* TourStage MR23 Maru Spec Graphite Design TourAD M85 S Flex This is the Maru that I was using last year. It works well for me but not as well as the Maru with the Speeder 652. The Launch numbers arent quite as good. My ballflight was also less consistent. This driver wanted to fade a little more than the 652. This is a great feeling shaft though. Great active kick through the ball and heavier feel. Swingspeed: 108 Launch Angle: 12.3 Spin Rate: 2676 Ball Speed: 156 Carry Distance: 255 Total Distance: 269 -------------------------------------------------------------- 9.5* TourStage J340 Fujikura Pro95 S Flex A modern classic. Best shaped driver ever made IMO. Perfect pear shape and clean minimal stampings. Feel is also excellent, not quite perfect like the Maru but very very good. It is very neutral, I can draw and fade it. Normal swings go straight to a slight draw. I could easily play this driver still but as you can see my numbers are not quite as good with this driver as some of the others. Swingspeed: 107 Launch Angle: 12.9 Spin Rate: 3203 Ball Speed: 149 Carry Distance: 249 Total Distance: 261 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+TourSpecGolfer Posted June 28, 2004 Report Share Posted June 28, 2004 Very interesting results Ari! I noticed the Tourstage Drivers have a lower trajectory than the others and getting more overall distance. What driver is in the bag for you now? which driver do you think is the best of the ones tested in terms of feel, forgiveness, distance, trajectory etc? Thanks for posting that info, Its great stuff! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PxExG Posted June 28, 2004 Report Share Posted June 28, 2004 Great review Ari. Its really nice to see some numbers to back up what you are saying & they are nicely presented. A1 in clarity :o I am really glad you like the MARU - just so that our readers at home know, thats my MARU. The one that no one would buy! lol Anyways a few questions - how is it that your highest SS was with the 44" driver? What were the lengths of the others? I notice your spin rate REALLY varies with the drivers, and this is on solid hits. I think thats why I liked the E and MARU - they spin less and the wind doesnt affect them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PxExG Posted June 28, 2004 Report Share Posted June 28, 2004 Here they are *yes patrick has too much time on his hands* Cally BB2 - 1.486 MARU 652 - 1.472 MARU Tour AD - 1.459 R7 Tour TP 660TR - 1.443 Gemini with Aerotech - 1.43 Gemini with TrTi46 - 1.424 Tour K 660TR - 1.40 J340 Pro 95 - 1.393 X-Drive 390 Aerotech - 1.39 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike Posted June 28, 2004 Report Share Posted June 28, 2004 They might not be all of your's Ari , but am willing to place a bet that you have owned them at one time or another :laugh: btw: is this launch monitor in your area ?? Or do you have one now at the shop that I could come and take a look at the next time I am down your way :whistle: :wink: :smile2: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FairwayFred Posted June 28, 2004 Author Report Share Posted June 28, 2004 Very interesting results Ari!I noticed the Tourstage Drivers have a lower trajectory than the others and getting more overall distance. What driver is in the bag for you now? which driver do you think is the best of the ones tested in terms of feel, forgiveness, distance, trajectory etc? Thanks for posting that info, Its great stuff! The Maru Spec with the Fuji 652 is now in my bag. Not only did it provide me with the best launch numbers but also by far the most consistant ballflight. I would rank that Maru combo #1 on feel, distance and trajectory. Definetly not #1 in forgiveness. #1 in forgiveness would be the Gemini with the Aerotech. This club gave me by far the most consistant ball speed across the entire face. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FairwayFred Posted June 28, 2004 Author Report Share Posted June 28, 2004 Great review Ari. Its really nice to see some numbers to back up what you are saying & they are nicely presented. A1 in clarity :o I am really glad you like the MARU - just so that our readers at home know, thats my MARU. The one that no one would buy! lol Anyways a few questions - how is it that your highest SS was with the 44" driver? What were the lengths of the others? I notice your spin rate REALLY varies with the drivers, and this is on solid hits. I think thats why I liked the E and MARU - they spin less and the wind doesnt affect them. All of the other drivers were either 44.25" or 44.5". The Maru with the 652 is the shortest. I think that the lighter shaft is the reason that I had the highest swingspeed with it. Most of the other shafts in the test are 85-95 grams. I agree 100% with what you are saying. The lack of spin and anti left bias make the Maru perfect for me. I obviously spin the ball alot with the driver so anything that spins the ball more than a little bit just doesnt work for me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FairwayFred Posted June 28, 2004 Author Report Share Posted June 28, 2004 They might not be all of your's Ari , but am willing to place a bet that you have owned them at one time or another :laugh: btw: is this launch monitor in your area ?? Or do you have one now at the shop that I could come and take a look at the next time I am down your way :whistle: :wink: :smile2: LOL I have owned them all at one time or another EXCEPT the Taylor Made. :laugh: The launch monitor is at a store is in my area. Next time you are coming down we will make a point of going over there and getting you some time on it. :cool: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike Posted June 28, 2004 Report Share Posted June 28, 2004 They might not be all of your's Ari , but am willing to place a bet that you have owned them at one time or another :laugh: btw: is this launch monitor in your area ?? Or do you have one now at the shop that I could come and take a look at the next time I am down your way :whistle: :wink: :smile2: LOL I have owned them all at one time or another EXCEPT the Taylor Made. :laugh: The launch monitor is at a store is in my area. Next time you are coming down we will make a point of going over there and getting you some time on it. :cool: You got a deal . :cool: Just wish it was this weekend :sad: Maybe this fall , or I might just pull another long road trip :tired: in the spring again next year . :smile1: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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