Drivers – Syndication Server

Ping’s G440 drivers added to USGA Conforming Driver List

The yet-to-be-released drivers were added to the list, making them legal for play in tournaments.

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Monday morning, the yet-to-be-released Ping G440 Max, G440 LST, and G440 SFT drivers were added to the United States Golf Association’s Conforming Driver List, making them legal for play in tournaments. The company has not released any official information about the clubs or stated when they might be made available at retail.

Last year, Ping extended its G430 driver family by adding the G430 Max 10K to a group of drivers released in 2023 that included the G430 Max, G430 LST, and G430 SFT. The club added to the USGA’s driver list on Monday is the first G440.

The Names: Max, LST, SFT

The names Ping assigns to its drivers often provide clues about the clubs’ intended audience and performance characteristics. Max drivers typically balance distance and forgiveness, making them versatile for a wide range of players. In Ping terminology, LST stands for “low-spin technology,” which is designed for fast-swinging players seeking lower spin and launch angles. SFT, or “straight-flight technology,” is geared toward golfers aiming to correct a slice.

Movable Weight

The G440 Max and G440 LST appear to feature a movable weight at the back of the sole labeled “tungsten,” with three adjustable positions. Placing the weight toward the heel creates a draw bias, while positioning it toward the toe promotes a fade. Historically, Ping positions these weights far back on the sole to optimize the center of gravity (CG) and elevate higher moment of inertia (MOI) and stability in every setting. Meanwhile, the G440 SFT appears to have a two-position weight in the back with a “Draw+” setting visible.

CarbonFly Wrap

All three G440 drivers display the words “CarbonFly Wrap” on the sole, indicating they may feature a carbon fiber crown. Previous Ping drivers with CarbonFly Wrap crowns incorporated a lightweight carbon fiber top extending toward the toe, heel, and sole. This design reduces weight in the crown, lowers the CG, and redistributes weight to enhance performance.

Forged Face

The words “Forged Face” are printed near the leading edge of all three drivers, suggesting they feature a forged titanium face.

Adjustable Hosel

An adjustable hosel is visible in the USGA images. Adjustable hosels are now standard in most drivers, and Ping’s G430 lineup included the eight-position Trajectory Tuning 2.0 hosel, which allowed players to alter loft by up to 1.5 degrees in either a neutral or flat lie angle. It’s likely the G440 series will incorporate similar adjustability.

Stay tuned for more details as Ping releases official information about these new drivers.

Cleveland HiBore XL, HiBore XL Lite drivers

Cleveland developed the HiBore XL’s unique shape using artificial intelligence.

Gear: Cleveland HiBore XL, HiBore XL Lite drivers
Price: $399.99 with Aldila Ascent shaft and Golf Pride Tour Velvet 360 grip
Specs: Titanium face and chassis with adjustable hosel
Available: Dec. 6

Who it’s for: Mid- and higher-handicap golfers who want a blend of distance and forgiveness off the tee.

What you should know: Cleveland used artificial intelligence to develop a triangular head shape that optimizes forgiveness, ball speed, and sound.

The deep dive: In the late 2000s, Cleveland HiBore drivers were easy to spot at PGA Tour events for two reasons. First, stars like Vijay Singh and David Toms played them, and second, in a few cases, those HiBore drivers looked nothing like the other drivers. Several models featured a dramatic downward swoop in the crown that drastically lowered the center of gravity (CG) location at a time when carbon fiber was scarcer in golf equipment than golfers who weren’t intimidated by Tiger Woods.

Over time, and with the introduction of new technologies and materials, the HiBore drivers’ look toned down, but now Cleveland is announcing the HiBore XL and HiBore XL Lite drivers and designing them for recreational players who want a blend of distance and forgiveness.

Cleveland HiBore XL — The HiBore XL’s triangular shape was developed using artificial intelligence. (David Dusek/Golfweek)

While artificial intelligence has been used to create many drivers’ faces and hitting areas, Cleveland designers turned to A.I. to create a chassis shape that would create the ideal blend of forgiveness, distance and enhanced sound. So, instead of seeing a swooping crown, the first thing golfers will notice when they set the HiBore down is the triangular shape and extended back portion of the crown.

The face and hitting area of the HiBore XL drivers are also 19 percent larger and look significantly taller. The variable-thickness MainFrame XL design and enlarged shape broaden the sweet spot and help golfers who struggle to consistently make center-face contact by protecting ball speed on mis-hits.

To help golfers make solid contact more often, Cleveland also added ActivWing, an aerodynamics-enhancing feature to the heel portion of the crown. ActivWing does not make the driver go faster on the downswing but instead acts like an airfoil and helps to keep the head more stable as it approaches the ball. The two notches in the crown make the air move around the head in a way that encourages the face to square through the hitting area, which should result in better performance.

While ActivWing is not designed to help golfers swing the HiBore XL driver faster, the Action Mass CB shaft design might make the club feel lighter. With an 8-gram weight at the top of the shaft, it counterbalances the weight of the head, so with the same effort, the club should feel lighter.

The 12-gram weight in the back of the head helps to pull the CG down and back, away from the hitting area. The weight can be adjusted by custom fitters who want to change the club’s swing weight.

For players who want even more clubhead speed or who battle a slice, the HiBore XL Lite features the same technology as the standard HiBore XL but is designed with a draw bias and comes standard with a lighter shaft and grip. It generates slightly more spin than the standard HiBore XL driver to help slower- and moderate-speed players create more carry distance.

Both the HiBore XL and the HiBore XL Lite feature Cleveland’s new hosel sleeve that allows players and fitters to increase or decrease the loft by up to 1.5 degrees.

Here are several close-up images of the Cleveland HiBore XL and HiBore XL Lite drivers:

Tour Edge Exotics E725, C725 drivers

The Exotics E725 is the first driver from Tour Edge to eclipse the 10,000 total MOI mark.

Gear: Tour Edge Exotics E725, C725 drivers
Price: $399.99 with Project X Cypher or Denali Blue shaft and Golf Pride Tour Velvet grips
Specs: Titanium chassis and face with carbon fiber crown and adjustable hosel.
Available: October 15 (pre-order); November 1 (in-stores)

Who it’s for: Golfers who want to maximize forgiveness and stability (E725); Golfers who want a lower-spinning driver that offers more ball speed with enhanced stability.

What you should know: The Exotics E725 is the first driver from Tour Edge to eclipse the 10,000 total MOI mark, making it the most stable driver the brand has ever made. The C725 produces a lower flight and less spin, but it also boasts more stability.

The deep dive: Earlier this year, Tour Edge released an updated version of its Hot Launch wood lineup for budget-minded players who still want modern technologies and performance, but the Exotics family has always been where the Batavia, Illinois-based brand has showcased its most-advanced gear. With the drop of the Exotics E725 and C725, the Tour Edge is keeping that tradition intact.

The newest Exotics drivers are crafted with distinct player types in mind. As it has done in the past, Tour Edge has made the E driver for golfers who want extreme levels of forgiveness and stability, while the C driver is for competitive players who typically swing faster and need more spin reduction. However, the Exotics E725 and C725 drivers are built around shared technologies and a greater emphasis on forgiveness.

Tour Edge Exotics 725 drivers — Shifting more weight to the back of the Exotics E725 driver elevates the MOI and boosts stability. (Tour Edge)

Enhanced Stability

Despite being tailored for different player types, the Exotics E725 and C725 share some core elements, but the most significant point of emphasis has been on increasing the moment of inertia (MOI) and boosting stability.

The E725, which has a volume of 460 cubic centimeters, has the higher MOI of the two drivers and is the first Tour Edge driver with a combined MOI above the 10,000 g-cm² threshold. That makes it more resistant to twisting on off-center hits, so shots should fly straighter.

To achieve that, Tour Edge created a weight system in the Exotics E725 it refers to as Flight Tuning. It’s an 18-gram weight that is in the trailing edge that can be shifted to a draw, neutral or fade position, but in every setting, it pulls the center of gravity (CG) location back and down, which elevates the MOI while also creating a shot-shaping bias.

The Exotics C725, which has a volume of 445 cubic centimeters, also has a Flight Tuning system, but it comes standard with a 10-gram weight that stays in a center-back location. It still boosts stability, in fact it MOI is five percent higher in the C725 than it was in the C723, which it replaces, but not as much as the Exotics E725. However, the combination of a smaller volume and a more forward CG location should help to produce a lower ball flight and less spin.

Other Shared Technologies

Both the Exotics E725 and C725 also feature 360-degree Ridgeback technology. the original Ridgeback system had a titanium beam that extended from the topline to the back of the chassis, and was flanked by carbon fiber panels. The new, updated version of Ridgeback has a supporting brace that encircles the crown, allowing it to be made with 22 percent more carbon fiber to save weight while maintaining strength.

Both drivers have also been made with an updated version of Tour Edge’s 3D Diamond Face technology. On the inner-facing side of the titanium face, Tour Edge has added 61 diamond-shaped areas of various thicknesses, and working together, they enlarge the sweet spot and protect ball speed on off-center hits.

E725 or C725: Which is right for you?

The best way to tell which driver is ideal for you is to hit both alongside a training fitter who has a launch monitor and then study the data.

That said, if you’re a golfer who values straight drives above all else or are someone who wants to minimize the impact of mis-hits, the Exotics E725’s high MOI and more forgiving design could make that club ideal for you.

For golfers who seek to shape shots and who prefer a more traditional driver profile, the C725 offers lower spin, more workability, and more forgiveness than many other control-oriented drivers.

Titleist GT2, GT3, GT4 drivers

Each of the Titleist GT drivers is designed to create more ball speed and distance.

For well over a decade, as more golf equipment companies added exotic materials to their drivers, Titleist continued making its drivers using titanium. Working with its manufacturing partners, Titleist made the titanium crowns, faces and body sections thinner, enhanced the aerodynamics of the heads, and developed different head styles so players and fitters could create a club that maximized overall performance. Attaining more ball speed was great, but designers did not want to sacrifice stability to get it, and their goal was not to increase forgiveness by giving up speed.

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That overall philosophy hasn’t changed, but in the new GT2, GT3 and GT4 drivers, the decision to go with a new shape necessitated the use of a new material, which has helped to quicken the adoption of the new GT drivers by PGA Tour players like Justin Thomas (GT2), Max Homa (GT3), Cameron Young (GT2), Tom Kim (GT3), and Patrick Cantlay (GT2). Now Titleist is making the GT family of drivers available to everyone.

Who are the Titleist GT2, GT3, and GT4 drivers for?

Each of the Titleist GT drivers is designed to create more ball speed and distance. The GT2 is made specifically for players who want to maximize stability and forgiveness. The GT3 was made for players who want left-right adjustability, and the GT4 is for golfers who need a low-spin driver.

What do you need to know about the Titleist GT drivers?

To improve the aerodynamics of the GT drivers, Titleist engineers elevated the back portion of the sole to reduce drag and improve the way air flows over the club. However, using the new shape in an all-titanium club elevated the center of gravity (CG) location, resulting in more spin, a lower launch angle and less distance.

The back of the sole of the Titleist GT3 driver peals up, creating a more aerodynamic shape. (David Dusek/Golfweek)

To use the aerodynamic head shape but lower the CG location, engineers decided to use a thermoform polymer to design a crown piece that wraps over the heel and toe and into the sole. While many carbon fiber crowns require small ledges and glue on the top of the club to hold them in place, Titleist’s design positions the ledges low in the heel, toe and back of the head. In those areas, adding a small amount of extra weight does not reduce performance.

Look as closely as you want at the GT drivers, but you won’t see the seams where the thermoform polymer insert is joined to the titanium portion of the chassis. After the crown piece is added, Titleist fills the seams with resin, which is then hand-buffed to create a smooth surface before the heads are painted. In the address position, golfers see nothing but a glossy black crown and a small “GT” logo that players can use to center the ball when they address it.

Titleist GT drivers — The top of the Titleist GT2 driver is made using thermoform polymer instead of titanium. (David Dusek/Golfweek)

For many players, drivers with a carbon fiber top sound muffled or soft because the resin glue used to create the carbon fiber material absorbs vibrations and sounds. However, in addition to being light, Titleist’s proprietary carbon material is impregnated with a polymer instead of resin glue, and the polymer can be tuned to create specific sounds. That allowed Titleist to modify the sound of the GT drivers so they mimic what you hear with titanium drivers. If you tap it with your fingernail, the polymer piece even sounds like a metal crown.

Much of the weight saved by using the thermoform polymer crown piece was redistributed to different areas within the heads. Each of the GT drivers has extra mass low and forward, which should increase ball speed, with the remaining mass going to the back.

Titleist GT4 driver — The Titleist GT4 features a variable-thickness titanium face. (David Dusek/Golfweek)

Finally, Titleist gave each GT driver a variable-thickness face that is thicker around the perimeter and very thin on the inside before getting thicker again in the middle. Titleist refers to this design as Speed Ring and it debuted in the TSR3 driver two years ago and Titleist claims it creates more speed over a larger area.

As with the TSR driver family, Titleist has designed three GT heads that players and fitters can use to create the ideal club for the majority of golfers.

The GT2 is a 460cc driver that is the largest from front to back and has the most stability. It comes standard with a nine-gram weight in the back of the head to boost the moment of inertia (MOI) and make the head twist less on off-center hits.

The GT2 is available in 8-, 9-, 10-, and 11-degree lofts for both right and left-handed golfers. It comes standard at 45.5 inches in length and has Titleist’s 16-position SureFit adjustable hosel that lets players and fitters independently adjust the loft and lie angle.

The GT3 is also a 460cc head and comes in the same loft options for right and left-handed players, and it has the SureFit hosel system, too. However, the GT3 has a five-position weight track in the front of the sole that pushes the CG location more forward for increased ball speed. The moveable weight lets players and fitters create either a draw or fade bias. The weight, which comes standard at eight grams, is accessible by unscrewing a plate in the sole. Compared to the TSR3, the sliding weight is more forward in the head, so the GT3 should produce a slightly lower flight and less spin than the TSR3.

Finally, the GT4 is a 430cc driver designed to create the lowest spin and launch angle. It is available in 8-, 9-, and 10-degree heads, has the SureFit hosel and comes with an 11-gram sole weight in a rear port and a three-gram sole weight in the front port. According to Titleist, moving the 11-gram weight to the front in the GT4 makes the club produce less spin and a lower flight than a front-weighted TSR4, but keeping the 11-gram weight in the back keeps the CG location between the GT2 and GT3, so the spin and launch angle fit between the GT2 and GT3.

How much will the Titleist GT drivers cost?

The Titleist GT2, GT3, and GT4 drivers are $649 each with Project X Denali Red, HZRDUS Black 5th Generation, or Mitsubishi Tensei 1K Blue shaft and Titleist Universal 360 grip.

When will the Titleist GT drivers be available?

The Titleist GT2, GT3, and GT4 drivers are available for pre-order with fittings starting August 1 and should be in stores starting August 23.

Below are several close-up looks at the Titleiust GT2, GT3 and GT4 drivers:

Titleist GT2, GT3 and GT4 woods debut at 2024 Memorial Tournament

Titleist brings the GT drivers and fairway woods to the PGA Tour for the first time.

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MUIRFIELD VILLAGE, Ohio – Titleist brought its newest drivers and fairway woods – the yet-to-be-released GT2, GT3 and GT4 – to the 2024 Memorial Tournament and made them available for staff players such as Justin Thomas, Jordan Spieth, Will Zalatoris and Cameron Young. Their use this week will be their first in a PGA Tour event.

In addition to the GT drivers, Titleist is also debuting the matching GT fairway woods at Jack Nicklaus’ event.

It has been nearly two years since Titleist released the TSR family of drivers, fairway woods and hybrids, and with the brand typically dropping clubs and balls on two-year product cycles, it was not surprising the GT woods were added to the USGA’s Conforming Driver Head list Monday.

Titleist did not release official information or comment about the GT drivers or fairway woods, but the company did note in a press release the clubs were developed with the help of feedback from staff players.

If history can be used as a guide, there are a few things the USGA’s notes and in-hand photos obtained by Golfweek on Monday at Muirfield Village can teach golfers:

GT2: The Point and Shoot driver. Titleist drivers given a “2” designation in the past have offered a high moment of inertia with centers of gravity farther back in the head to boost stability. With the GT2, we once again see a club that is larger from front to back than the other drivers in the family, along with a single weight located on the seam that joins the back of the crown with the sole. Extra mass there would pull the center of gravity down and back.
GT3: Draw-Fade adjustability. The TSR3 driver, as with the TSi3 driver it replaced, has been extremely popular among Titleist players because it has a five-setting adjustable weight that allows players and fitters to shift the center of gravity to create a draw or fade bias. We can clearly see that weight in the sole of the GT3. With the location of the adjustable weight more forward in the sole, it should help reduce spin and create a lower ball flight. The GT3 also has a classic pear shape and a more compact look than the GT2
GT4: Spin and launch adjustability. The GT4 would logically seem to take the place of the prior-generation TSR4, which Titleist offered as a club for fast-swinging golfers who want to fine-tune spin rates to achieve ideal launch conditions. As with the TSR4, the GT4 has two adjustable weights, with one in the front and one in the back to go along with a compact head design. A heavier weight in the front with a light weight in the back would reduce spin and help the GT4 produce a more-piercing launch, while putting a heavier weight in the back and a light weight in the front would increase the spin rate and launch height. While the GT3 may give golfers left-and-right adjustability, it appears the GT4 is designed to create up-and-down adjustability.

All three GT drivers appear to have been designed with Titleist’s 16-setting SureFit hosel system, which allows golfers to independently change the loft and lie angle.

The GT fairway woods appear to follow the same design philosophy as their corresponding drivers, with the GT2 appearing to be the largest in size and the GT3 having a moveable weight that can create a draw or fade bias.

Titleist has not provided information about when the GT2, GT3 and GT4 drivers and fairway woods might be made available to consumers, but historically the brand has released new clubs two to three months after starting the seeding process on the PGA Tour. If that’s the case, we could see the GT family in pro shops and golf specialty stores by late summer.

Below are several in-hand photos of the new GT2, GT3 and GT4 drivers.

Callaway Paradym Ai Smoke Triple Diamond Max driver

The Paradym Ai Smoke Triple Diamond Max is for low-handicap players who want more spin and shot-shaping with a boost in forgiveness.

Gear: Callaway Paradym Ai Smoke Triple Diamond Max driver
Price: $599.99 with Project X Denali Blue shaft and Golf Pride Tour Velvet 360 grip
Specs: 460-cubic-centimeter head with carbon fiber crown and sole panel, adjustable hosel and movable weights. Only available in right-hand with 9- and 10-degree lofts.
Available: June 7

Who It’s For: Fast-swinging, low-handicap golfers who want more forgiveness and spin than Callaway’s low-spin Triple Diamond driver.

The Skinny: The Paradym Ai Smoke Triple Diamond Max is designed to blend the previously released Triple Diamond and Max drivers, allowing low-handicap players to gain more spin and shot-shaping with a boost in forgiveness.

The Deep Dive: With four Paradym Ai Smoke drivers already on the market, you might wonder why Callaway is compelled to release a fifth model, but the Paradym Ai Smoke Triple Diamond Max has become popular enough with players to be the second most-played Callaway driver on the PGA Tour, so Callaway decided to make it available to the masses.

In many ways, the Paradym Ai Smoke Triple Diamond Max is a ‘tweener, because it was designed to fit between two drivers that are already in the line-up. The standard Paradym Ai Smoke Triple Diamond is a 450-cubic-centimeter head that is the lowest-spinning, lowest-launching driver in the Callaway stable, and the Ai Smoke Max is a 460-cubic-centimeter driver that offers a higher moment of inertia and more stability. With the Paradym Ai Smoke Triple Diamond Max, Callaway designers tried to bring the best of both clubs together in one offering.

Callaway Paradym Ai Smoke Triple Diamond Max — In the address position, the Paradym Ai Smoke Triple Diamond Max has a pear-shape that many accomplished golfers prefer. (Callaway)

The look in the address position retains the Triple Diamond’s pear shape, which many advanced golfers favor. But while the standard Triple Diamond comes with a 14-gram weight in the back and a 2-gram weight in the front, the Paradym Ai Smoke Triple Diamond Max comes with a 10-gram weight and a 4-gram weight. Yes, the overall mass of the moveable weights has decreased, but the driver head’s shape helps that weight create slightly more spin and a slightly higher launch angle than the standard Triple Diamond achieves. In Callaway’s tests with accomplished golfers, that extra spin and higher moment of inertia translated into more control. As players realized their tee shots flew straighter, Callaway observed that many players’ confidence increased, and they started to swing faster, leading to more ball speed and distance.

That blend of playing characteristics sounds great, but it is likely not ideal for everyone, and Callaway knows it. However, making the Paradym Ai Smoke Triple Diamond Max available gives players – and more importantly, fitters – another versatile option that can help golfers create the ideal launch conditions to maximize distance and accuracy.

Like the other Ai Smoke drivers, the Paradym Ai Smoke Triple Diamond Max has a face that was designed using artificial intelligence. Callaway captured swing data on more than 250,000 real players’ swings and directed powerful computers to use that data to design driver faces that are optimized based on how players (instead of robots) swing the club. The result is a face that has thick and thin areas on the inner-facing side that flex in different ways to blend forgiveness and ball speed.

Like the other Paradym Ai Smoke drivers, the Triple Diamond Max has a 360-degree carbon fiber chassis, lightweight carbon on the crown and a carbon fiber sole panel that wraps directly into it.

An adjustable hosel allows players and fitters to increase or decrease the loft by as many as 1.5 degrees while also making the lie angle flatter or more upright. Combined with the moveable weights in the sole, the adjustable hosel can help fitters tweak and refine the spin rate and launch angle of drives for better performance.

Photos: Titleist’s prototype TSR 2-wood

The Titleist TSR 2-wood is an oversized fairway wood designed for distance off the tee.

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CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Cameron Young, one of the most powerful players on the PGA Tour, quietly added a massive, yet-to-be-released Titleist fairway wood to his bag before the start of the Players Championship. He used the club at the Masters and with the PGA Championship just a few days away, the club, which looks like a mini driver but is labeled “TSR 2-wood,” is still in Young’s bag.

Titleist has not officially commented about the TSR 2-wood, but if history is a guide, that could change in the next few months. In the past, Titleist has released woods in two-year product cycles, and the last release was in 2022’s TSR family. Those clubs first appeared in June of 2022 at the PGA Tour’s Travelers Championship before arriving in stores in September. So, it would not be surprising if Titleist started seeding the next generation of drivers, fairway woods and hybrids in the next eight to 10 weeks.

So far, Titleist has not released any details regarding the TSR 2-wood, but based on in-hand images and details included on the USGA’ Conforming Driver Head list, we know a few things already.

Loft: According to the Conforming List, the Titleist TSR 2-wood has 13 degrees of loft, but it also has an adjustable hosel that appears identical to Titleist’s SureFit hosel system. If it is, the 13-degree club can be adjusted into 16 different settings with lofts up to 14.5 degrees and down to 12.25 degrees.
Movbeable weights. Like the Titleist TSR4 driver, there are two moveable weights in the sole of the TSR 2-wood, one in the front and one in the back. Putting a heavier weight in the back should shift the center of gravity back, increase the launch angle, add spin and boost the stability. A heavier weight in the front would lower the launch angle, decrease spin and, most likely, increase ball speed.
Size. While the exact volume of the Titleist TSR 2-wood is not included in the USGA notes and details, and Titleist has not released it, the club dwarf’s the TSR2 3-wood and even the TSR2+ 3-wood. It has a noticeably larger hitting area and a deeper face. In the address position, it does not appear to extend back as much as the TSR2+, which has a 190cc head, but that club has a shallower face. The TSR 2-wood might be closer to 275-300cc in size.
Shape. From the toe size, the TSR 2-wood’s shape very closely resembles the TSR2 and TSR3 drivers. The crown swoops up from the topline, and the back of the sole rolls up. These aerodynamic traits are also round in the latest Titleist drivers, and with a hitting area as large as the TSR 2-wood’s face, aerodynamics will be critical to helping golfers maintain clubhead speed.

As more details about the Titleist TSR 2-wood become available, Golfweek will bring them to you. Below are several close-up images of the Titleist TSR 2-wood.

Mizuno ST-Max 230 driver

The Mizuno ST-Max 230 is a high-MOI, ultra-stable driver.

Gear: Mizuno ST-Max 230 driver
Price: $500 with Project X HZRDUS Smoke Green RDX, Mitsubishi Lai’ Li Blue or UST Mamiya Helium NanoCore 4F1 shaft and Lamkin ST Hybrid grip
Specs: 460-cc head with a forged titanium face and chassis, carbon fiber crown and sole panels, and adjustable hosel. 9.5, 10.5 and 12-degree head options.

Who It’s For: Golfers who prioritize forgiveness and who want to hit straighter drives.

The Skinny: The new ST-Max 230 takes the weight saved by using a large carbon fiber crown and sole panel and redistributes it to the back of the head to boost the forgiveness and make the club Mizuno’s most stable driver.

The Deep Dive: Just as you can tell a lot about a man by the quality of his shoes and belts, you can tell a lot about a driver by observing where designers and engineers position weight in the head. Mizuno’s ST-G driver has more weight concentrated in the front, which helps it reduce spin and put an emphasis on ball speed. The Japanese company’s newest driver, the ST-Max, utilizes an entirely different design, materials and weighting concept, and the result, according to Mizuno, is its most stable and forgiving driver.

Mizuno ST-Max 230 driver — In the address position, the ST-Max 230 looks large, but clean with a glossy black tone covering the carbon fiber. (David Dusek/Golfweek)

In the address position, the ST-Max looks bigger and wider than the other ST drivers, even though its 460-cc size gives it the same volume as the ST-Z and ST-X drivers. It has a lower profile but is larger from heel to toe and from front to back, and when it comes to stability, bigger is better.

The key to increasing the moment of inertia (MOI) and making a club less likely to twist on off-center hits is to position more weight in the back of the head. To do that in the 460-cc ST-Max, Mizuno designed the club with a massive carbon fiber crown and increased the size of the carbon fiber sole panel. Replacing titanium with carbon fiber reduces weight, and that saved weight was put back in the head by adding a 54-gram weight to the very back of the head. Having that much mass concentrated in the rear of the club keeps it moving forward and wobbling less on mis-hits, which should result in straighter drives.

To increase ball speed, Mizuno opted to use the same Beta Rich Ti LFS titanium in the face that debuted in the ST-G driver. It is lighter and has a higher tensile strength, so the multi-thickness face can flex more efficiently while maintaining durability.

Mizuno also increased the size of the CorTech Chamber, which is behind the leading edge in the sole. Mizuno has used this technology in recent drivers, and it involves creating a slot in the sole and then filling it with thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) to keep water and debris from getting inside the head. Inside the TPU, Mizuno adds a stainless steel bar, so while the soft TPU material allows the lower portion of the face to flex more efficiently on low-struck shots, the bar helps the head maintain momentum. The TPU material also soaks up excessive vibrations and enhances sound, so drives feel and sound better.

Below are several close-up photos of the Mizuno ST-Max driver.

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7 new golf equipment products to check out at Golf Galaxy

Check out these 7 new golf equipment products at Golf Galaxy.

Once the calendar flipped to 2024, brands across golf began to release their newest gear. Whether it was drivers, irons sets, wedges, balls or something in between, it seemed like every equipment manufacturer had new offerings.

Well, thanks to our friends at Golf Galaxy, we’ve put together a list of some of our favorite recent releases including drivers, irons and golf balls.

Some of the brands on the list below include Callaway, Cobra, Ping and more.

Most of the equipment below can be found on David Dusek’s best golf equipment lists for 2024 including best drivers, best irons, best golf balls and more.

Best golf equipment and apparel sales in March 2024

Check out the best golf sales in the month of March, including equipment, golf balls, apparel and more.

Warmer weather is right around the corner, which means golf courses and driving ranges around the country will soon be full of golfers hoping that 2024 will be their best year on the course yet.

To make sure you have all the gear your need to get through this season, we’ve teamed up with our friends at Worldwide Golf Shops to create a list of some of the best golf sales happening in March 2024.

Some of the brands included below are Titleist, Ping, Nike, Srixon, Adidas and more.

While you’re here, check out some of our other apparel, equipment and accessories lists: Best balls 2024 | Best pants 2024 | RSVLTS’ new Happy Gilmore collection