We are currently in the new season for golf equipment! Every brand has something new and exciting coming through to us shortly, from new putters to drivers and everything in the middle! But the big question is, are they actually any better than last year’s models? Before we dive into what the manufactures say and whether it’s true or not, let’s start with a brief overview of club releases.
How often do they update?
This varies per manufacturer, some are notoriously known for updating models every year, some wait a little longer before releasing a new model. What we do notice from a lot of brands is they release new equipment what feels like every 6 months… but they stagger each area of the bag, so they don’t release a new model of the same area. For example, Titleist release of the T Series irons was early last year, of which they typically run on a two-year cycle. However, there new TSi driver series was released late last year and once again will be on a two-year cycle. So, this means they always having something they can market which is new and fresh but doesn’t update too often so you feel you have old equipment!
Is it really 10 yards longer than last year?
This is a difficult question to answer, because it relies on so many different variables. For some people, this may be true as this year’s driver suits them a little better – and I am not talking about how it “looks” or “feels”! If you hit the new model further, longer or straighter, it probably isn’t down to how it looks or feels, it will be down to how the driver is designed and whether this matches your swing tendency. Let’s look at the new Ping G425 to dive into this further.
Ping G425
The new Ping G425 is the highest MOI driver they have ever produced. MOI is Moment of Inertia, which in its simplest form tells us how forgiving a driver is. The higher MOI, the more forgiving the driver is to off centred strikes. How they do this, is by placing more weight around the rear perimeter of the head. So, in this years G425, the weight at the back of the head they have increased to 26 grams of tungsten, the highest they have every done.
Why didn’t they do that last year?
When you add more weight, you have to take weight away from the head… if not it becomes too heavy and unbalanced, therefore poorly designed. So, they have to find a way to reduce weight without sacrificing performance. This typically comes from a lot of design, testing and new materials being used.
Let’s go back to the original point… if you are a golfer who needs more forgiveness, then the new G425 will be better than your current G410 model… IN THEORY.
So, how do I know I will hit it better if it isn’t always the case?
Theory and educated guessing can be a great thing, but until you try it and get custom fitted, how do you know you will hit it better? What will be better about it? Until you see it for yourself and be guided through a qualified team of experienced club fitters (shoutout to the team!), you may not see any benefit at all. You may even see more benefit in a different model from a different brand, although you have never liked there equipment before!
Lets take a look at some of the other new releases this month across the brands.
Callaway
Callaway have a few things coming out over the next month, so keep an eye on both ours and there social media! One of the most recent releases is the new Apex range of irons.
You will notice 4 different variations, from the traditional Apex and Apex Pro, a new bigger more forgiving version in DCB and the reintroduction of Apex MB. The apex family boasts an iron available for every single player, from higher handicap all the way to the tour pros. With a focus on feel and ball speed performance, this range is always popular in our custom fittings.
Taylormade
Taylormade have the arrival of their new wood family called “Sim 2”. Unfortunately, this is still under embargo so we cannot share any pictures or information on it, however we have had a sneak peak from the tour and they recently released this video with some familiar faces:
Mizuno
Mizuno have a new driver line up coming fresh for 2021. We don’t know much about it yet, but it has appeared on the USGA conforming list and a few mizuno staff players teasing the ST-X in their bag. The ST-Z will more likely be a more forgiving head designed for everyday golfers, whilst the ST-X will be the super low spinning tour head.
Keep an eye from the other brands too… we are expecting some new wedges and putter ranges this year from a lot of the brands… keep it hush!
If you have any questions about new technology, the latest equipment or different models, please get in touch and we will be happy to advise and fit you for.
@LClarkePCoach
