Master Fitter Survey: Top-Performing Drivers of 2021
Master Fitter Survey: Top-Performing Drivers of 2021
March 25, 2021
Golfers are always oozing with anticipation at the beginning of each year as manufacturers release their new driver models. Golf club engineers continue to push the envelope, coming off with new technologies, construction methods, weighting philosophies, and more to generate more distance and forgiveness.
All of this new technology only helps the award-winning fitting team at 2nd Swing get better performance into the hands of golfers. Our master fitters have completed tens of thousands of fittings so far in 2021 and have noticed some trends among the new driver models.
Some of the new driver releases in 2021 include the TaylorMade SIM2 family, the Callaway Epic family, the PING G425 series, the Cobra RAD Speed models, the Srixon ZX models, the Titleist TSi1 and TSi4 models, and the Mizuno ST drivers.
We recently surveyed 16 of our fitters to get their feedback on which drivers are performing best, asking them to list their top three drivers in different categories based on fittings so far. Rankings are determined on a points scale: a first-place vote is worth three points, a second-place vote is two points, and a third-place vote is one point.
Let’s get into the survey results:
The Best High-MOI Drivers of 2021
- PING G425 Max: 42
- TaylorMade SIM2 Max: 24
- Callaway Epic Speed: 16
- Cobra RAD Speed XB: 9
The PING G425 Max driver has run away with the high-MOI category in the survey, garnering 42 points in the survey (36 coming from 12 first-place votes). Overall, 100% of 2nd Swing’s fitters who completed the survey put the PING G425 Max driver in their top three in the high-MOI category.
“The G425 Max is a very straight and consistent fairway finder,” one fitter wrote. “It’s an extremely forgiving driver and has been great on mis-hits.”
The TaylorMade SIM2 Max tallied 24 points to finish runner-up in the high-MOI category, while the Callaway Epic Speed model received 16 points.
“The Epic Speed has been super consistent early on for me at least,” added another fitter. “And PING is always competitive in any fitting that needs forgiveness.”
The Best Low-Spin Drivers of 2021
- TaylorMade SIM2: 33
- PING G425 LST: 29
- Callaway Epic Max LS: 14
- Cobra RAD Speed: 11
- Titleist TSi4: 10
This category is a hotly-contested one among 2nd Swing fitters, with the TaylorMade SIM2 model edging the PING G425 LST for the most points. Notable feedback from fitters has been some differences in which areas the drivers excel at. For example, the PING G425 LST seems to offer more forgiveness, but other models have been delivering more ball speed.
“SIM2 and TSi drivers seem to be giving more ball speed,” one fitter commented. “But the G425 is the most forgiving of these drivers.”
In 2020, the SIM driver from TaylorMade was the favorite low-spin option among many 2nd Swing master fitters. So it’s no surprise to see the SIM2 rise to the top once again in 2021, though the race is much tighter this year, one fitter argues.
“Last season, SIM was the clear dominating driver. This is how it stands at the moment in 2021, but the top three are very neck and neck. Nothing seems to be really moving too far ahead so far this season to me.”
The Best Draw-Bias Drivers of 2021
- PING G425 SFT: 40
- TaylorMade SIM2 Max D: 33
- Callaway Epic Max: 24
For many golfers, eliminating a tendency is one of the top priorities when coming in for a driver fitting at 2nd Swing. The draw-bias driver category is geared specifically for those players, as these models include more weight in the heel to help golfers turn the clubface over at impact.
Among our staff of surveyed fitters, the PING G425 SFT received the most points, with seven first-place votes and 40 total points.
“G425 SFT seems to be the most draw-biased driver without utilizing hosel adjustments. It’s comfortably the easiest to turn over,” one fitter wrote.
Golfers in this category are not as concerned with distance as they are with accuracy and trajectory, and the G425 SFT has been most effective at correcting a slice tendency so far. However, the SIM2 Max D and the Epic Max have also been strong contenders in the draw-bias category.
As always, the performance for a driver is player-dependent. This is just a summation of the trends our fitters are seeing across all golfers. If you are interested in getting fit for a driver, feel free to schedule a Tour Van fitting or contact our Online Fitting and Support team at (612) 216-4152.