Itching to buy a new driver; Opinions wanted.

[naj959]

Hey everybody. I've been working a lot of overtime at work lately and have decided to treat myself to a new to me driver. I've narrowed it down to a Ping Anser, Ping I20, Adams Super LS, and Wishon 919 THI. I've demoed them all except for the 919 and probably liked the Anser the best followed by the I20. If I bought the 919 it we be purely off of reviews I've read from here on WRX and kind of a shoot from the hip sort of deal. There's no way I could demo a 919. I know the overwhelming response on here will be to get fitted but there aren't any Trackman fitters here in Fresno as far as I know. Roger Dunn has the vector but from what I here it's not the most accurate tool. In April I was able to get on Trackman at a demo day so I have a general idea of my swing characteristics and what specs I need. Of the 4 heads listed which do you guys think is the straightest shooter. I really liked the Anser but the I20 is dirt cheap. I hit the Super LS pretty consistently and was averaging 240 (longer than the Anser) but wasn't in love with the feel. I wasn't able to hit the i20 on a monitor but based on the ball flight it looked to be pretty deep. Any thoughts?

[Not Far From Par]

I have owned both of the mentioned PING's, Hit the Super LS, but have no history with the Wishon...
DID NOT like the LS.. Nothing about it..
Both PING's were (for me) OK at best.. with the Anser putting up better #'s...
If you really want to save some cash, & get a quality stick..
GO G20!!
I have had several set-ups with the G20, & NONE of them were junk..
Stupid easy to hit.. & not short by any means...
Just a thought

[kronik]

Money aside, the Anser would be my choice. Money factored in, the I20 wins hands-down. It's on clearance at most of the stores I frequent and both stock shafts provide a great match with most swings, IMHO.

[naj959]

Thanks fellas. I'm going to demo the G 20 again at my local driving range tomorrow. Price is somewhat of a factor and I will most likely by used. I know 3balls has been selling Ansers for around $200 and there is also a 919 listed at that price. Super LS's for around $180 and I would imagine the I20 and G20 are cheaper. I do like the fact that you can change the loft of the Anser buy a 1/2 degree. I tried out the R1 last week and didn't like the feel but that thing was probably longer than anything I've hit. Not as forgiving IMO though.

NotFarFromPar, you liked the G20 better than the Anser and I20? I'm a high launch/spin player so that is why I was leaning away from the G20. I did demo one with a 9.5* head and Devotion shaft and let me tell you, that thing was a straight hitting beast. Nice penetrating frozen ropes. Probably one of the best combos I've tried but I don't want to spend the cash on the Oban. I've been doing some research and the Integra MCS 2.8 shaft has a nearly identical bend profile and at $50 it's definitely an option.

[timothym]

[quote name='naj959' timestamp='1373499934' post='7428008']
Hey everybody. I've been working a lot of overtime at work lately and have decided to treat myself to a new to me driver. I've narrowed it down to a Ping Anser, Ping I20, Adams Super LS, and Wishon 919 THI. I've demoed them all except for the 919 and probably liked the Anser the best followed by the I20. If I bought the 919 it we be purely off of reviews I've read from here on WRX and kind of a shoot from the hip sort of deal. There's no way I could demo a 919. I know the overwhelming response on here will be to get fitted but there aren't any Trackman fitters here in Fresno as far as I know. Roger Dunn has the vector but from what I here it's not the most accurate tool. In April I was able to get on Trackman at a demo day so I have a general idea of my swing characteristics and what specs I need. Of the 4 heads listed which do you guys think is the straightest shooter. I really liked the Anser but the I20 is dirt cheap. I hit the Super LS pretty consistently and was averaging 240 (longer than the Anser) but wasn't in love with the feel. I wasn't able to hit the i20 on a monitor but based on the ball flight it looked to be pretty deep. Any thoughts?
[/quote]

I don't want to hijack the thread, but I went to Golfsmith today and hit my Covert Tour and Fast 12 ls against the new Callaway Optiforce and the super LS. The Callaway showed an increase of 3-4 mph swing speed and gain of 6-8 yards over the others. I hit the 440 head with the diamana s, 63 gms in stiff. I also hit about 240-250 with the fast 12 ls but was hitting the callaway better today. Of course, that may change tomorrow.

[amateur pro]

[quote name='timothym' timestamp='1373603398' post='7437716']
[quote name='naj959' timestamp='1373499934' post='7428008']
Hey everybody. I've been working a lot of overtime at work lately and have decided to treat myself to a new to me driver. I've narrowed it down to a Ping Anser, Ping I20, Adams Super LS, and Wishon 919 THI. I've demoed them all except for the 919 and probably liked the Anser the best followed by the I20. If I bought the 919 it we be purely off of reviews I've read from here on WRX and kind of a shoot from the hip sort of deal. There's no way I could demo a 919. I know the overwhelming response on here will be to get fitted but there aren't any Trackman fitters here in Fresno as far as I know. Roger Dunn has the vector but from what I here it's not the most accurate tool. In April I was able to get on Trackman at a demo day so I have a general idea of my swing characteristics and what specs I need. Of the 4 heads listed which do you guys think is the straightest shooter. I really liked the Anser but the I20 is dirt cheap. I hit the Super LS pretty consistently and was averaging 240 (longer than the Anser) but wasn't in love with the feel. I wasn't able to hit the i20 on a monitor but based on the ball flight it looked to be pretty deep. Any thoughts?
[/quote]

I don't want to hijack the thread, but I went to Golfsmith today and hit my Covert Tour and Fast 12 ls against the new Callaway Optiforce and the super LS. The Callaway showed an increase of 3-4 mph swing speed and gain of 6-8 yards over the others. I hit the 440 head with the diamana s, 63 gms in stiff. I also hit about 240-250 with the fast 12 ls but was hitting the callaway better today. Of course, that may change tomorrow.
[/quote]

which Golfsmith? no idea where you are from, but I did not see the new Cally at my local shop.

[naj959]

Hit a 9.5 G25 with Stiff TFC and the thing just launches too high with too much spin. I think I'd have to look at an 8.5* with this club so I think the 25 and 20 are out. I did like the club very much but it just floats on me too much.

Does anyone have any opinions on the forgiveness of the Super LS? I might just pull the trigger on it and than flip it later.

[Not Far From Par]

[quote name='naj959' timestamp='1373524949' post='7430200']
Thanks fellas. I'm going to demo the G 20 again at my local driving range tomorrow. Price is somewhat of a factor and I will most likely by used. I know 3balls has been selling Ansers for around $200 and there is also a 919 listed at that price. Super LS's for around $180 and I would imagine the I20 and G20 are cheaper. I do like the fact that you can change the loft of the Anser buy a 1/2 degree. I tried out the R1 last week and didn't like the feel but that thing was probably longer than anything I've hit. Not as forgiving IMO though.

NotFarFromPar, you liked the G20 better than the Anser and I20? I'm a high launch/spin player so that is why I was leaning away from the G20. I did demo one with a 9.5* head and Devotion shaft and let me tell you, that thing was a straight hitting beast. Nice penetrating frozen ropes. Probably one of the best combos I've tried but I don't want to spend the cash on the Oban. I've been doing some research and the Integra MCS 2.8 shaft has a nearly identical bend profile and at $50 it's definitely an option.
[/quote]

To correct you.. Not "liked"... But still like the G20 over both the Anser & i20..
i20 is good IF you can put a good swing on it EVERY time.. Mishits can go anywhere..
Anser (to me) was more forgiving, but couldn't get past the sound, & just wasn't long enough for me.. But in it's defense... I don't think the shaft was a good fit for me (Phenom)
I believe off the rack the G20 suffers from a garbage shaft.. Unless you happen to get along with the "Tour" shaft..
My G20's have had both factory shafts.. (Only liked the Tour)
Matrix Code-6 (Candy Lime) This was probably my favorite combo
Some sort of NVS... (HATED THIS ONE)
I even did a Grafalloy Prototype Bi-Matrix (the original pink one, not the re-release) This was a GREAT combo as well
There are plenty of shaft choices out there that can be had for a good price...
Used right now, you can pick up G20 heads for next to nothing, & a good pull shaft for around $50 (I got my Tour Ad-di 6s for $100 with grip!!)
FWIW.. I REALLY don't care for the matte black color either....So looks of the G20 win me over as well..

[thecraw]

I have the i20 9.5 with a Grafalloy Bimatrix shaft. Its awesome. I had the G20 previously but it just ballooned, couldn't get the spin under control with any shaft. I'm not a big hitter or fast swinger either but I do come into the ball at -2 degrees which doesn't help.

Love the i20. Recommended.

[underpar69]

I20 on clearance is the best deal.

[richard t]

+1 on the above. I20 is the BEST club on the market for the price. Both shafts are excellent too.

[NTKT10]

Anser is a touch more forgiving than the i20. The i20 sounds, feels, and looks better IMO.

[naj959]

I really liked the I 20 but for like 50 bucks more I can get a used Anser in the $220 range. The ability to adjust the loft and added bit of forgiveness have given the Anser just enough of an edge for me to knock the I20 out of the running. I guess I'm narrowed it down to 3: an Anser, Super LS, or 919. I've found a 919 head that I Could get for under a $100 and than I could put the shaft of my choice in. The driver test done by MGS has me a little apprehensive about the 919. Could potentially be shorter than the rest and less accurate but if you read how they performed the test it was not close to being apples to apples.

[byrness]

I had a Ping Rapture V2 with Grafalloy ProLaunch Red shaft that I loved! Just put in a Titleist 913D2 with the same shaft and it's awesome! About the same carry as the Ping but lower spin and more penetrating ball flight, thus longer due to more roll...and it seems to be just as forgiving as the Ping was.

[naj959]

I've heard that the 913's spin quite a bit more than a lot of people expected. No issues for you Byrness? I've hit my friends 910 and it was okay but it didn't blow my socks off. I haven't been blown away by a Titleist driver since I had my old 905R.

[byrness]

[quote name='naj959' timestamp='1373655768' post='7442188']
I've heard that the 913's spin quite a bit more than a lot of people expected. No issues for you Byrness? I've hit my friends 910 and it was okay but it didn't blow my socks off. I haven't been blown away by a Titleist driver since I had my old 905R.
[/quote]

Agree with lack of enthusiasm for Titleist drivers since the 905 series...I had a 905T I carried for years before the Ping Rapture V2 finally took its place. I thought the 907 & 909s were terrible, and 910 just ok. I am very pleased with the 913D2. Like most, maximizing distance and minimizing spin is all about the shaft...One area in which I think previous Titleist drivers have failed when it comes to the OEM shafts they have used. For me the ProLaunch Red just fits me perfectly...and my spin #s are lower with the 913D2 than with the same shaft in the Ping...and probably the most forgiving Titleist driver I have ever hit.

[gvogel]

I would think that the Anser would be a driver that you might still be playing a few years from now. Not so much the others.

I love my 910 D2, ordered with a longer than stock shaft. I might be playing it three years from now, which would be a big deal for me.

The Anser is adjustable, so you could get an additional tip or two and fiddle with different shafts if you want to.

[naj959]

Gvogel that was my exact thinking. If my swing changes in a few years I could still get an ideal fit by tweaking the loft and doing a no hassle shaft swap. I'd love to be able to work on my own clubs but don't want to invest in a shaft puller, table saw, ect. The adjustable tips are very appealing to me; just order a new tip and epoxy the new shaft in.

Gvogel, I might demo a 913 tomorrow just for the hell of it. Didn't even bother with Titleist at the demo day lol.

[texcrom]

Sent you a PM on the Anser I'm selling.

I'd be remiss, however, if I didn't tell you I am selling it because I got a G25, which is a great driver.

Hit one with an X or Tour Stiff Ping shaft, and I'm betting you will get better results than you got with it before.

I hit mine today against an R1, the new Optiforce, and a 913 D2, and my G25 with Tour Stiff was easily the best of the four. Titleist was second.

[naj959]

Wow, the R1 was really long for me so that says a lot. Just too many gimicks for my taste. I hit a few hooks with it as well but I'm pretty sure that was because of the Phenom.

[pedarius]

Longest drives I ever hit in my life were a few years ago with the Ping Rapture V2/blueboard 63X combo--low-mid spin, mid-high launch monster of a driver with great feel because of the blueboard's smoothness. It was somewhat temperamental compared to the G series but always good for at least one or two WOW drives per round. The G20 I've been playing for two years now is straighter and much more consistent, but while the G20 is respectably long, it's sufficiently spinny that it very rarely generates the monster drives that the V2 would regularly crank out, and so it's never been as much fun. G25 felt the same to me as the G20 and put up similar numbers on a sim, though I have only hit it indoors so can't really say.

Based only on a couple of demos, the i20 to me looks and performs like the V2 in matte black, and at $199 new it's a great deal. Was seriously considering picking one up now that they're so cheap.

However, instead I picked up on impulse a mint 9.5 Anser with a 62X Diamana S+; hoping to recapture the old low spin head/high launch blueboard magic that I miss from the Rapture V2 days. Good results so far but too soon to tell for sure. If I end up liking the Anser head but find that the S+/blueboard profile launches too high for me nowadays, then it should be easy enough to switch out to an 'ahina 72 or some other lower-launching shaft like a Black Tie or Kusala Black.

[stateman]

I would say its between the Anser and the i20. Nothing beets the i20 when hit on the screws. It just goes for miles. My suggestion would be that if you are a very consistent ball striker to go with the i20. If not you can't go wrong with the Anser.

[naj959]

Was just bombing a demo Anser last night with no noticeable movement in either direction; literally dead straight. My friend was just laughing at me I was hitting the club so well. I think my choice has been made although the TFC is a little light for my taste and I don't think I have the speed to handle the Ahina although I do like the feel of MRC stuff. I've tried a phenom in an R1 and it was also too light for me. I guess that only leaves the Blur. Hopefully I can get a head off of the BST. 10.5* head was performing pretty well but If I caught it too high on the face it did launch a little too high. I think a 9.5* set to 10* is the way to go.