The Best 2022 Driver and shaft combinations is based upon our fitting results so far in 2022. We know it is very early but there are definitely some shining stars in both driver heads and shafts! The Best of the Best are Highlighted in Red!
Driver Heads 2022
There were a few surprises on the 2022 Golf Digest Equipment Hot List and which drivers won the Gold Medals. Various forums, and ourselves as well publish a list of the best drivers. Some are very independent and some are not. Doesn’t matter. What our customers are looking for is what are the best driver and shaft combinations that we have fit so far in 2022, even though it is early in the season. We believe that the shaft is the part of the club that has the most impact on distance, consistency and accuracy, so that is why we are including our shaft recommendations in this list.
This list will be updated throughout the year as new shaft offerings are released.
We have four distinct categories based upon swing speed and distance.
Swing Speed 106+, Distance > 250 yards
Swing Speed 95-105, Distance 211 – 250 yards
Swing Speed 80 – 94, Distance 175 – 210 yards
Swing Speed Under 80, Distance < 175 yards
We think there are more shafts and heads in the mix for slower swing speeds. We have also thrown in our Honorable Mentions in both heads and shafts. So here goes:
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Swing Speed 106+, Distance > 250 yards
Callaway Rogue ST Driver
Fitting Tips: Typically 65 to 75 gram shafts but smoother tempos can play lighter weights. Firm mid section and low launch, low spin is the norm for more control. Driver lofts 8 to 10.5 degrees depending upon angle of attack. The new TaylorMade STEALTH Plus 8 degree is adjustable down to 6 degrees!
Best Heads: Callaway Rogue ST Triple Diamond, TaylorMadeSTEALTH Plus, Ping G425 LST, Titleist TSi4 and TSi3, Cobra LTD x LS, PXG 0811X Gen 4 and 0811XT Mizuno ST-Z 220
Best Shafts – Low Launch: Mitsubishi Diamana PD 60 and 70, Mitsubishi TENSEI Pro White 1K and Orange 1K, Mitsubishi Kai’Li White 60 and 70, ACCRA TZ 5 65, OBAN Kiyoshi Black, Tour LTD Blue, Devotion 6 and 7, Project X HZRDUS Smoke RDX Green and Smoke Blue RDX 60 and 70, Fujikura Ventus Black 6 and 7, TPT Red Range 14 and 15 LO
Best Shafts – Mid Launch: Mitsubishi Diamana TB 50, 60 and 70, ACCRA TZ 6 65, Project X HZRDUS Smoke RDX Black, EvenFlow Riptide LX 60 and 70, Graphite Design Tour AD HD and XC, KBS TD Graphite 60 and 70, Fujikura Ventus Blue 6 and 7, Blue TR 6 and 7, OBAN Isawa Red, TPT Red Range 14 and 15 HI, AUTOFLEX SF505XX
Honorable Mention Heads: Tour Edge C722, Srixon ZX7
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Swing Speed 95-105, Distance 211 – 250 yards
Cobra LTD x LS Driver
Fitting Tips: Typical shaft weights in 55 to 65 grams but some players with fast transitions may like a heavier 70+ gram shaft. If you think you are losing distance, try a lighter, 55 gram shaft or a counter balanced shaft, but make sure it plays stiff enough. Typically 9 to 10.5 degree lofted drivers with face bias dependent upon swing characteristics and what appeals to the golfer.
Best Heads: Callaway Rogue ST Max and Max LS, TaylorMade STEALTH and STEALTH Plus, Ping G425 LST and Max, Titleist TSi2 and TSi3, Cobra LTD x and LTD x LS, PXG 0811 X, Mizuno ST-G and ST-Z 220, Tour Edge C722
Best Shafts – Low-Mid Launch: Mitsubishi Diamana TB 60 and 70, Mitsubishi TENSEI AV Raw White and Orange, ACCRATZ 5 65, OBAN Kiyoshi White and Devotion 6, 7, Project X HZRDUS Smoke Black RDX 60 and Smoke Blue RDX 60, Project X EvenFlow Riptide MX 60 and 70, Fujikura Ventus Blue 6 and 7, Blue TR 6 and 7, TPT Red Range 16 and 17 LO
Best Shafts – Mid Launch: Mitsubishi Diamana TB and TENSEI AV Blue 2022, ACCRA TZ 6 65, OBAN Revenge, Isawa Red, Project X HZRDUS Smoke RDX Red, Project X EvenFlow Riptide LX 60, Fujikura Ventus Blue 5 and 6, Graphite Design Tour AD DI, TP , VR and XC, KBS TD Graphite 60 and 70, TPT Red Range 16 and 17 HI, AUTOFLEX SF505XX
Honorable Mention Heads: Tour Edge E722, Srixon ZX5 and ZX7,
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Swing Speed 80 – 94, Distance 175 – 210 yards
TaylorMade STEALTH Driver
Fitting Tips: Lighter shafts (55 to 65 grams) but launch and spin depend on swing characteristics and attack angle. Slightly higher lofted drivers but not necessarily draw biased as there are a lot of better golfers with low handicaps in this category.
Best Heads: Callaway Rogue ST Max and Max Draw , TaylorMade STEALTH and STEALTH HD, Ping G425 Max and SFT, Titleist TSi2 and TSi1, Cobra LTDx and LTD x Max, PXG 0811XF Gen4, Srixon ZX5, Tour Edge E722 Cleveland Launcher XL and XL Lite, Mizuno ST-X 220,
Best Shafts – Low to Mid Launch: Mitsubishi Diamana PD 50 and 60, Fujikura Ventus Blue 5 and 6, Mitsubishi TENSEI AV Raw Orange and AV Blue 2022 , ACCRA TZ 5 55 and 65, FX 3.0 250 and 260 , OBAN Kiyoshi Purple 55, Project X HZRDUS Smoke RDX Red, Fujikura Ventus Blue 5 and 6, Blue TR 6, TPT Red Range 18 LO
Best Shafts – Mid to Mid-High Launch: Mitsubishi Diamana TB 50 and 60, C6 Red and Blue, ACCRA TZ 6 55 and 65, ACCRA FX 3.0 150 and 160, Project X EvenFlow Riptide LX, Fujikura Speeder Evolution V 569, KBS TD Graphite 50 and 60, Graphite Design Tour AD HD, GP and VR 5 and 6, Veylix Alpina Black 573 and 673, TPT Red Range 18 HI, AUTOFLEX SF505XX
Honorable Mention Heads: Tour Edge E722, Mizuno ST-200X , Srixon ZX5
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Swing Speed Under 80, Distance < 175 yards
Mizuno ST-X 220 Driver
Fitting Tips: Typically lighter weight shafts, 39 to 50 grams with higher launch and spin. Head lofts at least 11 degrees and up to 17 for juniors. Try a shorter length shaft as well.
Best Heads: Callaway Rogue ST Max and Max Draw, XXIO 12 and X, TaylorMade STEALTH and STEALTH HD, Ping G425 Max, SFT and G Le2, PXG 0811XF Proto , Titleist TSi1, Cobra LTD X Max, Mizuno ST-X 220, ClevelandLauncher XL Lite and XL Lite Draw, US Kids TS3 Launch
Best Shafts – Mid to Mid-High Launch: Mitsubishi Diamana TB 40, Grand Bassara and Bassarra TB Series , ACCRA TZ 6 55, FX 3.0 140 , Project X CYPHER 40 and 50, Graphite Design Tour AD HD4 and VR 4 and 5, KBS TD Graphite 40 and 50, TPT Red Range 18 and 19 HI
Best Shafts – Mid-High to High Launch: Mitsubishi Grand Bassara 39, ACCRA FX SRT 2.0, Project X CYPHER 40 and 50, Graphite Design Tour AD UB 4 and 5, Fujikura Air Speeder, TPT Red Range 20 and 21 HI.
Honorable Mention Heads: Tour Edge E722, Mizuno ST-X 220, Srixon ZX5
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Once again, we feel that the shaft is of critical importance to getting optimum performance out of any club, but especially the driver. Proper length (shorter is better) weight and flex can give you more distance, accuracy and consistency!
How to Select YOUR New Clubs
Aesthetics – Look, Sound and Feel
In our experience in clubfitting over the years, you have to select a club head that looks good to your eye, sounds good when you hit it in the fitting and has the feel you desire. It is pretty strange but sometimes a golfer will not be able to make solid contact with a club that supposedly matches them perfectly from a fitting perspective but the aesthetics are not right. Be sure you take a look at 3 to 5 heads to make sure that at least 3 will give you good results. It could be as simple as top line on an iron, color of a driver, finish (glossy paint or matte finish). All of these can make a difference.
Performance – Distance, Accuracy and Consistency
Now we start getting into the meat of a fitting for new clubs. The majority of the golfers we fit are looking for consistency, but whatever you do, make sure you add a little distance as well! That is not difficult in a new fitting, however, sometimes getting added distance for a customer that has been fit within the last year or so. Our goal in a fitting is to cut shot dispersion by 50% and add 5-10% more distance. The factors we look at are club length, shaft weight, shaft flex, trajectory, spin, swing weight and loft and lie. Our BGF and Fit Quiz systems make predictions based upon your swing characteristics for each of those parameters. We then test our golfers in a fitting with clubs that are assembled to those specifications. The results of the fitting do not lie…only when the aesthetics do not match do we have to change up the testing configuration.
So pick your initial choices based on aesthetics, but the final decision based on the improved performance you get!
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Dan Sueltz
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