That's the reason I got fitted for the SQ SUMO 5000 back in I think 2009, loved that aluminum baseball bat sound! The loudest driver ever... PGA Show 2015 or 2016, the AMAZING CRE driver (look it up). The driver is still on sale, it's non-conforming, and has a hole in the middle. That thing made the NIKE sound like a persimmon.
Sound definitely matters. I got fitted into the Ping G425 Max but could not buy it because it gave me such a headache after the fitting session indoors. Ended up with the TSI3 instead, which doesn’t perform quite as good but sounds and feels better.
Sound is a huge factor for me, especially with the driver, but since I started playing in the persimmon era my ideal driver sound is more muted than some others may like. The closer it is to that old persimmon sound, the better - I don't need a driver to sound like the ball is exploding off the face to know if I've hit a good shot or not. Of the more recent drivers, I really loved the sound of the Cobra King F9 (not mine but tested a friends) and am curious about the Stealth but will wait for the 2.0 to hit one. My all time favorite sounding driver is the Cleveland Classic TC15 persimmon from the late 80s.
I watched over 10 groups of pros at the at the Memorial, there was a tee shot that was echoic as it was nestled back in some tree and I posted up there for a day. The newest Titleist driver was the Titleist 983K.... with a tour pro swing... NOW THAT is a sound I could listen to all day. IMO I have never heard anything that satisfying since.
I played a driver for several years called the "Bang-O-Matic" by Bang Golf. Easily the loudest driver I ever played, but boy I loved that thing. They still sell them!
Same as my +20 year old Dunlop Linear Force driver. Its in my bag but I only use it on the driving range or when I want to turn heads lol. Combined with a senior flex type graphite shaft that sounds like a whip right before the high pitched ping sound of a titanum/stainless steel driver, it is absolutely glorious. You will definitely turn heads if you hit it clean. Unfortunately it hits about 30-40 yards shorter than my SIM2 max driver (and half the size lol) but one clean hit and you'll open up the gates to heaven!
Can confirm. Have been playing the square Sasquatch for years, and have been asked multiple times to stop hitting it at the range. Thing sounds like hitting a cinderblock with an aluminum baseball bat.
That Nike driver was actually not all bad performing. Straight AF. I hit a 10.5R flex on range as demo. Normally I would play 9S or X. It went high and dead straight. I couldn’t hook the damn thing. If there’s a way to make it as long as what’s on market now, I’d play it. It was that straight. Plus everyone knows you hit the snot out of it all over the course if you swing over 110. You can hear it on the back 9 from the front 9. 😂
I still use a Sasquatch. haha it is very loud. I always feel bad using at the range or a sim. Currently shopping for a new driver which is why i came across this video .
Call me crazy but I kind of like a driver that makes a louder crack sound. Not the SQ though. It sounds broken. I hate the dull sound of the newer TaylorMade drivers. I play the Cleveland Launcher HB Turbo and I love how it sounds when you hit the center.
Callaway FT-i needed to be on this list. Square driver heads go incredibly straight but sound awful. Interestingly, I don't think anyone has topped the original mavrik for sound yet.
One item not discussed or measured was 'duration' of the sound. The difference is minimal, but our ears are incredibly sensitive, and the Nike SQ sound seems to last a tad bit longer than say the Titleist TS3. That may play a role too. Tom Wishon shared an email with me back in 2004 about acoustics of a driver and discussed how it's basically a "closed bell". I had (and sold) Wishon 515grt drivers that were very loud and wondered why since other drivers in the Wishon lineup were not nearly as loud with an unappealing sound (my opinion). He mentioned the science behind adding subtle features in the head to not only change the frequency, but also minimize ringing or duration - all without adding weight.
Conforming driver, hands down the SUMO SQ, even the SUMO 5000 was loud. At the PGA Show in either 2016 or 2017, there was a company that made a driver with a cascading hole in the middle... AMAZING CRE. It was non-conforming and made the SUMO sound like persimmon. They are more of an apparel company now, but still think that the driver is available.
The Cobra F9 and 2016 M2 stand out to me asap being great sounding. That F9 had such a satisfying crack. Then they ruined it with SpeedZone. TSR3 and Stealth both sound great also.
Yup, testing out the G425 reminded me of these mid 2000's Cobra drivers lmfao. Thought it sounded almost exactly like them, had to remind myself of how these drivers actually sounded lol. But despite the sound, the 425 is one of the best drivers on the market.
does anyone remember Cubic Balance?. the tizerk driver was loud but the small fairways with 11to 22 deg of loft were the loudest of all. I played the 13 deg for a while and it could be heard by everyone on the course. I used to hit it on the range just to see peoples faces. paired it with an AJ tech shaft and man was it long.
From the new era I love the sound & feeling of a SIM2 and from the old school I love the sound & feeling of Ping G10. The most hated and horrible sound he had, was a Texan driver with a square head, he sounded like a rusty pancake pan, something like Nike Sumo but more horror.
there is deff somthing to the little tink noise of the old BB and say a clevelad halo hybrid. The exploding plastic sound of sweet spotting an M2 or a Diablo driver are fun too lol. A moder Thwack seems to be good enough for when im smackin em.
I play the Cleveland XL an I love it. I hit my fairways with it and I kind of like the unique sound. I don’t much care to do the same and use the same as everyone else out there.
Exactly why I bought my Nike Sumo Sasquatch square driver. Nobody’s gonna have a driver like mine. I’m no pro and I don’t compete - I can afford to sacrifice stats for style. Lol
MacGregor V-Foil M42...!!! A commenter said: "MACGREGOR M42 V-FOIL EYE-O-MATIC DRIVER ... "Cobra SS and SZs are up there on the rostrum when the anti-Noise Abatement Society are giving out their medals for decibel-abuse but this beautifully made brute from one of the oldest surviving clubmakers takes gold every time. (I recall this too way back when had one. Fun test btw ;>)
Goldsmith made a driver back in the 90s that was foamless. It was even louder then these. I was on one side of a driving range that must have had 30 bays on one level. The people in the other side turned their heads when I hit it.
When i got into golfing i was given a LH Cleveland set and it came with a High Bore XL the first time i hit a ball i thought i broke it haha. I bring it out every now and then its actually a great driver besides the soda can sound.
Best sounding driver by far is my +20 year old Dunlop Linear Force driver. Its in my bag but I only use it on the driving range or when I want to turn heads lol. Combined with a senior flex type graphite shaft that sounds like a whip right before the high pitched ping sound of a titanum/stainless steel driver, it is absolutely glorious. You will definitely turn heads if you hit it clean. Unfortunately it hits about 30-40 yards shorter than my SIM2 max driver (and half the size lol) but one clean hit and you'll open up the gates to heaven!
I had a regular game back in the day with a guy who had that terrible Nike driver. It sounded loud and went nowhere. Best sounding driver is between the Titleist 905R and TS3.
Definitely should've tried the old cobra SZ that thing would cause hearing damage. It had a high frequency but the decibels have to be about as high as it gets.
I have played Cleveland clubs for years up until recently but I will say when the HiBore came out I hit it well but it always sounded like it was going 350+ but in reality(for myself at least) it was closer to maxing out at about 290-300….but that loud sound also matters very very much so on the ball your hitting/playing….if you think it’s loud when hitting your average proV1 or TP5….tee up a Wilson or a top flight XL or a Callaway warbird ball and that is some legit eardrum breaking sound!! You guys should do a similar test but take into account the ball being hit…the difference is mind boggling
Best sounding [and feeling] driver I've ever owned was a Ping laminated persimmon driver, circa 1976 or 77.It had a huge head compared with other drivers of the time, made possible by the laminated head as opposed to the solid persimmon heads of the day. Game changer for me! Wish I still had that thing. Worst sounding driver I've ever owned was the Ping G25. LOUD! and HIGH PITCHED. When I pulled that thing out at the covered driving range, people started digging foxholes. I got rid of it for no other reason than it sounded terrible and worse, it was so loud people were complaining that it was affecting their hearing. I kid you not.
My golf buddy played with a Nike Sumo. That thing was loud and often people thought he hit it a long way but it was not that far at all. I always thought the Cobra SZ 460 was very loud. Myself, I don't like too muted or dull sounding drivers. I like them to have a little pop. Ones I enjoyed the sound and feel of were TM Burner 2007, Ping G10, Ping 30 and Titleist 975D. Funny, I use a SIM now and its very soft sounding compared to those others.
Still have my HiBore…..obv on the shelf….sounds horrific but I can’t throw it away. Might be the shaft but I hit too many fairways with it back in the day to scrap it. Also, not worth the shipping fee to sell it sooo 🤷🏻♂️
Still rock my hibore XL. It's insane how loud, but I feel like toe hits have a great draw back to the middle. Even if you lose 20 yards, at least it's in the middle.
@@paulshepherd8638 I hear ya. I’m convinced the shaft is perfect for me. All the difference in any club. My HiBore is fitted with a UST ProForce V1 in X flex. Killer combo.
Interesting vid, I wonder how the Lynx Preditor driver I use would stack up... it's pretty darn loud and personally I HATE the sound it makes. I much prefer quieter drivers that are less metallic sounding on contact.
The Original Cobra F-Speed LD was LOUD AND VERY Distinct like an aluminum baseball bat. I loved that club. Nike Sumo and HiBore were just as loud but more golf sounding. My buddies always joked they knew if I was in a group in front of or behind them based on that clubs launch sound.
So I prefer a louder driver. I feel like it let's you know when you get a great strike on the ball. My Adams Speedline Tech makes a hell of a sound. I love it, and people all around freak when I hit. It honestly makes me feel better when I get that noise. Now if only I can find something similar in sound to it as I am hearing some creaking noise at the head on my follow through.
Sounds plays a huge role. I hit one shot with the Ping G425 and noped out of there so fast. Went with the Rogue ST Max LS. Such a great sounding driver!
Sound, is HUGE! Unfortunately I just bought (used) a Honma driver that's 460cc, a few years old but in great shape, well the noise is killing me. It has a super loud and sharp ping when I hit it which I swear it did not have in the store. I will likely put this club on the rack and it will never come out on the course. $300 wasted. )-:
Wilson Triton from 2016, that became nonconforming because of the sole plate. It was chosen on the show Driver vs Driver. It was pulled from the racks, and only a handful of people actually swung the club. It was very loud and a lousy sound.
My best sounding driver, well maybe not really a driver is still my 2014 SLDR Mini Driver. People comment on it occasionally how they really like the non-metal sound it makes. It just sounds so solid. My Callaway Rogue St Max sounds pretty nice.
Use to have one of those Nike Square drivers, probably the loudest one I've heard but it was a lot straighter than the others. Still see older people who haven't switched out their clubs in a long time or haven't played in a while use it. Can immediately recognize the driver when it's hit lol
I still use a Nike SQ and I can confirm it is very loud Is the Square head louder than the rounded one? Mine is round and it doesn’t sound quite as loud as the one in the video
I love hitting my Ping G400 Max, but I have wanted to buy a new driver for over 2 years because I hate the sound ..... but it sure flies nice! Maybe a new driver this winter.
I'd argue that Hi-Bore XLS Monster is even louder that the normal Hi-Bore XL. Shit was so loud I cringed and felt bad for other people in the range to the point I stopped practicing it at indoor range.
Sound doesn't really bother me per se. However I love than my M2 clearly sounds differently if I hit it perfectly vs near sweet spot vs off hit(s). The instant audible feedback lets me micro-adjust my swing. My old (and loud Cobra would sound identical across the face)
Just for nostalgia, and my best sounding driver, how about measuring a MacGreggor VIP Persimmon Driver! Yes a real Wood WOOD! (BTW model of persimmon for testing is irrelevant)
Company called ZEVO had a driver called Compressor, man that puppy was loud. It was the first one that I know had the now famous Jailbreak tech in it. This was back in the 90's. I'm not certain but I think they were bought by Callaway. They also had some cool irons with a flying buttress design.
I play the Titleist TSI3 driver... to be honest, when I tested all the drivers, there was little to differentiate them, the Ping G425 and the TSI3 performed very well and looked the best but the TSI3 sounded better so went with that... worst sounding but good performing driver that I've had was the Callaway Epic Flash Sub Zero... sounded like a bag of spanners but went like a rocket...
I bought a Northwestern Plus 10 driver in the early 2000s, it's by far the loudest driver I've ever hit. Honorable mention goes to my old Cobra F6+ driver.
I still break out my old ben hogan cs-3 from time to time. Thing sounds like ya just threw a golf ball into an old aluminum trash can at 100 mph. But i love the sound of my pxg 0211. Sounds like glass shattering and thats what i look for in a driver.
I had that Cobra driver. Loud as hell. Would wait for guys to putt out if I hit it anywhere near a green. Guys at the range didn't like it, either. Didn't hit badly, I just didn't like the attention, so I got rid of it.
I am an old fart and have played golf for many, many years. Without a doubt, the loudest driver I ever heard was one sold by a company named Golf Gear. Cannot remember for sure, but think this was back in the 80's or 90's. Believe Golf Gear was a Southern California company that was not in business for very long. I never owned a Golf Gear driver but several players at my home course had ones for a short period of time. I had a Sasquatch for a while and it was quiet compared to my friends' Golf Gear drivers. For myself, I am much more concerned about performance from a driver as opposed to its sound.
I agree. When I belonged to Alta Vista CC in Placentia, CA many years ago, there were several members who played Golf Gear drivers and and other members Sasquatch drivers. If you had heard both, like I had, you would no doubt agree that the Golf Gear one would be the loudest and "tinniest".
Best sounding driver I ever owned was a cobra 2005 f speed. Loud but sounded powerful unliike modern drivers. I remember the first time hit it in my golf league. My partner said I do know what that is but I want one. I did have a L4V it was horrible in every way except looks it was pretty sharp.
Sound is definitely important, at least, to me. I love the sound of the Titleist TSR series, it's one of the reasons it's at the top of my list to try out for a new driver this winter.
