In the golf equipment world, we are told every January that the “latest and greatest” has arrived. We’re promised 10 more yards, tighter dispersions, and A.I.-designed faces that make even our worst swings look like Rory McIlroy’s.
But if you spend enough time on the range or scouring the used bins at the local pro shop, you’ll notice something interesting. There are certain drivers that players simply refuse to give up. These “unicorns” reached a peak of performance where the gains from modern technology have hit a wall of diminishing returns.
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1. 2017 TaylorMade M2
The 2016 M2 was a revolution, but the 2017 version (the one with the lime green accents) perfected the formula for me.
It featured a multi-material construction that shifted weight lower and further back than ever before, and the sound and feel of impact were exquisite. Even today, you’ll find mini-tour players and scratch golfers clinging to this head – I myself was using this driver up until 2023 and still have it on standby in my garage.
It has a legendary “thud” at impact and a level of ball speed and consistency that still rivals the newest models.
(Image credit: Getty Images)
Rory McIlroy was recently asked what his favorite driver of all time was, and without hesitation, he said the TaylorMade M2. Now granted, he didn’t specify which M2, but for my own personal satisfaction, I am choosing to believe it was my favorite 2017 version.
2. Ping G400
Before “10K MOI” was a marketing buzz term, there was the Ping G400.
This driver is arguably the most forgiving club ever built. While the G425, G430, and now the G440 are fantastic, many purists argue the original G400 had a better sound and a slightly smaller, more manageable 445cc head shape.
It sits perfectly square behind the ball and basically refuses to twist on off-center hits. If you want to find the fairway 80% of the time, this is still the gold standard in my opinion.
Despite recently switching to a Titleist GT3, Patrick Reed still travels to tournaments with his G400 as he told me in a recent WITB interview, and…
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