Equipment
Matrix Releases MFS5 Shafts: The New Black Tie, Red Tie and White Tie
“The way clubs are being built now is different than the way clubs were being built two or three years ago,” says Tom DeShiell, Head of R&D for Matrix Shafts. The changes are especially apparent with drivers, which are now designed with heavier heads to help golfers add more distance to their drives — both through their added mass and adjustability features. So it makes sense that to get the best performance from the latest driver heads, they should be paired with shafts designed with the new heads in mind.
That’s the spirit of Matrix’s new MF5 shaft series, which includes updated versions of the company’s most popular shafts: Black Tie, Red Tie and White Tie. The third-generation models use a higher center of gravity (CG), or balance point, which allows golfers to take advantage of new the latest club head technologies.
The changes to the new shafts start at the beginning; Matrix is using new tooling in this generation of shafts. The Black and White Tie use round mandrels, which DeShiell says offered flexibility to fine tune the geometries, flex profiles, CG locations and tip stiffnesses to optimize their performance. The new Red Tie will continue to use Matrix’s 16-sided hexadecagonal internal platform, or “HD Technology.”
In recent years, Matrix’s Black Tie shaft has enjoyed a cult-like following with high-swing-speed golfers, and it’s known as one of the lowest-launching, lowest-spinning shafts golfers currently available. The M5 Black Tie will stay true to its reputation as one of golf’s stoutest shafts, but with its higher CG it’s a better fit for today’s heavier driver heads than previous models. According to DeShiell, its new design can counterbalance as much as 0.5 inches of added shaft length or 3-4 additional grams of head weight to help golfers boost distance.
The design of the M5 Black Tie also includes a tweak based on PGA Tour player feedback. It’s a lower-torque shaft than previous models, particularly in X-flex, which offers increased stability and more feedback to golfers on off-center hits.
Matrix’s best-selling shaft model occupies the opposite realm of the aftermarket shaft space. Its new X5 White Tie is designed to help golfers launch the ball higher, which often leads to big distance gains for golfers in fitting bays. Maybe golfers don’t go looking for a higher-launching shaft, DeShiell says, but “when they go hit them all the White Tie often gives them the best performance.”
Matrix Launch/Spin Comparison Chart
As seen in the chart above, the Q5 Red Tie fits between the Black Tie and White Tie shafts in terms of launch conditions; it’s a mid-launching, mid-spinning shaft.
The beauty of the MFS5 shaft platform is the three distinct options it provides. Since all three shafts provide tour-level stability, golfers can objectively choose the model that gives them the best performance in a fitting. DeShiell described the ideal fitting process this way; once golfers select their favorite adjustable settings on a driver, they can go about searching for even better launch conditions with a Black Tie, Red Tie or White Tie shaft.
“One of these shafts is going to get them closer to their optimal numbers,” he says.
The M5 Black Tie and X5 White Tie are currently available through the company’s network of certified custom club fitters, and the Q5 Red Tie shaft will be available April 12. All three will sell for $375.
Visit Matrix’s website to see full shaft specifications.
Cameron Young’s WITB from his win at the 2025 Wyndham Championship. Cameron is a Titleist staff player but his bag is definitely filled with some unique clubs. Here are the clubs he used to secure his first PGA Tour win!
Driver: Titleist GT2 (9 degrees, A1 SureFit setting)
Shaft: Mitsubishi Tensei 1K Pro Orange 70 TX
3-wood: Titleist GT3 (15 degrees)
Shaft: Mitsubishi Tensei 1K White 80 TX
Hybrid: Titleist GT2 (21 degrees)
Shaft: Fujikura Ventus HB Black VeloCore+ 10 X
Irons: Titleist T200 (4), Titleist T100 (5), Titleist 631.CY Prototype (6-9)
Shafts: True Temper Dynamic Gold X7 (4-9)
Wedges: Titleist Vokey Design SM10 (48-10F, 52-12F, 56-14F @57), WedgeWorks (60-K* @62)
Shafts: True Temper Dynamic Gold X7
Putter: Scotty Cameron Phantom 9.5 Tour Prototype
Grips: Golf Pride Tour Velvet Cord
Ball: Titleist Pro V1x Prototype
- Peter Malnati what’s in the bag accurate as of the Wyndham Championship. More photos from the event here.
Driver: Titleist GT3 (10 degrees, C2 SureFit setting)
Shaft: Project X Denali Blue 60 TX
3-wood: Titleist GT3 (15 degrees, A1 SureFit setting)
Shaft: Fujikura Ventus TR Blue 7 X
7-wood: Titleist GT2 (21 degrees, D1 SureFit setting)
Shaft: Fujikura Ventus TR Blue 8 X
Irons: Titleist T150 (4, 5), Titleist T100 (6-9)
Shafts: True Temper AMT Tour White X100
Wedges: Titleist Vokey Design SM10 (48-10F @47, 52-12F, 56-08M @57, 60-04T @62)
Shafts: True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue S400
Putter: Scotty Cameron Studio Style Fastback 1.5 Tour Prototype
Grips: Golf Pride Tour Velvet
Ball: Titleist Pro V1x Yellow
We’re proud to once again partner with 2nd Swing Golf to bring you GolfWRX Members Choice 2025! 2nd Swing has more than 150,000 new and pre-swung golf clubs available in six store locations and online. Check them out here.
What is the best driver in 2025? At GolfWRX, we take great pride in our online community and the cumulative knowledge and experience of our members. When it comes to the best driver of 2025, we want to know what our forum faithful think.
Since our founding in 2005, the bedrock of GolfWRX.com has been the community of passionate and knowledgeable golfers in our forums, and we put endless trust in the opinions of our GolfWRX members — the most knowledgeable community of golfers on the internet. No other group of golfers in the world tests golf clubs as frequently or as extensively, nor is armed with such in-depth information about the latest technology.
Below are the results of GolfWRX member voting for the 2025 best driver, along with the vote percentage for each club.
Best driver of 2025: The top 5
5. Callaway Elyte Triple Diamond: 6.02%
Callaway’s pitch: “For golfers looking for a fast, forgiving, yet workable driver, the Elyte Triple Diamond features a tour-inspired shape and is the preferred model by most Callaway tour players.”
You can read what other golfers are saying about the driver in the GolfWRX forums, and see our launch piece here. Shop the Callaway Elyte Triple Diamond here.
4. Ping G440 Max: 6.86%
Ping’s pitch: “The most forgiving G440 model, MAX has a hotter face to generate speed and distance, and a lighter overall system weight with a longer shaft (46″) for faster clubhead speed, higher launch and longer carries. The Free Hosel and Carbonfly Wrap crown save weight to create our lowest CG ever and increase forgiveness while contributing to a more muted, pleasing sound.”
You can read what other golfers are saying about the driver in the GolfWRX forums, and see our launch piece here. Shop the Ping G440 Max here.
3. Ping G440 LST: 9.53%
Ping’s pitch: “LST is an especially good fit for faster swings, offering less spin and more control with a penetrating trajectory. A hotter face, lighter overall system weight and longer shaft (46″) deliver more speed and distance while maintaining tight dispersion.”
@phizzy30: “Not a fan of Ping drivers in general, but 440 LST takes the cake. It’s super forgiving across the face for a low spin head, looks and sounds good and the ability to make it play neutral or slightly fade biased through the hosel settings is very appealing.”
You can read what other golfers are saying about the driver in the GolfWRX forums, and see our launch piece here. Shop the Ping G440 LST here.
2. Titleist GT3: 16.55%
Titleist’s pitch: “The GT3 Driver offers Titleist’s boldest combination of power and personalization through adjustable performance. Dial in the CG Track to your frequent contact location to make your biggest drives even bigger while taking total control over flight and shaping.”
@mrmikeac: “I’ve been Anti-Titleist for years and years and years (outside of Vokey, of course). With that being said, HOLY BEGEEZUS the GT3 driver is an absolute NUCLEAR MONSTER! This thing blew my G430 10K Max out of the water in every single category. Forgiveness is the biggest thing that stands out of me, the 3 model has always been one of the less forgiving models in the past but this GT3 can take bad shot after bad shot and still end up in the fairway, I think a ton of that has to do with the adjustability, it’s actually effective. Feel and sound is perfect, that solid crack is so addicting to hear and when you hit it out the screws this thing can absolutely bomb it. Titleist, I’m sorry for doubting you. You have converted me.”
You can read what other golfers are saying about the driver in the GolfWRX forums, and see our launch piece here. Shop the Titleist GT3 here.
1. Titleist GT2: 22.91%
Titleist’s pitch: “Delivering impressive distance from any impact point, the Titleist GT2 Driver extracts maximum performance through a forgiving design. Get the stability and added confidence of a high-MOI driver without sacrificing speed.”
@DTorres: “The Titleist GT2 has proven to be the best driver of the year. Packaged in a classic profile, GT2 perfectly balances performance and forgiveness while consistently being a high performer across all categories.”
You can read what other golfers are saying about the driver in the GolfWRX forums, and see our launch piece here. Shop the Titleist GT2 here.
Other drivers receiving >2% of the vote
| Driver | Vote percentage (%) |
|---|---|
| Cobra DS Adapt Max K | 4.85% |
| Ping G430 Max 10K | 3.85% |
| Callaway Elyte Triple Diamond | 3.68% |
| TaylorMade Qi35 | 3.51% |
| Callaway Elyte | 3.18% |
| Cobra DS Adapt X | 2.34% |
| Cobra DS Adapt LS | 2.17% |
| TaylorMade Qi35 LS | 2.17% |
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john
Feb 25, 2017 at 1:11 am
The old m3 black tie was a great shaft, very stiff / boardy feel and super low spin, the m4 was the softest x-flex shaft ive ever used and spun like crazy and apparently this one is softer again? matrix you are dead to me
Carl
Feb 28, 2017 at 10:03 am
+1 on the old M3. Great shaft! I still play it today.
DB
Feb 24, 2017 at 8:37 am
Interesting. Looks like they have smoothed out the profile on all of them.