Equipment
Top 5 modern glued-hosel drivers
Modern adjustable drivers are a marvel of engineering and something we now take for granted—considering every OEM utilizes some type of adjustable system to assist with fitting and dialing in launch conditions.
However, as every WRXer knows, before we had these tools to our disposal, we had to rely on the good old-fashion glued-in shaft drivers.
These five models are among the best from the recent past.
TaylorMade Burner SuperFast TP
Released in the fall of 2010, the Burner SuperFast TP was the undisputed king of ball speed for a very long time. Many will default to thinking the R510 TP was one of TaylorMade’s best, but for both the average golfer and for tour pros, this 460cc driver offered a lot more forgiveness than the R510 thanks to its size and aerodynamics. For those who had one, it stayed in the bag for a long time if you got the shaft right.
Adams Insight Tech a4 Prototype 9015D
Adams. Really?
It was a question a lot of people asked when these started showing up in golfer’s bags.
The 9015D was the brother to the original Adams 9016D, which was specifically built for the long drive circuit when Adams Golf was the official sponsor. It had a high toe profile and sat open at address—something that was often hard to come by in the glued hosel era of driver design.
One fun thing to consider when looking back at this driver is the protruding mass towards the back of the head to lower the center of gravity—vaguely similar to the TaylorMade SIM’s Inertia Generator and Cobra’s SpeedBack—minus the multi-material construction. Those Adams engineers were onto something!
Titleist 905R
Titleist’s very first 460cc driver was introduced not long after the 400cc 905S and the 905T (made famous by the notorious old-club using Steve Stricker) hit the scene.
The 905R stayed in some player’s bag for an extended period of time, including the bag of Adam Scott, who didn’t switch until the 910 came along. Many golfers referred to the 905R as a big version of the famous 975J, and from address it’s hard to argue.
Callaway FT Tour
One of Callaway’s first “tour” style drivers. The original version of the FT Tour was called the FT-9 Tour Authentic and was Callaway’s attempt to compete with the popular Tour Preferred line from TaylorMade. The price tag was high but so was the performance.
The FT Tour was a workable low spin driver and the grandchild of the FT-5 TH—a tour only driver that offered Callaway’s very first traditional-style hosel and got them away from the S2H2 designs that built the brand in the 90s. At 460cc’s, it still looks small by today’s standards, but if you can find one give it a hit.
Bridgestone J33R 460
The J33R 460 will go down as one of the all-time best drivers of its era. Its popularity even made trying to find one more difficult than it should have been at the time because Bridgestone struggled to find brick and mortar stores to carry their hard goods (beyond golf balls) at a time when big-box was the king of golf retail. The J33R was the third generation of the J33 driver line that included the J33P (375cc) and the original J33R (420cc).
Stuart Appleby famously hit a 426-yard tee shot at the 2006 Mercedes Championships (Tournament of Champions in Hawaii) that nearly went over the green of the par-4 12th hole with the J33P—now imagine the punch of the 460 version!
What do you think of these selections, WRXers? Any drivers you’d add?
Tour Edge Golf has today introduced the all-new Exotics mini driver, engineered to deliver a powerful combination of speed, control, and versatility in the long game.
The Exotics Mini combines a titanium face with a stainless-steel body in design to balance ball speed with stability and control, creating a versatile option at the top end of the bag.
At the core of the design is Tour Edge’s proprietary Combo Brazing technology, a high-precision thermal bonding process that seamlessly fuses a titanium cup face to a stainless-steel body into a single, continuous structure. By eliminating energy loss found in traditional multi-piece constructions, Combo Brazing is designed to deliver faster face response, more efficient energy transfer, and a uniquely powerful yet controlled feel.
The multi-material construction also allows mass to be positioned lower and deeper in the head in a bid to increase stability, while the thin titanium face is engineered to maintain ball speed across a wider impact area.
“While the initial goal was to enhance control and versatility in the long game, Combo Brazing ultimately drove measurable gains in ball speed and distance within the mini driver category. In robot testing, we’ve documented higher ball speeds, higher launch, reduced spin, and increased carry and total distance compared to leading models.” – Vice President of R&D Matt Neeley
In addition to distance performance, the Exotics mini emphasizes forgiveness through a heavier stainless-steel body that shifts mass toward the perimeter. This configuration increases MOI relative to traditional all-titanium mini drivers, helping preserve ball speed and directional stability on off-center strikes. Paired with Pyramid Face Technology from the Exotics metalwood line, the design is intended to support consistent speed across the face.
To further enhance MOI, a lightweight carbon fiber crown frees additional mass that is strategically repositioned low and deep in the head in design to improve stability and promote optimal launch with controlled spin.
“We designed the Mini to be about five millimeters shallower than other mini drivers on the market. That change improves playability off the deck. From a clean fairway lie, it can function as a strong 3-wood alternative while still providing control off the tee.” – Tour Edge CEO David Glod
An adjustable hosel system allows for loft and lie tuning to dial in trajectory and shot shape, while a fixed 13-gram rear weight helps stabilize the head through impact to improve dispersion consistency. The Exotics Mini Driver is available in 11.5 and 13.5-degree lofts in right-handed models.
Pricing & Availability
The Exotics Mini Driver is available for pre-order beginning today for $399.99 USD at touredge.com, and will be available for purchase at retail outlets worldwide on May 22, 2026.
In our forums, our members have been pitting a Srixon ZXi combo against a TaylorMade P7CB/770 combo. WRXer ‘edutch22’ is on the hunt for a new set of irons and kicks off the thread saying:
“Looking at picking up a new set of irons and think I’ve narrowed it down to Srixon ZXi combo or Taylormade P7CB/770 combo. I am currently a 5 cap and allbeit I feel irons are my weakness. My miss is a little to the toe side. I am decently steep at 4-5 down. Always thought I am high spin but recently on trackman my 7 was spinning at 5800 roughly.
My question or looking for thoughts on which one would benefit me more from a forgiveness standpoint? Or is there another iron is should be looking at entirely? I only get to play about once or twice a week, if I am not playing a 2-3 day event. Thanks in advance.”
And our members have been sharing their thoughts and suggestions in response.
Here are a few posts from the thread, but make sure to check out the entire discussion and have your say at the link below.
- manima1: “You just can’t go wrong with Srixon ZXi7.”
- MattM97: “You have to hit them to know, the V-Sole on the Srixon can be make or break for many.”
- dmeeksDC: “P7CB is more forgiving for me than ZXi7 because my main miss is low middle and the P7CB still flies and spins great on that miss. These are both really nice irons but I like the P7CB more than the Zxi7 and the P770 (or P790) more than the Zxi5. The Srixons are larger so if that gives you confidence that is the way to go. I don’t feel like I get any benefit from the V-sole and the P7CBs live up to their high Maltby forgiveness rating so the TaylorMades have been great for me.”
Entire Thread: “Srixon ZXi combo or TaylorMade P7CB/770 combo? – GolfWRXers discuss”
At GolfWRX, we are a community of like-minded individuals who all experience and express our enjoyment of the game in many ways.
It’s that sense of community that drives day-to-day interactions in the forums on topics that range from best driver to what marker you use to mark your ball. It even allows us to share another thing we all love – buying and selling equipment.
Currently, in our GolfWRX buy/sell/trade (BST) forum, @pianoman0123 has a 2024 Wilson Staff CB/Blade combo up for grabs.
From the listing: “2024 Wilson Staff CB/Blade Combo. 4-8 irons are CB’s and the 9,PW are Blades. 5-PW have Project X 6.0 Shafts and the 4 Iron has a Steelfiber CW110 Stiff Shaft. Standard Length, Lie and Lofts. These are in very good condition the shafts just don’t work for me. Like new Lamkin Grips on the 5-PW and a stock Golf Pride on the 4 Iron. $525 OBO.”
To check out the full listing in our BST forum, head through the link. If you are curious about the rules to participate in the BST Forum, you can learn more here: GolfWRX BST Rules
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Project X
Jun 5, 2020 at 11:02 am
The Ping G15 was a really good driver that made it into a lot of bags as well.
LoPro
Feb 28, 2020 at 8:09 pm
Cobra S91 Pro D, best sounding, longest and original Carbon headed driver!!!
Pity I had to replace every 3-6 months due to the cracked top of the heads near the heel……
Dave
Feb 28, 2020 at 3:35 pm
Ping Rapture V2 with the Diamana Blue was a game changer for me
90TforME
Feb 28, 2020 at 2:09 pm
I would’ve said 905T, not R. And the T was much closer in shape to the 975J or the 983K. I’m not sure what the author is smoking.
Ryebread
Feb 28, 2020 at 1:19 pm
It is hard to believe the Cleveland Hibores didn’t make the list. I still see them in a lot of bags (more than anything on this list outside of possibly the TM). My testing suggests that nothing new is actually better. A certain high profile TV personality seemingly agrees as a Hibore is still their gamer.
Brandon
Feb 28, 2020 at 11:24 am
Great reminder on what I had in my bag back then – almost all of them at one time.
Great suggestions from the other comments as well. I’ll throw in some I liked a lot around that time that produced good results for me. Nickent 3DX and 4DX (before the revolver) and the Dot-Com-This from Geek Golf. Thoughts?
Funkaholic
Feb 28, 2020 at 9:54 am
This is a stupid list. If you are gaming a driver more than 5 years old, you are losing distance and accuracy.
Philippe Longpre
Feb 28, 2020 at 10:03 am
Then why did you click on the link? The list is awesome and all 5 drivers would gladly find a home in my shop.
Michaele
Feb 28, 2020 at 11:15 am
Not too sure about the level of your reading comprehension skills. T/he artile makes it very clear on multiple occasions that it’s about equipment from a past era.
Your comment is far more stupid than the list. Next time you feel the urge to comment, do us all a favor and don’t.
Golfiswayfun
Feb 28, 2020 at 2:08 pm
Well said, Michaele!
Jack Randalls
Feb 28, 2020 at 6:59 pm
How long into the “modern driver era” did Snedeker use the Burner? Guess he was stupid too. Some of his best years.
Frederick
Feb 27, 2020 at 9:44 am
I’m surprised no one has mentioned the Nike VR Tour. The first successful implementation of the compression channel still alive and well in drivers today. At 420cc it was still forgiving and very long for it’s time.
Joe
Feb 28, 2020 at 4:54 pm
I still game the VR tour. I cant find anyhting that looks better from the top, and its super long.
Bobarino
Feb 27, 2020 at 8:06 am
Current model Srixon Z585. Excellent driver.
Biblegolfer
Feb 26, 2020 at 7:02 pm
Definitely 905R even today and Adams was ahead of the curve. Those drivers were awesome. Thanks for that article.
Michael Rohmann
Feb 26, 2020 at 4:43 pm
I think I would add the Taylormade SuperQuad to this list. Especially the 282 version. They were awesome and very popilar on tour for many years
Shallowface
Feb 26, 2020 at 4:09 pm
Ping G10. I’m still using mine, and I know it took Ping a long time to get Lee Westwood to switch from his.
Terry
Feb 26, 2020 at 4:02 pm
905R is the only 460cc that I have used and it was the best driver I ever played.
Charlie Waffles
Feb 26, 2020 at 1:37 pm
I really wonder how many people actually fiddle with an adjustable driver after it’s set?
LoPro
Feb 28, 2020 at 8:13 pm
Ummmm, 95%
2putttom
Feb 26, 2020 at 1:22 pm
Honorable mention, Cleveland Classic 290.
Curt
Feb 26, 2020 at 1:04 pm
Had every one of these drivers except the 905R, and they truly are the best from the past. The 9015D being my all time favorite which is why I still own it. Don’t play it but still own it.
Jason
Feb 26, 2020 at 1:04 pm
Taylormade Burner 07 driver. Still use it. In my opinion, the sound and feel is the best.
Mike
Feb 26, 2020 at 12:58 pm
Bagged the Bridgestone J33R 460 for several years,first 460 driver I could play, hid the size well and still to me one of the best feeling of all the modern drivers. Also had the Burner SuperFast TP for a couple of years, it was a beast.
martin
Feb 26, 2020 at 12:51 pm
I think the FT Tour was 440cc. I games the FT9 tour, best driver Ive ever had. It cracked on my in the end and Cally gave me a Razr fit instead, hated that driver. haha
Ryan
Feb 26, 2020 at 12:39 pm
Nike VR Pro and Ping G20 are up there too.
Chris
Feb 26, 2020 at 1:33 pm
2nd the Ping G20
DH
Feb 27, 2020 at 11:49 am
G20 was probably one of the greatest drivers ever made!!
LoPro
Feb 28, 2020 at 8:16 pm
Very forgiving but way to much spin for the stronger player
Robert
Feb 26, 2020 at 11:40 am
Callaway FT5 -very good distance but harsh sound.
Tony Wright
Feb 26, 2020 at 11:38 am
Thanks for the article Ryan. You should consider adding the Wishon 919 THI driver. Fully customizable for loft lie and face angle and has a face that is as hot as another other available driver.
TacklingDummy
Feb 26, 2020 at 11:32 am
I’m waiting for irons with removable shafts. Not necessarily for adjustment, but the ability to swap out shafts easily. Then you can change if wanting or needing different flex, flight pattern, or weight.
Mike
Feb 26, 2020 at 11:37 am
Cobra has the adjustable hosels on their urility irons; I really don’t understand why it wouldn’t be more readily available on all irons.
Nate
Feb 27, 2020 at 2:15 pm
Most likely because it increases the weight of the iron head and changes the swing weight. It typically increases by 2 swing weights. So if the glued head is a D2, then removable head is a D4.
gwelfgulfer
Feb 28, 2020 at 3:46 pm
Then set it up yourself, because the OEM’s will never do it… Or, learn to reshaft irons yourself… It’s easy…
Peter Sarro
Feb 26, 2020 at 10:59 am
Have been looking for the Bridgestone driver for years, but I haven’t ever seen one, wish some golf shops would carry more Bridgestone equipment
Joe
Feb 28, 2020 at 12:00 pm
Dude there’s a bunch of them on eBay right now.
Yotrepo
Feb 26, 2020 at 10:26 am
Would love to see the years these are produced. Anyone have that info?
Marty
Feb 26, 2020 at 10:14 am
Wishon 919THI needs to be on this list. Glued bendable hosel allows for adjustment up to 4* in any direction. Design hasn’t changed in years and still sells today.