Equipment
Breaking down Project X’s new HZRDUS Black Gen 4 wood shaft
Project X introduced the HZRDUS in 2015 and since then we have seen quite a few updates and versions of the shaft. The HZRDUS Black was the low launch and low spin shaft that we saw all over the professional tours and in bags of us GolfWRXers. This fourth-generation shaft follows the very popular HZRDUS Black, HZRDUS Smoke Black, and HZRDUS Smoke Black RDX wood shafts.
The HZRDUS Black Gen 4 isn’t a flashy shaft and keeps the simple, yet updated, graphics scheme of the original. The new shaft now has a gloss back paint and an updated HZRDUS font that has a little extra rainbow effect in bright sunlight. The traditional 4 diamond logo with the shaft specs is up near the grip and on the tip section of the shaft is the “dual torsional design” logo and text in a grey color that blends in nicely. Overall I like the look and think it pays homage to the original while still being modern and different.
On the course the HZRDUS Gen 4 has a little different feel than the original. The original HZRDUS Black Hand Crafted had a little harshness to it and you got a good amount of vibration to the hands at impact. The hew Gen 4 is a far smoother and much more solid feeling shaft. Loading the shaft at the top of the swing takes less effort and you can feel it build up some energy on the way down. It has a little more kick at impact than the Smoke Black RDX. The feel is closer to the Smoke and Smoke RDX shafts in that it does delete that harsh vibration while still offering feedback on mishits. The overall stiff profile with extra stiff midsection gives you the feeling of control and stability even when you decide to “go after it.”
The HZRDUS Black Gen 4 is a really solid performer on the course. Project X lists the shaft as a low launch and low spin option on their website with a weight of 60g and 3.3 torque for the 6.5 (X-Stiff) flex. For me the Gen 4 was more mid/low launch and low spin out on the course. I feel like this new HZRDUS is more playable for a wider range of golfers who still need the spin reduction but don’t need the stiffest, lowest launching shaft on the market. Players can easily square up the HZRDUS Black Gen 4 but it still fights the ball going left. There is a good kick at impact and this Gen 4 definitely feels like it tries to create more ballspeed than the original. I have a quick tempo swing and the stiff handle gives a confident feeling of control and that the shaft stays with you the hole time. I usually hit hard snap hooks as my miss but every so often I get stuck and hit it high and right. Those shots usually go nowhere and just spin up and fall out of the sky. The Gen 4 has helped lower the trajectory of that shot and flatten it out, giving me a little more distance. In general the HZRDUS Black Gen 4 just offers a very straight ball flight and wants to keep your ball online.
The Project X HZRDUS Black Gen 4 is a solid option for players who are looking to lower their launch and spin. It could also add tighter dispersion if you have a swing tempo that is on the quicker side. Project X has done well to keep the HZRDUS DNA alive while upgrading the technology and materials for better performance. Take a listen to the Club Junkie podcast below, or on any podcast platform, to hear the full review.
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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