Equipment
GolfWRX Deep Dive: XXIO’s 13 Series
What’s the most well-respected, high-quality brand of golf equipment not frequently played by PGA Tour pros? If you ask a few of your local fitters, there’s a good chance they’ll respond “XXIO.” (That said, there may be some variety in the pronunciation…more on that later)
Male professional golfers don’t play XXIO’s clubs because they’re not supposed to, which is to say, the majority of the company’s clubs are not designed for them. The average driver clubhead speed on the PGA Tour is more than 115 mph. XXIO’s 13 lineup of metals and irons is designed for players who swing their drivers at less than 100 mph. From a design perspective, it’s a completely different equation for a completely different set of needs.
Lightweight, forgiving, and easy to launch are the watchwords for XXIO’s 13 Series. And if you’re not swinging your driver more than 100 mph, your golf game will thank you for learning more about the series in this conversation with Ryan Polanco, General Manager, XXIO.
Check out the full discussion below.
GolfWRX: Before digging into the specifics of the XXIO 13 lineup, can you settle a debate within the golf community? How do you pronounce “XXIO”?
RP: (zek) – Like “how the heck are these clubs so light and easy to swing.” (si) – Like “yes” in Español. And (oh) – like, “Oh that ball went a long way’. (zek-si-oh)
GolfWRX: For the average consumer who may have heard of XXIO but not know much more about the brand generally, how would you describe the company’s product offerings and the space XXIO occupies in the golf equipment world? Who generally plays XXIO clubs?
RP: We focus on making the best lightweight and easy-to-swing golf clubs for moderate-swing speed players (below 100 MPH).
From a product perspective, nearly every female golfer and the majority of men are perfect candidates for XXIO golf clubs. We have some of the best ladies’ clubs out there because we focus our engineering on slower swing speeds, and that requires a very different approach than every other club manufacturer out there. We also have incredible men’s clubs because most men fall into the moderate swing speed category as well.
GolfWRX: Digging into the XXIO 13 lineup. Can you briefly describe what unites the series as a whole, what XXIO is offering golfers the 13 lineup of driver, woods, hybrids, and irons?
RP: The big thing with XXIO 13 is that this is the 13th generation of lightweight golf clubs, so our engineers focused on making these clubs easier to swing in addition to being lightweight. Previous technologies like Weight Plus and new ones that focus on enhanced COR: New Bi-Flex Face, L-Groove irons, and enhanced aerodynamics (new ActivWing) are what unite this 13th generation of XXIO golf clubs.
GolfWRX: XXIO irons have historically been excellent performers in the game improvement space. What can you tell us about the XXIO 13 irons?
RP: The enhanced Rebound Frame technology in the Irons helps to increase ball speed (especially on shots struck lower on the face) by utilizing alternating zones of rigid and flexible sections. New for XXIO 13, we have internal grooves cut in the heel and toe to save mass and create greater flexibility for more ball speed, which previous generations did not include. These improvements help to increase COR in the center and lower portion of the face. Additionally, these irons feature the same face material we use in our fan-favorite driver to help with ball speed.
GolfWRX: Similarly, for years, we’ve seen XXIO’s drivers as a fitter favorite in the lightweight category. Can you discuss how the XXIO 13 driver continues this trend?
RP: Yes, the XXIO driver is normally most golfers’ introduction to XXIO because they perform so well and are generally much different from the golfer’s gamer during a fitting. New for XXIO 13 is a technology called BiFlex Face which helps to expand the sweet spot, while an all-new ActivWing helps golfers hit the sweet spot more often; something many golfers will benefit from. The BiFlex Face and ActivWing technologies work together to give XXIO 13 golfers better control of their clubface, more ball speed off the face, and more forgiveness on mishits.
GolfWRX: Finally, in terms of fairway woods and hybrids, what is the XXIO 13 lineup bringing to the table?
RP: Technology-wise, BiFlex Face carries from the driver into the fairway woods for an expanded sweet spot. Our Canon Sole has been upgraded as well. Canon Sole is a floating weight pad that optimizes launch and distance, while also allowing space for improved face flex, which is especially helpful for shots struck lower on the face (a common mishit for golfers with moderate swing speeds).
GolfWRX: Among golfers who play XXIO clubs, it seems like many have been fit into driver-through-irons sets. What have you seen in terms of set makeup for golfers who go “XXIO 13” in driver-through irons? (number of fairway woods, hybrids, lofts, etc)
RP: Yes, that is normally the case. Typically, we will see golfers dive into the driver first and then continue to add clubs until they have a full bag once they experience the benefits of XXIO. Once you have a lightweight and easy-to-swing driver, having heavier, stiffer clubs through the rest of your bag just feels so different. The lofts and combinations will vary, but a driver, three fairway woods, a hybrid, and five or six irons are a common setup in many bags.
Learn more about XXIO’s 13 Series here and on XXIO’s website.
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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