If you’re a golf gear nerd like me, then the build up to Christmas is one of the most exciting times of the year due to a lot of new equipment emerging amid a likely release early in the new year. While many manufacturers won’t disclose any official imagery or information on the new products, naturally images of prototypes and pictures of early testing samples in the hands of tour players circulate across the internet.
As the main bulk of the PGA Tour’s elite players take a few weeks off following the end of the FedEx Cup playoffs, there are plenty of players involved in the FedEx Cup fall series, either looking to secure or improve on their PGA Tour status for the rest of the 2024/2025 season. This is a period in which players often experiment with new equipment, such as new drivers, ahead of the official launches and it gives us a great first glimpse into what innovation we can expect to see come to retail at the beginning of next year.
As we edge ever closer to the start of the usual product launch season in January, a few new drivers have been floating around on the PGA and DP World Tours. I've trawled the internet and social media to collate what we've seen so far and speculate over what initial changes from each brand.
Cobra DS Adapt
Cobra has been making some of the best golf drivers for a few years now starting with the King F9 Speedback and then the AeroJet more recently and Darkspeed from this year.
There has been no official information released on the new Cobra DS Adapt driver at this time but I think it ticks all the boxes in regards to looks. The satin and gloss black tones look to be carried over from the Darkspeed drivers, which I think gives these drivers an ultra-premium look. It looks as though H.O.T. Face technology is still going to be used but straight away I noticed how much cleaner the face looks now with added score lines. These look similar to the Titleist GT drivers and look as though they will frame the ball much better than the previous circular design - something that may have put some golfers off previous Cobra drivers.
As you can see from above, there looks to be a slightly new crown design which provides a banner strip across the topline - something I’ve found helps with alignment when used on other drivers. The last thing to mention is what looks to be a new hosel design. I’m not sure I’ve seen so many setting options on a driver, so this is definitely something to bear in mind if you’re someone who likes to tinker with your driver setup throughout the season. It’s unclear as to how many models of the Cobra DS Adapt drivers will be released but there are currently two DS Adapt LS models and an X model on the USGA Conforming list.
Wilson 2025 DYNAPWR
I think almost everyone was surprised by the performance on offer by the Wilson Dynapower upon its release at the beginning of 2023. There were two original Dynapower drivers on offer - the Titanium and Carbon. Judging by the USGA Conforming list, Wilson fans can expect to choose between three models on what looks to be the new 2025 Wilson DYNAPWR driver family.
While like the Cobra drivers, the tech story is still kept under wraps but as you can see below, SMS Inc managed to get a sneak preview of this driver on the range at a DP World Tour event over the past few weeks. It looks as though there has been a fairly large redesign and dare I say it is for the better - a little more sleek, premium and cutting edge to my eye thanks to the gloss finish to both the crown and sole.
From the initial video I can’t help but feel this driver looks like a mash-up of a few drivers we have seen in the past few years but that’s certainly not a bad thing. The red accents were used on the previous Dynapower models but now combined with the gloss crown it’s really giving off TaylorMade Stealth 2 vibes. The sightlines on the face and dual weight port design really reminds me of the Titelist TSR2 fairway wood - another exceptional looking club.
This dual-weighting system will likely help with MOI and forgiveness but it’s the addition of a DYNAPWR Max driver that you’d imagine will be the most forgiving driver of the three released. While the Carbon driver has retained its place in the DYNAPWR lineup, the Titanium driver looks to have been replaced by an LS model which is likely to be the low-spin variant, designed for faster swingers of the club and those looking to lower their ball flight.
There is no news currently on launch or release dates of these DYNAPWR drivers but one would presume it’s likely to be sometime in January or February. Given how great they look, I’m fully expecting to see more of these in the hands of tour players over the new couple of months.
Srixon ZXi Driver
The new Srixon ZXi Drivers hit the USGA Conforming list back in August and the LS model was put almost instantly in play by former Masters Champion Hideki Matsuyama. While the Srixon ZX5 and ZX7 MK II models were certainly not bad drivers, they struggled to compete with the all-round performance on offer from the likes of the TaylorMade Qi10 and Callaway Paradym Ai Smoke.
I have a feeling Srixon has done its homework here and the ZXi model is going to be a serious competitor in the driver market in 2025. It looks as though the ZXi LS model has a dual-weighting system, similar to that seen on the DYNAPWR. This, alongside an adjustable hosel, is going to really help with customizing ball flight and alleviating certain misses on the course.
As you can see by the images captured by GolfWRX, The ZXi LS driver looks to offer a really clean look at address and boast a more triangular shape behind the ball. The old Titanium face found in previous Srixon drivers looks to have been removed and a face with what looks to be CNC milling or microgrooves running across the face has been added.
With the likes of Matsuyma and other huge names such as Brooks Koepka and Shane Lowry on the Srixon player roster, I’m expecting this driver to really compete with some of the best on the market and for Srixon to firmly cement itself in the conversation for what will the best driver of 2025.
PING G440
The Ping G440 driver lineup has hit the USGA conforming list and looks to be the successor to the popular G430 drivers. While we still know very little at this stage, it looks as though the brand will stick with the same three main models it has used in previous releases.
The list suggests there will be a G440 LST driver, which typically stands for low spin and as such is the brand's lowest spinning driver. This looks as though it will still feature the Carbonfly Wrap on the crown and a rear weight track system to help change CG positioning and resulting ball flight.
The Max driver will likely be the brand's 'core' model and will likely feature much of the same technology as the LST, but we expect it to have the CG positioned slightly lower and further back for added launch and forgiveness.
The last model seen on the conforming list is the SFT model. This will likely stand for Straight Fly Technology and has been seen in many of Ping's former driver ranges. This looks as though it's built for those that slice the ball and want some help correcting the ball flight. The rear weight port looks as though there is a draw and draw+ setting to counteract the ball drifting too far to the right for a right-handed golfer.
There is currently no word from Ping in regards to details such as face lines, Turbulators on the crown or color scheme or a release date, but we'll be sure to communicate further details as and when we know them.
From these drivers hitting the conforming list, it likely means players on the major tours are looking to test these drivers out in competition pretty soon, so keep your eyes on Ping staff players on the television and you may just be able to spot one.
