Same golfer. Same shaft. Same intention to hit a good drive. Yet changing the driver head and loft produced a 44-yard difference in average carry distance.
In our latest EP Golf Studios test, one setup averaged 254 yards of carry. The other averaged 298 yards.
The difference in average clubhead speed? Just 1 mph.
Those numbers show how much performance can change when a driver’s head design and loft suit the golfer’s delivery. They also explain why choosing a driver from a distance ranking, handicap category or swing-speed chart can miss the point.
The two setups were a Ping G440 Max at 12° and a Titleist GT4 at 8°, both using the same shaft.
For our tester, the Titleist setup was substantially longer. That is a result for one golfer using two deliberately contrasting configurations—not a prediction that every golfer would gain 44 yards by making the same change.
Watch the full driver comparison on YouTube.
What Were We Testing?
The aim was to find the longest and shortest driver setups for our tester from the equipment available in the studio.
This was deliberately a comparison of extremes. We weren’t matching lofts to isolate a small difference between two competing heads. We were demonstrating how much the complete head-and-loft choice could change the outcome.
Driver head: Shorter setup: Ping G440 Max; Longer setup: Titleist GT4
Loft: Shorter setup: 12°; Longer setup: 8°
Loft setting: Shorter setup: Standard; Longer setup: Standard
Additional setup detail: Shorter setup: Weight positioned towards the toe; Longer setup: No additional setting specified
Shaft: Shorter setup: Rogue Infiniti White 50X; Longer setup: The same physical shaft
Shots hit: Shorter setup: Approximately 17; Longer setup: Approximately 18–19
The shaft was physically moved from one head into the other.
The shots were hit in separate groups rather than alternated. Our tester also reported fatigue during the session. This was a practical demonstration with a human golfer, so delivery and strike were not identical on every swing.
Even with those limitations, the resulting flight differences were substantial.
The Results: 254 Yards Versus 298 Yards
Average clubhead speed: Ping G440 Max, 12°: 115.5 mph; Titleist GT4, 8°: 116.5 mph
Average ball speed: Ping G440 Max, 12°: Approximately 162 mph; Titleist GT4, 8°: Approximately 169 mph
Efficiency: Ping G440 Max, 12°: 1.41; Titleist GT4, 8°: 1.45
Launch angle: Ping G440 Max, 12°: Approximately 16°; Titleist GT4, 8°: Approximately 13°
Backspin: Ping G440 Max, 12°: Nearly 4,000 rpm; Titleist GT4, 8°: Approximately 2,200 rpm
Average carry distance: Ping G440 Max, 12°: 254 yards; Titleist GT4, 8°: 298 yards
Delivered loft: Ping G440 Max, 12°: Approximately 23°; Titleist GT4, 8°: Just under 19°
Attack angle: Ping G440 Max, 12°: Approximately 4° upwards; Titleist GT4, 8°: Approximately 5° upwards
The Titleist setup produced:
Approximately 7 mph more ball speed.
Around 3° lower launch.
A reduction from nearly 4,000 rpm to approximately 2,200 rpm spin.
44 yards more average carry.
The biggest story was the combination of speed, launch and spin. The longer setup converted the golfer’s delivery into a much more suitable flight.
Why Did the Driver Change Make Such a Difference?
1. The loft difference changed the delivered loft
The Ping was tested at 12°, while the Titleist was tested at 8°.
That four-degree difference in stated loft was accompanied by a similar difference in dynamic loft: the loft presented to the ball at impact.
Our tester delivered approximately 23° with the Ping and just under 19° with the Titleist.
The number printed on the head is therefore only part of the fitting picture. What matters is how that head and loft work with the golfer’s actual delivery.
In this session, the higher-lofted setup produced considerably more launch and spin than our tester needed.
2. The head designs produced different results
Loft wasn’t the only variable.
The video describes the G440 Max as the higher-spinning option in this comparison and the GT4 as the lower-spinning head. Their different design characteristics, combined with the loft gap and the golfer’s delivery, contributed to the contrasting flights.
Because both head design and loft changed, this test cannot assign a precise number of yards to either factor individually.
It demonstrates their combined effect.
3. Ball speed increased without a large swing-speed increase
Clubhead speed rose from 115.5 mph to 116.5 mph. Ball speed rose from approximately 162 mph to 169 mph.
The reported efficiency figure increased from 1.41 to 1.45. Efficiency here describes ball speed relative to clubhead speed.
Our tester felt that his average strike with the second driver was, if anything, slightly worse. Yet the resulting ball speed and flight were considerably better.
That makes this a useful example of why a drive that feels well struck can still leave distance behind when the setup produces unsuitable numbers.
Was the Longer Driver Producing Usable Numbers?
Our tester specifically wanted a functional driver setup, rather than an extreme shot designed to produce one impressive distance.
The GT4 averaged approximately 13° launch and 2,200 rpm spin, which he liked for his preferred fade.
He also highlighted its results from several low and low-heel strikes. Those shots were encouraging because the performance wasn’t limited to perfect contact.
However, these figures are the result that worked for this golfer. They should not become a universal target for every driver fitting.
The purpose is to find a repeatable flight that suits the player, including what happens when the strike or delivery changes.
Carry Distance Versus Total Distance
The measured comparison was 44 yards of average carry.
Our tester suggested that the total-distance gap could reach around 50 yards or more under suitable conditions because the longer setup also produced a flatter landing flight.
That was an expectation about potential rollout, rather than a measured on-course average.
Why we focused on carry
The simulator hole included different landing areas. A shot landing in rough or a bunker cannot be compared fairly with one landing on a firm fairway simply by reading the total-distance number.
Ground conditions also change what happens after landing.
The clearest supported result is therefore:
The GT4 setup carried 44 yards further on average in this session. Any additional rollout advantage would depend on the landing conditions.
The later attempts to reach the simulator green were a separate challenge. They should not be confused with the averages used in the main comparison.
Does the Driver Head Matter More Than the Shaft?
This test demonstrates how much performance can change through head and loft selection while keeping the shaft constant.
It does not measure the effect of different shafts, because no shaft comparison took place.
The practical fitting lesson is to assess the complete club. In the video, our tester explains that shaft selection can help with timing, strike and delivery, while the head and loft strongly influence the resulting launch, spin and ball speed.
A shaft change should therefore be considered alongside the head rather than treated as a guaranteed solution to an unsuitable flight.
For this golfer, changing the head-and-loft combination produced a major improvement without changing the shaft at all.
Which Driver Was More Forgiving for This Golfer?
The forgiveness discussion was about more than distance loss on an off-centre strike.
Our tester’s troublesome miss is left. In this session, he found the Ping setup more prone to that side, even with its weight positioned towards the toe.
He found the Titleist easier to use for his preferred fade and less likely to produce the left miss he wanted to avoid.
Forgiveness needs to include your actual miss
For this golfer, the GT4 offered a more useful combination of flight, distance and directional tendency.
That doesn’t establish that the GT4 is universally more forgiving than the G440 Max. It shows why a broad forgiveness label cannot fully predict how a particular golfer will perform with a head.
The relevant questions include:
What happens on your typical mishit?
Does the head encourage or reduce your troublesome miss?
Can you repeat the intended flight?
Are the resulting distances and dispersion useful?
A head’s performance needs to be assessed through the shots you actually hit.
What This Test Means for Your Driver Fitting
The 44-yard difference came from deliberately comparing two very different setups. It is not a typical gain that every golfer should expect from a fitting.
Its value is in showing why the fitting process matters.
At EP Golf Studios, we benchmark your current equipment, test suitable alternatives and explain the full flight. We look at speed, launch, spin, strike, carry and dispersion together.
That approach helps distinguish a genuinely useful improvement from one longer shot.
It also avoids assuming that a particular handicap or swing speed automatically belongs in a particular driver category. Your delivery and shot pattern need to inform the choice.
Questions Golfers Are Asking
Can choosing the wrong driver really cost you 44 yards?
In this EP Golf Studios test, two contrasting driver setups produced a 44-yard difference in average carry for the same golfer using the same shaft. The Ping G440 Max at 12° averaged 254 yards, while the Titleist GT4 at 8° averaged 298 yards. This demonstrates a possible fitting mismatch, rather than a typical improvement every golfer should expect.
Is the Titleist GT4 longer than the Ping G440 Max?
It was longer for our tester in the configurations used. However, the comparison involved different head designs and a four-degree loft difference. The GT4 setup produced more suitable launch and spin for his delivery. The result does not establish a universal distance ranking between the models or predict what another golfer would achieve.
Why did spin fall so much with the Titleist setup?
The change combined a lower stated loft, a lower-spinning head design and different delivered loft. Dynamic loft fell from approximately 23° to just under 19°, while spin dropped from nearly 4,000 rpm to approximately 2,200 rpm. Because several factors changed together, the test cannot attribute the entire reduction to one feature alone.
Does this prove the driver shaft doesn’t matter?
No. The same shaft was used throughout, so the test demonstrates the effect of changing head and loft while holding the shaft constant. It does not compare shaft performance. The fitting discussion still recognises the shaft’s role in timing, strike and delivery, with the complete club assessed for the individual golfer.
Should I switch to an 8-degree driver to gain distance?
This test does not support that recommendation for everyone. The 8° GT4 worked well with this golfer’s speed and delivery, whereas the 12° Ping setup produced more launch and spin than he needed. Your fitting should establish which loft produces the most useful flight for you, rather than copying the specification that worked for someone else.
Was the total-distance difference more than 44 yards?
The verified comparison was 44 yards of average carry. Our tester expected that the flatter flight of the longer setup could create additional rollout under suitable conditions. However, the resulting total-distance gap would depend on where the ball landed and the ground conditions. It was not established as a measured on-course average.
Find the Driver That Works for Your Swing
There is no single driver that will be longest for every golfer.
In this test, the GT4 setup worked substantially better for our tester. Another golfer’s delivery could produce a different result.
At EP Golf Studios in Newbury, Berkshire, we offer thorough, honest custom fitting built around your current equipment, your swing and the results you can repeat.
We test heads, shafts, lofts and setups, analyse the full flight and explain why a combination performs better for you.
Book your driver fitting at EP Golf Studios.
