Sub70 849 Pro Driver Review
What’s new? How much does it cost? And how does it perform? Jack Backhouse brings you the low down on the Sub70 849 Pro Driver
The Sub 70 golf 849 Pro driver is one of the cheapest carbon fiber-headed drivers out on the market right now, but does the driver perform like the others? Find out in our Sub 70 849 Pro driver review.
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Sub 70 849 Pro Driver Review: NCG Summary
NCG SUMMARY
This driver worked really well for me. The head feels nice and light and the ball speed it produced rivals that of drivers double the price.
The ball flight and dispersion I got when hitting this driver makes it a real contender for going in the bag, and with some good shaft and grip custom options you really can build something perfect for your game.
If you are looking for a new driver with the latest technology but don’t want to break the bank, this driver might be perfect for you.
PROS
- Easy to hit
- Good ball speed
- Forgiving on off centre hits
CONS
- Sits a bit draw bias at address
Sub 70 849 Pro Driver Review: First Impressions
Most of the drivers I have liked the most this year have been the brand’s cheaper or more forgiving models, so I was quite looking forward to getting my hands on the most popular Sub 70 driver. I found Sub 70 during COVID and bought a set of irons that were top quality, and I like the low-cost, direct-to-consumer model as a way of reducing the price of clubs.
Getting this driver in your hands, it feels like a top-quality product. I like how it shows the carbon into the head, and the balance of the club with the shaft feels great in the swing. The head shape is compact and it looks brilliant behind the golf ball.
NCG Verdict
The drive to Sub 70 Europe in Hereford from North Leeds is long. However, it passed quite quickly thinking about getting a couple of hours to test all of the most popular clubs that they offer, in their state-of-the-art custom fit studio. There were a lot of clubs to test but getting to the driver was definitely something I was looking forward too.
I’ve hit most, if not all of the new drivers in 2023 at one point or another this year, so I’ve got a pretty good idea now what I’m looking for in a new driver. Something forgiving, something that launches high enough, something that spins enough on all strikes, and if it doesn’t go left then I really would be happy. I’m not asking for too much, am I?
The 849 Pro driver has a carbon fibre crown which allows the design team to move weight lower and more forward, which in turn increases the launch angle, and decreases spin, for maximum distance drives. It also has 20g of adjustable weight in the heel, toe and rear of the head so that you really can dial in the flight and launch conditions to suit you.
I really enjoyed hitting the Sub 70 849 pro driver. After some conversations with their knowledgeable fitter about, my hopes, dreams, and biggest fears with the driver he gave me a shaft that would help me keep the ball up in the air with a higher launch and slightly higher spin. The shots I hit gave me some pretty good data that I’d be quite happy to take to the golf course.
Nearly 163mph ball speed is pretty tasty, and spin up near 3000rpm really suits me. I am a terribly low spinner of the ball with drivers which costs me at least 1 weird drive a round that can cost me a double. More spin might take some yards off me but gives me the feeling of control which I love on the tee. Most courses I play are around 6000-6500 yards which just doesn’t require 300+ yard drives, but does require me to be in play in order for me to shoot a low score.
Although this is the pro driver, to me it does still sit slightly draw-biased which is something you wouldn’t expect from a pro driver, especially as they have a draw-biased head in the lineup. The head sitting slightly shut is slightly off-putting but might be something you get used to after a few weeks of regularly finding fairways.
I actually really like this driver. It performed really well and pretty much as well as some of the more expensive brands, so absolutely should be worth considering. Sub 70 do have a couple of fitting centres in the UK, but if you’re a tech nerd like me and you know what specs you needs, you can build yourself a driver on the website and buy a top quality driver for a really competitive price.
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The Details
Available: Now
RRP: £279.99
Right-handed lofts: 10.5°, 9°, 12°,
Shafts: Regular, stiff, x flex, ladies
More information: Sub 70 Website
Jack Backhouse
Jack is a PGA Golf Professional who specialises in coaching, teaching golf to beginners and top-level amateurs for 10+ years. He also loves his golf equipment and analysing the data of the latest clubs on the market using launch monitors, specialising in blade irons and low-spinning drivers despite having a chronically low ball flight.
Although Jack has no formal journalism training, He has been reading What's In The Bag articles since he started playing at 12 and studying golf swings since his dad first filmed his swing to reveal one of the worst over-the-top slice swings he reckons has ever been recorded, which set him off on the path to be a coach. His favourite club ever owned was a Ping G10 driver bought from a local top amateur with the hope that some of the quality golf shots would come with it (they didn't), and worst was a Nike SQ driver he only bought because Tiger was using it.
Jack is a member of Sand Moor Golf Club and regularly gets out on the golf course to prepare for tournaments. Jack uses a TaylorMade BRNR Mini driver, a half set of TaylorMade P7MB irons, MG4 wedges and a TaylorMade TP Reserve putter.
