Best Drivers, Mini Drivers & Premium Shafts | Fitters Choice 2026

In this week's episode of the 2nd Swing Thoughts Podcast, Drew Mahowald and Sean Bower are live in the studio to break down a massive week in the world of golf. Fresh off a thrilling finish at the Players Championship at TPC Sawgrass, the guys discuss Cam Young’s performance and the equipment that led him to the winner's circle.

The highlights of the show are the exclusive reveals for the early-season 2026 Fitters’ Choice Awards. Based on data from thousands of fittings, we crown the best-performing drivers, mini drivers and shafts on the market right now. Plus, we take a deep dive into the latest hardware from PING, including the i540 and G740 irons, and Titleist’s limited edition "Oil Can" T-Series launch.

• 00:00 – Intro: Live from the studio and recap of the Minnesota blizzard.

• 02:00 – The Players Championship Recap

• 07:23 – Ping’s Triple Launch: First impressions of the i540 (Players Distance), G740 (Super Game Improvement), and the G LE4 women’s line.

• 10:05 – Titleist News: The "Oil Can" finish on T-Series irons.

• 11:35 – WITB: Cam Young

• 20:40 – Tour Equipment Nuggets: Matt Fitzpatrick’s putter switch, Wyndham Clark’s "off-the-rack" Bettinardi, and Bryson’s new wedges.

• 26:29 – 2026 Fitters’ Choice Awards: Drivers & Shafts

  • Core Driver: Ping G440 Max

  • Low Spin Driver: Titleist GT3

  • Draw Bias: Ping G440 K

  • Lightweight: Ping G440 HL

  • Mini Driver: TaylorMade R7 Quad Mini

  • Shafts: High, Mid, and Low launch winners from the Fujikura Ventus Velocore+ line.

• 37:27 – Deep Dive: Ping i540 Irons: Interview with Ping Senior Engineer Travis Milleman

• 44:27 – Deep Dive: Ping G740 Irons: Maximizing forgiveness and height for the super game improvement category.

• 50:40 – Listener Q&A: Upgrading from Aerojet to DS-ADAPT, and why swing speed isn't the only factor in shaft flex.

• 54:50 – Looking Ahead: Next week’s preview (Fairway Woods & Hybrids) and the March Major Contest details.