50 Words or Less
The Sub 70 859 Pro driver utilizes a unique approach to MOI to deliver loads of forgiveness in a low spin players driver. Clean looks. Quiet, traditional impact sound. Great feel.
Introduction
Based in Sycamore, Illinois, Sub 70 has become a favorite of those in the know because they offer high quality clubs at low, direct to consumer prices. Their recent 849 Pro driver [review HERE] was a favorite of Drew and many other players who need lower spin.
The new Sub 70 859 Pro driver may take the company from industry darling to mainstream success. Based on a genuinely unique theory of how to make a driver more forgiving, its performance will turn heads while its price puts a smile on golfers’ faces.
Looks
Sub 70 remains dedicated to their all-black aesthetic, which gives the 859 Pro a stealthy, understated look. The crown is matte black at the leading edge and fades into a dark carbon fiber. There are no alignment aids or graphics of any kind on the crown. At 450cc, the Sub 70 859 Pro driver isn’t frighteningly small, but the smaller volume and traditional, symmetrical shape combine to give it a strong appeal to the skilled player.
There are several points of interest on the blacked out sole. On the heel, there’s a patch of carbon fiber which is not mirrored on the toe side – a deviation from the norm that hints at its target audience. Additionally, there’s a channel near the leading edge and two removable weights at at the trailing edge. Overall, it’s a very sharp design that subtly suggests high end performance.
Sound & Feel
I was hitting the Sub 70 859 Pro driver side-by-side with my Titleist GT3 [review HERE], which I consider a very quiet, traditional-sounding driver. Switching between the two, there was no significant difference in volume – the Sub 70 reinforced its players appeal with a quiet impact sound. The tone is metallic and mid-high in pitch, but it’s not shrill and doesn’t ring out. Overall, it’s a very satisfying sound.
The sound is good, but the feel on center is great. My first strike was slightly high on the face. My second swing was perfect, and the feel made my eyes pop. It’s solid but springy in the very best way. The ball feels absolutely launched without the face feeling weak and thin behind the ball. Additionally, there’s outstanding feedback on strike location through the hands.
Performance
The Sub 70 859 Pro driver carries some of the most intriguing copy I’ve read in a long time. I’m paraphrasing liberally, but it essentially says that everyone else is measuring MOI in a way that, if not wrong, is certainly suboptimal. They claim that their ART-Aligned Face Design delivers, “exceptional ball speed, accuracy, and control across the entire face, offering consistent performance regardless of impact location”. If you want the deep dive on the science, check out my podcast with Sub 70 HERE. I’m going to jump into whether or not it works.
When I started hitting the 859 Pro, what stood out most was the trajectory. This driver was living up to its players looks with a low, piercing ball flight. My launch monitor confirmed what my eyes saw: lots of shots around or even below 2,000 RPM, launching around 10 degrees. This isn’t optimal for my speed, but there is a visceral satisfaction to those boring drives which the high flyers don’t seem to match. As I got more in tune with the Sub 70 859 Pro driver, I got my numbers up to the ones you see above. The ball flight was still quite strong, but I picked up substantial carry distance.
While I was paying more attention to the numbers and feel in my initial series of shots, the dispersion started to creep into my consciousness. Specifically, the launch direction. Usually, I’m good for a couple balls fouled right or yanked left, but I wasn’t seeing that. I also wasn’t seeing any shots with wild curvature. Almost every ball started on the target line and fell softly to the left or right. For me, this gave strong support to Sub 70’s claims about the performance of ART-Aligned Face Design. I would not have expected a sub-460cc players driver to deliver this tight dispersion.
On other measures of forgiveness – ball speed, launch and spin robustness, and distance consistency – the Sub 70 859 Pro driver continued to outperform expectations. Ball speed didn’t drop off terribly except on the worst misses. Launch was very consistent. The spin could move a few hundred RPM depending on strike location, but it never got so high that it created a weak ball flight. Overall, the tight dispersion and predictable distance make this a players driver by looks but a mid-handicapper’s driver by forgiveness.
Finally, the Sub 70 859 Pro driver offers players a lot of adjustability. There are two weight ports at the rear of the head, and the driver comes stock with weights of 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 12, 14, and 16 grams. I want to emphasize that: the driver comes with all the weights; they’re not an additional purchase. Standing ovation to Sub 70 for that. Additionally, the hosel has twelve settings which can take the face from as much as five degrees open to three degrees closed and add or subtract two degrees of loft.
In my testing, I found that using the more extreme weight settings made a moderate change in my ball flight. Smaller weight changes, naturally, made smaller ball flight changes. I think that the best function of the weights is dialing in swing weight, but they do have value in tuning your best strikes. I found that with extra weight toward the toe, my best swings produced gorgeous shots that fell gently to the right. For more dramatic ball flight changes, use the hosel.
Conclusion
Some are fond of saying, “It’s not the arrow, it’s the archer,” but what if the theory behind your arrows is all wrong? If you’re searching for a driver that will help you get off the tee more consistently, the Sub 70 859 Pro driver and it’s unique approach are worth a try.
Visit Sub 70 HERE
Sub 70 859 Pro Driver Price & Specs
Editor In Chief at Plugged In Golf
He founded Plugged In Golf in 2013 with the goal of helping all golfers play better and enjoy the game more.
Matt lives in the northwest suburbs of Chicago with his wife and two daughters.