Sub 70 859 Pro Driver

For the past three years, Sub 70 Golf has been exploring a new approach to Moment of Inertia (MOI). MOI essentially measures a club’s resistance to twisting at impact. A more stable clubhead leads to greater forgiveness and control. The USGA regulates MOI and golf clubs must meet certain values (I won’t bore you with the math) to be conforming. They measure MOI under the assumption that the club head behaves as a “free body” twisting around its center of gravity (CG). Sub 70, however, hypothesized otherwise. The new Sub 70 859 Pro driver introduces their patent-pending ART club head design based on their research around the “true axis of rotation”.

I could really deep dive into the science of the true axis of rotation, but the idea is that club head’s MOI is really based on a rigid attachment to the shaft so the rotation of the club head is based on a parallel line to the shaft and the CG. Easy to follow, right? I think it’s ok if we don’t really get deep into the physics of the Sub 70 859 Pro driver, but understand that they are taking a different approach to how the club is balanced and is designed to optimally perform through impact.

The 859 Pro is a 450cc head with a sleek design, impressive sound, and plenty of power. Its adjustable weights let you dial in your preferred launch, spin, and shot shape. There’s plenty more design concepts to cover, so strap in!

The Looks

Literally days before receiving the Sub 70 859 Pro driver, I was having a conversation with Jon from the website about over the top branding on golf clubs. Specifically, how often the aesthetic of a great club head is ruined by plastering it with technology buzzwords, racing/pin stripes, and extra logos. This driver is exactly the opposite of that. In my opinion, Sub 70’s aesthetic execution on the 859 Pro driver is pretty perfect. It’s about as simple and clean as you can get. The crown is a matte black carbon fiber with absolutely zero markings on it. When you flip the club over, the matte black theme continues and the only branding you have is a discrete black Sub 70 logo on the toe side of the sole and a black 859 Pro logo on a carbon panel toward the heel. It’s modest, it’s sleek, it’s menacing.

From a profile perspective, I find the 859 Pro’s shape to be slightly different than you might be used to from a dress in a compact head shape. I assume this is primarily due to the different approach to the face shape creating a non-traditional “bulge and roll”. The center of the face is deep-ish while the toe section seemingly opens up and rolls into the perimeter and topline of the club a bit more. I don’t feel like the toe and heel give the club “super deep” vibes due to the face having some relief in those areas because of the ART MOI design. (More on that later.) The rear of the club tapers a bit into the hosel to give it a hint of pear shape to it.

How Does it Feel?

This is really a tough one to explain. At least, it is for me. From a basic “impact perspective”, I feel the 859 Pro has the best combination of power, response, and overall clean feel that Sub 70 has produced in a driver to date. There’s a very firm, yet smooth feedback across the entire face for a pleasant, but precise feel.

The key feature of the Sub 70 859 Pro driver is its “true axis of rotation,” which plays a significant role in the club’s MOI. MOI is primarily influenced by how the clubhead balances and rotates, and this balance has a direct impact on the club’s feel. “Feel” is, of course, highly subjective, but you’ll definitely notice that the 859 Pro has a different balance point than you’re used to. Instead of a typical “low perimeter” weighting, this driver has a balance that’s focused on the “high toe” and “low heel” areas. While it still feels relatively stable—bearing in mind that this is the Pro version, designed more for shotmakers than for extreme forgiveness—it’s just a different sensation. Frankly, I find it really intriguing.

It’s also worth noting that Sub 70 includes a full weight kit with the 859 Pro. Playing around with these weights will influence performance characteristics, but will influence the feel/balance of the club as well.

How Does it Sound?

The sound of the Sub 70 850 Pro very much aligns with the first paragraph from the Feel section. Its sound is powerful, direct, and really clean. Loud enough to make a statement and provide useful feedback, but doesn’t blow out your ear drums, or the person’s at the end of the range. One might argue that it really is a textbook “crack” at impact. Volume and tone really were “just right”, in my opinion. Mishits deaden up and can take on some metallic tones from the titanium face.

On-Course Performance

Sub 70 placed the CG low and forward in the head which is more ideal for faster swing speeds. This CG placement also tends to reduce spin and launch. I didn’t feel like it was impossible to get the ball off of the ground, but the flight was more piercing and flatter. My testing was with a Ventus Blue and the club seemed to naturally contain my launch and spin pretty easily. As you can see, I was getting plenty of roll out. Hitting low bullets was effortless, and a good player will be able to flight the ball up if necessary. And if you need a little help elevating the ball, you can put heavier weights in the back of the head. With just a little tweaking, I believe I’ll pick up a few extra carry yards for some real monster bombs.

Now, I’m still not totally sure how I’d explain the “true axis of rotation” from a performance perspective. I would almost say that it felt like the club was easier to hit squarely without the club head feeling like it was “on rails”. There are players who need that “grooved” forgiveness, but I think workers of the golf ball will appreciate being able to manipulate the club and still make a square impact. Also, that same sensation seemed to make the face’s sweet spot a bit more generous.

Final Thoughts – Sub 70 859 Pro Driver

The Sub 70 859 Pro driver takes an interesting approach to MOI and delivers a premium option at a direct to consumer price point. It’s a testament to Sub 70’s commitment to innovation and their willingness to challenge conventional wisdom in golf club design. While the “true axis of rotation” concept might be a lot to wrap your head around, there’s definitely something to it. The 859 Pro offers a strong combination of power, control, and feel that will appeal to a wide range of golfers looking for lower launch and spin.

Stock Sub 70 859 Pro Driver Specs

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