Has the strength of other drivers made this driver redundant?

The Wilson Dynapower Max is a solid driver in its own right, but thanks to the strength of the Carbon and LS models is there any need for a golfer to consider this model?

I’m a massive fan of both the Wilson Dynapower Carbon and Dynapower LS drivers, so much so that I see them both being among the best drivers in 2025. If that’s the case, it doesn’t leave much room for the Wilson Dynapower Max driver to enter the frame. This driver could challenge the most forgiving drivers, but given how forgiving the Carbon and LS drivers are, will any golfer be tempted by the Max head, or will the Carbon and LS blow it away?

I don’t think the Dynapower Max will be an absolute bust, but I’m positive it’s not going to win any awards. This is mainly because of how strong the other two Dynapower drivers are. This is the first time Wilson have offered three heads in one launch and I fear that the strength of the Carbon and LS drivers will hinder any success the Max could have had. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not thinking the Dynapower Max could have replicated the success the TaylorMade Qi10 Max had in 2024, but without the Carbon or LS model, the Max could have looked more appetizing. As it is, I don’t think there’s much need for this head.

There might be some golfers out there who require the Max head because it works best for their game. Especially if you don’t need a low-spinning driver like the LS and you want something slightly more forgiving than the Carbon. That being said, I didn’t find the LS model particularly low-spinning, and I think both the LS and Carbon are highly forgiving in their driver categories.

Many of the negatives surrounding this driver are based on the fact that it’s purpose-built to be forgiving and easier to hit than the other two drivers, but I haven’t seen that. It’s a 460cc head which is the same size as the Carbon and only 15cc larger than the 8° and 9° LS head (10cc larger than the 10.5° LS head), it’s less aerodynamic because of its shaping, but it is slightly cheaper because it’s an all-titanium design.

Technology and Components

I’ve just mentioned a little bit about the Dynapower Max’s technology and components. There are considerable differences between this head and the Carbon and LS – mainly the material. The all-titanium design helps reduce the cost of the Max, but it’s not as aerodynamic. That’s the story of the Max head, this head is built to deliver forgiveness, and it’s Wilson’s highest MOI driver ever. The Dynapower Max is longer and wider than the Carbon and LS, giving it a larger footprint to help it deliver straighter shots off the tee. However, I wouldn’t say it’s any straighter than the other two models, but it definitely isn’t as long because it’s not as aerodynamic.

As well as being built for forgiveness, the Max has been designed to help golfers with a fade straighten up their ball flight. As a golf who doesn’t struggle with a fade, I wasn’t able to see this in action myself. However, when I flipped the 19g weight I did notice a change in ball flight.

Looks, Sound, and Feedback

Before addressing anything performance-related, I’m going to discuss looks, sound, and feedback. I prefer the looks of the Carbon and LS compared to the Dynapower Max because of the finish on the crown. This driver sounds different from the Carbon and LS too because it’s made purely from titanium. I would say the sound is slightly higher and doesn’t linger as long. With the sound of the Dynapower Max not being as strong as it is with the other two driver heads, I don’t think the feedback is either.

Forgiveness and Control

Given this driver is built to provide outstanding forgiveness, I didn’t see that it was majorly more forgiving than the Carbon (or even the LS) which ultimately is what makes me think the Max is a redundant driver in this Wilson Dynapower line-up of three heads. It’s 100% a forgiving driver, but I think it ultimately comes down to how much extra control that forgiveness translates into, and with the Max, I don’t think it’s enough to give up the distance you can achieve with the Carbon or LS model.

Distance and Spin

The Dynapower Max is definitely shorter than the Carbon and LS off the tee. I’m not 100% sure exactly how much yardage I was losing on the course, but it was certainly more than 10 yards, which might not sound like a lot, but it can be the difference between having an 8-iron or 7-iron into the green. Obviously, it all depends on contact as to how much yardage you’ll lose, but I think even if you nail one with the Max you’re bound to hit it farther with the Carbon or LS.

Regarding spin, this is the highest-spinning head in the Dynapower line-up. While I much prefer too much spin over not enough spin, the high-spinning nature of the Dynapower Max hinders how much distance it’s capable of. My optimal carry distance was definitely hurt when playing with the Max head, and I imagine that to be the case for most golfers compared to what they can achieve with the Carbon or LS.

Final Verdict

I can’t see many reasons why any golfer would opt for the Dynapower Max over the Carbon or LS given its overall performance. I don’t think this is a bad driver, it’s just the other two heads are really good. The biggest positive with the Dynapower Max is that it’s slightly cheaper than the Carbon and LS, however, I don’t think the financial saving outweighs the lower performance.

This driver could be capable of challenging the most forgiving drivers in the game, but so too can the Carbon, which is ultimately what makes me think this is a redundant driver.

Alternative options

Wilson Dynapower Max Driver

RRP: $499.99 / £435.00

Lofts: / 9° / 10.5° / 12° / 12° Lite

Head Size: 460cc

Stock Shaft Flex Options: Soft-regular | Regular | Stiff 

Standard Shaft Length: 45.75”

Stock Shaft Options: UST LIN-Q M40 Red 5/6 | UST Helium NCT 4 Lightweight

Stock Grip: Lamkin Crossline 360 Black

Lie Angle: 57.0°