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Best Drivers

Updated July 2023
Bottom line
Pros
Cons
Best of the Best
Callaway Rogue ST MAX Drivers
Callaway
Rogue ST MAX Drivers
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Best for Experts
Bottom Line

The highest MOI driver from Callaway combines distance and forgiveness.

Pros

Titanium unibody construction. The new tungsten cartridge increases speed and forgiveness through high MOI. Jailbreak speed frame. AI-designed face for lower spin and higher forgiveness.

Cons

A little pricey. A significant investment.

Best Bang for the Buck
Callaway Mavrik Driver
Callaway
Mavrik Driver
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Bargain Pick
Bottom Line

A great driver from Callaway that maximizes results with less effort.

Pros

The AI-designed face is thinner over a wider area for faster ball speeds. Shallow silhouette decreases drag. Titanium face for optimal speed, spin, and forgiveness. Jailbreak bars to stiffen and stabilize. Enhanced sound and feel.

Cons

Some players may need to adjust their effort to this driver.

TaylorMade M4 Drivers
TaylorMade
M4 Drivers
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Best-sounding Driver
Bottom Line

This driver is designed to give you straighter and longer drives.

Pros

Great forgiveness, the twist face design of this driver reduces sidespin. Our best-sounding pick thanks to geocoustic technology which produces a consistent and explosive sound upon contact. Large clubface with great weight distribution and stability.

Cons

The face of this driver gets scuffed easily.

Cobra Golf 2022 LTDX Men's Driver Matte Black-Gold Fusion
Cobra Golf
2022 LTDX Men's Driver Matte Black-Gold Fusion
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Best Spin Reduction
Bottom Line

Get greater distance on your swings with this driver that combines lightweight materials and expert engineering.

Pros

Weight is distributed to the bottom of the driver to reduce spin and maximize forgiveness. Driver face is designed with variable face thickness to increase ball speed. Carbon crown keeps the driver lightweight yet durable. Face design improves visual alignment.

Cons

There were some complaints about the durability of this driver.

Cleveland Gold Launcher XL Driver 460cc
Cleveland Gold
Launcher XL Driver 460cc
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Best Balance
Bottom Line

The extra-large head of this driver provides great forgiveness and distance.

Pros

Boasts an MOI of 5,200. Designed with both rigidity and flexibility to improve ball speed. Great balance thanks to the weighted grip. Adjust the hosel based on your swing and personal style to optimize launch angle and distance.

Cons

This driver does not come with an adjustment tool, so it will need to be purchased separately.

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BestReviews spends thousands of hours researching, analyzing, and testing products to recommend the best picks for most consumers. We only make money if you purchase a product through our links, and all opinions about the products are our own. About BestReviews  
BestReviews spends thousands of hours researching, analyzing, and testing products to recommend the best picks for most consumers. We only make money if you purchase a product through our links, and all opinions about the products are our own. About BestReviews  
BestReviews spends thousands of hours researching, analyzing, and testing products to recommend the best picks for most consumers. We buy all products with our own funds, and we never accept free products from manufacturers.About BestReviews 
HOW WE TESTED

We recommend these products based on an intensive research process that's designed to cut through the noise and find the top products in this space. Guided by experts, we spend hours looking into the factors that matter, to bring you these selections.

30
Models
Considered
212
Consumers
Consulted
20
Hours
Researched
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Buying guide for best drivers

A golf club set is excellent for a novice golfer because it includes every club you need to play the game. However, if you’re ready to take your game to the next level, it’s a good idea to consider getting individual clubs tailored to your playing style.

You want a driver with a high-quality build and something that offers a high moment of inertia (MOI), which gives players a greater margin for error when striking the golf ball off-center. You also want a driver that suits your playing style. For example, some are better suited for players with fast, aggressive swings, while others are engineered to deliver fast ball speed for golfers with slower swings.

We researched and compared drivers and found the Callaway Rogue ST Max Driver to be the best for its high MOI and excellent stability. It’s terrific for golfers who want a higher launch, faster ball speeds and improved accuracy. Plus, the balanced weight distribution makes it easy to swing.

Best drivers

Callaway Rogue ST Max Driver

Experienced golfers looking for a club with a higher MOI head for increased distance and forgiveness will love our top pick, the Callaway Rogue ST Max Driver. At Callaway, you can customize this driver to complement your swing with your preferred shaft length and material, degree of loft and grip.

The Tungsten Speed Cartridge paces 26 grams deep in the club head for more forgiveness on off-center hits, and the Jailbreak Speed Frame provides optimal stability during swings. It has a titanium construction for superior durability, balanced weight distribution and an updated design that lowers spin off the club face.

Callaway Mavrik Driver

Engineered to provide superior distance, forgiveness, consistency and feel, this Callaway driver is for golfers of all skill levels. It’s a fantastic club for those who want a lower launch and lower spin, and the Flash Face SS20 has a thin face across a broad area for faster ball speeds.

The Cyclone Aero shape decreases drag and helps players generate faster swing speeds. Two internal bars connect the crown to the sole for increased stability upon contact, and the acoustic Artificial Intelligence design improves the sound and feel. Also, the triaxial carbon fabric helps players execute shots with better accuracy and more distance.

Titleist TSi2 Driver

We recommend this driver for experienced players and those with a fast, aggressive swing. It’s optimized for golfers who want low-mid spin and launch, and it has premium carbon fiber in the tip for increased stability. The high-quality feel of this driver boosts confidence, and the adjustability features give golfers who want to fine-tune their shots and performance exactly what they need.

You can get this driver in several shaft options, depending on your style of play. For example, players looking for a higher launch should customize this driver with a Mitsubishi Kuro Kage Black Dual-Core TiNi shaft. 

Ping G425 Max Driver

A high MOI driver like this one is best for players who want a forgiving club. That means you can strike the ball off-center and still get an accurate shot with plenty of distance and fast speed. As with many top-quality drivers, you can customize the ball flight based on your playing style at neutral, draw or fade.

The internal ribbing ensures a premium feel and sound upon contact. Arccos Caddie Smart Grip and Smart Sensor technology can record details about your swing when paired with the Arccos smartphone app. That way, you can analyze your game and adjust to enhance your performance on every shot.

TaylorMade Stealth 2 Plus Driver

This pricey driver is for expert players who want a high-quality club that’ll last several years. It provides an excellent balance of distance and accuracy, and the 460 cc club head has a shallow face that helps increase ball speed and reduce drag.

Golfers who want a higher launch angle and lower spin rate appreciate the center of gravity, which has been updated in this driver to be positioned lower and further back in the club head. If you strike the ball below the center, you’ll still get plenty of ball speed and significant launch.

TaylorMade 2022 Stealth Driver

Instead of titanium, this premium driver is made with 60 carbon fiber layers, facilitating efficient energy transfer for faster ball speeds and increased distance. Golfers are drawn to its lightweight feel, as the club face is 44% lighter than drivers with a titanium head. The face is larger than other popular clubs, creating a more prominent sweet spot.

It has a Nanotexture cover that fine-tunes launch and spin in any playing condition, and the weight is placed low in the club head for a high MOI. Plus, low-face strikes are more forgiving with this driver due to the flexible speed pocket.

Mizuno ST-Z 230 Driver

This driver is excellent for golfers who want low-mid spin performance and consistently execute straight shots off the tee. The face has a thick design for improved ball speeds, and the carbon sole plate in the head allows for superior stability.

The internal sound ribs tune the correct frequency and pressure to deliver a premium sound upon contact, and there’s a quick-switch hosel so you can toggle between four degrees of launch adjustability. You’ll experience reduced spin rates and increased accuracy because the weight is closer to the club face. Plus, you can get his driver with a stiff or flexible shaft to suit your playing style.

What to know before buying a driver

Length

The length of your ideal driver depends on your height and preference. Before buying one, it’s best to test it with a few practice swings to determine how comfortable it feels. If you’re unsure what club length to buy, many retailers have sizing charts you can consult.

Head size

Head size is measured by volume in cubic centimeters.

460 cc: The largest size officially approved by the USGA is 460 cc. Large clubheads have a large face with a prominent sweet spot, and they’re more forgiving, so a 460-cc head is probably best for novice golfers.

440 cc: The smaller clubheads typically have less weight around the edges, which lets you launch the ball more consistently. If you’re a skilled golfer looking for increased maneuverability, you should get a driver with a 440-cc head.

Head shape

Round: A round driver head is best for beginners because it isn’t as clunky as a square driver, and it’s less likely to get in the ground, which helps improve your confidence in your swing.

Square: These clubheads have a larger face than round heads, which minimizes errors, making them more forgiving of an off-center impact. However, they’re not as aesthetically pleasing as round clubheads.

Driver features

Material

Most drivers have titanium or composite heads combined with graphite shafts. The club design and construction revolution has added valuable yards to a player’s drive down the fairway.

Adjustability

Loft: This refers to the ball’s trajectory when you hit it. A low loft results in a flatter trajectory for the ball in flight. A high loft puts the ball high in the air during flight. Because drivers are intended for long shots down the fairway, they have the lowest loft and longest shaft of all golf clubs.

Face angle: Changing the loft on a driver means changing the angle of the face of the driver. Most drivers have a loft of 9, 12 or 13 degrees. The face angle can be adjusted with an Allen wrench to suit your swing.

Weights: Movable weights can make a dramatic difference in the distance and control you have over the ball’s trajectory. Moving the weights forward for one person will increase their distance, but pushing them back will achieve the same thing for another, so it depends on the player. Getting a driver with movable weights allows you to adjust the head to suit your swing.

Shaft

Flex point: The flex point is the shaft area that bends. A low flex point, meaning it’s closer to the head of the driver, produces a higher trajectory on the ball. It gives the ball an extra kick to achieve that higher trajectory, which is ideal for golfers with a slower swing.

A high flex point produces a lower trajectory and is good for golfers with a fast swing. A fast swing creates greater backspin, which helps the ball stay in the air longer so you don’t have as high a flight path.

Shaft flex on drivers can be regular, stiff or extra-stiff. Look for these shaft ratings when shopping for a new driver.

MOI: The moment of inertia refers to how much the club shaft resists twisting when the clubhead hits the ball. The higher the MOI, the more the club resists twisting when you hit the ball off-center from the face of the head. Thus, a club with a high MOI is more forgiving than one with a low MOI.

FAQ

Q. How much does a driver cost? 

A. Drivers under $200 may have all the adjustments you’re looking for, but a solid driver can cost up to $400. They have plenty of adjustments, and all the big brand names have products in this price category. Above $400 is the top-shelf price range where you’ll find high-end drivers with cutting-edge technology best suited for experts and experienced players.

Q. What is the “center of gravity” in golf?

A. This refers to the balance point of the driver, which can be adjusted with movable weights.

Q. What loft should I choose?

A. Players with a low handicap or a swing speed of over 90 miles per hour will get better results with a loft under 10 degrees. Golfers with a high handicap or swing speed below 90 miles per hour will be better off with a loft above 10 degrees.

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