I Tested the 5 Best Drivers for Beginners. Here’s Your No.1 (January 2024)

I’ll hit you with it right away. The best driver for beginners right now is the Titleist TSR2 Driver. It gives you the most distance off the tee, paired with the highest accuracy versus the competition. We have actual data to prove that this is a no-brainer. Oh, and it is at a very reasonable price point.

But let’s back track.

The driver is the most important club in your bag. A solid, consistent tee shot will give you an exponentially better chance of being in the mix to make pars. Scrummaging for your ball in bush that resembles Justin Timberlake’s 90’s NYSNC noodle curls is frustrating, and will put you on a one-way path to triple-bogeys. Or worse.

Fortunately, the top club manufacturers make drivers that are specifically designed to be forgiving. Trust me, the right driver can have a HUGE impact on the quality of your driving.

Want even better news? We tested all the top drivers on the market, and boiled them down to the best 5. As a very average golfer myself, I make these recommendations from one hacker to another.

Do read on, because there may be specifics about your game that impact the best option for you.

Overview: The Top 5 Best Golf Drivers

1. Best Overall Driver for Most Beginners: Titleist TSR2
2. Best Premium Option: PING G430 MAX (second best performer overall)
3. Best for Tighter Budgets: Cobra Aerojet
4. Best Driver for Slicers: Callaway Paradym X
5. Best Looking: TaylorMade Stealth 2.0

The Average Golfer’s Opinion

“Putting these to the test on the range and on the course, the results were clear. The TSR2 just didn’t seem to deviate at all. With everything else I tested, there were at least one or two shots that ended up in places I was not happy with. I would take every drive I hit with the TSR2.

It’s quite an unusual thing in product round ups to not have any kind of trade-offs.

Getting this kind of accuracy usually means sacrificing distance. Not in this case. The TSR2 was the most accurate (and therefore forgiving). This is what I was looking for.

However, the fact it also had the longest average distance makes it an easy decision. I have not hesitated and added this driver to straight to my bag.

The PING G430 performed really well. It was a comfortable second, and if it were not for the exceptional TSR2 performance, I would happily add this to my bag. PING’s are pricey, but always exceptional quality.

I liked the Cobra Aerojet driver. Top quality for the price point. If you’re working with a slightly lower budget, this has comparable numbers to premium options on the market right now.

The Paradym X is designed to stop slices on the tee, which is largely did without losing too much distance. Make sure you go for the “X” model of the club and not the normal Paradym.

I didn’t personally get on that well with the TaylorMade Stealth. It felt less forgiving than the others, but let’s be honest. It’s also a thing of beauty. If it’s good enough for Scheffler and Rory, it’s probably good enough for you and I.”

– Sam Ledgerwood, Average Golfer

Did You Actually Test The Clubs? Or Are You Just Making It Up?

Yes, we have data to back up our bold claims. As an average golfer, it’s important that you see how these golf clubs perform in the hands of a higher-handicapper. We hit each driver under the same conditions using a Trackman launch monitor. Ignore the 6 iron data and just look at the driver results.

The dots show where my shots landed. Obviously the closer together they are, the better, the fancy people in golf call this “dispersion“.

Comparison of Metrics That are Important for Beginners to Understand

What do all These Things Mean?

We break down what is important below.

Club Speed: the speed the club head is traveling immediately prior to impact. Beginners average speed around 93-95mph. Tour Pros average around 110mph.

Ball Speed: the speed of the golf ball immediately after impact

Smash Factor: Ball speed divided by club speed. This tells you the energy transfer from club to ball. Clearly, if you hit the sweet spot, this will be higher than shanking the toe. The ideal smash factor is 1.5. This means ball speed is 1.5 higher than your club speed at impact. This is the most efficient ratio of club head and ball speed for optimal distance. The main factors you control that impact smash factor are: if you hit the sweet spot, your club speed, angle of attack, and angle of the club head at impact.

Carry: distance travelled through the air

Total: where the ball ends up after rolling

Great. So What did Your Testing Show?

Ok, so let’s focus on what’s important because tables and charts are rarely interesting. The data shows that the TSR2 was the winner on the main metrics, here’s why.

• Distance: As the table shows, my average carry and total distance was higher than the next best driver by about 15 yards (this is a lot!)

• Accuracy (dispersion): If you look at the first graphic, the ring that goes around my TSR2 shots (light green) is the smallest of the drivers. This means the TSR2 was most consistent.

• Smash factor: The closest to the 1.5 gold standard we aspire to.

Right, let’s get into the individual drivers.

Best Golf Driver for Beginners: Why They Ranked in This Order

1. Titleist TSR2 Driver- Best Overall

Pros

• Most accurate and longest driver we tested

• Ball feels light off of club face

• Beautiful, simple looks from one of the most prestigious manufacturers on tour

Cons

• Perhaps not the choice for low single-digit handicappers

Brief Overview of Main Features

Multi-Plateau VFT Face Technology: The TSR2 driver is equipped with a new face design known as Multi-Plateau Variable Face Thickness (VFT). This innovative technology helps enhance performance, especially on off-center hits. It contributes to better energy transfer and more consistent speeds across the face, leading to more forgiveness and improved shot accuracy. Our tests back this up.

Low Spin Profile for Increased Distance: The TSR2 is one of the lower spinning drivers on the market. This characteristic is pivotal in maximizing distance. Again, our tests back this up with the TSR2 delivering the lowest spin rates, while maintaining forgiveness. Mind blown.

Sleek Design with Quiet Impact Sound: The TSR2’s design is not only visually appealing but also functionally effective. It features a sleek, streamlined look coupled with a quiet impact sound. Not something you will see on Titleist’s official marketing, but each shot somehow felt more satisfying.

Notable Tour Professionals That Have it in the Bag

Jordan Spieth, Ludwig Aberg, Thomas Pieters

Specifications

• Lofts available (degrees): 8, 9, 10, 11

• Stock shaft: Tensei AV Blue With Xlink Tech

• Head size: 460cc

• Length: 45.75

Our Opinion

This is our best overall pick for a reason. As a beginner it would be easy to get intimidated by the Titleist brand. The most number of professionals on tour use Titleist drivers, they are a brand steeped in rich history, and the price point normally reflect this. We think this is a great option for beginner golfers as Titliest have since released newer drivers that are very similar in terms of performance.

The release of the newer models brings down the price of the TSR2.

Bottom line: Has it all; performance, looks and price point. My advice for most newer golfers looking to get their first proper driver; look no further.

Read Full Review: Titleist TSR2 Driver Review

2. PING G430 MAX Driver – Best Premium Option

Pros

• One of the straightest, most forgiving drivers on the market

• Black and silver aesthetics are subtle, classy and modern

• Turbulators help you line up the ball accurately

Cons

• Not hugely different from G425

• Sound is loud, might be different to what some golfers are used to

Brief Overview of Main Features

Dragonfly technology: Support that looks like Dragonfly wings reinforce the crown, allowing PING to make it ultra light. These weight savings are transferred to back of the club which increases MOI (which basically means straighter shots on mis-hits).

Adjustable weight: Tungsten weight in the rear of the club can be moved. This can be helpful to adjust if you slice the ball.

Turbulators: The grooves on the crown of the club have a dual-effect of reducing aerodynamic drag (creating more swing speed) and making easier for golfers to line the club up to the ball. Lovely.

Notable Tour Professionals That Have it in the Bag

Bubba Watson, Jason Day, Harris English, Tyrell Hatton

Specifications

• Lofts available (degrees): 9, 10.5, 12

• Stock shaft: PING Alta CB 55 Slate

• Head size: 460cc

• Length: 45.75

Our Opinion

Celebrated for its high MOI, adaptability, and forgiving face, the PING G430 MAX driver ranks as one of the best and most forgiving drivers for beginners, and high handicappers.

Although the PING G430 might not quite be the market’s longest driver, its combination of high MOI and adjustability makes it game-enhancing driver in my opinion. While some golfers may find the turbulators on the top of the club visually unappealing, I love them.

Bottom line: pricey, but an eclectic pick for golfers that value quality, understated aesthetics and top notch performance.

3. Cobra Aerojet Driver – Best for Tighter Budgets

Pros

• Effectively reduces slice while maintaining distance

• Promotes a high trajectory with a slight draw bias

• Luxurious appearance without the excessively high cost

Cons

• Still a decent investment, albeit less than some competitors

Brief Overview of Main Features

H.O.T. Face: Cobra’s H.O.T. Face Technology employs advanced simulations to optimize face thickness, enhancing ball speed and expanding the sweet spot for greater consistency and distance, particularly on off-center hits.

PWR-BRIDGE Technology: PWR-BRIDGE is a weight-saving structure that enhances mass distribution in the driver. This technology lowers the center of gravity and increases the moment of inertia, resulting in improved forgiveness and stability during shots.

PWRSHELL: A face design utilizing a thin and strong face insert. This enhances flexibility and energy transfer at impact, leading to higher ball speeds and a larger sweet spot for better performance across the entire face.

Notable Tour Professionals That Have it in the Bag

Rickie Fowler, Garry Woodland

Specifications

• Lofts available (degrees): 9, 10.5, 12

• Stock shaft: Mitsubushi MCA Kai’li Blue 60

• Head size: 460cc

• Length: 45.75

Our Opinion

I enjoyed hitting this driver a lot. It is billed as giving you lots of club head speed and ball speed. It definitely did this, topping the charts for these metrics in our tests. The club felt controlled, and made a gorgeous sound on impact. Therefore, this could benefit golfers with slower swing speeds.

I guess the downside is that for all the speed, there was also rather a lot of spin. This meant that the carry and overall distance didn’t match the TSR2 and G430.

Bottom line: Look, just by virtue of being in the top 5, it’s worthy of anyone’s bag. The value for money is exceptional, so if budget is a factor go for this. If you have more budget or you’re a slicer, then go for one of the other drivers on this list.

4. Callaway Paradym X – Best for Slicers

Pros

• Will go a long way to eliminating your slice

• High trajectory and slight draw bias

• Very high-end looks

Cons

• Premium price

Brief Overview of Main Features

Paradym Shift Construction: This technology involves a unique approach to redistributing weight within the club head. By optimizing weight distribution, Callaway achieves a lighter overall design while enhancing MOI (Moment of Inertia), leading to straighter shots even on off-center hits.

Jailbreak AI: The robots have been called in to help design the head and face of the Paradym driver. This has resulted in incremental improvements throughout the club.

Aerodynamic Enhancements: Callaway’s design incorporates specific elements to reduce aerodynamic drag, resulting in increased swing speed. These features also aid in aligning the club with the ball more efficiently, boosting confidence at address.

Notable Tour Professionals That Have it in the Bag

Jon Rahm, Xander Schauffele, Phil Mickelson

Specifications

• Lofts available (degrees): 9, 10.5, 12

• Stock shaft: ALDILA ASCENT PL BLUE 40 GRAPHITE

• Head size: 460cc

• Length: 45.75

Our Opinion

Normally, when driver manufacturers make a version of the club aimed at those that slice off the tee they tend to travel higher with less distance, but are weighted so you do not slice. Not normally a great option for me as I struggle to hit draw bias drivers.

The refreshing thing with this was that it didn’t hamper my performance. The Paradym also has classy aesthetics that will turn heads.

It’s also the choice of the Jon Rahm, so you can’t really dispute it’s pedigree.

Bottom line: A club that will help eliminate your slice while delivering solid tee distances.

Read Full Review: Callaway Paradym Driver Review.

5. TaylorMade Stealth 2.0 Driver – Best Looking

Pros

• Monster distance when hit on cente

• Aesthetically, possibly the most beautiful club ever made

• Sound and feel are second to none

Cons

• More forgiving than the original Stealth driver, but not as forgiving as other drivers on the market (although the HD version of the club is)

Brief Overview of Main Features

Carbon: The TaylorMade Stealth 2.0 driver features a revolutionary carbon face, which significantly reduces the club head’s weight. This reduction in weight allows for better energy transfer and increased ball speed, leading to longer drives and improved overall performance.

60X Carbon Twist Face: This advanced technology involves the use of 60 layers of carbon fiber, intricately twisted to optimize energy transfer. The 60X Carbon Twist Face provides a unique combination of strength, flexibility, and weight reduction, enhancing the sweet spot for greater forgiveness and consistency in shots.

Higher MOI for Optimal Launch: The Stealth 2.0 driver is designed with a higher Moment of Inertia (MOI), which stabilizes the club head at impact. This results in a more optimal launch angle and spin rate, ensuring better distance and accuracy, especially beneficial for off-center hits.

Notable Tour Professionals That Have it in the Bag

Rory McIlroy, Scottie Scheffler, Adam Scott, Tommy Fleetwood, Bryson DeChambeau

Specifications

• Lofts available (degrees): 9, 10.5, 12

• Stock shaft: Mitsubishi Diamana S+ 60

• Head size: 460cc

• Length: 45.75

Our Opinion

The original Stealth driver dropped in 2022 and took the market by storm. TaylorMade famously stated that ‘titanium has gone as far as it can go’ (when referring to drivers) and now views carbon drivers as the future.

The marketing slogan for the golf club is ‘fargivness’– i.e. you still get big distances off the tee, but the club is more forgiving than the original Stealth driver.

This is broadly true, but it does still feel like this is a club that has been made for the best players in the world to get incremental gains. It is more forgiving, but perhaps still not as much as other drivers out there.

Bottom line: The carbon face does yield extra distance, but perhaps was not as forgiving as some of its competitors. They look seductively good and still performed well in testing. If you’re a carbon kind of guy, you’ll be the envy of all your mates rocking up on the first tee with the Stealth 2.0.

Read Full Review: TaylorMade Stealth Driver Review.

Choosing Your First Golf Driver

Choosing a new driver as a beginner golfer might seem intimidating. But, having an understanding of the key features and their performance implications can guide you in making an informed decision. Essential factors to consider include:

• Forgiveness: A forgiving driver will help correct off-center shots and improve your overall performance with the most forgiving drivers.

• Distance: Typically newer golfers will have slower swings. This means you may need to lean into technology to generate more distance.

• Ability to stop slices: Not only does a slice usually put you in a bad place for your second shot, but the nature of a sliced ball flight means it travels a long way…in the wrong direction. The ‘scenic route’ is one of the single biggest reasons why a lot of high handicappers hit short distances off the tee

• Value for money: All of the drivers on this list are packed with tech and features. Traditional ‘beginner drivers’ are typically marketed at a lower price point, but learning your craft with them can be detrimental. You get very little help. They are typically hard to hit for golfers of all standards, so it has a compounding effect when you’re learning the game. If you can afford to do so, stick to the top manufacturers.

Getting a fitting for a driver can be helpful if you have no idea where to start.

FAQs- Golf Drivers For Beginners

How do I Choose a Driver for Beginners?

Look for features that promote ease of use and forgiveness. Key aspects to consider include a larger clubhead (460cc for maximum forgiveness), higher loft angles (between 10 to 14 degrees to help get the ball airborne), and a flexible shaft (usually a regular or senior flex). Look for drivers that have high MOI, which makes your bad, off center shots better.

What are High Handicap Golfers?

High handicap golf refers to golfers who have a higher level of inconsistency in their play. A handicap is a numerical measure of a golfer’s potential ability. In golf, a high handicap typically indicates a player who scores above the average, meaning they may take more strokes to complete a course. High handicappers usually have handicaps of 20 or above.

How Do I Know if my Driver is Forgiving?

A forgiving driver is one that minimizes the negative effects of off-center hits, helping maintain distance and accuracy. Indicators of a forgiving driver include a large clubhead size (usually 460cc), a large sweet spo, High MOI (Moment of Inertia), and Low Center of Gravity (CG).

Summary

In conclusion, we recommend the Titleist TSR2 Driver as the best driver for beginners. It’s performance while testing the market leading options makes it the stand out choice.