Best drivers for golf

It sometimes seems like there is no end in sight to the new technological developments with golf technology. Just when you went and spent $450 on a brand new driver, it seems as though it is already outdated. Unfortunately, golf manufacturers work incredibly fast to get their equipment updated from one year to the next.

If your driver is more than a few years old, chances are there is something out there that could work a bit better for your game. Here are some of the Best golf drivers of 2023 and what you need to know before purchasing one.

12 best golf drivers – 2023

TaylorMade SiM 2 Max Driver

Most professionals and even average golfers start to wonder when golf companies will hit their maximum distance and forgiveness point. If you thought that TaylorMade did that last you with their SIM Max driver, think again. The TaylorMade SIM Max 2 proves that TaylorMade is not done producing some of the market’s most outstanding golf clubs.

Forged Ring Construction: The brand new forged ring construction brings an updated look to the TaylorMade SIM 2 Max Driver. This lightweight and high strength aluminum frame allowed TaylorMade to get the perfect shape on this new driver. There is a large rear weight that helps golfers get an extra jump on their shots and lots of forgiveness as well.

Speed Injected Twist Face: We expect to see the Speed Injected Twist Face in drivers for many more years. TaylorMade perfectly calibrates each clubhead to ensure it is the exact fit for golfers looking to improve with their driver. You can rest assured that you won’t be getting a dud when you purchase the TaylorMade SIM 2 Max.

Speed Pocket Technology: The Speed Pocket technology has been evolving for several years, and it is now faster than ever. Golfers are able to get maximum speed and lots of forgiveness even when they miss the center of the face. Speed pocket technology is impressive, and it is a flagship tool from TaylorMade.

Pros

• Forged Ring Construction
• SIM Inertia Generator
• Speed Pocket technology for distance
• Very forgiving for mid to high handicappers

Cons

• New TaylorMade drivers are always priced at the top of the market

Cobra Golf- King RADSPEED Driver

With the Cobra Speedzone driver, golfers learned that regardless of your handicap, Cobra has drivers that can work for your game. The King Radspeed is improving the ball speeds and technology that we didn’t think were even possible in this game.

The most significant differences you will see in the new Radspeed Driver are the radial weighting technology that pushes the weight forward to help optimize the center of gravity. You will get much more forgiveness and better ball flight and direction using the Radspeed driver than other previous Cobra releases.

Carbon Wrap Crown: The Carbon Wrap crown has been customary for the Cobra golf drivers for many years now. This carbon crown is made with a thinner and lighter material allowing Cobra to move the other weights around and get a better feel for the player. When it comes to higher-end performance, this Carbon Wrap Crown really helps the club stand out.

Radial Weighing Technology: The new Radial Weighting Technology allows for extreme front weighting. There are 28 grams pushed as far forward as possible to get very low spin and very high speeds. This combination is what golfers are looking for most.

Adjustability: As always, with the Cobra drivers, you can expect lots of adjustability. Set the Radspeed to work for your game, and you will almost immediately notice the difference that it can do to your score.

Performance: Golfers are going to find that the Cobra Radspeed is easy to launch, and it feels as though it rolls forever. Getting those extra yards of roll on a ball that was launched high is a very satisfying golf shot to hit.

Pros

• Infinity edge face
• Carbon wrap crown
• 7 grams lighter with more discretionary weight
• Adjustability

Cons

• Not an overly large head in the Radspeed model, not draw bias

Callaway Golf Epic Max Driver

The new Epic series of golf drivers is the follow-up to the Mavrik series of golf irons. The Epic Max drivers have brought in some improvements from the Mavrik, but all in all, the main performance factors are very similar. The Epic Max was created using artificial intelligence, and the concept is to give players the highest level of speeds possible; they have succeeded in this goal.

AI Designed Flash Face: The artificial intelligence has been a successful technology for Callaway. They have learned how to properly position weights in the clubhead to give the average golfer the highest levels of performance.

Jailbreak Speed Frame: The Jailbreak technology is still very much in place. This is a technology that never seems to go away from year to year. Clearly, having a trampoline on your golf driver’s clubface will undoubtedly help make a difference when it comes to distance and extra performance.

Sliding Weight: The Epic Max Driver is designed to be highly adjustable. The adjustability helps promote a more custom feel for the golfers that need it. Having 17grams of sliding weight combined with the OptiFit hosel, there are no excuses for hitting this driver offline.

Pros

• Sliding weight adjustability
• Very fast ball speeds
• Artificial intelligence
• Jailbreak Speed frame technology
• Triaxial Carbon Crown with higher launch

Cons

• It can be hard to choose with Epic Speed is the right choice for you

Callaway Big Bertha B21 Driver

The Callaway Big Bertha B21 Driver beat the Epic Max to the market by a few months. The B21 is specifically built to help golfers that want the most forgiveness possible out of a golf club. If you want to be able to miss the center of the clubface but still get great results, the B21 Driver is the best choice for you.

Large Big Bertha Head: If you owned a Big Bertha driver in the past and enjoyed the performance and technology you got with this club, then the B21 will be a perfect choice for you. This Callaway driver has a classic Big Bertha shape that will help any golfer feel more capable.

Low Spin: The center of gravity is very low and forward in the clubhead. This will help golfers to get a much lower spin on the drives that they hit. If you are a player that struggles to get the extra roll on your drive, the B21 could solve the issue. The ball will roll for quite some time when it ends up hitting the ground, and we will take all those extra yards!

Internal Draw Bias: The internal draw bias is designed to give players who slice the ball a bit of a straighter shot. Golfers that slice will be able to straighten out their shots without having to do anything other than hit the center of the clubface. This is some impressive technology, and it’s nice to look down at a club head that does not look closed.

Pros

• Low spin
• Artificial intelligence used to design the clubface
• Flash face technology
• High ball speeds
• Built with forgiveness in mind

Cons

• Not a good fit for golfers that like to work the ball

Callaway Golf Mavrik 

When the Epic Flash Drive was released last year, it was greeted with awe since it was the first AI (Artificial Intelligence) designed driver. Contrary to some opinions that it was marketing hype, it proved to be speed and distance-enhancing.

Recognizing the value of the AI designed woods, Callaway followed the lead, and this year the company introduced the new second-gen of the AI designed drivers- the Mavrik. There are actually three Mavrik subcategories: Mavrik Standard, Mavrik Max (more forgiving), and Mavrik Sub Zero (for better players). We’re going to shortly review the Callaway Mavrik Standard version.

Flash Face SS20: designed by a supercomputer, it is combined with FS2S Titanium, a stronger version of the previous one, but slightly lighter. The purpose is to enhance the swing speed but at the same time to maintain it within the R&A limits.

Jailbreak Technology: first introduced in the Big Bertha line, this technology integrates two internal bars that connect the sole and the light carbon crown to increase the MOI (forgiveness).

Shape and Design: The aerodynamic shape of the head is the standout change from the rest of the Callaway drivers, and the company claims that it reduces drag, which adds on swing speed gain. But, what’s strikingly noticeable is the glossy metallic orange and black combination that gives it a premium look.

Performance: The overall design of Mavrik speaks of more speed and distance. The adjustable hosel, low weight distribution, and the titanium rib system allow springy feel at impact, mid trajectory, and exceptionally pleasing sound.

Pros

• AI designed face for speed optimization
• Aerodynamic head for less drag
• Adjustable hosel
• Four shaft options to choose from
• High MOI and forgiveness on off-center shots

Cons

• The weight is not adjustable (it is for Mavrik MAX and Sub Zero)
• One of the higher priced new drivers

TaylorMade SIM

When you see some of the best golfers in the world such as Tiger Woods or Rory Mcllroy opting for a TaylorMade driver, then you know that there’s a lot behind the driver. After the huge success of the M5/M6 lines, this year TaylorMade surprised us with an unstandardized and asymmetric head shape that has been impressing seasoned golfers for about five months now. Thanks to this innovative structure, called Shape In Motion (SIM), TaylorMade SIM promises to deliver faster ball speed and longer ball flights off the tee.

There are three models intended to meet various golfers’ skills and needs, so you can choose from this model, which is TaylorMade SIM (regular), then SIM MAX and SIM MAX-D.

Sole: This time, the secret behind the SIM is in the new sole shape, which is highly aerodynamic and asymmetric due to “Inertia Generator” that places weight low and back for more forgiveness. The company claims that this ‘deviation’ reduces the drag and matches the arc of the swing.

Twist Face: We have seen it in the previous M5/M6 line. The corrective face angles produce almost equally successful ball flights when it comes to off-center hits. We also see the Speed Pocket and the Inverted Cone Technology introduced in the M family drivers that have proven to increase the speed and reduce the spin.

Sliding Weight and Loft Sleeve: Personalization of the golf club used to be a privilege of the tour players in the past, but now it is easily accessible to anyone (for a price of course). You can optimize the TaylorMade SIM up to about 20 yards of draw bias.

Performance: The TaylorMade SIM model delivers low spin and distance gain to more than 20 yards if you know how to hit well. The TaylorMade SIM is intended for better players, so in terms of forgiveness, it does deliver some. However, if forgiveness is what you are looking for, then SIM Max driver is a better option because SIM Max model offers more forgiveness.

Pros

• Asymmetric sole and Inertia Generator
• Speed injected speed face
• Thru-slot speed pocket
• Movable weight (just SIM regular, not SIM Max)
• 4-degree loft sleeve for adjustability
• Low spin and distance gain

Cons

• Not very forgiving (see SIM MAX driver for more forgiveness)
• Higher price

Callaway Epic Flash Driver

The ultimate flagship of the first Artificial Intelligence (AI) driver, the Callaway Epic Flash driver, is the one that pushed the boundaries of golf drivers. It was the most sold driver for 2019 and the driver of choice of mid to low handicappers.

Speed is the central feature of this driver, thanks to the unique Flash Face design. It is the driver that puts together low spin and high forgiveness with exceptional distance gain and piercing ball flight.

Flash Face: This is the part of the driver that the supercomputer created, which differs drastically from any other Callaway’s design. The ear-shaped structure delivers much more ball speed resulting in more distance.

Jailbreak Technology: Seen in previous Callaway drivers, the two hourglass-shaped internal bars join the crown and the sole, making the structure stiffer and more stable. This leads to adding more impact load on the face, which means more speed.

Adjustable Perimeter Weighting: Depending on your golfing style and the swing speed, you can move weight to promote a draw vs fade, or straighter flights.

Performance: If you expect distance gain, then go for it. The Epic Flash driver is made to get you more yardages even if you hit off-center, and it will certainly ‘notify’ about the error.

Pros

• Lightweight Triaxial Carbon Crown for added forgiveness
• Speed and distance-enhancing driver
• Adjustable weight and loft
• Three premium shaft offerings

Cons

• On the pricey side

Cleveland Launcher Turbo Draw

The chances to see a Cleveland driver on tour are not very high, contrary to its popular wedges. However, Cleveland has released a few drivers within the past five years that deserve the utmost respect. Most of them dominate the game improvement category, such as the Launcher HB driver.

The latest, Cleveland Launcher Turbo Draw is the driver that I believe will gain popularity among average golfers who practice from time to time, who are inconsistent in their swings and who are looking for a driver that can quickly “fix” their swinging errors. However, don’t get fooled by this light description of the driver. It features serious technological advancements and a break-through design regarding forgiveness and speed.

Turbocharged cup face: What this means is that the face has a variable surface so that the COR (the energy transfer) is more consistent across a larger area. This means that off-center shots will result in greater speed and, consequently, more distance.

HiBore Crown: used in the previous HB Launcher, the HiBore Crown delivers the aerodynamic properties of the driver. It allows the CG (center of gravity) to be positioned lower so that you can launch the ball higher in the air. The launch angle is additionally enhanced by the ultralight hosel, which redistributes the weight lower and deeper.

Deep Weighting: By weight removal from other areas and added to the sole with whooping 35g, the MOI (forgiveness) gets maximized and which leads to longer and straighter shots on off-center shots.

Performance: Launcher lives up to its name, as it does deliver a higher launching angle, straighter ball flight, it adds ball speed and consequently distance. Most importantly, it is forgiving, so the heel or toe shots usually end up with similar speed as the center shots. So, if you are an average golfer with speed up to 100mph, then you can benefit greatly from this driver.

Pros

• Lightweight, forgiving, and easy to hit
• It can provide substantial help if you’re struggling with a slice
• Available in standard and draw models
• Miyazaki C. Kuma graphite shaft with counterbalanced design
• Lampkin 360 grip
• Customizable

Cons

• Non-adjustable hosel
• Not recommended for low handicappers

Mizuno ST200

With its previous model, the Mizuno ST190 won on a PGA Tour and its popularity spiked. This year, the company decided to move forward with a trio of drivers (the standard, the G, and the X) that build on the predecessors with some tweaks, additions, and of course, technology.

Design: Design-wise, it keeps its traditional line, but it looks sharp and symmetrical. There’s lots of gloss on the sole with emphasis on the logo and carbon fiber on the Crown.

Face: The forged, Beta rich Titanium face with a thickness which is optimized to reach the maximum allowed limit, but not to overcome it, delivers straight ball flights and fast ball speed that rival the premium drivers. Thanks to Wave Technology, it enables the sole to compress and rebound at impact, creating a springy effect.

Weight: It is positioned low and deep in the head. Since it can be moved, it won’t allow you to customize your driver. However, the other side of the coin is that you’ll have a more stable driver that produces low spin and is more forgiving.

Performance: If you are familiar with the Tour Ready sound and feel that the Mizuno irons deliver, you will probably get that feel with this driver. In addition, you can expect low spin and forgiveness due to the low CG, so if you are a player that seeks predictable, straight-line distance, then this is a good option to go consider.

Pros

• Carbon Composite Crown moves the weight low and deep
• Wave sole that compresses and rebounds at impact for more speed
• Quick Switch Adaptor for adjustable loft/lie settings
• SAT Beta Ti Face and optimized face thickness
• Value for the money

Cons

• Limited shaft options for the US market

Cobra Golf Speedzone

When Cobra Golf released the F9 driver last year, it soon became one of the best drivers on the market, and one of the most popular ones. And, while many thought there was nothing else to add, Cobra introduced the Speedzone, raising the bar once again.

Cobra Speedzone tackles six zones of performance to add more speed and distance with some unique features that make the Cobra Speedzone an incredibly powerful driver that appeals to most players. If you are looking for extra forgiveness and a driver that can ‘fix’ your errors, take a look at the Cobra Speedzone Xtreme, a driver that was simultaneously released with the Speedzone.

CNC Milled Infinity Face (Power Zone): Since it is the driver’s face that creates the speed, Cobra decided to expand the milled area by 95%, enhancing the precision and the speed with every impact.

Chassis (Strength Zone): The titanium T-Bar Speed Chassis utilizes less titanium. However, it is a very strong structure able to withstand extreme speed. The saved weight is placed back and low creating a low CG for more forgiving performance.

360 Carbon Wrap Crown (Light Zone): Half of the body goes to the Crown, which allows more carbon fiber to a crown than it was ever made. This makes it more lightweight, saving 25g positioned around the perimeter for greater forgiveness.

Aero Zone: The new aerodynamic design combined with the low CG creates maximized airflow, which reduces the drag and, therefore, increases the speed and the distance.

Performance: Swinging with Cobra King Speedzone for most drivers will be for most golfers a pleasant experience. The name reflects its performance, so, yes, you are likely to see a speed boost. It delivers low spin and high launches thanks to the low CG, however, what you might not like is the metallic and slightly hollow sound.

Pros

• Interchangeable front and back weight ports
• CNC Milled Infinity Face
• Matte crown-easy to align and set up
• Very consistent, balanced and forgiving
• Four premium shaft options

Cons

• Some golfers might find the metallic, hollow sound unpleasant

Honma TR20

Designed to appeal to the American and European golfers while maintaining the Japanese heritage, the Honma TR20 is the driver that promises a lot to better players. It was designed for tour players like Justin Rose, and it integrates tour-level performance and lots of technology. The TR20 comes in two head profiles (460cc and 440cc), and it is the weight management that the company is proud of the driver.

Face: The thin face structure, which features vertical grooves located on the backside, is ultra-strong and enables the golfer to deliver fast ball speed not only on center shots but off-center too.

Chassis architecture: The titanium frame is complemented with the ET40 ribbed Crown. The sole too has been made from carbon fiber, allowing for weight saving and opening the possibility for weight management.

Weight management and CG: Depending on your preferences, there are three adjustable sole weights that provide the opportunity to adjust it for less spin, a stronger draw bias, or to add more forgiveness. As you move the weight, the CG changes as well, so it will directly influence the way you swing the ball, and help you customize your shot.

Adjustable lofts: The loft and the position of the face can be adjusted without rotating the shaft, thanks to the unique, patented Honma design.

Performance: Designed for better players, this driver has a lot of potentials that can be easily unleashed if you have some dexterity. You can expect speed and distance gains with every swing, with pleasant sound and feel. We liked the head and the ability to make the club more draw biased.

Pros

• One of the most adjustable and customizable drivers
• Titanium frame and carbon crown
• Thin face structure with vertical grooves
• Three interchangeable weight ports
• It comes in two head sizes (460cc and 440cc)
• Vizard shafts availability for no additional costs

Cons

• One of the most expensive on the market

Tour Edge Exotics EXS 220

One of the most praised value-for-the-money drivers of the previous year was Tour Edge EXS, which was rightfully placed among the best lists. It was a high-performance driver that could easily compete with the ‘big five’ names but for almost half the price.

This year Tour Edge hit the market with an upgrade of the entire line introducing new technology without soaring the prices. The EXS 220 is considered more forgiving than its predecessor, so let’s take a look at its construction.

Diamond Face: The company says that it will help you achieve faster ball speed, less spin, and more forgiveness on off-center shots. This is the key technology of this driver as it features 42 thin and thick diamond shapes that expand the MOI.

Titanium Construction: The low density of 811 titanium is lighter but stronger, and that made it possible to reposition weight much lower in the head, which increases the launching angle.

Performance: If you are looking for a low and piercing ball flight that features a consistent draw, then this driver can help you achieve your goal. It is one of the most praised drivers when it comes to acoustics and feel, thanks to the internal sound diffusion bar.

Pros

• Faster ball speeds, less spin and more forgiveness
• Adjustable Hosel for +/- 2 degrees between the three loft options
• Triple Carbon Tech reposition the weight into the back of the head
• Three different stock shafts
• Excellent value for the money

Cons

• None

The best golf driver of 2023 is…

Additional Driver Reviews:

• Mid-handicap golf driver
• Callaway Rogue driver
• TaylorMade M5 vs M6
• Senior golf drivers
• Cobra F8 driver
• Best driver for a slice
• Women’s golf driver

What to Consider When Choosing a Golf Driver?

Choosing the best drivers for golf course is not always an easy decision as many different options are available on the market. If you are looking to buy new distance drivers that will help you perfect your swing, increase the ball speed and ball distance, you should take into consideration the following factors: club head size, club head weight, shaft length, club loft, center of gravity, and adjustability.

What is the Best Golf Driver?

The answer to this question depends on your skills, strength, and personal preferences. In general, the best drivers in golf have larger club head sizes because of the larger sweet spot and maximum ball distance, and they are lighter, which allows generating a higher club head speed. When it comes to the club loft, inexperienced players need a higher loft club, whereas experienced players can control low loft drivers well.

The right choice of the shaft length and the center of gravity of the head depends on the personal preferences. Finally, the best drivers allow you to adjust the club’s loft and center of gravity while on the golf course. If you want to buy a new driver in golf to help you improve your swing speeds and distance, don’t forget to choose a model that fits your skills.

We also must admit that we omitted the Ping G410 Driver from our list this year, as we were attempting to provide you with the latest clubs with the newest technology.  The PING G410 Plus Driver  was one of our favorite Drivers golf lovers praised last year. We will believe the G410 Plus is a great club and should be mentioned in this list.

Every year the top golf companies expand their creativity and find new ways to improve Technology. If you are interested in game improvement or the more technical things associated with golf, you may want to take a look at our Best golf launch monitor Review, the latest golf Gadgets for 2022, the Best driving iron, and what we determined to be the best Light golf bag. We will continue to pump out content and help you find the new and greatest products in the golf world.