Contents
- Top 10 Best Golf Drivers for Distance
- Most Forgiving – Cobra Darkspeed Max Driver
- Best for Adjustability – Titleist TSR1 Driver
- Top Pick – TaylorMade Qi10 Max Driver
- The Most Accurate – Ping G430 Max 10K Driver
- Best Value – Wilson Dynapower Carbon Driver
- Most Compact – Srixon ZX5 MK II Driver
- Best for Looks – Titleist TSR4 Driver
- Used by Rahm – Callaway Paradym AI Smoke Triple Diamond Driver
- Most Forgiving Smaller Head – Ping G430 LST Driver
- Used by McIlroy – TaylorMade Qi10 Driver
- Best Budget – Tour Edge Exotics C722 Driver
- When Do You Use A Golf Driver for Distance?
- Finding the Best Driver for Your Golf Game
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Q: How Do I Measure A Golf Driver’s Shaft Length?
- Q: Driver vs Fairway Woods: What is the Difference?
- Q: What is an Adjustable Driver, and Does it Really Matter?
- Q: How Do You Know if a Driver is USGA Conforming?
- What Driver Should You Buy?
Updated April 2024 to add the Callaway Paradym AI Smoke Triple Diamond Driver.
Golfers are often seeking distance. How can I hit the golf ball further? From an equipment perspective, distance is the combination of speed, the proper high launch conditions and an optimized spin rate so the golf ball stays in the air for a long time and doesn’t climb too high. Golf balls hit with lower levels of back spin can mean longer carry distances and more roll once the golf ball hits the fairway. Drop that spin too much though and you’ll find your drives falling out of the air quickly and end up shorter than you began with.
We golf course tested and fully reviewed all of the best drivers in these guides, and wrote them just for you to help you to chose from the best drivers for distance. Please take a look and let us know what you think!
Top 10 Best Golf Drivers for Distance
Most Forgiving – Cobra Darkspeed Max Driver
If you’re like me and the majority of weekend warriors out there, you struggle with a slice from time to time, especially with your driver.
The good news is that there’s hope for us in 2024. The Cobra DarkSpeed Max driver was engineered to help us slicers straighten out our tee shots.
Like the other DarkSpeed drivers, the Max is made of nothing but premium space-grade materials that ensure maximum performance.
The shape of the clubhead has been reengineered as well. The new design is much more aerodynamic and forgiving than previous iterations. It also produces higher launch conditions which is ideal for golfers that struggle with distance or fight a slice.
The rear weight is the key in maximizing this driver’s draw bias. It’s positioned in the heel and gives slicers unparalleled accuracy. A second weight in the back of the clubhead aids in forgiveness and produces high launch conditions.
The PWRSHELL L-Cup clubface is 10% larger for more forgiveness and the H.O.T. clubface delivers consistent speed and spin.
There are a lot of drivers out there that claim to help golfers straighten out their slice, but none does it better in 2024 than the Cobra DarkSpeed Max.
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Best for Adjustability – Titleist TSR1 Driver
A lot of golfers have trouble getting the ball in the air with their driver due to its lack of loft. As a result, they lose a lot of distance.
The Titleist TSR1 driver is perfect for this type of golfer. It’s incredibly lightweight and aerodynamically superior to most drivers on the market. This allows golfers to swing it faster, and therefore launch the ball higher.
Multi-Plateau Variable Face Thickness design produces exceptional ball speed on both solid shots and off-center strikes.
SureFit adjustability makes personal customization easy as well.
If you’d like to launch your drives higher and gain more distance, be sure to check out the Titleist TSR1 driver.
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Top Pick – TaylorMade Qi10 Max Driver
If you have a propensity to miss more fairways than you hit, you might want to give the TaylorMade Qi10 Max driver a try. Out of all the drivers I tested this year, it was by far the most accurate.
The feature that stands out most with the Qi10 Max driver is 10k inertia. The simple fact is, the more inertia a driver has, the more forgiving it is. And the more forgiving it is, the straighter you’re going to hit it.
Another way you can think of inertia as it relates to a driver is its resistance to change during rotation. This driver is one of the most stable drivers through impact of any in the game.
Because the shape of the clubhead is narrower in the QI10 Max, mass is moved away from the center of the clubhead toward the perimeter. This maximizes stability and limits face rotation allowing the clubface to remain square to the target throughout your swing.
A lightweight carbon crown covers 97% of the driver’s top, further allowing mass to be transferred to the perimeter. You guessed it, this only adds to the forgiveness equation.
The Qi10 Max also employs TaylorMade’s patented Twist Face made from 60X carbon. It’s one of the lightest weight faces on the market and helps golfers increase both clubhead and ball speed.
If you’re looking to hit it straighter off the tee without sacrificing any distance, the TaylorMade Qi10 is the driver for you in 2024.
The Most Accurate – Ping G430 Max 10K Driver
For years, Ping has consistently made the most forgiving drivers in golf. That’s why it’s no surprise that golfers across the board (me included) think the G430 Max 10K is the most forgiving in 2024.
As its name would suggest, the G430 Max 10K exceeds the 10,000 g-cm2 combined MOI threshold making it the most forgiving driver Ping has ever made.
Combined with a fixed back weight, oversize head profile, and a Carbonfly Wrap crown, you’ve got the ultimate recipe for helping both solid shots and mishits soar straight down the middle of the fairway.
The clubface is made from T9S+ titanium which optimizes flex for explosive ball speeds and increased distance.
Trajectory Tuning 2.0 utilizes an aerodynamic hosel sleeve that lets you customize the club in eight different positions for optimal launch and ball flight conditions.
Lastly, unlike a lot of Ping drivers that have sounded tinny in the past, the G430 Max 10K produces a more muted, solid sound that’s pleasing to the ear.
If you struggle finding the center of the clubface with your current driver, I highly recommend taking the Ping G430 Max 10K out for a test drive.
Best Value – Wilson Dynapower Carbon Driver
I wasn’t sure what to expect when I hit the Wilson Dynapower Carbon driver. But I was pleasantly surprised to say the least.
This driver is perfect for players that spin the ball too much. Its carbon composite panels on the sole and crown move the CG low and forward in the clubhead. This promotes drives that come off with minimal spin and a neutral ball flight.
The variable thickness club-face is AI designed and optimized for maximum shot performance at spots across the entire clubface.
Lastly, the six-way adjustable sleeve allows for easy spin and launch customization.
Most Compact – Srixon ZX5 MK II Driver
Out of all the drivers I tested, the Srixon ZX5 MK II was the most forgiving. It was also one of the hottest.
This driver’s Rebound Frame has two flex zones, while most drivers only have one. This feature elevates COR across the face for faster ball speeds.
The Ti51AF titanium alloy face is one of the hardest surfaces on earth and allows the ball to come off like a rocket.
The crown of the ZX5 MK II consists of a series of ridges and latticework that are both ultra-lightweight and stable. This allows mass to be placed elsewhere where it can be used to optimize launch and spin conditions.
On the bottom of the club, you’ll find an interchangeable 8-gram sole weight which can be customized to your specific swing.
On the whole, I found the Srixon ZX5 MK II driver to be plenty forgiving without sacrificing anything in the distance department.
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Best for Looks – Titleist TSR4 Driver
Advanced golfers that swing the club at a high rate of speed often struggle with hitting drives with too much spin, and prefer the look of a smaller clubhead.
If you fall into this category, the Titleist TSR4 driver was designed just for you.
Interchangeable weights in both the front and the back of the clubhead allow you to optimize your spin conditions for both maximum distance and control.
Multi-Plateau Variable Face Thickness clubface construction optimizes ball speed across the entire clubface.
While the TSR4 certainly isn’t for everybody, better players seeking lower spin and more control are sure to realize its benefits.
Used by Rahm – Callaway Paradym AI Smoke Triple Diamond Driver
Callaway is the first ever manufacturer to use AI to design the clubface on a driver. It was conjured using the swings modeled after thousands of different golfers to optimize performance in terms of distance, forgiveness, and accuracy.
Across the clubface of the AI Smoke Triple Diamond, Callaway has incorporated 21 micro deflections that act as sweet spots to optimize launch conditions, even on mishits.
Compared to previous models, the 360-degree carbon chassis on the AI Smoke Triple Diamond is 15% lighter. This has allowed weight to be distributed to more strategic areas of the clubhead where it can be used to increase both speed and forgiveness.
What makes this driver exceptional for better players is that it’s designed with a built-in neutral to fade bias and a compact head. This is ideal for players that want to eliminate the left side of the golf course (for right-handed players) and desire more control.
If you’re a player looking to increase ball speed and reduce spin, be sure to move the 14-gram weight from the rear to the front of the clubhead.
Even though this driver is a little advanced for my game, it’s easy to see all the benefits it offers the more seasoned player.
Most Forgiving Smaller Head – Ping G430 LST Driver
For years, Ping has been known for making some of the most forgiving drivers in golf. While that trend continues this year, they’ve also produced one of the longest. It’s the G430 LST.
This driver helps golfers with fast swing speeds reduce spin and increase ball speed. That’s the ticket when it comes to maximizing distance.
The LST features a Carbonfly Wrap crown that wraps into both the heel and toe. This ultra-lightweight design allows the CG to be set lower in the clubhead allowing for both increased ball speed and MOI.
The T9S+ forged clubface uses variable thickness to maximize deflection and again, increase ball speed.
An all-new internal rib structure creates a sound that’s neither tinny or dead. It’s downright solid.
Variable roll radius lessens loft on the bottom of the clubface to reduce spin and maximize distance on thin drives.
The 22-gram backweight is adjustable and allows you to customize launch conditions as well and neutral, draw, and fade biases.
As we’d expect from Ping, the G430 LST is loaded with advanced tech and design features that all work to produce maximum ball speeds and distance.
Used by McIlroy – TaylorMade Qi10 Driver
It should come as little shock that a TaylorMade driver sits at the top of our list as the best-looking driver in 2024. For as long as we can remember, they’ve been making some of the most aesthetically pleasing drivers in the game.
But it’s not all about great looks with the Qi10. It’s also one of the most forgiving on the market thanks to multi-material construction that’s engineered to deliver optimal MOI.
Compared to previous TaylorMade drivers, the CG in the Qi10 has been lowered in the clubhead to help golfers get the ball in the air while increasing forgiveness at the same time.
Like all the drivers in the Qi10 family, this driver features a carbon crown that covers some 97% of the club’s top. Because the crown is so light, weight has been redistributed elsewhere in the club where it can be better optimized.
The patented 60X Carbon Twist Face is one of the lightest on the market. As such, it maximizes energy transfer between the clubhead and ball at impact. It also increases performance on off-center strikes.
The trademark Thru-Slot Speed Pocket works to preserve ball speed, especially on strikes low on the clubface.
The Qi10 also offers plenty of adjustability options including lofts that can be moved two degrees weaker or stronger from standard.
While the TaylorMade Qi10 is a sexy looking driver, there’s a whole lot more to the story in terms of performance.
Best Budget – Tour Edge Exotics C722 Driver
This ultra-premium 445cc profile and deeper face are designed for the competitive player.
The C722 Driver features a 2-tier front/back weighting system that allows for industry-leading M.O.I. and spin rate manipulation while bringing the ultimate in power, feel, and forgiveness through Tour Edge’s breakthrough Ridgeback and Diamond Face VFT technologies.
Ridgeback Tech is a power producer. This Ridgeback spine acts as a brace to produce more power across the entire face, including the extreme perimeters. Ridgeback is designed to create a superior feel at impact.
The bracing through the crown adds more rigidity, which results in a cleaner and brighter feel at striking and a significantly stronger feel at impact.
This extreme wrap-around design, which incorporates 26% more carbon fiber, replaces excess titanium from the sole and crown. Front/Back Weighting System with Adjustable M.O.I./Spin Rate.
When Do You Use A Golf Driver for Distance?
Modern new golf driver for distance bring players more ball speed, more forgiveness, and more adjustability than ever before. The combination of this new technology and engineering means that you can get a best golf driver for distance built for your swing speed and hit longer, more consistent drives and maximum distance. Understanding the different parts of the golf driver for distance and how these all work to help you create a more balanced golf ball flight is critical for your club fitting.
This guide will take you through the more important components of the golf driver for distance and help outlines things that you should be getting with your new fitting. Making sure that you play your best golf game.
Golf drivers are most often used on par-4 and par-5 golf holes. Elite players may also use their drivers from the ground to reach long par-5s with only two shots. These shots are difficult and are not recommended for many players.
Finding the Best Driver for Your Golf Game
Each swing is different. The difference between your swing speed and other golfers will determine which blend of equipment is best for you. Matching a club to your swing speeds involved understanding ways that equipment can help your game and ways that it cannot. A properly fit golf club will lead to more consistent impacts, longer carry distance, and more accuracy.
Frequently Asked Questions
It is common to have questions during club buying, especially with the golf driver for distance. This is a club that you will likely use more than 10 times per round and it is important that you get it right. We have provided some commonly asked questions for your reference below.
Q: How Do I Measure A Golf Driver’s Shaft Length?
A: Measuring a golf club length and the shaft length can be done using a measuring stick or tape measure. To do so, place the golf club into a playing position and measure the length from the end of the grip, butt end, to the middle of the club face. This length is the total length of that golf club. The shaft length can be found by measuring the length from the butt end of the grip to the hosel connection. It is important to measure your shaft and adjust to be able to have better swing speeds, ball speeds and maximum distance.
Q: Driver vs Fairway Woods: What is the Difference?
A: Drivers and fairway woods can look similar and carry similar branding. The largest difference between the two is the construction of the head shape and the sole of each club. Drivers are designed to strike a golf ball from a tee. This means the club face is deeper top-to-bottom and less versatile from the ground so you will have larger sweet spot. Conversely, fairway woods are built to hit the golf ball from a short tee or the ground. The shape of the fairway woods’ sole is crafted to glide through turf and rough to help players hit the golf ball more easily from across the golf course. While these golf clubs may feature similar lofts, your results may be better or worse with different models depending on your swing.
Q: What is an Adjustable Driver, and Does it Really Matter?
A: Adjustable drivers offer golfers and club builders more options to give you your ideal golf club. Hosels settings can be altered to give one club head several different lofts and face angle settings. This differences can have a radical effect on launch angle, start direction, and shot shapes. Adjustable drivers improve swing speeds, they can adjust the center of gravity so you can fix your spin. Best drivers for sure have adjustable performance.
Moveable weight on the rear and bottom of drivers can also help players to dial in their launch, spin, and shape preferences. The location of the center of gravity can shed spin and give drivers more draw or fade bias depending on what each player needs. Weights located nearer the club face will produce shots that launch lower and spin less. More rearward weights may produce higher launching, higher spinning golf shots.
Q: How Do You Know if a Driver is USGA Conforming?
A: Each year, as new golf drivers are produced, they are tested to ensure they do not give any player a playing advantage over his or her competition. The USGA is responsible for ensuring fair competition among equipment manufacturers and the list of approved products can be found at the link below.
No posts for this criteria.What Driver Should You Buy?
Our role is to inform you of the most important things to consider when buying your next driver. Understanding how the golf club can help you play better golf is critical in getting the best equipment in your hands. How it can help improve ball flight, ball speed and distance. Which club is best for you can is best identified by testing different models with different combinations of shafts and grips
Each company produces various driver for distance models made to fit a wide range of different player types and swing characteristics. It is evident that no one driver on the market is best for everyone, yet there is one driver that is best for each player. Finding that best driver for distance can mean more distance, more fairways, better ball flight, large sweet spot and much better scores. And many new technologies like cup face, twist face, inverted cone technology adjustable options on high level all these features are with the newest drivers for distance on the market.
Whether you are a weekend golfer looking to pick up the distance to get past your foursome or an elite amateur looking to create a name for yourself playing a game you love, everyone plays their best golf with equipment built for their game. Going to see your local pro and working on your technique and equipment setup are the best way to improve your game the fastest. If you are looking to find holes in your current bag or get yourself fit into better clubs this season, be sure to check out our other reviews and buying guides. Thanks for reading, hope you choose your best golf driver for distance and see you again soon!
