5 Best Drivers of 2024 (Complete Buying Guide)

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Drivers have evolved quite a bit over the years. Now you can find a driver that delivers exactly what you need for your game (and then fine-tune it with even more adjustments). The best drivers out there are those that offer the best combination of distance and forgiveness.

I’ll break down the top options in this year’s buying guide below, but if you want to know my top pick for 2023, it’s the Callaway Pradym. My testing showed an impressive combination of distance and forgiveness that anyone could benefit from.

But depending on your specific needs, you might be better off with a different option. That’s why we also created these separate guides so you can find the best driver for your game.

• Best Drivers For Average Golfers
• Best Drivers For High Handicappers
• Best Drivers For Beginners
• Best Drivers For Slicers
• Most Forgiving Drivers

But if those categories aren’t what you’re looking for or if you just want to see our top picks overall, then keep reading…

Top Pick

1. Callaway Paradym

The Callaway Paradym is the latest evolution in Callaway’s lineup of very forgiving clubs and it seems to have made a bigger jump in performance than most years.

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When I first tested the new Callaway Paradym I thought maybe the launch monitor was wrong. But after going back to my old driver for a few swings I was able to confirm that this driver was absolutely launching the ball.

I was getting great ball speed and distance numbers, even when I missed the sweet spot. This club and the next pick below really outpaced the rest of them in terms of forgiveness and ball speed on mis-hits.

For Beginners

2. Ping G430 Max

The G430 Max is an improvement from the previous G425 which was already the most forgiving driver on the market when it was released.

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The G430 is an upgrade from the previous G425 which was one of the most forgiving clubs on the market. While it’s not a massive upgrade, Ping did a great job of maintaining all the good things about the G425 and making some small improvements.

According to Ping, the G430 is longer than its predecessor. In my testing, it was, but only by a very small amount (which could have just been attributable to variances in my swing).

That being said, they certainly improved the sound of the club. The G425 did not have a pleasant sound but the G430 has a nice muted crunch that makes you feel good about your strike. This may not directly affect your shot, but it can help the confidence a little.

Overall, Ping took a good thing and made it just a little better without messing up any of the best parts.

For Slicers

3. Ping G430 SFT

The G430 SFT is every bit as forgiving as the G430 Max but has a built-in draw bias than makes it perfect for those struggling to keep the ball in the fairway.

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There are not a lot of differences between the G430 Max and the G430 SFT other than the features that help prevent the ball from slicing.

This club includes a center of gravity shifting backweight that can be moved into Draw and Draw+ settings that Ping claims will provide up to 20 yards of slice correction.

For Seniors

4. Titleist TSR1

The TSR1 is designed to be light to help slower swingers increase their swing speed while also maximizing launch conditions for slower swing speeds.

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The Titleist TSi 1 is a lightweight driver with a design tailored to increase swing speed regardless of what yours is when you start. In other words, playing this driver is an almost guaranteed solution for adding a little bit of juice to your tee game.

As a double bonus, it’s a shaft with an optimal kick point for improving launch angle. Add speed. Control slices. Elevate quicker. The Titleist TSR1 takes care of it all.

For Low Handicaps

5. Callaway Paradym Triple Diamond

If you can consistently hit the sweet spot, this club absolutely launches the ball. But misses are less forgiving.

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Just like ski slopes, the triple diamond driver is for experts only. If you can hit the center of the clubface every time, then you’ll get some big-time distance benefits. But that kind of power comes at a price and if you miss the sweet spot, you’ll discover that price is a lack of forgiveness.

What To Look For When Choosing A Driver

First and foremost, you should be looking for the right driver for you. There is no such thing as the best driver for everyone. That’s why we wanted to give you this overall guide with some different options in addition to choosing our top picks.

So when you are choosing a driver, here are some important things that you should be looking for.

Forgiveness

No matter what your skill level is, forgiveness is important in a driver. Even the pros don’t hit the center of the clubface every time.

If you are a higher handicap player or a beginner then forgiveness should be the main factor you consider when choosing a driver. The vast majority of golfers need a very forgiving driver.

As you can see in the selections above, we focused a lot on forgiveness. That’s because when you are attempting to hit the driver, maximizing distance is important. You don’t want to lose a lot of distance for missing the sweet spot.

Also, the driver is the club you are probably most prone to overswing and trying too hard. This leads to mistakes and off-center hits. So you want a club that doesn’t punish you much for those swings.

Adjustability

Your swing and skill level will change over time and buying a new driver each time is a terrible idea.

This is why most modern drivers come with an adjustable hosel nowadays.

These clubs often let you change the loft and lie angle of the driver. In addition to being helpful if your swing changes over time, this adjustability can also help you on a day-to-day basis.

For example, on a wet day, you may want a little more loft for more carry, while on a dry day, less loft can maximize rollout. You can even make adjustments based on the course itself. Although I would caution against doing this too much as it can often cause more harm than good by messing with your swing. But it is worth experimenting with for courses that you play regularly.

Shaft Options

The shaft is the engine of the club. Choosing the right one can make a huge difference in both distance and control.

One of the added benefits of an adjustable club is that you can swap out the shaft very easily if you want to test new ones or your swing changes. This means that you can find a great price for a club online and then go to your local fitter to really fine-tune your club with the right shaft.

Look and Feel

Everyone has personal preferences when it comes to clubs. Don’t underestimate the importance of having a club that gives you confidence when you look down at it.

Back many years there were a couple of companies that came out with square-shaped drivers. I still don’t know if the shape was more or less beneficial because I don’t think I was ever able to put a good swing on the ball with one.

The lesson…you still have to swing the club yourself no matter how good the technology is.

Price

Of course, price is important. If you spend your whole golf budget on a new driver then you can’t play as much.

That’s why we wanted to give you options at different price levels in all our buying guides. So figure out your budget and stick with it. Sometimes a model that is a couple of years old is a tremendous bargain and is maybe 95% as good as the latest and greatest.