Updated December 16, 2022. This article was thoroughly audited by multiple golf experts and coaches for its accuracy. You can read more about our rigorous testing protocol here.
The Rundown:
Best Overall: TaylorMade SIM MAX
“TaylorMade SIM MAX’s revolutionary aerodynamic head shape, speed injected face, speed pocket, and 2-degree loft sleeve make it the best golf driver.”
Best Distance Option: Callaway Mavrik
“With an inviting sweet spot that boosts speed for extended length, the Callaway Mavrik is your best option for the best distance golf driver.”
Best Consistency Option: Cleveland Launcher HB Turbo
“Want consistency? You can’t go wrong with the Cleveland Launcher HB Turbo. It features a HiBore Crown, fixed hosel, and a low, deep CG for advanced aerodynamics, consistency to high handicappers, and increased ball height.“
The best golf drivers of all time offer unique clubs that undoubtedly improve a golfer’s game off the tee box.
Featuring daring innovation, exciting features, and premium performance, each golf driver, improves the overall game of many golfers by starting their hole off on the right foot; with a drive down the middle of the fairway.
On our list of the best golf drivers of all time, we take a detailed look at the clubs that will improve your golf bag.
With a golf driver from esteemed companies like TaylorMade, Callaway, and Cleveland, this best golf drivers of all time list has a first-rate golf club for every type of golfer.
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Last updated on 2023-03-08. The links are affiliate links. Product images are served from Amazon Product Advertising API.
Table of Contents
Things to Consider When Buying the Right Golf Driver
Material
A premium, well-built golf driver is made with quality materials that increase speed, reduce drag on the downswing, and create jaw-dropping power delivered directly to the golf ball.
A club like the Callaway Rogue or Big Bertha driver series provides a wealth of benefits to golfers of all skill levels. The driver increases speed on shots hit with the large sweet spot, but the club also reduces resistance on the downswing with the aerodynamic club head.
A larger club head, such as one made with a carbon composite crown, offers golfers a deeper, lower center of gravity on the driver for higher flight and longer carry. For high handicappers needing more distance, finding a driver that offers low CG with a wide, inviting sweet spot is a great combination to increase length and improve accuracy.
Another area of improvement that new golf drivers can help with is providing low spin on tee shots. Golfers want minimal spin from their drives because these shots fly straight and true. Shots that have too much side spin, either slice or hook, and the golfers find themselves searching for their ball in the rough far too often to lower their scores consistently.
Whether it is stock or custom, a strong shaft can also boost club speed with a new golf driver.
Older drivers used to make golfers adjust their swing to overcome the technology. Still, the latest and greatest of today’s golf drivers provide an incredible amount of help to smooth the rough edges off golfer’s wayward drives.
Loft
Along with finding the correct shaft flex, a golfer must play at the right loft to get the most from their drives. A slow swinging golfer who plays with too little loft might repeatedly hit low line drives off the tee box. In comparison, a high speed swinging golfer might launch the ball too high with too much loft, killing their chance of achieving maximum distance.
Low handicappers should play a golf driver anywhere from 8.5-to-10.5 degrees of loft on the face. What loft is ideal for their game depends on their actual club speed with the driver.
Professional golfers, such as Bryson DeChambeau, play with loft degrees that routinely go underneath the 8.5-degree threshold, but they also swing at elite level speeds that generate staggering distance.
High handicappers and beginners should consider finding a driver with no more than 12.5 degrees of loft. Most golfers at this skill level suffer from a lack of consistency. The additional loft allows them to hit more shots with carry that equates to distance.
By working their way up to golf drivers with lofts around 9.5 degrees, the inexperienced golfer can grow in their game and create the fundamental skill set to increase their confidence. Then as the swing grows, so can the equipment.
Women and senior golfers also should find a driver with no less than 12.5-15 degrees of loft to help with carry and distance and offset their slower club speeds.
Shaft
The best golf drivers of all time provide golfers with a high-quality shaft that creates distance while maintaining accuracy by allowing the face to return to square at impact. Since golfers want their tee shots to end up in the fairway, matching their club speed with the right shaft flex is absolutely crucial to lowering scores.
A regular shaft flex is an excellent place for high handicappers looking to start their golfing journey. With a titanium head driver coupled with a regular flex shaft, a slower swing will maximize their distance without suffering from poor carry, like with lesser drivers.
Regular shaft flex is excellent for either left or right hand golfers that need more from their tee shots with a newly made driver. Drivers, like the Cleveland Launcher series, offer a fixed hosel that works extremely well with a finely-crafted regular flex shaft.
A stiff flex shaft is preferred by golfers with driver swing speeds that top 95 mph. The golfer must maintain sound fundamentals throughout the swing to generate that type of speed. Modern drivers provide a massive sweet spot to golfers, and for players with ultra-fast swing speeds, a strong fundamental approach allows them to focus solely on generating distance.
New golf drivers, like the Callaway Rogue Driver, whether for low handicappers or beginners, can open the door to a whole new way of playing this great game, but only if they make sure that the shaft flex matches their club speed.
Forgiveness
One of the essential attributes of a driver for all golfers is forgiveness. The factors that create forgiveness along a driver’s face include the size of the sweet spot, the shape of the head, and possible innovations used to curve the hitting area to reduce side spin.
To hit the ball down the center of the fairway with straight flight, a golfer must strike with the center of the face in a square position. For shots that strike an area off-center, forgiving modern drivers allow golfers to keep the target line by redirecting the shot.
For golfers with fast swing speed, a forgiving driver offers them the ability to focus on generating the fastest swing possible without worrying too much about accuracy. If you look at a TaylorMade driver, like the SIM, the club offers Twist Face Technology. This feature gives golfers a curved face that minimizes side spin while directing the shot back along the target line.
Instead of watching the golf ball slice to the right side of the fairway, the SIM works to keep the shot in the fairway and inside a tight shot dispersion that golfers can rely upon over time.
Like the PGX Offset golf driver, draw-bias drivers offer an anti-slice approach to keeping the ball along the target line. These golf drivers don’t offer forgiveness as much as a major correction in how the equipment strikes the golf ball. While some of the forgiving features of a neutral driver carry over to a draw-bias driver, the majority are diminished through the redesigned head.
Clubhead
Modern drivers have a clubhead size of 460cc. The larger clubhead helps create more power directed straight to the golf ball for maximum ball speed and distance. The overall large size of these clubheads also produces better forgiveness as the clubs feature a high MOI that reduces twisting.
Another feature of modern clubheads that helps boost distance is an aerodynamic shape that reduces drag for faster downswing speed. With a large rounded crown, the clubhead helps slice through the air to generate a staggering swing speed that helps lift the golf ball at maximum launch angle for terrific carry and length.
Best Golf Drivers of All Time
- Best Overall: TaylorMade SIM MAX
- Best Distance: Callaway Mavrik
- Best Consistency for High Handicappers: Cleveland Launcher HB Turbo
- Best Distance for Mid Handicappers: Callaway Big Bertha B21
- Best Adjustable Features: TaylorMade SIM
- Most Forgiving: TaylorMade M6
- Best Lower Spin: Callaway Rogue
TaylorMade SIM MAX
Best Golf Driver of All Time
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KEY FEATURES
- Revolutionary aerodynamic head shape that reduces drag on the downswing for maximum club speed
- Speed Injected face increases speed across the hitting area for incredibly long distance
- Speed Pocket behind the face increases flexibility for more forgiveness and better accuracy
- 2-degree loft sleeve raises or lowers the ball flight for customized shot shape
TaylorMade has unveiled their best golf driver ever with the SIM MAX. This new golf driver features several innovations that increase distance and club speed with a low center of gravity.
The SIM MAX is powered by the Speed Injected face that offers a large sweet spot making it one of the best golf drivers of all time on the market today. The face is thin and hot for maximum distance with a tight shot dispersion that maintains accuracy while allowing golfers to unleash full power on each swing.
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Another feature worth noting is the Speed Pocket that rests behind the face. The pocket is an empty space behind the hitting area that increases the flexibility of the face. The reason that golfers want this feature is because additional flexibility helps increase forgiveness and accuracy.
The SIM MAX also offers a 2-degree loft sleeve that attaches through the heel of the sole on the club head. With an included wrench, you can either increase or decrease the loft on the club face. For golfers who want more customization with their golf driver, the SIM MAX does not offer adjustable weighting but the loft sleeve is an excellent feature for raising or lowering ball flight.
This golf driver is one of the strongest golf clubs available for high handicappers who need more distance for their game off the tee box. But for advanced golfers, the SIM MAX’s aerodynamic head shape provides reduced drag for a clean path to the golf ball with maximum power. It makes the best alternative to the Cobra Speedzone Driver!
Callaway Mavrik
Best Golf Drivers for Distance
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KEY FEATURES
- Massively large sweet spot gives golfers an inviting hitting area for boosted carry and length
- Innovative golf club also provides adjustability with a loft sleeve that adds offset or shot height
- Titanium aerodynamic head increases strength while reducing drag for clean contact
- Jailbreak Technology offers two stiff bars behind the center of the face for maximum power
The Callaway Mavrik Driver is one of the best golf drivers of all time in recent memory, boasting a low center of gravity with an inviting sweet spot that boosts speed for extended length. This club features an advanced titanium head that delivers muscle directly to the golf ball.
The best feature of the Mavrik driver is the Jailbreak Technology. Although the feature isn’t new to just the Mavrik, the two stiff bars behind the hitting area stiffen the head for maximum strength. On drives that contact the center of the face, the Jailbreak works hard to deliver one of the best clubs for distance on the market today.
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The Mavrik’s club head is an aerodynamic crown that streamlines the path to the golf ball. A great design that works wonders for golfers who need more golf club speed by reducing drag, the Mavrik’s head works in sync with the high-quality stock shaft for increased length.
The driver also tightens your shot dispersion for better-quality second shots from the fairway. With the increased distance and added accuracy, golfers looking to lower their scores will find the Mavrik works wonders.
An adjustable loft sleeve offers the ability to raise or lower the face’s elevation and add offset for the golf driver.
A great driver with a high-quality head cover, the Callaway Mavrik is a first-rate golf club that dramatically improves forgiveness and increases your yardage off the tee.
Cleveland Launcher HB Turbo
Best Consistency Golf Driver for High Handicappers
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KEY FEATURES
- HiBore Crown offers advanced aerodynamics that generates maximum speed
- Fixed hosel provides consistency to high handicappers that need repeatability with their swing
- Low, deep CG increases ball height for better carry and more distance
- Ultralight hosel reduces weight on the shaft and moves it to the head for better launch
One of the more innovative golf clubs for inexperienced golfers looking to bring some stability to their game is the Cleveland Launcher HB Turbo Driver. This club offers outstanding design coupled with confidence-building results that will allow a beginning golfer to grow into their game.
The Launcher HB is available in three different loft combinations, from 9 through 12 degrees. The 12-degree option is exceptional for beginning golfers to increase carry and distance.
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The club’s HiBore crown is the real star here. Crafted for better aerodynamics on the downswing, the crown is cut to reduce drag on the downswing for more power directed to the impact point.
Cleveland has also taken weight from their ultralight hosel and redistributed it to the head for deeper CG.
For high handicappers and beginners, golf drivers of all time like the Launcher HB Turbo offer the consistency their game is missing. With the fixed hosel and premium construction, the Launcher HB Turbo is a dynamic club that may not offer the bells and whistles of other first-rate drivers of all time but delivers unmatched performance.
When coupled with one of the great golf balls on the market, like the Titleist Pro V1, this Cleveland driver stands out among its competitors for increasing length and improving accuracy for better second shots from the fairway.
Callaway Big Bertha B21
Best Distance Golfing Drivers for Mid Handicappers
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KEY FEATURES
- Exciting distance powered by the Jailbreak bars behind the center of the face
- Internal draw-bias with minimal spin creates a subtle right to left shot shape
- Lightweight head offers a durable and strong hitting area for increased flight and distance
- Artificial Intelligence-aided design offers a hot, thin face for optimum speed and forgiveness
The Callaway Big Bertha B21 driver is the company’s latest version of their decades-long series. We are also happy to report that the new golf driver is the most capable Big Bertha driver ever created.
This #1 wood is one of the elite golf clubs for mid handicappers needing more muscle on the golf course. Featuring the company’s patented Jailbreak bars behind the face, the Callaway Big Bertha 21 is a powerhouse, delivering jaw-dropping length and finely-tuned forgiveness.
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Other features worth noting with the B21 include the rear stationary weight that increases shot height. The adjustable loft sleeve can add or subtract loft on the face while also offering a slight offset for a better sightline to the golf ball.
For a Big Bertha driver, the distance golfers want is here, along with deep, low CG that effortlessly lifts the golf ball for long carry with extended length.
The Big Bertha driver does come with a subtle draw-bias, and while it might not deliver the dramatic anti-slice technology like other golf drivers, it does create a pleasing right-to-left shot shape.
The next time you are shopping for a well-built powerful driver, check out the new iteration of the Big Bertha series because it is an absolute delight.
TaylorMade SIM
Best Golf Driver with Adjustable Features
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KEY FEATURES
- Sliding weight behind the face offers excellent customization that dramatically increases workability
- Twist Face Technology redirects shots with side spin for tighter shot dispersion and more forgiveness
- Inviting sweet spot delivers crushing power for longest drives ever
- Aerodynamic sole creates high MOI for better accuracy and more consistency
Another spectacular golf club for the tee box is the TaylorMade SIM. Although there are similarities between the SIM, and its little brother, the SIM MAX, the differences make the SIM one of the more capable clubs available for low handicappers.
The differences between the SIM and SIM MAX are easy to spot. The SIM is definitely designed for advanced golfers looking to find a club with more customization.
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The golf driver features an adjustable loft sleeve that raises or lowers the shot height and a sliding weight behind the face that shapes the shot easily. The weight is moveable with the included tool by TaylorMade, so anyone, including junior golfers can adjust the weight with a simple twist.
Other features on the SIM include the aerodynamic sole with high MOI for less twisting, which allows golfers better accuracy by consistently returning the face to square at impact.
The Twist Face Technology is adept at reducing side spin on drives for tighter shot dispersion in the fairway. Golfers that play this TaylorMade Men golf driver find that their off-center strikes still find the fairway with velocity.
A great club that advanced golfers absolutely adore, the TaylorMade Men SIM is a startling piece of golfing equipment that will increase distance, carry, and precision with every swing. Definitely one of the best golf drivers of all time!
TaylorMade M6
Most Forgiving Driver of All Time
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KEY FEATURES
- Speed Injected Face increases ball speed for maximum carry and distance
- Carbon sole design increases MOI for less twisting for better balance through impact
- Hammerhead 2.0 slot works with face to create a large sweet spot with maximum forgiveness
- Twist Face Technology redirects off-center strikes for better accuracy
TaylorMade’s M6 Driver is an absolute standout, offering muscle for increased distance and a sophisticated design that minimizes spin for tighter shot dispersion that leaves you looking at the green from the fairway.
The golf driver’s features are highlighted by the Twist Face Technology, which is why we have made the M6 our best forgiveness option on this list. The face of the M6 is actually curved in the right places to redirect off-center strikes.
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When looking for a golf driver with additional forgiveness, the M6 delivers minimal spin off the face for straighter, more deliberate shots that you can count on with every swing.
Instead of playing from the rough on these types of miss-hits, you’ll find yourself playing far more from the fairway. This benefit can help lower scores for golfers struggling to maintain consistency off the tee box.
A great golf club, like the M6, also provides golfers with a golf driver that has a sleek look that stands out in a golf bag, a huge plus for advanced golfers that want equipment that matches their game.
An exceptional golf driver and well-made golf club that earns our selection as one of the most forgiving golf drivers of all time on the market, the TaylorMade M6 is sure to delight golfers of all skill levels.
Callaway Rogue
Best Lower Spin Golf Driver
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KEY FEATURES
- Jailbreak bars offer premium power for shots that directly strike the center of the face
- Carbon crown offers exceptional aerodynamics that reduces drag for a smooth downswing
- Speed Step Technology improves the airflow around the head for faster club speed
- Adjustable loft sleeve customized ball height, while the stationary rear weight lowers CG
From Callaway comes the Rogue driver, a sophisticated golf driver that offers three different loft options and a ton of launch and carry.
What’s great about the Rogue is the design. The crown is aerodynamically designed with the help of Boeing, a top airplane manufacturer. As a result of this marriage of innovation between the two companies, the crown offers reduced drag for a streamlined path directly to the ball.
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All of Callaway’s most celebrated features are here with the Rogue. The center of the face has the two Jailbreak bars behind the center point that stiffens the head for more strength. Also, the X-Face VFT technology increases speed along the entire face for improved distance.
The Speed Step technology is another innovative feature worth noting as it increases airflow around the head for maximum club speed. When you add in the rear stationary weight, the Rogue offers a low, deep CG that easily lifts the golf ball into the air. Both features are great benefits for golfers with slower swing speeds.
The Rogue is another wonderful driver from Callaway and ranks high among recent entries into the best golf driver of all time category.
Questions & Answers
What makes one the best golf drivers of all time?
The best golf driver of all time combines quality material, exciting innovations, and a high degree of playability. No matter what skill level the golfer plays upon, the best golf drivers of all time work with their game to deliver long distance, tight shot dispersion, and optimal ball flight.
Each club on our list of these most outstanding golf drivers offers low spin for straighter flight, a wonderfully innovative design to reduce side spin and boost forgiveness, and a large sweet spot to increase ball speed as the club passes through at impact.
For each golfer, one of the best clubs for the tee box is the one that works most to improve their game.
How to fix a slice with a driver?
If your golf game is suffering from a chronic slice, the best way to correct the slice is to purchase a draw-bias driver. This specific type of driver holds a draw offset that reduces the sidespin that causes slicing for straighter, more accurate drives.
Another way to tackle a slice with equipment is with a driver featuring adjustable weighting. An adjustable weight driver may be preferable over a draw-bias driver because if the golfer is working to correct their fundamentals, the driver can grow with them as they need a more neutral setting on their club.
We also recommend you check our detailed guide on How to Fix a Slice.
When should I replace my driver?
The timeframe for replacing your driver should correspond to how often you play golf. If you are a frequent player, say once every two weeks, then replacing your driver every 2 to 3 years allows you to take advantage of the latest innovations in the driver market.
For infrequent golfers, replacing the driver every five years should maintain driving distance while increasing accuracy with every new refresh of your golfing equipment.
One of the best ways to keep your driver relevant is replacing the grip on the club every 40-50 rounds. The new grip will help maintain tackiness for better control throughout the swing.
What’s the best driver for average golfers?
The best driver for average golfers is the Mazel Titanium Driver. Offering outstanding value, the Mazel driver produces fast swing speed, steady performance, and high-grade forgiveness, which is great for mid-range players.
The driver’s 460cc head delivers a strong punch to the golf ball for a great distance. The driver also provides a high launch with extended carry due to the low center of gravity in the head fueled by a sole-positioned weight.
The CNC milled cup reduced the face thickness for outstanding spring off the hitting area, especially off-center strikes, producing incredible forgiveness.
A low-cost, exceptional club, the Mazel Titanium Driver provides average golfers with a dynamic upgrade for their golf bag.
Conclusion
The best golf drivers of all time all encompass the features that golfers desperately want for their game. Those clubs on the list offer a driver that provides extended length, enhanced accuracy, and great distance.
With physical features like an impressive sweet spot, anti-slice technology, and additional benefits like a high-quality protective headcover, these golf drivers all offer unique characteristics to help out your game.
Our top choice, the TaylorMade SIM MAX, provides golfers with a club that improves forgiveness and increases distance. A great choice for mid and high handicappers looking to grow their game with a high-quality golf club.