Updated December 30, 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 M4 Driver
“The M4 clubface utilizes the Twist Face technology to create straighter, longer, and more consistent drives. The Hammerhead slot expands the sweet spot for its incredible forgiveness.”
Best for Consistency: Callaway Rogue Driver
“The Rogue has a stiffer clubhead boosted by the Titanium bars that fuel the Jailbreak technology, giving excellent feedback at impact for a pleasing sound that fills you with confidence after each drive.”
As golf courses get longer and longer, there has never been a more important time for mid-handicappers to get more from their driver.
A new driver with optimized features can give a mid-handicapper up to 20 yards instantly on their drive. Simply put, longer drives can bring the golfer better birdie chances and lower scores.
Most amateur golfers use substandard or old equipment that limits ball speed and launches angle. It is vital in this modern era of golf to play a driver that lifts the ball to give the amateur golfer maximum carry for increased distance.
Featured Recommendations
Last updated on 2023-03-07. The links are affiliate links. Product images are served from Amazon Product Advertising API.
Table of Contents
- The Rundown:
- Featured Recommendations
- Best Golf Drivers for Mid Handicappers
- How to Choose the Best Golf Drivers for Mid Handicappers
- Questions & Answers
- When should I use a golf driver?
- What are the critical factors in creating an ideal golf shot with my driver?
- What features do the best golf drivers have?
- What’s the difference between drivers and woods?
- What is an adjustable driver and is it beneficial?
- How do you know if a driver is USGA-approved?
- How do I measure a golf driver shaft length?
- For a mid-handicapper, should I get my driver custom fitted?
- When should I use a golf driver?
- Conclusion
Best Golf Drivers for Mid Handicappers
- Best Overall: TaylorMade M4 Driver
- Best for Consistency: Ping G425 MAX Driver
- Best Premium: Callaway Golf Rogue Driver
- Best Lightweight: Titleist TSi2 Driver
TaylorMade M4 Driver
Best Overall Golf Driver For Most Mid-Handicappers: Maximum forgiveness, simple to adjust
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PROS
- One of the best feeling drivers we tested with great feedback on every drive
- Forgiveness is top-notch, noticed straighter, more consistent drives than with other elite-level drivers.
- Large sweet spot for maximum distance
CONS
- Lack of adjustable weights had us disappointed at times, as we wanted more adjustability
TaylorMade’s M4 driver is their latest addition to the historic run of quality drivers that the company has produced over the years.
Several new features of the M4 are worth raving over. First, the company’s new Twist Face technology has created a clubface that is curved to correct off-center hits.
The M4’s clubface utilizes this technology to create straighter, longer, and more consistent drives than any TaylorMade model we’ve ever tested. This driver is quite creative and well worth the expensive price tag.
Recommended reading: TaylorMade M4 Driver Full 2022 Review: Is It Worth It?
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The next feature that has the golfer’s head-turning is the Hammerhead slot that rests behind the club face.
This power slot expands the sweet spot on the M4 for incredible forgiveness that pushes the boundaries of what a driver can do for a mid-handicapper. The Hammerhead slot ramps up swing speed for lower spin and greater accuracy on off-center strikes in unison with the flexible and lightweight face.
Remarkable to feel, the Hammerhead slot alone is worthy of an M4 test drive on your closest range.
Finally, the M4 has an aerodynamic design using TaylorMade’s Geocoustic technology for an incredible feel and a strong and dynamic sound off the clubface.
Golfers love the M4 because the feedback instills confidence that carries over to every part of your game.
The Geocoustic technology aids in increasing the sweet spot for drives that carry longer than any club you’ve ever played before. For the features and the unique construction, the M4 is a driver that stands among the best.
Ping G425 MAX Driver
Best Golf Driver For Consistency
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PROS
- Generates staggering distance with incredible carry
- Rewards consistent contact with incredible feel at impact
- Adjustable loft sleeve offers eight different combinations for customized ball flight
- Sliding rear weight dials-in ideal shot shape for your swing
CONS
- Takes time to find the right combination of adjustable features for your game
- Included Arccos Caddie Smart Grip service requires a subscription to use
Ping has upped the power with their latest driver, the G425 Max. Built for distance, the G425 Max provides a dynamic feel at impact and customizable features that offer you the ability to create your perfect shot shape off the tee box.
When you first get the G425 in your hands, the first thing you’ll notice is the lightweight feel of the driver. After taking a few practice swings with this driver, our testers noticed immediately how solid the club felt throughout the takeaway and downswing.
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Once we began hitting balls, the G425 provided a pleasant sound at impact and certainly ranked high in the enjoyment of striking drives on the range. This driver is one of the more enjoyable drivers we’ve hit in 2022.
Easily our favorite two features of the G425 Max are the adjustable loft sleeve and sliding rear weight. With a turn of the included wrench, you can fine-tune the loft of the face to eight different settings to help raise or lower ball flight.
The rear sliding weight also provides an outlet for adding more side-to-side movement to the club. During our testing, we loved the consistency the G425 Max provided as we tinkered with placing the weight in a draw or fade position.
We also found the face to be highly forgiving on off-center strikes, reducing side spin and allowing those wayward drives to routinely find the fairway.
We could not recommend this driver more for mid handicappers as Ping’s reputation for crafting dynamic, well-made clubs continues with the G425 Max.
Callaway Golf Rogue Driver
Best Premium Golf Driver For Mid Handicappers: Elite features, incredible distance
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PROS
- Adjustable features are very useful and create an excellent flight path for golf ball every time
- Jailbreak Technology gives it one of the most forgiving sweet spots we’ve ever tested
- Multiple options are available on the shaft and loft specifications
CONS
- Expensive driver but worth the trouble if you are serious about improving your game
One of the most customizable drivers on the market is the stunning Callaway Rogue driver.
Although we’ve taken the time also to review the Rogue Draw driver in this article, the standard Callaway Rogue driver is the model that the entire golfing world has been raving about since its release.
This driver is a marvel of technology with an aerodynamic clubhead aided by Jailbreak technology that keeps the club light throughout the swing. The Rogue delivered eye-popping drives throughout our testing time making it one of the best overall drivers we’ve ever seen.
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What makes the Rogue so unique is how the driver’s technology enhances the results of your shots off the tee box.
A stiffer clubhead, boosted by the Titanium bars that fuel the Jailbreak technology, gives you excellent feedback at impact for a pleasing sound that just fills you with confidence after each drive.
The increase in ball speed and the resulting distance is unavoidable and will have you smiling from the first tee to the 18th green.
The adjustable features on the Rogue include the ability to increase the loft by two degrees as well as place the driver in a draw bias offset.
These features are convenient during rounds where the wind plays a factor and makes it difficult to shape shots.
For professional performance with eight different playing combinations, the Callaway Rogue driver is a remarkable piece of golfing equipment.
Titleist TSi2 Driver
Best Lightweight Golf Driver For Mid Handicappers: Long hitter, incredible forgiveness
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PROS
- Lightweight feel throughout the swing
- Effortless power extends the reach of each drive
- Adjustability offers versatile options for creating the ideal shot shape
- Stylish black matte finish offers a dynamic appearance in the golf bag
CONS
- Higher top tier cost for an elite driver
- Feels hollow on off-center strikes
If you are in the market for a frontline, PGA Tour-level driver, the Titleist TSi2 offers the look, feel, and performance you expect at this price point. With a low CG, the TSi2 provides mid handicappers with an exceptional launch in a sleek, matte black finish.
This driver’s design screams “fast swing speed,” After a few days with the driver, we can confidently say the club delivers with flair. The aerodynamic crown helps maximize speed on the downswing allowing you to get to the ball at impact at maximum MPH.
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When evaluating the driver, we found that it offers a lightweight feel, tremendous feedback when you strike it purely in the center of the face, and the adjustability that you’d expect to find with a top-tier driver.
Another benefit of the TSi2 worth noting is the low spin. If you carry a relatively consistent swing to the course, a driver like this from Titleist will build upon that quality, delivering more fairways with additional distance.
However, if we can post criticism here with the TSi2, the driver can be difficult to find that consistency, especially if your swing is struggling to find a rhythm. For a driver of this caliber, routinely played by PGA Tour pros, you should note the lack of true forgiveness before taking the plunge.
In the end, the Titleist TSi2 is one of the top crafted drivers on the market and is undoubtedly worth its price tag if you are ready to take the next step in your golfing journey.
PGX Offset Golf Driver
Best Budget Golf Driver For Mid Handicappers: Affordable alternative to correct your slice
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PROS
- Offset club face assists mid-handicappers in hitting straighter, more consistent drives
- Affordable driver, perfect for golfers on a budget
- 460cc volume for the large sweet spot helps with forgiveness
- Matte black finish makes this a sleek and sharply designed budget driver
CONS
- Not an upper-tier brand, you get what you pay for here
Carving out a niche as one of the most affordable golf equipment producers on the market today, Pinemeadow has created a driver for mid-handicappers looking to correct their slice.
The popular PGX Offset driver is a fixed hosel club with a sleek matte-black look that is interested in only one thing, giving you the ability to hit straight drives again.
The PGX Offset driver from Pinemeadow has a sizeable 460cc clubhead for an extended sweet spot that assists in maximizing distance off the tee regardless of where you hit the golf ball off the club face.
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The offset in the PGX Offset driver is a slight alteration on the clubface that allows the face to square at impact for golfers who suffer from poor fundamentals.
Hitting a slice is about not bringing the clubface back to a square position at impact, but Pinemeadow’s PGX offset driver helps give the golfer that fraction of a second back on the downswing to allow the face to square itself when the ball comes into contact with the face.
Now, there are several knocks on the PGX Offset driver. Even though the club is highly affordable, it does not come with any adjustable features or higher-quality add-ons such as an off-market shaft or upgraded grip.
The PGX Offset driver does utilize a graphite shaft to help keep the club lightweight, but the hosel is fixed so that the offset can be sturdy and stable through impact.
Although it doesn’t have any of the upper-tier features that many drivers in this review carry, the PGX Offset driver can help you with your slice.
Wilson Staff D7 Driver
Best Golf Driver For Increasing Distance
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PROS
- Three different loft options with differing weight distribution give each driver a unique launch angle off the face
- Terrific feel and response with concentrated carbon fiber crown for dampened vibration
- Incredibly light driver with outrageously top-level swing speed that produces extended drives
CONS
- No adjustable features create problems for mid handicappers looking to grow with driver
For mid handicappers, drivers like the Wilson Staff D7 Driver can boost distance, improve accuracy, and provide forgiveness on off-center strikes. When golfers make the jump to a mid-level skill set, they need equipment to facilitate improvement.
The superlight design of the D7 Driver is the primary reason why the club is one of the best on the market for mid handicappers. Distance is vital to taking the next step and reducing the handicap to low handicapper levels. The D7 creates maximum distance and the best ball speeds of your golfing career.
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The company has set the internal weighting for each of the three loft options to different specifications to provide alternate shot height. For mid handicappers, the ideal options lie in the 9-and 10.5-degree models. The 9-degree option moves the weight forward in the driver to offer more direct power directly to the golf ball with a lower spin, lower flight shot shape.
The 10.5-degree option moves the weight in the midsole for an equitable combination of launch and distance. The 12-degree option is best for seniors and beginning golfers needing more carry to help slower swing speeds.
Worth noting that there are no adjustable features with the D7 Driver. And while that’s important for golfers who want more control over their game, mid handicappers that want more yardage from their game off the tee won’t be disappointed by putting the Wilson Staff D7 Driver in their bag.
TaylorMade SIM MAX Driver
Best Golf Driver For Mid Handicappers To Correct Slices
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PROS
- Lightweight multi-steel design increases club speed
- Twist Face Technology expands the sweet spot for boosted forgiveness
- High MOI increases forgiveness for longer drives
CONS
- Golfers who are working with a coach to correct their slice may want a standard driver to learn correctly for the expensive cost
TaylorMade’s SIM Max Driver remains one of the best drivers on the market for mid handicappers. On the course, the SIM MAX delivers exceptional performance, boosting distance and accuracy.
With most mid handicappers, a driver needs to reach the fairway with far more regularity, and I’m happy to say, after my time with the club, the SIM MAX delivers tight shot dispersion along your target line.
What I love about the SIM MAX driver is the solid construction. The driver feels incredibly sturdy in my hands, and that build quality translates to the course because the SIM MAX crushes the golf ball.
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The SIM MAX represents a move forward for TaylorMade in design. Along the bottom, you’ll find an Aerodynamic Asymmetric Sole, and while that may cause your eyes to glaze over, I assure you the feature is worth taking note of once you hit the driver on the range.
Let’s talk about the negatives for a bit. First, the SIM MAX does not have adjustable features outside a loft sleeve that helps you take loft off the face. While the lack of sliding weight does minimize the driver’s adjustability, if you take your time getting the proper loft and shaft, you’ll find that the SIM MAX performs quite well.
The lack of adjustable weighting reduces the driver’s ability to straighten out slices, but again, on the range, we noticed the top-tier features worked together to keep the drives out of the rough.
When it comes to the price, the SIM MAX comes in just below the newest drivers available, so while the driver costs a bit more than the average driver, the performance certainly justifies the money.
Callaway Mavrik Driver
Best Distance Golf Driver For Mid Handicappers
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PROS
- One of the best drivers for feel, with each drive providing excellent response at impact
- Wide, inviting sweet spot offers plenty of distance with exceptional forgiveness
- Jailbreak Technology stiffens club head delivers maximum power to golf ball
CONS
- Golfers in the market for adjustable drivers may want more features at this price point
From Callaway comes their latest creation, an absolute marvel of design and performance, the Mavrik Driver. This club is an absolute cheat code for mid handicappers, providing a huge leap in distance. The Mavrik also offers an incredible feel at impact, especially if you find the center of the sweet spot.
The ball speed off of the face of the Mavrik Driver is consistently strong, a feat only achieved by elite-level drivers. Not to be overlooked, the driver is also one of the most attractive drivers we’ve tested, with a sleek black club head that helps shape the center with a fresh appearance.
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The highlight of the Mavrik is the company’s Jailbreak Technology. With the two stiff steel rods inserted behind the club face, the Jailbreak works to increase power to the golf ball. As it stiffens the clubhead, the Mavrik uses the Jailbreak feature to increase launch angle for more carry and length.
The adjustable loft sleeve also comes in handy by increasing or decreasing the launch angle to customize the shot height.
The rear stationary weight creates a deep, low center of gravity to help with lift and increase the carry of the drive. The aerodynamic head also reduces drag, boosts swing speed, and offers increased consistency, crucial for improving a mid-handicapper.
The face on the Mavrik also provides a terrific sound and feel at impact that helps create confidence in the golfer. For a first-rate driver that offers an impressive appearance, the Mavrik performs even better and should be considered for any mid-handicapper’s bag.
Wilson Staff C300 Driver
Best Golf Driver For Mid Handicappers With Flexible Features
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PROS
- Love the interchangeable weight system in the sole, offering a great deal of flexibility
- Hosel has several settings to fine-tune the flight path of your shots
- Power Hole technology expands the sweet spot for one of the best experiences we’ve had from a Wilson driver
CONS
- May fall short for golfers who would like an adjustable weight-slider system
Wilson’s newest driver takes advantage of their patented Power Holes technology to improve the flexibility of the clubface and increase distance.
The Wilson Staff C300 is a dynamic driver with a weight system that can be easily changed anywhere on the course to reduce or increase spin and add a draw or fade bias to shape your shots as you prefer.
Painted in a show-stopping red, the Staff C300 provides excellent contrast with the golf ball to give a clear and identifiable alignment system to improve your accuracy.
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The Power Holes technology has been used exclusively in Wilson irons, but with the C300, the company has brought the advantage to their new driver line.
The Power Holes are Urethane-filled slots positioned around the driver’s clubface to minimize the friction between the clubface and the body of the club head during impact so that the golf ball can take advantage of the flexible face as well as an expanded sweet spot. We loved the feel of the C300 as our testing progressed.
Another terrific feature of the C300 is the adjustable hosel that increases or decreases the club’s loft by a couple of degrees in each direction.
For the mid-handicapper struggling with distance, the C300 will offer several options to choose from that can boost carry and utilize the advanced technology of the driver.
Although it may not carry the same regard as a driver by TaylorMade or Callaway, especially ones with an advanced slider weight system, it would be a shame to overlook the Wilson C300 driver because it certainly delivers the goods on the tee box.
How to Choose the Best Golf Drivers for Mid Handicappers
Design
For the mid-handicappers, having a driver that looks well-made is extremely important because the club’s look instills confidence in the golfer.
This may sound silly, but it is true that once the golfer has confidence in their equipment, they are free to concentrate solely on swinging the driver.
Also, when standing at the address, having a high-quality driver that contrasts nicely with the golf ball allows the golfer to see and focus on the impact area.
While it may seem superficial, by having a driver that the golfer knows will perform well on every shot, the trusted club allows them to relax and focus on the task at hand.
Feel
The driver’s feel is necessary because the mid-handicapper wants to receive instant feedback on every shot.
A high-performing driver will give the golfer strong feedback after impact, letting them know if they hit the center of the club face.
Feedback from the driver also plays a part in the mental aspect of golf. If a golfer feels confident in their equipment and then they know when they are striking the ball well based upon the driver’s feel.
When the response after hitting the golf ball is terrible, then the golfer can adjust their fundamentals such as stance or grip.
Forgiveness
For the mid-handicapper looking to make that jump into the single-digit handicap level, it’s essential to have a forgiving driver on off-center hits.
Golfers need a driver that forgives bad strikes because mid-handicappers must maintain their distance on each drive.
Mid-handicappers need to get the ball down the fairway as far as possible to hit shorter second shots.
Finding a driver with maximum forgiveness allows the golfer to focus solely on making a reliable yet powerful swing so they can hit shorter second shots into the green.
Loft Options
Choosing the wrong loft on a driver is one of the amateurs’ biggest mistakes.
When they are reading about the top golfers in the world and see that Tiger Woods is hitting an 8.5-degree lofted driver, they believe that they need a low-lofted driver.
But what they don’t consider is that most amateurs don’t generate the swing speed of Tiger Woods. So instead, the low loft on the driver keeps the ball limited in ball height and sends low liners into the fairway.
Mid-handicappers would serve their game better if they found a modern driver with adjustable loft to increase their launch angle.
Adjustable Features
Adjustable features on a driver are essential when attempting to improve the quality of your drives because you can change so many characteristics of the club.
Adjustable weights in the club’s sole can affect everything from hitting a draw or fade to improving launch angle and forgiveness.
An adjustable hosel can also place offset on the clubface to change your shot shaping capabilities off the tee box.
Adjustable features allow the golfers to play around with the specifications on the drivers so they can tailor make a ball flight that works best for their game.
Questions & Answers
When should I use a golf driver?
You can use a driver in multiple situations on the golf course. The most common way for a golf driver to be used is from the tee box.
On longer par-4s and par-5s, a driver is almost necessary to get the golf ball down the fairway to set up manageable second shots. Golfers may use hybrids or long irons on shorter par-4s with doglegs or hazards that the player wants to avoid.
On par-5s that are incredibly long, say 550-600 yards, it is not uncommon to see a golfer use their driver on their second shot, especially if their ball is sitting in the fairway.
Adjustable drivers where you can change the settings to allow for more loft are perfect for long second shots from the fairway.
Another area that sees occasional, if not extremely rare, usage for a driver is when the ball is sitting in the rough off the green.
Drivers have large soles that do not hang when sliding through grass or longer rough, so golfers like to use their drivers to putt the golf ball toward the hole.
What are the critical factors in creating an ideal golf shot with my driver?
Hitting an incredible drive has specific swing elements that come together to produce a fairway-splitting shot. Golfers must have a solid and broad foundation that starts with their feet and legs.
A full turn away from the golf ball coils the body to load up for a powerful downswing. And as the golfer makes their move toward the golf ball, the club lags behind the body to create maximum power.
Hitting the golf ball with the driver is different than using an iron because the swing does not impact the ground. A sweeping arc that hits the golf ball on the upswing is vital for the driver to get the ball into the air.
What features do the best golf drivers have?
The best golf drivers on the market today share similar features such as adjustability in the hosel, weighted system on the sole of the driver, and clubface technology that allows for maximum forgiveness when hitting the golf ball.
The best manufacturers of drivers will offer plenty of variety in these areas, so you can easily find a driver best suited to your golfing needs.
What’s the difference between drivers and woods?
The main difference between drivers and woods involves the shape of the club and the loft of their clubfaces.
Drivers have a shallow-lofted clubface because their primary goal is to strike the golf ball with maximum swing speed and deliver a launch angle that sends the ball down the fairway.
Woods have a lower profile, meaning they are not as tall as drivers because they are intended for use from the fairway or light rough from a longer distance.
Woods have more loft than drivers to get the ball into the air quickly. As a result, woods are primarily used from the fairway on par-5s and long par 4s or off the tee box on holes with tight fairways.
Drivers are almost exclusively used off the tee box and have the advantage of hitting the ball off a tee to encourage ball height.
What is an adjustable driver and is it beneficial?
An adjustable driver has several features that the mid-handicapper can change at any point in their round.
This ability to alter the club allows the golfer to hit shots with different shapes. This can be useful if the golfer is having problems with a slice or hitting the ball too low.
A few simple adjustments to the offset or the weights on the club’s sole can assist in correcting these swing issues. Adjustment drivers are handy for amateurs struggling to hit the ball straight or attempting to maximize their distance.
How do you know if a driver is USGA-approved?
The USGA maintains an up-to-date list of approved driver heads on their website.
Before you purchase a driver, especially if you are looking at an off-brand custom made driver, then you need to make sure that the club will meet the USGA specifications for a legal playing club that can be used in tournaments and prevent you from being accused of cheating at your next event.
How do I measure a golf driver shaft length?
First, you will need a measuring stick at least four feet in length. What you want to do next is take the driver and hold it like you would when addressing the ball for a shot.
The bottom of the driver is flush against the ground, and the shaft of the club should lie at an angle that points back to your waist. Take the measuring stick and place it underneath the shaft, first touching the area where the clubhead and ground meet.
Then run the measuring tool along the bottom of the shaft to the bottom of the grip cap. The measurement will be the length of the golf shaft.
For a mid-handicapper, should I get my driver custom fitted?
The mid-handicapper should inquire about getting their driver custom fitted because professionals will utilize your swing data to find a driver that will not only maximize your distance and launch angle but find a driver that works best for your swing.
If there is a downside to having your driver custom-fitted, it is because the cost for the fitting and driver can be very expensive.
That said, playing with a driver that has a high-quality grip, high-performing shaft, an adjustable hosel, and a weight system all tailored to your swing will give you the best drives of your golfing career.
Conclusion
Our choice for the best driver for mid handicappers is the TaylorMade M4 because of its large, balanced head and ultralight feel during the swing.
The M4 driver provides exquisite distance and carry, allowing mid handicappers to reach back for extra power when needed on the course. The club utilizes the company’s Twist Face technology to reduce side spin and redirect shots back down the fairway.
During our time with the M4, we were wholly impressed by its complete package. From the adjustable hosel that dials in the right shot height to the stationary weight that anchors the driver through the impact zone, the M4 brings power and sophistication to your game.
Related: TaylorMade M4 Driver Full 2023 Review: Is It Worth It?