10 Best Golf Drivers For Mid Handicappers (Updated For 2020)

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 are using substandard or old equipment that limits ball speed and launch 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. 

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Last updated on 2020-01-18. The links are affiliate links. Product images are served from Amazon Product Advertising API.

10 Best Golf Drivers for Mid-Handicappers

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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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Designed for the mid-handicapper, the engineers over at Cobra have created a fantastic driver known as the King F8. 

Featuring Cobra’s thinnest clubface ever, the F8 is built for speed but provides terrific forgiveness on those drives that don’t find the sweet spot. 

The oversized shape of the F8 takes advantage of Cobra’s first ever milled clubface on a driver to provide excellent feel throughout impact. 

We had a little trouble at times lining up the club with the ball due to the all-black finish, although there is a different silver finish available, but the design and appearance of the F8 is a show-stopper.

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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 that has a sleek matte-black look that is interested in only one thing, and that is 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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For golfers who don’t like adjustable features and prefer a set hosel with static loft, then there is very little competition for the Cleveland Launcher HB driver as it is in a class above the rest. 

With a sleek and drag-resistant clubhead, the Launcher HB delivers secure and reliable power to the golf ball as the company touts the driver as its lightest driver to date.

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For the mid-handicapper looking for a draw driver, the Callaway Rogue Draw Driver takes all of the standard features of the Rogue driver and gives the club face a slight draw bias. 

This offset allows golfers who are experiencing problems with their slice to correct them from the tee box rather than taking hours of painstaking lessons. 

The Rogue comes with Calloway’s patented Jailbreak Technology that reduces vibration and enhances the golfer’s ability to cleanly hit the golf ball with power and accuracy.

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From the distinguished golf equipment manufacturer Ping, comes their latest driver, the G400. 

This driver is an absolute monster providing a quantum leap in distance as well as having one of the best feelings when the ball strikes the center of the sweet spot. 

Ball speed off of the clubface of the G400 is strong and consistent with a regularity saved for only elite-level drivers. 

In addition to its performance, the G400 is also one of the most attractive drivers we’ve tested in recent memory with a flared feature on top of the club head that shapes the center of the driver with a fresh look.

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Wilson’s newest driver takes advantage of their patented Power Holes technology to improve the flexibility of the clubface as well as 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 as well as 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 Cobra F-Max Offset driver has been engineered with a sole purpose, and that is to increase swing speed. 

From the clubhead to the shaft, Cobra has reduced the weight of the F-Max Offset driver to help mid-handicappers who struggle with swing speed reverse the trend of weak, short drives down the fairway. 

Instead, the engineers have given the F-Max Offset driver a heel weight that produces a draw bias on the club so golfers who need more ball speed and to correct their slice, can do so with the equipment rather than starting to learn their swing all over again.

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Callaway has produced a more affordable option for the mid-handicapper looking for a no-frills yet high performing driver in their X-Series model. 

This classic looking driver shares the same family line as their popular Big Bertha line but where the X-Series sets itself apart from its brother is with exceptional distance and pinpoint accuracy.

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Testing Protocol & Criteria Used For Evaluation

Criteria 1 – Design

For the mid-handicappers, having a driver that looks well-made is extremely important because the look of the club 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 address, having a high-quality driver that contrasts well 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.

Criteria 2 – Feel

The reason that feel is necessary with the driver is that 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 feel of the driver.

When the response after hitting the golf ball is terrible, then the golfer can adjust their fundamentals such as stance or grip.

Criteria 3 – Forgiveness

For the mid-handicapper looking to make that jump into the single-digit handicap level, it’s essential to have a driver that is forgiving 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 so that they are hitting 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.

Criteria 4 – Loft Options

Choosing the wrong loft on a driver is one of the biggest mistakes amateurs make. 

When they are reading about the top golfers in the world, and they see that Tiger Woods is hitting an 8.5-degree lofted driver, then they believe that they need a low-lofted driver. 

But what they don’t consider is that most amateurs don’t generate 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.

Criteria 5 – 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 sole of the club can affect everything from hitting a draw or fade, to improving launch angle and forgiveness. 

An adjustable hosel can place offset on the clubface also 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.

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Questions & Answers

A driver can be used 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 a necessity 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 that have 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 the settings can be changed 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.

Hitting a great drive has specific swing elements that come together to produce a fairway-splitting shot. Golfers must have a strong 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.

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 that is best suited to your golfing needs.

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 so that they can get the ball into the air quickly. Woods are primarily used from the fairway on par-5s and long par 4s, or off the tee box on holes where there are 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.

An adjustable driver has several features that the mid-handicapper can change at any point in their round. 

Having this ability to alter the club allows the golfer to hit shots with the different shape. 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 sole of the club can assist in correcting these swing issues. Adjustment drivers are handy for amateurs who are struggling to hit the ball straight or attempting to maximize their distance.

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.

First, you will need a measuring stick that is 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.

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 weight system all tailored to your swing will give you the best drives of your golfing career.