Are you ready to up your golf game and find the perfect driver? As a beginner golfer, it’s important to start with a driver that will help you develop your skills and take your game up a notch.
With so many drivers available, selecting one can seem daunting – but don’t worry! In this article, we’ll explore five of the best drivers for beginners for 2024 so you can be confident you’re choosing the right club for your game.
We’ll discuss some of the most important features of each, their pros and cons, and most importantly, how much each costs!
So read on if you’re ready to discover which driver is perfect for improving and enjoying every round of golf.
5 Best Drivers for Beginners and High Handicappers
Callaway Rogue ST MAX D Driver
Callaway Rogue ST MAX D Driver
Looking for a golf driver that’s forgiving, easy-to-use, and downright stylish? Look no further than the Callaway Rogue ST Max D. This driver is the ultimate in high MOI, with a sleek and modern design that will make you feel like a pro on the course. With special features like internal and external draw weighting, reduced face progression, and an upright lie, you’ll be able to correct your shot shape with ease. Plus, the generously stretched profile at address means you’ll feel comfortable and confident as you line up your shot. Get ready to feel like a winner with the Callaway Rogue ST Max D.
Product Pros
Product Cons
If you’re looking for the latest and greatest in golf technology, Callaway’s Rogue ST MAX D Driver is the perfect addition to your bag. After testing many different golf drivers, this Callaway driver tops my list of the best drivers for beginners and high handicappers.
This driver maximizes stability and lowers its center of gravity due to its titanium unibody construction. Plus, its Triaxial Carbon crown and sole reduce the driver’s overall weight. The result is a faster swing speed and a more accurate golf ball than other drivers.
Do you find yourself slicing the ball frequently off the tee? The Rogue ST MAX D driver is a draw bias driver, which means it will help you hit more of a draw shot. This is done with reduced face progression and a more upright lie.
The updated driver design includes Callaway’s renowned Jailbreak Speed Frame technology with two titanium bars that stiffen the crown and sole to promote more ball speed and increased distance off the tee.
With this beginner driver in your arsenal, you can be sure you’re getting optimal performance every time you hit the course.
Cobra AIR-X Straight Neck Driver
Cobra AIR-X Straight Neck Driver
Get ready to hit some monstrous shots off the tee with the AIR-X straight-neck driver! Weighing in at just 277g, this is their lightest construction to date. You’ll love how the lightweight design lets you effortlessly swing for longer and straighter drives. The non-offset hosel also gives you a classic, traditional look that’s sure to impress. So grab your AIR-X driver and get ready to crush it off the tee!
Product Pros
Product Cons
If you want more accuracy, power, and distance with your drives, you should consider the Cobra AIR-X Driver.
This driver has been designed with innovative lightweight carbon material, which helps reduce the weight of the club head. The result is a faster clubhead speed for greater distance.
Want even more reasons to love this golf driver? Its heel weighting is great for helping beginners, and high handicappers promote a slight draw bias off the tee, plus a straight neck hosel design will give you a more traditional view when standing at address.
You can’t go wrong with investing in the Cobra AIR-X Driver!
TaylorMade Stealth Driver
TaylorMade Stealth Driver
For two decades, TaylorMade has been rocking the golf world with some serious innovations! Now, their nanotexture cover creates the perfect amount of friction at impact, thanks to a fine-tuned polyurethane coating. And forget heavy old titanium – their 60X Carbon Twist Face is a mind-blowing 44% lighter, which means they could add more mass to the head for crazy forgiveness.
Product Pros
Product Cons
The Taylormade Stealth Driver is the ultimate golfing accessory for beginner golfers.
For the past couple of decades, golf club manufacturers have been focused on creating the next great titanium driver. TaylorMade is taking things to the next level with their Stealth driver. Made with 60 tiny sheets of strategically arranged carbon sheets, the Carbon Twist Face helps maximize ball transfer speeds for longer shots off the tee.
Because carbon weighs less than titanium, the weight of the TaylorMade Stealth driver has been reduced by 44%. This means better weight optimization in the club for maximum forgiveness and distance.
It also has adjustable loft settings, allowing you to customize your golf driver to fit any style of driving preference.
Whether you are a beginner or an experienced player, the Taylormade Stealth Driver will take your golf game to the next level.
Cobra LTDx Max Driver
Cobra LTDx Max Driver
Get ready to drive like you’ve never driven before with the LTDx MAX driver. Say goodbye to those slices and hooks because this driver has an adjustable heel weight position that lets you customize the draw bias to your liking. And let’s not forget its supreme forgiveness – this bad boy is the answer to all your prayers. Say hello to better drives and more satisfying rounds with the LTDx MAX driver in your hands.
Product Pros
Product Cons
If you’re looking for a forgiving driver to improve your golf game, the Cobra LTDx Max Driver is worth considering.
This head has been designed with advanced technology to provide increased forgiveness on mis-hits, making it a great option even for intermediate players.
The Cobra LTDx Max Driver has been designed with PWR-COR Technology, which has put most of the weight low and forward. This helps produce more ball speed with a lower amount of spin.
Let’s talk about the club face. The H.O.T Face design was created by studying the data from thousands of impact simulations. This has given the LTDx Max Driver the perfect face thickness across the entire club face. The result will be optimal ball speed no matter where you make contact.
When you purchase the Cobra LTDx Max Driver, you will also have your choice of several aftermarket shafts. Choose the one that fits your swing the best.
Whether you are just getting into the sport or looking for a more reliable club to add to your bag, the Cobra LTDx Max Driver may be the perfect choice.
PING G425 SFT Driver
PING G425 SFT Driver
Are you looking for a golf club that can keep your shots on target? Look no further than the PING G425 SFT. With Straight-Flight Technology to bring your shots back on-line and into the fairway, this club is a game-changer. Plus, the fixed 23-gram tungsten weight shifts the center of gravity closer to the heel, accentuating right-to-left shot bend for right-handed golfers. And with the T9S+ forged face increasing flexing and adding distance, you’ll be hitting new heights on the course in no time.
Product Pros
Product Cons
The final driver on my list of the best drivers for beginners is the PING G425 SFT. If you’re a newbie, the G425 should be on your radar.
This driver has been specifically designed with straighter shots and more distance in mind. With a highly efficient drag-reducing shape combined with a stronger, lighter Dragonfly crown, this driver has improved aerodynamics and more ball speed. Ultimately, this translates to effortless distance and greater forgiveness when you’re teeing up.
Something that most beginner golfers should love is how adjustable the G425 driver is. You can adjust the loft +/- 1.5 degrees and adjust the lie up to 3 degrees flatter than a standard lie.
So if you’re looking to get the most out of your game, then the Ping G425 SFT Driver is the club for you.
Methodology
To be able to put together a list of the best drivers for beginners, I tested more than a dozen different clubs. Additionally, I’ve compared the features of each to better understand how these clubs will benefit the game of a beginning golfer or someone with a high handicap.
How to Choose the Best Driver for High Handicaps and Beginner Golfers
Forgiveness
If you’re hunting for the best golf driver for a beginner golfer, the most important thing to consider is forgiveness.
Over the years, golf manufacturers have drastically reduced their club head weights. This has allowed beginners and high handicappers to increase their club head speed. However, increased club head speed can cause off-center hits. But having a more forgiving driver can mean the difference between those shots ending up in play or out of bounce.
Most modern drivers that are built for beginners and high handicappers have forgiveness in mind. These clubs tend to have a high moment of inertia (MOI). This means the club head will be more resistant to twisting when you hit off-center hits.
When looking for the best golf drivers, ensure they have a high MOI. This will help you keep more drives in the fairway as you continue to work on your swing.
Distance
The next thing to consider when looking at the best drivers for beginners and high handicappers is going to be the distance potential. We all want to hit our golf clubs as long as possible; however, someone with a slower swing speed might struggle in this department.
Luckily, advancements in golf club technology can help those with lower clubhead speed to boost distance.
The distance that a golf ball will travel will be dependent on two different things.
- Ball speed – Ball speed refers to the speed of the golf ball as soon as it makes contact with the club head.
- Clubhead speed – The clubhead speed refers to the speed the club head travels as it makes contact with the golf ball.
So, how do you ensure you’re considering the best golf drivers for distance? Coefficient of restitution (COR).
COR measures how much energy is transferred from the club head to the golf ball at impact. The higher the COR, the greater the ball speed is going to be.
However, it’s important to know that the USGA has limited the COR to 0.830.
Some of the best drivers for beginners and high-handicap golfers are going to have a high COR throughout the entire club head.
Shaft
Most golf drivers offer a couple of different shafts with each club. However, some clubs, like the Cobra LTDx Max Driver, will give you a choice of several different aftermarket shafts.
When choosing a shaft for your golf clubs, you have two choices. It can either be a steel or graphite shaft. The split is pretty even when it comes to irons. However, nearly everyone selects graphite shafts for their driver and fairway woods.
The reason is that graphite will help experienced and beginner golfers increase ball speed and improve launch angle. That means more distance off the tee.
When choosing a shaft for your driver, one of the most important things to consider is the flex. The flex you choose will depend on your swing speed. Someone with a faster swing speed will want a club with a stiffer flex. However, someone with a slower swing speed is looking for more flex to give them faster ball speeds off the club head. This person would senior flex.
Feel
Earlier, I mentioned that forgiving drivers are important to both beginners and high handicappers. When I’m testing out new drivers, one thing I always think about when hitting shots is the feel.
When I hit the golf ball, there’s nothing better than the feeling you get when you hit a ball as pure as can be. Technology has come a long way for golf clubs. Today, some of the most forgiving drivers still give you that incredible feel even on your off-center strikes.
When testing out beginner drivers, pay close attention to how the shot feels when you hit it in the sweet spot. Then, think about how it feels to hit the ball toward the hosel or toe. Do you notice the difference?
Bottom Line on the Best Drivers for Beginners and High Handicappers
Choosing the right golf driver for a beginner can be an intimidating feat, but there are some fantastic options on the market.
After reviewing these five drivers, you can make an informed decision and purchase a driver that is just the right fit for your game.
Try to experiment with each model before you buy, or work with a local golf professional who can recommend one best suited for you. Before long, you’ll be striking the ball well and having more fun out on the course. So get out there and enjoy it!
Frequently Asked Questions
Which Brand of Golf Driver is the Best?
With so many different brands and styles of golf drivers out there, it can be overwhelming to know which one is the best. The truth is that the best drivers for beginners and high-handicap golfers depend entirely on the individual golfer and their specific needs.
To find the perfect beginner golf drivers to choose from, consider your budget and playing style. Doing some research into what makes certain brand drivers unique will help as well—for example, some drivers are designed specifically for hitting higher tee shots, while others are better suited for hitting a draw.
Taking all these factors into account will make selecting the best driver for your game a much smoother process!
What Degree Driver is Best for Beginners?
Most beginner golfers will benefit from using a driver with a loft angle between 10 and 12 degrees. This degree range will give you a good launch angle without sacrificing distance. This is ideal for players who are just getting started in the game.
Finding the right degree driver for your needs may take some trial and error, but having the proper loft angle for your game can make a huge difference in the overall performance of your drives. Additionally, drivers with adjustable lofts allow you to fine-tune and customize the loft angles you feel work best for your game.
How to Choose the Best Drivers for Beginners and High Handicappers
When selecting a driver for high handicappers or beginners, it is important to look for one that offers plenty of forgiveness. Oversized club heads are great for this, as they help you hit more consistent shots with greater accuracy and distance.
In addition, drivers with an adjustable hosel can make all the difference in helping you find the perfect lie angles to suit your game. This can go a long way toward improving your overall performance on the course.
Finally, finding a driver that has an aerodynamic design and lightweight construction is crucial to getting more distance out of every drive.
What is the Most Forgiving Driver for Beginners?
Out of all the drivers that I tested on the driving range, the PING G425 was the most forgiving for me. Even when I had some mis-hits, I found that my shots weren’t going too far off the fairway.
How to Pick the Best Shaft for Your Driver?
The best way to pick the right shaft for golf drivers is to consider the flex. Generally, if you are a rookie golfer or have a slow swing speed, then it’s best to go with a regular or senior flex shaft. If you’re an experienced player who has developed a faster swing speed, then you should opt for a stiffer flex.
In addition to flex, the weight of the shaft is going to be important. Lighter shafts are best suited for beginners or those with slower swing speeds.
Finally, consider the kick point of the driver as well. A low kick point will help you hit higher shots, while a mid-high kick point will give your shots more accuracy and distance. With the right combination of shaft flex, weight, and kick point, you can find the perfect driver for your game.
Sean’s parents first put a golf club in his hands at the age of 8. He immediately fell in love with the game of golf. Today he’s passing on that love to his own kids.
