The Best Golf Drivers for Beginners

Opening the Stealth 2 was a treat. Not seeing the Stealth in person until now, I was quite impressed with the design. The red face and sleek design is really the best look on the market right now. The Stealth 2 is not just pretty either. It has the chops to go toe to toe with any other driver.

• The Stealth 2 was a beast at the range and on the course. I was hitting over 80% of fairways during testing, which was well above my average.

• A higher handicapper or new golfer will find a lot of value in the forgiveness of the Stealth 2. Especially on off center strikes. Not much distance or dispersion loss at all.

The Stealth 2, with the only carbon fiber face on the market, has a very unique sound. It’s familiar, thanks to internal rib structures, but clearly different compared to titanium faces. Muted but clearly the sound of a cannon.

The truly impressive part of the Stealth 2 is its forgiveness. Or as TaylorMade has coined “FARgiveness.” Heel, toe, high face, low face, the dispersion was incredible. Makes for a fun club to hit and frees up the rest of your game.

• Easy to launch and get the ball in the air
• Most forgiving club tested
• Hard to hit a bad shot

The Stealth 2 is built for distance and forgiveness to the absolute max. TaylorMade followed up the original Stealth with some major improvements with the second iteration of the Stealth series. It’s perfect for a new golfer or someone who struggles off the tee. Read my full Taylormade Stealth 2 driver review here.

The first thing I noticed after opening the box was the new look. Super dark blue. Almost black. I really like the look at address with that color. Just changing things up a bit made it enjoyable. The bottom is really amazing. This swirling black and navy. Almost camo pattern but not quite.

• Compared to my gamer, the Paradym X was carrying the ball nearly 10 yards further! Couple that with the sound and feel that I really liked, and Callaway has really won me over with the Paradym X!

The PING G430 Max didn’t disappoint once I got out to the range. I was seeing drive totals 15-20 yards farther than my gamer! Part of it was carry distance, but the roll out was impressive too. That would be the handiwork of the new face design and what Ping calls “Spinsistency.”

• I witnessed a much faster clubhead speed as well as more ball speed off the face compared to my current gamer.

• One thing that really stood out was the left/draw bias. My general miss is right, and those were few and far between… much less than my gamer. However, all of my good strikes were finding their way left of center. Slight adjustments to my setup made for an easy fix though.

The G430 Max Driver comes with an adjustable hosel and movable rear weight. I tuned the 10.5° loft on driver down to 9° for a more penetrating ball flight, but I felt no need to move the rear weight, but it’s there to move if needed.

• Consistent spin numbers across the face
• Great forgiveness (especially off the toe)
• Built in draw bias

My Ping G430 Max Driver review proved that Ping really delivered this time around. I was surprised and impressed each time I swung this club.
The distance, the forgiveness, the looks. It seems to be the total package, and I would recommend it to pretty much any golfer.

The Cobra Aerojet Max is without a doubt a cool looking driver with an aerodynamic shape, and a draw bias address. If you’re fighting a slice, this should help you out. I was noticing a lot of shots drawing without any effort to do so.

• That high launch is no joke! The ball gets up and down range with a quickness. If launch is an issue for you, the Aerojet Max can be your best friend!

• Cobra improved on their LTDx design, and offers a lot of carry distance and respectable forgiveness.

I was excited to test out the Aerojet Max! The LTDx was a success, and the new construction made for an intriguing release. I no longer struggle with a slice, so the draw bias was pretty noticeable with my first few swings. Duck hooks almost, which really shows the effect of the positioned weights!

Once I found my swing with the Aerojet Max, I was hitting the ball straight. Very straight. It was a little too spiny for my swing and skillset, but that mid to high spin will help new golfers and high handicappers keep the ball in the air longer for further drives.

• Yards gained per dollar is unmatched
• Coming in cheaper than most OEMs
• Easy launch and very straight

The Cobra Aerojet Max can go toe to toe with pretty much every driver on this list, and at a cheaper price point, this makes for an excellent option for a beginner. A high handicapper will enjoy the distance, and the draw bias.

Just like any driver I have tested, it took a few balls to get used to the look and feel, but after that, I was off to the races. Most balls had my preferred five yard cut that I am able to control on the course. Trajectory was a little higher than I prefer, but the numbers were outstanding!

• I averaged 234/256 (carry/total) with the TSR2 at the range. Factoring in the roughly 15% distance drop with range balls compared to a premium ball, that is right around 270 carry. At sea level?! I will gladly take that to the course any day!

• The launch was very impressive with the TSR2. I pictured having a mid to low launch like previous TS2s, but this one is easy to hit, and flies FAR!

The round I shot a 79 found me only hitting 53.8% of the fairways, but the fairways are narrow on this particular course, and a large part of the missed fairways was the length I was getting from the TSR2. Having some extra yards in the tank was allowing me to make bold moves cutting doglegs and carrying waste areas.

The sound and feel of the TSR2 is about what I would expect from Titleist. Just right. Impact feel was slightly soft, but not spongy, and the sound is not loud but certainly not quiet. Overall it couples well with the powerful shots behind it.

• Nice easy launch off the tee
• Longest distance in this category
• Not the most forgiving option, but still really good

Although the TSR2 is found in the bags of some tour pros, it is a good option for beginners and high handicappers too. The added forgiveness, powerful distance, and how easy it is to hit are all reasons it’s a winner for so many types of golfers.

The ZX5 MKII is the “new and improved” version of the original ZX5. Srixon is trying to make itself some space in the driver world, and this is their “forgiving” option. It seems like they missed the mark on forgiving.

• Good strikes were great, but mishits seemed to be punished both with distance and direction. Not much room for error, which makes it a tough choice for a beginner.

• The club face is not very tall, and seems much wider than other clubs tested. Missing that extra height seemed to make it hard to find the right tee height and launch the ball high.

Although the matte crown is an improved look of the ZX5s original gloss crown, the alignment aid seems to be off center a bit, which played tricks with my eyes at address. I just didn’t feel comfortable standing over the ball, which is a foreign feeling.

Overall with the distance being middle of the pack, and forgiveness at the bottom of forgiving drivers, this one seems to be a better fit for a mid handicapper over a new golfer or high handicapper.

• There are better distance options
• High launch was not very high
• Off center strikes lost distance

Srixon makes some quality stuff, but it’s really a ball strikers brand. Their forgiving option in the ZX5 MKII is definitely more forgiving than the ZX7, but still isn’t a great choice for a newer golfer or a high handicapper.

(our full test results and review of the Callaway Rogue ST Max Driver is here)

Last year I was an Epic FANATIC. I felt the Epic line was way ahead of the competition. So the Rogue ST Max has big shoes to fill. It definitely didn’t disappoint! Callaway hit the mark here!

Callaway brought back the flash face and speed frame for the Rogue ST Max, and are put to good use. I really felt the forgiveness across the face, and astonishing distance. The driver is absolutely user friendly.

The sound at impact is classic Callaway. Strong, but not loud. Metallic, but not high pitched. A feel of stability and power that I’ve come to expect from Callaway. A slight draw bias will help you a bit if you come over the top, like most beginners.

Between the acoustics, simple high ball flight, slight draw bias, killer forgiveness, and jaw dropping distance, I am hard pressed to say anything negative about this driver. If all you want is your next shot to be playable, this is going to get you desired results.

The Callaway Rogue ST Max is a beginner’s best friend. It’s the easiest driver to hit in 2022 in my opinion.

The 26 grams of tungsten at the rear makes this driver have the highest MOI of any Callaway driver to date! MOI is also a beginner’s best friend. MOI equals forgiveness, and forgiveness is key for a beginner.

The new Flash Face was designed with ball speed and lowering spin in mind. The variable thickness, produced over thousands of AI simulations, generates consistent speeds across the face. A beginner tends to struggle finding the center of the face with consistency, so this is a key factor also.

So why beginners? Easy… high ball flight, high MOI, consistency across the face, and impressive distance… it checks all the boxes!

There are some real gamers to pick from this year. The difference between manufacturers is the thinnest it has ever been. Callaway however, always seems to have that next little step up.

This year is no different. As a beginner, you are looking for a driver that you can count on, that gives you extreme distance, ultimate forgiveness, and gets up and down range quickly…

The Callaway Rogue ST Max is the best choice for all beginners and high handicappers.

Ping made a driver that many will buy immediately after hitting.

The new Ping G425 MAX has impressed everyone that’s tried it. They made a perfect club for beginners by doing a few key things…

First, they made the overall club lighter (and lighter is better for increasing swing speeds). But they’re also using something new called the dragonfly crown technology, specifically making the top of the club lighter.

This allows Ping to add a 26 gram movable weight called the center of gravity shifter to the bottom of the club. You can set it to draw, fade, and neutral.

By moving the center of gravity weight, Ping increased the MOI 14% from its previous model!

Basically, this means you don’t have to hit it on the sweet spot to see great results. I hit several off centered balls that flew high and far. It’s a very impressive club that needs to be part of your search.

By the way, we have a full in depth review and testing results of the Ping G425 Max driver if you want to check that out.

This was the driver I could’ve sat on the range and hit all day!

The look and feel of the club, the distance and accuracy… all of it was so fun to watch.

Yes, you’re allowed to admire your own golf shots when they’re good. I played around with the center of gravity shifter and hit great shots one after the other.

The high launch angle is also perfect for new players. Seeing the ball climb into the sky with such ease was a joy to see. Most beginners try to help the golf ball get in the air but that’s not necessary with this Ping.

This is why I think it’s one of the best drivers for beginners available today.

I came out of this session thinking every beginner will want this club in their bag!

(for our full review and write up, and my personal test results with this diver, click here)

This was the year for COBRA to step their game up. Following one of the most popular players on tour saying last year’s model “sucks,” COBRA had an uphill climb ahead of them. COBRA did more than step their game up. The LTDx Max is truly an impressive driver.

A computer generated “H.O.T Face” perfected face thickness in 15 different zones across the face. A tour pro may need three of those zones. A high handicapper, or beginner, will likely need all 15 of those zones in a round. Finding similar results across the face is next level improvement.

I was very happy swinging this club. It’s strong, long, and oh so forgiving. I was excited to tee up the next ball and send it again and again.

A new construction saved weight that was positioned directly behind the impact zone, which maximizes distance and forgiveness.

What really impressed me was the interchangeable weight system. A 10g weight and a 3g weight can be traded between the heel and back. Put the 10g in the back to a get higher flight and neutral shape, or swap it to the heel for maximum draw bias.

The COBRA LTDx Max is the perfect club off the tee for beginners and high handicappers. Arguably the most forgiving face, adjustable weights, and a near zero center of gravity will help any golfer off the tee.

The CNC Milled Infinity Face comes across the leading edge, which helps keep consistent ball speeds all across the face. I had a hard time finding a strike that was less than optimal. Easy to hit and impressive distance are the two biggest pros for a beginner.

COBRA heard the criticism and responded in a big way. To have Bryson DeChambeau and Kyle Berkshire, the longest hitters around, using your driver, there’s something to be had here. Even though those two are pros at the long ball, this club works great for beginners.

Easy to hit, and strong at impact will produce confidence for any style player. Throwing in the adjustable features just makes the LTDx Max that more attractive.

If you’re new to the game, or struggle off the tee, you should consider this club. Retailed significantly cheaper than its competitors, it’s perfect for someone new to the game and not committed enough to spend top dollar.

(our full review and test results: TaylorMade Stealth Driver 2022)

Carbonwood! Finally, something to shake things up a bit in the driver space. Carbon Fiber face has been tried before, but never panned out. TaylorMade seems to think this is the future of driver faces.

Going into it, I had an idea of a dead face, and a strange muffled sound. TaylorMade was able to use that saved weight to create some really impressive acoustics. Sound is a big part of feel, and the sound at impact is familiar, yet different, all at the same time.

Shots felt hot off the face, and almost springy. This club generated the most ball speed and distance out of the candidates for the number one slot, which is a HUGE bonus.

Overall, this is an impressive driver, not only in looks, but in performance as well. A premium offering with a nice high launch, impressive distance, and good forgiveness. Getting the ball in the air is effortless. This is the best I’ve seen from TaylorMade in a while.

The new Carbon Twist Face is 40% lighter, and up to 20% larger than previous models like the SIM Max.

A lighter face allows for the saved weight to be placed for a more favorable MOI, and a larger hitting area is great when learning the game. I found this club easy to get up in the air, and keep straight too.

For a beginner or someone that struggles off the tee, you can’t really go wrong with this beauty. It’ll keep you strong and long off the tee throughout the round!

(full review and test of the Titleist TSi1 Driver is in this post)

Most think Titleist only makes great golf balls, but they make great golf clubs as well.

Titleist tries hard to make sure you know their golf clubs are as good as their golf balls too.

They’re using a new ATI425 aerospace titanium club face that’s being manufactured in Pittsburgh. Its stability helps with distance and accuracy, and they’re the only ones in the business who have it.

The results are higher ball speed, longer drives, and a nice booming sound at impact. It also has the adjustable sure fit hosel and sure fit adjustable weight to make minor adjustments to the overall performance of the club.

With a more forgiving face, a lightweight design, and a higher launch, this club will most definitely give the beginner the results you’re looking for.

This is my favorite looking driver on the market. Whenever I see a classic black pear shaped club head driver, I NEED to hit it.

Most players have to like the look of the club or they won’t buy it. This is no different than buying a car. We buy a car we like looking at. This driver does that for me. I made my best swings with this club!

Having confidence is a huge aspect when playing golf so having the right club increases confidence.

My only gripe would be when I miss-hit shots, they traveled off line a little more than the competition, but not enough to keep me away from it.

Playing around with the weight and hosel is also fun. Seeing the golf ball launch higher is also wonderful for new players. You need to find clubs built for you… and Titleist did a great job building one of the best drivers for beginners and high handicappers. Give this one a try.

The SIM2 MAX is definitely a step up from the SIM MAX (last year’s model). TaylorMade is marketing a new forged ring technology as their breakthrough for distance and accuracy. It has a 9 layer Inertia generator sole, which helps increase swing speed at the bottom of the swing, ultimately increasing ball speed.

Combine these features with a 24g back weight and you have a driver that’s built perfectly for the beginner or high handicap golfers.

Due to the movement of the weight, it has a 5% increased sweet spot from the SIM MAX. One thing beginners do a lot of… miss-hit the center of the club (or sweet spot)! So finding clubs with larger sweet spots is super important.

Note – these photos are of the SIM 2, not the SIM 2 MAX. However, those custom colors are available for both drivers.

Looking down at the driver is a little weird to me. The club head is no longer all white like the previous M series, but a black carbon crown with a white club face wrapped around the top of the club.

It has become TaylorMade’s look over the last several years, so once I got over the colors, the results followed.

It’s indeed a very long and accurate driver. The launch angle in the Taylormade SIM MAX 2 was higher, but perfect for the player just starting out.

A higher initial launch with more forgiveness on miss-hits gives this club the five star review it deserves.

Note – If you’re considering this driver, but you want to check out the other models offered in this series, we’ve done a full write up on the TaylorMade SIM2 driver review family here if you want to give it a read.

TaylorMade continues to be a leader in golf club technology.

The TaylorMade SIM 2 MAX is a very forgiving driver. Miss-hits traveled a good distance, and the ball stayed within the tree line. Keeping the golf ball in play is very important and this driver definitely helped me keep the ball in play.

The shape and color scheme didn’t bother me after a while so my swings became a little better…. and the results followed.

I liked the high launch compared to the SIM. Seeing the golf ball take off higher is very helpful for beginners with slower swing speeds so it’s definitely a club that focuses on you. It should definitely be a final contender during your search.

Callaway drivers continue to lead the industry in almost every category. Their technology is always one step ahead of the rest… and my results proved it.

They use artificial intelligence (AI) to help create this new line of drivers. The Epic Max has a new Jailbreak Speed Frame, which provides optimal ball speed and more stability during miss-hits outside the sweet spot.

The frame also has vertical stability bars which increase the sweet spot, resulting in more distance and accuracy on miss-hits.

The Epic Max also leads the competition in movable swing weights. It has a 16 gram adjustable weight, along with an adjustable opti-hosel.

This driver was flat out fun to hit! It has an exceptional feel and look to it, and my ball speed was much higher with this club than the rest.

My miss-hits didn’t wander off line all that much, so again, keeping the ball in play should be the primary focus… and this driver did just that!

I also enjoyed seeing the ball maintain its distance on miss-hits. That’s another great advantage for Callaway.

Playing around with the weight and hosel was also fun. Callaway claims you can shape correct the golf ball 16 yards! If you combine that with the opti-fit hosel, it could be up to 20 yards. This is huge for beginners who normally hit the dreaded slice.

Just making adjustments to the club and not your swing is important so this club will help straighten the ball out without a single swing change. It was built to keep the ball in play so another exceptional product from Callaway that you must consider.

We also have a full in depth write up of the Callaway Epic Max Driver review here.

I love the look, feel, and sound of this driver! It’s as good as anything on the market. When I hit a shot I thought would wander off into the woods, it didn’t. When I miss-hit a shot that I thought would lose a lot of distance, it didn’t.

When you can have the confidence to swing a club knowing it won’t travel far offline and not lose much distance, it’s a club you WANT to hit.

Callaway always finds a way to impress the masses and they did so again with the Epic Max. Include this driver in your search because it’s definitely one of the best drivers for beginners and high handicappers on the market.

Tour Edge continues to surprise more and more golfers each year.

I knew that since this testing/review session was geared towards the best golf driver for beginners, I needed to try Tour Edge, and I’m glad I did!

They have the C521 for better players, the E521 for beginners… and there’s a noticeable difference. The E521 was designed with an offset club face. This means they designed a club that will help eliminate slices.

Another key design difference was the size and length of the club head. It’s longer from front to back. This is also good for the new player because Tour Edge can transfer the center of gravity weight more towards the back of the club, helping the golf ball get in the air.

They also have something called the Houdini Sole. This puts more weight on the bottom of the club (again, more center of gravity tweaking) which also helps get the ball in the air easier.

Combine these attributes, and you get a driver that is really easy to hit and great for beginners.

This driver is a must try for the beginner. I’ll be honest, when trying value drivers, you don’t expect much on miss-hits or distance, but I was pleasantly surprised by the E521.

It has shockingly great feedback. The distance was definitely there, and when I missed the sweet spot, the accuracy and distance didn’t suffer too badly.

With the offset face, beginners will love NOT seeing their ball slice into the woods every other hole. And with a heavier sole and lower center of gravity, they’ll love seeing the ball get airborne with ease.

When searching for the best driver for beginners, this golf club deserves to be in the conversation with the big players. And with a much lower price, that’s why I think it will be the right driver for many new golfers just starting out.