5 Best Golf Drivers for 2024 (and one loser) – Reviews & Buying Guide

Just looking at the Callaway Paradym Triple Diamond, you can tell it’s built for speed and distance. You can also tell it’s built with a better player in mind. The Triple Diamond far outperformed other drivers this year in distance and playability, thus locking in the top spot.

• The Paradym Triple Diamond has a slightly smaller head (440cc instead of 460cc) and a 2g and 15g weight set that can be swapped from front to back.

• A player with a handicap above 10 can really benefit from the adjustable hosel to add loft, and moving the 15g weight to the back to help with launch.

After finding my swing with the Paradym Triple Diamond, there was no tee box where I wasn’t confident I would hit a great shot. I was very happy with the amount of confidence this super hot driver gave me. It was also SHOCKINGLY forgiving on off center hits. No wonder the world #1 golfer has it in his bag!

I found that the dark navy crown, no alignment aid, and compact shape really pushed my swing speed to a new personal best. The playability of this driver, mixed with a sweet sound and feel puts this driver above the rest.

• Longest club tested by a decent margin
• Playability and adjustability
• Sneaky forgiving

This club may be geared for a lower handicap player, but its performance is so far ahead of the competition that it couldn’t be anything but the #1 driver of 2024. Insane distance, highly adjustable, workable around the course, looks good, feels good, sounds great, and surprisingly forgiving!

TaylorMade built off the success of the original Stealth driver, and produced an assassin in the Stealth 2 Plus. Really cool looking design with distance and forgiveness behind it.

• The 60x Carbon Twist Face boasts incredible ball speeds with a unique sound and feel that the competitors titanium faces struggle to keep up with.

• Fixed back weight and sliding forward weight help reduce spin, gain club speed, and improve launch.

Right out the box, I knew I would love the Stealth 2 Plus. Definitely the best looking driver on the market. With some of the top pros using this club, it had to pack a punch, and boy did it. Second longest driver tested, and forgiveness generally found in a Max type driver.

I was very impressed with the Carbon Twist Face and the sound and feel it produces. I generally miss on the toe, and didn’t see much impact in performance or sound/feel on those misses. Even though it’s quite forgiving, it still possesses a lot of workability. I could hit this driver all day long!

• Most forgiving “players” (advanced) driver
• Second longest club tested
• The design is undeniable

The Stealth 2 Plus is in the bags of some of the greatest golfers of this generation, yet weekend warriors can get benefits from it too. That’s how versatile this club is. Bryson DeChambeau is currently a free agent with equipment, and he chooses to use the Stealth 2 Plus, which is worth noting. It should be your choice too! Check out my full Stealth 2 PLUS driver review here.

The TSR3 is the “refined” version of last years TSi3, and Titleist certainly buttoned some things up. I immediately noticed the more compact shape and slightly closed face at address. Looking down at it on the tee, I was hyper focused on center contact, which created better contact.

• The forgiveness is lacking with the TSR3, but being a players driver, the workability takes precedence over forgiveness, and the TSR3 is certainly workable.

• I enjoyed the muted sound and instant feedback at impact. It’s truly one of a kind, and the ultimate players driver.

I didn’t hit the course with the TSR3 until I was confident it wouldn’t be a disaster, and it made for a fun round. I was hitting nearly every fairway, and my misses were only slight. Short of a terrible swing on 18, it was a near perfect round off the tee.

The TSR3 was sending my dives noticeably further than my gamer, and with a much more enjoyable ball flight. The TSR3 creates this mid launch, piercing ball flight that was a pleasure to watch. This lower launch and spin provided more roll out compared to my gamer AND the TSR2.

• Mid to low ball flight that’s fun to watch
• Great looks and pure feel
• Impressive distance

The TSR3 is on a short list to make it in my bag this year for a reason. It’s nearly the complete package. I would have liked to see a little more forgiveness off the toe, but other than that, I am hard pressed to say anything bad here.

The PING G430 LST could have just as easily found its way in the number one or two slot this year. It is a real heater. Low spin, distance upon distance, all inside a cool looking club head. I really enjoyed hitting this club.

• Being a players driver, it favors workability over forgiveness, which is something lower handicappers prefer, but may not be for all golfers.

• The aerodynamic “whoosh” sound the club makes when you swing it is second to none. Even warm up swings make you think “I’m going to hit this a mile.” And then you do!

The PING G430 LST was one of the first clubs I tested for 2024, and I knew it would be hard to beat. Only nearly missing the top spot, the G430 LST is the total package for a players driver. Clobbering the ball well past your playing partners is a regular occurrence with the G430 LST.

With carry distances as long as any club, it could have been number one, but the impact sound isn’t nearly as impressive as some of the others. It’s really the only issue I have with this club. Acoustic beauty is in the ear of the beholder though. There is no shortage of PING fans that love the more hollow sound it provides.

• One of the lowest spinning of the low spin drivers
• Compact shape lets you swing for the fences
• Amazing sound while swinging the club

The PING G430 LST is an upgrade to anyone’s bag. Even coming from the G425 LST. PING made some changes to the adjustability, color scheme, face, and internal structure to improve feel, distance, and lower spin. Fabulous design and performance and a welcomed addition to any bag.

Cobra did not just reboot this time around like a lot of OEMs did. This is a new design, new chassis, and new name. Building off the success of the LTDx, Cobra really hit the nail on the head with this one. Throw it in a lower price point than the competition, and you have a winner here.

• This is the most forgiving driver on the “best of 2024” list, and found its way on the list with some impressive distance to go with the forgiving nature of the club.

• I was impressed with the performance across the face. Distance and dispersion were hardly tampered with on the off center hits, and that earned itself the #5 slot here.

I certainly felt an aerodynamic feel to it as I took a few lazy practice swings, which may have been the branding at work, but does the why even matter? I felt like I could gain swing speed holding it, and that’s a good mindset to have on the tee box.
Right out the gate at the range, I was finding the center of the face. Smash factor was between 1.45 and 1.50, which is nearly perfect. With range balls, I was averaging 236 carry and 255 total. So, not the longest, but certainly the most consistent.

• Best smash factor numbers of clubs tested
• Price for performance is unmatched
• Highest rating for forgiveness

The Cobra Aerojet does everything well, and I am hard pressed to say anything super negative about this club. Throw this performance into a lower price than the rest, you have some serious value with the Aerojet!

Mizuno threw a curveball this time around with the ST-X 230. Mizuno claims it can be a workable players driver and also a more forgiving draw biased option, all in the same driver. How is that possible you may wonder?

• Adjusting the lofts I only saw draw biased to complete left misses. I failed to find the “workable” side of this driver.

• A slightly open face at address, and a much taller face than I am used to, had me teeing it up higher than normal, which threw me off throughout testing.

I found the crown design to be distracting with a glossy finish and the back half sporting a carbon look. The impact sound was nice, muted, and solid, but I was really looking for more with the feedback in my hands. Especially if it’s doubling as a players driver.

Mizuno adjusts the loft, lie, and face angle with the hosel, which is supposed to turn it from draw biased to workable, but I hardly saw much change. The biggest change was the rotated shaft and grip, which took some time to get used to.

• If you want draw biased, there are better options
• If you want workable, there are much better options
• Not picking a lane really made this club confusing

I really wish Mizuno coined the ST-X 230 as the forgiving draw option and the ST-Z 230 as the players option, but they tried to cater to both crowds, which made it a middle performer overall. Long story short, depending on what you need, you can find a better option elsewhere.

(our full review with test results of this club is here)

The hype train has arrived. Carbon fiber face. Bright red no less. This club certainly has the look of new aged tech.

I was expecting the red face to be distracting at address, but it was a non issue. Consistently impressive ball speeds, aggressive low launch, and low spin rates generated fantastic numbers.

With a carbon face, I was expecting a strange sound at impact, but TaylorMade used a titanium sole and internal sound ribs to give the Stealth Plus an incredible sound. Traditional metallic, but with a twist.

The feel at impact is different, but not bad. I didn’t feel that pop off the face like I do on a traditional titanium face. This impact is more like a smooth “hot knife through butter” type feeling. Rewarding in its own right, and seemingly a positive impact in numbers.

The workability of this club seems to be the highest I have seen in a while. For a long time, OEMs have discovered many great forgiveness improvements, but forgiveness and workability tend to butt heads.

However, the nano-texture cover across the face gives you a little more friction, allowing you to work the ball left and right.

Stealth is the perfect name for this club. The TaylorMade Stealth Plus, with its matte crown and slick looks, is a thief in the night. Effortless power, and impressive numbers across the face. Mishit numbers are the most impressive in the 2023 lineup too… Could carbon be the answer?

So much to unpack here. Boy oh boy, this club is head turning. Different. Once you get past seeing a red face, and the thought “wait, that’s not titanium” you get yourself impressive results!

I saw more ball speed and distance than any other driver in the 2023 lineup. The low trajectory and workability make this a top contender.

When arguably the best to ever play the game, Tiger Woods, says this club is “truly an amazing product” you have to wonder how good this club really is.

Dustin Johnson and Rory McIlroy were quick to make the jump to Stealth too. I love this club, and the performance it provides. Winner winner, chicken dinner.

(full test and review of the Callaway Rogue ST Max LS here)

The Rogue ST Max LS had a tough follow behind the impressive Epic Max LS. Although, thanks to the utilization of A.I. technology, Callaway was able to raise the bar yet again. I personally enjoy the new matte crown at address. It provides a premium look and stable feel at address.

The 23 gram Tungsten Speed Cartridge gives this club the highest MOI Callaway has ever achieved, and it provides increased speed and forgiveness, even on strikes that don’t find center face. This backs up that stable look you get at address.

Sound is a key sense of feedback for me. The Rogue ST Max LS has a real muted sound at impact. Compared to a higher pitched “ting” with some drivers, I think it delivers more control and power through the swing. A real confidence builder throughout the round!

A.I. Speed Frame and Flash Face deliver so much consistency, feel, and distance, it’s incredible! I love the power you feel at impact, and putting up numbers that rival any option on the racks today.

With the world number one, a bonafide hall of famer, two of the best young players on tour, and many others putting this club in their bag… it poses the question; is there a better option out there?!

What a fantastic club! I am hard pressed to find anything bad to say! I would like to see a little more feedback on an off center strike for a player’s driver, but that is nit-picky.

I was impressed with the consistency in ball speed and accuracy across the face. It’s hard to hit a bad shot with this club. Couple the no frills, matte black finish crown, with the tech packed in… this club will be hard to beat as top driver this year.

(check out our full review and my personal experience testing this driver over here)

LTD standing for “Longest Total Distance” really put the bar high for this club. It certainly felt hotter off the face for me, compared to last year’s offering. COBRA used multiple materials to construct this beauty, and used that saved weight wisely.

They repositioned weight low and forward for the fastest possible ball speeds, and lowest possible spin.

A feature I found incredible is the 10g and 3g weights. You can put the heavy weight in the heel for a soft fade, or move it to the toe for even more fade bias.

I was really impressed with the forgiveness on off-center strikes. Most likely the best in class. The new HOT face keeps spin low, but doesn’t sacrifice ball speed. Pretty impressive!

The look of this driver is one of my favorites. I love the matte crown and gloss bottom. The milled infinity face spilling into the matte crown gives you a natural alignment, and a lot of confidence at address. The angular orange/yellow graphics drive home that LTD name. You have to look fast too, right?!

Overall I got consistent results, and a sturdy sound and feel. If distance is what you want, you can’t count out COBRA.

With Bryson DeChambeau and Kyle Birkshire choosing this as their weapon of choice, then you know distance is what you get with the LTDx LS. Bryson even hit 220 mph ball speed with this club, which has been a goal of his from the start of his distance journey.

COBRA delivers exactly what this club is said to do. Good ball speed, great forgiveness, and lots of distance. Using computer based intelligence to create the new HOT face gives it the boost to really compete with the Callaways and TaylorMades.

The LTDx LS is likely the most forgiving low spin driver on the market, which is impressive. However, if you are looking to be able to work the ball around with the driver off the tee, this might not be your best option.

However, if you want consistency off the face, a strong feel, and impressive distance, this is the big gun for you.

COBRA really took a step forward with this club, and all the R&D that went into it shows in performance. If there is any question, the 220 ball speed Bryson reached should answer it!

(check out our full review and write on the LST here)

Compared to the others in its class, this is the most like a player’s driver.

At 445 cc’s this driver is a little smaller than the others. Due to its size and aerodynamics, it produces fewer rpm’s… translating to a lower ball flight.

This works well for high swing speeds and low handicap players.

It has a CG shifter that can be set to draw, neutral, and fade, so there’s a little wiggle room in playability.

I hit some beautiful drives with this club, but I didn’t enjoy my miss hits.

But compared to my current driver, this would still replace it with ease and why it’s in my top 5.

Note – if you’re a beginner, or simply a higher handicap golfer, you’ll want to check out the more forgiving Ping G425 MAX.

I loved the classic pear shape and weight of this driver. It’s also fun to hit lower boring shots, especially if you play courses where the wind is always a factor.

There are still plenty of reasons to love this club, so please make sure you keep it on your list… and if you think it may be too much club, go for the Ping G425 MAX.

(our full review and test of the Titleist TSi3 Driver is here)

Golf and Titleist go hand in hand. They are at the top of the food chain in this industry and never put out a lousy product.

They’re using a new ATI425 aerospace titanium face for increased ball speed. It’s made in Pittsburgh, and they’re the only ones in the business who have it.

The results are long drives with a loud booming sound at impact.

It has the adjustable sure fit hosel and sure fit adjustable weight to make minor adjustments to the club’s overall performance.

I just love the look of this driver! It produced plenty of distance and accuracy on miss hits, and the club’s feel was as good as any.

The sound the club made was a little different on miss hits, which surprised me a bit, but overall it’s at the top of its class and must be included in my top 5.

Note – If you have a higher handicap you may want to check out the Titleist TSi2 or even the TSi3.

An all around excellent driver. Love the look of this club, and for some of us, sometimes looking down at a club that reminds us of our drivers when we were kids will somehow increase the value of a club.

It has tremendous distance, and the accuracy is above average. When compared to its competition, it’s right at the top… so it’s another must “add to the list” driver.

I haven’t had this much excitement over a driver in a very long time!

When you have golfers like John Rahm switching to Callaway because of this driver and Phil Mickelson winning a major with it this summer, it’s hard to argue its success already.

It has a new Jailbreak Speed Frame which provides optimal ball speed and more stability during miss-hits. The results are simple… longer and straighter drives.

The frame also has vertical stability bars to increase the sweet spot. This results in more distance and accuracy on miss-hits.

This driver had the best disbursement rate of any I tried.

Callaway also has their AI supercomputer running thousands of simulations daily. It finds the perfect design elements and uses them in their clubs, so Callaway has left no stone unturned on this driver… it’s definitely one of the best drivers on the market today.

Note – for the higher handicap golfer, you’ll probably be looking at the Callaway Epic MAX for more forgiveness, or the Callaway Epic MAX LS as one of the lower spin drivers, and thus, a lower launch angle.

I think the most telling information I got with this driver was the launch monitor numbers on miss-hits.

When you hit it in the middle of the club face, they all work great, but how does it perform on miss-hits?

I found this driver to be better than the competition and something everyone should pay attention to.

When I did hit it on the sweet spot, I loved the ball flight and carry distance. It was exactly what I was looking for and why I highly recommend adding this to your final list of 2021 drivers… you won’t be disappointed.

If you want to know even more about this club, read our full Callaway Epic Speed review.

I have loved TaylorMade golf clubs since I saw Tiger Woods hitting a Burner plus 3 wood with a flex twist shaft back in 1993. I had one and loved it, so I always include TaylorMade products when testing for a “best golf drivers” review article.

Once I got over the white driver of the TaylorMade M series a few years ago, I started to like the drivers a little more. I think the M series was TaylorMade ‘s breakthrough driver, and they haven’t slowed down with the SIM driver and SIM2 driver series.

They’re marketing their new forged ring technology as the breakthrough for distance and accuracy. It has a 9 layer Inertia generator sole which increases speed at the bottom of the swing.

Combine these features with a 16g steel weight at the back of the club, and you have a driver with increased MOI… producing VERY long and accurate drives.

Looking down at the SIM driver is still a little weird to me, even with the SIM 2. It’s no longer all white but a black sole and face with a white head, so you actually see both the black and white while looking down.

Note – if you’re a bit of a higher handicap golfer, you’ll want to check out the TaylorMade SIM2 MAX as it’s a bit more forgiving. Read our full write up of the entire TaylorMade SIM 2 driver review series.

Another long driver from TaylorMade. Not only will the carry distance impress you, but the accuracy will too. It has an all around excellent feel and sound.

When I hit the TaylorMade SIM 2 solid, it has eye opening distance. I’m not sure I’ve ever hit a golf ball this far, but my misses flew offline more than I’d like. I’m just creating so much ball speed, it’s insane!

This club is a go big or go home type club! When you hit it right, you will love it. Off centered hits were a bit off, but it was clear this driver is a must try and at the top of the class.

I always see Cobra as the younger sibling to the bigger four listed above. That’s not the case with the Radspeed. Its performance can compete with all of them.

With Bryson hitting 350+ yard drives, it’s a club I had to test, and I’m glad I did!

I was impressed with the look, the feel, the sound… its distance and accuracy could compete with the others.

Cobra uses both front weight (28g-16g fixed, 12 adjustable) to cut spin rates and increase ball speed… and back weight (12g-8 fixed, 4 adjustable) to increase the MOI.

That, along with the T bar speed chassis and a lighter crown for more stability, and you have a very long, accurate, and playable driver for many types of golfers.

When you see what you get for the money (about $100 cheaper than the competitors), to me, Cobra should no longer be viewed as a secondary option but a primary choice for many.

The price tag for what you get is one reason why this is a top 5 driver. The other, of course, is its performance.

It’s a comparable driver in terms of launch monitor numbers to the competition, so when you hit something this good and then see the price tag, you will want to purchase it.

(by the way, our full review of this club is right here)

I’ve only had a few Cobra products in my bag over the years, and after hitting this driver, I will definitely experiment with more of their equipment in the future.