When should I consider replacing my golf driver?

You should replace your golf driver about every five years. However, if you golf more frequently, then you should consider replacing your driver at the three-year mark. Other factors to consider when debating whether to replace your golf driver are visible damage, loss in distance off the tee and if you have changed how you swing.

How much can I expect to pay for a golf driver?

You should expect to pay about $200 for a new driver. Of course, if you're seeking a top brand or a club of much higher quality, you might spend as much as $1,000.

Why are golf drivers useful?

While golf drivers are not a necessity, they are effective for teeing off as they can add a great deal of distance.

The 8 Best Golf Drivers of 2022

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Whether you’re a beginner hitting courses that match your level of play or a seasoned amateur touring the top courses in the world, a quality driver is essential. This long club should deliver maximum distance to the green; however, accomplishing that requires matching the club to the golfer’s skills and tactics. With price tags north of several hundred dollars, golfers should make sure they’re finding the right club for them before investing. We looked for speed, consistency, and adjustability in our search.

Here are the best golf drivers available.

The Rundown

Best Overall: Callaway Mavrik at Amazon

Callaway’s performance drivers offer the company’s most impressive aerodynamic design.

Best Budget: TaylorMade RBZ Black Driver at Amazon

TaylorMade’s RBZ doesn’t have all the bells and whistles, but it’s a solid driver.

Best Adjustable: Cobra F9 Speedback at Amazon

With both adjustable loft and center of gravity, the Speedback gets tops marks for adaptability.

Best for Women: TaylorMade Sim Max Women’s Driver at Amazon

If budget isn’t an issue, this driver delivers lots of ball speed, distance, and accuracy.

Best for Forgiveness: Ping G410 Plus at Amazon

The club's beefy head size makes it more likely to make direct contact with the ball.

Best for Distance: Cobra King Speedzone at Amazon

Cobra pairs carbon fiber and titanium to make one of the longest-distance drivers on the market.

Best Game-Improvement Driver: Titleist TS2 at Amazon

Made with a streamlined design, this driver reduces drag by 20 percent.

Best Pro-Level Driver: Callaway Epic Flash Sub Zero at Amazon

Adjustable weight allows more seasoned golfers to add subtleties to their shots.

Best Overall: Callaway Mavrik

Callaway’s new trio of performance drivers, under the Mavrik umbrella, offer the company’s most impressive aerodynamic design. The standard driver in this line masterfully balances speed, which often results in more spin and consistency. While the raised rear skirt enhances swing speed, the artificial-intelligence-designed face and deep center of gravity in the club create more accuracy. The result is a driver that delivers well-rounded performance time after time.

Best Budget: TaylorMade RBZ Black Driver

TaylorMade’s RBZ doesn’t have all the bells and whistles of some other pricier clubs; however, it’s a solid driver with craftsmanship behind it. Elements like an adjustable loft sleeve, which optimizes ball launch and trajectory, a high-launch, and low-spin performance will make you feel like you’re not scrimping. Although the titanium head still falls into the ultra-light category, it’s heavier than more expensive clubs, and you may feel that in your grip and during your swing. But if you're looking for an affordable club that's well-made, the RBZ driver is a great option.

Best Adjustable: Cobra F9 Speedback

With both adjustable loft and center of gravity, the Cobra F9 Speedback gets top marks for adaptability. The movable center of gravity can be put in front or back positions to change the launch, spin, and trajectory. The club’s lightweight head—thanks to a carbon crown—and a bullseye-sized sweet spot also makes this a good club for a variety of players, from scratch golfers to those with 20 to 25 handicaps.

Best for Women: TaylorMade Sim Max Women’s Driver

Whether women are playing 18 holes on family-friendly courses or the top courses in Europe, sometimes they need equipment designed specifically for them. If budget isn’t an issue, this high-end driver delivers lots of ball speed. TaylorMade has aimed to make the fastest drivers on the market and it delivers with a speed-injected face on this driver that makes it stand out from the pack. But what you gain in speed and distance you won’t sacrifice in accuracy. The club balances the two well. It will help any level of player improve her game, though reviewers attest that mid-handicap players get the most benefit out of this club. TaylorMade has a men’s version of this driver as well.

Best for Forgiveness: Ping G410 Plus

As with all Ping drivers, the G410 excels in forgiveness. This model also offers stability and performance for a well-rounded club. The club’s beefy head size makes for a wide surface area—and a greater likelihood of making direct contact with the ball. The ability to move 16 grams of weight to the heel or toe, and to add bias (in draw, neutral, or fade positions) gives this driver wide appeal, whether the golfer is a touring pro or a weekend warrior.

Best for Distance: Cobra King Speedzone

Attention to detail adds up to big distance payoffs in the Cobra King Speedzone. The latest edition of this driver represents Cobra’s thoughtful pairing of materials—carbon fiber and titanium—with machine milling. This precision refinement has made this club compete with the likes of Callaway for the longest-distance drivers on the market. It also has strong adjustability; golfers can shift the center of gravity from front to back.

As a bonus, the Speedzone family of clubs have Arccos grip sensors. These sensors double as golf analyzers when paired with an app in your smartphone, which can track your swing and help you improve technique and strategy.

Best Game-Improvement Driver: Titleist TS2

The Titleist Speed Project put the company on a mission to extract speed from every detail of its clubs. The result was the baseline TS2, which drives fast, long, and accurately. The design squeezes additional speed—and thus distance—from the ultra-light titanium crown, a streamlined design that reduces drag by 20 percent, and a variable-thickness face. The result is explosive distance, while still balancing a high launch and low spin. Titleist’s driver line also features options such as the TS1, for an even lighter driver; the TS3 for more forgiveness; and the TS4 for ultra-low spin.

Best Pro-Level Driver: Callaway Epic Flash Sub Zero

If you’re playing the top courses in Scotland, you may want a club befitting of golf’s birthplace. This driver suits low handicappers and ambitious amateurs who want to drive off the tee like a pro. The club’s Flash Face technology is the ultimate in instant mulligans. It allows the driver to increase ball speed even in shots that don’t come off the center of the club—in other words, it makes your bad shots better and your good shots epic. Adjustable weights also allow more seasoned golfers to add subtleties to their shots.

Final Verdict

The Callaway Maverick (view at Amazon) is your best bet. This driver's perfected aerodynamic design ensures optimal speed and accuracy. If you're looking to spend less, however, opt for the TaylorMade RBZ Black Driver (view at Amazon). This club boasts solid craftsmanship with an adjustable loft sleeve and low-spin performance.

What to Look for in a Golf Driver

Adjustable Components or Standard

Unlike traditional clubs, adjustable clubs let you dial down the weight to reduce spin or increase it for more air time—and along with it—more spin. Some clubs go a step further by letting golfers adjust the hosel, too. Figure out what fits your style of play the best.

Material

What the driver is made out of can really affect your game. Lightweight composites and alloys are replacing heavier traditional materials to help improve golfers’ games. So pay attention to what your choice of club is made out of and decide how the weight might affect your play.

Forgiveness

When you’re on the course, there’s likely going to be a bad shot or two (it’s the nature of the game, after all). Modern clubs do wonders for forgiveness, meaning they help minimize the results of a bad shot—but, of course, whether you want that help is up to you.

Frequently Asked Questions

When should I consider replacing my golf driver?

You should replace your golf driver about every five years. However, if you golf more frequently, then you should consider replacing your driver at the three-year mark. Other factors to consider when debating whether to replace your golf driver are visible damage, loss in distance off the tee and if you have changed how you swing.
How much can I expect to pay for a golf driver?

You should expect to pay about $200 for a new driver. Of course, if you're seeking a top brand or a club of much higher quality, you might spend as much as $1,000.
Why are golf drivers useful?

While golf drivers are not a necessity, they are effective for teeing off as they can add a great deal of distance.

Why Trust TripSavvy

Ashley M. Biggers started caddying for her grandfather (aka schlepping his golf bag) when she was 6 years old. She began golfing with her grandmother’s clubs a couple years later and has played ever since.

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