There's nothing more frustrating in golf than seeing your first tee shot sail into the rough or trees somewhere left or right of the hole. It's something which unfortunately happens, especially if you are new to the game, or perhaps someone with a higher handicap than average. We all want to get better at the game and, in this piece, we have taken a look through the best drivers for high handicappers. The driver often sets the tone for the round and, whilst the 'big stick' can be your greatest asset, it can also cause your scoring the most damage - that is why we have also created guides on both best golf drivers and most forgiving drivers too.
In this piece though we are focusing on the higher handicappers. What makes a good driver for high handicappers you may ask? Well firstly, forgiveness. Even the best golfers in the world struggle to hit the middle of the face often and forgiveness in a driver will mean off-centre hits don't go catastrophically wrong and leave you out of bounds. Manufacturers will achieve this forgiveness by using larger driver heads, strategically placed weights around the head and giving the driver a high Moment Of Inertia (MOI, a fancy term for forgiveness).
WATCH: We run through the performance of the best drivers in 2024
If you're a high handicapper who tends to slice the ball, then you can check out our guide on the best drivers for slicers, which features a selection of drivers that are both forgiving and help reduce the amount of slice you get on the ball. Our expert club testers have personally tested every model we list below, so be sure to read the full reviews if you want to take a deeper dive into any of the models we've chosen. As well as this guide, we also recommend checking out our posts on the best golf drivers for beginners, best golf drivers for mid handicappers, or the best golf drivers for seniors.
The Quick List
One of our favorite looking driver ranges on the market, the Qi10 Max offered exceptional forgiveness making it ideal for higher handicaps.
The SFT driver from Ping is going to suit a broad range of players thanks to its forgiveness, ease of launch and distance. It will also help those players with a slice.
One of the most forgiving drivers on the market, Titleist has introduced a new crown construction that provides great feel and a powerful sensation at impact.
If you struggle with a slice, the Darkspeed Max is a model to consider. In testing the performance from the draw-biased head was excellent whilst the aesthetic shouts premium as well.
The Ai Smoke Max D driver from Callaway delivered a draw-bias flight and we found it to be very easy to launch. Forgiveness proved to be competitive as well and we loved the look.
A beautiful driver that sits extremely well behind the ball, the ST-X 230 gave us a solid ball flight in testing and the feel felt very powerful at impact as well.
Load the next 3 models
The Wilson Launch Pad proved to be one of the easiest drivers to launch in recent years, whilst the draw-bias helps slicers and the look was simplistically pleasing.
The Srixon ZX5 Mk II driver looks fantastic and has noticeable acoustic improvements, whilst the forgiveness from the head makes it a model to consider for slower swingers.
The Launcher XL is a driver that will suit a wide range of players thanks to the combination of distance and forgiveness. We think the driver head looks great as well.
Best High Handicap Drivers
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Best looking
There’s no escaping the fact that the TaylorMade Qi10 Max is the headliner of the entire Qi10 range. Thanks to its exceptionally unique head shape compared to the usual TaylorMade range, in addition to high levels of forgiveness, this driver is a total revelation. What’s great about this driver is the fact that it’s ultra easy to launch and has impressive stability, meaning that it’s a great choice for golfers of a whole range of abilities.
With a head that’s 8mm longer from the front to the back than its predecessors, the Qi10 Max - which is a high MOI driver - features a stretched out design. It’s this that has allowed TaylorMade to move the CG deeper, moving it to a more MOI-friendly position. In testing, what we found was that this club was great for improving gameplay, with the poorer strikes being improved by the higher MOI that this driver offers.
Another feature of this driver that our team loved was the ball speed. What we found was that the ball speed remained fairly consistent across the entirety of the club face, regardless of where the ball was being struck.
- Read our full TaylorMade Qi10 Max Driver Review
Best broad appeal
If you’re going to buy a driver, there’s no escaping the fact that Ping as a manufacturer offers some of the best options around, and their G430 is no exception. As a driver, the G430 is exceedingly forgiving and ultra adaptable; it also features a draw bias that’s ideal for helping players with a slice to straighten it out, thanks to its two weight settings - draw and draw +.
While most draw bias drivers tend to take the toe-in approach when it comes to addressing the ball, this is not the case with this driver from Ping - the manufacturers have done a fantastic job of getting the club to sit square at address. What’s great about this driver is that with the more neutral setup and the larger footprint, it’s the kind of driver that’s going to boost player’s confidence, especially for those who are struggling off the tee.
When we put this driver to the test, we compared the G430 to drivers such as the Cobra Aerojet Max and Callaway Paradym X drivers and found that, in terms of distance, the Ping driver out-shined the other two drivers.
- Read our full Ping G430 SFT Driver Review
Best for better players
To begin with and, importantly, the traditional looks that we are used to seeing in Titleist woods have remained, with the GT2 looking perfect when down at address. Put simply, there are no joins or banner strips down in the playing position, with Titleist filling and polishing the sections where polymer meets titanium which, consequently, retains that familiar, clean Titleist aesthetic.
In the GT range, the GT2 is the most user-friendly as, not only does it offer the highest MOI, but the speed has not been sacrificed to achieve this. Certainly, picking up the clubhead, you will realise how lightweight it really is and how much technology is in the club.
How have they done this, you may ask? Well, Titleist's engineers have created something called Proprietary Matrix Polymer in the crown section and, in testing, we found that the sound and feel were exquisite! What's more, there was an increased level of forgiveness, especially on shots that came out the bottom and the heel of the driver.
- Read our full Titleist GT2 Driver Review
Cobra Darkspeed Max Driver
There’s no getting away from the fact that the Cobra Darkspeed range for 2024 is one of the most beautiful product selections currently on the market. Our tester absolutely loved the sleek matte black look combined with the minimal color accents and logos that run through the design. The only thing to note with the design is that while it looks great, the blackout look makes the head seem a little more compact than it actually is.
In terms of performance, our tester was extremely impressed with the performance of the Darkspeed Max. When we put it to the test, we found that it had strong ball speed which meant some really great distances were seen. While it did create more spin than the other Darkspeed drivers, for a club that is more forgiving and ultra easy to launch, this is something that should be expected.
For mid to high handicappers looking for a driver that offers a great balance of spin and launch, this Cobra driver strikes the perfect balance, offering just the right amount of forgiveness off the tee.
- Read our full Cobra Darkspeed Max Review
Callaway Paradym Ai Smoke Max D Driver
The AI Smoke Max D is part of Callaway’s latest launch for the 2024 season; it’s a high MOI draw bias driver that’s designed to be more forgiving and to reduce dispersion, making it ideal for players who have a tendency to slice the ball.
The technology behind this new driver has been created by Callaway’s Ai system, which has taken the swings of 1000s of regular golfers, inputted the data and analyzed them. This software was then able to create the very best face for Callaway to use across the entirety of the Ai Smoke range.
In a bid to make this driver as forgiving as possible, the head has been stretched out to make it appear easier to play with. This design feature has ensured that the head appears larger than it is, which has meant that Callaway has been able to make it look larger than the 460cc that it actually is, allowing them to boost the MOI and improve the stability of the driver.
- Read our full Callaway Paradym Ai Smoke Max D Driver review
Mizuno ST-X 230 Driver
The ST-X is one of the two drivers that Mizuno launched in 2023; and of the two, the ST-X is the more forgiving option that features a slight draw bias for enhanced gameplay. For higher handicappers looking for a driver that will aid gameplay off the tee, this is a great option.
What’s great about the ST-X is that although it features a draw bias, it sits squarely behind the ball. Despite the more neutral setup of this driver, when we put it to the test we could clearly see the draw bias and the improved play offered.
In terms of power, this driver packs a really great punch. Even with a more forgiving driver, you still want a design that’s going to offer plenty of power, which the ST-X does. This is thanks, in part, to the CORTECH Chamber - aka, the blue strip along the sole of the club - which features a stainless steel weight with elastomeric TPU that can absorb the kinetic energy from the club face. What this feature also does is position more weight at the front of the driver, helping to reduce spin, allowing for a more solid and powerful feel off the clubface.
- Read our full Mizuno ST-X 230 Driver Review
Wilson Launch Pad 2022 Driver
It may not offer the longest drive on the market, but this Wilson driver offers plenty of game improvement and is, without a doubt, one of the best drivers for beginners.
Dubbed to be an ‘all-out game-improvement offering’, when we put it to the test the Wilson Launch Pad 2022 driver didn’t disappoint. We found that it was super simple to flight and also offered really great draw-bias performance.
A detail worth noting on this particular driver is the face design, which has PKR face geometry. Wilson spent a large amount of time doing extensive research into the face of this driver, and it’s paid off. It’s meant that the striking area is 5% bigger than its predecessor, making it more forgiving and far easier to hit consistently, which is ideal for any golfer with a mid-level handicap.
- Read our full Wilson Launch Pad 2022 Driver Review
Srixon ZX5 Mk II Driver
If there’s one driver that’s packed full of really useful technology, it’s the Srizon ZX5 MK II. With a head constructed fully of titanium instead of having a carbon crown, this driver has a low weight head that has been perfectly repositioned in a bid to improve the ball launch. For golfers that struggle to get the ball airborne this is a really useful feature to have.
In terms of aesthetic appeal, the trailing edge of this club is a little high, ensuring that the CG (Centre of Gravity) is in the right spot, while the driver head shape is less toe heavy, providing a rather visually appealing look at address.
- Read our full Srixon ZX5 Mk II Driver Review
Cleveland Launcher XL Driver
Designed for mid to high handicap golfers, the Launcher XL has a driver head that’s on the larger side. With a six percent increase in head length from front to back and crown and face finishes that contrast, you can easily see all of the loft offered when you address the club.
In terms of performance, the Launch XL is fairly seamless to play with, providing a solid carry distance with even the easiest of swings. The spin rate offered by this driver means that the ball should stay in the air more easily and have a good carry distance.
What’s also great about this particular driver is the amount you can save on it over similar offerings from the likes of Callaway, TaylorMade and Titleist.
- Read our full Cleveland Launcher XL Driver Review
How we test
In terms of how we test products, each of our reviews and buying guides incorporate a strict testing procedure combined with the knowledge and experience honed over years of putting products to the test by our team.
Everyone that tests has a variety of different levels in the golf game from higher handicaps to ex-pros we have them all. With this level of spread through our team, we are able to get more information whether that be understanding data to have hands-on testing and getting a real feel for how the products perform.
When it comes to testing out drivers specifically, our usual testing process incorporates attending product launches and speaking with manufacturers to ensure we understand the technology of each driver in detail. Our next step is to use the driver indoors, testing each golf club with premium golf balls on a launch monitor, allowing us to gain an initial insight into performance and pick up a lot of data.
We then move on to test the club outdoors. We select a top-notch course and take the driver we are testing out for a spin, putting it to the test on a range of different holes to gauge its true level of performance.
In each review, we always aim to be as honest as possible, ensuring that manufacturers are unable to ‘buy’ a good review. At Golf Monthly, when it comes to product testing, we always like to tell it how it is, offering a true insight into each product we put to the test.
How to choose a golf driver
You've probably already asked yourself whether you need to buy a new driver, but there's a few key things to consider when investing in a new driver. Hopefully answering these questions will narrow your search down slightly and make comparing between various models much easier.
When purchasing a new big stick, it is crucial to ask yourself just what you need from it. Is distance your main priority or are you looking for something to help you find more fairways? We'd always recommend a custom fitting with a PGA Pro but if you know what you're looking for you can make an informed decision.
If accuracy is what you're after, go for something with a high MOI or adjustable weights to help alter spin and flight characteristics. If distance is key to you, look at a low-spinning driver to help ensure your ball doesn't balloon too much. If you're after something in the middle, the so-called 'standard' heads in most driver ranges will suit you the best.
Added Launch The chances are, you'll need help keeping the ball in the air for longer, so opt for a model that produces high launch - this could be through higher loft or lighter, more flexible shaft options.
Value If you're new to the game or simply have a lot to improve on, it might be best to choose a less expensive driver as you learn the game and then upgrade to something more expensive once your swing is more technically sound and your scores lower.
Forgiveness Focus on a driver that feels easy to swing and offers lots of assistance on off-centre strikes, which should improve the consistency of your shots both in terms of distance and direction.
FAQs
What is the most forgiving driver for high handicappers?
In this guide, we'd pick out the Ping G430 SFT, Honma, Cleveland Launcher XL and TaylorMade Stealth HD as some of the most forgiving for high handicappers - but all of them will suit high handicap golfers. Check out our full guide on the most forgiving drivers for even more options.
Should high handicappers use a driver?
While the driver is arguably the hardest club in the bag high handicappers should endeavour to use one. It's the club that provides the most distance off the tee and, when used effectively, can help you achieve lower scoring. An option to use off tee if you are really struggling with driver would be one of the best fairway woods, which are easier to hit and are only marginally shorter off the tee.
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