Best Golf Drivers For Beginners In 2023
Updated: Apr 3
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So, you have been playing a little bit of golf and have realised that you love the game. and that one of the best and most fun golf clubs to use is the Driver.
Unfortunately, the Driver is also one of the hardest clubs to master. So as a beginner and high handicapper getting the correct driver is paramount to creating a great base line to your golf game.
This is why we have created a list of the Best Golf Drivers For Beginners on the market at the moment and to help make the best choice for you. We have scoured the brands and created a list in which every club will be a forgiving Driver and will help you on to the fairway, and to stay there.
Check out our post on The Best Irons For Beginners And High Handicappers for a set of irons to accompany your driver
The best golf driver for high handicappers has to have a large sweet spot as it means that at any skill level any mis-hit won't be as bad as it could be with the more advanced drivers on the market., so you don't have to worry about perfect centre hits to get your maximum distance.
Its very difficult to hit a driver correctly so all the help you can get is paramount.
If you are after a complete set, then look at The Best Beginner Golf Sets we have picked out.
If you are looking for something slightly different take a look here: The Best Small Head Drivers
Find out what can help you hit your driver properly in this video below.
Our Top Picks
Best Overall Beginner Driver
Titleist TS1 Driver
Where to Buy:
American Golf
Best Budget Beginner Driver
Benross Delta X Driver
Where to Buy:
American Golf
Best Premium Beginner Driver
TaylorMade Stealth HD Driver
Where to Buy:
American Golf
Our Recommended Golf Drivers For Beginners
Callaway Rogue ST Max Driver
Price Range: £400 -£500
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Where to Buy:
American golf
As one of the newer Drivers on the market the Callaway Rogue ST Max Driver is absolutely jam packed with technology. From it's A.I designed face to the Titanium unibody construction. Callaway have really poured a lot of research into this range of clubs.
The A.I designed face is created to not only offer more forgiveness but also to help aid a good solid strike off the tee. Beginners will find this helpful as it will not only help to maximise distance but the large sweet spot offers room for error.
As this club is Draw biased it won't be for everyone, certain swing styles will not work well with this kind of design. We have included it because many beginner golfers favour a draw over a fade.
This Driver is great for beginners and will really push you towards perfecting that Driver strike.
Wilson D9 Driver
Price Range: £200 -£300
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Where to Buy:
American golf
The Wilson D9 Driver is a great Driver for a beginner as it has a large forgiving face. This means any off-centre hits will not be as bad as with a more advanced Driver. The head of the club has been designed using computer software that runs through hundreds of variations to get the correct shape and size.
You have an option for a 10 gram or super lightweight 3 gram weight in the base of the head to help you customise the wight of your Driver affecting both the inertia and the forgiveness of the club.
TaylorMade Stealth HD Driver
Price Range: £400 -£500
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Where to Buy:
American golf
When you talk about the TaylorMade Stealth HD Driver all we can think of is the technology inside of this golf driver. The face is made up of 60 Carbon Fibre layers, which helps to keep the driver head lightweight as well as durable. This is a bright red face which we believ looks outstanding along wiht the black head.
If you want more detail then check out our full review here: TaylorMade Stealth Driver Review and Buyng Guide
In terms of performance the HD version is for someone who slices the ball so the HD stands for high draw. Essentially for a right handed golfer if your shot shape is from left to right and slicing this club can help you centre those shots. Due to the large club face this has an increased sweet spot which is perfect for forgiveness and can give beginner golfers a real lending hand.
Due to its lightweight design the Stealth driver has a built in inertia generator which can help to increase speed on the downward part of the swing. This helps to increase the impact and the distance the golf ball can travel. If your looking for a top end beginner driver then we would recommend the TaylorMade Stealth Driver Range.
Cobra Radspeed XD Driver
Price Range: £250 -£350
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Where to Buy:
American golf
If you are a big slicer of the golf ball when it comes to driving, we believe the Cobra Radspeed XD Driver could be perfect for you. The XD stands for extreme draw. Essentially the Driver has been designed and weighted heel biased meaning that it can help to correct a large slice for a beginner or a high handicapper golfer.
As most beginners and high handicappers usually have a slice then the draw biased drivers are suitable for most. Obviously if you are not slicing the ball then the Cobra Radspeed driver comes in a standard form as well. For all you straight shooters.
The use of thin ply carbon fibre means the club is very lightweight and will feel lighter than most of your other clubs in your golf bag. It is quite pricey for a driver and a beginner may not want to spend this amount.
Ping G425 Max Driver
Price Range: £400 -£500
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Where to Buy:
American golf
Ping have designed this club with all golfers in mind. With the different heads you can get, you can find a option that suits your style. The Max version offers the most forgiveness out of the three options. While the LST driver is great for players looking to reduce the spin on the ball on launch. The SFT favours the golfer who slices the ball off the tee and help to straighten that out. So for every type of golfer there is a different head to suit the player.
Ping have included a 26 gram tungsten movable weight which can be used to influence the shot shape off the tee. Due to the design of the head Ping have been able to include a large weight that can make a big impact on your drive.
Due to its customisable options we believe that the Ping G425 driver is one of the better all rounder drivers on this list.
Callaway Big Bertha B21 Driver
Price Range: £300 -£400
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Where to Buy:
Amazon
The Callaway Big Bertha is well known in the golfing world. Callaway is a top golfing brand and it would be no suprise that there current model of the Big Bertha lives up to its reputation.
The way this club feels offers you a sense of a solid build. The Callaway design team have helped to make this happen by using Titanium and the use of A.I to create the club head. It does very well with mis-hits and offers golfers who regularly slice the ball a chance to get on the fairway.
The club face has been designed to deal with off centre shots well, but also if you do manage to hit the centre of the club face it feels amazing. Like hitting a bomb down the middle of the fairway.
Callaway Mavrik Driver
Price Range: £300 -£400
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Where to Buy:
American Golf
The Callaway Mavrik Driver helps to give beginner golfers the edge on the tee. Due to its jailbreak technology the tianium bars that have been strategically placed behind the face. Help to deliver more energy transfer from the club to the ball, increasing the distance the ball travels.
In our opinion we do believe it can make a difference to your drive.
The head has been designed to increase the aerodynamicness of the club. Helping to cut through the air on your downswing creating more club head speed.
It is on the higher end of the scale for beginner drivers and the not having the ability to alter the weight is a bit annoying for the price. Still, the Callaway Mavrik driver is a great club for beginners that offers extra distance and forgiveness off the mark.
Benross Delta X Driver
Price Range: £150 -£250
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Where to Buy:
American Golf
The Benross Delta X Driver is great for beginners and is one of the manufacturers most forgiving drivers. As well as being one of the cheaper options on this list the club does deliver in terms of performance.
The club has a built in stability bar which stiffens up on impact essentially stabilising the swing so it is harder to mis hit your shot.
The low budget driver does come with some set backs though, the build quality is not the smae as with other drivers on the list and you can feel this when swinging and gripping the club.
Titleist TSi 1 Driver
Price Range: £400 -£500
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Where to Buy:
American Golf
If your not quite sure on Titleist golf equipment other than golf balls, then this could change your mind. The Titleist TSi 1 Driver is a great club for all golfers but especially beginners. Due to the lightweight design of the club head and the shaft it makes it great for slower swinging golfers to create club head speed on the down swing.
Alongside the forgiving nature of this club we think its looks great. The sleek black look with the silver accents really make this driver look like a force to be reckoned with. This does come with a higher price tag and due to there not being an adjustable weight there are better value drivers on this list.
Honma XP-1 Driver
Price Range: £300 -£400
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Where to Buy:
American Golf
The Honma XP-1 Driver usually gets forgotten about on best driver list, but it can really offer some great benefits for a beginner golfer or high handicapper. Included on this driver is a double slot hole. This helps to centre the club face and offer a more consistent hit off the tee.
This driver also has a five finger fang technology which helps to stiffen the club face and keep a more rigid structure. A more rigid driver head means more accuracy when striking the ball.
There are definitley better drivers on this list for the price of this one but it will still give you great forgiveness off the tee.
Results
So you have seen the list we have compiled. Now here are the results of some of the best beginner golf drivers on the market at the moment.
If you are not looking for a driver and looking for something different like a hybrid then check out our post on the Best Hybrid Golf Clubs For Beginners
Best Overall Beginner Driver
Titleist TS1 Driver
Where to Buy:
American Golf
Best Budget Beginner Driver
Benross Delta X Driver
Where to Buy:
American Golf
Best Premium Beginner Driver
TaylorMade Stealth HD Driver
Where to Buy:
American Golf
What Makes A Good Beginner Golf Driver?
As beginner golfers the Driver is the club, we go to first, and because of its ability to reach large distances it is very important. Unfortunately, it is one of the hardest golf clubs to hit. Due to its almost flush face you must get both your energy transfer and your clubhead speed bang on.
If you are not looking for a driver then check out our post on The Best 3 wood for a high handicapper
There are many factors which create a great golf swing, and they are not easy to master. You want to get that golf ball as far down the fairway as you can with immense ball speed. The Driver needs to be forgiving and easy to hit. If you mishit your driver it can cause a beginner all sorts of problems. Playing out of trees and bushes is not ideal.
If you are looking for ways to improve your game check out our article on The Best Golf Balls For Beginners
The loft can have an effect on if the Driver is suited for beginners or not, also shaft selection is important depending on what swing speed you have.
What To Consider When Buying A Golf Driver
When looking for a new driver there are a lot of factors you may need to consider. First, the big question is do you need a new one? If you are consistently hitting the fairways and are getting a great distance. Do you really want to be changing up the most difficult club to hit?
Secondly are you looking for greater distance because the Drivers that specialise in greater distances are usually a lot harder to hit and not as forgiving. New golfers usually wouldn't benefit from a club like this.
Ideally as a beginner you want a Driver that can offer maximum forgiveness and a large sweet spot area that will help you stay on the golf course and not in the bushes and trees.
Any of these Drivers on this list have proven they are great clubs for beginners. They offer forgiveness off the tee and the larger sweet spot makes for more consistent hits, as a beginner everything helps.
Loft Selection
Loft on a Driver can make the difference between having a Driver that will offer forgiveness or having a Driver that only the best of the best can hit a good shot. As it is one of the hardest clubs to hit in the bag you must be sure you get the Loft right. You should be looking for a Driver between 10.5 Degrees and 12 Degrees.
Most clubs have an adjustable loft which can help with a high launch and help new players get the ball off the tee. As more loft means more forgiveness you can adjust to your hearts content.
Shaft Selection
Your Driver shaft is especially important when choosing the best beginner driver for you. The shaft all depends on your swing speed, for slower swing speeds the more shaft flex you need. For fast to moderate swing speeds then you should be looking at a stiffer shaft. Overall, there are many shaft options.
If possible, you should get fitted for your ideal shaft length that is customised to you. That way if you have a slow swing speed you can get the ideal shaft for you.
What Is The Best Driver Head Size?
A large club head will help a beginner golfer as it has a larger sweet spot. The size of the driver head can make a huge difference for a beginner and give you that extra forgiveness you need. An ideal Driver head size would be between 440c and 460cc.
So, keep an eye out for these figures when looking for the best beginner golf driver.
FAQ
How Many Drivers Should I Have?
This question is asked often. Our answer to this would be to stick with the one Driver. If you can find a Driver that suits your swing and gives you good distance off the tee you will not need another.
The Driver is used to get the maximum distance at the start of the hole, for distances shorter than this you should be looking at using your Woods, Hybrids or even longer Irons.
How Often Should I Buy A New Driver?
This questions comes up a lot, people want to know if they are missing out by not buying a new Driver. The answer is yes and no (bit annoying we know).
If you are hitting your Driver well and consistently hitting great distances and straight shots, we would ask you why you would want to change? If a newer model of your current Driver comes out then this could be a good oppurtunity to upgrade.
If this is not the case we would recommend looking at changing your Driver every 2-4 years. In this time lot of technological advances would have been made to the club heads and you could benefit from some of these upgrades.
Our main reccomendation would be, if you are currently doing well with you current Driver then do not change (unless it breaks or bends).
Should I Use A Driver As A Beginner or High Handicapper?
As the Driver is the hardest club to hit beginners and high handicappers can get put off from using the Driver. We believe that as this club is what is going to give you maximum distance then we definitely recommend using the Driver.
It can be difficult to hit, but persist with it as it can save you a lot of strokes in the long run. A well hit Iron shot won't be able to close the distance that you get from a Driver.
So yes, beginners and high handicappers should absolutely use a Driver.
What Is A Good Distance For A Beginner To Hit A Driver
When you are starting out as a golfer, people can get caught up with distance. We believe distance is relative in terms of all your clubs. If you are able to hit 180 yards with your 5 Iron then looking at 200 - 220 Yards would be a good starting point for a Driver distance.
On the other hand if you can only hit 100 yards with your 5 Iron then looking at 120 - 150 Yards would be a great distance for a Driver.
As long as your Driver is giving you the most distance from the clubs in your bag we believe you are doing well. Remember do not compare yourself to other golfers. Work on your own game and at your own pace.
