The driver is everyone’s favorite piece of equipment to shop for.
Any golfer will tell you that hitting driver is fun and all, but hitting a new driver is exhilarating. I can spend hours at a range trying out all the best golf drivers available today.
The stakes have been raised in the past decade or so with the introduction of adjustable drivers.
Now I spend days testing modern drivers.
However, choosing one has become more accessible. You don’t need to commit to one loft angle, lie angle, or weight bias. It can all be modified whenever you want with a couple of twists from the included wrench.
With one adjustable golf driver you can produce many different golf shots. It’s like buying four or five drivers in one. Think of the money this will save you.
The Callaway Epic Max LS offers full adjustability and gives you more weight than most. This could result in up to 16 yards of shot correction. And that’s just the tip of the iceberg.
Each company has its own system for giving you control and increasing your ball speed. The best adjustable driver for you is listed below.
7 Best Adjustable Golf Drivers
- Adjustable hosel to affect face angle
- Super thin flash face technology
- Highest MOI to reduce twisting at impact
- One perfectly placed tungsten weight
- Loft adjustable sleeve
- Solid matte black design
- Adjust the loft in small increments
- Carbon Fiber Sole to reduce weight and add aerodynamic properties
- Strong forged aluminum outer frame
- Five weight ports to customize the best shot for you
- Beautiful and traditional look at address
- Very thin materials used to gain higher ball speeds
- New track weighting system
- Adjustable loft, lie, and face angle sleeve
- Incredibly responsive face
- Loft adjustment sleeve
- Forward weight for reduced spin rate
- Flash face technology for longer and straighter drives
In-Depth Product Reviews
Callaway Epic Max LS — Best Overall
Callaway wasn’t the first to start offering adjustable golf drivers, but they made up for it with this gem. The Callaways Epic Max LS is the best adjustable golf driver for those who are looking to tweak their shot shapes.
How The Adjustability Helps You
To get your shots dialed in, you’ll want the most options available, and this driver doesn’t disappoint. The adjustable hosel allows you to modify your launch angle and spin rate. You can set it to draw, fade, or neutral, which will change the face angle.
On the back is a sliding tungsten weight. This will have more effect on the direction of your ball. If you tend to slice the golf ball, then move the weight closer to the heel. This will cause the toe to speed up and get square at impact for a straighter ball flight.
At first, these two options could be confusing. I recommend playing with them on the range first and only adjusting one setting at a time.
Correct Your Off-Center Hits
The forgiveness of this Callaway driver should not be overlooked.
Your off-center hits will automatically be corrected by the technology and research that has gone into this club head.
The invention of the jailbreak A.I. speed frame has been a huge success for Callaway. It increases your MOI, which means your spin is reduced, and your ball flies straight no matter where you make contact on the face.
Newly Designed Clubhead To Benefit All Golfers
The clubhead itself is a little more oversized than previous models. This helps enlarge the sweet spot and turns the face into a titanium trampoline.
Your ball will be launched off the tee and down the center of the fairway.
Even though it’s as thin as legally possible, the face is constructed with unique titanium to make it strong. This is Callaway’s flash face technology that they use in all their drivers and fairway woods now.
Ping G425 Max — Best For High-Handicappers
Ping was late to the adjustable game. They have always chosen to put more emphasis on getting custom fit from their factory in Karsten, AZ.
However, with demand being so high, they have been making adjustable golf drivers for years now and with great success.
While it may not have all the options other drivers do, they make up for it in other areas.
How Can You Adjust This Driver
Similar to the Callaway, there are two options at play here.
The first is on the hosel to affect the loft. This is more clear-cut than the Callaway and will not affect shot shape as much as the height of your shots.
On the back of the club is a 26-gram tungsten adjustable weight. This is one of the heaviest in any driver, and because of that, it makes the most impact. Slide it to the heel to soften your slices. If you find it to be too drastic, you can order a lighter weight from Ping.
Perfectly Placed Tungsten Weight For More Ball Speed
This one tungsten weight serves multiple purposes.
The first is that it keeps the center of gravity low so getting a piercing trajectory is very common even on bad swings.
Low center of gravity is needed with a driver this big otherwise, you won’t see an improvement in your carry distance. So go ahead and cut the corner over those trees; this new driver can do it.
The weight also helps to open up the middle of the club face as well. This is one of the most prominent sweet spots Ping has ever produced. The back weight means the face has more of a spring-like effect. Your ball can now bounce off the face to increase ball speed. Higher ball speeds mean maximum distance.
Reduce Spin On All Shot Shapes
With a maximum forgiveness and weight sitting far back, this driver really reduces spin.
Not just backspin but also for sidespin as well. Your slices will look more like fades, and your hooks like draws. This saves you a massive amount of strokes. You’ll never have to pitch out of the woods or attack greens from thick rough again.
Related: Best Ping Irons On The Market Related: Best Drivers For High Handicappers
Taylor Made Sim 2 — Best For Low Handicappers
Taylor Made has been leading the way in the driver world for years now. Their research and development department is living in the future compared to other companies, and we’re here for it.
The adjustable features on this driver are not as vast as previous Taylor Made drivers, but that’s because they have simplified it for us regular golfers.
When it comes to drivers, Taylor Made is always staying one step ahead of other companies. And this one is clear evidence of that.
What Makes This Adjustable Driver Special?
Changing the loft is where you will notice the most difference in your shots. This driver allows you to change the loft by a quarter degree at a time.
This may sound like it’s nothing, but because the driver is the longest golf club in the bag, these minor changes can have a considerable effect on your shot.
They removed the sliding weight and replaced it with a stationary one in the back. It’s held in place by the aluminum frame, which reduces the surrounding weight and puts the focus on the center of gravity.
This is excellent news for those who may not want too many adjustable features.
TaylorMade Adjustable Drivers Use Materials No One Else Does
No other company uses carbon fiber as much as TM, and it seems to be something we will see more of in the future.
While many companies use carbon fiber in the crown, TM has used it to construct the entire sole. Of course, this saves a lot of weight. You can faster ball speed immediately after getting this club.
Many Ways To Improve Your Ball Speed
The carbon fiber sole is also used to streamline the head more as well. Carbon can be easily shaped to force more air past the club head throughout your swing. This added aerodynamic feature is one of the breakthroughs TM has invented.
Secondly, as mentioned earlier, they have incorporated aluminum as well.
Also, not a very common material used in drivers, aluminum is super light and still very strong. If you look on the back of the clubhead, you will see a blue line, that is the aluminum.
It’s used to maintain clubhead strength. With that, they can concentrate the weight further back and behind the clubface.
Related: Sim 2 VS Sim 2 Max Comparison
Cobra RADSpeed — Most Stylish
Thanks to Bryson DeChambeau and Rickie Fowler, Cobra drivers have significantly improved over the years. They are now taken seriously by golfers all over the world, and there are lots of features to support this trend.
Being able to make adjustments from one round to the next is a huge part of this; just ask Bryson.
You can’t be the sponsor of a guy nicknamed the Mad Scientist unless you have a few tricks up your sleeve.
Simple Yet Advantageous Adjustments
Most of us don’t need all the scientific facts that Bryson and Rickie need. Because of this, Cobra Golf has made it simple for us to optimize our tee shots.
The loft adjustment sleeve can change the loft of your driver by 1.5°, either higher or lower. Meaning, if you buy your driver at 10°, you can adjust it up to either 11.5° or down to 8.5°. This is the most comprehensive range that any driver offers.
You can fine-tune anywhere in between by the half-degree. I recommend getting the 10°, so you have maximum options, even if you usually play with a 9°.
The Club Face Will Help You A Lot
A CNC milled face is something new to the driver world. Right now, you can ONLY find it on Cobra drivers.
This feature gives your drives a few extra yards, to say the least.
The milling reduces the thickness of the face overall to create a very active and lively face. The golf ball bounces off it differently than other adjustable drivers, and you’ll notice it right away.
The grooves are milled in a horizontal design now, whereas before, they were circular. This change was made to wick moisture away from the center of the club face. Any moisture that gets between your clubface and the golf ball will reduce distance and adversely affect the direction.
Don’t Forget About How Forgiving This Driver Is
The Cobra RADSpeed driver also focuses on forgiveness.
This golf driver is built to absorb shots that don’t always hit the sweet spot.
“RAD” stands for radial, which refers to the radial weighting used throughout the clubhead. Most of the weight is far back, away from the clubface, which promotes a large sweet spot.
With this, the face can flex easily and keep your ball on a straighter line. This reduces side spin, and your ball will hold its line for longer.
PXG 0811XF Gen 2 — Most Innovative
PXG drivers are slowly but steadily climbing the ranks of the best adjustable golf drivers. There are many aspects that make this driver great, but the adjustability factors are what separate it from the crowd.
The Possibilities Are Almost Endless
Yes, this driver has a loft adjustment sleeve. It will help you get the proper height on your ball, so your launch angle is at its best. Correct launch angle is crucial to getting the most rollout once your ball hits the fairway.
The real adjustments are located near the back, where you will see five weights. These are all interchangeable.
Popular drivers have a back weight that is adjustable, but at the end of the day, they only have one weight. This weight can only be in one place at a time.
PXG has expanded on this concept and allows you to shift weight across the back gradually.
PXG Weights Vs. Traditional Back Weighting
With other drivers on this list, you can slide a single weight to the heel, toe, or somewhere in between. But no matter where you move it, you must move the whole weight.
PXG’s five weight slots allow you to transition weight to one area gradually. This lets you have a smooth transition and keeps your swing tempo from changing.
For example, if you want to cure your slice, you would put the heavier weights on the heel side, arranged in descending order to the toe. This will slow the heel down and straighten your slice without causing an abrupt change in swing tempo.
More Ball Speed With A Reshaped Adjustable Driver Head
Get an increase in ball speed just from the shape of the golf club. It’s longer from front to back, which makes it more shallow and sleeker. With this shape, you can get a faster swing speed to get the distance you’re looking for.
The best drivers are now designed to cover more ground with a higher trajectory. We want you to take advantage of this.
Offering A Professional And Traditional Look
Compared to its predecessor, this driver focuses on moving the center of gravity back. It gives you more forgiveness and opens up the club face. Now your off-center shots will not only be playable but won’t lack distance either.
Yes, the size is slightly larger, but the overall shape is very traditional. The matte black color also gives this club an air of confidence that will transfer through to you.
Also, like the professional golf clubs, this current driver has a very muted sound when struck. It’s solid and still sounds excellent when hit. But it certainly lacks the hollow “tin can” sounds that so many of its competitors have.
Titleist TSi3 – Easiest To Adjust
This is a great golf driver and maybe should be further up the list. It definitely deserves to be here despite it not having the same elaborate adjustments other drivers have.
Simple Is Sometimes Better
It has a loft adjustment sleeve that works a bit differently than others. Titleist has developed a system that adjusts not only the loft but also the face angle. To get the right shot you’re looking for, identify it on the chart provided and then set your driver to the corresponding number.
Lower loft results in the face opening slightly on all clubs. However, Titleist is the only one to account for this, so players know exactly what they’re getting into when they make changes.
This driver also has an adjustable track weighting system along the back. There are five settings to adjust the direction of your golf ball. This is one of the lightest weights available because this driver is geared towards a lower handicap golfer. Lower weight means less drastic changes.
Titleist Marches To The Beat Of Their Own Drum
Used by Justin Thomas, who averages over 300 yards and knows a thing or two about hitting bombs; takes full advantage of all the technology Titleist has available. This allows him to achieve maximum distance based on how he swings. And they can do that for you too.
It is highly recommended to get fit for any Titleist product, but most importantly, the driver. Titleist has the most fitting centers, so there is probably one near you right now. In less than an hour, they can tell you things about your swing that you never even knew existed. Armed with this information, they can prescribe the best adjustable golf driver for you.
What’s New?
A colossal change they made was to the face of this golf driver. They now use a material called ATI 425, which is a special kind of titanium. Its benefits are being extra hard while still being super thin.
It’s the perfect combination of strength and flexibility.
The firmness of the metal gives you power behind the ball, while the flexibility adds bounce. It also helps to correct off-center hits. The face flexes towards the center, so if you miss the sweet spot, the face will guide the golf ball back on line.
This lightweight driver has the cleanest and most traditional look to it. So when you’re standing over it, you get the feeling you can reach a high swing speed right away. It has a very professional feel to it that will have a positive effect on you immediately.
Callaway Big Bertha B21 — Most Distance
Big Bertha’s are typically known for one thing; distance. This driver holds true to that reputation but also adds an element that lower handicap golfers will appreciate.
Most of the technology is on the inside, and due to years of trial and error, we don’t want to mess around with that. However, they have added a loft adjustment sleeve that lets all golfers play around with their shot trajectory a bit.
Loft Adjustment Is A Massive Advantage To All Golfers
Having this option takes the pressure off choosing which loft is suitable for you.
Most people are torn between 9° and 10°. With this club deciding between the two is much less important since you can adjust them after the fact.
A 10° driver can either be a 9° or an 11.5°.
Having this option is beneficial if you play on different courses and climates a lot.
Re-positioned Weight Keeps Spin Low
The center of gravity is moved forward in the clubhead, closer to the face in this driver. This is different from most golf drivers, but it serves a purpose.
With weight more forward, you will create low spin on the ball. This is excellent news if you’re looking to gain distance. The less spin you have, the more penetrating your tee shots will be and with higher ball speed.
Also, when your ball hits the ground with a low spin rate, it will jump forward to further add yards to all your drives.
It Has A Specialized Sweet Spot
Having weight forward does reduce the size of the sweet spot slightly. To this, Callaway has answered with an improved club face.
Using flash face technology, they have optimized the thickness of every square millimeter of the face. Some parts of the face are very thin and springy, while others are thicker and more rigid.
This system allows for a lot of leeway. If you strike the ball off-center, it will keep your ball from careening off line.
Related: Best Callaway Drivers On The Market
Buyer’s Guide
Adjusting a driver and playing with all its settings can be a little intimidating to newer golfers. It’s like trying to make changes on your computer, but you’re worried that if you change something, you won’t be able to change it back.
While these drivers are not as intricate as a laptop, there is a science behind them. Knowing what to change and by how much is a skill that must be learned. Here Are the elements that you now have the power to influence.
Loft
The most common of the adjustment features, your loft can be changed either up or down. The amount of which varies from manufacturer to manufacturer.
This makes deciding on what loft to get on your driver head much more straightforward. You don’t have to commit to one number anymore and can switch it any time you want.
Adjusting the loft does affect the face angle slightly, so be sure to watch this when you’re experimenting on the range.
Trajectory
In simple terms, loft adjusts the height of your ball, and adjustable weights affect the direction.
Located on the back ridge of the club head, a track weighting system can be slid to either side of the club. This is how you choose your preferred shot shape.
Slide the weight towards the heel to correct a slice. This will slow the heel down so the tow can travel faster and square up at impact. The opposite is true if you want to reduce your hooks.
How heavy the weight is will determine the severity of your trajectory. A heavier weight will provide more shot shape correction.
Weights range from 8-grams all the way up to 26-grams. This may not sound like a lot, but it will be like night and day if you get a chance to practice with this kind of disparity.
Shaft
Shafts are not as easy to change as the loft and weighing of your club but it carries significant importance.
If you find that your settings are not making much of a difference then your shaft may be too blame. An incorrect shaft can be the cause of either flat, lifeless drives. Or it can cause weak, ballooning shots that go no where.
The best way to find the perfect shaft for you is to go get a professional fitting. Your local club pro can help you with this. If you visit your pro then they can help you choose the best manufacturer as opposed to going to an official fitting center.
Who Gains The Most From These Features?
In short, everyone stands to gain from having these options available to them. Knowing how to use these features to your advantage is the key to getting the most out of one of the best adjustable golf drivers.
Low-Handicappers
At this level, you know your swing very well and can identify the areas that you need to improve. Having the ability to make minor adjustments will optimize your golf game on days when you may not be swinging your best.
You can also use these to attack a golf course more specifically. If you know there are mostly dog legs to the right, then you can adjust your driver to mimic that shot shape. This will keep you from having to adjust your swing mechanics all the time.
Mid-Handicappers
As you improve and continue to lower your handicap, having adjustment options means an adjustable driver can improve with you.
By starting with a 10.5° driver, you give yourself the most significant margin of error and a very neutral ball flight. Once you become more confident and see all your extra practice start to pay off, you can easily optimize your ball flight by the turn of a wrench.
Take your driver down to a 10°, 9.5°, or 9° to save you hundreds of dollars on buying a new driver if all you want to do is lower the height of your drives.
High-Handicappers
Controlling and manipulating your ball flight on command is one of the best parts of this game. Being able to place the ball where you want or work it around a corner with controlled side spin is such a great feeling when executed correctly.
For years this feeling was reserved for low-handicap players. Now, with the power of the best adjustable drivers, high-handicappers can experience this much earlier in their golf career.
While you still might be working on your “forever” swing, have some fun playing around with different settings. Use a heavier track weight to really see a change in your ball flight.
Let it serve as motivation because with the right swing and the proper settings, you can have complete control over your shots.
How Do You Know When To Make Adjustments?
Having an adjustable driver can be a slippery slope.
It’s fantastic to have so many options and be able to tweak your ball flight in any direction.
It’s also very addictive.
Establish A Benchmark
An essential aspect to establish is your optimal setting that compliments your natural swing. Do this as soon as you get your adjustable driver. Having a benchmark will keep you from veering too far away from what your strengths are.
Players can get carried away by trying to make adjustments too often.
It’s against the rules of golf to adjust your driver in the middle of the round. So at the very least, you can only set it up once per round. I recommend leaving it at your optimal setting for three months before tinkering around.
Get comfortable with it first, and then you’ll notice the smallest of changes when you make adjustments.
Conclusion
If this is your first adjustable driver, then welcome to the club! They make lowering your scores easier, and they also spice up any trip to the driving range.
The Callaways Epic Max LS is an excellent choice for a first-timer. It has a large club face, so if you get carried away trying all types of shots, you can be sure of one thing; consistent distance.
If there is anything better in golf than crushing a long, perfectly straight drive, it’s crushing a long, perfectly shaped drive.
Try it for yourself, and you’ll see what I mean.
