Oh, to be young again and remember the joys of getting your very first “real” driver.
You probably have your old grandfather’s driver in your bag right now — something made of wood (referred to as persimmon) with a leather grip and unyielding steel shaft. But no one ever counts that as their first official golf driver.
Whatever you choose here today will be forever your first driver. You can start making future fond memories with it right away.
There is nothing like hitting a brand new club. But hitting a brand new driver is something completely different.
All your friends will want to see it, hold it, take a picture with it, and even have a couple of swings with it. Their jealousy will be obvious.
Even more so once you start crushing drives past theirs and straighter as well.
Your next step to becoming a better golfer starts right here.
We have selected the Tour Edge Hot Launch C521 as the best driver for beginners. This takes into account everything from forgiveness, weight, adjustability, and of course, price.
These best beginner golf drivers are all current and are all brand new releases. Choose the one that suits you to start hitting “hellacious seeds” as Phil Mickelson would say.
Table of Contents
The Best Driver For Beginners In 2023 – The Rundown
- Cup AND diamond face technology
- Deep rear weighting for high launch
- Acoustic ribbing for premium sound
- Highest MOI ever produced in a Ping driver
- 26-gram tungsten weight in the back
- 3 useful settings for beginners
- Tour-inspired look and design
- High launch weighting
- Low spin off the face
- Draw bias weighting system
- Resin injection for more distance
- Heavy weight in the back for higher launch
- Anti-slice technology and set up
- Lightest driver available
- Carbon crown for reduced weight and rigidity
- Very lightweight
- Utilizes CUP face technology
- Stunning matte black finish
- Huge sweet spot due to Peak Kinetic Response face
- Includes 2 removable weights
- Powerful feel with kevlar crown
- Larger sweet spot
- Adjustable swing weights
- Jailbreak technology
- New aerodynamic head
- Added rear weight for higher launch
- 2-degree loft sleeve
Tour Edge Hot Launch C521 – Best Overall
I know you were expecting a brand-name club to be number one on the list. But we have to tell the truth, and the truth is beginner golfers don’t need big-name clubs at first.
This driver is not meant to be the driver you have for the rest of your life. It’s a stepping-stone club that will teach you about what your strengths and weaknesses are.
As you progress with this club, you’ll discover what you like or dislike about it. You can then factor in that info when purchasing your next driver.
Why break the bank on a driver that you don’t know will work for you. This driver is coming in at a great price point. It features a lot of the technology that all the popular drivers use.
Same Technology As The Big Guys
Its face uses the same cup face technology in most Cobra drivers, including Bryson Dechambeau’s. This helps a beginner to maintain a high ball speed even with off-center hits.
Further increasing ball speed is the 39 different diamond shapes that are on the inside of the face. This pattern optimizes your mis-hits as they act as little trampolines when the ball hits them.
The more the face can bend at impact, the higher your ball speed.
A variation of this technique is being used in Callaways Flash Face Technology as well.
The rear weighting of the driver’s head makes this one of the best drivers for beginners. By setting it low and far away from the face, it almost guarantees a higher launch.
At this stage in your career, a high launch is critical to get maximum distance.
No Extra Fluff, Just Long And Straight Drives
This golf club does not have any adjustability features because it’s a driver that’s for beginners!
It’s perfect to learn your golf game and learn about how you drive the golf ball. Adding adjustability can sometimes be confusing and raise unnecessary questions about your swing.
It also comes with the lowest price tag on this list as well. So you can save up for your next driver when you’re ready.
Ping G425 MAX – Most Forgiving
I am happy to introduce the first of many drivers on this list to bear the name “max.”
You will always find a Ping when talking about the best drivers for beginners and high handicappers. Ping is very well known for assisting rookies as they navigate the vast world of forgiving drivers.
I used a Ping ISI Tech which at the time was a marvel. But it is nothing compared to this new G425 Max.
Setting A New Record For Ping Drivers
It has the highest MOI that Ping has ever been able to create. High MOI means the face is very resistant to twisting. Ping already has some of the highest MOI’s in drivers, and now they have broken their own record.
When you miss the sweet spot on a regular driver, the club tends to flex in that direction. If you miss on the toe side, then your golf ball will flutter off in that direction.
A high MOI alleviates this and keeps the face square no matter where the ball makes contact with the face.
No Confusing Adjustment Options
The adjustment capabilities are kept at a minimum on this club to reduce the weight. By not having a bulky adjustable hosel weighing you down your swing can promote optimal speed.
A high clubhead speed means more distance.
The adjustments it comes with will be beneficial if you struggle with direction. There is a neutral, draw, and fade setting to counteract whatever your dominant shot shape your ball flight is.
Set this once and then leave it for at least the whole season. Once you make improvements, you can switch it back to neutral.
The head is designed to make the adjustments for you, so don’t get too hung up on switching it all the time. It has a heavy 26-gram weight in the back as well to give your ball lift. Even if you hit low on the face, your launch angle will improve by this feature alone.
Callaway Epic Max – Best Modern Driver
This adjustable driver has many tricks up its sleeve. All the same technology that goes into a tour players’ driver is in this one.
This makes it a great golf club if you are still a beginner but are about to break through to a novice or intermediate golfer. You’ll be able to really take advantage of the science in this great driver.
Tour-Inspired Features For Higher Ball Speed
First of all, it has Callaway’s special jailbreak foundation built in the driver’s head. This allows you to capitalize on centered hits a lot more than other drivers.
It adds more strength and rigidity directly behind the clubface.
This feature also helps beginners with their off-center hits. If you miss the sweet spot, the jailbreak bars prevent the face from twisting and will keep your ball in play.
The difference between this Epic Max and other Epic drivers is the level of forgiveness. It has adjustable weights on the back so you can optimize your tee shot based on your current ball flight.
This driver head has the highest MOI of all the Epic drivers. Not quite as high as Ping, but because of that, you get more feel to shape the shot as you improve your game.
There is nothing better than hitting a perfect draw down the middle of the fairway when you’re used to hitting slices into the trees.
One Of The Lightest Modern Golf Drivers
Also contributing to the stability of the club head is the advanced triaxial carbon crown. By making this extraordinarily light, you can pick up a few extra mph’s to increase clubhead speed.
Use that extra speed to gain more yards. If that isn’t enough, Callaways has optimized the overall weighting of the club to reduce backspin on the ball as well.
Every drive you take will have backspin. The less backspin you have, the more roll you’ll get when the ball hits the ground. Less spin equals EVEN MORE driving distance.
Related: Best Drivers From Callaway
Taylor Made M6 D-Type – Best Taylor Made Driver For Beginners
A TaylorMade Driver has a reputation of being the longest driver available. They don’t tend to cater to high-handicappers, though. So lots of golfers are buying this brand but not able to take full advantage.
This club changes all that.
Now, beginners can get one of the best golf drivers and the extra distance they were looking for without hitting the sweet spot every time.
Start Hitting More Draws
The huge advantage this club has is its heel weighting. Adding weight to the heel will slow it down and thus allow the toe to speed up.
This closes the face and prevents those big sweeping slices that we have all hit at some point.
Also unique to this forgiving driver is the weight distribution across the face to maximize off-center hits. They have added loft in the toe and decreased loft in the heel.
This controls the spin better for backspin and side spin, which keeps your shots in the fairway.
Carrying the same technology as other Taylor Made drivers, the face has speed injection resin. This allows Taylor Made to push the legal limits of C.O.R.
The higher the C.O.R, the further your ball will go. They are notorious for ensuring every driver out of the factory is right at the legal limit allowed. Don’t worry about having a high swing speed.
And Start Hitting It Higher
And finally, to help with your launch angle on mis-hits is a huge 46-gram weight. They have stored this as far back in the head as possible.
Keeping a heavyweight deep in the head “opens” up the face more and provides a trampoline effect. Even if you miss the center of the clubface, it will compensate for you. So anyone watching won’t notice the difference.
Cobra FMax 20 Offset – Best For Curing Slices
If you slice the ball something fierce, then this is a great driver for you.
Cobra has always been a friend to beginners and high handicappers since they first opened up shop. They have only partnered with a handful of PGA pros over the years since their expertise lies in helping high handicap golfers.
Even though Greg Norman, Rickie Fowler, and Lexi Thompson use these clubs too much success, you can too!
Stop Your Slices NOW!
This offset driver is the perfect club to correct a slice for many reasons. The first of which is the offset design. This feature means the clubface sits behind the shaft to make it very difficult for the player to open the face.
As we know, slices are caused when you open the face and cut across the ball. This generates the sidespin that sends your ball deep into the forest.
This side spin is reduced more and more by making impact with a square clubface. While the offset is a huge help, Cobra didn’t stop there.
They also added weight to the heel to slow it down and let the toe catch up. A square clubface is when the toe and heel are passing through the impact zone at the same time.
The Cobra FMax 20 Offset achieves this more than any other driver for beginners.
There’s Still A Way To Increase Distance
While there is lots of emphases put on the ball’s direction, they haven’t forgotten about good distance either.
To keep up with other drivers that may be a touch longer, Cobra has significantly reduced this golf driver’s weight.
They added a carbon crown on the top of the driver’s head to reduce the weight by at least 10 grams. As you know, a light golf club means a faster swing speed which equals exceptional ball speed.
They have also changed the shaft to a lighter one as well. This provides more of a difference than most people think.
The reduced weight in the shaft results in increased club head speed and will make a very noticeable difference in feeling. So if your swinging this one day and wonder why it’s so light, the shaft is the reason. Now you can hit driver more often without fear of fatigue.
Cleveland Launcher HB Turbo Driver – The Fastest
This Cleveland HB turbo driver produces some of the fastest swing speeds among slower swing speed players we have ever seen.
Often found in the rental sets at driving ranges, this is a great driver for high handicappers because of its simplicity.
Cleveland used to be known for its wedges, but over the years, this specific Cleveland driver has commanded the spotlight more and more for a good reason.
To be one of the best drivers for beginners and high handicappers, the most important thing is forgiveness. This driver has that in spades.
Focused on Forgiveness
Using the tried and true method they have been using for years, they have placed most of the weight deep in the club head to provide maximum forgiveness. But they didn’t stop there.
The “HB” in the title stands for high bore. This is in reference to the height of the crown, which increases the height of the face.
A deeper face gives you more bounce off the club face which causes your ball to literally leap towards the fairway.
This high bore addition also gives you an increase in your launch angle as well. Possibly the easiest driver out of all of them to get the ball up in the air and produce that piercing ball flight we all look for.
You don’t have to be a low handicapper to achieve this now.
Hit The Longest Drives Of Your Life
With forgiveness taken care of, Cleveland shifted their attention to giving you more distance. They did this by using CUP face technology.
This system is used by some of the best drivers in the world to add yards to any drive.
When the driver is built, they stretch the face over the edges of the head to make it thinner. By doing so, it adds a trampoline effect to your shots to propel the ball farther than ever.
This is a relatively new design feature that could become a staple on all drivers soon.
But Cleveland is already using it, so you can take advantage right now.
Lastly, the fact that this driver has a very light hosel contributes to its overall lightweight. With no adjustable weights, you can now swing to your fullest.
Adjustability is not for everyone. In the early stages of your career, it may end up causing you more trouble by planting seeds of doubt. Once you have decided on the right driver loft, then that’s all you need as a beginner.
Stick to the basics that one club offers, which is what this driver delivers.
Wilson Staff D9 – Most Undervalued
If you are truly a beginner, then you probably have a Wilson in your bag right now. Maybe passed down to you from a parent or even grandparent. Most people tend to overlook Wilson, which perplexes low handicap players who know the truth about Wilson.
They are GREAT clubs.
Competing With The Big Names
What makes it great for beginners is the Peak Kinetic Response face. Wilson uses their supercomputers (yes, just like Superman III) to produce a highly advanced face.
This is very similar to what Callaway uses in their flash face technology.
The face is divided into many different sections. Those sections are specifically adjusted to produce the largest sweet spot Wilson has ever created.
Compared to the A.I. advanced drivers made by big brand names, this driver holds up very well.
The View At Address Is Inspiring
Its head shape has been redesigned to be more aerodynamic, so your swing speed increases as soon as you start swinging this club. They still keep a traditional and neutral look to the head, which gives you a great sense of confidence when looking down at address. It doesn’t favor a draw or fade bias.
While you’re looking down, you’ll see evidence of this three-layer carbon crown. Big-name companies also use carbon, but Wilson added a thin layer of kevlar.
This adds stability and reduces vibration but also keeps it a lightweight driver. It also gives it that professional feel that a Titleist or Mizuno has.
To get maximum ball speed, each driver comes with a 3-gram or a 10-gram weight. So if you want to feel a bit more control and are willing to sacrifice speed, then use the 10-gram weight.
A large majority of beginners and high handicappers will want to use the 3-gram weight to get maximum distance.
Callaway Mavrik Max – Best For Correcting Off-Center Hits
You can’t go wrong with a Callaway driver if you’re a beginner golfer or high handicapper. Callaway always has your back. When I started out, I had a set of those clunky Big Bertha irons myself and loved them.
A Straight-Forward Driver
The Mavrik Max is another very helpful option if you’re not sold on the Epic Max. The biggest difference being less adjustability.
The Mavrik comes with a 14-gram or 2-gram weight so you can maximize your swing speed and control. These are interchangeable, and you may find yourself switching to the heavier weight as you become more confident in your swing.
The Mavrik also features a larger clubface. This will really prevent topping the golf ball since it gives you more surface area to hit.
A large clubface also increases the size of the sweet spot. Now you don’t have to be as pinpoint perfect for achieving a consistent ball flight. If you can hit it close to the sweet spot, this driver does the rest.
Premium Features
It still has all the features of Callaway’s top-of-the-line modern drivers, such as Jailbreak bars.
This revolutionary idea is only present in Callaway clubs. It’s a breakthrough in gaining distance.
By placing two bars just behind the face, your ball actually jumps off the clubface. This technology has been a huge step forward in golf drivers for beginners.
It also has the flash face technology that everyone is talking about. Callaway uses their own supercomputers to run thousands of tests on thousands of different face designs.
This is their latest for maximum forgiveness, and it’s modified to correct off-center hits that we all have each round.
It even has the Opti-fit hosel with adjustable loft that allows you to gain some control over your ball flight as well.
While not as advanced as seen in the Epic with a sliding weight, this is still a giant advantage when you’re a beginner. You can soften that hook or straighten that slice.
TaylorMade Sim Max – Best Transition Driver
This great driver is perfect for beginners who plan on not being a beginner for much longer.
It’s a gateway driver to start controlling your shot shape, finding the sweet spot more, and working the golf ball in both directions.
Taylor Made is known for having a very versatile line of modern drivers but typically targets low handicappers. This driver is different.
Finally, A Driver For Beginner Golfers
It has a new design in the head that is meant to increase club head speed. This is great for adding distance without having to change anything.
The driver head also features a weight in the back that is positioned lower than other Taylor Made drivers. This is specifically designed to help the beginner golfer get a higher launch angle on impact. Most beginners struggle with this, especially with high-performance clubs. A higher launch gives slower swing speeds maximum distance.
To further assist with getting beginners and high handicappers more distance, there is also an adjustable hosel.
With this, you can bump up your driver loft 1° over what is stamped on it. You can also lower it as well for windy days or as your swing changes.
It’s recommended not to use the adjustable loft feature too often. Find a setting that works, and then let your swing do the talking.
Still Has All The Good Things Other Taylor Made Drivers Have
Twist face technology has been a huge success for Taylor Made, and they have wisely included it here. This works perfectly on this club since beginners and high handicappers tend to miss the sweet spot a lot. Having this cutting-edge face will help keep the ball in play.
Simply put, you will miss fewer fairways.
Bonus Feature: So many beginners struggle to contain a huge slice off the tee. Taylor Made has also made a “D” version of this club to help encourage more draws. It’s the same club but with more weight in the heel to force the clubface square at impact so your drives go straighter.
Buyers Guide
Buying one of the best drivers as a beginner or high handicapper is a fun and exciting activity. It’s the first time you get to go shopping for yourself instead of using hand-me-downs.
There’s nothing quite like getting a brand new driver in your hands.
Here are a few things to look out for when your shopping online for the best golf driver for you.
Forgiveness
This should be your top priority as a beginner golfer. All the drivers listed above are top of their class when it comes to giving you the largest margin of error.
When you start out in golf, your swing can feel very different from one day to the next. Having a forgiving driver to compensate for this inevitable fate will get you past the beginner phase fastest.
Forgiveness is usually determined by the design of the face. Companies are now using computer algorithms to determine the optimal clubface.
You don’t have to have a high swing speed to take advantage of this new technology in golf drivers.
Center Of Gravity
The center of gravity for a club will directly affect the launch angle of your golf ball. Putting more weight in the bottom promotes a steeper swing plane to get your club to the bottom of the ball. This helps prevent topping.
All of these beginner drivers have a low center of gravity and place it further back, away from the clubface. This opens the clubface and promotes a larger sweet spot.
The cost of this is feel. So a lot of low handicap drivers won’t feature this. As you progress in skill, you may want to have more control over the shot shape of your ball flight.
A club with a mid-range center of gravity will give the player more options on the spin. This is assuming they know how to manipulate the spin to their advantage.
As a beginner, you don’t know how to do this yet.
Loft
Choosing the right loft is usually where a high handicapper goes wrong. They end up shooting themselves in the foot before their first swing.
Getting the highest loft available should be your main goal. This will help you distance by giving your golf ball more lift off a relatively slow swing speed.
A high loft also allows for mis-hits to still perform well. If you hit low on the face, your high lofted driver will still produce a decent drive instead of those ugly worm-burners.
It’s very tempting to get a 9.5° loft because that is shown in stores and seen on tv a lot. Fight this urge as it will only cause frustration in the early going.
Go for the best driver that has a loft of no less than 10.5°.
Shaft
We didn’t discuss shafts at all in this article since we are looking for the best driver for beginners. Beginners and high handicappers won’t notice the difference in shafts unless it’s wrong.
Always go for the regular flex shaft in your first beginner driver. Or even senior flex, which we now call A-flex.
A shaft that is too stiff will completely counteract all the good things that the clubhead is providing for you.
A stiff shaft will mute your launch angle because it’s not getting enough flex. For a shaft to perform at its best, it should be professionally matched to your swing speed.
If you’re not getting a custom fit, then it’s better to err on the side of having a lighter shaft that is too flexible rather than too stiff.
Frequently Asked Questions
We receive many questions from beginners that want to know how to choose the best driver for their game! Here the most frequently asked ones.
What is the best driver for beginners?
The best driver for beginners is the Tour Edge Hot Launch C521. This may sound surprising because it’s probably not a name you have heard before.
I selected it because it has all the new technology elements but still leaves a little room to grow.
As a beginner, you will be learning new things every time you go out.
The best beginner drivers will teach you a lot more about your swing than other futuristic club designs.
What makes a driver good for beginners?
A driver is good for beginners if it has lots of forgiveness. Forgiveness means that when you miss the sweet spot, your shot will not be that bad. Better players are not concerned with this as much because they hit the sweet spot very often.
As you develop a consistent swing, this will become less important when shopping for your next driver.
How do I choose which one is best for me?
Choosing the best driver for you will be the first major decision you make in your golf career. Any of the drivers listed above will work great for you if you’re a beginner. Beyond that, it comes down to feel and look.
Golf is such a great game because it is half science and half artistic. We have done the science part for you by providing this article.
The artistic part is up to you. Which driver do you see yourself smashing drives with? Which one looks the best to you? Which one will you feel most comfortable pulling out of your bag on the first tee with everyone watching? That’s golf.
Is a 9.5 or 10.5 Driver Better?
As a beginner golfer, is crucial that you get the ball up in the air so it has more time to travel before it hits the fairway (hopefully).
The less loft your driver has, the more you need to hit up on it. This can be challenging and most beginners are better served with a driver having 10.5 degrees of loft or more.
Which Is The Most Forgiving Driver?
In our review, the Ping G425 Max won this category. It has the highest MOI, most forgiving clubface and performs above abevare on off-center hits.
What is MOI?
MOI stands for moment of inertia. It is golf talk for how much the face twists at impact with off-center hits. The higher the MOI, the less the face twists.
There are rules for this that the manufacturer must abide by for the club to be legal. No manufacturer will release a club that does not conform to the rules. Sometimes it is tough to get a high MOI when the player is looking for more control options.
In the best drivers for beginners having a high MOI is very important, and all of the above drivers are top of their class in this category.
What does ‘offset’ mean?
If a driver is offset, then that means the face sits noticeably behind the shaft when you’re looking down at it.
Setting the shaft ahead of the face encourages the golfer to keep the toe of the club turning over through impact. This prevents slices and is usually only aimed at high handicappers.
An offset design is only helpful if you have an issue with slicing.
If you normally draw or hook the ball, then this will make that worse. Having said that, if you’re a beginner who is slicing, then seeking help from your local club pro will be more help.
How far should I hit my driver?
Your driver distance will vary a lot when you first begin to play. It’s best not to focus on how far you hit it but rather how much control you have. The distance will gradually increase over time.
If you focus more on hitting fairways and controlling the ball flight, then your confidence will grow. With more confidence, your swing will feel more free and loose. This is the secret to long drives.
You never see a huge muscle-bound person hitting long drives as much as you see a relaxed and flexible person unleashing bombs. It’s always the tall skinny golfer who is out there crushing drives.
The best golf drivers will help with your distance as long as you are helping to control your shot shape. This is what you will be able to work on more so than just adding distance.
Conclusion
This won’t be the last driver you ever buy in your life, so don’t take it too seriously. At some point, you will outgrow it and want a new driver.
By then, you will know exactly what you want based on your experiences with your driver for beginners. So in that regard, it is essential.
Think of this driver as being in high school. You’re still learning about many things before deciding on what you will major in when you go to college.
Make sure you spend a lot of time on the range to help you get past the beginner phase quicker. Whether you choose the Tour Edge Hot Launch C521 or any other of the best drivers for beginners on this list, there is no substitute for good old fashion practice.
