Being new to golf can mean different things to different people. Whether you’re picking up a club for the first time or playing only a few times a year, having beginner-friendly clubs is essential. One club that beginners need to master early on is the driver. However, not all drivers are created equal, and some are easier to handle for beginners. That’s why we’ve put together this guide on the best-rated golf drivers for beginners, to help you find the perfect driver to take your game to the next level.
Features of Beginner-Friendly Drivers
Beginner-friendly drivers possess several features that make it easier to achieve a high, controlled ball flight with minimal sidespin. They also offer adjustability options, allowing beginners to fine-tune the club as they gain more experience on the course.
🏆 Quick Look at the Top-Rated Drivers for Beginners 🏆
It’s important to remember that every golfer is different. However, the drivers included in this review should work well for the majority of beginners. If you have already played golf a few times, you may have some idea of the features and specifications that suit your game. If you’re a beginner in the senior category, check out our detailed reviews of the best drivers for seniors. Get ready to discover the driver that will enhance your game with our comprehensive reviews!
Best Drivers for Beginners
1. TaylorMade M4
Featuring innovative technologies such as Twist Face and Hammerhead Slot, the TaylorMade M4 Driver is a beginner’s best friend.
Key Features:
- Twist Face
- Hammerhead Slot
- Adjustable Hosel
While the M4 may not be the latest and greatest Taylormade driver, it still performs excellently. The driver’s overall design is traditional, but the bottom features numerous aerodynamic slots. One of these slots, the Hammerhead Slot, located just behind the face, increases ball speed.
Combined with the Twist Face design, the M4 Driver delivers exceptional distance and forgiveness. As a beginner, forgiveness is a crucial feature. What’s more, the M4 Driver offers an adjustable hosel, allowing you to change the loft and lie of the club.
The M4 Driver offers a wide range of options in terms of head and shaft types. You can choose from degrees ranging from 8.5 to 12, with a recommended 10-degree loft for beginners. Additionally, the M4 Driver is available in every major shaft stiffness.
✅ Pros:
- Very forgiving
- Generates a nice high launch
- Offers adjustability
🚫 Cons:
- Slightly pricey
- Can be loud
The TaylorMade M4 Driver is not only one of the best drivers for high handicappers but also an excellent choice for beginners.
2. Callaway Rogue Driver
The Callaway Rogue Driver is a perennial favorite for golfers of all skill levels, delivering high performance and exceptional playability.
Key Features:
- Jail Break Technology
- High MOI Crown
- Premium Shafts
If you’re new to golf, you’ll quickly become familiar with Callaway’s Rogue series. The irons and drivers in this series are among the best-selling clubs in recent years. The Rogue Driver boasts several premium features that cater to various styles of golfers.
This year’s Rogue Driver features Callaway’s Jail Break Technology, employing two metal rods behind the face for added power and distance. The High MOI Crown helps optimize launch angles, making it the easiest driver to hit.
For beginners planning to play frequently, it’s worth considering one of the premium shaft options available for the Rogue. With six different shaft options and four flex options, you can achieve greater consistency and performance with the right setup.
✅ Pros:
- Highly forgiving
- Easy to hit
- Offers great adjustability
🚫 Cons:
- Slightly pricey
If you’re looking to get into golf and want a driver that will serve you well for years to come, look no further than the Callaway Rogue Driver.
3. Wilson Staff D7 Driver
Wilson Staff’s D7 driver represents their expansion into the mid and higher-end driver markets.
Key Features:
- Superlight Design
- [K]omposite Crown
- Dynamic Launch Control
At first glance, the Wilson Staff D7 Driver may seem simple, but upon closer examination, you’ll discover its valuable features. Its superlight design, weighing just 192 grams, makes it one of the lightest clubheads on the market. When combined with a lighter shaft, it maximizes swing speed for almost any player.
The [K]omposite Crown, made of Kevlar and woven carbon fibers, reduces vibration and presents a sleek sheet of carbon fiber on the top of the crown.
The D7 Driver offers three different loft angles, with each clubhead expertly tuned to launch at the optimal angle. The placement of weight in specific areas on the sole of the driver achieves this. It is available with regular, senior, and stiff flex shaft options.
✅ Pros:
- Super lightweight
- Impressive swing speed
- Clear sightline at address
🚫 Cons:
- Slightly pricey
- Lacks adjustability
Based on its performance, the Wilson Staff D7 Driver is considered one of the best game improvement drivers for beginners.
4. TaylorMade Men’s RBZ Black Driver
The RBZ Black Driver from TaylorMade is designed for exceptional performance, delivering longer, more consistent drives.
Key Features:
- Ultralite Titanium Core
- Speed Pocket
- Adjustable Hosel
The RBZ Black Driver falls into the mid-range category but offers high-end performance. Despite its modest looks, it possesses special features, such as the Ultralite Titanium Core. This core, engineered to move weight to the bottom rear of the club, significantly increases the driver’s MOI.
Similar to other TaylorMade clubs, the RBZ Driver features a speed pocket that enhances aerodynamics and ball speed. This is especially beneficial to beginners struggling with ball compression and contact issues.
The RBZ Driver also offers an adjustable hosel, allowing you to control the launch angle. With its combined features and overall performance, the RBZ Driver is highly recommended for mid-handicappers.
✅ Pros:
- Excellent feel
- Sleek all-black color scheme
- Great value for money
🚫 Cons:
- None
Achieve higher swing speeds while keeping the ball in the fairway with the RBZ Black Driver.
5. Cleveland Men’s HB Driver
For many years, Cleveland’s Launcher series has helped players achieve higher launch angles and longer ball flights.
Key Features:
- HiBore Crown
- Launcher Cup-Face
- Flex-Fins
Increasing the launch angle to an optimal level is one of the quickest ways to gain extra distance off the tee. With the Cleveland HB Launcher, this becomes easier than ever. The HiBore Crown, burying the Center of Gravity deep in the clubhead, is one of the primary features responsible for increasing launch angles.
Combined with the all-new Launcher Cup-Face, the driver provides exceptional distance and forgiveness. The Cup-Face design, similar to Callaway’s FaceCup and Taylormade’s TwistFace Technology, adds a slight curve to the face for improved performance.
Flex-Fins on the club’s sole help stabilize ball speed on off-center strikes. Three flexes (Senior, Regular, and Stiff) and three different loft options are available. Some users feel that the flexes are slightly lighter than normal.
✅ Pros:
- Incredible distance
- Provides a nice high launch
- Offers excellent forgiveness
🚫 Cons:
- Flexes slightly lighter than normal
Add extra distance to your game with a launch angle-optimized driver like the Cleveland HB Launcher Driver.
6. Top Flite Gamer Tour Driver
For beginners looking to try golf without a significant investment in a driver, the Top Flite Gamer Tour Driver is a perfect choice.
Key Features:
- Performance Head Design
- Heel Weight Placement
- Regular/Stiff Shaft
Top Flite is often one of the first names beginner golfers encounter due to their reasonably priced, beginner-friendly golf sets. The Gamer Tour Driver is a budget-friendly alternative to higher-priced drivers. While it may not be an outstanding driver, it performs well for those on a budget.
The Gamer Tour Driver features a Performance Head Design that lowers the center of gravity and increases launch angles. While it may not provide the same level of forgiveness as top-tier drivers, it offers satisfactory forgiveness, particularly due to Heel Weighting.
The club is available in only a few configurations, with two head lofts and a single shaft with a regular/stiff flex. This lack of configuration and adjustability is expected in a driver of this price range.
✅ Pros:
- Good distance performance
- Achieves a nice high launch
- Provides excellent forgiveness
🚫 Cons:
- Flexes slightly lighter than normal
The Top Flite Gamer Tour Driver allows beginners to dip their toes into golf without breaking the bank.
7. Cobra Men’s Fly-Z Driver
The Cobra Fly-Z Driver is a popular choice and an ideal match for mid to high handicap golfers. It offers forgiveness and distance when it’s needed most.
Key Features:
- Speed Channel Face for increased speed
- Crown Zone Weighting Technology for optimized center of gravity
- MyFly8 adjustability with multiple loft options
With an engineered trench around the perimeter of the face, the Cobra Fly-Z Driver maximizes ball speed. The forged zone removes weight from key areas to enhance the sweet spot.
The driver also features Crown Zone Weighting Technology, repositioning the center of gravity low and further back in the clubhead. This, coupled with available lofts through the MyFly8 adjustability system, provides optimal launch and distance control.
✅ Pros:
- Impressive and attractive design
- Highly accurate and forgiving
- Great distances can be achieved
🚫 Cons:
- May cause increased spin
Overall, the Cobra Fly-Z Driver is a fantastic game improvement club for beginners and mid-high handicap players alike.
8. Cleveland Men’s 588 Custom Driver
The Cleveland 588 Custom Driver offers excellent performance and aesthetics. With a large sweet spot, you can achieve impressive speeds.
Key Features:
- Graphite Shaft
- Stiff Flex
- 9-degree Loft
- 12 different settings for loft, lie, and face angle adjustment
- Adjustable weight screw on the back of the sole to optimize swing weight
With a titanium head and a volume of 460cc, the Cleveland 588 Custom Driver provides forgiveness and distance. It offers 12 different settings through an adjustable hosel for optimal customization.
✅ Pros:
- Lightweight, long, and adjustable
- Fairly forgiving
- Generates good distance
🚫 Cons:
- Potential loss of distance with faster club speed
- Requires time to adjust and fine-tune settings
The Cleveland 588 Custom Driver is an ideal choice for players looking to improve their game with consistent playability.
9. Callaway Men’s Big Bertha V Series Driver
Utilizing speed-optimized technology and a lightweight shaft, the Callaway Men’s Big Bertha V Series Driver offers exceptional performance.
Key Features:
- Available in both left and right-hand orientations
- Speed Optimized Technology
- Hyper Speed Face
- OptiFit Technology
- Lightweight Premium Shafts
- Multiple loft options
- Shaft flex options
Callaway claims that the Big Bertha V Series Driver is their fastest driver, outdriving any other Big Bertha by 7 yards. Designed for maximum speed and distance, it is comfortable to handle and forgiving.
✅ Pros:
- Increased driving distance
- Comfortable and soft feel
- Forgiving
🚫 Cons:
- Accuracy could be improved
- Some players prefer a more distinct sound upon impact
This lightweight, aerodynamic driver is designed to improve your drive and distance, providing a comfortable feel in your hands.
10. TaylorMade Men’s AeroBurner Driver
The TaylorMade AeroBurner is an excellent driver for game improvement, delivering accuracy and forgiveness for beginners.
Key Features:
- Available in right-hand orientation
- Shaft flex options: stiff, senior, or flex
- Loft options: 9.5°, 10.5°, and 12°
- Graphite lightweight shaft Matrix Speed RUL Z 50
- Total weight under 300 grams
- TM Speed Grip
- Aerodynamic shape
- Speed pocket to increase sweet spot and reduce spin
With a 460cc clubhead and an aerodynamic shape, the AeroBurner Driver offers accuracy and forgiveness that beginners need. It is lightweight and suitable for players with slow or medium swing speeds.
✅ Pros:
- Good for players needing to get the golf ball airborne
- Speed pocket enhances the sweet spot and forgiveness
- Straight shots due to lack of hosel adjustability
- Very lightweight
🚫 Cons:
- Lacks adjustability and may be too lightweight for some players
- Steep launch angle may not suit everyone
11. TaylorMade Men’s R15 460 Black Driver
The TaylorMade R15 460 Black Driver offers great value for money, with exceptional performance and features.
Key Features:
- 460cc head with low-forward center of gravity
- New Front Track system reduces spin and increases sweet spot
- Adjustable sliding split weight for draw or fade
- 4° loft sleeve for loft adjustability
- Fujikura Speeder 57 Evolution shaft
- Lamkin UTX Grip
- Pear-shaped clubhead
The R15 460 Black Driver features a lower, forward center of gravity, resulting in reduced spin and controlled shots. Its adjustable sliding split weight allows for draw or fade customization. The driver also provides loft adjustability and features a pear-shaped clubhead for optimal performance.
✅ Pros:
- Covers great distance
- Ability to adjust loft, lie, and spin for altered ball flight
- Suitable for beginners, professionals, and high-level amateurs
- Highly accurate
🚫 Cons:
- May require some time to adjust and tweak settings
The TaylorMade R15 460 Black Driver offers exceptional value for money with its high performance, making it suitable for players of all levels.
Key Considerations for Choosing a Driver
When selecting a driver, there are several key factors to consider. These factors will help you find the perfect driver for yourself, a family member, or a friend.
If you prefer a video summary of these considerations, check out our accompanying video.
The three primary characteristics to consider are the shaft material, clubhead size and shape, and the loft degree.
Shaft Material
Shafts can be made from steel, titanium, or graphite. Steel shafts offer more resistance and durability, making them sturdier than other materials. Graphite shafts, on the other hand, are lightweight, allowing for increased power and distance. Many professional players prefer graphite shafts for their ability to generate greater distance.
For complete beginners, a graphite shaft is recommended as it is more forgiving and easier to handle.
Clubhead Shape and Size
The size of the clubhead is a crucial factor when choosing a driver. The volume of a clubhead is measured in cubic centimeters (cc), with larger clubheads offering greater volume. For beginners, larger clubhead sizes are generally better as they provide a larger surface area, increasing the chances of making solid contact with the ball.
Beginner-friendly drivers are usually forgiving, meaning they perform well even when the ball is not struck perfectly in the sweet spot. Driver clubheads can come in various shapes, such as round, pear-shaped, extended in the back, or square. The shape of the clubhead can affect the club’s control.
Loft
The loft refers to the angle of the clubface. It has a significant impact on the trajectory and launch height of the ball. The optimal loft for your swing speed is an essential consideration.
As a general rule of thumb, consider the following loft options based on swing speed:
- 60-70MPH: 13-15 degree driver
- 70-80MPH: 12-14 degree driver
- 80-90MPH: 11-13 degree driver
- 90-100MPH: 10-12 degree driver
- 100MPH+: 9-11 degree driver
For complete beginners, a higher loft is generally recommended for greater distance. As you progress and improve your swing, you can consider drivers with less loft. Some drivers offer adjustable loft options to cater to different swing styles.
Bottom Line
Golf presents many challenges for beginners, but with the right equipment and practice, you can quickly transition from a novice to a skilled player. The first and most significant obstacle to tackle is gaining control over the driver. Without drives that put you in or near the fairway, it will be challenging to reach the hole in a reasonable number of strokes.
While there are countless golf drivers available, only a select few possess the necessary specifications and features that can help newer players excel. All the drivers in this review guide offer coveted features like distance, forgiveness, and a high launch angle. Before purchasing a driver, consider factors such as loft and flex to suit your game.
If you’re unsure about which driver to choose or need more information, consult your local PGA Pro. They will be able to answer any questions you may have and guide you toward the best golf driver for your needs.
So if this review guide has helped you find the perfect driver, go ahead and add it to your bag. If you’re still undecided, bookmark this page for future reference. Investing in a quality driver as a beginner will help you enjoy the game more and improve your overall performance on the course.