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).
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
TaylorMade Qi35 Max Driver
Extra stability and forgiveness have meant the Qi35 has been an upgrade to the already impressive Qi10 driver. Stunning looks will also appeal to the masses.
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One of the best and most popular draw bias drivers of 2024 sports a number of new upgrades for 2025 including a new premium look and extra forgiveness.
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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.
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Cobra DS-ADAPT MAX-K Driver
The Elyte X is designed with forgiveness in mind whilst also prioritizing high launch from the tee to help players get the ball airborne and earn a few extra yards on their drives.
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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.
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Wilson Launch Pad 2022 Driver
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.
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The ZXi gives users playability and forgiveness in abundance – a fantastic option for the high handicap player who wants to fall in love with a new driver.
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Cleveland Launcher XL 2 Draw Driver
Stable, easy to launch and available at a very modest price, the Launcher XL 2 provides a great option for those players on a budget.
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Best High Handicap Drivers
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TaylorMade Qi35 Max Driver
(Image credit: Future)
Specifications
Lofts: 9°, 10.5°, 12°
Adjustable Hosel: Yes
Stock Shaft: 2 (Fujikura AirSpeeder or Mitsubishi Diamana T+)
Left Handed Option: Yes – 9°, 10.5°, 12°
Reasons to buy+
Improved lower spin profile
+
Outstanding aesthetics
+
Will suit a broader range golfers this time around
Reasons to avoid-
Slicers may have wanted to see more draw bias
The most stable and forgiving driver in the TaylorMade Qi35 family, the ‘Max’ driver boasts stunning looks and a spin profile that will players of all abilities.
The faults of the Qi10, most notably the sky-high spin levels, have been fixed thanks to the lower CG. whilst a massive 34g weight at the rear of the club head helps stabilize the club through contact. I was blown away with how tight our dispersion was with it during testing as well.
This driver suits really well to slower swing speed players because what you lose in spin rate, you’ll gain in launch. I tested this out during our review process and launch never proved an issue for me despite a slower club head speed. Overall, this is a fantastic option for anyone looking an upgrade for 2025, sporting improved feel, looks, acoustic and upgrading on the already fantastic performance of the Qi10 from 2024.
Ping G440 SFT Driver
(Image credit: Future)
Specifications
Lofts: 9°, 10.5°
Adjustable Hosel: Yes
Stock Shaft: 5 (Ping Alta CB, Ping Alta Quick, Ping Tour 2.0, Project X Denali, Mitsubishi Tensei Black)
Left Handed Option: Yes – 9°, 10.5°
Reasons to buy+
The playing position look is much improved
+
Incredibly easy to draw
+
CG location change has improved launch conditions
Reasons to avoid-
I don’t love the new colorway
The SFT is the most user-friendly driver in the G440 family, promoting a strong draw bias for those who struggle with the right miss and plenty of technology catered to easy high launch. Like the other models in the family, playing position looks are much improved despite a lackluster sole – but we don’t see that bit anyway, do we?
As you can see from the length of this buying guide, the market for high handicapper drivers is a competitive one. We were blown away by the performance of the G430 SFT last year and were excited to see if the G440 could match and surpass it. Ping have begun by massively upgrading the looks – the carbonfly crown on the head looks premium and although the sole design may divide opinion, I wouldn’t lose sleep about it considering we don’t look at the sole of the club during the shot.
The draw bias is also elite. No matter how much I tried during testing I simply could not miss to the right. I’d estimate the draw bias has increased by around 15-20% from the G430 here, a significant and impressive achievement. This is without doubt one of the best drivers from slicers in 2025. When you factor in this alongside the improved feel, feedback and looks, it means this should be a standout option for mid-to-high handicappers in 2025.
Titleist GT2 Driver
(Image credit: Future)
Specifications
Lofts: 8.0°, 9.0°, 10.0°, 11.0°
Adjustable Hosel: Yes
Stock Shaft: Multiple
Left Handed Option: Yes – Available in all lofts
Reasons to buy+
Classic Titleist looks
+
Impressive innovation with the new crown
+
More user friendly than previous families
Reasons to avoid-
The sole view could have more shelf appeal
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.
Cobra DS-ADAPT MAX-K Driver
(Image credit: Future)
Specifications
Lofts : 9°, 10.5°, 12°
Adjustable Hosel: Yes
Stock Shaft: 4 (True Temper Denali Blue 60, True Temper Denali Red 50, True Temper Denali Black 60, MCA Tensei AV Blue 60)
Left Handed Option: Yes but 10.5° stock only available in Denali Blue Stiff & Reg
Reasons to buy+
Incredibly forgiving and stable
+
Neutral flight bias
+
Lots of shelf appeal
Reasons to avoid-
The very high spin profile may limit its appeal to quicker swing-speed players
The MAX-K suits a wide range of golfers but specifically those higher handicap players thanks to the high levels of MOI on offer here.
During testing we loved both the forgiveness and stability levels which compliment the high shelf appeal of this aesthetically pleasing driver.The MAX-K boasts a 10K MOI, aiming to deliver extreme forgiveness and consistency. The MAX-K features a slightly oversized profile (460cc), and the highest MOI of the DS-ADAPT family models.
We also enjoyed the new FutureFit33 adjustable shaft adapter during testing – it allows players to really dial in their driver to suit their playing characteristics by decoupling lie and angle and loft. It’s a high tech piece of kit that can help inexperienced players make some real improvement from off the tee.
Callaway Elyte X Driver
(Image credit: Future)
Specifications
Lofts: 9°, 10.5°, 12°
Adjustable Hosel: Yes
Stock Shaft: 1 (Project X Denali)
Left Handed Option: Yes, in all lofts
Reasons to buy+
Incredibly easy to launch
+
High enough levels of spin without being excessive
+
Solid, robust impact feel
Reasons to avoid-
Will likely be too spinny for mid-to-high speed players
The most user-friendly of the Elyte family, the ‘X’ should be a serious consideration for higher-handicap players looking a fresh driver option in the bag for 2025. Arguably the best driver for easy, high launch of the 2025 range we’ve tested so far, players will also love the predominant draw bias too.
Although the style of the sole will divide opinion, this driver still looks fantastic both in the bag and at address thanks to the new ‘Thermoforged’ carbon crown designed to enable fast club head speeds and facilitate optimal launch and spin outputs. The head features a 13-gram weight than can be adjusted to help players manipulate and customize the ball flight to suit what they want from their driver.
Feel remains pleasant but suitably solid and robust. This is another solid driver from Callaway that will be a popular sight in golf bags throughout 2025.
Mizuno ST-X 230 Driver
(Image credit: Future)
Specifications
Lofts: 9.5°, 10.5°, 12°
Adjustable Hosel: Yes
Stock Shaft: Aldila Ascent Red 50 (Multiple others available)
Left Handed Option: Yes, only available in 9.5°
Reasons to buy+
Powerful sound and feel
+
Beautiful crown and sole aesthetics
+
Impressive draw bias from a neutral set-up
Reasons to avoid-
Limited gains over the previous generation
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.
Wilson Launch Pad 2022 Driver
(Image credit: Future)
Specifications
Lofts: 9°, 10.5° & 13°
Adjustable Hosel: No
Stock Shaft: Project X Evenflow
Left Handed Option: No
Reasons to buy+
Easy to flight
+
Excellent draw-bias performance
Reasons to avoid-
Spun more than we’d want
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.
Srixon ZXi Max Driver
(Image credit: Future)
Specifications
Lofts: 9.0°, 10.5°, 12°
Adjustable Hosel: Yes
Stock Shaft: Project X Denali Red 5
Left Handed Option: 10.5° and 12° only
Reasons to buy+
Exceptional levels of forgiveness
+
Very easy to get airborne
+
Wrapped up in a ‘better player’ look
Reasons to avoid-
The head is not the most confidence-inspiring
We think Srixon clubs are pretty underrated and the ZXi Max proves this theory correct. Delivering outstanding levels of playability and forgiveness, the Max harnesses the same technology as the ZXi or ZXi LS drivers but caters towards the more inexperienced or higher handicap golfer. This club looks fantastic at address and whilst the design of the sole may divide opinion, we’re more interested in the part of the club we can see during address!
This club head doesn’t look as big as some of the other drivers on this list and doesn’t inspire confidence to the same level which shopper in this category of driver may prefer, boasting more of a ‘players’ look given the size and shape of the head. It’s worth seeing what this looks like in person before deciding it’s the driver to add to your arsenal.
As for performance, this club laughed at mishits, gobbling them up and reproducing them as decent drives. This is the tightest dispersion I’ve had with a driver this year bar the impressive TaylorMade Qi35 Max mentioned above in this guide. Ball flight is neutral and consistent, but a bit more draw bias could have suited those who tend to miss to the right off the tee.
Cleveland Launcher XL 2 Draw Driver
(Image credit: Future)
Specifications
Lofts: 9°, 10.5° & 12°
Adjustable Hosel: Yes
Stock Shaft : Aldila Ascent PL 40
Left Handed Option: Yes, available in 10.5° & 12° (9° available by custom order)
Reasons to buy+
Counterbalance weighting makes it feel easy to swing
+
Stable feeling head
+
Easy to launch
Reasons to avoid-
Sound and feel a little harsh
–
Head shape not well balanced (for our tester)
The Launcher XL 2 Draw model is a lightweight, draw bias driver from Cleveland Golf that is designed to help players with a slow to moderate swing speed who struggle to get the ball in the air and/or who suffer from a right miss. This draw-bias nature makes it one of the
Another entry worthy of a spot on our best drivers for slicers guide, the Launcher XL2 delivers a lightweight, draw bias option for players at a price point noticeably lower than other drivers on this list.
This is a driver designed with the slow to moderate swinger of the club in mind. The feel on offer is firm and coupled with a loud acoustic. Ball speeds are excellent and were consistent for us during testing with the ball flying off the face at ample speed. Spin was on the higher side of things which will suit those with particularly slower swing speeds but a neat adjustable hosel will allow users to tweak performance to suit their game.
In contrast to the DS-ADAPT model listed above, we weren’t blown away by the looks of the Launcher XL 2, as the head shape behind the golf ball looked slightly out of balance and the draw bias was very noticeable. Of course, looks are subjective, so not everyone will agree with us – nor should it be a reason to scratch this driver from your list of options.
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.
FAQsWhat 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.
