Best Drivers for Distance

Golfers are constantly trying to find ways of hitting the golf ball further off the tee and finding the best drivers for distance is one the easiest ways to do this.

Gaining a few extra yards off the tee can have a huge impact on your scoring potential. It can make your approach shots easier and help you to reach more greens under regulation.

You can gain some bragging rights among friends too. Let’s face it, nobody wants to be the shortest hitter in their fourball.

The development of the latest driver technology has made it easier for a recreational golfer to hit the ball further. I cannot promise that you will be bombing it 300+ yards like Tour Pros, sorry. However, if you have not treated yourself to a new driver in a while you could be sacrificing significant yards from the tee.

We will be taking a look at the best drivers for distance on the market as well as discussing what you should be looking for when purchasing your next driver.

Top 5 Drivers for Distance

TaylorMade M5

Good all-around performance and value – Overall Score: 45/50

Value for Money: 10 | Distance: 8 | Forgiveness: 8 | Adjustability: 10 | Design: 9

TaylorMade released the M5 in 2019, but the performance still compares with the best drivers on the market. Speed Injection optimizes COR performance across the clubface for fast ball speeds and long distances. The newer 2021 TaylorMade SIM2 might offer slightly more distance, but many golfers will still prefer the appearance and consistency of the M5 model. The M5 will save you some money too.

Twist Face technology combined with a Hammerhead 2.0 construction for a tighter dispersion and more distance retention on mishits. T-Track sole adjustability in the form of two 10g weights allow you to personalize your set-up for lower spin or more forgiveness.

Pros:

• As a 2019 model there are often good deals for this driver
• Adjustability is great and ability to add more forgiveness will appeal to many
• Looks great at address
• Should have a wide appeal to lots of golfers

Cons:

• Spin not kept quite as low as other models on our list

Titleist TSi3

Distance, adjustability and a clean look – Overall Score: 46/50

Value for Money: 8 | Distance: 10 | Forgiveness: 8 | Adjustability: 10 | Design: 10

Titleist are known for their classic black drivers, but their newest TSi3 is possibly one of my favorite looking drivers they have ever made. It has a rounded compact shape, nice detailing on the face and a clean black crown.

The newest TSi3 driver uses ATI 425 Aerospace Titanium, which is faster than traditional titanium alloys used to offer improved ball speeds. Titleist have created multi-dimensional stability in the club head for more consistency in performance, even on mishits. The TSi3 driver also has SureFit CG track technology, which offers five options to tinker with your ball flight settings.

Pros:

• Classy Titleist appearance is second to none
• Fast and consistent ball speeds equal improved distance
• Great amount of adjustability

Cons:

• The high price does not represent the best value
• Some golfers will need more alignment on the crown

PING G425 LST

Impressive forgiveness for a low spin driver – Overall Score: 45/50

Value for Money: 9 | Distance: 9 | Forgiveness: 9 | Adjustability: 10 | Design: 9

PING G425 LST has a pear-shaped 445c head designed to drastically reduce spin. This will help to produce a more penetrating ball flight and maximize distance, especially for fast swinging golfers.

A precision forged face and crown turbulators ensure fast club and ball speeds. The internal ribbing structure and Dragonfly technology creates stability through impact and a higher MOI. The G425 LST is a low spin driver that offers long distance, but still maintains a good level of forgiveness on off center strikes.

There is a 17g moveable weight at the back of the head, which allows you to relocate the CG position to suit your shot shape. PING’s Trajectory Tuning 2.0 hosel allows for plenty of adjustability so that you can customize your set-up.

Pros:

• For a low spin driver PING manages to retain good forgiveness
• Noticeable distance improvement compared to G425 Max model
• Plenty of adjustability to tweak the set-up to suit your game
• Reduced turbulators compared to G410 creates a more refined appearance
• Arccos Caddie Smart Grips come as standard

Cons:

• Smaller head size might look intimidating at address
• Need to have a faster swing speed to get the most from this driver

Cobra King Radspeed

Overall best driver for distance – Overall Score: 47/50

Value for Money: 10 | Distance: 10 | Forgiveness: 8 | Adjustability: 10 | Design: 9

When you are looking for the best drivers for distance, it is perhaps no surprise Cobra are on the list given the longest driver on the PGA Tour Bryson DeChambeau is on their staff. The Cobra Radspeed is definitely one of the best one the market and costing slightly less than its competitors is great value too.

The Cobra Radspeed has been named for its Radial Weighting. There is 28g positioned as close to the face as possible for lower spin and faster ball speeds, whilst there is 10g at the back to add forgiveness.

A lighter ultra-thin carbon crown and a redesigned T-Bar chassis have saved the additional weight required. A CNC milled infinity clubface maintains fast ball speeds over a larger area for better distance retention on mishits.

Pros:

• Excellent value versus similar performing drivers
• One of the longest drivers available
• Matte black finish looks great
• Cobra Connect technology come as standard for even more value

Cons:

• I am not a fan of the ‘C’ logo alignment aid on the crown
• Lower spin will not achieve massive distance gains for all golfers versus Speedzone

Callaway Epic Speed

Best for improving your club and ball speed – Overall score: 44/50

Value for Money: 8 | Distance: 10 | Forgiveness: 9 | Adjustability: 8 | Design: 9

Callaway have been leading the way with driver technology for many years and thanks to new Cyclone Aero shaping the Epic Speed is their fastest Epic club head ever. The latest A.I. designed Flash Fash and Jailbreak technology ensures that this driver also has ball speeds to match all across the face. This means you will be hitting the ball longer regardless of whether you are sometimes striking it a little off center.

A lightweight Triaxial carbon crown allows for weight repositioning to improve forgiveness, whilst the Jailbreak technology also helps to ensure stability through impact. The Epic Speed might not be as low spinning as other drivers on our list, but the improved speed is likely to result in just as much distance.

Pros:

• Incredibly fast club head and ball speeds
• Good combination of distance and forgiveness
• Head shape looks nice over the ball
• Should appeal to a wide variety of golfers

Cons:

• Faster swingers may prefer a lower spinning model

How do I choose the correct driver to boost my distance?

Material

Almost all drivers are now made from titanium, with the addition of some composite materials for improved weight distribution. Lightweight and strong, titanium is perfect for large driver clubhead and fast ball speeds off the clubface.

Carbon is ultra-light and commonly added to the crown of a driver to save weight. Tungsten is heavier, so adds weight to specifically selected areas to alter the center of gravity placement. By repositioning the weight further back, drivers benefit from a higher MOI and improved forgiveness.

Clubhead size

The maximum legal drive clubhead size for competitive use is 460cc. When looking for the biggest hitting drivers available, on most occasions size definitely matters.

In general, I would recommend avoiding smaller drivers. Whilst they can still hit the ball a long way, they will normally prioritize slightly more control and workability. The best drivers for distance will typically be the maximum 460cc size, with the one exception in our review the PING G425 LST.

How much adjustability do you need?

Finding a driver with adjustability gives you the ability to create the set-up to optimize your performance. Modern drivers have varying amounts of adjustability, but it is personal preference as to have much you like to make little tweaks.

Some drivers will forgo any adjustability in favor of saving weight. If you choose a driver without adjustability it is best to try it out before you buy.

The most common adjustment tool is through a screw in the heel. This will allow you to change the loft, lie and face angle of the club by varying amounts. These changes are fairly small, but can be helpful if you are struggling with overshaping the ball or want to change your ball flight slightly.

A smaller number of drivers will also have adjustable sole weights. These allow you to change the center of gravity for a different spin and launch profile.

Balancing of MOI, CG and low spin

In the search for the best drivers for distance you will come across lots of lower spin models. Keeping spin rates down is an imperative component to hitting long drives, but this comes at a sacrifice.

To create less spin the center of gravity is positioned slightly further forward than you would find in drivers typically aimed towards higher handicap golfers. This means tha MOI is not as high, which results in less stability for off-center strikes.

In order to maximize distance from a low spin model you also need to have enough clubhead speed at an optimal launch angle. If your swing speed is too low, you will not be able to launch the ball high enough and lose distance on the carry.

You need to be able to find the balance where you keep spin lower, but still get the ball airborne and have enough forgiveness to hit drives consistently longer.

Choose your loft to optimize your launch angle

Standard driver lofts typically range from 8 to 13 degrees, but can vary further for extreme swing types. A driver with more loft produces a higher launch angle.

What loft you should choose will depend on a combination of your swing speed and your angle of attack. An interesting article by Golf Digest goes into more detail on this topic, but essentially if you have an upward angle of attack you are more likely to benefit from a lower lofted driver and vice versa.

If you hit up into the golf ball using a shallower swing with your driver then you will have a naturally higher launch angle. Choosing a higher loft will only add unnecessary height and spin that will cost you distance.

The only exception to this rule will be for golfers that have swing speeds significantly above or below average. If you have a fast (120mph+) swing then a lower loft will help keep you from ballooning the golf ball, which is why you see long driving champions using drivers below 5 degrees of loft. Slow (-80mph) golf swings need more loft, because you need more support with carry distance.

What shaft is best for longer drives?

When it comes to hitting longer drives, getting your shaft right is just as important as the clubhead. Graphite is the standard choice now for drivers, but there are lots of other factors you need to consider.

Flexibility

Choosing the correct flexibility for your shaft is crucial. Too flexible and your drives will have too much spin and your accuracy will be all over the place. Too stiff and you will struggle to get the golf ball airborne. Either way, you will be losing considerable distance.

If you cannot get a custom fit session, then measure your swing speed and choose a flexibility based on the table below. Most manufacturers will offer standard driver shafts from extra stiff through to ladies.

Research conducted by True Spec Golf

Weight

Choosing the weight of your driver shaft is something often glossed over, but if you get it wrong it can cost you some distance and accuracy from the tee.

More powerful players will typically favor a weightier option, whilst golfers with a slower tempo go for a lighter option. It is as much about feel as your golf swing, so it is a good idea to try a few different weights.

If you have the potential to wield a weightier option then this could help improve your angle of attack and give you an extra distance boost.

Kick point

The kick point is the specific area of the shaft with the most flex during the swing.

You may not have even heard of the term kick point before, but it is one of the most important characteristics to consider when choosing the right shaft for your driver.

A high kick point will result in a lower trajectory and lower spin profile, which is ideal for powerful golfers looking to keep spin to a minimum. It is the opposite for a low kick point, which produces more spin with a higher trajectory.

Stock driver shafts will typically have mid kick points to suit the widest variety of golfers, but you could find this is not the best option for you.

Torque

You might be more familiar with torque in reference to cars, but with a driver it refers to how much the shaft twists.

In simple terms, a lower torque has more resistance to twisting so is more stable through impact. This will allow you to swing more aggressively with your driver, so it is typically preferred by the bigger hitters.

Length

The standard driver shaft length is roughly 46 inches, but current golf rules state that a maximum length of 48 inches is allowed in competitions.

Bryson DeChambeau and Phil Mickelson have both experimented with a 48 inch driver shaft for more distance. If you want to absolutely maximize distance, a longer shaft will do this. However, it is much harder to control consistently and there is a reason most Tour Pros stick with a 46 inch shaft.

Will a custom fit session help me hit it further?

Getting your driver custom fit to your golf swing is the only way to ensure it is set-up for optimal performance. If it is within your budget, I would absolutely recommend getting this done.

You can probably tell from reading this article how much information goes into finding the perfect driver for you. With so many options on the market and endless varieties of set-up available to you, there is no substitute for seeing the raw data on a launch monitor.

The results from a driver specifically suited to your swing will inevitably improve your distance. Drivers do not come cheap these days, so getting custom fit also makes sure you get the most out of your shiny new toy.

Product Review Recap

Conclusion

The Cobra King Radspeed came out on top in our review of the best drivers for distance. It is one of the best performers for distance and adjustability, it looks great and is excellent value for money.

All five of the drivers in our review would be excellent choices and have strengths in different areas. Your decision will likely come down to personal preference, but hopefully this article has helped provide you with some helpful information.