8 Best Golf Drivers For Beginners [2023 New Golfer Picks]

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We’ve been searching for the best golf drivers for beginners and have compiled the very best beginner golf drivers into this complete summary to help you with deciding which driver is the best one for you.

The Best Golf Drivers For Beginners Main Image

Having the right driver in the bag is crucial for a beginner golfer and can be a hugely influential factor in the difference between success and failure when looking to increase driver distance. In our guide as well as showing you the very best golf driver for beginners, we’ll cover a whole range of important buying factors that are crucial to know as part of the golf driver selection process.

Driving a golf ball can be a challenge for the beginner golfer so it would make perfect sense to find a club that fits certain criteria and lend itself to a beginner golfer’s game. By having the best golf driver for beginners in 2023 you can reduce the amount of shots taken on a hole which will help you to reduce your golf handicap faster.

In A Hurry? Here’s Our #1 Pick:

TaylorMade SIM MAX Driver

The TaylorMade SIM Max driver is a great all round driver for beginners who are looking for high performance.

  • Highly Durable
  • Large Sweet Spot
  • Adjustable

2023 Top 3 Comparison:

Editors Choice
TaylorMade SIM MAX 2
TaylorMade SIM MAX 2
  • Loft: 10.5/12 Degrees
  • Shaft: Graphite
  • Price: $$$
Value Choice
TaylorMade M2
TaylorMade M2
  • Loft: 9.5/10.5/12 Degrees
  • Shaft: Graphite
  • Price: $$
Budget Choice
PGX Offset
PGX Offset
  • Loft: 9.5/10.5/12 Degrees
  • Shaft: Graphite
  • Price: $

8 Best Golf Drivers For Beginners in 2023

Below we go into full detail about what exactly the best beginner drivers of 2023 are.

1. Best Adjustable Driver For Beginners: TaylorMade SIM Max

TaylorMade SIM MAX Driver

The TaylorMade SIM Max driver is a great all round driver for beginners who are looking for high performance.

  • Highly Durable
  • Large Sweet Spot
  • Adjustable

If you’re looking for an all round driver from a leading brand then the TaylorMade SIM Max is a great choice. Not only is it built with the highest quality materials but it also performs great for beginners. When comparing the TaylorMade SIM Vs Sim Max it would be the SIM Max which wins for starter golfers as it is more forgiving and has around an 8% larger face than the SIM Driver which makes hitting the sweet spot more likely. You will also be able to get plenty of loft to hit long accurate tee shots.

Find Out More: TaylorMade SIM Driver Review

2. Easy Driver To Hit For High Handicappers: Taylormade M2 Driver

TaylorMade 2017 M2 Men's Driver 460cc

The TaylorMade M2 is a great all-round driver that offers performance for golfers of all abilities.

  • Beginner Friendly
  • Adjustable Loft
  • Good Value For Money

Another of our recommended beginner golf drivers is this great club from TaylorMade. Like the Great Big Bertha Driver from Callaway it has a huge sweet spot which is exactly why it makes the list of the best golf drivers for beginners.

The only factor for us that brings it down on our ratings is the cost being slightly higher as cost is a huge buying factor for beginner golfers.

Pros:

  • Large Sweet Spot
  • Adjustable Loft
  • Great Design
  • Used By Leading Pros

Cons:

  • Older Model

Read our full Taylormade M2 Driver review.

3. Best Distance Driver For Beginners: Callaway Great Big Bertha

great big bertha beginner golf driver

Looking for a Callaway beginner golf driver that will allow you to achieve great distance from the tee while being consistent? We say look no further than this driver! If you are asking yourself ‘are big bertha clubs good for beginners?’ then our answer is a resounding YES!

It’s got great distance, a huge sweet spot and as far as modern golf drivers go it is reasonably priced so it ticks all of the boxes that you would be looking for in a beginner golf driver in 2023 and especially a Callaway driver for beginners that can increase your average driver distance.

Pros:

  • Great For Both Distance & Accuracy
  • Leading Driver Brand
  • New Jailbreak Technology Used
  •  

Cons:

  • Price

Read our full Callaway Great Big Bertha Driver review.

4. All Round Starter Driver: Cobra Fly Z

cobra mens fly z golf driver

This Cobra Driver also features highly on our list mainly due to it’s adjustable loft. This is especially good for not only beginner golfers but also more experienced players as depending on the conditions and ability level a different loft may be suitable and it is available all in one club.

Pros:

  • Great For Distance
  • Versatile Driver 
  • Good Long Term Choice

Cons:

  • Premium Choice

Read our full Cobra Fly Z Driver Review.


5. Forgiving Driver For High Handicappers: Callaway Epic Max

Callaway Golf Epic Max Driver

The Callaway Epic Max is a great all round driver for those looking forgiveness off the tee.

  • AI Technology
  • All Round Performance
  • Durable

Something that is often a problem for beginner golfers is slicing the golf ball on every shot. Now this can be mainly down to needing to learn how to grip a golf club or use a technique that will correct a golf slice. However, if you struggle with slicing the golf ball then choosing the best driver for a slice is the most forgiving choice out of the Callaway Epic driver group which makes it more beginner friendly. It also comes with adjustable weighting and with plenty of loft options which makes it flexible and a great choice.

Pros:

  • Great For Reducing Slices
  • Great For Distance
  • Lightweight
  • Great Feel

Cons

  • Cheaper Alternatives

6. Beginner Driver With Large Sweet Spot: Ping G25

ping g5 beginner driver

Hitting long tee shots are imperative for golfers, that goes without saying. However, it is also important to be accurate off the tee which may lead you to wanting to use the most forgiving driver with a large sweet spot and a great loft for beginners the Ping G25 Driver is high on our list of the best beginner golf drivers.

Read our full Ping G25 Driver Review.

Pros:

  • Large Sweet Spot
  • Great Design
  • Leading Brand
  • 12 Degree Loft Option

Cons:

  • Older Model

7. Lightweight Entry Level Driver: Callaway Men’s XR

callaway xr beginner driver

If you are looking to increase your swing speed to get further distance on the golf ball then you will love this Callaway Driver. It is one of the lightest golf drivers on the market while it also includes an adjustable loft making it one of the most efficient golf drivers you will find and an especially great driver for beginner golfers.

Pros:

  • Lightweight
  • Adjustable Loft
  • Built For Speed

Cons:

  • Might Experience Less Control

8. Good Cheap Golf Driver For New Golfers: PGX Offset

PGX Offset Golf Driver

The PGX Offset Driver will allow you to hit more accurate tee shots and prevent slices. It is an affordable option for golfers looking to save money.

  • Budget Friendly
  • Easy To Use
  • Anti Slice Technology

Starting out chances are that you don’t want to spend a fortune on a custom golf driver. That is why it may be a shrewder move to purchase a good cheap golf driver to get you started that isn’t one of the biggest names in the industry but is much cheaper while still holding it’s own performance wise. If this is the case for you then the PGX Offset is for you.

This may not be your dream driver in the long term, especially if you play more regularly and demand more from your clubs. However, it will be a great, affordable choice if you are getting started.

Pros:

  • Best Value For The Price
  • Designed For Accuracy
  • Beginner Friendly

Cons:

  • No Thrills Option
  • Lower Durability

Read our full PGX Offset review here.

The Benefit Of Owning A Good Golf Driver As A Beginner

best golf driver for beginnersHaving a good golf driver is crucial for a beginner golfer as it will help them to hit their tee shot better. In terms of hitting their tee shot better they should also be able to hit it both further and more accurately.

This will allow them to improve their handicap faster and also make the game of golf more enjoyable to play. Upon improving a beginner golfer may then wish to make a choice from the list of best drivers for mid handicappers.

As golfers progress and get more comfortable with their driver and improve their swing speed in golf, they often look to customise the club to improve it further. For example they may measure the driver shaft to ensure they can then choose the best driver shafts for distance which will carry the ball even further off the tee.

How To Choose A Golf Driver For Beginners

Criteria #1: Forgiveness

Having the most forgiving driver can be a saving grace for many beginner golfers. This is because it allows the ball to still go far and accurate even when the shot is mis-hit, which is a common occurrence for beginners.

A common mistake that many beginners make is choosing a driver that is advanced, top of the range and expensive because it is used by the pro’s. However, starting out this can be a disastrous decision. This is because these clubs are advanced and due to the higher standard of golfer using the clubs the forgiveness on them is lower which causes a beginner golfer to make more mistakes with them.

The number 1 priority for a beginner golfer when choosing the best golf driver for them should be to select a driver which is forgiving.

Criteria #2: Pricing

Another important selection criteria for beginner golfers is finding the best value beginner golf drivers. This is important to beginners as when they are just getting started they don’t want to be spending a fortune on equipment as some golf equipment can be expensive. It makes most sense to find a club which has all of the other key components for a beginner driver but also represents great value.

Criteria #3: Club Loft

Loft is a key element when it comes to driver selection. Quite often this is an element of driver selection that beginner golfers overlook without realising that it can make a huge difference in distance and ability in shots from the tee.

Getting the best driver loft for distance is important as a higher loft will generally allow the ball to go higher with a lower loft allowing the ball to go at a lower trajectory. The typical rule of thumb for a beginner golfer is to choose a driver with a higher loft not only because of the distance benefits but also for accuracy benefits too. This can also be the case when searching for either the best women’s driver or the best senior driver, due to a slow swing speed.

The reason that beginner golfers require higher loft for their driver than experienced players is because in the majority of cases their club head speed is slower than a low handicap golfer with the rule of thumb being the slower the club head speed the higher the loft. A beginner golfers club head speed would typically be around 70 mph – 100 mph meaning the most suitable driver loft for them would be between 11 and 16 degrees.

The advantage of many modern drivers is that they have adjustable loft which is beneficial as it allows the golfers to select the loft themselves.

Criteria #4: Distance

Choosing a club based on forgiveness and the loft is a great start for beginners but also if possible another criteria that is advantageous is a club that allows you to hit the ball as far as possible off the tee (maybe even as far as Dustin Johnson!). Not all clubs are created equally and if you can find the best driver for distance that gives you that extra few yards advantage while being beginner friendly why would you not take it, right?

In Summary – The Best Golf Driver For Beginners in 2023 is…

Each of the beginner golf drivers that we have highlighted have their own specific merits which make them a great choice of driver for beginner golfers. However, our number one choice has to be the TaylorMade M2, not only is it flexible as a driver but it also a really forgiving choice, especially for beginners.

A good starter golf driver is a great addition to any bag, especially if you have purchased beginner golf clubs and want to take your game to the next level. Another thing to remember is that having golf balls for beginners can help aid your game off the tee too and you shouldn’t neglect your short game so it can be beneficial to choose wedges for beginners.

However, nothing will be able to substitute working on becoming consistent at golf by following beginner golf tips.

Knowing how to golf as a beginner is important in setting yourself up for success on the golf course. For us we believe two things that are important for beginner golfers are affordability and having the ability to enjoy the game of golf while learning and improving and we feel this driver offers both of those features in abundance!

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