Let’s face it, the driver is the most exciting club in the bag. It’s the one club that makes you either look really good at golf or a complete fool. That’s why we have created the perfect Golf Driver Buying Guide to help you understand everything you need to know when improving your tee shots.
Everyone wants to hit it long and straight at the same time, and thanks to the technology inside modern day drivers, we have plenty to think about when optimising our ball flight.
Drivers over the years have totally changed from what they used to be. All the brands are constantly competing with each other to be the most forgiving and longest on the market, making it incredibly confusing for golfers to choose the correct club for them.
Make sure you SUBSCRIBE to our channel so that you don’t miss another video!
One thing you can guarantee, all brands have heavily researched and invested in the best manufacturing processes to ensure they have the most forgiving and longest offerings on the market. Unfortunetely, the result of this is that we are very spoilt for choice, as every brand offers something unique for any level of golfer.
So whichever brand you do go with, then make sure you choose wisely what shaft flex, weight, head size, grip thickness is right for your game.
Whilst it may just be one club in the bag, it is typically the most expensive, making the decision very important.
That’s why we’ve stripped it all down to the basics and broken down everything you need to know when considering a new driver, whether it’s custom fitted or from the second hand market.
What head size is right for me?
Driver heads are measured by volume in cubic centimetres (cc), with the legal limit set at 460cc. Virtually all modern drivers fall between 440cc and 460cc.
Smaller 440cc heads are typically preferred by lower-handicap golfers who like to shape the ball more, as they often produce slightly lower launch and spin numbers. Larger 460cc heads tend to prioritise forgiveness and higher launch, making them more suitable for the average player or those looking for maximum stability and distance on off-centre hits.
In 2025, it’s also common to see multiple head models within the same driver family. For example, most major brands now offer:
Low Spin models – designed to reduce spin and peak height, often for faster swing speeds or windy conditions when keeping your ball flight down is important.
Standard models – offering a balance of distance and forgiveness for the widest range of golfers.
Max models – focusing on maximum forgiveness, often with heel weighting for draw bias.
10K MOI drivers – a newer trend, pushing the boundaries of forgiveness with ultra-high stability and resistance to twisting.
These head options allow golfers to pick a model that best suits their launch characteristics, strike pattern and preferred ball flight before even touching adjustability or shaft options.
What is the best material?
We’ve come a long way since the days of persimmon and steel. In 2025, virtually every premium driver on the market uses titanium, carbon fibre, or a combination of both.
Titanium is still the go-to for club faces due to its strength-to-weight ratio, allowing engineers to make fast, thin faces that maximise ball speed with a large sweet spot.
Carbon fibre has now become a key feature in modern drivers, especially in crowns and soles to help reduce overall weight. This weight saving allows brands to reposition mass elsewhere in the head (often lower and further back) to improve launch and forgiveness.
For example TaylorMade’s latest Qi35 driver features a Multi-Material carbon crown to help with performance.
Some manufacturers like to add tungsten or other heavier materials in areas of the club head to maximise performance. Not only are they easy selling points by having customisable weights, but they can also significantly influence your consistency of strike and ball flight.
For example, Ping’s G440 driver features a rear tungsten weight that can be moved from Draw-Straight-Fade bias if necessary.
What is MOI?
MOI stands for Moment of Inertia, and in simple terms, it’s a measure of forgiveness. A higher MOI means the club resists twisting when you miss the centre of the face, keeping the ball straighter and more stable in flight.
In recent years, manufacturers have pushed MOI to its limits by stretching the size and shape of driver heads. They redistribute weight to the perimeter, and incorporate lightweight materials like carbon to save weight. If you’re someone who doesn’t always find the middle – high MOI is your friend.
What Are Launch Conditions?
Ideally you should be custom fitted for your driver and during this process you may hear the phrase ‘Launch Conditions’. This is a combination of factors that determines how the ball is struck and what the result will be.
There are many factors that create launch conditions but the key ones are back spin and launch angle. The holy grail for spin is 1700 rpm with a launch angle of 17 degrees but that is not currently possible at normal swing speeds.
The ideal numbers vary by swing speed, but a good baseline for many golfers is:
- Launch angle: 10–14°
- Spin rate: 2,000–2,800 rpm
Underneath is a chart provided by Ping to help you understand what numbers you might need to achieve to increase your carry distance.
Faster swingers may benefit from lower spin and launch to maximise carry and roll. Slower swing speeds often need more loft to keep the ball airborne and add carry distance. Launch monitors like Trackman or Foresight GCQuad can help dial in the right combination for your game.
What loft should I choose?
Driver lofts typically range from 8° to 12°, and the right one depends on your swing speed and attack angle.
Slower swings (under 90mph) will benefit from higher lofts (10.5°–12°) to maximise carry distance.
Faster swings (over 100mph) might prefer lower lofts (8°–10.5°) to optimise spin and trajectory.
Loft also influences spin, which impacts both carry and total distance. Many drivers today offer adjustable loft sleeves, giving you the flexibility to tweak launch characteristics without changing the club entirely.
Again, it’s worth mentioning the Ping Launch chart from earlier, a great indication of what loft you should be choosing. For golfers to be able to maximise their carry distance, modern drivers are designed in a way that hitting on-the-up is vital to get the launch numbers correct. It’s worth checking your angle of attack when considering a new driver as a quick change in ball position could gain you instant success.
For example, if you are an average male golfer with a 95mph swing speed using a 10 degree driver. This could be the difference between a positive/negative Angle of Attack (AOA).
| Factor | +3° AoA (Upward Strike) | -3° AoA (Downward Strike) |
|---|---|---|
| Dynamic Loft | 13°–14° | 7°–9° |
| Launch Angle | 14°–15° | 9°–10° |
| Spin Rate | 2,000–2,400 rpm | 2,800–3,200 rpm |
| Carry Distance | 245–255 yards | 225–235 yards |
| Total Distance | 260–270 yards | 235–245 yards |
| Ball Flight | High, penetrating with rollout | High-spinning, lower carry |
| Typical Result | More distance, more rollout | Less distance, ballooning shots |
What is Centre of Gravity?
The Centre of Gravity is the point in the clubhead where weight is concentrated. By shifting this point around, manufacturers can influence how the ball launches and spins.
A low and back CG promotes higher launch and more spin, ideal for increasing carry distance and forgiveness.
A forward CG can produce lower spin and faster ball speeds but may be less forgiving.
Thanks to modern design and moveable weights, players can now fine-tune CG position to suit their shot shape and ball flight preferences.
How does driver adjustability work?
The majority of drivers in 2025 include various forms of adjustability, allowing players to customise their driver to suit their swing, size and conditions. Most of the adjustability contained within these drivers can be broken down into three aspects.
Altering Loft
As we mentioned before, finding the right loft and launch angle can be crucial. By allowing players to adjust the loft of their driver using an adjustable hosel, manufacturers are able to alter the height, carry and spin of a driver.
Most loft adjustments are made by removing a screw in the heel, connecting the shaft to the clubhead, and replacing it to a predetermined setting. Many drivers offer up to 4 or 5 degrees of loft changing, depending on the brand and model.
When you change the loft of the driver using these settings, you will also change the lie, which is the angle of the shaft to the ground at address. This will affect ball flight horizontally left or right. Some adjustable hosels can also enable you to change loft without changing lie and vice versa, so it is worth checking out if lie adjustment is something you need.
A good rule of thumb when purchasing a new driver, allow the custom fitter to determine the driver setup. The only time that loft should then be changed is if you have made a dramatic swing change or adjusted ball position. These days there are so many loft and lie options that it can be a minefield for any average golfer to understand. This is why it’s definitely worthwhile to get properly fitted, rather than spending hours at the range with a driver wrench.
Effect on Face Angle
Face angle refers to the angle of the face at address and can easily be changed when altering the loft.
Typically when a driver is delofted, the clubface will be open to target and could be helpful for people that struggle with a closed face. Vice versa to this, if you add loft to a driver the clubface will point left of target and could be helpful for golfers who struggle with slicing the ball.
Adjustable Weights
This is the ability to alter or move weight in different parts of the clubhead, thus changing the club’s centre of gravity and MOI, which can have a significant impact on ball flight.
The goal of adjustable weights for golfers is to effectively find the optimal centre of gravity at impact. Everyone has their own unique swing and strike pattern, so finding a suitable weight setup could be really helpful.
These weights can vary between 1 to 20 grams and can be positioned around the head to suit your game. Placing more weight in the heel can help create a draw bias. Whereas more weight in the toe can help produce more fade bias. Golfers who struggle with height can even move the weight towards the back of the head to help them launch it higher, or lower their flight by moving it more forward.
What is COR?
COR stands for Coefficent of Restitution and is the measurement of the energy transferred. It is also sometimes known as the Characteristic Time (CT). In simple terms, this is a measurement for how springy the face is at impact.
If COR was equal to 1.00 all of the energy from the clubhead would be transferred to the ball.
Golf’s governing bodies have set the COR limit at 0.83, meaning that there can be no more than an 83% energy transfer from the clubhead to the ball.
Is COR the same as Smash Factor?
The term Smash Factor is similar to COR, but is used primarily by launch monitors to measure how efficient you are at transferring energy from your swing to the ball. It is calculated by dividing ball speed by clubhead speed. For example, if you swing your driver at 100mph and produced a ball speed of 150mph, your maximum smash factor would be 1.50.
How will shaft flex impact my driver?
Getting the right shaft flex is just as important as picking the right head. Flex determines how much the shaft bends during your swing, which can influence launch, spin, and dispersion.
Common flex options:
| Shaft Flex | Swing Speed (mph) | Typical Carry | Player Profile | Launch / Shot Shape Tendency |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ladies (L) | Under 75 mph | <180 yards | Slower swing speeds, beginners, senior women | High launch, more draw bias |
| Senior / Amateur (A) | 75–85 mph | 180–200 yards | Senior men, smoother swings | Higher launch, softer feel |
| Regular (R) | 85–95 mph | 200–230 yards | Mid-handicap players, average male golfers | Balanced launch, slight draw tendency |
| Stiff (S) | 95–105 mph | 230–260 yards | Lower handicap players, stronger swingers | Lower launch, neutral to fade bias |
| Extra Stiff (X) | 105–115+ mph | 260+ yards | Competitive players, faster tempo swings | Penetrating launch, fade bias |
| Tour / XX-Stiff | 115+ mph | 270+ yards | Elite players, long drivers | Very low launch, maximum control needed |
Generally, softer flex shafts launch the ball higher and can help produce a draw, while stiffer shafts lower ball flight and may reduce hooks.
How does shaft length affect a driver?
The maximum legal driver length is 48 inches, but most off-the-rack drivers range between 44.5 and 46 inches.
Longer shafts can theoretically produce more clubhead speed and distance, but they often reduce control and increase dispersion. Many manufacturers are now shortening stock shaft lengths slightly to help players find the middle of the face more often.
Tour players often use shorter shafts (around 44.5″) to gain consistency, so don’t be afraid to experiment with different lengths in a fitting session if available.
For more information on shafts, see our Golf Shaft Buying Guide.
