This article was originally published by nationalclubgolfer.com
The 2023 season is here, which means there’s a whole host of new drivers on the market, but which ones are actually suitable for senior golfers?
We’ve hit them in the sun, in the rain, abroad, at home, in the heat, in the snow, on the course, and in a simulator room with TaylorMade TP5 golf balls using TrackMan to create honest reviews you can actually trust.
We’ve dove deep into the data and the new technology to provide you with a list of drivers that you should consider if you’re a senior player.
So what are the best-rated golf drivers for senior golfers?
Titleist TSR1 driver
I hit a few more shots with it and was really impressed with how easy it was to hit and how effortlessly I was able to get the ball in the air higher than I ever have. The first shaft I tried was the TSR1 specific shaft which is only 40g, and I loved it. The ball was spinning way too much to be optimal, but I didn’t want to stop using it as it was just so much fun.
The TSR1 is 40g lighter than any of the other TSR drivers, with weight savings in the head shaft and grip. This will allow players with a slower swing speed to move the club quicker and hit it further. It also has the lowest and furthest back center of gravity, which provides a high launch and maximum forgiveness.
Overall this is a great addition to the TSR line-up; it will help slower players hit it higher and further whilst also helping low-spin players enjoy hitting the driver more often. It won’t be for everyone, but it will help many golfers enjoy their games more.
PROS
- High launching
- Super light for maximum clubhead speed
- Really forgiving
CONS
- Not the best option for high-spin players
Right-handed lofts: 9°, 10°, 12°
Left-handed lofts: 10° (9° and 12° custom only)
Titleist featured shafts: Mitsubishi MMT SpeedMesh 40 (Men’s) and 35 (Ladies)
Callaway Paradym X Driver
As with the rest of the Paradym range, this is a great-looking driver. At address, the club head is more elongated than the rest of the family. This is to allow Callaway to get more weight low and back, so this club is easier to launch and is more forgiving.
I loved how easy-to-hit this model felt, and I think this would really suit mid to high-handicap golfers, but personally, for my game, it launched too high and spun too much to put in play. I do think this could be dialed in with a proper custom fitting, though.
So how does this perform compared to the rest of the Paradym range? It definitely launched the highest. My highest shot launched at 121.4ft with an average of just over 100ft which was 14ft higher than the Paradym and 18ft higher than the Triple Diamond. If you struggle to get enough height on your driver, this would be a great option to launch the ball higher. It also spun the most, which was to be expected given the CG location is further back.
PROS
- Great dispersion
- Very consistent carry distances
- A forgiving driver on off-center strikes
- One of the best golf drivers for seniors for distance
CONS
- Ball flight may be too high for some
- Bigger head than other Paradym options
Lofts: 9°, 10.5°, 12°
Stock shafts: MCA Aldila Ascent PL Blue, Project X Hzrdus Silver
Grip: Golf Pride Tour Velvet 360 or WMS Lamkin ST Soft Undersized
Cobra Aerojet Max Driver
It is worth noting that the sole features adjustable weights that allow you to adjust the ball flight further. Two weights, one 12 grams and the other 3 grams, sit in the sole of the club head. Add the heavyweight in the heel if you want more draw bias. If you want a more neutral ball flight, add the heaviest weight to the rear of the club head.
Often draw bias drivers are so optimized for the shot shape they don’t always keep up in the distance department. This wasn’t true of the Aerojet Max at all. On average it only carried 3 yards shorter than the LS which is impressive when you consider the aerodynamic and head weighting differences.
Overall this is another great driver from Cobra. It is seriously worth checking out if you are fed up of missing the fairway to the right and also if you want something easy to hit high and need a driver that spins more.
PROS
- Great distance
- Will suit lots of golfers
- Very draw bias
- Easy to hit and launch
- Weight options to control the level of draw bias
CONS
- Some players may spin too much
Lofts: 9°, 10.5° & 12°
Stock shafts: MCA Kai’li Blue 60, UST Helium Nanocore
Grip: Lamkin Crossline
Wilson Dynapwr Driver
Wilson has put a 16g weight at the back of the club which drags back the center of gravity and increases MOI, making it really easy to hit, and easy to hit straight.
Interestingly the CoG of the driver is not in the center of the head and is just misaligned from the sweet spot. The heel-biased center of gravity is to help golfers who fade the ball straighten their flight or to give better players a more consistent draw shape.
I wouldn’t normally use a draw-biased head but the shots I produced were really consistent, with none finishing to the right of the target. This predictability could be a real asset to me out on the course and it is definitely worth considering.
Forgiveness is a huge factor when it comes to picking the right driver, and this has to be one of the most forgiving out available at the moment. It is also incredibly adjustable, which we didn’t see in last year’s driver, but this is a huge win for golfers who can now really customize their flight. This is one of the best golf drivers for senior golfers.
PROS
- Smaller, more classic shape
- One of the most forgiving drivers on the market
- Will suit slower swing speeds
- Centered hits gave very competitive ball speeds compared to more expensive drivers
- One of the best golf drivers in 2023 for seniors
CONS
- Non-centered center of gravity won’t suit players who hook the ball
Lofts: 9˚, 10.5˚, 13˚
Featured shafts: Fujkura Ventus Blue & Project X HZRDUS Smoke Red RDX
Grips: Lamkin Crossline 360
Ping G430 Max driver
Initial shots felt like they were going further from the same club head speed, which is always a good sign. My average carry distance was 233.4 yards, which is the distance I would want to see from my driver, and my longest shots were getting out at just under 240 yards.
Clearly, the most consistent thing about this data though is the dispersion. Both the front-to-back and left-to-right dispersion is ridiculously small. I’m honestly not even really sure how I generated such consistent data.
In terms of ease of use, this felt exceptionally easy to launch and get down the fairway even with the 9° club head I tested.
Spinsistency is a huge story in this range and it was really interesting looking at the consistency of the data here. The spin rate only varied by 350 rpm across all my shots which is very consistent.
PROS
- Excellent carry distances
- Really consistent data
- Forgiving on off-center strikes
- Great dispersion
- Sound seriously improved vs G425
CONS
- Bigger club head than some other brands
Right-handed lofts: 8°, 9°, 10°, 11°
Ping stock shafts: ALTA CB BLACK 55 / 65 / 70, PING TOUR 2.0 CHROME 65 / 75 / 85, PING TOUR 2.0 BLACK 65 / 75, ALTA QUICK 35 / 45
Optional shafts (no upcharge): PROJECT X HZRDUS SMOKE RED RDX 50/60/70, MITSUBISHI KAI’LI WHITE 60/70,
The TaylorMade Stealth 2 HD Driver
My first shot with the Stealth 2 HD was a high bomb with a touch of the draw that was remarkably easy to create. I didn’t feel like I had to work at all to get the ball turning over at all, and the ball seemed to launch in a completely different flight window compared to the other two Stealth 2 drivers.
I wouldn’t normally go anywhere near a draw-biased driver, with my bad shot normally being a low hook, so I wasn’t sure how I would get on with the Stealth 2 HD. I was quickly blown away by how easy to hit the driver was and how well the miss-hit shots performed.
The new face design features an advanced version of Inverted Cone Technology (ICT) to help maintain ball speed on off-center strikes and increase forgiveness. It also features a flexible speed pocket in the sole, which boosts performance on low-face strikes.
PROS
- Hugely forgiving, so ideal for high-handicap golfers and mid-handicap golfers
- Great launch characteristics
- Draw features really work
- One of the best drivers in golf
CONS
- Limited stock shaft options
Lofts: 9°, 10.5°, 12°
Featured shaft: Fujikura Speeder NX Red: S (60g) R & A (50g)
Best Golf Drivers For Seniors: FAQs
How do we test drivers?
Each driver is hit with TP5 golf balls to allow us to collect launch monitor data with our in-house TrackMan and Flightscope. After this it is time to head out onto the golf course and test the clubs in practice and competition play. We do this across a variety of golf clubs in our base of Yorkshire.
What is important when buying a new driver?
When buying a new driver it is important to know what you want from that club to help you improve.
Most people are looking for more distance, each driver model is optimised for different things. Depending on your swing and your impact conditions, you may not actually hit the model that is advertised as the longest, the furthest. So if you want more distance it is always worth giving different models a hit before you make a decision.
For most golfers, especially high handicappers, something that is more forgiving is going to yield the best performance. Most forgiving golf drivers have a slightly bigger club head with perimeter weighting for high MOI. They also have a center of gravity that is further back to help players get more height on their shots.
Do you want something that is draw bias? There are so many models out there to help with slice correction, it would be silly not to take a look if you see your ball disappearing into the right trees too often. A closed face and draw bias weighting can get you hitting straighter shots in no time at all.
Don’t forget about the shaft either. Getting the correct shaft can help dial in your spin, launch angle and can also give you some extra distance. Having a club fitting or trying different options with your local pro can really improve the performance of your new driver.
How To Use A Golf Driver
Driving the ball well is one of the most difficult skills in golf to master, but it’s a vital ingredient to improving your golf and being a good player. After the basics of tee the ball up high enough, widening your stance and moving the ball forward in your stance, how do you go about improving?
Check out this video where Equipment Editor Hannah Holden and PGA Professional Jack Backhouse go through some drills you can do to start getting better.
How To Draw The Ball In Golf With a Driver
Learning to draw the ball and fixing your slice makes driving the golf ball a lot further, as not only will you hit it a lot further, but you will be able to control your ball better in the wind and on doglegs.
Hannah and Jack have made a useful video to help you understand why the ball is not drawing, and what to work on to get it drawing properly, which you can check out HERE