Paul Liberatore is the founder of Golfers Authority, which reviews the world’s best golf products and gear. This post contains affiliate links, where we may receive a percentage of any sale made from the links on this page. Prices and availability are accurate as of the time of publication.
If there’s one club in the bag weekend warriors like you and I love to hit, it’s the driver. There’s nothing more satisfying than busting a tee shot down the middle of the fairway 30 yards past your playing partners.
But there’s a problem that plagues most golfers. It’s that they’re playing with the wrong driver. If you fall into this category, chances are you’re costing yourself valuable yards off the tee and probably missing too many fairways.
But how are you supposed to know what driver is best for you? Driver technology is constantly changing, and there are countless options. Making the right choice can seem overwhelming if you don’t know what to look for.
But don’t worry. I’ve got some good news. I’ve spent the better part of 2024 researching and testing all the latest and most significant drivers and have compiled a list of what I consider to be the best of the best.
The driver is the most expensive club in your bag. If you purchase something brand-new, it’s probably an investment north of $500. To that end, it’s vitally important that you consider several different factors before a final decision.
The first thing you need to consider is your budget. While you might be tempted to buy the most expensive driver on the market because it’s what everyone else is playing, there’s a good chance it’s not the best choice for you. The bottom line is you need to make sure you can afford the driver you will buy.
Once you’ve established how much money you can spend on a driver, you should schedule a fitting with a PGA Professional. More than any other club in your bag, it’s imperative that you get properly fitted for your driver. During a formal fitting, your PGA Pro will identify your best driver head, loft and shaft type. Even though this process might cost you a little extra money and take some time, it’s more than worth it. Whatever you do, always try to get fitted before buying a new driver.
After you’ve gone through a fitting and narrowed down your prospective list of drivers to a select few, you must choose the one you’re the most comfortable with. Like any other club, you should feel confident standing over your driver. Not only that, but you should like the way it feels and sounds.
Now that we’ve established a few important factors to consider when buying a new driver let’s look at our top drivers for 2024.
For years, Ping has been known for making some of the most forgiving drivers in golf. While that trend continues this year, they’ve also produced one of the longest: the G430 LST.
This driver helps golfers with fast swing speeds reduce spin and increase ball speed. That’s the ticket when it comes to maximizing distance.
The LST features a Carbonfly Wrap crown that covers both the heel and toe. This ultra-lightweight design allows the CG to be set lower in the clubhead allowing for both increased ball speed and MOI.
The T9S+ forged clubface uses variable thickness to maximize deflection and again, increase ball speed.
Get the best price on the PING G430 LST through our partners at PGA TOUR Superstore
An all-new internal rib structure creates a sound that’s neither tinny or dead. It’s downright solid.
Variable roll radius lessens loft on the bottom of the clubface to reduce spin and maximize distance on thin drives.
The 22-gram backweight is adjustable and allows you to customize launch conditions as well and neutral, draw, and fade biases.
As we’d expect from Ping, the G430 LST is loaded with advanced tech and design features that all work to produce maximum ball speeds and distance.
It should come as little shock that a TaylorMade driver sits at the top of our list as the best-looking driver in 2024. For as long as we can remember, they’ve been making some of the most aesthetically pleasing drivers in the game.
But it’s not all about great looks with the Qi10. It’s also one of the most forgiving on the market thanks to multi-material construction that’s engineered to deliver optimal MOI.
Compared to previous TaylorMade drivers, the CG in the Qi10 has been lowered in the clubhead to help golfers get the ball in the air while increasing forgiveness at the same time.
Like all the drivers in the Qi10 family, this driver features a carbon crown that covers some 97% of the club’s top. Because the crown is so light, weight has been redistributed elsewhere in the club where it can be better optimized.
Get the best price on the TaylorMade Qi10 driver through our partner at PGA TOUR Superstore
The patented 60X Carbon Twist Face is one of the lightest on the market. As such, it maximizes energy transfer between the clubhead and ball at impact. It also increases performance on off-center strikes.
The trademark Thru-Slot Speed Pocket works to preserve ball speed, especially on strikes low on the clubface.
The Qi10 also offers plenty of adjustability options including lofts that can be moved two degrees weaker or stronger from standard.
While the TaylorMade Qi10 is a sexy looking driver, there’s a whole lot more to the story in terms of performance.
Earlier this year, I had the chance to spend some time with the PXG staff at their headquarters at Scottsdale National Golf Club here in Phoenix. It was an amazing experience, and I had the chance to go through a custom fitting for the PXG O311 Black Ops Driver.
Designed to be a high-launch, low-spin driver, the O311’s AMF Technology is some of the most advanced I’ve ever seen in a driver. It incorporates a proprietary titanium alloy to ensure consistent and efficient transfer of energy between the clubhead and ball at strategic points across the entire clubface.
Composite crown and sole inserts are made from high-grade carbon fiber that undergoes a highly intricate compression process. The use of such lightweight material allows mass to be distributed into other areas of the clubhead where it can be used more efficiently to increase MOI and therefore forgiveness. It also moves the CG lower and further back in the clubhead promoting a higher launch.
The O311 Black Ops also comes with three interchangeable weights that allow you to optimize, spin, fade, and draw bias settings.
Non-Uniform Bulge and Roll Design strategically varies the vertical and horizontal curvatures across the clubface to not only further increase forgiveness, but optimize performance on off-center strikes.
Lastly, Natural Frequency Optimization improves this driver’s feel and sound.
Overall, the PXG O311 Black Ops driver is one of the best I’ve ever hit. I put it in my bag straight away and it’s not going anywhere anytime soon.
For years, Ping has consistently made the most forgiving drivers in golf. That’s why it’s no surprise that golfers across the board (me included) think the G430 Max 10K is the most forgiving in 2024.
As its name would suggest, the G430 Max 10K exceeds the 10,000 g-cm2 combined MOI threshold making it the most forgiving driver Ping has ever made.
Combined with a fixed back weight, oversize head profile, and a Carbonfly Wrap crown, you’ve got the ultimate recipe for helping both solid shots and mishits soar straight down the middle of the fairway.
The clubface is made from T9S+ titanium which optimizes flex for explosive ball speeds and increased distance.
Get the best price on the Ping G430 Max through our partner at PGA TOUR Superstore
Trajectory Tuning 2.0 utilizes an aerodynamic hosel sleeve that lets you customize the club in eight different positions for optimal launch and ball flight conditions.
Lastly, unlike a lot of Ping drivers that have sounded tinny in the past, the G430 Max 10K produces a more muted, solid sound that’s pleasing to the ear.
If you struggle finding the center of the clubface with your current driver, I highly recommend taking the Ping G430 Max 10K out for a test drive.
Out of all the drivers I tested this year, the Cobra DarkSpeed X sounded the best. There wasn’t anything tinny about it, yet it didn’t sound dull or dead either. Solid is the best word I can use to describe its sound.
More than that though, this driver performs on all fronts. It packs a powerful punch of speed, forgiveness, high launch, and stability.
Like the DarkSpeed LS, Cobra’s DarkSpeed X driver was conceived by aerospace engineers using space-grade materials.
You can easily optimize your spin conditions with the DarkSpeed X thanks to adjustable back and forward weights.
Get the best price on the DarkSpeed X driver through our partner at PGA TOUR Superstore
The DarkSpeed X sees Cobra’s patented PWR-BRIDGE moved lower and farther forward in the clubhead than in years past. This increases ball speeds, minimizes spin, and increases club-to-ball energy transfer at impact.
The PWRSHELL L-Cup face is also 10% larger. This provides golfers more forgiveness.
The upgraded H.O.T. clubface design also maximizes the efficiency of both spin and speed across the clubface.
Out of the drivers in this year’s Cobra family, the DarkSpeed X not only sounds the best, it performs at an elite level too.
The Callaway Paradym AI Smoke line of drivers just might be the most comprehensive for 2024.
For golfers looking for raw distance above all else, there’s no better driver in 2024 than the Callaway Paradym AI Smoke Max driver.
Like the others in this family the Max driver’s clubface is designed by AI that’s taken into account hundreds of thousands of different swing iterations. The end result is more than 20 micro deflections that act as sweet spots all over the clubface. So, no matter where you catch the ball on the face, maximum performance is guaranteed.
Buy the Callaway Paradym AI Smoke through our partner at PGA TOUR Superstore
The AI Smoke Max also features adjustable perimeter weighting in the back of the clubhead allowing for up to 19 yards of shot shape correction.
Lastly, the 360-degree carbon fiber chassis is 15% lighter than last year’s Paradym model. This allows weight to be concentrated in more strategic parts of the clubhead. The result is less drag, more speed, and forgiveness.
If you want to bomb it like the big boys, check out the Callaway Paradym AI Smoke Max driver.
If you swing the club at a fast rate of speed, chances are a driver that produces minimal spin is going to benefit you most.
The TaylorMade Qi10 LS driver is designed to deliver exactly that. Low spin conditions are due in large part to the deep face and compact head shape.
Even though this driver is designed for elite players, it still offers plenty of forgiveness thanks to multi-material construction that maximizes MOI.
An infinity carbon fiber crown covers 97% of the top of the clubhead. This allows for maximum mass distribution and even more forgiveness.
Get the best price on the TaylorMade Qi10 LS driver through our partners at PGA TOUR Superstore
In the back of the club, you’ll find an 18-gram moveable weight that not only allows for shot shape optimization, but decreases spin and reduces turbulence.
The Qi10 LS also features TaylorMade’s third generation of the Twist Face which is made of 60X carbon fiber. Lighter than traditional titanium and most other alloys on the market, this material reduces weight and maximizes energy transfer at impact.
Played by the likes of Tiger Woods and Tommy Fleetwood, the TaylorMade Qi10 LS driver is sure to be a head-turner for better players with faster than average swing speeds this year.
For decades, Titleist has been a stalwart in the golf club industry when it comes to producing quality drivers. The all-new TSR2 is no different.
Compared to last year’s model, the body of the new TSR2 is slimmed down, but its performance features are ramped up.
The new head shape is one of the most aerodynamic Titleist has ever produced. Golfers are able to generate more clubhead speed which results in faster ball speeds and more distance.
Get the best price on the Titleist TSR2 driver through our partner at PGA TOUR Superstore
The Multi-Plateau Variable Thickness clubface optimizes shot performance not only on center strikes, but mishits as well.
The CG has been moved forward and lower in the clubhead eliminating unnecessary spin while increasing ball speed at the same time.
While it might not seem like there’s anything too revolutionary about this year’s TSR2 driver, it performs consistently for golfers of all ability levels.
Out of all the drivers I tested, the Srixon ZX5 Mk II was the most forgiving. It was also one of the hottest.
This driver’s Rebound Frame has two flex zones, while most drivers only have one. This feature elevates COR across the face for faster ball speeds.
The Ti51AF titanium alloy face is one of the hardest surfaces on earth and allows the ball to come off like a rocket.
The crown of the ZX5 Mk II consists of a series of ridges and latticework that are both ultra-lightweight and stable. This allows mass to be placed elsewhere where it can be used to optimize launch and spin conditions.
Get the best deal on the ZX5 Mk II through our partner at PGA TOUR Superstore
On the bottom of the club, you’ll find an interchangeable 8-gram sole weight which can be customized to your specific swing.
On the whole, I found the Srixon ZX5 Mk II driver to be plenty forgiving without sacrificing anything in the distance department.
Anybody that’s ever hit a Mizuno golf club knows that they make some of the best feeling clubs in the game.
New for 2024 is the Mizuno ST-Z 230 driver and it more than lives up to that reputation.
The main reason this driver feels so good is because it’s so stable. This driver’s Coretech Chamber utilizes Sole Flex TPU material that reduces stress on the clubface and emits a muted, dampening sound that both feels and sounds incredibly solid.
Balanced composite weight distribution also limits torque and increases stability.
Deeper CG and shorter CG distance reduce spin while affording better players the workability they demand.
The clubface is made of 6-4 titanium and incorporates multi-thickness design to maximize shot performance across the entire face.
If you’re looking for a low-spin driver that feels more solid than anything else on the market, the Mizuno ST-Z 230 driver is the only way to go in 2024.
Get the best price on the Mizuno ST-Z driver through SI Golf’s partner, PGA TOUR Superstore
Equipment changes faster in golf than in any other sport, especially regarding drivers. The major manufacturers are constantly upgrading their technology and releasing new clubs.
But that doesn’t mean finding the correct driver for your game must be daunting. If you stay within your budget, go through a proper fitting, and narrow your choices, I’m confident you can turn your driver into a weapon instead of a liability. You’ll start shooting lower scores and having much more fun when you do.