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There are loads of new drivers out in 2025, but which ones actually suits a player who needs help saving shots off the tee? We’ve got you covered with our list of best drivers for high handicappers 2025…..
As a high handicapper, finding the right golf driver can be a challenging task. Fortunately, there are several top brands offering specialised drivers in 2025 to help golfers improve their game.
In this article, we will be taking a closer look at some of the best golf drivers for high handicappers from trusted brands in the industry. These include the Tour Edge Exotics E725, Cleveland HiBore XL, the new Cobra DS-Adapt MAX-K, MAX-D and the 2024 Darkspeed X driver; the new Callaway Elyte, Elyte X and the previous Callaway models – Paradym Ai Smoke Max D and Big Bertha drivers; the new Ping G440 Max and previous year’s G430 Max 10K driver, the Titleist TSR1 and GT2 drivers; the Wilson Dynapwr Max 2025 and Dynapwr 2024 driver, the TaylorMade Qi35 Max and Qi10 Max Driver, the Srixon ZXi Max Driver and the Mizuno ST-X 230 Driver.
Each driver is designed with unique features to help high handicappers achieve greater distance, accuracy, and overall performance on the course.
Plus, scroll down to the end to watch our video review of all the best Drivers of 2025.
Tour Edge has produced a driver that feels far more expensive than it is. The Exotics E725 is an exceptional offering for golfers who prioritise forgiveness, consistency, and customisability. While it may not be the longest driver on the market, it earns top marks for its ease of use and playability.
It’s a fantastic option for seniors and mid-to-high handicappers who want dependable performance off the tee without spending a fortune. Whether you’re looking to gain confidence with the driver or just want to keep it in play more often, the E725 is an option that simply makes sense.
It’s fair to say this is a bold return to radical driver shaping.
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The Cleveland HiBore XL is a forgiveness-focused powerhouse that might not be visually to everyone’s taste, but absolutely deserves a spot in the bag of anyone struggling with consistency off the tee.
With a triangular footprint, massive face, and thoughtful weighting, this driver delivers dependable distance even on mishits.
PROS
Excellent forgiveness across the face
A massive sweet spot thanks to a larger driver face
I now understand why the MAX driver is TaylorMade’s most popular driver. It is incredibly forgiving and not once when I was stood over the ball did I feel like I was going to miss a fairway.
The profile of the head is so inviting and is confidence inspiring for all golfers to be able to launch the golf ball into the air. Distance isn’t scarified for forgiveness, players will still be able to fly it a strong distance.
It is one fun driver to hit. If I wasn’t trying to squeeze out all the performance I could possibly gain then I would be inclined to give this some serious thought. Standing on the tee during testing, I felt like I could never miss a fairway with it. Knowing that no matter how I’m swinging the club I will find the fairway is a big boost and huge benefit for recreational golfers.
It’s easy to hit and feels great. There’s not much else a club golfer could need from a big stick.
There’s a new forgiving driver on the market and is a serious option for club golfers everywhere. A smartly designed driver that is packed with technological advances, including Cobra’s new FutureFit hosel system for a better fitting.
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Offers fantastic forgiveness on off-centre strikes, out of the toe and heel. Despite its high spin rate, there is still plenty of distance available to achieve.
Overall, I think the Cobra DS-Adapt MAX-K is a sneakily good driver in this category. The forgiveness levels are great ant the heel and toe strikes perform really well. I think the custom weighting really helps to deliver better ball speed and enhanced launch.
This truly is a great option for those who struggle with a slice or fade. The draw bias is extremely affective, in part thanks to its weighting system that makes the face of the club shut more.
A smart looking driver that incorporates a slight oversized profile for more forgiveness. The red and black colour scheme is a nice addition.
Overall, I would recommend this driver to players who do struggle with fade or slice. What stood out to me during testing was just how dramatic the right to left ball flight was in comparison to the standard and low spin Cobra DS-Adapt driver heads.
I’m glad I was able to undertake the Cobra DS-Adapt Max-D driver review and see it in action – so many amateurs and club golfers struggle with loosing the ball out to the right, so this Cobra DS-Adapt MAX-D driver will certainly help with that.
This driver is a great option for club golfers everywhere. Low spin rate will help you to develop a lower and more penetrating ball flight for extra distance.
A firm feeling driver that looks excellent both at address and in the golf bag. Ball striking was made a joy and I loved the ball flight I was finding on a consistent basis.
I believe the Callaway Elyte driver is one that can be utilised by a range of golfers. A great option for those who are looking to extract a further carry off the tee.
Meet Callaway’s most forgiving driver from their Elyte range. The driver that delivers stand-out distances in a club golfer-friendly club head. Callaway’s Elyte X driver is designed to help golfers increase their launch.
A very consistent driver that feels both light to swing but strong enough at impact to hit good distances. I’m not usually a golfer who would put a 10K MOI driver in the bag, but this could be an exception.
The levels of forgiveness were extremely impressive and I was able to manufacture a straight, neutral ball flight. For those who seek added launch this is a great option.
Putting a maximum forgiveness, 10K driver in my bag would never cross my mind. Generally they don’t suite my eye. But I have to say, the consistency in which I hit this driver does live me open to be persuaded to game this club.
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Callaway has done an amazing job with the Elyte X driver.
For golfers who struggle with launch but still want good distances, this driver is the best in class.
A driver that is easy to hit, easy to launch and vastly forgiving. Perfect for those wanting to gain accuracy off the tee and get the ball in play on a consistent basis.
Feels light so I had great confidence in being able to swing it hard and fast. Although you do sacrifice on distance a tad, accuracy is just as important round a lot of courses.
Overall, this is a driver that can hugely benefit those with a slower swing speed. A driver that where accuracy is king. I failed to find the centre on many of my strikes throughout testing but I still managed to find the fairway with all of them.
Ultimately that’s what this club is for. It’s easy to hit, really forgiving and your bad shots won’t be punished as badly. Despite this it’s still a fast driver with a thin face that is going to perform well.
The good news for you Ping fans is that this driver still looks like a Ping with its classic modelling. Since its introduction the Ping G series hasn’t changed its design much, the turbulators, shape and sole design are all still evident in the G440 range.
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In comparison to those previous Ping drivers, there is a considerable and evident improvement. There is loads more tech in the G440, the head is significantly lighter, it’s more forgiving than any G series driver and is hotter than any Ping driver I have tested.
Overall, I was extremely impressed with the Ping G440 MAX driver. It’s performance on off-centre strikes was phenomenal, its long out the centre of the face and its still straight out of the rest of the face.
For those golfers who don’t practice much and are more of a weekend warrior then this is the perfect driver. I felt like I couldn’t hit a bad shot with it. There aren’t many better qualities to have in a driver than turning up to the golf course after a week or two of no golf and still have full confidence in the big stick.
I think the Ping G440 MAX driver is a really high performing option. I found it easy to swing quickly, it felt great off the face and its straight. I’m sure the dispersion range will be better than most golf club golfers will have experienced before with their driver.
This driver could be a great fit for a lot of club golfers of all levels. A clean and sleek driver that looks inviting behind the ball and delivers top level performance.
Wilson have equipped this driver with a classic sound that gives great feedback off there face of the club. Accuracy won’t be a problem for any off the tee again as every shot I took with this driver went straight down the fairway.
Visually, this is Ping’s largest profile driver ever. That doesn’t mean the volume of the driver has increased, but rather, the shaping has been stretched for more forgiveness.
The 10k name in this driver is all about the forgiveness story. It refers to something called the MOI of the driver, which has come in at over 10,000g-cm². Basically, this is a measurement of how forgiving the club head is. MOI stands for moment of inertia, and it is all about how much the club head twists when you hit the ball out of the toe or the heel.
Ping has added a heavier back weight (28 grams) and a lighter Carbonfly Wrap Crown, which allows more weight on the back and perimeter of the club to drive up that MOI and give you more forgiveness.
The real difference, though between the G430 Max and the 10k is with the off-centre strikes. I actually felt I struck the ball worse with the 10k model, but still managed to get better data, which is definitely a win.
Importantly, this driver doesn’t just deliver forgiveness. I also got great club head and ball speed data, giving this a real all-around package. Definitely a club for amateur golfers to give a try this season!
PROS
Extremely Forgiving
Good Ball Speeds
Flys high
CONS
The slightly bigger club head may not suit everyone’s eye.
After a quick warm-up, I took this to the range where I teach and blasted my first shot 264.4 yards through the air with ease. I normally don’t hit any drivers with ease, so this was a big deal.
I thought that my dream of having a smaller profile head with high spin characteristics was something I could only dream of, but Mizuno have managed it in the ST-X 230.
The spin on my miss hits dropped to around 2200rpm, which is still a very playable number, and my good hits were up over 2600rpm; this felt like the ball was in the air forever. My average carry of 265.1 yards and ball speed of 160.6mph is seriously good compared to other drivers I’ve hit this year.
The great distance I achieved with the Mizuno ST-Z 230 driver is thanks to a new forged SAT 2041 beta Ti face is boosted by the Cortech Chamber on the sole. The new tech makes strikes feel solid from all over the face and keeps ball speed and distance up.
The dispersion with the Mizuno ST-X 230 driver is slightly left-biased, which is what you’d expect from a head with the adjustable weight slightly off-centre towards the heel. This could be counteracted by lowering the loft and opening the face. Still, Mizuno are saying that professionals and elite amateurs are averaging more ball speed with it being slightly draw-biased, and that is something I am here for.
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 to move the club quicker and hit it further. It also has the lowest and furthest back centre 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 driver more often. It won’t be for everyone, but it will help many golfers enjoy their games more.
The 2023 Big Bertha edition is big. The elongated crown has a generous profile and is a completely different shape from the Paradym models, which have been a huge success already this year. Putting it behind the ball gives you confidence.
I absolutely loved hitting this driver. I love the lightweight design, the draw bias, and just how easy the club felt to hit. I personally find some of the low-spin ‘good players’ drivers don’t have the same feel from the face as the more forgiving drivers do. I don’t like that harsh, fast feeling as It just makes me feel like I am going to toe the ball straight left, which is not a good thought when you are standing over the ball!
The Big Bertha has a big weight on the sole that’s close to the heel, which makes the driver draw biased. This may mean the driver might not suit hookers of the ball, but it’s really going to help those golfers who suffer with a slice.
I genuinely feel like I could put this in the bag, and it would help my game. It may not be the driver that fitters want me to play, but at the end of the day, golfers need help from the club. Yes, long distances on the driving range are nice, but I need fairways out on the golf course, and I believe the Callaway Big Bertha 2023 driver will deliver that for me.
Straight away, the shaping is very different; it’s now much more pear-shaped than before and looks solid behind the ball. The red detailing is subtle but frames the head nicely. The head feels quite light in the swing, which encourages you to swing hard, which I really like.
On average, I carried this 262.4 yards, with my longest at 271. This is exceedingly long as I tested this club on a frosty morning at -2 degrees, so I wasn’t expecting much in terms of distance and speed.
The 156.4 mph average ball speed is pretty good, with my fastest at 162.6 mph probably one of the fasted ball speeds I’ve seen on test this year, so huge props to Wilson for that.
We can thank artificial intelligence for this impressive speed. Wilson, like many other brands this year, have enlisted the help of computers and A.I. to run thousands of calculations to produce a club face with variable thickness to maximise ball speeds.
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 customise their shot shape.
PROS
Smaller, more classic shape
Very forgiving
Centred hits gave very competitive ball speeds compared to more expensive drivers
Will suit slower swing speeds
CONS
Non-centred centre of gravity won’t suit players who hook the ball
The Max driver has the largest profile in the Qi10 range, but it still looks great behind the golf ball and is likely more confidence-inspiring for the majority of golfers. I love the new infinity carbon fibre crown and how seamless the top of the club looks behind the golf ball.
I was really impressed with the high ball flight I got with this and the consistency of the flight. My ‘worst shot’ dispersion-wise finished only thirteen yards from my target, and from left to right, my dispersion was only 25 yards wide, which is absolutely insane. I’m not sure I have ever hit a driver so straight with a variety of strikes.
This driver is going to make an impact in the golf market this year. It offers serious levels of forgiveness that could improve the game of all golfers, from high handicappers to tour pros and it is going to be a serious contender for going in my bag this year.
Shafts: Fujikura Speeder NX TCS 50 (S, R, A) and Mitsubishi Diamana T+ 60 (X, S, R)
Lofts: 9°, 10.5° & 12°
The Qi10 Max also comes in a women’s version at 10.5° and 12.0° lofts with Fujikura Speeder NX TCS 40 shaft. A lightweight High & Light (HL) version of the Qi10 Max both at 10.5° and 12.0° lofts, will be available in custom.
I really like the fact that although this is Cobra’s most forgiving driver model it doesn’t look too big behind the ball, yet is still confidence-inspiring. It’s a big win for Cobra in the looks category this year.
This driver is called Max for a reason, Cobra is aiming to deliver maximum forgiveness, maximum height, and maximum draw bias.
The back of the driver features a 12g weight that can be positioned at the heel of the club for the most draw bias or at the rear for a more neutral option. During my testing, I kept this at the back as I don’t need excessive amounts of help hitting a draw. I was seriously impressed with the results in terms of dispersion and consistency.
My average carry distance ended up at 229.8 yards, which I was really happy with. I really liked the fact my carry distance was very consistent across all three models in the Darkspeed range, which meant you could pick the best model based on ball flight, spin and shot shape rather than simply going for the model that flys the furthest.
Straight away, I loved how the club sat behind the ball. I just wanted to hit it and see how it performed.
The club face is an AI Smart Face and offers something new to golfers, whereby it uses real player data to develop and provide golfers with a number of sweet spots on the club face. I would say that if you are looking to hit a controlled draw, this club definitely helps.
Overall, I was really impressed with this driver’s performance. When you are over the ball, you just want to hit it, and so it gives you confidence before you even hit the ball. Though I tend to play mainly with a fade, I was impressed with the results when trying to hit a draw. I felt the ball was under control and would be happy to use this when finding the fairway – be it with a fade or a draw.
Developing a driver with the new AI Smart Face is definitely an exciting move by Callaway, and though it is pricy, it will definitely provide you with control and consistency off the tee.
I headed down to Titleist’s performance centre at Woburn to get fitted for the new GT driver last month. I was eager to see what was new as I was unsure how they would improve from last year’s TSR2 model.
The interesting tech here is the new proprietary matrix polymer which makes up the seamless thermoform crown. This is a fancy way of saying the previous titanium crown has been replaced with a new lightweight material which saves weight and allows more weight to be put at the bottom of the club head and on the perimeter to drive up forgiveness.
It is very impressive how they have managed to combine this into the club head seamlessly and still maintain that classic Titleist gloss crown look we all love.
Not only was the ball going higher it was also more consistent helping my shots become more repeatable.
The biggest difference I saw was in the dispersion. I was extremely accurate with the GT2 to the point where I wondered if I was ever going to break that tiny little grouping. This consistency would really help out on the golf course, as the shots are so predictable that it makes it really easy to control your ball.
High handicappers need drivers that cater to their specific needs and physical abilities, and choosing the right driver can make a significant difference in their game.
With top brands like Tour Edge, Cleveland, Titleist, Ping, Wilson, Cobra, Callaway, TaylorMade, Srixon and Mizuno offering specialised golf drivers for high handicappers in 2025, there are plenty of options to consider. With features like lightweight designs, adjustable weighting, and improved aerodynamics, these golf drivers can help high handicappers achieve greater distance and accuracy on the course.
Consider your own preferences and skill level to determine which driver is the right fit for you and get ready to enjoy improved performance and greater confidence on the course.
How do we test drivers?
At National Club Golfer we are passionate about producing accurate and thorough reviews and make sure our testing process is rigorous so we get a good understanding of how each club performs.
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 PGA Professional Jack Backhouse provides the Ultimate Guide to Driving…
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.
Jack has 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
