If distance is what you are looking for, we have you covered. We've hit them all and compiled a list of the best drivers that will give you distance in 2023.
The 2023 season is here, which means there’s a whole host of new drivers out claiming to be able to give you more yards, but which do actually go further?
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 to put together a list of drivers that will give you more driver distance in 2023.
These below picks aren’t just amongst the best drivers for distance in 2023, but they’re amongst the best golf drivers in 2023 fullstop. So to find out what the top drivers of 2023 are, you’d better keep scrolling!
Best golf drivers for distance 2023
Ping G430 LST Driver
Behind that, and exclusive to the LST, is the Carbonfly wrap that covers that crown and extends around the heel and toe. This is how Ping are using carbon to position weight in the LST that lowers CG and spin.
The G430 is undeniably a Ping driver and that familiar styling continues on the sole. It is not that different from the G425 and all of this to me speaks of a brand that is fine tuning not reinventing and starting again. A big positive.
The LST is slightly small than the other two models in the range, a 440cc head vs 460cc, and this helps generate more speed than I have previously managed with Ping drivers. It is bringing Ping closer to other brands in terms of aerodynamics and out-and-out speed whilst retaining their still untouchable forgiveness.
The ball and clubhead speeds here from the Ping G430 LST driver are amazing. 171mph? I am 45, for goodness’ sake! And look at those spin rates.
It is not spinning, but it is launching, and the peak height is more than acceptable. This is a seriously efficient driver and a seriously efficient set-up
What you have got is technology that is maximum forgiveness, easy to launch and low spinning. It is an impressive combination.
And then there is that sound. Overall the Ping G430 driver LST is the sweetest sounding, fastest Ping driver I have used in 20 years of playing Ping drivers.
PROS
- The sound! Yes Ping, at last!
- Serious ball speeds
- Faster than other Ping drivers
- Consistent spin rates
CONS
- I have to give it back
Read the full Ping G430 LST review HERE
Right-handed lofts: 9,10.5
Shafts: ALTA CB Black 55 / 65 / 70 or ALTA QUICK 35 /75 or Ping Tour 2.0 Chrome 65 / 75 / 85 or Ping Tour 2.0 Black 65 / 75 or Project x HZDRUS Smoke Red RDX 50 / 60 / 70 or Mitsubusi KAI’Li White 60 / 70
More information: Ping website
Titleist TSR4 Driver
Straight away over the ball, you can see this is a better players club. We have a smaller pear-shaped 430cc head size with a deeper club face than other models in this range.
I was really impressed with how much performance I got out of this, as I didn’t think it was a model that would suit my game. I got my highest club head speed of any TSR model with this, which gave me an impressive average carry distance of 238.5 yards.
If you are here for spin reduction, both these settings work fantastically well. The TSR4, in its pure form, spun 1000 rpm less than the TSR2 and 500 rpm less than the TSR3.
Overall this is a great addition to the TSR line-up, but it works for a very specific type of player who wants to reduce spin and doesn’t need massive amounts of forgiveness.
- Smaller, more refined shaping
- Very low spin driver
- CG can be customised to your swing and desired ball flight
CONS
- Not as forgiving on off-centre strikes
- Only works for high-spin golfers
Read the full review HERE
Right-handed lofts: 8°, 9°, 10°
Left-handed lofts: 9° (8°, 10° custom only)
Titleist featured shafts: Hzrdus Red CB, Tensei AV Blue with XLink Tech, Hzrdus Black, Tensei 1K Black
Premium shafts: Graphite Design Tour AD UB, Tour AD DI, Tour AD IZ
Callaway Paradym Triple Diamond driver
For me, straight away, I much prefer the way the Paradym Triple Diamond looks compared to the Rogue ST model. The new colour scheme gives you a real premium feel, a similar feeling you get when you see a Rolls Royce.
This driver is a thing of beauty. I love how Callaway have rounded the head and made it more compact; it looks smaller than it actually is. It definitely has a player’s feel at address with the super deep face; you certainly feel like you can swing it hard.
Straight away, the driver feels really powerful at impact and the ball rockets off the face. Compared to last year’s Rogue ST Triple Diamond LS, the Paradym produced ball speeds 2-3mph quicker, which is brilliant news for players looking for more distance.
One of the benefits of the Paradym Triple Diamond head is that there are 2 interchangeable weights on the sole that can be moved to lower or get a higher launch and spin. Tour players are always looking to adjust the finer details to squeeze every last bit of performance possible out of the head, and this is a great way to do it.
I was able to average nearly 3mph more club head speed with the Paradym Triple Diamond driver, which is thanks to the new 360-degree carbon chassis. The triaxial carbon crown and forged carbon sole make it 44% lighter than drivers with the traditional titanium chassis, which means weight can be redistributed.
PROS
- Looks amazing behind the ball
- Really impressive ball speeds
- Will play brilliantly in the wind
CONS
- Will not suit low-speed players or slicers
- Low spinning head will mean proper custom fitting is a must
Read the full review HERE
Lofts: 8°, 9°, 10.5°
Featured shafts:
Project X Hzrdus Black 60g R
Mitsubishi Chemical Kai’li White 60g S, X – 70g S, X
More information: Callaway Website
Cobra Aerojet LS driver
The carbon crown gives way to an all-black line across the top of the face, which combined with the centred Cobra symbol makes for easy alignment, whilst being unfussy. I quite like how all the go faster stripes are on the sole, whilst the bit I can see at address is much more understated. Like a classic sports car where all the grunt is under the hood.
As a result of all of those curves, the Aerojet driver is seriously aerodynamic. The sole and the crown have more curve than the 2022 Cobra LTDx LS, and it shows in the speeds. My club head speeds are variable depending on the state of my back and how cold it is and on a damp range. First up, I was delighted with numbers averaging around 110mph.
I hit it all over the face, who doesn’t, and was extremely surprised with my ball speeds on off-centre strikes. The black titanium on the sole adds a lot of performance benefits, Cobra calls it a Titanium Power Bridge. In this LS model, it moves the centre of gravity forward for more speed, and connects the heel and toe for more forgiveness. In practice, that was giving me a variable of just 4mph in ball speed on my best and worst strikes.
It really does feel like a driver-you-can game. A little squeezed fade is no problem, getting it to draw somewhat harder, but when you open your shoulders from a high tee, downwind all of that confidence, speed and the low spin really pays off. It is seriously long, as are the fairway woods, all in all, a really interesting option for your new golf clubs; watch out Lexi Thompson there is a new bomber in town.
PROS
- Very cool looks, screams go faster!
- Flat set up = anti left!
- Very compact head
- Fast club head speeds
- Very consistent ball speeds
CONS
- Needs a re-grip for my average hands
Read the full Cobra Aerojet LS driver review HERE
Lofts: 9° & 10.5°
Stock shafts: MCA Kai’li Blue 60, Project X Hzrdus Black Gen 4, MCA Kai’li White 60
Grip: Lamkin Crossline
More information: Cobra website
TaylorMade Stealth 2 HD driver
I really like the changes TaylorMade have made to the Stealth 2. The crown being glossy instead of matte gives you a more classic feel, and I think it’s brilliant that although it is a draw-biased driver, when you stand over the ball you can’t tell.
My first shot with the Stealth 2 HD was a high bomb with a touch of 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 shape 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-centre strikes and make this one of the best golf drivers for distance and forgiveness. It also features a flexible speed pocket in the sole, which boosts performance on low-face strikes.
PROS
- One of the most forgiving drivers out there
- Huge sweet spot
- High launch
- Draw features really work
CONS
- Limited stock shaft options
Read the full TaylorMade Stealth 2 HD driver review HERE
Lofts: 9°, 10.5°, 12°
Featured shaft: Fujikura Speeder NX Red: S (60g) R & A (50g)
More information: TaylorMade Website
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 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
You’ve probably spent a small fortune to get the set up that’s right for your game, so don’t forget to get specialist insurance from Golf Care to protect your clubs from theft, loss, and accidental damage. Plus, they even cover GPS watches, trolleys, and other golf equipment. With 30% off annual insurance starting from just £26.59, and a free golf gift bundle worth up to £365 including 12 free Srixon balls, it’s a no brainer. CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP.
