Best Budget Golf Drivers 2024
A driver is an important tool for golfers and it can be quite an expensive piece of kit. We’ve narrowed how what is the best budget golf drivers 2024
Golf can be an expensive sport, but that doesn’t mean you have to break the bank to find a high-quality driver. In this article, we delve into the best low cost drivers that are on offer in 2024, featuring some of the latest tech as well as some favourites from previous years that still perform great without the hefty price tag.
If you’re looking for a new driver that won’t cost you a fortune, check out the best budget drivers 2024 below.
Best Budget Golf Drivers 2024
PXG 0211 driver
The 0211 driver is PXG’s easy-to-hit, entry-level price point driver, but there is nothing budget about it. The head is matte black, no wacky designs on the crown on the sole, it’s a great shape a looks really hittable. It passes my purist test.
The face on the 0211 driver is made from Ti412 titanium alloy, which creates incredible rebound and ball speed efficiency, which is what gives it super high speeds. The driver also has a varied thickness face which means the PXG 0211 driver has great forgiveness and consistency.
To ensure maximum forgiveness, in addition to the variable face technology PXG have moved the mass in the head further back to ensure the center of gravity is in the optimal place for all abilities of golfers. This is an adjustment from the previous 0211 model, which also improves sound and feel.
PROS
- High launching
- Super light
- Really forgiving
CONS
- For a performance like this you feel guilty you haven’t spent more!
- Read the full PXG 0211 driver review
Right-handed lofts: 9°, 10.5°, 12°
Left-handed lofts: 10°, 9°
Featured shafts: There are too many shaft options to count!
More information: PXG Website
Wilson Dynapwr Driver
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 carry distance 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, so ideal for high handicap golfers
- Centred hits gave very competitive ball speeds compared to more expensive drivers
- Will suit slower swing speeds as a game improvement model
CONS
- Non-centred centre of gravity won’t suit players who hook the ball
- RELATED: Read the full Wilson Dynapwr review HERE
Buy Now
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Golf Gear Direct£370.00£349.00View Deal -
American Golf£349.00View Deal -
PGA TOUR Superstore$429.99View Deal -
GlobalGolf$509.99View Deal
Lofts: 9˚, 10.5˚, 13˚
Featured shafts: Fujkura Ventus Blue & Project X HZRDUS Smoke Red RDX
Grips: Lamkin Crossline 360
Ram FX Driver
Straight away I love the head design and matte finish. It’s a classic shape, and sits wonderfully behind the ball. I also like the all black matte finish on the head as there is no glare.
I have no problem recommending any of the Ram golf clubs I have tested this year to 95% of the golfers I meet. The price relative to performance drop off compared to the big names makes these clubs such good value, it’s hard to look past them.
The 460cc driver with enlarged sweetspot offers maximum forgiveness and it has a more forward center of gravity for lower spin for penetrating distance. For less than £80 you obviously are not going to get A.I. design or carbon components, but what Ram have put together here is actually really really good.
I actually really like this driver. It doesn’t come with a head cover and obviously has a cheap Ram shaft in but for £79.99 it is a great buy. It looks and feels great, and the performance is brilliant for the price. If you are a new player and looking for a driver on a budget this is absolutely the one you should buy.
PROS
- Easy to hit
- Pretty good ball speed
- The matte finish looks great
CONS
- Headcover not included
- Read the full Ram FX Driver Review
Right-handed lofts: 10.5°, 9°, 12°,
Shafts: Regular, Stiff
More information: Amazon
Cleveland Launcher XL Driver
The Cleveland Launcher XL has a huge footprint and looks humongous behind the ball. The clever face design makes you feel like the hitting area of the club is big as well, which gives you the confidence you don’t need perfect swings all of the time.
The Launcher XL driver has a couple of features that result in high long drives. The first is 2 rebound frames that flex on impact which gives more ball speed. The other is that because the head is so big, they can move the centre of gravity lower and deeper to give a higher launch and low spin.
I also must talk about how forgiving the Cleveland Launcher XL driver is. Those recorded shots in my Flightscope were certainly not all out of the centre of the face and there really wasn’t much drop-off in distance. This forgiveness is probably down to the size of the head and the massive MOI it provides.
This is in to make the club feel more balanced and give more control to the player. It made the club feel heavier, which may be why my club head speed wasn’t as high as normal. There is also a Cleveland Launcher XL Lite driver available in the line if you do feel like you want something lighter.
PROS
- Huge sweet spot
- Impressively long
- Great adjustability
CONS
- The elongated head could be off-putting if you’re used to something more traditionally shaped
Read the full Cleveland Launcher XL driver review
Lofts: 9°, 10.5°, 12°
Shafts: Project X Cypher 50 Shaft – A, R, S
More information: Cleveland Website
Sub 70 849 Pro Driver
Most of the drivers I have liked the most this year have been the brand’s cheaper or more forgiving models, so I was quite looking forward to getting my hands on the most popular Sub 70 driver. I found Sub 70 during COVID and bought a set of irons that were top quality, and I like the low-cost, direct-to-consumer model as a way of reducing the price of clubs.
The 849 Pro driver has a carbon fibre crown which allows the design team to move weight lower and more forward, which in turn increases the launch angle, and decreases spin, for maximum distance drives. It also has 20g of adjustable weight in the heel, toe and rear of the head so that you really can dial in the flight and launch conditions to suit you.
I actually really like this driver. It performed really well and pretty much as well as some of the more expensive brands, so absolutely should be worth considering. Sub 70 do have a couple of fitting centres in the UK, but if you’re a tech nerd like me and you know what specs you needs, you can build yourself a driver on the website and buy a top quality driver for a really competitive price.
PROS
- Easy to hit
- Good ball speed
- Forgiving on off centre hits
CONS
- Sits a bit draw bias at address
- Read the full Sub70 849 Pro Driver Review
RRP: £279.99
Right-handed lofts: 10.5°, 9°, 12°,
Shafts: Regular, stiff, x flex, ladies
More information: Sub 70 Website
Best Budget Golf Drivers 2024
Golfers on a budget don’t have to sacrifice performance for affordability.
With advanced technology, innovative design, and budget-friendly pricing, these drivers offer golfers of all skill levels the opportunity to improve their game without overspending.
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, a more forgiving driver 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
Nicola Slater
Nicola recently graduated from Stirling University where she studied Sports Studies, she wrote her dissertation on barriers to participation for women in golf.
Nicola plays her golf at Hickleton and she currently plays off +3. Having played for Yorkshire Ladies and has represented England at junior and senior level, she will soon be beginning her professional career on LETAS.
