By S. Dee Davis

We tested many of the drivers that are out there in the market today and came up with our top 10 list. There are a couple holdovers from last year. Testing and consideration were given based on distance and accuracy with the same neutral swing speed (110) in a controlled distance environment (testing facility). Otherwise the golf drivers were rated based on the following factors:

1 Comfort on setup
2 Grip comfort and control
3 Shaft response and control (stiff shafts were used)
4 Distance at 110 swing speed
5 Ball trajectory
6 Accuracy to center line
7 Ball control in flight (indicating a spinning or no spin ball flight)

Golf Driver Buying Guide

Choosing the Right Driver
Steps for Finding the Right Driver to put in your bag

• A) First Narrow your Choices by knowing your handicap or level. Obviously, the best driver on the market for top tour pros may be different than the driver a high handicap golfer needs. If you are a high handicap golfer consider drivers that have:
  1. A larger sweet spot
  2. Drivers designed with high handicap golfers in mind

  If you are a low handicap golfer consider:

  1. The shaft flex and control for your swing speed (have your swing speed tested)
  2. The club head position at set up and whether you need an adjustable face and loft

• B) If possible test clubs at a course, golf shop, or golf testing center to determine what club feels best to you. This is really one of the only ways to find out which club you like best.

• C) Play with various shaft combinations, lengths and grips to determine what is best for you. For example, to avoid hooking the ball, I elongated my shaft with a plug and changed out my grip for a bigger more full feel. Some hit a graphite shaft better and some an aluminum composite shaft.

• D) Consider whether you have a tendency to hook or slice the ball off the tee and purchase your driver to avoid this outcome. Makes common sense, but worth pointing out, do not purchase a driver that promotes the same bad shot shape.

As an avid golfer and tennis player for most of his life, he enjoys researching the latest in golf and tennis technology as well as analyzing his own game. He has been a writer and reviewer for a dozen years and his work has appeared in numerous publications including CBS, the San Fransisco Chronicle… See more about S. Dee Davis

Featured Golf Balls Articles

Buy the Right Golf Ball to Lower Your Golf Handicap

Many golf balls these days contain a rating for various optimum swing speed ranges. Look for it on the packaging or the manufacturer web site to find out. It’s easy to find your average swing speed. Most high end golf stores have speed reading meters on their simulated driving ranges. It … [more]

More Top 10 Lists

Top 10 Golf Putters

Although some of selecting a putter is about “feel” there is more to it than that. We rate the best putters below on the following criteria: Appearance, “feel”, how well the ball rolls off the putter face, alignment characteristics, weighting balance and price/value. See the putter comparison … [more]

Top 10 Golf Wedges

A club class of its own, the wedges have high lofts, the short shafts, and the heavy clubheads. Out of all the irons wedges take all of these to the extreme. The purpose of a wedge is to aid players in making accurate short-distance “lob” shots, to get the ball onto the green and out of hazards….[more]

Top 10 Golf Balls

The following list of the best top ten golf balls was determined from the authors opinion using the following criteria: Consistency in length off the tee, spin control and the ability to hold greens, “feel” of the ball around greens for chipping and putting, durability, and price/value. Combining … [more]

Top 10 Golf Clubs

Following are some of the factors that we felt are most important in evaluating the top 10 golf club iron selections. Clubs were tested at a testing facility and loosely measured for the below quality points: 1. Comfort at Setup (Instilling Confidence), 2. Solid Feel at Impact, 3. Workable Ball Flight … [more]

Top 10 Golf Bags

The following are our top 10 Golf Bag choices based on the following criteria: Durability, Price, Stability of Stand, Access and Organization, Extra Pockets for Accessories, Comfort of Harness strap… [more]

Top 10 Golf Rangefinders

Following are our choices for the top 10 golf rangefinders for the year after some testing and research. We’ve taken price, quality, and value into account when developing these ratings. Rangefinders were tested based on the following factors… [more]

More Golf Drivers

By S. Dee Davis

I hit the 10.5 version of the Ping G best. This is a very long and very accurate driver and the best on the market in my opinion. The combination is tough to come by, but I consistently hit draws and fades around the same distance. I found that teeing it lower produced a better ball flight as making contact near above the sweet spot took off a good bit of distance. Contact made just to the right or left or underneath the sweet spot produced very good distance and accuracy. When making contact just to the outside of the sweet spot, the ball tended to bend right to left back online, and the opposite was true when contact was made to the inside of the sweet spot. This is just what we’re looking for in the forgiveness category. The G1 is not a far cry from the previous G30, which is also in our top 5 selections for this year. Really the “Dragonfly” design on the top of the head is the main difference. It has a little more aesthetic appeal. The head is a little larger than I prefer, but it has such a nice feel at address, it instills confidence that you will crush it.

The G SF Tec version places more weight toward the heel of the club to help produce a right to left ball flight.

Quick Specs

• Lofts: 9.00° and 10.50°
• 45.75″ length, 206g, 460cc head size
• 58.00° average lie
• No offset lie
• Dexterity: RH/LH
• $399

Prices

As an avid golfer and tennis player for most of his life, he enjoys researching the latest in golf and tennis technology as well as analyzing his own game. He has been a writer and reviewer for a dozen years… See more about S. Dee Davis

By S. Dee Davis

The Mizuno JPX-850 sits like an old-school driver, but boasts an incredible amount of adjustability, allowing you to set the club up any way you want it with the new Fast Track system. You may have to tinker some on the range, but Mizuno’s multiple weighting options gives you freedom to experiment to optimize your distance. The adjustable hosel delivers eight settings across five lofts, and we found the forgiveness factor to be a little less than the other drivers tested, although decent. Mizuno is known for making quality clubs, and they have achieved a solid performer in the JPX-850 Driver. The look is stylish, adjustability is well above-average, and the forgiveness is average. You will achieve a significant increase in distance off the tee, but only if you’re smart enough to know how to optimally adjust this driver.

As an avid golfer and tennis player for most of his life, he enjoys researching the latest in golf and tennis technology as well as analyzing his own game. He has been a writer and reviewer for a dozen years and his work has appeared in numerous publications including CBS, the San Fransisco Chronicle… See more about S. Dee Davis

Prices

By S. Dee Davis

Wilson has developed a very light and very adjustable driver, while many companies have struggled to do either well. The D-200’s loft can be adjusted six ways, including three draw settings. The face which varies in thickness depending on where the ball is hit, can provide an enormous amount of forgiveness on off-center hits, while still giving you the distance you want. At $300, it is in the very affordable range for a new driver, and currently is the fastest adjustable driver on the market. Wilson achieves this by using a chemically etched crown, which reduces weight and increases the thickness toward the face of the club for structural support and durability. In our testing, we felt the shots went much farther than they felt as they would come off the face, indicating a softer better feeling face. This driver is not the best of the best, but is a great value for a long-hitting and fully adjustable driver, but the shaft options are limited.

As an avid golfer and tennis player for most of his life, he enjoys researching the latest in golf and tennis technology as well as analyzing his own game. He has been a writer and reviewer for a dozen years and his work has appeared in numerous publications including CBS, the San Fransisco Chronicle… See more about S. Dee Davis

Prices

By S. Dee Davis

By using the new “Flipzone” weighting technology, the Cobra Fly Z+ Driver allows you to adjust the Center of Gravity (CG) setting with a 15-gram moveable weight for either a higher or lower launch condition, whichever you prefer. Adjustability is key with this driver, and it may take you some time to get completely dialed-in, but when you do, you will experience maximum forgiveness and a more penetrating ball flight. Also, you can adjust it according to the playing conditions you may face from day to day. Stylistically speaking, this club has the ‘it’ factor and looks great. It comes in black, blue, green, orange, red, or white colors with the Aldilla Matrix VLCT graphite shaft. Head material is a 6-4 Titanium body for strength, with a Carbon Fiber crown and sole for speed.

As an avid golfer and tennis player for most of his life, he enjoys researching the latest in golf and tennis technology as well as analyzing his own game. He has been a writer and reviewer for a dozen years and his work has appeared in numerous publications including CBS, the San Fransisco Chronicle… See more about S. Dee Davis

Prices

By S. Dee Davis

The NIKE Vapor Pro driver, used by Rory McIlroy, has a stiffer rear half of the club which, in theory, provides more flex or give in the front half of the driver to help your increase your ball speed off the face. The new ‘FlyBeam’ structure and Compression Channel combine to stabilize the chassis and maximize ball speed. This driver has a great sound at impact, very clean, solid and crisp – much better than previous Nike drivers of the past. The new technology is in the structure of the cavity in the sole, which is designed to be more forgiving on mishits, which this club does achieve. We found this driver to very long off the tee and forgiving. If you don’t prefer the Callaway or Taylor Made drivers, this club will deliver the extra yardage for you, but the key is to be fitted with the proper shaft.

Quick Specs

• Adjustable 8.5 to 12.5 degrees
• Length: 45.5”
• Face Angle +1.0 degree open
• Swing weight D3.

Prices

As an avid golfer and tennis player for most of his life, he enjoys researching the latest in golf and tennis technology as well as analyzing his own game. He has been a writer and reviewer for a dozen years… See more about S. Dee Davis

By S. Dee Davis

The new R15 Driver from TaylorMade may seem like the SLDR reincarnated with a different paint job, but there is some new technology sure to get your drives out there, longer & straighter. The clean-looking head boasts two moveable weights on the sole, which can be tinkered with to produce a higher ball flight while decreasing spin. To achieve this, TM has moved the weighting forward and lower, with about 75% of its mass in the front of the club. The two moveable sole weights (12.5 grams) are closer to the clubface to provide more power, and additional adjustability for your preference of fade and draw shots. The sound is solid to louder, but the tight dispersion pattern you will have is great and shows the excellent level of control you can have with this driver.

Quick Specs

• Lofts: 9.5, 10. 5, 12 14
• Head: 460cc
• Shaft length: 45.5”

Prices

As an avid golfer and tennis player for most of his life, he enjoys researching the latest in golf and tennis technology as well as analyzing his own game. He has been a writer and reviewer for a dozen years… See more about S. Dee Davis

By S. Dee Davis

Titleist doesn’t flood the market with new drivers every 6 months, but they wait two years to unveil their latest masterpiece. The 915D2 &D3 are truly masterfully designed drivers with the D2 larger & more forgiving and the D3 for lower handicappers. Each is designed with control in mind, and you can dial it in with the 16-way adjustable hosel. The newly designed channel in the sole makes the face hotter & delivers less spin for more distance and more control. Also, metal has been thinned in the face & crown to save overall weight to produce higher ball speeds. This driver sounds great and delivers good distance and helps put the ball in the fairway.

Quick Specs

• 460cc
• RH lofts: 7.5°, 8.5°, 9.5°, 10.5°, 12° (915D2)
• RH lofts: 7.5°, 8.5°, 9.5°, 10.5° (915D3)
• Standard lie 58.5°
• 45″ length

Prices

As an avid golfer and tennis player for most of his life, he enjoys researching the latest in golf and tennis technology as well as analyzing his own game. He has been a writer and reviewer for a dozen years… See more about S. Dee Davis

By S. Dee Davis

The big draw, so to speak, on the Big Bertha Alpha 815 is the amount of adjustability, coupled with a hotter more flexible face design, similar to the XR driver. However, the ability to dial in your game completely sets this driver apart from the rest. The Alpha 815 has eight different loft and two central weight settings that can be adjusted to optimize your spin, all independent of one another. Callaway achieves this with eight different materials incorporated into the head to optimize weight and speed.

Quick Specs

• Models: 9°, 10.5°, 12°
• RH / LH
• 45.5″ length
• Lie adjustable
• 460cc
• Adjustable total weight
• D3 Swing weight

Prices

As an avid golfer and tennis player for most of his life, he enjoys researching the latest in golf and tennis technology as well as analyzing his own game. He has been a writer and reviewer for a dozen years… See more about S. Dee Davis

By S. Dee Davis

The best feature of PING’s new G30 Driver aren’t the “turbulators” or the ridges on the driver that reduce aerodynamic drag, it’s the stability through impact that the re-designed weighting in the crown provides and the larger, sweeter face that make this driver hell off the tee. The basic G30 driver is designed to benefit middle to higher handicap golfers and deliver maximum forgiveness on off-center hits, while not sacrificing any distance. PING offers a LS (lower spin) version of the G30 for better players and a lighter, heel-weighted design (SF TEC) for those who slice a bit, so PING has your game covered with this driver. The driver has a nice, light feel, but the longer head design is the only detraction.

Quick Specs

• Lofts: 9.00° and 10.50°
• 45.75″ length, 206g, 460cc head size
• 59.00° head weight, D3 swing weight
• No offset lie
• Dexterity: RH/LH

Prices

As an avid golfer and tennis player for most of his life, he enjoys researching the latest in golf and tennis technology as well as analyzing his own game. He has been a writer and reviewer for a dozen years… See more about S. Dee Davis

By S. Dee Davis

Several important factors make this the top driver this year. First, a large sweet spot and hot, flexible face makes this driver long off the tee with less effort and max forgiveness. It is fully adjustable, 20 grams lighter than the Big Bertha Alpha, and has a stealthy matt black look. Second, the more aerodynamic head increases your swing speed, for higher ball speeds, thus more distance. Finally, free (or small upcharge) premium shaft upgrades help customize your driver to your swing, and its $100 cheaper than most premium drivers out this year, making it a bargain for a premium driver.

Quick Specs

• Loft: 9° and 10.5°
• Availability: RH / LH
• Length: 45.5″
• Lie Adjustable
• 440cc
• D3 swing weight

Prices

As an avid golfer and tennis player for most of his life, he enjoys researching the latest in golf and tennis technology as well as analyzing his own game. He has been a writer and reviewer for a dozen years… See more about S. Dee Davis

By S. Dee Davis

The Vapor Flex Driver, with ‘FlexFlight’ technology utilizes the same Flybeam & Compression Channel tech as the Vapor Pro to stabilize the head, but has a carbon-enhanced RZN Cavity that adjusts the center of gravity (CG) from low & forward to low & back to fine tune your preferred launch condition. This driver delivers a punch if you prefer low to mid launch flight pattern, and it is fully adjustable to enhance your fade or draw bias. Although this driver offers 15 loft and face-angle settings, it goes a step further and allows you to adjust the spin and launch angle without altering the loft setting, which is great.

As an avid golfer and tennis player for most of his life, he enjoys researching the latest in golf and tennis technology as well as analyzing his own game. He has been a writer and reviewer for a dozen years and his work has appeared in numerous publications including CBS, the San Fransisco Chronicle… See more about S. Dee Davis

Prices

By S. Dee Davis

We tested many of the drivers that are out there in the market today and came up with our top 10 list. There are a couple holdovers from last year. Testing and consideration were given based on distance and accuracy with the same neutral swing speed (110) in a controlled distance environment (testing facility). Otherwise the golf drivers were rated based on the following factors:

1 Comfort on setup
2 Grip comfort and control
3 Shaft response and control (stiff shafts were used)
4 Distance at 110 swing speed
5 Ball trajectory
6 Accuracy to center line
7 Ball control in flight (indicating a spinning or no spin ball flight)

Golf Driver Buying Guide

Choosing the Right Driver
Steps for Finding the Right Driver to put in your bag

• A) First Narrow your Choices by knowing your handicap or level. Obviously, the best driver on the market for top tour pros may be different than the driver a high handicap golfer needs. If you are a high handicap golfer consider drivers that have:
  1. A larger sweet spot
  2. Drivers designed with high handicap golfers in mind

  If you are a low handicap golfer consider:

  1. The shaft flex and control for your swing speed (have your swing speed tested)
  2. The club head position at set up and whether you need an adjustable face and loft

• B) If possible test clubs at a course, golf shop, or golf testing center to determine what club feels best to you. This is really one of the only ways to find out which club you like best.

• C) Play with various shaft combinations, lengths and grips to determine what is best for you. For example, to avoid hooking the ball, I elongated my shaft with a plug and changed out my grip for a bigger more full feel. Some hit a graphite shaft better and some an aluminum composite shaft.

• D) Consider whether you have a tendency to hook or slice the ball off the tee and purchase your driver to avoid this outcome. Makes common sense, but worth pointing out, do not purchase a driver that promotes the same bad shot shape.

As an avid golfer and tennis player for most of his life, he enjoys researching the latest in golf and tennis technology as well as analyzing his own game. He has been a writer and reviewer for a dozen years and his work has appeared in numerous publications including CBS, the San Fransisco Chronicle… See more about S. Dee Davis

Featured Golf Balls Articles

Buy the Right Golf Ball to Lower Your Golf Handicap

Many golf balls these days contain a rating for various optimum swing speed ranges. Look for it on the packaging or the manufacturer web site to find out. It’s easy to find your average swing speed. Most high end golf stores have speed reading meters on their simulated driving ranges. It … [more]

More Top 10 Lists

Top 10 Golf Putters

Although some of selecting a putter is about “feel” there is more to it than that. We rate the best putters below on the following criteria: Appearance, “feel”, how well the ball rolls off the putter face, alignment characteristics, weighting balance and price/value. See the putter comparison … [more]

Top 10 Golf Wedges

A club class of its own, the wedges have high lofts, the short shafts, and the heavy clubheads. Out of all the irons wedges take all of these to the extreme. The purpose of a wedge is to aid players in making accurate short-distance “lob” shots, to get the ball onto the green and out of hazards….[more]

Top 10 Golf Balls

The following list of the best top ten golf balls was determined from the authors opinion using the following criteria: Consistency in length off the tee, spin control and the ability to hold greens, “feel” of the ball around greens for chipping and putting, durability, and price/value. Combining … [more]

Top 10 Golf Clubs

Following are some of the factors that we felt are most important in evaluating the top 10 golf club iron selections. Clubs were tested at a testing facility and loosely measured for the below quality points: 1. Comfort at Setup (Instilling Confidence), 2. Solid Feel at Impact, 3. Workable Ball Flight … [more]

Top 10 Golf Bags

The following are our top 10 Golf Bag choices based on the following criteria: Durability, Price, Stability of Stand, Access and Organization, Extra Pockets for Accessories, Comfort of Harness strap… [more]

Top 10 Golf Rangefinders

Following are our choices for the top 10 golf rangefinders for the year after some testing and research. We’ve taken price, quality, and value into account when developing these ratings. Rangefinders were tested based on the following factors… [more]

More Golf Drivers

As an avid golfer and tennis player for most of his life, he enjoys researching the latest in golf and tennis technology as well as analyzing his own game. He has been a writer and reviewer for a dozen years… See more about S. Dee Davis

More Top 10 Lists

Top 10 Golf Drivers

We tested many of the drivers that are out there in the market today and came up with our top 10 list. There are a couple holdovers from last year. Testing and consideration were given based on distance and accuracy with the same neutral swing speed (110) in a controlled distance … [more]

By S. Dee Davis

At $299 this new 2012 driver made by Taylor Made combines some of the best technologies the companies R11S has but at a better price point. Key points remain such as allowing you to adjust the face angle plus or minus 3 degrees or adjustment for loft at 1.5 degrees plus or minus. It has a lightweight shaft and grip that attempts to produce a faster head speed through impact (for more distance).

As an avid golfer and tennis player for most of his life, he enjoys researching the latest in golf and tennis technology as well as analyzing his own game. He has been a writer and reviewer for a dozen years and his work has appeared in numerous publications including CBS, the San Fransisco Chronicle… See more about S. Dee Davis

Prices

By S. Dee Davis

We reviewed the 460 head size of this driver and were impressed by almost every metric. This larger club head obviously offers more forgiveness than the smaller option. Leave that one to the pros. Club head speed was up there among the highest. The tour velvet 360 grip is soft and has just the right tackiness. The Titanium 6-4 face gives the right amount of bounce and solidity. The face of this club is .5 degrees open to help players develop a more open look and stance when fading the ball. It’s a set up that many tour pros like. This club is not inexpensive at $399.

As an avid golfer and tennis player for most of his life, he enjoys researching the latest in golf and tennis technology as well as analyzing his own game. He has been a writer and reviewer for a dozen years and his work has appeared in numerous publications including CBS, the San Fransisco Chronicle… See more about S. Dee Davis

Prices