Hitting a driver right down the middle of the fairway is the most fun you can have on a golf course.
It doesn’t happen as often as we’d all like, of course, but the satisfaction of grabbing the longest club out the bag and firing a perfect drive is pretty hard to beat.
It’s only natural, then, that golfers around the country look forward to new clubs being released every year, anticipating the prospect of new game-improving drivers waiting on the shelves for them to pick up and take home.
A new driver isn’t always the solution, and it won’t eradicate your slice on its own, but there’s nothing more exciting than adding a new big stick to your bag.
What do you need to consider when buying a new driver?
This year, there’s a huge selection to choose from – so much so, in fact, that it can be pretty difficult to know where to start.
As ever, premium options will cost you. Prices seem to have gone up across the board when it comes to the top-end options from the most prestigious brands, and those looking to pull the trigger on a new club can expect a pretty hefty financial outlay when they do. However, there’s still good value to be found.
It might sound obvious, but we’d always recommend booking a custom fitting before you pick up a new driver if you can. It’s not always possible, but getting hands-on with such an important club before you splash the cash will help you feel reassured.
Best drivers to buy in 2023 at a glance:
- Best fornovices: Ping G430 - £499, American Golf
- Best for affordability: Wilson Dynapower - £349, American Golf
- Best for traditional aesthetics: Srixon ZX7 MKII - £429, Scottsdale Golf
- Best for quality: Mizuno ST-X 230 - £449, Clubhouse Golf
- Best fordistance and stability: TaylorMade Stealth 2 - £499, American Golf
- Best for professional feeling: Callaway Paradym - £529, American Golf
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Ping G430
Best for: novices
The G430, quite simply, is the most forgiving driver we have ever tested. We tried out the MAX version, aimed at the widest range of golfers, and we were seriously impressed.
The previous iteration of this Ping driver was the G425, which had already developed a reputation as the most user-friendly club on the market. There are a few marked differences in the newer model and the most obvious straight away is the looks. While the old model was silver and more understated in design, we like the yellow and black colourway and think it adds something a little different.
The most alienating thing about the G425 was the sound of it. Some deemed it to be too “tinny” and high-pitched, and Ping has gone about changing that with the new model. The G430 has been changed internally and it now offers a really satisfying “thud”, which will likely appeal to more players.
Really though, the key takeaway from testing was just how easy it was to keep in play during our weekend rounds. The feel of the ball off the face is pretty consistent regardless of the impact zone on most off-center shots. That combined with the straight ball flights we consistently generated with it made for a very reassuring experience with the club in the bag. Ping is claiming that’s down to the “spinsistency” technology, which promises “variable roll radius that creates less loft low on the face”. Whatever it is, it works for us.
It’s a very impressive club, and the one we’d recommend to most club golfers out there wanting to keep the ball in play more consistently out on the course.
Buy now £499.00, American Golf
Wilson Dynapower
Best for: affordability
Wilson has always provided very solid performance at affordable price points, but the brand has really upped its game with the Dynapower range of irons and their driver.
There are two options in the Dynapower range this year – we tested the titanium version rather than the carbon which sits at a slightly higher price point. Both have a pleasing black and red colourway although there are pretty significant differences between the two models. The titanium version has a simpler look than the carbon, but there is a nice textured detail towards the back of the head.
The price is a significant factor, sitting far below most premium options, and for a club that comes in £150 cheaper than some of the most talked-about models of 2023 it packs a very big punch. There’s plenty of forgiveness in the titanium version and we found it one of the easiest to get launched on a consistent basis. The response when you catch it right out the middle is really powerful, too. It all combined for a confidence-boosting feel: even if your other clubs are misbehaving, you’ll still reach for this with a degree of assurance and feel in finding the fairway.
It’s also worth noting that the club comes with an excellent quality head cover, which far exceeds some options at a more premium price point.
Buy now £349.00, American Golf
Srixon ZX7 MKII
Best for: traditional aesthetics
Srixon has revamped its ZX woods range for 2023, and there are three choices when it comes to drivers. There are two versions of the ZX5 Mk II, as well as the more compact ZX7 MKII. The latter is designed for better players who’d choose workability over huge forgiveness in their driver, as well as faster club head speed.
Having said that, we did also experience a good level of performance on miss-hits on the ZX7, especially out of the toe, which shows there’s still a good amount of playability for the average player. We also noticed lower spin rates in our testing, meaning higher swing-speed players will find a lot to enjoy here. It shows that while the ZX5 will be better suited for some weekend warriors out there, but the ZX7 is a fantastic club for the right player.
One of the first things we noticed after taking the club out with us on our regular round was the sound, which was one of the most pleasing we tested. It’s a satisfyingly loud crunch that inspired confidence.
Others may go for more eye-catching driver design, but we think the ZX7 might be one of the best looking drivers out there in 2023. The black finish offers a purist look, while the sole is tastefully done too. It’s a low-key delight, and perfect for a player that prefers more traditional aesthetics.
Buy now £429.00, Scottsdale Golf
Mizuno ST-X 230
Best for: quality
Mizuno has earned a reputation for producing some of the finest forged irons on the market, but the brand’s woods offerings haven’t always been received with the same enthusiasm. It has been putting in the time behind the scenes over the last few years to change that, and the result is the ST-X and the ST-Z.
The ST-X is the draw-biased option, but don’t let the ‘draw driver’ description put you off. ST-X 230 is really pushing the concept to new places. While some draw-bias drivers available in 2023 have adjustable weights in the back of the club and come with bigger profiles, in this case the weight is built into a more compact head. It’s a workable head design which appeals to a wider range of players than most draw-bias clubs. Mizuno states that most of its staff players prefer the ST-X to the ST-Z, and plenty of club players will find a driver that works for them here.
One of the biggest things to come out of Mizuno’s work behind the scenes on its woods over recent years is the “Cortech Chamber”, which can be identified by the blue stripe on the bottom of the club. The steel weight, the brand says, is key to more ball speed, and it certainly performed well in our testing in that regard. It also adds a nice flash of colour on the sole of the club, which retains a pleasingly traditional look.
It’s apparent with most Mizuno products, but the build quality shines through in the ST-X. Everything about the product right out of the box is well put together and well finished, while the luxurious head cover with a soft lining and bold colour scheme is an added bonus. It’s an impressive package that’ll have you reaching for the club with enthusiasm out on the course.
Buy now £429.00, Clubhouse Golf
TaylorMade Stealth 2
Best for: distance and stability
The release of the first Stealth felt like a real moment, not just in the world of golf equipment but in the game more generally. That was in part due to the move away from more traditional materials towards heavy use of carbon, but we’d argue it was just as much to do with the look of the thing. There is something very cool about the aesthetics of the club, and the striking black and red colourway helped make the Stealth the most talked about club of 2022, and not just because so much was made of the shift to a carbon face.
For all the fanfare when it was first released, the first Stealth model was criticised by some club golfers for its lack of forgiveness, and now the entire marketing push behind the Stealth 2 is based around the concept of “far-giveness”, packed with more carbon and offering both fantastic distance and a stability that will help more people with miss-hit shots. The second generation model feels just as powerful and looks just as imposing behind the ball.
In short, it looks unlike anything else and it goes miles. Do bear in mind though that it’ll have all of your pals ogling at it and asking for a go the next time you take it down the club.
Buy now £499.00, American Golf
Callaway Paradym
Best for: professional feeling
It’s the driver that claimed the first major of 2023 after Masters champion Jon Rahm won at Augusta, and there’s no doubt that the Paradym is also one of the most eye-catching releases of the year.
Callaway’s latest model comes with new tech and it’s one of the most distinctive looking clubs on the market. Like the TaylorMade Stealth models, the Paradym is leading the charge when it comes to carbon technology. It features a lightweight 360Ë carbon chassis, allowing extra weight to be moved around to aid forgiveness. The other new addition is the ‘jailbreak system’, which was designed with AI to add more stability by stiffening the body and adding flex in the face.
The blue carbon on the body offers a fresh, distinctive styling that moves away from the more traditional looks that have come before from Callaway. The gold detail on the moveable weight adds to the premium feel, too. In fact, it’s pleasing to the senses in every respect: the looks are very strong and there’s a nice, loud resonance off the face which adds to the feeling of strength through the ball.
There are three models to choose from in the range - the standard Paradym, the higher-launching X and the lower spinning triple diamond. The price is likely to put some golfers off, but the forgiveness, power and look make it one of the most impressive driver releases of recent years.
Buy now £529.00, American Golf
