I’ve been looking to determine where golfers can find value in the used-driver market. One of the best places to start was by going back through previous MyGolfSpy testing results.
As I worked through the tests, I started counting how many of the winners I had owned or played. Below is the Most Wanted Driver winner from each of the last 10 years.
One important note: Testing methods and tester pools have evolved throughout the decade so this isn’t a head-to-head ranking of all 10 drivers. It’s simply a look at the driver that came out on top in each individual year.
How many have you owned and which one was your favorite?
2026 TaylorMade Qi4D
The TaylorMade Qi4D won through its lack of a significant performance weakness. It ranked sixth for distance and fourth for both accuracy and forgiveness, making it the most complete driver in the 2026 test.
There wasn’t much to criticize in the data. However, the carbon face produces a distinctive sound and feel that still won’t appeal to every golfer, even though the testing group rated it highly overall.
2025 Callaway Elyte Triple Diamond
The Elyte Triple Diamond finished in the top three for distance and accuracy while providing above-average forgiveness. That combination made it much more playable than many golfers would expect from a low-spin Triple Diamond model.
The main complaint was looks rather than performance. A handful of testers didn’t like the transition from the topline into the glossy crown.
2024 PING G430 MAX 10K
MyGolfSpy described the G430 MAX 10K as “absurdly straight” and its 9.7 accuracy score was the highest of the 2024 test. It also finished inside the top 10 for both distance and forgiveness.
The only real performance limitation was distance. It wasn’t short but distance was its lowest-rated category and there were longer drivers in the test.
2023 TaylorMade Stealth 2 Plus
Exceptional distance and accuracy pushed the Stealth 2 Plus into the top spot. It ranked second for distance and performed well enough that it returned the following year and still finished fifth overall in the 2024 test.
Forgiveness was its clear weakness in 2023. Its low-spin, fade-oriented design also means it’s not an automatic fit for golfers who need more launch, spin or help turning the ball over.
2022 PING G425 Max
The G425 Max won primarily because of accuracy and forgiveness. It finished first for accuracy and second for forgiveness, making it one of the most dependable and widely playable winners on this list.
It finished 19th out of 38 drivers for distance so this wasn’t the choice for golfers chasing every possible yard. Testers also had strong opinions about its sound and prominent crown turbulators.
2021 Callaway Epic Max LS
The Epic Max LS finished first in Strokes Gained and forgiveness while ranking fourth for total distance. It nearly doubled the Strokes Gained score of its closest competitor and was the only driver in its high-speed group to produce a 60-percent fairway-hit rate.
Interestingly, it wasn’t one of the leaders in ball speed. Its win was built on what happened after impact rather than simply producing the fastest number off the face.
2020 PING G410 LST
The G410 LST finished first in Strokes Gained and third in driving distance. Testers also found fairways at a high rate, giving it the kind of balanced performance that has made older PING drivers so appealing on the used market.
The LST was designed to reduce spin and offered settings that could help take the left side out of play. That made it highly adjustable but not necessarily the right model for golfers who already launch the ball too low or need additional spin.
2019 Callaway Epic Flash Sub Zero
The Epic Flash Sub Zero ranked first in Strokes Gained and fairway accuracy while finishing second for total distance. It beat the TaylorMade M6 and PXG 0811 XF to claim the 2019 title.
Testers gave it strong marks for its appearance but rated it poorly for sound.
2018 PING G400 LST
The G400 LST finished in the top three for accuracy and distance and was described as an “absolute fairway finder.” It combined low but playable spin with the type of consistency that helped it remain relevant well beyond its original release.
The LST designation is still important. Golfers who naturally create very little spin or need help launching the ball may get better results from a higher-launching, more forgiving version of the G400.
2017 Srixon Z565
The Srixon Z565 was one of the more unexpected winners on this list. It beat the Callaway Big Bertha Epic in a field that also included models such as the TaylorMade M2, PING G LS Tec and COBRA F7+.
The Z565 wasn’t a tester favorite in every respect. Several golfers thought it looked closed at address and weren’t impressed by its sound and feel. It also lacked movable weighting, giving golfers fewer fitting options than several of its competitors.
Which one was your favorite?
Ten years of testing produced four PING wins, three Callaway wins, two TaylorMade wins and one victory from Srixon.
Some of these drivers are still in golf bags. Others can now be found for a fraction of their original price. Winning a previous test doesn’t guarantee that a driver will fit your swing but it’s a pretty good reason not to dismiss it.
How many of these have you owned and which one would you put back in the bag today?
Randy
3 weeks ago
2 of them. Hated the stealth 2 and went directly to g430 max 10k. An improvement, but didn’t find driver nirvana until the g440 max k.