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37 Drivers. 420 Hours. 18,620 Shots. 409,000 Data Points. 1 Best Driver of 2025
This is the most independent, data-driven and comprehensive driver review for 2025. It is backed by more than a decade of testing experience and expertise. MyGolfSpy is the industry leader in independent product testing.
At MyGolfSpy our mission has never wavered: We put the consumer first. No shortcuts, no bias, no allegiance to anything but the truth. That’s why we exist. To cut through the noise. To hold brands accountable. And most of all, to ensure that you get the most out of your gear.
Hype? Never heard of her. The Best Driver of 2025 is based solely on cold, hard data.
For this test, we have 37 driver models, all of them new for the 2025 golf season except for last year’s winner, PING G430 MAX 10K. Our staff committed 420 hours to testing along with 35 avid golfers just like you and me.
This isn’t just the most comprehensive driver test, it’s the most impactful. We measure Distance, Accuracy and Forgiveness so you know exactly what to expect when you step onto the tee box.
Our goal with these test results is to provide you, the consumer, with an indispensable, objective and reliable off-the-rack resource as you explore your next driver purchase. It is a starting point, especially if you’re unsure which driver might best suit you and your needs.
These are the best drivers of 2025.
The best drivers excel across the board in our testing. They offer golfers the best blend of distance, accuracy and forgiveness. Some outperform others in specific scoring categories. Some are more balanced in their performance. Regardless, the drivers at the top of the board are the ones you should consider the most. They could change your golf game for the better, especially performance off the tee.
These are the best drivers of 2025.
Callaway Elyte Triple Diamond is the most wanted driver of 2025 for a reason. Throughout testing, it showcased its performance ability regardless of who was hitting it. At the end of the day, it is accurate and long, which is a win-win for most golfers.
A driver doesn't win or rank towards the top without being playable. Our testing includes golfers with various swing speeds. Despite being a "low-spin" driver, Callaway Elyte Triple Diamond offers playability for a wide variety of golfers and this is evident with the results. It ranks in the top three for accuracy and distance and shows above-average forgiveness and consistency.
Callaway Elyte Triple Diamond performs. However, it looks different than the other two Elyte drivers. It has a gloss profile and a handful of testers didn't like the transition of the topline into the glossy crown.
Year after year, Callaway’s Triple Diamond driver is one of the best. If you were a gambler, going all-in on the Triple Diamond being one of the top drivers on the market would be a strong bet. This year is no different. Callaway Elyte Triple Diamond is both accurate and long. It ranks in the top three for accuracy and distance. To top it off, it places 11th for forgiveness.
“Performance was consistent that even the mishits were solid. I didn’t lose much control or distance on those shots as well.”
“Surprised how well I hit the Triple Diamond. Very consistent performance across the board.”
“Solid club, attractive setup and looks square. Pleased with it.”
“Triple Diamond continues to be one of the best driver models. Shaping is wonderful, but hate the transitions of gloss. Make it matte.”
It really comes as no surprise that the Callaway Elyte Triple Diamond finishes first overall. It continues to be a damn good driver and playable for golfers of all skill levels. The results of this test validate that. With moveable weights to change CG location, Elyte Triple Diamond can be put in the bag of low- to mid-spin golfers with ease. As always, go through a professional fitting to ensure you have optimum launch conditions.
PING G430 MAX 10K checks all the boxes. It is accurate which was also evident in 2024 testing. It offers predictable and consistent distance and maybe a few extra yards when all the stars align. Lastly, it produces consistent shot outcomes which is how we will often refer to as forgiveness. The icing on the cake? Testers rank it highly for subjective feedback.
PING G430 MAX 10K is one of the few drivers carrying over from 2024. For some, PING's newest drivers might have more appeal, especially since they're the same price. The choice is yours but, if consistency is the name of the game, G430 MAX 10K is a worthwhile option.
PING G430 MAX 10K won our Most Wanted Test in 2024. Once again, it proves to be among the best drivers on the market. It excels in all three phases of performance: accuracy, distance, and forgiveness. Additionally, it is one of the highest-rated drivers for sound, feel and looks. There is a lot to love about this driver
“Tightest left to right dispersion of the group in today’s session.”
“Finding the right golf shaft is key. The head is larger but doesn’t give off that appearance, and it is better sounding than previous generations.”
“It felt like a cheat code – easy to hit long. You really had to put a bad swing on it to not hit it well.”
“Straight and forgiving. What more can you ask for?
PING G430 MAX 10K won our test last year. With an all-around performance in this year’s test, it removes any remaining doubt that it is one of the best drivers available. You aren’t going to hit your longest drives with it. But, over time, you’ll be super-consistent. That is a win.
PING G440 LST ranks seventh overall for distance among 37 drivers. It packs a punch and beats out some top dogs. A core reason is that it offers the tightest ball speed delta. Shot to shot, testers saw extremely tight standard deviations when it comes to ball speed. Something to consider if you crave distance.
PING G440 LST's forgiveness performance is outstanding. There are core metrics we evaluate for forgiveness, but it boils down to thiis: how well does a driver produce consistent shots, consistently? As we've alluded to, G440 LST excels at carry distance deltas and ball speed deltas but it also thrives at producing tighter shot area. All things considered, it is a damn good driver.
Look, some of you are ready to die on this hill. We get it. But until PING finds "turbulators" ineffective, they're staying put. And before we go, PING G440 LST is one of the highest-rated drivers for looks. Let that sink in.
PING G440 LST finishes third overall for 2025’s Most Wanted Driver. Two scoring categories propel it to third place: distance and forgiveness. PING G440 LST ranks seventh for distance and third for forgiveness. Carry distance and total distance are the obvious reasons why it ranks highly for distance. Two underlying metrics within forgiveness are carry distance consistency and ball speed consistency. PING G440 LST excels at both.
“You know exactly where you hit it on the face. Feels really good.”
“It is damn good.”
“Good feel and I was able to hit my desired shot more consistently.”
“I really liked it – solid performance overall and the best PING I’ve hit in a while.”
PING G440 LST is a weapon, much like the first two drivers showcased earlier. With PING, you know exactly what you’re buying – consistency. And, in the case of G440 LST, consistent distance. It excels with distance because of how freaking consistent it is, especially with ball speed production shot to shot. This doesn’t mean it is the fastest head but it produces great ball speed across the face.
Distance is straightforward: carry and total distance.
Most golfers will prioritize distance overall. With a driver, it is a critical piece to the equation. This is why we weigh distance performance slightly higher than accuracy in our driver test.
In some cases, you will see a tradeoff between distance and accuracy. It is a performance situation that requires balancing. However, if distance is your top priority, look no further.
Here are the best drivers for distance.
Distance is always a top priority with a driver purchase. Titleist GT2 is the best driver for carry and total distance in our 2025 test. This comes as a surprise because there are a handful of other quote-unquote "distance oriented" drivers in this year's test. GT2 beats out several big names.
Subjective feedback always plays into a purchasing decision. We strive to separate performance from the subjective. But if you're going to let it influence your decision, know that our testing pool rates Titleist GT2 highly.
Yes, Titleist GT2 is the best driver for distance,. However, that comes at a price of forgiveness. For shot area, carry distance deltas and ball speed deltas, Titleist GT2 struggles relative to the field. Although it is long, it can be a bit erratic. Hence, why going through a professional fitting may lead to better overall performance.
Titleist GT2 is the best driver for distance in 2025, which boosts its overall score. Titleist’s flagship driver is consistently sneaky long and lower-spinning than most suspect. Accuracy is above average and forgiveness is subpar relative to the field. GT2 is a solid driver option for 2025. Going through a professional fitting can potentially increase its overall performance, especially accuracy.
“Dispersion was a little off, solid strikes are explosive.”
“Good feedback across the face. Surprisingly low spinning for a higher MOI head.”
“Looks “pure” at address. I could put this driver straight into the bag.”
“All around consistent with the numbers. Good ball speed as well for me.”
There is no question that Titleist has made a tremendous breakthrough in performance over the past several years. Their drivers continue to impress and rank towards the top of our driver tests. If you are looking for a player-friendly, confidence-inspiring driver profile, Titleist GT2 is the way to go. The distance potential is present. But to optimize accuracy and consistency, be sure to go through a professional fitting to dial in performance.
Titleist GT4 is one of the longest drivers in 2025. It excels at both carry and total distance performance. Golfers can further enhance its distance potential by putting a heavier weight forward in the face. This changes the CG location to produce a more penetrating, lower spinning shot outcome.
At 430cc, Titleist GT4 is one of the smallest driver profiles on the market. This is a traditional approach and is standard practice by Titleist with the 4 driver model. In addition to the smaller head, our testing pool rates GT4 as the best sounding driver.
Accuracy is not Titleist GT4's strength. It ranks towards the bottom for accuracy and we put a premium on accuracy. Moving the CG back in this driver can help with accuracy issue. But, ultimately, going through a professional fitting is the best approach if you're enamored with this driver.
Titleist GT4 narrowly misses out on the top spot for distance. It a driver made for distance or at least mitigating spin. For most golfers, GT4 might not be a first choice. It features a smaller head profile and tends to be less forgiving. However, it produces a higher forgiveness ranking than GT2 in our testing. You’ll want to go through a fitting for this driver as accuracy is its weakness
“Love the feedback off the face, low spinning which is great for me.”
“Complete package – aesthetically pleasing, great feel and sound, and could swing hard”
“Too difficult for my swing to hit consistently. Super appealing subjectively”
“Phenomenal look, I’d want an extensive fitting with the head. It gives me tremendous feedback for what I look for in a driver.”
Titleist GT4 is an intriguing driver. With a smaller profile and shaping, it will be intimidating for some golfers, especially for poor ball strikers. Distance is what it is made for and even more so if you’re a higher spinner of the golf ball. But, it offers manageability to the common golfer. Definitely go get fitted for this driver if you’re considering it.
Just because we weight distance slightly more than accuracy does not mean you should neglect it. Ignoring accuracy is a huge mistake for most golfers. Keeping the ball in play leads to better scores.
Accuracy is a blend. Hitting fairways is key. Producing playable shot outcomes is equally important. Are your drives landing and coming to rest in playable conditions? This is what we are evaluating for driver accuracy.
Here are the best drivers for accuracy.
Tour Edge Exotics E725 is the best driver for accuracy. Keeping the golf ball in play off the tee is a critical ingredient to a round of golf. Achieving this consistently will positively impact your golf game long-term and Tour Edge Exotics E725 can help. Playability isn't just shots ending in the fairway. There are playable shots that are slightly in the rough that we deem "playable shots" and E725 does a great job mitigating big misses.
With Tour Edge Exotics E725, you are getting a give-and-take relationship. It is accurate. However, you're losing out on distance. E725 ranks in the bottom half of our test for distance. Furthermore, it tends to be a tick higher-spinning than other drivers. So if you're already a high-spin golfer, you'll likely lose even more distance.
Playable shots and straight shots are important in golf. Sure, distance might trounce accuracy but you should not overlook it. Tour Edge Exotics E725 is the best driver for accuracy in 2025. It produces the highest values for playable- and straight-shot percentages (two key metrics in our accuracy evaluation). If you value accuracy and are willing to give up some distance, Tour Edge Exotics E725 is a stellar driver option.
“Not a believer in the brand, but damn, it is catching my attention.”
“Good dispersion, but didn’t produce distance.”
“There is no pop on solid strikes. Very accurate, but no distance.”
“I like it. Surprising.”
Every year, Tour Edge Exotics claims a top spot in one of our three scoring categories. This time, E725 is the best for accuracy. Usually, a Tour Edge Exotics driver ranks highly for forgiveness. E725 is a different breed and excels at producing playable and straight shots. This accuracy does come at a cost though as it does lack distance that most golfers will want.
Callaway Elyte Triple Diamond is the Most Wanted driver of 2025 for a reason. Throughout testing, it showcased its performance ability regardless of who was hitting it. It is accurate and long, a win-win for most golfers.
A driver doesn't win or rank towards the top without being playable. Our testing includes golfers with various swing speeds. Despite being a "low-spin" driver, Callaway Elyte Triple Diamond offers playability for a wide variety of golfers and this is evident in the results. It ranks in the top three for accuracy and distance and shows above-average forgiveness and consistency.
Callaway Elyte Triple Diamond performs. However, it looks different than the other two Elyte drivers. It has a gloss profile and a handful of testers didn't like the transition of the topline into the glossy driver crown.
Year after year, Callaway’s Triple Diamond driver is one of the best. If you were a gambler, going all-in on the Triple Diamond being one of the top drivers on the market would be a strong bet. This year is no different. Callaway Elyte Triple Diamond is both accurate and long. It ranks in the top three for accuracy and distance. To top it off, it places 11th for forgiveness.
“Performance was consistent that even the mishits were solid. I didn’t lose much control or distance on those shots as well.”
“Surprised how well I hit the Triple Diamond. Very consistent performance across the board.”
“Solid club, attractive setup and looks square. Pleased with it.”
“Triple Diamond continues to be one of the best driver models. Shaping is wonderful, but hate the transitions of gloss. Make it matte.”
It comes as no surprise that the Callaway Elyte Triple Diamond finishes first overall. It continues to be a damn good driver and playable for golfers of all skill levels. The results of this test validate that. With moveable weights to change CG location, Elyte Triple Diamond can be put in the bag of low- to mid-spin golfers with ease. As always, go through a professional fitting to ensure you have optimum launch conditions.
What makes a golf club, specifically a driver, forgiving?
Our industry-leading standard for defining forgiveness analyzes three specific metrics: carry distance deltas, ball speed deltas and shot area (aka dispersion).
Each of these metrics showcases how well a driver produces similar shot outcomes over time. Essentially, we are boiling it down to this:
How consistent is a driver?
Here are the best drivers for forgiveness.
Producing consistent carry distances, ball speeds and dispersion are PXG Black Ops Tour strengths. These attributes make it the best driver for forgiveness in our testing.
Despite being forgiving and producing consistent shot outcomes, PXG Black Ops Tour ranks towards the bottom for accuracy. It lacks the precision other drivers had throughout testing and was the most right-biased driver. Even though the shots were consistent, they tended to be right. We highly recommend going through a professional fitting for this driver.
It isn’t often you hear the word “Tour” and correlate it with forgiveness. But PXG Black Ops 0311 Tour-1 is the best driver for forgiveness in 2025. Our forgiveness metrics consist of ball speed deltas, carry distance deltas and shot area (dispersion). Essentially, PXG Black Ops Tour produces consistent shot outcomes shot-to-shot better than any other driver in our 2025 Most Wanted Driver test. Unfortunately, consistent shot outcomes don’t always mean playable or straight. We see this with Black Ops Tour as it ranks towards the bottom for accuracy.
“It is unpredictable. Good numbers when it was struck well, but very penalizing on off center hits.”
“With a proper fitting, I think it is solid. Good numbers. Too busy on the crown.”
“Could not draw it, but certainly a decent driver.”
“Like it – trending to a little right bias.”
We said it last year but PXG’s drivers are continually getting better. But Black Ops Tour might be that slight step backwards or the prime example of untapped potential.
Yes, it is the best driver for forgiveness and, for us, that means it produces consistent shot outcomes. However, it was inaccurate and right-biased. Otherwise, it has potential. Go get fitted for it.
Consistent shot outcomes are Srixon ZXI Max's specialty. Golfers want consistent, reliable performance in their driver, even without a professional fitting. Srixon ZXI Max offers this and above-average accuracy off the rack.
Sometimes drivers that excel in forgiveness give up something in performance. Whether it is accuracy or distance, there is a trade-off you have to consider. For Srixon ZXI Max, distance is the downside. This driver will spin more, given its design properties. So be wary if distance is a priority in your next driver.
Srixon ZXI Max ranks second overall for forgiveness. Our forgiveness scoring category analyzes three core metrics: ball speed deltas, carry distance deltas and shot area (dispersion). Strong performance in this category demonstrates a driver’s ability to produce consistent shot outcomes. ZXI Max does exactly this. Additionally, it holds its own in accuracy and ranks 13th in that scoring category.
“Has no wow factor. Good overall middle of the road.”
“Good numbers across the board with higher swing speeds. Louder than other drivers.”
“Good ball speed across the face, forgiving.”
“Overall, decent performance for a max driver head. Great look, one singular crown versus pieces thrown together.”
Srixon ZXI Max won’t fit higher swing speed golfers or those who spin the ball a lot. However, mid to low swing speed golfers may love the results of this driver. It is forgiving, consistent and fairly accurate. Distance and the acoustics are its downfalls. Srixon’s drivers were incredibly loud across the board.
Our mission is to cut through the subjective BS and encourage golfers to buy based on performance. Performance should be your top priority. However, there are other things you need to consider when purchasing a new driver.
If you’re new to golf, it can be useful to understand the parts of a driver. Golf drivers consist of several parts: the clubhead, the shaft and the grip. The clubhead is the portion that actually strikes the ball and is often made from materials such as titanium or composite blends.
The hosel connects the head to the shaft, which can vary in length and is commonly constructed from steel or graphite. The grip can be chosen separately and you can always regrip your clubs. And if you really want to go the custom route, you can add a unique ferrule, too.
Driver price points are quite the talking point nowadays. Most drivers are hovering at $600. There are several that exceed that price, even before you think about upgrading to an aftermarket driver shaft.
Thankfully, there are value alternatives.
Tour Edge Exotics E725 ranks 12th overall in this year’s test. It is the best driver for accuracy. This means it excels at fairway percentage and our other two key metrics for accuracy: playable- and straight-shot percentages.
You can buy it right now at Amazon for $379.95.
Now that we are in 2025 and all of the 2025 driver models have been released, many of the best drivers featured in last year’s test are on sale. Take a look at our brand-specific promo code and golf deal pages to get the best price on a new driver for your game.
Selecting the right shaft for your golf game is critical for optimal performance. The proper shaft can positively impact launch conditions and overall accuracy.
Shafts are typically made from either graphite or steel with the former being lighter and aiding in faster swing speeds. The shaft flex corresponds to swing speed and affects the trajectory.
Beginners often benefit from lighter graphite shafts that offer more flex, while seasoned players may prefer the precision of stiffer steel shafts suited for more powerful swings.
Testing drivers the MyGolfSpy way is not an easy task. Our 2025 Most Wanted test took 420 hours.
For 2025, the testing pool includes 37 different driver models.
MyGolfSpy’s test program is powered by three crucial components :
For driver testing, we have 35 testers. Since a driver is marketed to all golfers, our testing pool includes golfers of varying swing speeds and skill levels. Due to the scale of this test, each tester committed to 12 appointments to complete the driver test. All 35 testers hit each of the 37 drivers.
Providing you, the golfer and consumer, with insights into the best drivers on the market is our No. 1 goal with this test. We can’t do that without taking a diligent, in-depth approach to analyzing the data we collect throughout this process.
Our scoring categories remain the same and we will review those below. However, we are taking a new, more extensive approach to our scoring categories.
Overall scores will now be labeled as an MGS Score. The MGS Score is on a 10-point scale.
Driver testing is comprised of three scoring categories:
These three categories are weighted with distance taking a slight priority.
Maximizing driver distance is every golfer’s goal. For our distance category, we evaluate two specific metrics:
Being accurate off the tee can be a game changer. For our accuracy category, we analyze two specific metrics:
We label forgiveness as how consistent a driver is at producing consistent shot outcomes. For our forgiveness category, we asses three specific metrics:
OEM | Club | MGS Score | Distance Score | Accuracy Score | Forgiveness Score |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Callaway | Elyte Triple Diamond | 9.90 | 9.60 | 9.60 | 8.70 |
PING | G430 MAX 10K | 9.60 | 9.00 | 9.10 | 9.20 |
PING | G440 LST | 9.60 | 9.40 | 8.50 | 9.50 |
COBRA | DS-Adapt Max K | 9.60 | 9.60 | 8.50 | 9.10 |
Titleist | GT2 | 9.50 | 9.80 | 8.60 | 8.20 |
Callaway | Elyte X | 9.50 | 9.30 | 8.80 | 8.7 |
PING | G440 SFT | 9.40 | 8.30 | 9.50 | 9.20 |
COBRA | DS-Adapt LS | 9.40 | 9.50 | 8.30 | 8.70 |
Titleist | GT3 | 9.40 | 9.50 | 8.80 | 8.00 |
Callaway | Elyte | 9.30 | 8.90 | 8.80 | 9.10 |
Titleist | GT4 | 9.30 | 9.80 | 7.90 | 8.50 |
Tour Edge Exotics | E725 | 9.20 | 8.00 | 9.70 | 8.70 |
TaylorMade | QI35 | 9.10 | 9.20 | 8.60 | 7.80 |
Srixon | ZXI LS | 9.10 | 9.20 | 8.40 | 8.00 |
Srixon | ZXI Max | 9.10 | 8.00 | 8.80 | 9.50 |
COBRA | DS-Adapt X | 9.10 | 8.60 | 9.00 | 8.10 |
Sub 70 | 859 Pro | 9.10 | 7.90 | 9.40 | 8.70 |
Tour Edge Exotics | C725 | 9.00 | 8.50 | 9.00 | 8.20 |
TaylorMade | QI35 LS | 9.00 | 9.10 | 8.50 | 7.80 |
PXG | Black Ops 0311 | 8.90 | 8.80 | 8.10 | 8.70 |
PXG | Black Ops 0311 Tour-1 | 8.90 | 8.90 | 7.30 | 9.50 |
PING | G440 MAX | 8.80 | 8.20 | 8.90 | 8.20 |
Sub 70 | 859 | 8.80 | 8.20 | 8.90 | 7.80 |
TaylorMade | QI35 Max | 8.70 | 8.60 | 8.30 | 7.90 |
Honma | TW 767 | 8.70 | 7.80 | 8.60 | 8.50 |
Wilson | DYNAPWR Carbon | 8.70 | 9.20 | 7.10 | 8.00 |
Wilson | DYNAPWR Max | 8.60 | 8.30 | 7.60 | 8.80 |
Srixon | ZXI | 8.60 | 8.00 | 8.10 | 8.70 |
Wilson | DYNAPWR LS | 8.50 | 8.80 | 7.20 | 8.30 |
Honma | TW 767 Max | 8.40 | 6.90 | 8.40 | 9.20 |
Titleist | GT1 | 8.40 | 7.40 | 9.00 | 7.60 |
TaylorMade | QI35 Max Lite | 8.40 | 7.10 | 8.80 | 8.30 |
Honma | TW 767 LS | 8.30 | 7.90 | 7.50 | 8.60 |
COBRA | DS-Adapt Max D | 8.20 | 7.40 | 8.00 | 8.50 |
Stix Golf | Compete Driver | 8.20 | 7.70 | 8.10 | 7.70 |
Cleveland | HiBore XL | 8.20 | 6.90 | 8.60 | 8.40 |
Cleveland | HiBore XL Lite | 8.00 | 7.10 | 8.10 | 7.80 |
Scores are derived strictly from ball launch monitor data by way of our Efficiency Values. Efficiency Values are a cleaner version and representation of raw average as they remove certain outliers from the equation.
With this being said, scores are weighted with 40 percent of the score coming from distance metrics, 35 percent from our accuracy metrics and the remaining 25 percent from our forgiveness metrics. You can reference the specific metrics within each scoring category in the previous heading section.
Finally, we reserve a very small percentage of the score to account for things like fitting considerations, excessive amounts of outliers and other details that fall outside the scope of the data.
OEM | Club | Ball Speed | Carry | Total | Launch Angle | Backspin | Offline | Descent Angle | Peak Height |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Callaway | Elyte Triple Diamond | 142.3 | 237 | 251.76 | 13.71 | 2420 | 2.58 | 36.54 | 30.4 |
Callaway | Elyte X | 142.46 | 236.36 | 250.38 | 14.17 | 2531 | 3.59 | 37.88 | 31.71 |
Callaway | Elyte | 141.71 | 234.9 | 248.85 | 13.8 | 2484 | 6.36 | 37.1 | 30.7 |
Cleveland | HiBore XL Lite | 140.78 | 229.75 | 243 | 13.74 | 2606 | -5.51 | 36.75 | 29.69 |
Cleveland | HiBore XL | 140.74 | 229.19 | 242 | 14.22 | 2701 | -5.16 | 37.95 | 31.81 |
COBRA | DS-Adapt Max K | 142.75 | 237.76 | 250.84 | 14.01 | 2554 | 4.41 | 37.59 | 31.21 |
COBRA | DS-Adapt LS | 143.12 | 236.8 | 251.03 | 13.77 | 2602 | 8.68 | 37.42 | 30.97 |
COBRA | DS-Adapt X | 141.47 | 234.39 | 247.59 | 14.57 | 2628 | -1.33 | 38.64 | 32.34 |
COBRA | DS-Adapt Max D | 140.61 | 230.03 | 244.37 | 13.89 | 2581 | -11.22 | 36.84 | 29.97 |
Honma | TW 767 LS | 141.39 | 232.66 | 244.53 | 14.21 | 2707 | -2.16 | 38.94 | 32.37 |
Honma | TW 767 | 141.05 | 231.5 | 245.74 | 13.82 | 2589 | 0.03 | 37.2 | 30.74 |
Honma | TW 767 Max | 141.3 | 229.66 | 241.53 | 14.23 | 2806 | -16.17 | 39.22 | 33.18 |
PING | G440 LST | 142.4 | 236.9 | 250.36 | 13.5 | 2519 | 8.29 | 36.64 | 29.84 |
PING | G430 MAX 10K | 142.1 | 235.83 | 248.95 | 14.31 | 2636 | 8.05 | 38.78 | 32.36 |
PING | G440 SFT | 142.25 | 233.88 | 246.34 | 14.67 | 2820 | -3.8 | 40.13 | 34.02 |
PING | G440 MAX | 141.39 | 233.1 | 246.14 | 13.94 | 2593 | -0.51 | 37.59 | 30.96 |
PXG | Black Ops 0311 Tour-1 | 142.15 | 235.08 | 248.71 | 13.23 | 2512 | 19.08 | 35.95 | 28.88 |
PXG | Black Ops 0311 | 141.45 | 234.85 | 248.23 | 13.94 | 2555 | 8.25 | 37 | 30.51 |
Srixon | ZXI LS | 142.76 | 236.44 | 249.49 | 14.27 | 2610 | 0.36 | 38.72 | 33.17 |
Srixon | ZXI Max | 142.6 | 233.03 | 245.2 | 13.71 | 2787 | -2.6 | 38.6 | 32.06 |
Srixon | ZXI | 142.32 | 232.68 | 245.22 | 14.12 | 2786 | 3.19 | 38.75 | 32.29 |
Stix Golf | Compete Driver | 140.11 | 230.36 | 246.11 | 13.22 | 2546 | 17.58 | 36.02 | 28.51 |
Sub 70 | 859 | 141.48 | 232.38 | 247.52 | 13.53 | 2505 | 4.11 | 35.85 | 29.22 |
Sub 70 | 859 Pro | 140.56 | 231.62 | 246.24 | 13.77 | 2534 | 0.36 | 36.83 | 29.98 |
TaylorMade | QI35 | 142.91 | 236.03 | 250.07 | 13.73 | 2630 | 1.86 | 37.42 | 30.87 |
TaylorMade | QI35 LS | 142.42 | 235.65 | 249.3 | 13.98 | 2626 | -0.2 | 37.54 | 31.15 |
TaylorMade | QI35 Max | 142.25 | 234.5 | 247.36 | 14.24 | 2682 | 3.24 | 38.7 | 32.9 |
TaylorMade | QI35 Max Lite | 141.06 | 230.13 | 242.39 | 14.13 | 2875 | 4.68 | 39.37 | 32.2 |
Titleist | GT2 | 142.71 | 237.97 | 252.02 | 13.93 | 2505 | 3.78 | 37.3 | 30.84 |
Titleist | GT4 | 142.56 | 237.77 | 251.95 | 14.36 | 2564 | 12.79 | 38.51 | 32.39 |
Titleist | GT3 | 142.43 | 237.06 | 250.89 | 14.14 | 2515 | 5.22 | 37.12 | 31.02 |
Titleist | GT1 | 142.09 | 231.25 | 243.02 | 14.65 | 2962 | -6.17 | 40.41 | 33.87 |
Tour Edge Exotics | C725 | 140.86 | 233.36 | 248.25 | 14.01 | 2436 | 9.86 | 36.53 | 29.67 |
Tour Edge Exotics | E725 | 141.53 | 232.69 | 245.74 | 14.07 | 2761 | 7.67 | 39.04 | 32.46 |
Wilson | DYNAPWR Carbon | 141.54 | 235.93 | 250.28 | 13.94 | 2419 | 13.97 | 36.8 | 30.5 |
Wilson | DYNAPWR LS | 141.91 | 235.25 | 247.76 | 14.09 | 2518 | 11.97 | 37.68 | 31.25 |
Wilson | DYNAPWR Max | 141.47 | 233.5 | 246.56 | 13.56 | 2622 | 19.04 | 37.63 | 30.64 |
Our driver test is one of the longest, most extensive tests we do. Here are six key takeaways after 420 hours of testing:
All 37 drivers feature an adjustable hosel at a minimum. Several also include moveable weights which allow for shot shape correction or a shift in CG location to change launch conditions.
Then, you have COBRA’s new adaptor sleeve, FutureFit33. It features 33 unique loft and lie adjustments to help dial in your driver.
Most of the top-name players dominate the top of the leaderboard: Callaway, PING, COBRA and Titleist, specifically. TaylorMade is a touch underwhelming this year according to the data.
Last year, we saw Srixon, Mizuno and PXG take positive leaps towards driver relevancy. For example, Mizuno’s ST-G is our staff pick for the best Mizuno driver to date (we didn’t test it this year). PXG’s drivers were definitively the best to date.
This year, Srixon and PXG both have clubs that perform well for forgiveness, a positive for both companies. Honma is another driver manufacturer that performs under our forgiveness metrics.
Sub 70 859 Pro is a standout for accuracy.
Despite their overall performance, Wilson’s DYNAPWR drivers are close to breaking through. Our testing pool as a whole rated all three drivers well for subjective feedback. Unfortunately, their performances were too erratic throughout the test.
Lastly, stop sleeping on Tour Edge Exotics.
2025 continues the trend of 10K (MOI). PING, COBRA, TaylorMade and Tour Edge Exotics all feature this. But that needs to be put in proper context. MOI is just a number. It’s an element of forgiveness but it’s not the whole forgiveness story. It’s a static measurement that influences a dynamic result (the things that happens when you hit a golf ball).
At the most basic level, MOI serves to preserve ball speed on off-center hits. It doesn’t always mean a more consistent driver, and it definitely doesn’t guarantee straighter drives.
BUT three specific drivers, PING G430 MAX 10K, COBRA DS-Adapt Max K and Tour Edge Exotics E725 are all top performers. So … maybe there is something to “10K”?
It’s neither a surprise nor a secret that not all manufacturers put the same effort (money) into their stock shaft lineup. While having more options doesn’t guarantee better performance (the head still has to perform), even for the off-the-rack buyer, a more robust shaft lineup is an advantage.
For some golfers, sometimes many golfers, drivers don’t do what they’re supposed to. There’s design and there’s perception. What I mean by that is that if something in the design of a driver – things like face angle, lie angle, even the way the top line presents at address – causes a golfer to change something in his setup, the real-world result can differ from the design intent.
It’s the reason why we sometimes see draw-biased drivers produce fade-biased results and why “better player” drivers with small shapes and open faces can sometimes go left.
Here are some quick insights to help you better navigate your next hitting bay experience.
World-class testing requires world-class equipment. This is the gear we trust to help us fulfill our Most Wanted testing.
1 month ago
In year’s past, you eventually posted the club data for Medium and Slow Swing speeds. You’ve posted the High Swing Speed, are the others coming?!?
1 month ago
Not a single Mizuno driver.
1 month ago
Just as a FYI, both the Honma 767 and the max version surpass 10k MOI. However last years 757 and 757D was in the 9000s MOI howeverl produced the second highest ballspeed tested surpassing Stealth 2 plus and forgiveness was ranked the same as the Ping 430 max. So this years are more forgiving but last years were longer and some of the best deals available now online. Do not sleep on Honma.
2 months ago
Great effort clearly went into this difficult rating, but let’s face it, the shaft is the TRANSMISSION of energy to the clubhead and greatly affects distance, feel and sound, and certainly dispersion (accuracy). Presumably every one of these drivers had a different shaft so it is hard to digest any meaningful comparison. So little point spread separates the top drivers that it all boils down to the usual–which one fits my eye the best, and which one performs the best and provides the best numbers for MY SWING at the time of fitting, which will likely NOT be reflective of the MGS rating. Notably, the GT-1 seems to be poorly rated yet you sang it’s praises to the sky in its new release review—and since it is part of the GT family, why should it not perform as well as the rest?—probably because of the 40 Gm shaft!
2 months ago
Maybe MGS should read GolfWRX and their comprehensive “Best Driver 2025” testing to learn something. GolfWRX rates drivers by swing speed and their detailed results are way different than the “MGS list”, especially when it comes to the PIng G440 Max driver. And all reviews on-line from reputable golf sites are very favorable and tout the Ping G440 Max as one of the top drivers of 2025 … you have it rated #22. Your reviews, in my opinion, are misleading at best.
2 months ago
There is a lot of really good data here and I like the fact that you are showing draw vs fade tendencies with the off center measurements, but .. can we get a true off target line measurement as well? In case I am not being clear with that, example is two swings, 1 twenty yards right of target and one 25 yards left of target. That would be 2.5 yards of center draw bias (rh golfer), but would be 22.5 yards off target. My concern is that a driver could be inconsistent (50% misses to the left, 50% misses to the right) and look very accurate from a centerline perspective while being something I couldn’t trust because I don’t know from swing to swing if this is going left or right.
2 months ago
I’ll definitely be getting the Ping g430 Max 10k, but NOT brand new — i’ll wait to see when one shows up as a trade-in at the local golf shop or gets massively price reduced next year.
2 months ago
New Drivers are a joke…
I had a Srixxon 565 (cira 2017) and got given Callaway Paradym 2 years ago… No Difference..
I have a Ping G10 (Circa 2007) which will still probably hit it further…
Anyway, what are we chasing… If we magically found the driver that lowered our score by 1 shot, out handicap would go down by 1…
Get lessons and practice..
1 month ago
The old Ping G sft averaged 7 yards longer than this years G 440 sft in a comparison of 20 shots hit each. Its at the point of diminishing returns and aesthetics. 1 Yard can be the different between #1 and #12. Its gotten silly
3 months ago
The overall point here is that you can give up a couple yards of distance and get the most accurate driver of the bunch for about $250 less. Callaway, Titleist, TaylorMade are all pulling a con on us.
2 months ago
And wait 6-12 months, and save even more.
2 months ago
Because we’re subsidizing their marketing and pro sponsorships. The problem isn’t the price as much as idiots are willing to overpay just to play the same clubs played by pros with needs completely different. I don’t drive the same car as NASCAR drivers. My needs (and budget) are different.
3 months ago
These results seem to rely too much on who you have testing the drivers and could vary greatly depending on who is in your test pool. A great example of this is easy to view this year since you tested the Ping G430 Max 10K driver last year and this year. The results for distance on the test vary greatly between the years. Last year the Distance score for this driver was a 7.9, yet this year the very same driver had a distance score of 9.0. The Total distances also varied from 253.69 last year to 248.95 this year. So even though the total yards went down , the Distance score went up! Just makes me wonder about the real accuracy and true validity of the data.
3 months ago
Exactly. Knowing which ones work best across the board is useful, but knowing which ones worked best with the testers who swing like me would be better. Fitting is crucial, and knowing where to start with a fitting saves time, money, and stress.
3 months ago
Not one TM Qi’s made it ?
3 months ago
yep there all beautiful , a bigger question that’s never asked is. Do any of the latest and greatest longer than a 5 year old offering or a 8 year old Callaway XR ? I do believe there more forgiving by what a few yards to the right or left. I have a three year old Rogue that I bought last year new for $250 I love the driver but I loved the price even better. Keeping my old driver will pay for 15 rounds of golf.
3 months ago
Many reviewers on youtube comment that the PING G430 MAX 10K is right biased. Any notice of this in your testing?
2 months ago
Drew, i’ve played it for over 100 rounds and I can tell you at least for me. It was not biased either right or left.
3 months ago
Question, Did you buy everyone of these drivers off the rack? Or did a company or companies all supply them. One company in particular that I have experienced with, Once supplied a series of HOT heads and faces for tests, The rep, the GM and the sales director all new about this instance ahead of time. Just saying. I do hope you buy everything off the rack going forward. I know its costly.
3 months ago
I have often wondered about this. I have been fit for a driver at a large fitting center on a couple of occasions and have noticed the ball speed gains and smash factor of the fitting driver is significantly improved. I certainly haven’t gained 6mph of ball speed over my last two drivers though. Would love MGS to run a test with one model of driver from each major golf manufacturer- one provided directly to MGS directly, one borrowed from a local fitting cart and one purchased retail. If I was a manufacturer, I would certainly be testing every driver that hits a fitting cart or is going to MGS and only providing the hottest faces right at the limit or maybe every slightly above the limit. It wouldn’t surprise me if certain companies engineer hotter faces on the drivers they send to MGS.
3 months ago
A lot of work and effort. But how meaningful? How much longer is a 9.8 rated driver than a 9.6 at 100MPH swing speed and a 2° positive attack angle? How does a HZRDUS Gen 4 compare to a Ventus Blue? How much further off line is a ……? I think you get the point. If this information was relevant in the real world there would be no need to “get fit”. If I swung like your robot…..
3 months ago
The testing is done by humans…..
3 months ago
If I swung like your testers. The information is rather generic. No mention of shafts used for each driver. My last driver fitting was one prior generation TSR1. The same head went from unhittable to the perfect fit by changing shafts. Both nominally “R” flex. I appreciate the effort. Don’t misread that.
3 months ago
You are right, these tests will never perfectly replicate your exact swing, that is what a fitting is for. Testing every variable would take so long I doubt the results would be compiled before the next seasons clubs are released.
However these studies are still quite meaningful, at least as a refernce point. By collecting enought data they can mitigate the noise and provide information that is statically significant.
3 months ago
PXG should never be included in this list, as they are not available from generic retailers, that you have to go to their store. There is no way to test PXGs immediately side by side with the others.
There should be a separate category for those companies that don’t sell in the open chain retail stores.
3 months ago
you know you can buy them online, right? Just like every other driver tested….
2 months ago
Again, you can’t test it side by side with the others in a store
1 month ago
Theres no stores with hitting bays in New Jersey
3 months ago
You have the Titleist GT2 as a 9.5 in your “Top 5” graphic shown here, but the review page indicates you gave it an 8.5: https://uploads.mygolfspy.com/uploads/2025/02/TOP-5-OVERALL-1536×1075.jpg
However, the truly funny part is that neither of those numbers are correct. Because using the scores and the weights shown in this post: (9.8×.4)+(8.6×.35)+(8.2×.25) = 8.98, rounded to a 9.0. Yikes.
3 months ago
None of the MGS scores make sense. How can the average be higher than the 3 individual values?
3 months ago
Another great year of testing.
I can’t wait to see the testing and learn which one is best.
The distance score is given so much weight in the scoring and is the most subjective in number.
the difference between a 9.8 and 8.8 score is only 2 yards. That is so tiny to give that big of a difference in score. a drive that goes 1.2% farther get a score that is 11% higher. That makes no sense.
Esp after reading a tester’s post and how much his daily swing speed changed throughout the weeks. 2 yards is barely a delta to throw off all your testing work and award 1st or 15 place based Soley on that (that is how big you are making 2 yards).
2 months ago
We’ve reached the point of diminished returns. Seems like a few yards is all that differs in distance, prob less when fitted. Will you find anything significantly better from the drivers of 5 years ago? Probably not by a huge margin, even less the more consistant you are, but the AI head design does seem to offer improvement. The Moi Stuff is nothing new, Adams had the BUL5000 25 years ago and that didnt even measure vertical MOI. Yamaha RDX been at 10 k for years before Ping. I think if you struggle with consistancy, Exotics E 10k wins. And if youre not consistent, thats the aim of focus. With a fitting, it will be just as long. But respectfully, Callaway seems to have the best AI designed face so I do respect that. However, I find the Elyte Ugly. The Honma ratings I dont think are very accurate as the previous 757 driver was longer then the stealth 2 and averaged 2 mph faster ball speed. Also did they use Vizard shafts? Those are JDM spec so flex is off. Everything w a grain of salt. Bottom line, dont spend $600 on a driver. You can get last years Dynapower for under $200 new and the numbers were better and that has a solid AI face design. New model looks better but give and take. You can also get last years Honma 757s which Ive hit the longest drives of my life with. Or get the Ping G425 which performs better than the 440 max. $200 should be all you really need to spend. Maybe a Titlist 915d3. Of course, money is more plentiful with some and bless them. Mark Crossfield compared the Elyte and another driver rom this year vs a Ping G10. Ping g10 was longer. Forgiveness and consistancy or accuracy should be your focus. no one needs 2-5 yards longer for $600. You slicing, maybe the new Ping SFT may be very worth it. Probably not much more than a Ping G SFT you can get for $150 but Ping is the way to go if buying new on resale value alone. I tend to go with last generation or 2 generations back.
3 months ago
Pretty interesting that forgiveness and overall score was pretty low on the G440 Max. That model is almost always near the top.
2 months ago
Wait for next year. The rating will change. Same with the First Wilson Dynapower review. First review was kinda mid, the next year It magically performed so much better and zero change to design. But data is data and thank you for the data.
3 months ago
Great test as always. But man, $650 now? Just wait till the end of the year at least.
3 months ago
What does the positive/negative numbers mean in “offline” category? Positive right of center and negative left of center?
3 months ago
That’s generally the case when testing on a Trackman / GC Quad (and the Quad is what they used).
1 month ago
So why is the Honma not rated at the top?
3 months ago
Will you publish driver data based on swing speed anytime soon? Ball speeds in the 140’s indicates swing speed average at near 100mph swing speed.
3 months ago
Right!? The G440 MAX might be the best driver for someone that has 85mph speeds, but terrible for someone that has 105 speeds. Without that, these reviews are worthless.
3 months ago
They always publish a follow up article with best clubs for swing speeds.
3 months ago
mgs – you need to do this test with a golf robot + same shaft in each club + same loft for each driver so the data is consistent across all drivers.
Example: My ball speed is 168-170 with my SIM 2, a guy that works with me is 160 with a stealth 2.
I use Xstiff shaft (70 gram) 7 degree driver vs. xStiff (60 gram) 8.5 degree driver
Without this consistency, the results are not 100% accurate.
Lets do this for your next driver testing.
3 months ago
I agree but let’s make this more interesting: they can keep the human tests, as having a wide spectrum of players, from very low hcp to weekend hackers, surely give a more real overview.
But yes, robot testing with same shaft and at least three swings speeds (Reg-Stiff-XStiff) it’s something no one ever did.
From one side I understand that manufacturers suggested shaft are the ones that should fit the widest variety of players, but on the other end majority of fittings end up with an aftermarket shaft. Which shaft to adopt will be an endless discussion, but I don’t think it’s going to be complicated to select few options amongst the most used.
So why not?
3 months ago
If you are trying to award a driver as the “best” you can’t use a robot. Unless you are going to test each driver with a variety of swing speeds, strike locations, angle of attack etc, then the best driver is going to be dictated by how the robot is set to deliver the club. The winner is going to be different if the robot is set to swing at 110mph, middle strike, +2* Angle of Attack coming 3* from the inside than if it is set to 85mph, slight heel strike, -2* AoA, 5* from the outside. The only thing a robot test proves is how a specific driver performs at that setup.
3 months ago
3 months ago
“Unless you are going to test each driver with a variety of swing speeds, strike locations, angle of attack etc” – this is exactly what they should do.
3 months ago
Cool clubs is a great resource but the robot is likely set up to deliver the club one way, probably slightly from the inside with a positive angle of attack. In a previous MGS driver test, results were sortable by angle of attach (negative, neutral, positive) and even within the same swing speed, the driver rankings would vary significantly.
While I agree that using a robot to perform the test with various swing speeds, strike locations, swing deliveries would provide the best results. It would require way too much time to be remotely feasible. 30+ drivers x 2 tested lofts x 9 different strike locations x 3+ different swing speeds x 6+ different swing types (different angles of attack, over the top, from the inside, early release etc) x 6+ balls hit for each. I don’t want to do the math on this but I suspect by the time they tested all the clubs then reported the results, it would take so long, none of the drivers would be available to purchase anymore.
3 months ago
You have the Titleist GT2 as a 9.5 in your “Top 5” graphic shown here, but the review page indicates you gave it an 8.5: https://uploads.mygolfspy.com/uploads/2025/02/TOP-5-OVERALL-1536×1075.jpg
However, the truly funny part is that neither of those numbers are correct. Because using the scores and the weights shown in this post: (9.8×.4)+(8.6×.35)+(8.2×.25) = 8.98, rounded to a 9.0. Yikes.
3 months ago
Just go here, it’s better, because they are in a true retail environment and they use the robot
https://www.youtube.com/@CoolClubs/videos
3 months ago
robots don’t play golf.
3 months ago
Crash Test Dummies don’t drive cars on the street like an on the street like a normal human being on a daily basis either, but we do crash test with them don’t we? That’s how we rate crashworthiness of cars. Unless you’re willing to dive in and do the testing for us and crash all those cars for us.
😂
3 months ago
Cool club already does that… and sadly when I hit my driver, I dont hit it like a robot, I hit it like someone who got injuries, 2 hour sleep before the round, dead center once every full moon. Robot will gives you very decent information where you hit it on the club face, same attack angle… as for the human part sometimes…
3 months ago
My next driver is going to be a Tour Edge. The E723 is down to $280. Great products and great pricing.
3 months ago
I had the E723 and an Exs220. Compared them on a trackman. Virtually no difference for my 90mph swing speed. Used the same shaft in both. I liked them both but sold the E723. I thinl any of the E series since the EXS220 will perform about the same at 90mph. YMMV.
3 months ago
I’m gaming an old Cleveland driver. I think anything would be a step up.
My dad plays the C524 and really likes it. He was gaming an old Orlimar prior.
2 months ago
The Exs 220 and The EXS Pro are some of the best clubs TE ever put out to this day.
3 months ago
Shouldn’t these all be separated in to three categories: Players, Game Improvement, Super Game Improvement? Of course a GT4 or Callaway Triple Diamond are going to go farther than a Ping SFT or Elyte X due to lower spin. 90% of golfers have no business hitting a Triple Diamond, Ping LST or GT4.
2 months ago
Joe, I sent a good reply, but they wouldn’t let it go through. I’m sorry.
3 months ago
Thank you, thank you, thank you for including data with these Most Wanted results!! I realize that you can’t have the exact same testing pool making the exact same swings year-over-year, but with the number of testers used, one can make a reasonable comparison from one year to the next. For example, my current AI Smoke TD appears to have performed as well or better (in some areas) than this year’s top-rated driver. Obviously your mileage may vary, but this tells me that I won’t be missing out on any substantial performance gains by sticking with what I have.
3 months ago
I second the thanks for inclusion of the data. I’m tired of the “Buy/ Don’t Buy This” summaries all too often provided without any supporting data in evidence.
3 months ago
Looks like accuracy and forgiveness are starting to be blended and giving erroneous results.
blacks ops tour being the most forgiving is quite startling especially after hitting it myself
The GT4 being the most forgiving out of their drivers is just as wild after hitting all 3 of theirs.
I think having dispersion as part of the forgiveness metrics is convoluting that category.
Separating the club speeds between testers may have better results instead of lumping them all together
3 months ago
For me personally being an extra low spin seeker, I found the Cobra to be the most forgiving. I could swing that without looking and it was dead on. Others I had to tweak a lot with weights and face angles. The new Cobra 33 thing really works well
3 months ago
Which Cobra did you find to help you play blind ?
They are ahead of the pack .
ARLINDO
3 weeks ago
BS !
Best driver pers se does not exist.
What do exist is the best driver for each individual golfer. Considering driver heads at maximal COR, what matters is the fitting : real loft (not with adjustable hosel), face angle, length , lie, shaft, weight , balance, MOI, grip, oscillation line…
By the way “low spin” drivers do not exist, as the spin is in relation with the swing speed, angle of attack, and dyamic loft …