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The Best Drivers for Mid Swing Speeds
Today, we reveal our test results for the Best Drivers for Mid Swing Speeds (90 to 105 mph). If this applies to you, read on. If not, stay tuned. Test results for slow swing speeds are on the horizon.
Our mission is to understand and discover which piece of equipment best serves each individual golfer. Our 2021 Most Wanted Driver Test featured 38 different models—35 testers with 35 uniquely different swing characteristics. In the end, 18,000+ shots of data allow for a breakdown of the best drivers for three different swing speed categories: high, mid and slow.
The Best Driver for Mid Swing Speeds: Titleist TSi3
The best driver for mid swing speeds is the Titleist TSi3. “Strokes gained” is the ultimate measurement of performance and this is where the TSi3 makes its mark.
- 1st in strokes gained
- 4th in total distance
- 17th in forgiveness
While its forgiveness performance is mediocre, the TSi3 excels in the metric that catches most golfers’ attention: distance. The combination of distance and the best strokes-gained score has this as a potential perennial performer.
BEST TOTAL DISTANCE FOR MID SWING SPEEDS - COBRA RADSPEED
The Cobra RADSPEED is a distance machine. Not only was it the best driver for total distance in the High Swing Speed Category, it continues its rule in the Mid Swing Speed Category. If you are looking for pure distance, give this driver a go.
Driver Buying Considerations
Performance should be your primary concern when looking for the best drivers of 2021 but there are some additional considerations you may want to think about before you buy.
Cost
The 2021 Most Wanted Driver Test features drivers from $229.99 to upwards of $700, excluding any exotic shaft upgrades. The 2021 Most Wanted Driver, Callaway Epic Max LS, will set you back $529.99. If that’s more than you’re willing to spend, the PXG 0211 ($289) and Tour Edge Exotics EXS Pro offer tremendous value. Splitting the difference, COBRA’s RADSPEED and RADSPEED XB are stellar performers. Their price point of $449 makes them all the more intriguing.
EXPERT TIP - How To Improve Accuracy
Shaft selection matters. Not only can it be used to optimize launch and spin conditions, but it can also have a significant influence on accuracy. Key factors, such as, weight, stiffness, and torque can dictate how the clubhead bends and twists as it is delivered to the ball, which ultimately impacts your ability to deliver the club consistently and hit straighter shots.
Shaft Selection
Several manufacturers continue to provide low-cost, made for shafts as stock options in their drivers. The performance is often adequate (though not likely what you’d get from a properly fitted aftermarket shaft) but, make no mistake, made for shafts are usually selected to boost margins, not performance.
While we recommend working with a competent fitter, we understand that many of you will buy off the rack. With most manufacturers offering two or three stock shafts to choose from, it’s still important to find the best fit within a stock lineup.
Finally, while we always recommend taking a performance-first approach, when comparing prices, golfers should understand there’s more value to be found from brands who don’t water down their shaft offerings. Titleist continues to offer a robust selection of featured shafts. Mizuno and COBRA also deserve mention for featuring “real-deal” Fujikura Motore X F1 and F3 shafts among their stock offerings.
Distance Versus Dispersion
Distance is king. We understand the temptation to prioritize an extra yard or two but, given the similarities in distance between drivers, we believe golfers should prioritize tighter dispersion and greater consistency over minimal additional yardage.
For most golfers, it may be worth forgoing those couple of yards in favor of smaller numbers (tighter standard deviations) and smaller circles (better dispersion).
Shot Shape Correction
If you struggle with a slice, it’s important to know you have options. Dedicated draw-bias drivers (no movable weights) are typically the most effective at reducing right-side misses. However, if you’re looking for something that will work for you as you try to improve your swing, a movable weight driver may be the better option.
BEST FORGIVENESS FOR MID SWING SPEEDS - PING G425 MAX
With the 2nd highest "fairway hit" percentage, the PING G425 Max took the spotlight for best forgiveness in the mid swing speed category. Consistency and "fairways hit" are a beneficial combination. If you want both performance metrics, give the G425 Max a go.
The Best Drivers for Mid Swing Speeds: Data
To filter and compare by club, use the drop-down list and checkboxes to select only the drivers you wish to compare. Mobile users should rotate their phones to landscape mode.
EXPERT TIP - Movable Weights
Moving weight forward can decrease ↓ launch angle and reduce spin by up to 250-500 RPM. Moving weight back will increase ↑ launch and spin, while boosting MOI (forgiveness). Heel positions are less forgiving than back positions, but help golfers fight a slice.
Moving weight forward often introduces a bit of fade bias, while back weight positions tend be more draw-biased (though not as much as heel positions)
Mid Swing Speeds: What You Need to Know. Simplified
Congratulations, you’ve read further than most of your peers. So if you’re here, you get bonus in-depth information. Tell your friends. If you swing between 90 to 105 miles per hour, take these notes into consideration:
- Ball speed is an intriguing talking point. Without question, it is a statistic that jumps off a page for readers. The TaylorMade SIM2 is the best driver for ball speed in the mid swing speed category.
- For mid swing speeds, the top five drivers for total distance separated themselves from the rest of the field. There was a 1.6-yard differential between fifth and sixth. Between first and fifth, there was a 2.2-yard differential. If distance is your goal, these drivers are worth your consideration: COBRA RADSPEED, Callaway Epic Max LS, Titleist TSi4, Titleist TSi3 and TaylorMade SIM2.
- If you crave accuracy over distance, these four drivers excel with finding the fairway: Callaway Epic Max, Titleist TSi2 and Tour Edge Exotics EXS Pro.
- Spin comes in many forms within the mid swing speed category. Some players struggle with low spin, some with high spin. With 2,400 rpms, these two drivers provide consistent, playable spin numbers: Srixon ZX5 and Mizuno ST-Z.
Driver Tips
- Distance Versus Accuracy: Don’t sacrifice accuracy for a few more yards. Manufacturers know you want distance and often cheat distance through longer shafts. A 46-inch shaft will almost always get you more yards but it typically leads to less accuracy and more dispersion.
- Adjustable Loft: Adjusting loft changes the face angle. Adding loft ↑ closes the face while decreasing loft ↓ opens the face. By understanding the relationship between loft and face angle and the influence face angle has on where your ball starts, you can leverage loft adjustability to improve accuracy.
- Looks Versus Performance: Don’t overvalue looks. Golfers tell us all the time that they can’t hit a club well if they don’t like how it looks but we’ve found very little evidence to suggest this is true. Very often, golfers produce outstanding results with clubs they claim to despise. Keep an open mind about a club that you may not find visually appealing.
- Adjustable Weights: Not all adjustable weighting systems are created equal. You can leverage movable weight to its fullest potential by looking for systems that allow you to move significant mass over a wider area of the clubhead while keeping the weight close to the perimeter of the golf club. Lighter weights moved over small distances or moved between central locations will have a minimal impact on ball flight.
How We Test
Our mission is to help you find the best driver for your game.
About our Testers
Our pool of testers consists of 35 golfers with handicaps ranging from plus to the mid-teens. As a group, they span a broad range of swing characteristics (head speed, attack angle, etc.).
Over the course of several sessions, each golfer is required to hit 10-12 "good" shots with each club. Club order is randomized on a per tester basis.
Limiting Variables and Gathering Data Reliably
To minimize variables, all testers hit Bridgestone Tour B X Golf balls.
Both club and head data are captured using Foresight GCQuad launch monitors.
Crunching the Numbers
Before determining our rankings, we identify and remove outliers using a proprietary detection methodology.
To arrive at our final results, we calculate the averages of key metrics (ball speed, distance, dispersion, etc.), while also considering the standard deviation and the statistical reliability of those values.
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2021 Most Wanted Driver Product Specifications
2021 Most Wanted Driver Product Specs
| Product | Stated Loft | Measured Loft | Measured Length | Measured Swing Weight | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 | Ben Hogan GS53 Max Check Price | 9 | 9.4 | 45.875" | D6.6 |
 | Callaway Epic Max Check Price | 9 | 8.9 | 45.5625" | D3.2 |
 | Callaway Epic Max LS Check Price | 9 | 9.2 | 45.625" | D4.0 |
 | Callaway Epic Speed Check Price | 9 | 8.9 | 45.5" | D3.4 |
 | Cleveland Launcher HB Turbo Check Price | 9 | 9.3 | 45.6875" | D5.9 |
 | Cobra RADSPEED Check Price | 9 | 8.2 | 45.375" | D0.8 |
 | Cobra RADSPEED XB Check Price | 9 | 8 | 45.875" | D2.3 |
 | Cobra RADSPEED XD Check Price | 10.5 | 10.1 | 45.875" | D1.3 |
 | Honma T//World GS Check Price | 9.5 | 9.9 | 45.6875" | D2.7 |
 | Honma TR20 440 Check Price | 9.5 | 9.8 | 45.3125" | D3.2 |
 | Honma TR20 460 Check Price | 9.5 | 9.9 | 45.375" | D3.5 |
 | Inesis 500 Check Price | 12 | 11.2 | 45.375" | D4.2 |
 | Mizuno ST-X Check Price | 10.5 | 10.6 | 45.125" | D3.7 |
 | Mizuno ST-Z Check Price | 9.5 | 9.8 | 45.0625" | D3.9 |
 | PING G425 SFT Check Price | 10.5 | 10.6 | 44.875" | D2.3 |
 | PXG 0211 Check Price | 9 | 9.3 | 45.25" | D1.8 |
 | PXG 0811 X Gen4 Check Price | 9 | 9.3 | 45.25" | D2.2 |
 | PXG 0811 XF Gen4 Check Price | 9 | 9.3 | 45.375" | D2.2 |
 | PXG 0811 XT Gen4 Check Price | 9 | 9.5 | 45.3125" | D2.3 |
 | Srixon ZX5 Check Price | 9.5 | 9.6 | 45.4375" | D3.6 |
 | Srixon ZX7 Check Price | 9.5 | 10 | 45.4375" | D4.0 |
 | TaylorMade SIM2 Check Price | 9 | 9.2 | 45.625" | D6.5 |
 | TaylorMade SIM2 Max Check Price | 9 | 8.9 | 45.625" | D4.5 |
 | TaylorMade SIM2 Max D Check Price | 9 | 9.3 | 45.625" | D3.6 |
 | Titleist TSi1 Check Price | 9 | 9.5 | 45.625" | D4.2 |
 | Titleist TSi2 Check Price | 9 | 9.2 | 45.5" | D4.0 |
 | Titleist TSi3 Check Price | 9 | 9.2 | 45.5" | D2.7 |
 | Titleist TSi4 Check Price | 9 | 9.4 | 45.5" | D4.8 |
 | Tour Edge Exotics C721 Check Price | 9.5 | 8.2 | 45.375" | D2.0 |
 | Tour Edge Exotics EXS Pro Check Price | 9.5 | 9.4 | 45.5" | D4.2 |
 | Tour Edge Hot Launch C521 Check Price | 9.5 | 8 | 44.9375" | D3.2 |
 | Wilson Staff D9 Check Price | 9 | 9.4 | 45.3125" | D4.4 |
 | Wilson Staff Launch Pad Check Price | 9 | 9.5 | 45.125" | D2.9 |
 | XXIO Eleven Check Price | 9.5 | 10.1 | 45.8125" | D3.8 |
 | XXIO X Check Price | 9.5 | 10.2 | 45.5" | D1.7 |
The Best Drivers for Mid Swing Speeds – FAQ
Buying a New Driver
Q: How often should I buy a new driver?
A: While on rare occasions there are quantifiable year-over-year breakthroughs, typically it takes three to five years for manufacturers to make any significant performance gains. With the USGA further tightening restrictions on manufacturers, it’s possible, even likely, that it will take longer still moving forward. Our recommendation is to buy a new driver only when it appreciably outperforms what is already in your bag. Of course, if you want a new driver because you want a new driver, that’s fine, too.
Q: With all the talk of new face technology, is there one driver that produces significantly more ball speed?
A: Across our test pool as a whole, we found no significant ball speed advantage that can be attributed to face technology. It’s true that some drivers worked significantly better for individual golfers than others but thus far we’ve found no evidence to suggest any one brand has a significant ball-speed advantage over its competitors.
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FREE FITTING
Q: Does the shaft matter?
A: Absolutely. While changes to spin and launch and spin differences are rarely massive, shaft changes frequently lead to improved accuracy, tighter dispersion and greater overall consistency.
Q: What should I look for when testing drivers?
A: While golfers have been conditioned to consider distance to the exclusion of nearly everything else, we recommended looking at the little numbers and for small circles. When comparing metrics like distance and ball speed, be sure to look at your standard deviations (the small numbers usually found under the big ones on the data screen). Smaller numbers mean better consistency which will usually mean more than an extra yard or two on the golf course. Similarly, look for tighter dispersion ellipses (small circles). We can’t overstate the importance of consistency with the driver.
Q: Is there any downside to adjustability?
A: Yes, but … With many designs, adjustable hosels weigh significantly more than their glued alternatives so manufacturers have to find workarounds to offset the additional weight in an area where that is undesirable. Furthermore, movable weight systems require complex physical structures that eat up otherwise discretionary mass and often have sound and feel consequences. That said, in most cases, the fitting versatility more than offsets those negatives. This is especially true for golfers who choose not to work directly with a fitter.
Upright and Flat Settings
As it does with irons, the lie angle of your driver matters. Lie angle has a strong influence on where the ball starts. If you find yourself missing right, something as simple as an upright lie angle can help. Conversely, a flatter lie angle can help mitigate a left miss.
Most Wanted
Q: How are the drivers in the test fitted to each golfer?
A: We use a fitting process that we call “fit from stock.” Drivers are fitted to each tester using the stock no up-charge options from each manufacturer. We test with stamped lofts between nine and 10.5 degrees and fully utilize the fitting capability within each manufacturer’s lineup. This includes leveraging loft, lie and face angle adjustability (hosel), movable weights and available shafts.
Q: How is the “Most Wanted Driver” determined?
A: To determine the Most Wanted Driver, we look at a variety of performance metrics based on data collected with Foresight GCQuad Launch Monitors. For each tester, we calculate strokes gained across all testers. The Most Wanted Driver is the one that produced the highest strokes gained relative to the average across the entire test cohort
Q: How do you break down the test by swing speed?
A: In order to determine the best performing drivers at a given swing speed, we broke the data down into even groups based on testers’ average swing speed.
Q: How is the “Longest Driver” determined?
A: To determine the Longest Driver, we consider the average total yards across the test pool along with the statistical reliability of that data. We also look at a narrower subset of the data that included only the longest few shots hit by each tester with each club.
Q: How is the “Most Forgiving Driver” determined?
A: To determine the Most Forgiving Driver, we focus on a narrower set of metrics that includes shot area (dispersion), accuracy and the average standard deviation for ball speed and carry yards.
Q: How much does subjective feedback like looks, sound and feel factor into your rankings?
A: ZERO. Our rankings are based purely on launch monitor data and quantifiable performance metrics.
Editor’s Note: The PING G425 MAX and G425 LST drivers were originally included in this test. Subsequently, we learned that the clubs tested did not match the off-the-rack, retail specification. As a result, we have removed them from the test.
scott
6 months agoIt would seam that all club would fly about the same distance because of ( COR ) if you hit them in the center of the face, how clubs very is the high on the face or off the toe. or low on the face. . the fine tune comes with loft of the club and shaft.
Bob
7 months agoStrokes Gained is meaningless. The Sim2 driver has a higher percentage fairways hit and basically the same yardage carry and total but strokes gained is a little over half that of the TSi3. Something wrong with that data.
Nocke Chiangmai
10 months agoSo, this driver is longer than that driver. But by how much? 2 yards?
Nocke Chiangmai
10 months agoOk, so this driver is longer than that one. But by how much? 2 yards???
Bubbly Pop
1 year agoWith the bevy of options that exist, drivers, like putters, are becoming more and more of a personal preference club, due to fewer performance variations (although they exist) . If chasing max distance (even if a fairway over), or looking at glossy finishes (really?) are your thing, great, go crazy. Personally I love hitting fairways consistently, it makes the game much more fun and provides more scoring opportunities over the course of a round. The PING G425 is my new best friend. .
Mario Salani
1 year agoThere is something about these stats i don’t get, Tsi3 is 4th in distance and 17th in forgiveness and it’s 1st in strokes gained, cobra is 1st in distance and 16th inforgoveness, but only 6th in strokes gained. Can somebody give me an explanation?
Bob
7 months agoNo. Because strokes gained on this chart is meaningless. Look at the Sim2 that has a higher percentage fairways hit and the same yardage but just over half the strokes gained of the TSi3. They are using fuzzy math here.
Bob
7 months agoSIM2 5th distance 7th forgiveness and 11th strokes gained?
TSI3 4th distance 17th forgiveness and 1st strokes gained?
The difference between 4th and 5th distance was about 1/2 a yard.
Jesús Arasti
1 year agoTaking into account the classification in carry distance among the top 10, the conclusions are:
1.- The difference in ball speed between the first and the tenth is 1.2 mph
2.- The difference in carry distance 5.8 yds. and in total distance of 6.5 yds.
All this values with non-significant differences (even statistically) so leaving issues of esthetics and feeling the PXG 0211 at $ 289 simply leaves out all the others (in my modest opinion) …..
Brad
1 year agoThe ESX Pro driver has finished in 2nd place overall, 2nd place for high swing speed players and 2nd place for mid swing speed players. It must have performed poorly for low swing speed players or it seems it would have finished 1st place overall?
Bruce
1 year agoNot really Brad. I got one this year. My ss is 90 on a good day. I’ve gained 12 yards and this driver is incredibly straight and forgiving. By far the best driver I’ve ever owned. The problem is it’s almost impossible to find one to demo. I got mine because it was recommended by true golf fit. Even my local pro who carries tour edge did not have the pro model. It’s a limited edition
scott
1 year agoThe longest driver is the one that you can hit the straightest.. If the shot favor’s left side of the fairway the right side or if the center makes it closest to the flag, you can knock 10 to 15 yards or more to the pin on most holes .by being accurate…Ten yards longer out of bounds is still out of bounds.
Plumbob
1 year agoAs always a great review that gets us thinking about this wonderful game of Golf. I imagine that the heads you use for the most wanted driver in the 3 different categories of speed all have the same head, and the key difference is the shaft, different flexes (XS, S, R, S) and weighting (70, 65, 55 and 45), if that is so have you considered doing the test with all the same brand shaft in frequencies, weighing and flex, and just keep changing the heads to find the new most wanted?
RC
1 year agoI’m laughing to keep from crying because I play a SIM2 Max, and this shows the regular SIM2 is actually more forgiving! By a lot!!
BeTheBall
7 months agoRC, I saw this too and made me wonder how? Every single reviewer online said Sim2max was a hair shorter than Sim2 but more forgiving due to the larger sweet spot and little more spin. I dont think Id trade your max until you hit them both, this is hard to believe.
steve s
1 year agoIs it just my bad reading skills or does it seem that the top of the distance list is populated with the lower swing weight drivers?
don
1 year agoIf you sort by fairways hit then go down to find the top distance, Radspeed wins. Unless your willing to give me 6 yds for 3% of your fairways hit lol then it’s Tsi2. If you sort by distance then go down until you still get top fairways hit it’s still Radspeed. You have to go down all the way to Tsi2 to find one more accurate. I think they have started looking too deeply into the numbers if Radspeed doesn’t win. Last time I looked accuracy and distance were what was wanted with a driver. Spin etc is how you get that done.
BeTheBall
7 months agoagree Don, for ME I hit the driver that gives me the BEST combo of fairways AND distance, looks feel sound etc I can live with if I get those 2. Havent found anything to beat my G400 Max, its not the longest but I hit 9-11 fairways!
Greg
1 year agoWow, the Hogan GS53Max did NOT fare well in this test. Surprised based on all of the positive comments in the forum on this club. Somewhat NOT surprised based on my play with the club. Not as accurate as my Srixon. But when I pure it, it REALLY goes. That being said I prefer fairways over an extra 10 yards.
TenBuck
1 year agoI know that Callaway didn’t submit this driver for tests, but the B21 should have been on the top of the list, easily.
Alex
1 year agoBig jump for the Mizuno in the mid swing speed (vs. overall).. As someone who just got an ST-X, I never thought it was short. (It blows away my previous Wilson D7 in distance and forgiveness, and the D7 scored well in the mid and slow swing speeds tests).. The stamdard shafts are shorter length– 45 inches (which is a better fit for me, I previously had to grip one inch down for other drivers that were 45.75)
don
1 year agoWe have found Miz drivers to be that one driver that performs very very well for people or it falls well behind in distance. The very light profile allows some to swing it faster, but others not. These types of tests that average many players will always hurt this type of club because some will simply do poorly with it and drop the average for everyone..
Nick Aquilino
1 year agoMy experience as a single digit handicap for almost 70 years is that the only thing that really matters is getting the right shaft. Most of the heads are pretty much the same and have a COR limitation that prevents one head from significantly out performing another. Sure weight distribution can make a difference for a particular golfer but the shaft will still determine overall performance.
Dr Tee
1 year agoI’ve only got 60 years on the odometer—but you are exactly right !!
And the statement that looks don’t matter which was made in the article is totally baseless and ridiculous. If a club doesn’t suit your eye, it most likely won’t work.
steve s
1 year agoThey did not say looks don’t matter. They said this: “Don’t overvalue looks. Golfers tell us all the time that they can’t hit a club well if they don’t like how it looks but we’ve found very little evidence to suggest this is true. Very often, golfers produce outstanding results with clubs they claim to despise.”
Golfinnut
1 year agoThe best data around! Thank you for all your testing 🙂 I’ll take my TSi2 for forgiveness all day long vs those few extra yards of the TSi3. But I do like that 2 out of the top 3 are Titleist 🙂 That’s awesome!
Dan
1 year agoI recently bought The TSI2 and I agree!! I have no problem giving up a couple of yards for the forgiveness!
Absolutely love the Titleist TSI2 !!
Emery
1 year agoThanks for your reviews! 2021 Most Wanted convinced me to spend @2h getting fitted against my standard G400 with PingTour 65 shaft 45.5″. I discovered that I was spinning @3-4k with my PING after speed training last yr. My fitting results ave of 2500rpm, Max LS 10.5/-1/N with a HZD Smoke 50g shaft cut 1″ and a GoftPride MidsizeMCC +4. After 2 rounds, I have a fairway finder and now some of my longest drives with an easier swing(partly due to me being tired/sore from fitting!). I’ll never buy another club without an indepth fitting….golf is now even MORE enjoyable
Steve S
1 year agoAlmost all the drivers tested are 9* or 9.5*, Why ? Other than high swing speeds, my understanding is that more loft is better, is that outdated information ?
ryebread
1 year agoThe “best” loft is really player dependent on how you deliver the club to the ball. I can’t speak for the MGS methodology and whether they offered multiple loft/head options to their testers. Maybe the measurements are just there to show you rough build tolerance relative to spec (or direct correlation to performance that is mostly based on loft).
Max R
1 year agoI really appreciate the objectivity/honesty of the data provided and recommendations. My question related to the shafts being used. How many OEM shafts are being used to fit the testers? Wouldn’t this affect the results?
Dr Tee
1 year agoStrongly disagree with your statement that looks don’t matter–if a player dislikes the looks of a club–especially drivers and putters it just probably ain’t gonna do it !!
And what are the metrics you used to make this statement??? If you’re going to say something as dramatic as this, you need to be scientific and supply some data.