Best Golf Drivers For Mid Handicappers: Quick Menu
1. The list in brief
2. Faster swingers
3. Average swingers
4. Slower swingers
5. How we test
6. How to choose
7. FAQs
Golf is a game played by millions and millions of people worldwide, with players of all abilities walking the fairways every single day. It's no secret that it's a tough sport to master, with only a small percentage of individuals holding a single-figure handicap. In fact, according to a number of statistics, the average golfer holds a handicap of between 15-18, putting them into the mid handicapper category.
Currently, companies are releasing multiple models of drivers to help those on the golf course and, in this piece, we have taken a look at the best ones for an array of different mid handicappers. Whether you are a fast swinger of the golf club and after one of the most forgiving drivers, or perhaps a slow swinger of the club and looking for the best drivers for distance, this handy guide will help point you in the right direction to pick your next big stick.
The Quick List
Another solid, high-performing ‘better player’ driver from TaylorMade. Things haven’t moved on drastically from the Stealth 2 Plus from a performance perspective, but significant aesthetic improvements are evident.
The TSR3 is a premium looking and performing driver that provides a powerful feel, as well striking the ideal balance of control with competitive ball speed and distance.
A hugely impressive driver that does a great job of balancing distance with consistency. This is a low spin driver but, like most Ping's, it still has a lot of forgiveness.
The Mizuno ST-G is an extremely high-perfoming driver aimed at the better player. The aesthetics are outstanding and the exceptional feel at impact make this a standout offering.
An excellent all-round performer in the premium driver category, wrapped up in a much improved aesthetic. The sliding weight on the back really does offer a broad range of flight customization.
The Darkspeed X is an exceptional all-rounder. Competitive ball speeds coupled with comfortable levels of spin and playability make this a great option for a huge range of golfers.
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The Ping G430 Max looks, feels and plays like a premium driver. We noticed a modest bump in distance without any loss of control. With its’ high tech aesthetic and improved feel, the Ping G430 Max driver is a superb all rounder.
The Dynapower Carbon is a tech-advanced, visually appealing driver that, well fitted, should perform admirably against what’s in your bag. A little lacking in ball speed but we certainly enjoyed the dull, dense sound and feel at impact.
The TSR1 is visually appealing, super lightweight and effortless to swing. It certainly helps players with a moderate swing speed to generate power for high-launching drives.
The Srixon ZX5 Mk II driver combines a lot of forgiveness in a no-nonsense design that offers very good performance in a good looking head. Ideal for mid to slower swing speed players, the ZX5 Mk II also sounds better with the all titanium head.
A driver that stands out for its feel, the Launcher XL will suit a wide range of golfers looking for a combination of forgiveness and carry distance off the tee.
Best Golf Drivers for Mid Handicappers
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Fast Swing Speeds
First up is the latest Qi10 driver from TaylorMade, and more specifically, the LS version. This has a slightly different profile compared to the standard and Max heads because it features a more familiar pear-shaped design, whereas the others are more rounded. The red face has gone, replaced with a blue design along with a subtle white strip along the top line which genuinely helps with face alignment.
Moving on to the performance, it should be acknowledged that despite these aesthetic changes, the numbers we produced, especially in ball speed and spin, were very similar to that of the outgoing Stealth 2. This is by no means a huge negative though because when a driver produces excellent numbers, there is very little room for improvement!
Overall, this driver will definitely be a model to consider in the low spin category of drivers, and the Qi10 will definitely stand up to the latest driver releases. Whilst the performance is not a huge leap forward from the Stealth 2, the aesthetics are in our opinion.
- Read our full TaylorMade Qi10 LS Driver Review
Titleist TSR3 Driver
The TSR3 has, like the others in the TSR range, stuck with the classic-shaped head at address. This is because Titleist's main aim with the driver is to make it as fast as possible through the air, which is done by having a smoother sole with a smaller hosel opening, and a taller back section.
When it comes to the looks it has a really slick-looking weight track with a silver strip to help form a T shape on the sole, which helps that minimalist look. This driver has a five-position SureFit CG Track which has now been neatened up so that it fits more flush when you have it set in the more extreme positions. Titleist have also fitted what they call the Speed Ring, which is a Variable Thickness Face pattern that is geared more to the mid handicappers that have a more centered strike pattern.
When we tested this driver we found all the numbers to be very consistent, with the driver minimizing its drop-offs for speed, this was even in the more off-centered strikes. What impressed us the most with this driver is the movability of the ball flights allowing us to manipulate the ball more, and as such we think this is one of the best drivers for slicers out there.
- Read our full Titleist TSR3 Driver Review
Ping G430 LST Driver
If you are a fast-swinging mid-handicapper then the G430 LST could be the one for you. When it comes to the G430 range there a some differences between the three models. The LST is the low spin option and with this driver, you get a lovely carbon crown which is not present on the other 2, apart from the new G430 Max 10K which has been released for 2024. The crown has an eight-layer carbon wrap, and in the heel and toe of the driver, this allows the designers to save weight in the crown and distribute it elsewhere.
At address, as well as the nice carbon crown, Ping has stuck with their turbulators, on top, but the head for the LST is 440cc so it is the more compact head of the range. However Ping has done a great job at making it more compact without losing the inviting look at address and a confidence-instilling look.
As expected in testing the LST had an increase in ball speed and a decrease in spin, this would really appeal to those who are swinging it faster. We had got a ballspeed of 167mph when testing which was up there with some of the fastest numbers we had got. This delivered us a nice strong ball flight with good distance, although this is a low-spinning model it is still a user-friendly driver as you come to expect from Ping.
- Read our full Ping G430 LST Driver Review
Mizuno ST-G Driver
The ST-G from Mizuno has a 440cc head which has been aimed at the lower to mid handicapped player. With the adjustability you get from this driver it can be set up as a low spin driver, fade or draw biased, and a more stable driver. We think the ST-230 series from Mizuno are some of the best-looking drivers in golf and the ST-G might be at the tip top of this claim. We find the shape of the head to be borderline perfect giving it a great look at address.
When we used this driver we found the feel off the face to be interesting but one we enjoyed. It had a relatively quiet sound off the face and yet the ball speed during testing was up there with some of the better drivers
Sometimes the weight tracks in drivers do not have that big of an impact but this is not the case for the ST-G as we found that the driver became a lot less forgiving when the weight was shifted forward. We found that our ideal positioning was mid-way when the two weights we set were equal about halfway between front and back.
- Read our full Mizuno ST-G Driver Review
Average Swing Speeds
With the tremendous success of the Paradym family last year Callaway has now taken it to the next level with the Callaway Paradym Ai Smoke family in 2024. The Ai Smoke Max is the standard head for this range and Callaway has made a few changes to its predecessor.
With the looks for this year, we liked the new grey colorway, it seems to blend much better with the grey banner strip which creates a lovely clean aesthetic. With this look behind the ball, we think it is right up there with the best drivers based on looks, especially with that good-looking smoky pattern you get on the sole.
When it comes to tech the biggest improvement is based on the sweet spot, as with their new AI-designed face they seem to think the whole face is a sweet spot. This means they have created a bigger effective hitting area making off-center strikes retain more of their ball speed. The new Ai Smart Face tech was developed using the swing dynamics of thousands of normal golfers which is inputted into their Ai to design a face based on that data.
This is all well and good but what about performance? In testing we found the forgiveness to be highly impressive, which you would hope with forgiveness in mind for this driver's development. There was good feedback on the strike location, and dispersion stayed pretty tight. The overall sound and feel was relatively similar to the Paradym from the year before but the Ai Smoke seemed to feel livelier off the face. This driver is highly playable and the adjustability of flight was very good, so if that is what you are after then this is a great driver.
- Read our full Callaway Paradym Ai Smoke Max Driver Review
Cobra Darkspeed X Driver
When it comes to the Darspeed X it cannot be knocked for looks, we loved the matte black which seemed to give it a more sophisticated look. Even the headcover is beautiful adding to the all-black visuals the driver has. The matte black look is given a splash of color with some minor bits on the sole and the logos but other than this it is blacked out.
One thing we noticed with this look is that the all-black look made this driver seem a little more compact than it actually is. This could deter the odd player who likes to see a more inviting profile at address, but the premium feel and look you get from this colorway outweighs this in our eyes.
Unfortunately, in terms of tech, it is not really any different from the Aerojet driver of last year so there is no real innovation they seemed to build on. However, the performance of this driver ticked many of the boxes for us. The launch and spin were sat perfectly in the mid-windows we would be looking for, with around 11 degrees and 2300rpm. The ball speed then came in at 173mph which like the Aerojet is very impressive.
- Read our full Cobra Darkspeed X Review
Ping G430 Max Driver
For the Max in the G430 range, you will find a thinner face with a more shallow profile to allow for Ping's forged variable face thickness. With this, you should get more flexing in the face to give greater speed and forgiveness off the face.
Within the club face, you also get the tech spinsistency, this is a variable roll radius that can help to deliver a more consistent spin rate and carry distance. Ping has taken loft off the lower parts of the face to help keep distance and ball speed up on those thinner shots off the tee.
When we tested this driver it had an easy-to-hit feel like you found in the G425, with the look behind the ball still offering up confidence. Making it great for those mid-handicappers looking for something that has an easy-to-hit feel and a confidence-inspiring look.
- Read our full Ping G430 Max Driver Review
Wilson Dynapower Carbon Driver
The Wilson Dynapower has lots of carbon fiber throughout but has a more traditional but inviting look when sat behind the ball. This driver has been setup with a slight bias to a fade, so is a great option for those fighting a hook off the tee.
Wilson has come out with one of the most adjustable drivers they have made, which you can get in either a titanium or carbon head which is more appealing to those with a more average swing speed.
When we tested this driver we found that on off-center strikes the ball speed did not seem to drop much whether out of the heel or the toe. The adjustability of this driver can help you to change up the ball flight you get form this driver. To help create a cleaner look overall Wilson has made it so the settings for the driver are hidden until you unscrew the head.
- Read our full Wilson Dynapower Carbon Driver Review
Slow Swing Speeds
The final addition to the TSR family is the TSR1 and it is joining some of the best Titleist drivers in the TSR2, 3, and 4. This driver has been designed with those swinging it under 90mph in mind, this allows the TSR range to complement a huge range of golfing abilities.
You still get the slick looks that you come to expect from the Titleist TSR range, but the TSR1 is even lighter weight than the other models. It comes in at roughly 40 grams lighter than the TSR2 this means that you can start to increase your swing speed and see some more height on your drives.
- Read our full Titleist TSR1 Driver Review
Srixon ZX5 Mk II Driver
With the ZX5 MKII, you get a bigger footprint than the Srixon ZX7 Mk II driver, which gives you more forgiveness in only a slightly different head design. It is created with an all-titanium head, with three ribs that crisscross the inside, this provides the head with more rigidity. Srixon saved weight in the crown that has been repositioned to improve the launch of the ball, which will appeal to those that swing a bit slower.
When we tested this driver it was easy to launch which as above was mainly down to that weight repositioning in the crown. In terms of looks it has a more stripped-back look, it has a dark grey color on the crown which is a lot more restrained than some drivers out there. If you are a slicer of the ball then this driver may pique your interest as it has a slight draw bias, helping to straighten out those left-to-right shots.
- Read our full Srixon ZX5 Mk II Driver Review
Cleveland Launcher XL Driver
The Launcher HB was released back in 2020 and Cleveland has now brought out a great replacement in the Launcher XL. This driver has been aimed at the mid to high handicapper, as it benefits from a larger footprint at address which gives it a great confidence-inspiring look.
In this model, the overall length of the driver's head has been increased by 6% and the crown and face contrasting finishes give you that view of the loft at address. When we tested this driver the carry distances were solid even on the easier swings. With this driver being aimed at a wide range of golfers, we found the spin raters created by this driver helped to keep the ball in the air which helped to give it those decent carry distances.
- Read our full Cleveland Launcher XL Driver Review
How we test
With our product testing all the content we put out is based on rigorous testing we have done as well as the great knowledge and experience our team has. All our testers play to a competent level in golf and have been using golf equipment or testing it for years. With this knowledge and experience in golf, they can portray the pros and cons of certain products well and make sure you know what you need too.
For our driver testing, we start by attending product launches and discussing them with their manufacturers. We then move on to hitting these drivers both indoors and outdoors to test them on the course and get the data on a simulator where available, this is done with premium golf balls and a launch monitor for the best accuracy. Getting out on the course and using these drivers in a real-world setting is important to us, to make sure the feedback we give is real and based on outside factors too.
How to choose a new driver
You've probably already asked yourself whether you need to buy a new driver, but there's a few key things to consider when investing in a new driver. Hopefully answering these questions will narrow your search down slightly and make comparing between various models much easier.
When purchasing a new big stick, it is crucial to ask yourself just what you need from it. Is distance your main priority or are you looking for something to help you find more fairways? We'd always recommend a custom fitting with a PGA Pro but if you know what you're looking for you can make an informed decision.
If accuracy is what you're after, go for something with a high MOI or adjustable weights to help alter spin and flight characteristics. If distance is key to you, look at a low-spinning driver to help ensure your ball doesn't balloon too much. If you're after something in the middle, the so-called 'standard' heads in most driver ranges will suit you the best.
FAQs
What is the easiest driver to hit for a mid handicapper?
Any of the non-low spinning models in this list will be ideal. We think the Ping G430 SFT, Cleveland Launcher and Srixon ZX5 MK II are some of the most forgiving in this guide. For a more in-depth look at forgiving drivers, check out our guide on the most forgiving golf drivers currently on the market.
What is considered mid-handicap?
This is a slightly more subjective area. But traditionally a mid-handicapper is considered to hold a playing handicap of 10-20.
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