While the putter is probably the most important club in the bag because you use it the most, there is an argument that the driver is just as vital because if you can't put the ball in play off the tee then it doesn't really matter how good you are at anything else, you have no chance to score well.
If you are hitting balls out of bounds or losing them in deep rough or trees, that's a sure fire way to ruin a scorecard and make golf a lot less fun. Therefore any help we can get when it comes to finding fairways should not be sniffed at.
Even the professionals don't find the centre of the clubface every single time so for the mid-high handicapper or weekend golfer, it's vital to find a driver that will offer as much forgiveness as possible. In other words, you will need a driver that will provide distance and accuracy, even when the centre of the face hasn't been struck.
Thanks to modern technology and the fierce competition between brands to outdo eachother, the best golf drivers are much more user-friendly than those of five years ago. For 2024, the big story has been the pursuit of 10K MOI (Moment of Inertia). If you are unsure what MOI is, it's the measurement of a club's stability and resistance to twisting. When you strike the ball towards the toe of the club, the impact pushes against the toe of the face and that forces it slightly open. Likewise, in terms of the heel, the impact causes the face to close slightly.
WATCH: We run through the performance of the best drivers in 2024
This has been achieved by moving weight around in the head, so the further back from the face you can place weight, the higher the MOI and the more stable the clubhead will become. So, if you are after a forgiving driver, you're in the right place, as we have tested each and every one of the models in this guide and picked out our favorites for you to check over.
Perhaps forgiveness is not your priority though and you want a driver to help you other ways, then why not check out our guides on the best golf drivers for distance, best golf drivers for slicers, or even the best golf drivers for slow swing speeds.
The Quick List
The forgiveness and stability of the G430 Max 10K head is truly remarkable, but when you add low spin and high ball speed to the equation, this is close to perfection.
An impressive combination of draw-bias and forgiveness makes the Darkspeed Max a very worthy addition to this guide. This is an excellent all-rounder that looks as good as it performs.
This driver will appeal to a wide range of golfers, as we found that the Qi10 Max was incredibly each to launch while also offering very good stability. We also think it looks fantastic.
The Ai Smoke Max D is a great option for adjustability. It launches extremely well and we found it to be forgiving on mis-hits too. Visually we loved the crushed grey effect on the clubhead.
The GT2 is extremely user-friendly from a wide range of areas and features the traditional Titleist looks that we know and love, It also has improved feel and acoustics.
Coming in at a more digestible price point, the Launcher XL 2 Draw driver from Cleveland is stable and easy to launch. The head design will divide opinion however.
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The ST-Z 230 was an excellent all-rounder for us in testing and delivered a powerful feel at impact. We enjoyed the combination of distance and forgiveness, and the aspirational aesthetic really caught our eye.
With its no-nonsense design and strong performance, we think the ZX5 Mk II is the ideal driver for mid to slow swing speed golfers.
Most Forgiving Drivers
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Top pick
Since it was added to Ping's expansive G430 range, the G430 Max 10K has generated a lot of buzz, and rightly so as this is a spectacular driver. What differentiates the 10K from the rest? Well, Ping claim it is the straightest and highest MOI (moment of inertia) driver it has made to-date, which given how impressive some of their other drivers have been in no mean feat!
Frankly, and we don't say this lightly or often, we were amazed by the performance. The stability and forgiveness when striking the ball are outstanding but what makes it stand out against the competition is that Ping have managed to combine this exceptional forgiveness with a low level of spin. That isn't normal.
Our tester described the Max 10K as the most stable and forgiving driver head he has ever used, which is the highest of praise from somebody that tests drivers for a living! In testing, the dispersion was extremely tight while ball speed on mis-hits barely dropped a couple of miles per hour. What's more, with the larger footprint and stretched out look at address, the 10K excels in pretty much every department!
- Read our full Ping G430 Max 10K Driver Review
Best for draws
The Darkspeed Max stands out for its ability to draw the ball with ease and as such it is undoubtedly one of the best drivers for slicers. We can vouch for that as in testing we found it impossible to miss to the right, with the back and heel weighting making the draw bias flight easy to manipulate.
Interestingly, to look at the Darkspeed Max you wouldn't know that this is a draw bias driver as the club looks square at address. The all-black matte look is very classy and the tiny accent dashes in red only heighten the shelf appeal, making this one of the best looking drivers around.
Onto performance now, and when it comes to forgiveness we found the Max to be the most user-friendly driver in the Darkspeed range and a great performer all-round. When we did not strike it out of the middle, the feedback was noticeable but the drop in ball speed was minimal and dispersion remained tight.
- Read our full Cobra Darkspeed Max Driver Review
Best wide appeal
The quest for 10k MOI was what the TaylorMade engineers set out on and that's where the name comes from. ‘Q’ for quest, ‘i’ for inertia and ‘10’ for 10k, ultimately giving us the Qi10.
Has it worked? Well we can tell you that the Qi10 is unbelievably forgiving on off-centre strikes. Ball speed did not drop and the flight remained very consistent. In summary we felt that it masked the poor shots very well, as the 10k MOI worked its magic and kept dispersion tight even when the strike wasn't there.
Where the Qi10 range also stands out is in the looks. TaylorMade have drastically moved away from the red we saw in the Stealth and Stealth 2, in favor of a more modest clean, dark navy face, which we love. Additionally, the Qi10 has been stretched out by 8mm which creates a confidence-inspiring look. When you factor in these visuals along with the forgiveness on offer, this club should appeal to a wide range of golfers.
- Read our full TaylorMade Qi10 Max Driver Review
Best adjustable
As with most driver ranges, the Paradym Ai Smoke range features numerous different heads. The most forgiving model in the series is the Max D, which just like the Paradym X in 2023 is designed to be the easiest to launch due to its high MOI. It also offers draw bias to help keep the ball on the fairway.
For this range Callaway has used the tag line ‘Sweeter From Every Spot’, with the brand's engineers using player testing as well as market leading Ai to create this model. The Max D has an adjustable hosel that can alter the loft by a number of degrees, while the addition of a rear weight that has been strategically placed further increases MOI and creates a draw bias.
In testing this was a seriously impressive driver. Ball speeds did not drop significantly on off-centre strikes, which is almost certainly down to the the new Ai face, which has been designed in such a way as to create multiple sweet spots across the impact zone.
As for the visuals, Callaway has introduced a new light grey body that we think works superbly with the dark grey top edge, while the stretched out head sits nicely and looks really good at address.
- Read our full Callaway Paradym Ai Smoke Max D Driver Review
Best traditional style
We have always felt that the best Titleist drivers are amongst the nicest looking drivers on the market and, with the GT range we would say that the brand has knocked it out of the park again! Despite there being a new multi-material crown, there are no joins or banner strips down in the playing position and the head shape has retained the familiar, clean Titleist aesthetic we know and love.
The GT2 crown looks fantastic over the ball and there are great performance benefits to that crown too. Titleist's engineers have created something called a Proprietary Matrix Polymer which is three times lighter than the all-titanium construction in the TSR range, which allows weight to be moved around to help MOI.
In the GT range, the GT2 is the most user-friendly model with the highest MOI so it's the one you need if you're looking for help off the tee. In testing we loved this club. The sound and feel were nothing short of exquisite, while the forgiveness was exceptional, especially on low and heel strikes.
- Read our full Titleist GT2 Driver Review
Best budget
The Launcher XL 2 Draw model is a lightweight, draw bias driver from Cleveland Golf that is designed to help players with a slow to moderate swing speed who struggle to get the ball in the air and/or who suffer from a right miss. This draw-bias nature makes it one of the best drivers for slicers.
In contrast to the Darkspeed model listed above, we weren't blown away by the looks of the Launcher XL 2, as the head shape behind the golf ball looked slightly out of balance and the draw bias was very noticeable. That being said, looks are subjective of course, and other than the shape we really liked the finish of this driver which created a premium aesthetic.
In testing we noted a firm impact and somewhat loud acoustic, with ample ball speed being produced. We found it to be quick off the face and exceptionally easy to launch, so it certainly lives up to its name and delivers for its target demographic. We did not that the spin was on the higher side but the adjustable hosel will allow you to reduce or increase those spin numbers to dial in to your desired preference.
- Read our full Cleveland Launcher XL 2 Draw Driver Review
Best for feel
Mizuno are more associated with the best golf irons on the market but don't sleep on their drivers. Their woods have really come on in recent years and this new ST-Z 230 is a case in point as it offers an excellent all round performance, and really delivers when it comes to forgiveness.
We chose this as the best for feel because the ST-Z 230 delivered a very powerful and lively sensation through impact, which translated to solid distance with a high launch. That makes it a good option for mid-high handicap players looking for extra height off the tee. What really stood out for us in testing though was the playability. On the occasions we didn't catch the ball properly, the spin rates went up slightly which helped to maintain the flight and distance.
The looks of this driver are really eye catching too. We love the aesthetics of the ST-Z 230 and in our view this is one of the most sleek, premium-looking drivers money can buy. A new CORTECH Chamber encases a stainless-steel weight and is showcased by a Mizuno-blue finish on the sole, which really pops against the black.
- Read our full Mizuno ST-Z 230 Driver Review
Best for looks
The 2023 ZX5 Mk II features an all-titanium head construction instead of the carbon crown we see on a lot of modern drivers. This thin titanium crown is placed above a Star Frame structure and features three ribs criss-crossing on the inside to provide greater rigidity between the face, sides and rear of the head.
It features a more scaled down aesthetic that is a lot more restrained than most other drivers on this list, but that gives it a simplistic, classic look that we absolutely love. There is a dark grey color on the crown and the graphics on the face have also been updated to frame the ball better at address.
Our testing showed that this is one of the easiest drivers to get up in the air and we think that is due to the weight that is saved by the repositioned crown. On final note is that the slight draw bias in the head shape was subtle enough to keep shots pretty straight without adding too much draw spin.
- Read our full Srixon ZX5 Mk II Driver Review
Why A Forgiving Driver?
So what exactly are the benefits of a forgiving driver and how do they work? Well, the first thing is that forgiving drivers usually have larger heads which provides more margin for error and higher MOI. They have been designed to help players maintain distance and to help tighten up the dispersion for golfers who struggle to hit it straight and are inconsistent when it comes to strike.
Forgiving drivers allow players to maximize distance as much as possible even when the ball misses the sweet spot. This in turn allows players to hit shorter clubs on their next shots which makes scoring easier. All the above models have been designed to do this by limiting the effect of mishits on ball speed, and reducing curvature through the air so the ball can stay within the confines of the fairway for longer.
How we test the most forgiving drivers
Our overall testing ethos at Golf Monthly is to put all products through a rigorous testing procedure to give you crucial insights into three things; how they perform, how they compare to their predecessors and where they stack up in relation to the competition.
To do this we will regularly attend product launches and meet with the manufacturer’s R&D experts to help us better understand the new technology. The first port of call when testing these new golf clubs is usually the indoor simulator at Foresight Sports, where the team can test in a controlled environment using premium balls and the GCQuad launch monitor.
We then do outdoor testing mainly at West Hill Golf Club, a course in Surrey with excellent practice facilities. Getting more specific, our equipment specialists have hit most drivers out on the market, in testing, practice and competition play, and deduced the above models are the most forgiving models out right now.
How to choose a driver
One of the most common question golfers ask themselves is "Do I need to buy a new driver?" and often the answer will be yes, because golfers tend to change their driver every few years. There are a few key things to consider when investing in a new driver and hopefully this guide 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.
Size
Forgiving drivers tend to be slightly larger than other models for the basic reason of giving them a larger clubface and larger footprint to provide more margin for error on strike.
A good tactic is to try and take note of where on the face you are striking the golf ball and see if there is any drop performance. If there is then you need a more forgiving driver, as most of the more forgiving modern drivers are designed to perform regardless of where you strike them off the face. Being able to see and understand that in person will help you be more confident with one model over another.
The other thing to acknowledge is that looks are important. Having a driver that suits your eye when it is down behind the golf ball inspires confidence. If it is too big, that may put you off, but if it is too small this may knock your confidence over the ball. Finding the right balance is key. You also need to make sure you like the shape too because some drivers have a more rounded look, or more pear-shaped. Some also have a draw-bias too.
Draw-biased?
Speaking of draw bias, if you are a slicer of the golf ball then a forgiving, draw-biased driver could be the way to go to eradicate the big slices.
Adjustability
Often this weight is moveable too and adjustability has become a huge part of modern golf. Being able to tinker and change loft, lie, and many other factors, has become all the rage and if you like to try new things then plenty of the models above, like the Titleist TSi2, will cater to that. However if that doesn't interest you one bit, there are also models which keep things more simple, like the Ping G425 Max.
Shaft
Some shafts have been designed to help players get as much distance as possible so it is worth thinking about which models will help you achieve those extra yards. Also check out our guide on the best driver shafts too.
Weight
Weight has become a big factor when it comes to forgiving drivers, with most brands making models that have a weight towards the back of the head to aid forgiveness and launch. When it comes to whether you want a forgiving driver, it is worth acknowledging whether this is important to you because if not then manufacturers usually make a model without a weight there.
Price
Price is obviously an important factor and thankfully there are lots of drivers coming in at different price points. This means you can go down the premium route if you want, but there is good value to be had too.
Therefore it is about working out what you want to pay, what you can afford, and to some extent, which brand you want. Some people remain loyal to the same brand for a long time because they have had performance gains in the past, and as such this could mean paying slightly more, or slightly less on a certain model.
For more driver buying advice, check out our guides on the best drivers for beginners or best drivers for mid handicappers.
FAQs
What driver is the most forgiving?
This is a tricky question to answer definitively because there are many brands that make models that offer premium forgiveness. For example the Ping G430 Max 10K, TaylorMade Qi10 Max, Cobra Darkspeed Max and Callaway Paradym Ai Smoke Max D are just four models that deliver forgiveness but then there are drivers from brands like Titleist, Wilson, Mizuno and Cleveland that compete too. Our specific guide on the most forgiving drivers gives a significant list of the best models.
What does most forgiving driver mean?
Forgiveness in golf basically means clubs that will help players hit the ball further and straighter, despite the contact not being good or consistent. They achioeve this through technology and design features. A forgiving driver is designed to help players maintain a degree of distance and accuracy despite being inaccurate and possibly inconsistent when it comes to strike.
What is MOI?
MOI stands for Moment Of Inertia. It is a measurement to show how much resistance a clubhead has to twisting. The higher the MOI, the more resistance it has to twisting on the strike. Higher handicap golfers, or golfers who struggle to strike their driver consistency, should opt for a driver with more MOI and therefore more forgiveness.
What is the best driver for high handicappers?
All of the drivers in this guide will suit high handicap golfer as they have high MOI, large heads and perimeter weighting that will make it easy to launch. Check out our full guide on best high handicap drivers for a more in-depth look.
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