Best driver 2022: Expert club fitters recommend the best driver for you (2024)

TaylorMade Stealth

The TaylorMade Stealth driver began as a code-named project, the origins of which go back 20 years. The show-stopping feature of the new 2022 TaylorMade Stealth driver is its centerpiece technology: a carbon fiber face. For TaylorMade engineers, the conversion to carbon was aimed at one thing: more ball speed. Carbon Twist Face weight savings allow more weight to be positioned low and deep in the head. More spin and 15 percent more MOI compared to Stealth Plus.

For the full technology breakdown, check out our Stealth launch piece.

Fitter notes

• At the end of the day, it has to perform, and it does. The ballspeed and the distance off of it puts it as high, or the highest, in our store of all the new drivers.
• Generally, the faster you swing, you are going to generate a little more spin, and I see a little more consistency with that. It is a good driver for someone who needs to knock off a couple of hundred RPM of spin no matter the clubhead speed.
• The biggest thing we have seen this year from Stealth is really fast ball speed off mish*ts. Hitting it off the heel, toe, low, or high, there is a big increase around the face compared to SIM2. The spin doesn’t jump or increase like it used to. Ball speed consistency is really good, and it is going to work for all swing speeds because your misses are going to be closer.
• The carbon face is a big talking point, and most players don’t mind the red face. Players are really surprised by the sound and feel of it since it really mimics previous titanium drivers. I have seen players pick up clubhead speed as well.
• It is always going to be a little more forgiving without the sliding weight in there, and it also offers a little softer feel. The Stealth fits a lot of people. The face technology and the Twist Face go hand-in-hand to help a lot with controlling spin and reducing the gear effect.

GolfWRX memberdwboston: “My take on the Stealth is that it wants to go straight, and it feels noticeably less fade-biased than the SIM. About 10 of the drives were dead straight, a couple werepulls, with one baby fade and one little draw. It looks great at address, has a nice weight to it, and feels really solid. No marking on the face from the balls that I hit – it still looks new. I’ve never gotten along with a TM driver before – they’ve either looked, felt or sounded off to me. I like this one a lot so far.”

Ping G425 Max

The G425 Max has the highest MOI (a measurement of forgiveness) on the market, and its 460 cc head features a 26-gram moveable tungsten weight in the rear to help golfers dial in ball flight bias.This extra mass is also how the weight track can offer less movement on the exterior of the head while still creating the same level of movement inside the head to create a draw and fade bias compared to previous generations.

For the full technology breakdown, check out our 2021 Ping G425 driver launch piece.

Fitter notes

• If you are a golfer who struggles with face contact and needs some directional control, this is by far the most forgiving driver I can put in your hands—it feels like point and shoot.
• Honestly, I don’t know what else to say about the G425 Max beyond it just wants to go long and straight.
• The big adjustable weight in the rear offers a massive amount of ball flight adjustability so make sure that you test all the settings to find out which one helps you reduces your misses. A great off-menu tip if you are going to custom order one of these drivers—you can get lighter CG shifter weights to help find just the right “feel,” and if you want to play it over length, it helps to keep the driver from feeling too heavy.

GolfWRX member flubberlange: “After hitting the G425 Max last week, I went down to RDunn yesterday and bought a 9* Max with Tensei Orange Stiff shaft. Played my first round today with it. It is SO forgiving. You really have to make a bad pass at it to make the ballgo way offline.The shaft is a 1/2 inch shorter than my previous driver (SIM Max with Tour AD IZ-6) but I was able to get it out there just as far, if not further than my old gamer. Misses are definitely closer to the target line and further. I definitely recommend this driver.”

Callaway Rogue ST Max

The highest MOI head in the Rogue ST lineup, Rogue ST Max features a slight draw bias and will fit the broadest number of players. Callaway expects everyone from low handicappers to high handicappers to fit into the ST Max, calling it “the best combination of distance and forgiveness in a Callaway driver.”

Callaway touts the interplay between the titanium unibody construction and Triaxial Carbon crown and sole and the associated weight savings, which allows for high MOI/high launch-producing weight distribution.

For the full technology breakdown, check out our Callaway Rogue ST Max launch piece.

Fitter notes

• Extremely forgiving. A great driver for the lion’s share of the golfers out there. In this particular case, the Rogue ST Max is one that is going to allow golfers to play their best golf. What is interesting is that as they are figuring out a way to create higher launch through design that has low spin, we are starting to see more better players utilize non-LS and non-Triple Diamond type of woods in their bag because of the technology. You get the playability and forgiveness but not in a spin that is so high that it reduces distance.
• It is probably one of the easiest non-lightweight drivers to just launch in the air.
• It is going to launch the ball really easily with really good ball speed numbers.

Titleist TSi2

The TSi2 has an improved high/low inertia of 13 percent over the previous generation and in the world of engineering, single-percent advancements are considered a big step.

What really makes the TSi2 along with the rest of the TSi series drivers unique is the ATI-425 titanium face insert, allowing engineers to once again make the faces thinner to reduce weight while also increasing the overall elasticity for better ball speed retainment.

For the full technology breakdown, check out our 2021 Titleist TSi3 driver launch piece.

Fitter notes

• For the golfers who want a larger confidence-inspiring look, this driver is awesome. It’s almost as stable as the G425 LST—which is saying a lot—while still offering a very traditional sound, and feel.
• The new titanium in the face insert has allowed Titleist to be at the top in every fitting I do, and beyond the head, they offer a full spectrum of loft and shaft options to fit almost any player. To be able to go as low as 7 degreesand as high as 12.5 using the SureFit hosel and keep it in the same (model) head with the same center of gravity is a big fitting advantage.
• As a fitter that works with a lot of golfers in this speed range, I don’t feel there is any driver out there right now that is straighter on both good hits and mish*ts, plus it has that great “Titleist look.”

GolfWRX member wooderson: The TSi2 does give me a more repeatable ball flight and the longest drives I have ever hit on Trackman were with the 2. The longest drive I have ever hit on the course was with the 3. As you can tell it’s almost a coin flip therefore I have kept both. The 2 gives me more confidence and so it gets played more often. You can’t go wrong with either.”

TSi2 driver from address

Cobra LTDx

Described by the company as a driver “unicorn”, the LTDx driver is the very first to combine zero CGna and a high MOI at 5200.

The driver features a slightly oversized 460cc clubhead that is constructed with the balance of internal weighting in design to deliver the fastest ball speeds with slow spin and maximum distance.

For the full technology breakdown, check out our LTDx launch piece.

Fitter notes

• It is fast. It is stable. The blending of stability and ball speed is just outstanding. Did a fitting where the player’s first few swings were the one-handed follow-through, and he wasn’t swinging well. I showed him that the shots were 15yds longer and only 5yds offline.
• It is in the middle of the line for Cobra, but it is very forgiving and on the lower spin side. I thought RadSpeed was a good driver, but LTDx is a big step up.
• It fits a broad range of people with a lot of adjustability. The biggest improvement has to be ball speed, especially on the mish*ts.

GolfWRX member burns9304: “Dida driverfitting today and the LTDx family really stood out from the others. Had the highest ballspeeds of the day with the LTDx and the LTDx LS was second. Both Cobra heads gained me 3 mph ballspeed over all the others I hit (TM Stealth+ and Stealth, Rogue ST Triple Diamond LS, TSi3, and G425 LST). The LTDx spun only about 100 rpm more for me versus the LTDx LS on good hits, and the LTDx kept the spinin a much tighter window overall for comparing set to set data. Really looking forward to havingthe 9* LTDx with a Fujikura Ventus Blue 6X I was fitted into in the bag shortly!”

Ping G425 Max

The G425 Max has the highest MOI (a measurement of forgiveness) on the market, and its 460 cc head features a 26-gram moveable tungsten weight in the rear to help golfers dial in ball flight bias.This extra mass is also how the weight track can offer less movement on the exterior of the head while still creating the same level of movement inside the head to create a draw and fade bias compared to previous generations. It also comes in a multitude of lofts that can be further adjusted with the trajectory tuning hosel.

For the full technology breakdown, check out our 2021 Ping G425 driver launch piece.

Fitter notes

• The big fitting and consumer benefit of the Ping G425 Max is how much you can get out of this head depending on the player. It used to be that drivers geared for moderate clubhead speeds sat really closed and generally only came in higher lofts. With the Max, you get all kinds of loft options and it sits really square-to-open depending on the adapter setting.
• The one thing to keep in mind is the G425 Max has one of the heaviest driver heads on the market, so it can start to feel a bit heavy for certain players depending on the shaft that’s being tested—but all of the Ping stock shafts are counterbalanced to help with this. With that in mind, you can custom order the CG shifter in various weights to make sure you are dialed in.
• This driver is the undefeated king of stability. If you aren’t a range rat and want to just enjoy your time on the golf course, this one is for you.
• For any golfer on the lowest end of the swing speed spectrum, you HAVE to try this driver with the stockPing Alta. It’s only 40 grams and just wants to launch the ball up as fast as possible.
• If you want a draw-biased driver now and a neutral or fade-biased driver later, the functionality engineered into this head will give you just that thanks to the CG shifter and adjustable hosel. If you arent working with the adjustment features of the G425 Max you are 100 percent missing out.

GolfWRX member CarloGolfer: “I play the G425 Max with a Ventus Black 6S. I happen to like the sound. I think this driver is the most accurate I’ve played since the FTIQ.”

Titleist TSi1

When I say lightweight, I meanlightweight! The TSi1, in a standard configuration with its featured shaft, comes in at just over 40 grams lighter than most standard drivers. This lighter package makes it easier to control and also helps the target player gain just under 2 mph on average based on Titleist’s extensive testing.

The TSi1 driver has been optimized for moderate swing speed players—to increase club speed, resulting in faster ball speeds, more distance, and greater control, thanks to an overall lightweight design.

For the full technology breakdown, check out our 2021 Titleist TSi1 driver launch piece.

Fitter notes

• This driver works exactly as advertised and helps any golfer looking for extra speed, height, and distance. For the golfer in this speed category, the stock shafts are a perfect match to the head and keep the whole driver package as light as possible.
• The great thing about the TSi1 from a fitting and options perspective is that it comes in a 9° loft, which helps the player that already creates an effective dynamic loft but needs help to get some extra speed. On top of that, the sure-fit hosel is key to reducing dispersion and create better start lines which result in more fairways hit.
• If you are a golfer that has lost distance and wants to get some of it back, the lightweight package of the TSi1 is going to give you one of the best opportunities. – from the head to the featured shaft options this driver has been engineered to create speed.

GolfWRX member willo456: “I was fitted into a Tsi1 with a Paderson shaft easily the best driver combo I have ever hit. It does take a few hits to adjust to the lighter weight but then just fairway after fairway. SS is 90 handicap 8 if that helps in any way.”

Callaway Rogue ST Max

The highest MOI head in the Rogue ST lineup, Rogue ST Max features a slight draw bias and will fit the broadest number of players. Callaway expects everyone from low handicappers to high handicappers to fit into the ST Max, calling it “the best combination of distance and forgiveness in a Callaway driver.”

Callaway touts the interplay between the titanium unibody construction and Triaxial Carbon crown and sole and the associated weight savings, which allows for high MOI/high launch-producing weight distribution.

For the full technology breakdown, check out our Callaway Rogue ST Max launch piece.

TaylorMade Stealth

The TaylorMade Stealth driver began as a code-named project, the origins of which go back 20 years. The show-stopping feature of the new 2022 TaylorMade Stealth driver is its centerpiece technology: a carbon fiber face. For TaylorMade engineers, the conversion to carbon was aimed at one thing: more ball speed. Carbon Twist Face weight savings allow more weight to be positioned low and deep in the head. More spin and 15 percent more MOI compared to Stealth Plus.

For the full technology breakdown, check out our Stealth launch piece.

GolfWRX member lefty1978: “1 week with the Stealthand it’s probably the best driver I’ve ever hit (I know, honeymoon phase). I can say I like it morethan the SIM2 Max, which I loved as well. The feeling off the face it amazing and flight is strong. It seems to spin less and so much better off mish*ts compared to SIM2 Max with same setup. You can hit the ball over the face and not lose much.”

XXIO 12

One of the new technologies featured across XXIO 12 is ActivWing, which stabilizes the clubhead and helps square up the face angle at impact in a bid to provide players with a clubhead that consistently hits the sweet spot to increase ball speed for maximum distance. ActivWing is featured on the driver, fairway woods and hybrids.

Per XXIO, in-house testing data showed that XXIO 12 with ActivWing delivered a 17% tighter impact pattern on average than previous generations without it. The new XXIO 12 driver also features a 28% higher COR area than the previous generation.

For the full technology breakdown, check out our XXIO 12 launch piece.

Fitter notes

• For ladies and seniors, there is not a longer driver on the market. And there is a big gap between it and everything else. Because the overall weight is so low, players are able to create a lot of clubhead speed and hit it farther. It is a total weight story. It isn’t inexpensive, and you would think that the price would be extremely restrictive, but because of its dramatic distance increase, it proves its worth.
• The introduction of Rebound Frame has just boosted ball speeds. Now you get something that launches super high, helps close the face, and has the ball speed to back it. You will start to see more of this with the slow to moderate clubhead speeds.