Searching for a new driver can throw up plenty of questions and sometimes leave you scratching your head with the sheer variety of options to choose from.
The GolfBox guide to the best drivers of 2021 offers a comprehensive rundown of all the models to set the record straight.
Learn which drivers will be best suited to your game and get informed so you can unload it long and straight off the tee.
BEST DRIVERS OF 2021*
*In no particular order
TAYLORMADE SIM2 DRIVERS
What’s New
TaylorMade’s SIM2 updates the original SIM driver design of 2020 and sets new benchmarks for speed and distance across three distinct models.
The design of the SIM2 is aerodynamically more efficient and the driver’s full carbon sole no longer has the sole weighting found in the original.
TaylorMade’s famous Speed Injected Twist Face tech has also been tinkered with while the inertia generator on the rear of the driver, which boosts forgiveness, has been made larger.
But the big change in the SIM2 is the introduction of a ‘forged ring’ – a piece of lightweight aluminium that links all the key components together.
How It Works
Speed has long been at the top of TaylorMade’s priority list and the SIM concept, an acronym for “Shape In Motion”, is further evidence of their all-in commitment.
SIM produces speed where it really matters – in the last metre before impact – and the SIM2 refines what the original driver began.
The SIM2 has been tweaked shape-wise to make it more efficient through the air, with a redesigned head shape and inertia generator, which is positioned on the rear of the sole, increasing club head speed.
And the design takes multi-material construction to another level to achieve extra speed without adversely affecting the driver’s forgiveness.
Constructed from lightweight aluminium, the forged ring is the most noticeable, and interesting, part of the SIM2 driver.
The forged ring makes up most of the rear section and dovetails with the titanium face and carbon fibre crown and sole.
Forty per cent lighter than traditional titanium, the forged ring represents a crucial weight saving.
It allows TaylorMade to beef up the critical inertia generator, with the extra weight increasing stability and boosting off- forgiveness for off-centre strikes.
TaylorMade’s Twist Face tech, which straightens up heel and toe strikes, no longer features the twin port screws on the face like the original SIM.
A single port on the toe provides access for the injection of TaylorMade’s patented resin, which enables the face to be tuned during the production process until it’s right on the COR limit to optimise speed on each individual SIM2 driver.
Who Will Like It?
The absence of an adjustable weight rail on the SIM2 driver eliminates the tinkering of ball flights that some golfers enjoy.
But the absence of the system meant TaylorMade could produce a driver that, from a performance point of view, is better than the original SIM driver.
With the three SIM2 models offered - the SIM2, SIM2 Max and SIM2 Max D – TaylorMade have a range that will appeal to pretty much everyone.
The SIM2 is the low-spin model, with the addition of a sole weight near the leading edge, and will suit players with higher swing speeds.
Interestingly, the SIM2’s face is 12 per cent larger than its predecessor to provide a wider sweet spot but is still aerodynamically superior to its SIM predecessor.
Next up is the SIM2 Max, which will appeal to players who prefer a little extra forgiveness over outright speed and distance.
It has a larger profile, will launch higher and spin more and its inertia generator is loaded with 24g of tungsten to boost MOI and forgiveness.
Lastly, the SIM2 Max D is aimed at slicers (the D stands for draw bias).
The rear weight on the SIM2 Max D has been moved closer to the heel and in tandem with an internal weighting structure, will result in the face shutter quicker and easier through at impact to prevent shots leaking to the right.
The SIM2 Max D has the largest head and highest MOI of all three SIM2 drivers.
Standard Shafts And Lofts
- SIM2 Driver Lofts: 8°, 9°, 10.5°.
- SIM2 Max Driver Lofts: 9°, 10.5°. 12°.
- SIM2 Max D Driver Lofts: 9°, 10.5°. 12°.
- SIM2 Driver Shafts: Mitsubishi Tensei AV Raw Blue 60; Project X HAZRDUS Smoke RDX Black 70.
- SIM2 Max Driver Shafts: Fujikura Ventus Blue 5; Mitsubishi Kuro Kage Silver.
- SIM2 Max D Driver Shafts: Fujikura Air Speeder.
CALLAWAY EPIC DRIVERS
What’s New
Taking over the reins from last year’s Mavrik, the new Callaway Epic line-up consists of three drivers that offer optimised performance for practically anyone who tees it up.
It’s no secret Callaway have been leaning heavily on AI design and machine learning in recent years and their AI-designed faces and Jailbreak tech have proven to be extremely popular.
The 2021 Epic takes it a step further. The supercomputer has been crunching the numbers to produce an intriguing new “AI Speed Frame” and a new AI-designed Flash Face SS21.
A slippery new cyclone head shape is also new while there’s more lightweight carbon fibre used in the sole and crown in the Callaway Epic line-up.
How It Works
While it’s not on show, Speed Frame is quietly doing its thing buried deep inside the club head.
Callaway’s Jailbreak tech was terrific at stiffening the body of a club vertically, but Speed Frame now stiffens it horizontally as well to reduce energy lost at impact by 20 per cent.
It means a greater amount of force is directed into the golf ball, which will increase ball speed and distance – a recipe for driving success.
Speed Frame was designed in conjunction with the Epic’s new SS21 Flash Face to effectively enlarge the sweet spot and make off-centre strikes not too far behind perfect contact.
Add in the increased club head speed from the cyclone-inspired head shape common to all the Epic drivers, there’s a tonne of speed just waiting to be transferred to your tee ball.
A greater proportion of carbon fibre in the Epic Speed line-up lowers the CG and increases MOI, maximising the drivers’ forgiveness and stability.
Who Will Like It?
Like most drivers nowadays, the Epic Speed comes in threes: there’s the Epic Speed, Epic Max and Epic Max LS.
It’s a little difficult to put them all in a box regarding which is the most forgiving and which is the lowest spinning but here goes.
The Epic Speed has the most tear drop-like head shape of the three as well as a CG that is positioned closest to the front of the driver.
It should cut spin to suit players with faster swing speeds and is regarded as the fastest of the three, but thanks to the design of the SS21 Flash Face it retains an outstanding level of forgiveness.
The Epic Max offers the highest MOI of the three and is the most forgiving.
In that respect is should appeal to the majority of players who want a driver that is easy to launch and finds the fairway with a minimum of fuss.
But the Max also features a sliding sole weight system, which offers a level of flight customisation. While it won’t provide the same level of assistance as a dedicated draw-biased driver, it can help fight a slice through with the sole weight in the right position.
Then there’s the Epic Max LS, which although it stands for low spin doesn’t rival Callaway’s previous Sub Zero models.
The Epic LS is low spin in comparison to the Epic Max but is designed to be completely neutral – no bias either way.
In fact, the Max LS is the most fade capable driver of the three and is targeted at medium-to-high swing speeds.
For players who like to shape the ball with a little fade or draw, the Max LS is the club to do it, all with the benefit of killing some spin to gain distance - just not all of it.
Standard Shafts And Lofts
- Epic Speed Driver Lofts: 9°, 10.5° and 12°.
- Epic Max Driver Lofts: 9°, 10.5° and 12°.
- Epic Max LS Driver Lofts: 9°, 10.5°
- Epic shaft Options: Project X HZRDUS Smoke IM10 50/60/70; Mitsubishi MMT 60/70/80; Project X Cypher 40/50
COBRA RAD SPEED DRIVERS
What’s New
Cobra have used strategic weighting around the perimeter of the club head to produce three different Radspeed drivers, including Cobra’s very first draw-biased driver.
While perimeter weighting is nothing new, it’s the way Cobra have applied the “Radius Of Gyration” theory (which is where the Rad comes from before it is added to Speed) to create three distinct drivers that will complement the entire scope of golf swings.
The T-bar chassis and carbon fibre wrap that was central to the success of Cobra’s Speedzone driver has been further refined in Radspeed, with 13g of weight savings found.
The saved weight gave Cobra the opportunity to employ it in different ways to create the three new Radspeed drivers.
How It Works
Cobra have always been at the pointy end of the lowest CG drivers in the game and the Radspeed range further cements that reputation across three models.
The Radspeed, Radspeed XB and Radspeed XD are all low CG drivers but the lighter T-bar chassis enabled additional perimeter weight “pads” to be positioned on the sole in all three models.
It pushes the CG even lower while producing unique performance in each of the three drivers while generating an abundance of speed through Cobra’s vaunted CNC-milled infinity face.
Who Will Like It?
The standard Cobra Radspeed is the fastest and lowest spinning driver in the line-up and its performance will complement high-velocity swing speeds.
It generates around 300rpm less spin than Cobra’s previous Speedzone driver with its radial weighting configuration: front and rear sole (2g and 12g, respectively) weights and a 12g static weight on the back.
But the sole weights can be swapped to produce a slightly higher launch and more forgiveness if required.
The Cobra XB uses the Radspeed concept to produce more forgiveness and takes over where the Speedzone Xtreme left off.
‘XB’ is the giveaway, with its ‘Xtreme Back’ weighting layout: a fixed 20g weight at the tail, a pair of 4g weights at the front and an interchangeable 6g weight on the rear of the sole.
It has a higher MOI than the standard Radspeed and more forgiveness to suit players who prefer some leeway when it comes to their ball striking.
Finally, the Radspeed XD is Cobra’s first inherently draw-biased design and is purpose-built for players who need help shutting the club face at impact.
The Radspeed XD shares much of the same weighting as the XB but a 10g weight positioned in the heel does much of the work in correcting a slice, hence the ‘Xtreme Draw’ branding.
While a draw-biased weighting set-up is naturally less forgiving, the MOI of the XD sits between the standard Radspeed driver and the XB.
Standard Shafts And Lofts
- Cobra Radspeed Driver: 9˚, 10.5˚
- Cobra Radspeed XB Driver: 9˚, 10.5˚, 12˚
- Cobra Radspeed XD Driver: 10.5˚, 12˚
- Cobra RADSPEED Shaft Options: Fujikura Motore X F3 (s, r); Project X HZRDUS Smoke Blue (s, x); Fujikura Motore X F1 (s, x)
- Cobra RADSPEED XB Shaft Options: Project X Even Flow Riptide (r, l); Fujikura Motore X F3 (s, r); Project X HZRDUS Smoke Blue (s, x)
- Cobra RADSPEED XD Shaft Options: Project X Even Flow Riptide (r, l); Fujikura Motore X F3 (s, r)
MIZUNO ST DRIVERS
What’s New
Mizuno improve on the gains made in the previous ST-200 driver series and provide more choice with the introduction of the new Mizuno ST-X and ST-Z drivers.
The Japanese manufacturer has joined the draw-biased party with the ST-X driver while the ST-Z offers both forgiveness and low-spin performance, an increasingly popular choice for players.
Both drivers have a reworked version of Mizuno’s Wave Sole and the lightweight, high-strength SAT2041 titanium that Mizuno craft their driver faces from has been made even thinner.
And what is a trademark trait for Mizuno clubs, the sound and feel of the ST-X and ST-Z has also be refined.
How It Works
A driver’s centre of gravity, or CG, is fundamental to its performance and Mizuno have made a point of it in the ST line-up.
The ST-X refers to the driver’s mass being positioned along the internal X axis of the driver to produce a draw bias.
An 11g back weight positioned on the heel side provides the impetus to shut the face through impact and a deeper and shorter face - compared to the ST-Z - also repositions the CG for an anti-slice temperament.
Then there’s the ST-Z, which concentrates mass on the Z axis to pinpoint the CG low and rearward to
create extreme stability but produce a low-spinning ball flight.
Additional carbon fibre panels on the sole enabled weight to be saved and directed more effectively and a centrally located weight screw and a longer and shallower face boost MOI.
Common to both the ST-X and ST-Z, Mizuno’s Wave Sole absorbs some of the deflection of the face, particularly on low strikes, to provide forgiveness for drives off that part of the face.
And it also ties in with the new, thinner architecture on the SAT2041 titanium face, effectively expanding the sweet spot for a greater area of maximum speed.
WHO WILL LIKE IT?
The nature and design of draw-biased drivers mean they lack some of the forgiveness of similar non-biased models.
However, the ST-X offers the draw bias that many golfers require without adversely affecting its forgiveness.
The ST-X is a complete no-brainer for golfers who struggle to hit the sweet spot and struggle with a big, nasty slice –a common experience for many golfers.
The ST-X can also be customised in the J-Spec option, which produces a lighter and longer driver.
In J-Spec, the ST-X has a 4g sole weight rather than the standard 11g while a lightweight and high-launching M-Fusion 40 shaft is 2cm longer (total head weight is 201g in the standard ST-X and 194g in J-Spec).
Meanwhile, the ST-Z is Mizuno’s driver that provides unbiased performance entirely focused on the big trio: speed, distance and forgiveness.
Mid-to-high swing speeds will be aided by the low spin element of the ST-Z but the driver is also extremely stable. It is a completely neutral driver, which will appeal to players who shape the ball.
Standard Shafts And Lofts
- Mizuno ST-Z Driver Lofts: 9.5°, 10.5°
- Mizuno ST-X Driver Lofts: 10.5°, 12°
- Mizuno ST-Z Driver Shaft Options: Fujikura Motore X F3 6; Project X EvenFlow Riptide 50; Project X HZRDUS Smoke RDX 60
- Mizuno ST-X Driver Shaft Options: Fujikura Motore X F3 6; Project X EvenFlow Riptide 50; Mizuno M Fusion 40 (J-Spec)
PING G425 DRIVERS
What’s New
PING have improved on the previous G410 driver with the new G425 driver, which comes in three versions – Max, LST and SFT.
MOI has been increased in all three models and the flagship G425 Max is the most forgiving driver in golf.
A revised head shape and crown turbulators make it more efficient aerodynamically while the CG and perimeter weighting has been optimised for all three G425 models, providing customised performance.
The G425 LST is lower spinner than the G410 but not at the cost of MOI, while the draw-biased SFT features a design that isn’t noticeably draw biased.
The adjustable weighting system on the Max and LST is now smaller but more effective and efficient.
How It Works
PING have always been hesitant to release new clubs unless they can outperform their predecessor.
With an ethos like that, the G425 speaks for itself.
Faster and more forgiving, the Max model has a 26g tungsten weight which is shifted along the perimeter channel and provides extreme stability.
The more limited range of movement of the weight leads to greater MOI throughout the range but offers similar flight adjustability as its predecessor.
The low-spinning LST (low spin technology) is a smaller version of the Max and has a 17g tungsten weight on the back.
It is the most compact of the three G425 drivers.
The SFT (straight flight technology) features internal weighting that will produce a draw along with a slightly offset design.
Who Will Like It?
The G425 Max is fast and long but holds the title as the most forgiving driver on the market.
PING have aimed it at the majority of golfers and it also provides a high-launching ball flight that optimises distance for most players.
The Max also offers a weight adjustability system for those who like to tinker with ball flights, which sets it apart from other drivers.
The LST is the model that cuts spin and has a slightly smaller head. It’ll perform for players who have high swing speeds and an upward angle of attack – it produces 600rpm less spin than the Max and 200rpm less than the previous G410 LST.
But it’s not at the expense of forgiveness - the LST has a lighter 17g weight and while it won’t produce quite as much flight bias as the Max, it’ll do the job with up to 8 yards either way.
The SFT is PING’s slice-killing driver but PING hides the tech extremely well – on face value it doesn’t appear much different to the Max and LST.
It straightens up those who struggle with a slice but is one of the most forgiving draw-biased drivers on the market.
Standard Shafts And Lofts
- PING G425 MAX Driver Lofts: 9°, 10.5°, 12°
- PING G425 LST Driver Lofts: 9°, 10.5°
- PING G425 SFT Driver Lofts: 10.5°
- PING G425 Driver Shaft Options: PING Alta CB Slate (sr, r, s, x)