If you’re looking for a comprehensive, unfiltered, BS-free evaluation of every driver on the market in 2023, you’ve come to the right place. It’s been long days and nights of testing the titanium and trialling the carbon.
Balls hit out of the heel, the toe, the sweet spot, high and low, to confirm consistency. Launch monitors capturing the whole picture to validate whether it is indeed “the thinnest and fastest driver face ever produced”.
It’s all in the name of helping golfers decide which driver fits their game, and budget, when it comes time to upgrade the big dog.
BEST DRIVERS OF 2023*
- Callaway PARADYM
- TaylorMade STEALTH 2
- Cobra AEROJET
- PING G430
- Titleist TSR
- Wilson DYNAPWR
- Mizuno ST230
- Srixon ZX MKII
*In no particular order
CALLAWAY PARADYM
Callaway’s Paradym driver sets the bar high and it’s very refreshing to have a new model after the Rogue/Epic tag-team of the past few years
What’s new?
One word. Carbon. A completely carbon fibre frame is what puts the paradigm shift in Paradym. It saves weight from the middle of the driver head (it’s 44 per cent lighter than titanium) and sends mass to the outer extremities of the head.
What’s returning?
- AI-designed face. Jailbreak tech.
- The models
- Adjustable weight track and maximum forgiveness. (Paradym)
- Higher launching with a slight draw bias. (Paradym X)
- Low-launching, low-spinning tour model. (Paradym Triple Diamond)
The models:
- Paradym: adjustable weight track and maximum forgiveness.
- Paradym X: higher launching with a slight draw bias.
- Paradym Triple Diamond: low-launching, low-spinning tour model.
Who’s using it?
- Jon Rahm
- Xander Schauffele
The inside word:
The complete refresh will be popular and appears the pick of the big five brands. Can’t argue with the performance either. It feels fast and the carbon construction hasn’t affected the impact sound adversely. Oily blue colour scheme shouldn’t put too many off-side but the price tag tops the charts.
TAYLORMADE STEALTH 2
The sequel to last year’s Stealth drivers. Is it incredibly inspiring? Not really. Does it perform? Yeah, it does.
What’s new?
Carbon fibre face that’s 2g lighter than the original Stealth face. Repurposing that weight elsewhere in the club head has expanded the Stealth 2’s sweet spot while promoting extra speed for off-centre strikes.
What’s returning?
- Carbon composite ring.
- Nanotexture coating on the face for consistent performance in the wet or dry.
- Inertia generator for stability.
The models:
- Stealth 2: balance of speed and forgiveness.
- Stealth 2 Plus: low spin and sliding weight for flight adjustability.
- Stealth 2 HD: maximum forgiveness and draw biased.
Who’s using it?
- Rory McIlroy
- Collin Morikawa
The inside word:
Second generation carbon wood that improves on the original. The impact of being a follow-up means it won’t capture and hold the attention like last year’s Stealth. But it’s longer and looks a bit tidier than the original. Continues the red on black colour scheme and doesn’t disappoint. Price is up there but TaylorMade drivers offerings attract a loyal following.
COBRA AEROJET
The Cobra Aerojet drivers are streamlined in shape, fast through the air and have the lowest drag coefficient (the least resistance through the air) of any Cobra driver. And the faster you swing it, the greater the advantage.
What’s new?
A new streamlined head shape boosts swing speeds to extract distance gains. PWR Bridge — a sort of internal sling-shaped structure — increases the flexibility of the face to wring every last bit of ball speed out.
What’s returning?
PWR SHELL/H.O.T. face. The combination optimises speed and distance across the entire area of the face.
The models:
- Aerojet: versatile blend of speed and forgiveness.
- Aerojet LS: low-spinning, low-launching.
- Aerojet MAX: maximum forgiveness and draw biased.
Who’s using it?
- Gary Woodland
- Rickie Fowler
The inside word:
Cobra drivers are consistently under-rated but does the Aerojet change that perception? Hard to say. But there’s enough to suggest the Aerojet will get a bit of traction at a reasonable price point. A big focus on aerodynamics won’t enthral the average punter but the science is solid. Elongated head is balanced by a narrower top to bottom profile.
PING G430
PING’s G series gets three new models added to the lineup in 2023. The G430 drivers adds yards off the tee without putting a dent in the forgiveness. A new fluro yellow (or is it green?) accent is noteworthy for its similarity to Cobra’s Radspeed from a few years ago.
What’s new?
PING have introduced something they call ‘Spinsistency’. An overall thinner face is tuned to spin at optimal rates at different points across the face without interfering with forgiveness.
What’s returning?
Carbonfly wrap (LS only). Movable weighting.
The models:
- G430 LST: low-spinning, low-launching.
- G430 MAX: maximum forgiveness and a towering ball flight.
- G430 SFT: draw biased and highly forgiving.
Who’s using it?
- Viktor Hovland
- Cameron Champ
- Tony Finau
The final word:
It’s been out for a while now — it debuted in Australia in late November — and has been a strong performer. PING do forgiveness better than anyone and the G430 continues that trend, with the added bonus of ball speed gains. A premium price tag won’t deter PING fans, who are the most brand-loyal in the game, but will the G430 appeal to anyone else? Yes. The MAX model is a must test driver for everyone.
TITLEIST TSR
How to best describe the TSR drivers? It looks like Darth Vader but performs like a Jedi. Cam Smith won the Open last year with a TSR prototype in the bag. A real contender.
What’s new?
Improved aerodynamics and shaping lead to swing speed gains for more distance off the tee. A new VFT face in the TSR2 and Speed Ring face in the TSR3 produce similar speed gains off the face in different contexts (TSR3 features adjustable weighting).
What’s returning?
Titleist stick with their all-titanium construction.
The models:
- TSR1: lightweight driver made for slow swing speeds.
- TSR2: high-launching and most forgiving.
- TSR3: weight tuning for precision playability.
- TSR4: ultra-low spin driver.
Who’s using it?
- Cam Smith
- Max Homa
- Justin Thomas
The final word:
Titleist’s TSR driver could be their most important of the past decade. Despite a stubborn refusal to embrace carbon fibre in any capacity, the TSR is up there as one of the leading drivers in 2023. The TSR seems to correct previous gripes about Titleist producing ‘spinny’ drivers and there’s an extremely solid feel and sound off the face. With four variants to choose from — including two models not seen much in other ranges (ultra-light weight and ultra-low spin) — they’ll be popular despite a hefty price tag.
WILSON DYNAPWR
The decision to resurrect the Dynapower name indicates the faith Wilson has in their new drivers. It’s up for the challenge but the question is: will golfers give it a go?
What’s new?
First time with two models. New Carbon model, featuring a carbon fibre crown, freed up discretionary weight to create a forward CG for low spin. Adjustable hosel makes a reappearance.
What’s returning?
- AI-designed face.
The models:
- Carbon: low spin/mid launch for high swing speeds and workable performance.
- Titanium: high launching and maximum forgiveness with a draw bias.
Who’s using it?
- Kevin Kisner
- Brendan Steele
- Trey Mullinax
The final word:
Don’t make the mistake of dismissing the Dynapwr driver because it’s made by Wilson. Alex Etches described it as “the dark horse driver of 2023”. It’s the cheapest driver on the market but its performance puts it near the top of the tree. It’s a surprise packet that is a sneaky good.
MIZUNO ST230
The ST230 drivers are the most complete driver since Mizuno began their ST project. Mizuno believes they’ve found the missing piece of the puzzle to maximise ball speed and reduce spin. And blue is back.
What’s new?
The missing piece of the speed/spin/forgiveness puzzle is the CORTECH chamber: a 5g steel bar wrapped in polyurethane and stuck in a slot at the front of the sole. The weight lowers the CG while allowing the face to flex more.
What’s returning?
Beta Titanium face.
The models:
Who’s using it?
- Keith Mitchell
The final word:
The ST230 offers a leap in speed and distance compared to last year’s ST220 driver. But will it connect with golfers? Cut-through has always been the issue for Mizuno woods thus far. While it is Mizuno’s best driver yet, the ST230 seems stranded in no-man’s land this year — it has a premium price tag but you suspect golfers will perceive it as a featherweight up against the big five heavyweights. It’s a shame but a splash of Mizuno blue on the sole might be a crucial point of difference to attract attention and get potential customers to testing the ST230.
SRIXON ZX MKII
Sharing a chunk of DNA with the original ZX range, the ZX MKII drivers have been tweaked, rather than stripped down and rebuilt. It’s not a bad thing because the Rebound Frame is a ripping idea.
What’s new?
The Rebound Frame now has dual flexing zones that direct more energy into the ball. New VFT face design is thinner and more flexible to boost ball speed.
What’s returning?
- Star Frame titanium crown
- 12-slot adjustable hosel.
The models:
- ZX5 MkII: high launching, highly forgiving with a slight draw bias.
- ZX7 MkII: low-spinning, players’ driver with mid launch.
Who’s using it?
- Brooks Koepka
- Hideki Matsuyama
The final word:
It’s never going to be the coolest kid at school, but the Srixon ZX MkII isn’t trying to be. The new name’s a bit of a mouthful but speaks volumes about how Srixon do things — carefully considered and without the hype. Will the MkII move the needle? The tech is proven on tour, with four major wins in the last couple of years, and there’s nothing terribly unpleasant about the looks. It is a bit safe and same-same but Srixon are more reactive than proactive when it comes to introducing the next big thing. You have to say it seems to have worked well so far.
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Written by Jamie Martin Jamie Martin is currently locked in a battle to keep his handicap hovering around the mid-single digits. Despite his obvious short-game shortcomings, Jamie enjoys playing and writing about every aspect of golf and is often seen making practice swings in a mirror. |