The game of golf has become more and more about driving the golf ball not only long, but straight and equipment companies have engaged in something of an arms race to produce models for every player from Tour pro to weekend hacker to produce their best drives.

With so many options from every company, we assembled a team of testers of varying handicaps, swing types and club preferences to run through as many options as possible from the current offerings to shed some light on what works for who.

And, in doing so, perhaps it will help you find your own new driver that will have you hitting it past your regular playing partners and shooting lower scores in 2023.

THE MODELS TESTED

In an exercise like this there are endless options to put through the testing process and we set out to run a wide variety of models from various brands for a one stop driver test.

We tested:

•              Callaway Paradym range

•              Cobra AeroJet range

•              PING G430 range

•              Srixon ZX MKII range

•              TaylorMade Stealth2 range

•              Titleist TSR range

•              Tour Edge Exotics E722

•              Wilson Staff Dynapower Carbon

A thank you to Drummond Golf at Stanmore, Sydney, and franchise owner Craig Delaney for the use of their Big Swing simulators to conduct the testing.

PHOTO: Adrian Logue.

THE TESTERS

Low handicap power player

A low single figure golfer who plays at least once a week, this tester averages around 270 metres with each drive.

Single figure handicap finesse player

This tester carries a handicap of eight and plays regularly with an average driver of 245 metres.

Mid handicap straight driver

Playing to a handicap fluctuating between 12-15, this tester is a very straight driver of the golf ball who plays every week and averages 220 metres off the tee.

High handicap player chasing distance

Our final tester averages 200 metres with each drive and is a couple-of-times a month golfer who can struggle with a slicing ball flight on their bad drives.

CALLAWAY PARADYM

RRP: $1,069.99

www.callawaygolf.com.au

Low single-figure handicap 

Looks like there is very little loft on the face compared with other drivers I tested. It offered a slightly firmer feel at impact, which I didn’t mind that feeling. Standing over the ball, the club was balanced in my hands and I had a feeling like I could really swing hard at the ball. Watching some of the other testers, my higher ball speed didn’t experience as big of a jump, but I had more luck with the Triple Diamond version that also appealed more to my eye. 

Single-figure handicap

Feels a bit softer off the face and is closer to my preferred impact sensation, and I really liked the sound. I had more speed off the clubface than any of the other drivers and was my favourite of the bunch. I even managed an extra 20 metres carry on my best drive of the test and felt I could swing freely. My typical left miss was also minimised. My desired driver ball flight is a tight draw and that was the stock flight with this driver.

Mid-handicap

The Paradym went further than most of the other drivers I tested and consistently so. It sits well behind the ball, and I felt I could go after the ball a little more with this club. The confidence inspiring look at address was terrific and I liked how the face looks a little shallower, which is something I tend to seek out in a driver having been more accustomed to smaller heads for much of my golfing life.

High-handicap

This club looked good at set-up and felt really nice off the face. Absolutely loved the sound! Noticed a higher ball flight in my first two drives that got the ball carrying further in the air without losing any roll and even managed to get my carry distance consistently over 200 metres. Didn’t miss any drives…  Flight, result and distance was super consistent. All around it was great!