With so many hot, new drivers on the market, we placed a dozen of the leading offerings in the hands of some eager testers to gauge their thoughts.

No matter how well you might be striking it from the tee, there’s something alluring about a new driver. Whether it’s the look, the promise of more distance, the new technology or the ever-increasing changeability to suit your swing, today’s ‘big sticks’ carry more appeal than ever before.

We gathered 12 club golfers for a lengthy session of testing, letting them loose to try different models and different shaft and clubhead configurations from a host of golf’s leading brands to see what they liked and what they didn’t. Our testers hit as many balls as they wanted and trialled as many of the drivers as they wished, giving feedback on each one they tried. Testers were asked to evaluate four key elements: appearance, sound, feel at impact and performance; afterwards providing a mark out of ten for each driver. The average of their scores allowed us to split the field into gold-medal and silver-medal winners for 2013.

Titleist 913D2 & 913D3

What Titleist Says:

Titleist 913 D2 is a 460cc full pear-shaped driver and D3 a 445cc classic pear-shaped driver. Both feature innovations to the face insert, rear weight and lower centre of gravity location that deliver the best combination of speed and forgiveness. Our patented SureFit Tour hosel technology allows loft and lie to be independently adjusted to precisely fit your game.

D2 delivers exceptional distance and forgiveness with a slight draw bias, with uncompromised looks, sound and feel, while D3 delivers tour-inspired workability with distance and forgiveness. Both models promote longer distance through the rear weight and improved centre of gravity location, which provide optimum launch with reduced spin. A high-speed, forged face insert provides more speed over a larger area of the clubface.

Who plays it: Geoff Ogilvy, Marc Leishman, Brett Rumford, Matteo Manassero, Jason Dufner, Bill Haas, Zach Johnson (D2); Adam Scott (pictured), Webb Simpson, Steve Stricker, Alistair Presnell, Greg Chalmers, Graham DeLaet, Brendon de Jonge (D3).

RRP: $539

PING G25

What TAYLORMADE says:

The R1 continues TaylorMade’s mastery of adjustable drivers by offering the greatest range of adjustability of any driver in the brand’s history. R1 gives golfers 12 loft-sleeve settings and seven face-angle positions, as well as two moveable shot-shape weights. R1 also allows the loft and face angles to be adjusted independently of each other – a critical benefit.

The R1’s three adjustability technologies allow it to be tuned 168 different ways to specifically fit a player’s swing to optimise distance and accuracy.

The R1’s seven face-angle settings help golfers attain a precise, confidence-building look at address: neutral/square, slightly open, more open, maximum open, slightly closed, more closed and maximum closed. Face angle can be easily changed without affecting the loft, an adjustability benefit offered only by TaylorMade.

Who plays it: Jason Day (pictured), Dustin Johnson, Justin Rose, Paula Creamer.

RRP: $499 ($599 for TP version)

TAYLORMADE ROCKETBALLZ STAGE 2

What TAYLORMADE says:

Characterised by its unique crown graphic which enhances alignment, the RBZ Stage 2 driver also features TaylorMade’s Loft-Sleeve technology, which gives players the ability to easily tune loft and clubface angle to fit their swing. The combination of a longer, lighter (50-gram) Fujikura RocketFuel shaft and light grip enabled TaylorMade to keep RBZ Stage 2 to less than 300 grams for total club weight. That, along with balancing the club to a higher swing weight, allows the RBZ Stage 2 driver to promote faster swing speed for most golfers. The lightweight characteristics of the shaft coupled with the RBZ Stage 2 driver’s mass properties work together to create a moderate draw bias. Like the first-generation RBZ driver, the RBZ Stage 2 retains a large address footprint while incorporating a deeper and larger face.

TaylorMade also offers a RocketBallz Stage 2 Tour model, which has a lower and more forward centre of gravity and a stock Matrix 6Q3 shaft to promote a more penetrating ball flight.

Who plays it: Sergio Garcia (pictured), Martin, Laird.

RRP: $389

PING G25

What PING says:

For everyone from beginners to Tour players, the combination of a large, forgiving head, Trajectory Tuning Technology and a speed-generating shaft makes the adjustable G25 driver a sound choice for improving distance and accuracy from the tee. You can add or subtract half a degree of loft on the standard 8.5°, 9.5°, 10.5° and 12° settings to optimise launch conditions for maximum distance. Unlocking your ability to fine-tune trajectory through a lightweight, streamlined adjustable-hosel design makes it easy to optimise launch conditions for maximum distance. It’s the largest-profile, most forgiving head design

Ping has ever created in a driver.

Using a Ping wrench, you can add or subtract half a degree of loft. The adjustable-hosel design maintains the same outer diameter and mass of Ping’s fixed hosels. Ultra-thin crown technology distributes weight to the perimeter, positions the centre of gravity lower and farther back than any Ping driver to date, and increases the moment of inertia. Our TFC 189D high balance-point shaft helps generate clubhead speed and ball velocity, resulting in longer drives.

Who plays it: Lee Westwood (pictured), Hunter Mahan, Harris English, I.K. Kim.

RRP: $440

CALLAWAY X HOT AND X HOT PRO

What Callaway says:

Callaway Golf’s new X Hot drivers are configured for blistering ball speed and distance gains. Already adopted by some of the longest-hitting players on the worldwide tours, the new line of X Hot drivers is a result of Callaway R&D designing clubs for the best players in the world and using optimised design progression and adjustability to make them accessible and high-performing for all players.

Distance gains of 12 metres with the X Hot driver have been achieved with a host of design and engineering advancements that make these drivers fast, hot and more lightweight than their predecessors. Callaway employed its powerfully fast Speed Frame Face Technology that increases ball speed, saves weight and optimises stiffness and stress distribution across the clubface for more efficient energy transfer. The new face technology promotes more – and more consistent – distance, even on off-centre impacts. The OptiFit Hosel, which adjusts the face angle in open, square or closed positions to improve accuracy and trajectory, allows golfers to dial in their preferred look at address.

Who plays it: Branden Grace (pictured), David Horsey, Alexander Noren.

RRP: $389

MIZUNO JPX825

What Mizuno says:

Powered by the dark side, the JPX825 plays as mean as it looks. A five-piece titanium construction is the engine of the JPX825 – with specific variations of titanium used for each part of the clubhead. A forged 6-4 Ti face with two-layer thickness design is Mizuno’s hottest yet, with a rounded top edge designed to keep the face ‘alive’ across an even larger area.

The JPX825’s threatening clubhead tapers back from the face, hugging low to the ground, giving a clue to the relentlessly straight soaring drives its hot metal face wants to produce. The crown piece is thinned through a chemical etching process, reducing it to just half a millimetre. This allows a heavy weight to be fixed deep in the clubhead to launch the ball high, with low backspin. The black IP face and high-gloss black crown stare down the ball and tell everyone that you’re not about to go easy.

Who plays it: Stacy Lewis (pictured).

RRP: $329

COBRA AMP CELL & AMP CELL PRO

What Cobra says:

Cobra introduces our AMP Cell driver featuring MyFly technology, allowing you to adjust your loft to maximise distance and manage your trajectory. What separates our six settings – 8.5º, 9.5º, 9.5ºD, 10.5º, 10.5ºD, 11.5º – of MyFly adjustability from the rest? SmartPad Technology delivers a square face at address, regardless of loft setting and with no additional adjustment needed. Advanced Material Placement and Cell Technology free up discretionary weight for a 12 percent larger E9 face shape, delivering faster ball speeds even on mis-hits. Throw in four flavourful colours and a stock Fujikura Fuel shaft and you’ve got Cobra attitude bundled with powerful technological forgiveness. Choice has never gone this far.

The AMP Cell Pro model has a 440cc head with a lower, more neutral centre of gravity position. To treat better players, we’ve also included AMP Cell and E9 Face Technology (because a little forgiveness goes a long way). Driven by an MRC Kurokage shaft, and available in two sweet Tour proven colours, you’ll be ‘going Pro’ in style.

Who plays it: Rickie Fowler (pictured), Jesper Parnevik, Johan Edfors, Lexi Thompson, Anna Nordqvist.

RRP: $349 (AMP Cell), $449 (AMP Cell Pro)

NIKE VR_S COVERT

What Nike says:

Nike Golf’s most innovative club to date, the Nike VR_S Covert driver delivers unprecedented distance, control and forgiveness with the first-ever conforming high-speed cavity back design. High-speed cavity back technology delivers longer and straighter shots. Utilised in drivers for the first time, this technology positions the weight at the heel and toe to enhance forgiveness and add even more distance to off-centre shots. The result is more stability at impact for greater distance and control.

The FlexLoft adjustability system allows you to independently choose your loft and face angle to fit your swing and maximise distance. This easy-to-use system offers 15 different options in one club to meet the demands of various swings and course conditions. NexCOR Face Technology produces faster, longer shots across a wider area of the face. With a hot zone that’s 45 percent larger, NexCOR creates more speed at impact with a variable face thickness that moves the sweet spot higher – from the heel of the club to the centre high – where impact is most likely.

Who plays it: Rory McIlroy (pictured), Nick Watney, Kyle Stanley, Ross Fisher, Thorbjorn Olesen, Francesco Molinari.

RRP: $350 (Performance model), $500 (Tour model)

CLEVELAND CLASSIC XL & CLASSIC XL CUSTOM

What Cleveland says:

More distance, more confidence, more style. The Classic XL driver has the largest and deepest clubface of any driver in golf, and an even larger sweet spot for maximum forgiveness. The Classic XL suits players of all abilities.

Style and confidence are now tuneable with the Classic XL Custom driver. An adjustable hosel and interchangeable weight port in this model allow any golfer to tune their driver for precise performance. The Classic XL Custom driver suits experienced players looking for high performance.

Who plays it: Keegan Bradley (pictured), David Toms, Charlie Beljan.

RRP: $299 (Classic XL), $399 (Classic XL Custom)

CALLAWAY RAZR FIT XTREME

What Callaway says:

Headlining the RAZR Fit Xtreme driver is a powerful new Speed Frame Face Technology that optimises stiffness and stress distribution across the face for more efficient energy transfer. This produces more ball speed and consistent distance, even on off-centre contact. Among other improvements, Callaway’s new driver features the lowest centre of gravity of any adjustable driver, further fuelling distance gains, and a new weighting system that offers golfers a greater range of shot-shaping options.

The RAZR Fit Xtreme driver is further differentiated by patented technologies that allow Callaway research and development, the largest team in the industry, to both design and configure the driver to promote optimal distance.

These technologies and other features work in conjunction with a Tour-grade stock shaft offering to deliver the longest fully adjustable driver in golf.

Who plays it: Jim Furyk (pictured), Ryo Ishikawa, Alvaro Quiros.

RRP: $499

WILSON STAFF D-100

What Wilson says:

The Wilson Staff D-100 is one of the lightest, easiest-to-swing drivers on the market. The ‘Right Light’ club technology delivers extraordinary clubhead speeds, resulting in greater distance with the same swing effort. Super Light Technology is for every player and is not just about being as light as possible. The key to this technology is using the limited available weight to engineer a powerful, balanced, solid-feeling club.

The club generates improved distance via a nine percent higher spring-like effect, which is achieved through an enhanced cup-face design. Improved forgiveness comes through ideal M-mass properties that are optimised for a seven percent higher moment of inertia. A chemically etched crown lowers the centre of gravity for a higher launch and improved trajectory, while the limited grip, shaft and head weight increases clubhead speed.

Who plays it: Kevin Streelman (testing, pictured), Mike Small.

RRP: $299