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Unless you’re playing one of the new mini-drivers, modern drivers are pretty forgiving.

There are models, of course, that might favor better players, but the most forgiving drivers are what you want to seek out if you're an average golfer and certainly if you're a high-handicap golfer.

Forgiveness can mean a lot of things, of course. For example, newer drivers have larger sweet spots, which means you can hit them off-center and not lose much distance. But more importantly, many drivers seem to self-correct because of their face design. A strike near the heel, which would normally produce a slice, will go straighter and farther with these modern designs.

Of course, if you’re getting the latest and greatest, you can expect to pay $599 or more on some of the name brands. But how good are the generations right before those? We think they are pretty good.

After all, what was introduced in one, two or even several years ago, were billed as the most forgiving and longest drivers on the market. They certainly aren’t obsolete now. 

Golfers would agree. In fact, we polled our GolfPass members to see what golfers with a 19-handicap or above preferred. The list was both informative and interesting. Some of them were even previous generations.

The nice part about buying older versions of these drivers is that they can be far less expensive than what was just introduced, yet they still offer great benefits. And if you're a high handicap golfer on a budget, it's the best of both worlds.

What follows are the best driver for high handicappers, according to GolfPass members. Best of all, you can still buy them, either directly through the manufacturer or through the secondary market.

This should come as no surprise. After all, Callaway had massive success with the Paradym Driver after it was introduced a couple of years ago. It had a different shape than its predecessor, the Rogue MAX, and an evolved “Jailbreak” technology – support rails behind the face introduced by the Rogue – which now has a wishbone shape. That, combined with its carbon-mix body, all translates into more carry distance, no matter where you hit it on the face. 

This driver also seems to self-correct, which is no wonder why so many average golfers, including high handicappers, seem to love it. If you hit it on the toe, it won’t hook as much. And if you hit it on the heel, it doesn’t slice as much and still goes pretty far. Basically, off-center hits still go far and fairly straight. Of course, Callaway now has the Paradigm AI Smoke, which takes it a step further with a design using even more AI technology for maximum forgiveness. But the original Paradym Driver isn't that far off.

One of the later iterations of the really popular and successful “G” series from PING, the G430 Max boasts a thinner and more shallow face than its predecessors as well as a feature called “Spinsistency,” which is a variable roll radius designed to create less loft low on the face to improve performance by reducing spin, resulting in faster speeds that generate consistently longer drives. 

The bottom line is that this driver is extremely user friendly. It’s easy on the eyes, and the G430 Max has been shown to be slightly longer than its immediate predecessor. Beyond that, it also seems to go fairly straight, no matter where you hit it on the face. It's good for high and low swing speed as long as you get the proper loft.

The 0311 Gen5 drivers from PXG are a step up in a number of ways from the 0811 Gen4 driver, which was a quality driver but not as long or forgiving as the Gen5. (PXG currently offers the Gen 6 and Black Ops models as its latest drivers.) The most noticeable difference in the 0311 Gen5 over the Gen4 is the head. Previous versions had a hybrid crown of carbon and titanium, while the Gen5 has an all-carbon crown like many of its current competitors.

The XF Gen5 is the mid-spin option of the 0311 Gen5 line. It offers a clean look, an explosive sound and great feel. The Gen5 has Precision Weighting Technology, which translates into one 2.5g and two 7.5g weights that can be adjusted for fine tuning spin and bias. The head design has a larger profile shape and longer face than the Gen5 driver, which means it’s also a bit more forgiving. Finally, there’s an adjustable hosel, where you can change the loft to plus or minus 1.5 degrees to change the launch angle.

Introduced in 2020, the PING G425 Max was Ping’s most forgiving driver to date, thanks to several features. First, there were weight-saving advancements in the driver’s Dragonfly crown technology. That comes from an ultra-thin crown with weight moved to the head and back to increase MOI and optimize the CG for more distance and maximum forgiveness. There is also a 26-gram tungsten movable weight that can be set in neutral, fade or draw bias. For high handicappers who slice the ball, it's especially useful to set it in the draw mode, which moves the weight closer to the shaft to close the clubface sooner.

This is also a driver with an MOI that PING says is close to 10,000, which was certainly groundbreaking at the time and set a new standard. For anyone looking to buy a new driver at what is certainly a reduced cost from new, this is a great option.

Before the latest TaylorMade Qi10 Driver, there were very successful TaylorMade drivers like the SIM, which stands for “Shape In Motion.” That new shape, which offers an all-new Inertia Generator formed by its 9-layer carbon sole, moved weight to the back of the clubhead and made the driver more aerodynamic for more speed and forgiveness. 

The SIM2 added a feature called Forged Ring Construction, which is crafted from a lightweight and high-strength aluminum that is precision milled. This ring unites the critical components of the driver head into a single force. It also has a heavy steel weight in the back of the clubhead as a well as strategically located front weight. Other features include a milled back face cup that works in unison with what was then a new toe-side Speed Injection Port. And finally, the club’s Twist Face technology, which is the opposite of bulge and roll, helps correct slices and hooks. 

In between the Qi 10 and the SIM drivers was the TaylorMade Stealth drivers, first introduced in early 2022. The new technology included the company’s first all-carbon face, which helped make the Stealth Driver very long and forgiving. The Stealth 2 driver added more ball speed and a few enhancements that makes it a very viable choice for golfers of all abilities, including high handicappers.

The Stealth 2 featured a new face design with an advanced Inverted Cone Technology to help maintain ball speed on off-center hits as well as forgiveness. It also has a Carbon Reinforced Composite Ring, which frees up more weight that was strategically moved around for more forgiveness. And finally, the Stealth 2 got a better look with a brighter red face and glossy black crown (in addition to other colors).

Once again, another TaylorMade SIM driver made our list. This one is the SIM2 Max, which has all the features of the SIM2 and a couple of more traits that make it very attractive for players who need the most forgiveness. Again, though, it should be noted that the Max versions of these drivers have been popular among low handicap and scratch players as well. Getting off the tee straight and long is what almost all players want, but of course high-handicap players might appreciate it even more.

The difference between the SIM2 and SIM2 Max is that the latter has a higher MOI (Moment of Inertia), which translates into more forgiveness. Instead of the 16-gram weight in the back found in the SIM2, for example, the Max has a 24g tungsten weight. The SIM2 Max also flies higher with a little bit more spin than the SIM 2, so that should make it more forgiving for higher handicappers. 

The regular PXG 0311 Gen5 Driver produces lower spin than the XF Gen5 version. But again, this was a step up from the 0811 Gen 4 drivers, pushing this version into the conversation with the other top drivers on the market.

Like the XF, it has a tall, deep face design to help produce maximum ball speed, looks appealing and has a pleasant sound at contact for confidence. For higher swing speeds, this is probably the better choice over the XF, but both are forgiving and can certainly be played by higher-handicap players. One thing to note is that PXG does excellent club-fitting at its facilities, and we would certainly recommend going through that process to get the most out of a Gen5 Driver. 

Let’s face it: Most high handicappers slice the ball with the driver, so the Callaway Rogue ST Max D is a great choice as a draw-biased driver. The “D” stands for draw, so it’s designed with a draw bias that can help straighten out the golf ball or at least reduce slices. That comes through a combination of internal and external draw-biased weights as well as a more upright lie and a generously stretched profile at address.

The Rogue ST Max D also has the “Jailbreak Speed Frame” for speed and forgiveness, a low-spin face and a solid titanium body. While this is obviously a generation before the carbon-material drivers, it’s still a very forgiving and long driver that can be had for a good price. 

Finally, if you’re willing to go back a few generations, the original G series driver, the PING G400 is still a very solid choice and can be had for a fraction of the latest and greatest. 

When it was introduced in 2017, it innovated with its streamlined shape for better aerodynamics control and stability. It had a multi-material design, including T9S+ forged face to increase speed and distance. With a combined MOI over 9,000 and a deep center of gravity, it goes straight and far, which is what every golfer, whether you’re a high handicapper or scratch golfer, desires.

What's the best driver you've ever hit? Let us know in the comments below.

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