Best driver 2024: Recapping the results (GolfWRX.com)
As long-time GolfWRXers know, we determine the “best driver” in a given year (in this case, best driver of 2024) in two ways.
Fitters’ Choice (AKA Best Driver): We publish in the first quarter of the year. As soon as our panel of expert fitters from across the country have reached a critical mass of club fittings, we present them with an in-depth questionnaire and follow up with an interview to discuss the drivers they are actually fitting players into across the 1,000s of fittings they collectively conduct. We present these findings in four categories (Best driver for faster swing speeds 106+ mph, best driver for swing speeds 95-105 mph, best driver for slower swing speeds <94 mph, best driver most forgiving).
Members Choice: Later in the year, we survey thousands of our forum members, who are the most dedicated and thorough testers of golf equipment in the world, to see what these “club junkies” are gaming are having had a chance to test all the latest wares.
We think it’s the best and most comprehensive one-two punch in the business. While we find robot testing an interesting curiosity and capable of providing insights into performance in specific clubface areas relative to others, given the variables in the actual human golf swing and the variety of swingers of the clubs, we don’t currently view it as the best determinant of “best” rankings.
With the leaves beginning to turn and the season of new launches just a few calendar page flips away, we figured the time was right for a backward glance at GolfWRX’s best drivers of 2024.
Drawing on the swing dynamics of thousands of real golfers, Callaway developed an all-new Ai Smart Face for its Paradym Ai Smoke drivers. Swing speed, club delivery, and face orientation prior to impact were considered to create club faces catered to optimal launch and tighter dispersion. Engineers targeted face design virtually everywhere across the face to leverage micro deflections for optimal spin on off-center shots struck anywhere on the face. Triple Diamond, Callaway’s tour/better player option is the most compact and neutral-to-fade biased in the Ai Smoke lineup, as would be expected. A 14-gram weight can be moved from front to back for spin reduction and to the rear for workability.
For the full technology breakdown, check out our launch piece.
TSR is the next generation of the Titleist Speed Project that began more than six years ago with the TS series and continued with TSi models in 2020. Mid-launch, mid-spin TSR3 is the more adjustable option in a tour-preferred shape. It’s engineered for playability and precise CG positioning (thanks to a reimagined SureFit Adjustable CG Track System) and an improved sweet spot.
For the full technology breakdown, check out our launch piece.
TaylorMade targets forgiveness, rather than distance, with its Qi10 family of drivers, thanks to the combined effects of a re-engineered Infinity Crown, perimeter mass distribution, and modified head shapes. The LS takes Qi10 Max technology puts it in a “better player” package. Qi10 LS is a more compact profile with interior mass distribution engineered for lower spin and launch. Aiding in this effort is an 18-gram sliding weight near the face that utilizes a new, more aerodynamic weight system. Weight is moved low and forward for greater MOI in the LS while keeping the club low-spin.
For the full technology breakdown, check out our launch piece.
A re-engineered PWR-Bridge and weighting system, PWRSHELL, and H.O.T. Face Technologies are at the heart of the Cobra Darkspeed LS line. With the most compact profile in the lineup (albeit with a higher crown peak), Darkspeed LS is designed for high-clubhead-speed players seeking lower spin with shot shape control. For the Darkspeed LS, three weight ports with two three-gram weights and one 12-gram weight. Two ports are situated in the front of the club and one in the rear for players to dial in draw/fade or preference spin versus forgiveness.
For the full technology breakdown, check out our launch piece.
With a shallower and thinner VFT forged face design, Ping engineers sought to add speed and distance without undermining an element Ping drivers have been known for: forgiveness. Exclusive to the G430 LST, lightweight composite crown-covering Carbonfly Wrap technology is the major innovation in the series. It’s an eight-layer, one-piece composite covering the crown to save weight (four grams) and lower CG, creating a lower-spin, higher-MOI driver.
For the full technology breakdown, check out our launch piece.
Drawing on the swing dynamics of thousands of real golfers, Callaway developed an all-new Ai Smart Face for its Paradym Ai Smoke drivers. Swing speed, club delivery, and face orientation prior to impact were considered to create club faces catered to optimal launch and tighter dispersion. Engineers targeted face design virtually everywhere across the face to leverage micro deflections for optimal spin on off-center shots struck anywhere on the face. Aimed at the widest swath of the fitting bell curve, Paradym Ai Smoke Max is the only driver in the lineup with an adjustable perimeter weight. According to the company, this allows up to 19 yards of shot shape adjustment.
For the full technology breakdown, check out our launch piece.
TSR is the next generation of the Titleist Speed Project that began more than seven years ago with the TS series and continued with TSi models in 2020. There are three models in the TSR line, which began tour seeding in June. TSR2 is a high-launch, low-spin “max” driver, balancing speed and stability that is designed for the player who makes contact across the face.
For the full technology breakdown, check out our launch piece.
TaylorMade targets forgiveness, rather than distance, with its Qi10 family of drivers, thanks to the combined effects of a re-engineered Infinity Crown, perimeter mass distribution, and modified head shapes. Living between the Max and LS models regarding launch and spin, Qi10 is slightly smaller than Qi10 Max with a more traditional profile. It features a sole weight closer to the center of the face and a more centered rear weight for a more neutral flight bias.
For the full technology breakdown, check out our launch piece.
With a shallower and thinner VFT forged face design, Ping engineers sought to add speed and distance without undermining an element Ping drivers have been known for: forgiveness. For slower-swing-speed golfers, G430 Max can be custom built with lighter head weights. G430 Max is suitable for the widest segment of the fitting bell curve and features a 25-gram, high-density tungsten moveable back weight (±8 yards of shot shaping).
For the full technology breakdown, check out our launch piece.
Ping touts the effects of a 28-gram fixed tungsten backweight working in combination with its 460cc multi-material head in achieving a 10,000 g-cm² measurement. Five grams of weight is saved from a lighter Carbonfly Wrap crown allowing for weight to be pushed to the perimeter of the club for increased forgiveness. The head profile is the largest in Ping history, pushed to the limits of heel-toe and front-back USGA restrictions.
For the full technology breakdown, check out our launch piece.
Ping touts the effects of a 28-gram fixed tungsten backweight working in combination with its 460cc multi-material head in achieving a 10,000 g-cm² measurement. Five grams of weight is saved from a lighter Carbonfly Wrap crown allowing for weight to be pushed to the perimeter of the club for increased forgiveness. The head profile is the largest in Ping history, pushed to the limits of heel-toe and front-back USGA restrictions.
For the full technology breakdown, check out our launch piece.
TaylorMade targets forgiveness, rather than distance, with its Qi10 family of drivers, thanks to the combined effects of a re-engineered Infinity Crown, perimeter mass distribution, and modified head shapes. The undisputed star of TaylorMade’s Quest for Inertia — the company’s bid for “max forgiveness and max accuracy” while continuing to deliver top-of-the-line ball speeds. The largest profile in the lineup, the Max features an incredible MOI of 10,000 g-cm².
For the full technology breakdown, check out our launch piece.
Drawing on the swing dynamics of thousands of real golfers, Callaway developed an all-new Ai Smart Face for its Paradym Ai Smoke drivers. Swing speed, club delivery, and face orientation prior to impact were considered to create club faces catered to optimal launch and tighter dispersion. Engineers targeted face design virtually everywhere across the face to leverage micro deflections for optimal spin on off-center shots struck anywhere on the face. Aimed at the widest swath of the fitting bell curve, Paradym Ai Smoke Max is the only driver in the lineup with an adjustable perimeter weight. According to the company, this allows up to 19 yards of shot shape adjustment.
For the full technology breakdown, check out our launch piece.
A re-engineered PWR-Bridge and weighting system, PWRSHELL, and H.O.T. Face Technologies are at the heart of the Cobra Darkspeed LS line. With the most compact profile in the lineup (albeit with a higher crown peak), Darkspeed LS is designed for high-clubhead-speed players seeking lower spin with shot shape control. The Max, Cobra’s draw-biased model is built for the player who needs forgiveness. Depending on the weight configuration, either greater forgiveness or more draw bias can be targeted.
For the full technology breakdown, check out our launch piece.
According to Titleist, the new 460cc TSR1 driver weighs a total of 40 grams lighter than the TSR2 thanks to a lighter headweight, 40-gram stock shaft, and a lighter stock grip. Like the other TSR drivers, the TSR1 has Multi-Plateau Variable Face Thickness to boost speed on off-center hits, and the CG (center of gravity) is placed rearward in the heads to increase launch and height.
For the full technology breakdown, check out our launch piece.
Read our fitter comments for all the drivers here.
Share of vote in parenthesis.
You can read what other golfers are saying about the driver in the GolfWRX forums, and see our launch piece here. Shop Titleist TSR3 here.
You can read what other golfers are saying about the driver in the GolfWRX forums, and see our launch piece here. Shop Ping G430 Max 10K here.
You can read what other golfers are saying about the driver in the GolfWRX forums, and see our launch piece here. Shop Callaway Paradym Ai Smoke Triple Diamond here.
You can read what other golfers are saying about the driver in the GolfWRX forums, and see our launch piece here. Shop TaylorMade Qi10 here.
You can read what other golfers are saying about the driver in the GolfWRX forums, and see our launch piece here. Shop Titleist TSR2 here.
Callaway Paradym Ai Smoke Triple Diamond Max, Ping G430 LST, Callaway Paradym Ai Smoke Max, Ping G430 Max, TaylorMade Qi10 LS, Cobra Darkspeed LS, TaylorMade Qi10 Max, Titleist TSR4.
2025 driver speculation has already begun in earnest in the GolfWRX forums! Head over there to join the discussion.
Pokračovat ve čtení...
As long-time GolfWRXers know, we determine the “best driver” in a given year (in this case, best driver of 2024) in two ways.
Fitters’ Choice (AKA Best Driver): We publish in the first quarter of the year. As soon as our panel of expert fitters from across the country have reached a critical mass of club fittings, we present them with an in-depth questionnaire and follow up with an interview to discuss the drivers they are actually fitting players into across the 1,000s of fittings they collectively conduct. We present these findings in four categories (Best driver for faster swing speeds 106+ mph, best driver for swing speeds 95-105 mph, best driver for slower swing speeds <94 mph, best driver most forgiving).
Members Choice: Later in the year, we survey thousands of our forum members, who are the most dedicated and thorough testers of golf equipment in the world, to see what these “club junkies” are gaming are having had a chance to test all the latest wares.
We think it’s the best and most comprehensive one-two punch in the business. While we find robot testing an interesting curiosity and capable of providing insights into performance in specific clubface areas relative to others, given the variables in the actual human golf swing and the variety of swingers of the clubs, we don’t currently view it as the best determinant of “best” rankings.
With the leaves beginning to turn and the season of new launches just a few calendar page flips away, we figured the time was right for a backward glance at GolfWRX’s best drivers of 2024.
Best Driver 2024: Fitters Choice
BEST DRIVER FOR 106 MPH AND ABOVE
Callaway Paradym Ai Smoke Triple Diamond
Drawing on the swing dynamics of thousands of real golfers, Callaway developed an all-new Ai Smart Face for its Paradym Ai Smoke drivers. Swing speed, club delivery, and face orientation prior to impact were considered to create club faces catered to optimal launch and tighter dispersion. Engineers targeted face design virtually everywhere across the face to leverage micro deflections for optimal spin on off-center shots struck anywhere on the face. Triple Diamond, Callaway’s tour/better player option is the most compact and neutral-to-fade biased in the Ai Smoke lineup, as would be expected. A 14-gram weight can be moved from front to back for spin reduction and to the rear for workability.
For the full technology breakdown, check out our launch piece.
Titleist TSR3
TSR is the next generation of the Titleist Speed Project that began more than six years ago with the TS series and continued with TSi models in 2020. Mid-launch, mid-spin TSR3 is the more adjustable option in a tour-preferred shape. It’s engineered for playability and precise CG positioning (thanks to a reimagined SureFit Adjustable CG Track System) and an improved sweet spot.
For the full technology breakdown, check out our launch piece.
TaylorMade Qi10 LS
TaylorMade targets forgiveness, rather than distance, with its Qi10 family of drivers, thanks to the combined effects of a re-engineered Infinity Crown, perimeter mass distribution, and modified head shapes. The LS takes Qi10 Max technology puts it in a “better player” package. Qi10 LS is a more compact profile with interior mass distribution engineered for lower spin and launch. Aiding in this effort is an 18-gram sliding weight near the face that utilizes a new, more aerodynamic weight system. Weight is moved low and forward for greater MOI in the LS while keeping the club low-spin.
For the full technology breakdown, check out our launch piece.
Cobra Darkspeed LS
A re-engineered PWR-Bridge and weighting system, PWRSHELL, and H.O.T. Face Technologies are at the heart of the Cobra Darkspeed LS line. With the most compact profile in the lineup (albeit with a higher crown peak), Darkspeed LS is designed for high-clubhead-speed players seeking lower spin with shot shape control. For the Darkspeed LS, three weight ports with two three-gram weights and one 12-gram weight. Two ports are situated in the front of the club and one in the rear for players to dial in draw/fade or preference spin versus forgiveness.
For the full technology breakdown, check out our launch piece.
Ping G430 LST
With a shallower and thinner VFT forged face design, Ping engineers sought to add speed and distance without undermining an element Ping drivers have been known for: forgiveness. Exclusive to the G430 LST, lightweight composite crown-covering Carbonfly Wrap technology is the major innovation in the series. It’s an eight-layer, one-piece composite covering the crown to save weight (four grams) and lower CG, creating a lower-spin, higher-MOI driver.
For the full technology breakdown, check out our launch piece.
BEST DRIVERS FOR 95-105 MPH
Callaway Paradym Ai Smoke Max
Drawing on the swing dynamics of thousands of real golfers, Callaway developed an all-new Ai Smart Face for its Paradym Ai Smoke drivers. Swing speed, club delivery, and face orientation prior to impact were considered to create club faces catered to optimal launch and tighter dispersion. Engineers targeted face design virtually everywhere across the face to leverage micro deflections for optimal spin on off-center shots struck anywhere on the face. Aimed at the widest swath of the fitting bell curve, Paradym Ai Smoke Max is the only driver in the lineup with an adjustable perimeter weight. According to the company, this allows up to 19 yards of shot shape adjustment.
For the full technology breakdown, check out our launch piece.
Titleist TSR2
TSR is the next generation of the Titleist Speed Project that began more than seven years ago with the TS series and continued with TSi models in 2020. There are three models in the TSR line, which began tour seeding in June. TSR2 is a high-launch, low-spin “max” driver, balancing speed and stability that is designed for the player who makes contact across the face.
For the full technology breakdown, check out our launch piece.
TaylorMade Qi10
TaylorMade targets forgiveness, rather than distance, with its Qi10 family of drivers, thanks to the combined effects of a re-engineered Infinity Crown, perimeter mass distribution, and modified head shapes. Living between the Max and LS models regarding launch and spin, Qi10 is slightly smaller than Qi10 Max with a more traditional profile. It features a sole weight closer to the center of the face and a more centered rear weight for a more neutral flight bias.
For the full technology breakdown, check out our launch piece.
Ping G430 Max
With a shallower and thinner VFT forged face design, Ping engineers sought to add speed and distance without undermining an element Ping drivers have been known for: forgiveness. For slower-swing-speed golfers, G430 Max can be custom built with lighter head weights. G430 Max is suitable for the widest segment of the fitting bell curve and features a 25-gram, high-density tungsten moveable back weight (±8 yards of shot shaping).
For the full technology breakdown, check out our launch piece.
Ping G430 Max 10K
Ping touts the effects of a 28-gram fixed tungsten backweight working in combination with its 460cc multi-material head in achieving a 10,000 g-cm² measurement. Five grams of weight is saved from a lighter Carbonfly Wrap crown allowing for weight to be pushed to the perimeter of the club for increased forgiveness. The head profile is the largest in Ping history, pushed to the limits of heel-toe and front-back USGA restrictions.
For the full technology breakdown, check out our launch piece.
BEST DRIVERS FOR 94 MPH AND BELOW
Ping G430 Max 10K
Ping touts the effects of a 28-gram fixed tungsten backweight working in combination with its 460cc multi-material head in achieving a 10,000 g-cm² measurement. Five grams of weight is saved from a lighter Carbonfly Wrap crown allowing for weight to be pushed to the perimeter of the club for increased forgiveness. The head profile is the largest in Ping history, pushed to the limits of heel-toe and front-back USGA restrictions.
For the full technology breakdown, check out our launch piece.
TaylorMade Qi10 Max
TaylorMade targets forgiveness, rather than distance, with its Qi10 family of drivers, thanks to the combined effects of a re-engineered Infinity Crown, perimeter mass distribution, and modified head shapes. The undisputed star of TaylorMade’s Quest for Inertia — the company’s bid for “max forgiveness and max accuracy” while continuing to deliver top-of-the-line ball speeds. The largest profile in the lineup, the Max features an incredible MOI of 10,000 g-cm².
For the full technology breakdown, check out our launch piece.
Callaway Paradym Ai Smoke Max
Drawing on the swing dynamics of thousands of real golfers, Callaway developed an all-new Ai Smart Face for its Paradym Ai Smoke drivers. Swing speed, club delivery, and face orientation prior to impact were considered to create club faces catered to optimal launch and tighter dispersion. Engineers targeted face design virtually everywhere across the face to leverage micro deflections for optimal spin on off-center shots struck anywhere on the face. Aimed at the widest swath of the fitting bell curve, Paradym Ai Smoke Max is the only driver in the lineup with an adjustable perimeter weight. According to the company, this allows up to 19 yards of shot shape adjustment.
For the full technology breakdown, check out our launch piece.
Cobra Darkspeed Max
A re-engineered PWR-Bridge and weighting system, PWRSHELL, and H.O.T. Face Technologies are at the heart of the Cobra Darkspeed LS line. With the most compact profile in the lineup (albeit with a higher crown peak), Darkspeed LS is designed for high-clubhead-speed players seeking lower spin with shot shape control. The Max, Cobra’s draw-biased model is built for the player who needs forgiveness. Depending on the weight configuration, either greater forgiveness or more draw bias can be targeted.
For the full technology breakdown, check out our launch piece.
Titleist TSR1
According to Titleist, the new 460cc TSR1 driver weighs a total of 40 grams lighter than the TSR2 thanks to a lighter headweight, 40-gram stock shaft, and a lighter stock grip. Like the other TSR drivers, the TSR1 has Multi-Plateau Variable Face Thickness to boost speed on off-center hits, and the CG (center of gravity) is placed rearward in the heads to increase launch and height.
For the full technology breakdown, check out our launch piece.
Read our fitter comments for all the drivers here.
Best Driver 2024: Members Choice
Share of vote in parenthesis.
1. Titleist TSR3 (15.17%)
You can read what other golfers are saying about the driver in the GolfWRX forums, and see our launch piece here. Shop Titleist TSR3 here.
2. Ping G430 Max 10K (12.07%)
You can read what other golfers are saying about the driver in the GolfWRX forums, and see our launch piece here. Shop Ping G430 Max 10K here.
3. Callaway Paradym Ai Smoke Triple Diamond (9.37%)
You can read what other golfers are saying about the driver in the GolfWRX forums, and see our launch piece here. Shop Callaway Paradym Ai Smoke Triple Diamond here.
T4. TaylorMade Qi10 (8.03%)
You can read what other golfers are saying about the driver in the GolfWRX forums, and see our launch piece here. Shop TaylorMade Qi10 here.
T4. Titleist TSR2 (8.03%)
You can read what other golfers are saying about the driver in the GolfWRX forums, and see our launch piece here. Shop Titleist TSR2 here.
Other drivers receiving >2% of the vote
Callaway Paradym Ai Smoke Triple Diamond Max, Ping G430 LST, Callaway Paradym Ai Smoke Max, Ping G430 Max, TaylorMade Qi10 LS, Cobra Darkspeed LS, TaylorMade Qi10 Max, Titleist TSR4.
2025 driver speculation has already begun in earnest in the GolfWRX forums! Head over there to join the discussion.
Pokračovat ve čtení...
