Editor’s note: Looking ahead to where we take our golf equipment coverage in the future, we want to look behind us more frequently. What does that mean, exactly? We want to both place new releases in their historical context and highlight past coverage, as we have done from time to time, by opening the GolfWRX archives.

For this installment, we’re returning to 2020 to take a look at the fitters’ selections for the best driver of six years ago. It was the year of SIM, of Mavrik, of the first chapter of the Titleist Speed project, of the continuation of Ping’s G400 series. In looking back, it’s amazing how much less component-y and carbon-y (those are words) these clubs look compared to Formula 1 cars that made their debut this month. 

We pick up the piece with the breakdown for the best drivers in the 95-105 mph clubhead speed range. 

BEST DRIVERS FOR 95-105 MPH 

Callaway Mavrik driver

Callaway Mavrik: This driver is the flagship of the Mavrik line and offers of most aggressive aerodynamic Cyclone Shaping. It hits the perfect balance of lower (ish) spin—but not too low with forgiveness and higher MOI. Most golfers looking at the Mavrik series will end up with this in the bag thanks to its fitting versatility.

From the fitters

• This club is very easy to hit, and it’s a great driver for a huge part of the golfing population. Head to head against the SIM Max, these are the two drivers that most golfers are going to look at, but for players that miss more around the face, the ball speed retention is second to none.
• Almost anyone can fit into this driver, and for those that need a little extra help hitting a draw, it can be tweaked to be a big help. The mid-spin profile creates a lot of options, but for the highest ball speed players it can start to become a bit too easy to turn over—this isn’t a bad thing, it just means golfers should move into the SZ head instead.
• A perfect blend of moderate spin control, ball speed, and added forgiveness. For players that love the Mav SubZero but need a touch more spin, this club looks the part and performs.
• Great all-around driver, tied for fastest ball speed with SIM Max. The ball speed around the face is fantastic, and you can fit almost anybody with this driver. Muted sound compared to previous generation is a big improvement. With the CG being a bit higher, we don’t get the extremely low spin as other drivers, but the deviation is low.
• My best fitting driver. Stable and works for the majority of players. Consistent spin with excellent ball speed and forgiveness. You can hit it all over the face and get really good numbers with this driver.
• Ball speeds are consistent around the face, spin rates are lower compared to others at this speed, and it’s very forgiving. What’s not to love?
• Of all the drivers in 2020, this one has the best potential to create the most ball speed. It’s a great driver for your average golfers but just like other drivers in the market, adjustability makes a great club for golfers needing a bit more directional help too.
• Similar category to SIM Max in that its a touch higher launch and bit higher spin but still very much on the lower end of what we see available in terms of drivers in the market. Compared to the previous generation Rogue and Epic Flash it has a bit more spin head to head but that also helps make it more accurate.
• Wonderfully forgiving driver with a small inherent draw bias because of the internal weighting and the static lie angle. The dispersion is higher because ball speed on off-center hits is still high. This is a great driver for mid-to-higher handicaps and golfers who square the face but have an inconsistent strike pattern.

TaylorMade SIM Max driver

TaylorMade SIM Max: This is the second category the SIM Max finds itself in. This proves that when an OEM designs a well-rounded head, fitters are going to take advantage. The other benefit not yet mentioned about the removal of the sliding track is it simplifies the options for the golfers—because many golfers that buy a club off the rack don’t want to worry about ever adjusting any moveable weights.

From the fitters

• Day-to-day, we see the fastest ball speeds of any driver with the SIM Max, plus it’s an extremely stable head … It’s so easy to dial in perfect launch conditions once you get the correct loft.
• This driver offers very similar performance numbers to the SIM with additional forgiveness and a touch more spin. It offers less adjustability, but it’s a small sacrifice to gain a higher MOI.
• I use this driver, so I may be a bit biased here, but it’s super forgiving and from a fitting perspective the SIM Max is one of the most versatile drivers for a number of golfers. Think SIM but with a bit more launch and the added benefit of tighter misses.
• Flat-out consistent. It works just as well for average speed players as is does with golfers on the higher end. In the TaylorMade SIM line, this is by far the most all-encompassing driver head.
• This driver reminds me of the great original TaylorMade M2—you can get great results that launch higher and with less spin for more players. This driver truly excels on lateral misses on the face – if you are missing heel and toe it still seems like it wants to find the fairway and I guess that’s the power of the Twist Face’s extra bulge and roll.

Ping G410 Plus driver

Ping 410 Plus: The G410 Plus is the standard for which other drivers are measured against for forgiveness—regardless of performance characteristics. The G410 has three models in the line but the Plus is the all-around performer, and it’s no surprise to find it on the list.

From the fitters

• The G410 Plus clicks every box for all-around performance and is massively forgiving. It’s easy to see why so many players use it and why it’s even a big seller off of the rack. When you put this driver head to head with other clubs it might not be the leader in every category, but where it doesn’t lead its easily top 3. The only negative thing I’ve heard from some golfers is the turbulators are still a visual distraction – but after a few swings, most golfers don’t even notice them.
• Absolute forgiveness leader or as we call it a “forgiveness monster!” This is the perfect driver for players that really struggle with consistent center contact and still need help. The ball speeds off this driver are amongst the highest but it’s not a leader. It’s a perfect mid-spin head that can be dialed in to fit to almost any player.
• This driver is almost always in the Fairway! It’s not the pure longest driver but it is far and away the most forgiving driver on the market. Sure it doesn’t have the same “sexy” story as some other clubs but if you are looking for a driver that is always going to give you an approach shot then this is it! Good shots are great and bad shots and still pretty good.
• The 410 Plus is a great all-around driver that is just plain easy to hit. Spin numbers are always in check, and there are lots of options with the hosel and weight adjustment to max out variables
• The G410 Plus just hits frozen ropes! It’s the MOST forgiving driver on the market and when you add in all of the adjustable settings with the hosel and moveable weight it can be dialed to fit any golfer and create a much tighter shot dispersion. You can hit this thing all over the face – left right up or down, there is a good chance you’re going to find the short grass.
• The forgiveness of this driver sells itself. It holds its start line better than any other driver on the market. The higher MOI comes on the tails of a heavier overall head weight so some builds can be harder with some shafts but thanks to custom fitting and building this is not a common problem, the only thing we have noticed is lower face strikes spin more that other driver.
• This is the most forgiving driver period. It’s a bit higher launch and higher spin which puts it in the category with Sim Max, but its more versatile thanks to all the adjustability. The ball speed drops around the face as you move away from the center BUT couple that with the extremely high MOI and it keeps balls closer to the target line and in the short grass more often.

Cobra SpeedZone Xtreme driver

Cobra SpeedZone Xtreme: The SpeedZone Xtreme is built on a slightly larger platform than the standard model which allows more weight around the perimeter. A 17-gram weight at the very rear combined with multi-material head creates the highest MOI Cobra has ever had while still maintaining and a high launch/low spin profile.

From the fitters

• This is a juiced-up SpeedZone that maintains lower spin rates and offers greater stability. We don’t get the same spin control with the single weight, but it still allows for easy final customization. Going shorter and with a heavier weight makes this club an MOI monster.
• Sound, shape, and performance are A+ with this head. All the great benefits of the standard SpeedZone but with added forgiveness and a touch more spin.
• This driver truly is a more forgiving SpeedZone with a bit more spin for players of equal speed and way more forgiveness. For players in this swing speed range, a driver with a little extra spin means more carry and more total distance. It’s the closest competitor in forgiveness to the PING G410 Plus, which is a big compliment – but with less spin.
• This head offers forgiveness close to the highest we see of all the drivers in 2020, add that to the available ball speed and you have a driver built to help golfers hit more fairways and hit it longer.
•  Cobra has done a great job separating this driver from the standard SpeedZone. It has a bit more spin, offers higher MOI and is just a very solid club for players that might not have all the speed at the top end. Its also very neutrally weighted which is great because not all slower players are looking for a draw-biased club.
• This driver is like a lower spinning G410 Plus. The loft adjustability helps us dial in the flight window and the spin stays lower because of the CG placement in the head. Even though it is a max forgiveness head it is very neutral in ball flight.
• This has been a really good driver for a lot of golfers this year. It’s got a ton of forgiveness, plus with all the hosel options its easy to dial in. It also keeps the spin down for a lot of players – especially misses lower on the face.

Callaway Mavrik Max driver

Callaway Mavrik Max: At 460cc’s, the Max has the largest footprint from address because of its more shallow profile which makes it the easiest to launch of the three Mavrik models. It shares all the same features of the other drivers in the line including Flash Face 2.0, and Jail Break but in a more player-friendly package. Two weights (14g and 2g) offer either a maximum MOI setting or maximum draw with the weight position in the heel.

From the fitters

• This driver is closer to the standard Mavrik for spin rates than some people think—especially in the standard weight configuration. The Max is also not as draw-biased as it may appear from the weights and its easily the 2nd or 3rd most forgiving driver out there. But, put that heavy weight in the heel and adjust the hosel and it becomes a slice killer.
• For those mid-range players who need a little help creating a draw flight the Callaway Mavrik Max is a great head. Very easy to swing because of its slightly lighter head weight and a lot of forgiveness.
• For golfers with mid to lower swing speeds that need launch and additional carry, I fit this driver a lot. Thanks to the adjustable weights you can set the Mavrik Max up to be a hugely forgiving bomber.
• This is the second most draw bias driver on the market after the Sim Max D. This driver creates the tightest dispersion pattern of the Mavrik line and is great for golfers that need increased carry.
• Like other drivers in the larger footprint category it gets up into the air quicker – relative to loft, but the magic is that it still keeps spin on the lower end to help keep misses in the fairway. If you need more carry this is one of my top drivers.
• The Mavrik MAX is very close to the standard Mavrik in overall performance but with additional draw bias for those players that need help eliminating the right miss and need a touch more spin. Even if you are a lower handicap, this is a driver to try depending on your shot preference because thanks to the weight and hosel adjustability you can really dial it in.
• When going head to head against the Sim Max D this thing is a more versatile club. The best thing about this club is that just because its the “game improvement” club in the line, thanks to the looks and the adjustability it can be fine-tuned to build a super forgiving “players” (lower handicap), driver.

To see the best drivers in the 105+ and 95-105 mph ranges, take a few steps down memory lane and visit the original article here.