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Best driver: The most forgiving driver of 2025

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What’s the best driver of 2025? This year, we have expanded our panel of expert fitters to help you find which of the 2025 drivers is best for your game, breaking down the candidates by clubhead speed.

In addition to our three swing speed categories, however, we’ve also asked our fitters for their recommendations for the most forgiving drivers for players who prioritize forgiveness above all else.

Custom fitting plays a crucial role in optimizing your performance with every swing, and the most effective way to discover your ideal driver is by working with a professional fitter who utilizes a launch monitor.

However, not all golfers have convenient access to fitters, launch monitors, or club builders. That’s why, at GolfWRX, we’ve taken on the challenge of helping you refine your shortlist of top driver options. While nothing can replace a personalized fitting, we’re doing our best to guide you in finding the right driver for your game!

Most forgiving driver of 2025

Ping G440 Max

Ping substantially refined the cosmetics of its flagship driver line with new G440 drivers. These don’t look like G430, G425, etc. The lowest center of gravity (CG) in company history and more speed are the key storylines for these sleeker-looking Ping woods. Cumulative weight savings = lowest CG in Ping driver to date. Carbonfly Wrap crown technology is utilized in all three models, allowing engineers to distribute weight throughout the club, aiding in lower CG. Shallow face design delivers a more flexible, hotter, thinner face, particularly in the high-heel area, where players commonly mis-hit. G440 Max is the most forgiving model in the lineup. This 460cc design features a three-position, 29-gram weight in the rear of the club.

For the full technology breakdown, check out our launch piece.

Fitter comments: 

  • Very impressed with the new addition from Ping. Forgiveness is the big piece here…seeing some great ball speeds from off-center hits.
  • Love to see the option on the adapter to go flat. Ping has been a staple in the driver category for the past years and continues to put out phenomenal products.
  • Exceptional forgiveness.

Titleist GT2

Titleist emphasizes it is pursuing total driver performance with its new GT line of drivers (in contrast to the market trend of designing primarily for consistency and forgiveness). That’s right, following the Titleist Speed Project, the folks in Fairhaven are still chasing (and delivering) ball speed, billing GT drivers as “faster, longer, straighter and more forgiving across the face” than previous offerings. Key technology includes: a Seamless Thermoform Crown, Split Mass Construction, and Speed Ring with VFT. GT2 is the GT line’s high-launch, low-spin driver. Built for players who don’t always find the center of the club face and need a higher MOI driver but don’t want to sacrifice ball speed. Featuring a single rear weight, GT2 is longer back to front than TSR2 and more traditionally pear-shaped.

For the full technology breakdown, check out our launch piece.

Fitter comments: 

  • Spins low for how forgiving it is.
  • Forgiving, without high-spin numbers. High launch. Classic look.
  • Super stable head design that doesn’t sacrifice any ball speed! For someone who may miss center strike a little more often and wants a very forgiving head to aid in keeping ball speed up and to place the shot in the fairway. Classic look to a slightly larger head shape. Fits a variety of players. Great feel and sound!

TaylorMade Qi35 Max

TaylorMade engineers sought to eliminate the tradeoff between moment of inertia (greater forgiveness) and low center of gravity (greater distance) with its new Qi35 drivers. TaylorMade engineers lowered the balance point of the TaylorMade Qi35 driver relative to previous models to give golfers more opportunities for better drives. Additionally, the company’s Trajectory Adjustment System weights (uniquely configured for each model) allow for additional center of gravity adjustment for further tuning. Chromium carbon fiber, steel, aluminum, tungsten, and titanium all work together to deliver performance.

For the full technology breakdown, check out our launch piece.

Fitter notes:

  • Extremely low spin with excellent stability.
  • Great overall performance with good ball speed improvements from previous models.
  • A great-looking fairway finder. Simple as that.

Ping G430 Max 10K

Dubbed the company’s “highest MOI, most forgiving, and straightest driver to date,” the 10K driver gets its name from the total MOI measurement of 10,000 g-cm². Ping touts the effects of a 28-gram fixed tungsten backweight working in combination with its 460cc multi-material head in achieving the MOI 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.

Fitter comments. 

  • Guys with speed need to hit more fairways, this is the best fairway finder ever made.
  • Great playable driver, and for the 10k forgiveness it produces consistent spin parameters in the more optimal zone. Generally the trade off is more spin for more forgiveness.
  • Amazing results for as huge as it appears.

Callaway Elyte

Callaway chose to further iterate on its AI face design, debuting Ai 10x Face for 2025, which features 10 more control points than the Paradym Ai Smoke design. What does this yield? Faster ball speeds, together dispersion, and better launch/spin across the face, according to Callaway. The core Elyte model is shaped for speed through the swing, as well as improved launch and forgiveness relative to previous models. An adjustable perimeter weighting system 13-gram moveable weight to enable a neutral, draw, or fade setting.

For the full technology breakdown, check out our launch piece.

Fitter comments: 

  • Even with swings above 120 mph, the core model Elyte manages spin and offers the most forgiveness. Personally, I swing between 125-130 mph, and it never over-spins for me, which is a fascinating feature for a core model.
  • Between adjustability in adapter and weights, it can be fine-tuned for so many golfers. But I also love the forgiveness and speed is almost second to none across the face on this driver.
  • Great forgiveness and its neutral setting slight draw bias making it good for players who have a right miss.

Related

Check out the best driver swing speed category winners here!

See what GolfWRXers are saying and join the discussion in the forums!

We share your golf passion. You can follow GolfWRX on Twitter @GolfWRX, Facebook and Instagram.

Equipment

BK’s Breakdowns: Cameron Young’s winning WITB, 2025 Wyndham Championship

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Cameron Young’s WITB from his win at the 2025 Wyndham Championship. Cameron is a Titleist staff player but his bag is definitely filled with some unique clubs. Here are the clubs he used to secure his first PGA Tour win!

Driver: Titleist GT2 (9 degrees, A1 SureFit setting)
Shaft: Mitsubishi Tensei 1K Pro Orange 70 TX

3-wood: Titleist GT3 (15 degrees)
Shaft: Mitsubishi Tensei 1K White 80 TX

Hybrid: Titleist GT2 (21 degrees)
Shaft: Fujikura Ventus HB Black VeloCore+ 10 X

Irons: Titleist T200 (4), Titleist T100 (5), Titleist 631.CY Prototype (6-9)
Shafts: True Temper Dynamic Gold X7 (4-9)

Wedges: Titleist Vokey Design SM10 (48-10F, 52-12F, 56-14F @57), WedgeWorks (60-K* @62)
Shafts: True Temper Dynamic Gold X7

Putter: Scotty Cameron Phantom 9.5 Tour Prototype

Grips: Golf Pride Tour Velvet Cord

Ball: Titleist Pro V1x Prototype

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Whats in the Bag

Peter Malnati WITB 2025 (August)

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Driver: Titleist GT3 (10 degrees, C2 SureFit setting)
Shaft: Project X Denali Blue 60 TX

3-wood: Titleist GT3 (15 degrees, A1 SureFit setting)
Shaft: Fujikura Ventus TR Blue 7 X

7-wood: Titleist GT2 (21 degrees, D1 SureFit setting)
Shaft: Fujikura Ventus TR Blue 8 X

Irons: Titleist T150 (4, 5), Titleist T100 (6-9)
Shafts: True Temper AMT Tour White X100

Wedges: Titleist Vokey Design SM10 (48-10F @47, 52-12F, 56-08M @57, 60-04T @62)
Shafts: True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue S400

Putter: Scotty Cameron Studio Style Fastback 1.5 Tour Prototype

Grips: Golf Pride Tour Velvet

Ball: Titleist Pro V1x Yellow

Check out more in-hand photos Malnati’s clubs here.

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Equipment

GolfWRX Members Choice presented by 2nd Swing: Best driver of 2025

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We’re proud to once again partner with 2nd Swing Golf to bring you GolfWRX Members Choice 2025! 2nd Swing has more than 150,000 new and pre-swung golf clubs available in six store locations and online. Check them out here

What is the best driver in 2025? At GolfWRX, we take great pride in our online community and the cumulative knowledge and experience of our members. When it comes to the best driver of 2025, we want to know what our forum faithful think.

Since our founding in 2005, the bedrock of GolfWRX.com has been the community of passionate and knowledgeable golfers in our forums, and we put endless trust in the opinions of our GolfWRX members — the most knowledgeable community of golfers on the internet. No other group of golfers in the world tests golf clubs as frequently or as extensively, nor is armed with such in-depth information about the latest technology.

Below are the results of GolfWRX member voting for the 2025 best driver, along with the vote percentage for each club.

Best driver of 2025: The top 5

5. Callaway Elyte Triple Diamond: 6.02%

Callaway’s pitch: “For golfers looking for a fast, forgiving, yet workable driver, the Elyte Triple Diamond features a tour-inspired shape and is the preferred model by most Callaway tour players.”

You can read what other golfers are saying about the driver in the GolfWRX forums, and see our launch piece here. Shop the Callaway Elyte Triple Diamond here.

4. Ping G440 Max: 6.86%

Ping’s pitch: “The most forgiving G440 model, MAX has a hotter face to generate speed and distance, and a lighter overall system weight with a longer shaft (46″) for faster clubhead speed, higher launch and longer carries. The Free Hosel and Carbonfly Wrap crown save weight to create our lowest CG ever and increase forgiveness while contributing to a more muted, pleasing sound.”

You can read what other golfers are saying about the driver in the GolfWRX forums, and see our launch piece here. Shop the Ping G440 Max here.

3. Ping G440 LST: 9.53%

Ping’s pitch: “LST is an especially good fit for faster swings, offering less spin and more control with a penetrating trajectory. A hotter face, lighter overall system weight and longer shaft (46″) deliver more speed and distance while maintaining tight dispersion.”

@phizzy30: “Not a fan of Ping drivers in general, but 440 LST takes the cake. It’s super forgiving across the face for a low spin head, looks and sounds good and the ability to make it play neutral or slightly fade biased through the hosel settings is very appealing.”

You can read what other golfers are saying about the driver in the GolfWRX forums, and see our launch piece here. Shop the Ping G440 LST here.

2. Titleist GT3: 16.55%

Titleist’s pitch: “The GT3 Driver offers Titleist’s boldest combination of power and personalization through adjustable performance. Dial in the CG Track to your frequent contact location to make your biggest drives even bigger while taking total control over flight and shaping.”

@mrmikeac: “I’ve been Anti-Titleist for years and years and years (outside of Vokey, of course). With that being said, HOLY BEGEEZUS the GT3 driver is an absolute NUCLEAR MONSTER! This thing blew my G430 10K Max out of the water in every single category. Forgiveness is the biggest thing that stands out of me, the 3 model has always been one of the less forgiving models in the past but this GT3 can take bad shot after bad shot and still end up in the fairway, I think a ton of that has to do with the adjustability, it’s actually effective. Feel and sound is perfect, that solid crack is so addicting to hear and when you hit it out the screws this thing can absolutely bomb it. Titleist, I’m sorry for doubting you. You have converted me.”

You can read what other golfers are saying about the driver in the GolfWRX forums, and see our launch piece here. Shop the Titleist GT3 here.

1. Titleist GT2: 22.91%

Titleist’s pitch: “Delivering impressive distance from any impact point, the Titleist GT2 Driver extracts maximum performance through a forgiving design. Get the stability and added confidence of a high-MOI driver without sacrificing speed.”

@DTorres: “The Titleist GT2 has proven to be the best driver of the year. Packaged in a classic profile, GT2 perfectly balances performance and forgiveness while consistently being a high performer across all categories.”

You can read what other golfers are saying about the driver in the GolfWRX forums, and see our launch piece here. Shop the Titleist GT2 here.

Other drivers receiving >2% of the vote

Driver Vote percentage (%)
Cobra DS Adapt Max K 4.85%
Ping G430 Max 10K 3.85%
Callaway Elyte Triple Diamond 3.68%
TaylorMade Qi35 3.51%
Callaway Elyte 3.18%
Cobra DS Adapt X 2.34%
Cobra DS Adapt LS 2.17%
TaylorMade Qi35 LS 2.17%

 

 

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