***If you’re looking for the most recent reviews for 2023 gear, we will be updating this page in the summer after we’ve had a chance to review them!
If you’re in a hurry and just want to find the Best Driver for Seniors in 2022, then we recommend the TaylorMade SIM Max D.
Golf is timeless. When you can no longer run full court in basketball, a game of football is out of the question, and baseball is no longer feasible you can always fall back on the game of golf. I remember playing golf with my Grandfather deep into my 20s and he could still beat me on a regular basis. I hit the ball harder and farther, but golf is about more than that. In the rest of this article, I am going to describe the features available in the best driver for seniors, and then describe some specific driver options.
In this article, we’re going to be reviewing the following drivers:
To see our other top clubs for seniors in 2020, check out this article: Best Golf Clubs For Seniors in 2020!
Golf for Seniors
As a person ages, their physical ability may change while they remain just as competitive and ready to hit the links as they ever were. One of the biggest positives and negatives for the golf industry is the number of choices and features that are out there, and especially in the driver market.
The head, weighting, shaft flex, face technology, etc. all make it difficult to decide which driver is best for you. At the same time, however, the competition to come up with the next best thing has given players of all abilities, handicaps, age, and time the ability to find the technology that will help them the most.
When choosing a driver for seniors, remember the goal is to produce greater club head speeds even as physical ability lessens. Make sure not to purchase a club that produces much greater swing speeds but at the expense of accuracy and carry.
A driver is one of the more important clubs in a seniors bag. As golfers grow older and lose distance and accuracy off of their tee shots, this can affect every other aspect of their game. The approach gets longer, shots out of the rough become more common, and rather than putting in regulation they have a long putt just to salvage a bogey on longer holes.
This can be frustrating, but it is also fixable. Here are some of the things you should look for in the search for the best golf driver for seniors.
Things to Consider When Choosing The Best Driver For Seniors
Shaft Flex
The primary differences between a standard driver and those made for seniors are found in the shaft of the driver. As we grow older, it becomes a little more difficult for us to generate the same club head speed so driver manufacturers developed technology to help with that. A more flexible shaft, like those produced for seniors, allow the maximum amount of club head speed while still squarely positioning the face of the club at impact.
The flex of the shaft is the most important difference in helping to generate club head speed. The more flexible the shaft is, the more whip can be produced through the ball as the head catches up with the rest of the shaft. Shafts made specifically for seniors are the most flexible which allow a faster club head speed at impact. The key to this is that while the club head moves more quickly through the strike zone, it is only at slower swing speeds that this type of flex can produce the desired result.
Shaft Length
If you go back to high school math for a moment, then you know that the longer the shaft the longer the swing radius and the longer the swing radius the more speed and power that can be produced. While this is absolutely true, the wider swing radii also produce greater chances for mishits especially with a more flexible shaft.
For this reason, you will often find drivers that were developed specifically for seniors also have a shorter shaft. While this does not make sense intuitively because you are trying to produce more swing speed, it does help with accuracy which is more important than even power in a driver.
Shaft Weight
The weight of the shaft is also important when purchasing a driver for a senior player. The lighter the shaft is the more swing speed it can produce and the less fatigued a player will become, especially on the range. Most lighter shafts are also the most flexible shafts, so it works out well in the club design. Composite materials and graphite are the most common materials used in drivers made for seniors because they are both lighter and have the options of more flexibility. Shafts under 60 grams have the most benefits for seniors and can help produce more distance and greater control.
Loft
The loft of the driver is the last, non-shaft related, aspect of drivers for seniors. Professionals use lofts anywhere from 8.5 to 11 degrees, younger players will usually stay in the same vicinity but may go up to 13 degrees, but as swing speeds slow going up to a 15 degree loft is quite beneficial. The more loft on a driver, the more lift and accuracy you will get on your shots. As your swing speeds slow and you try different things to help speed them up, your accuracy generally takes a hit. A higher loft will produce more carry and more accuracy while sacrificing just a few yards of distance.
The Best Golf Drivers For Seniors Reviewed
TourEdge HL4
Unless you are a touring pro, spending $500 or more on a driver can be a difficult move to make.
The TourEdge HL4 brings distance and accuracy usually reserved for high end prices to a driver that will not break your budget. The company uses today’s top technology to create a “point and shoot bomber” that increases your distance off of the tee while keeping the ball straight. This club focuses on distance, low spin, higher launch, and forgiveness off of the tee making it a perfect club for seniors at a great price.
Pros
- By far the least expensive option on this list.
- Forged from 6-4 titanium with the center of the club face thicker than the perimeter creating a larger sweet spot and more forgiving mishits.
- Created for players with slower swing speed.
- The added weight to the back and bottom of the club increases the launch angle and produces a higher ball flight.
Cons
- The lower price point means that some of the R&D done by other companies is not present in this club.
- The singular focus on distance
- It is setup for players who hit the ball straight and it does not work as well with the more flexible shaft that many seniors turn to.
TaylorMade SIM Max D
TaylorMade has become to the driver what Titleist is for golf balls, an industry leader.
The SIM line of drivers has slightly tweaked the traditional driver design to create what TaylorMade believes will be their longest and straightest driver yet. The design takes aerodynamics to the next level creating a driver head that still has the size and force to create incredible ball speed while increasing the ability of the clubhead to cut through the air with as little resistance as possible. The club was designed to add distance and increase ball heights, and the size and aerodynamic nature of the club make it a great choice for seniors.
Pros
- It is not an inexpensive club, but compared to other top end drivers it is at the low end.
- Increased weight in the back of the sole increases the launch angle at impact.
- Tested in a wind tunnel to create the most aerodynamic club on the market.
- Less “twist” at impact than any other driver which leads to straighter and more consistent shots.
- “TwistFace” technology adds corrective face angles to correct a player’s tendency for mishits and make a straighter shot.
- A 3-stage draw technology designed to add up to 20 yards of draw bias.
Cons
- Even a slight change in club design can negatively affect a player’s game.
- The weight and offset nature of the club is not changeable making the club ineffective for those players looking for something other than a draw.
Callaway Mavrik Max
Well suited for players who want a long and easy to hit driver that reduces the tendency to slice off of the tee.
The Artificial Intelligence (AI) used to create the driver used computer models to test thousands of designs per day to come up with the most technologically advanced club on the market. The Callaway Mavrik Max is one of the longest drivers on the market while increasing forgiveness and consistency off of the tee.
Pros
- Interchangeable weights that help the driver to cater to your particular game.
- AI technology gives this club a huge advantage in testing as tweaks can be made in the club during the testing process without producing a new club.
- Flash Face technology make the titanium face of the club stronger and more flexible than ever for faster ball speed across the face of the club.
- AI produced sound at impact is unparalleled.
Cons
- Designed with above average players in mind.
- It is not a game improvement club, and was not designed for slower swings.
XXIO Eleven
The XXIO brand was created to deliver performance for golfers with moderate swing speeds.
While other brands created equipment primarily for tour level players and the modified that equipment for beginners and seniors, XXIO did just the opposite. Their brand was created with the average player in mind, and the average player is about 50 years old. This version of the XXIO Eleven adjusts the shape of the head and the hitting sound to produce their best driver to date.
Pros
- It was created for players with slow to moderate swing speeds.
- The center of the club is thinner and larger creating more ball speed and more forgiveness.
- Increased weight near the grip of the golf club provide for added control and a smoother swing.
- The club looks great at setup.
Cons
- If you have been golfing for a long time, there are other clubs on this list that will give you more distance while this club focuses more on control.
- A lower ball launch than other drivers on this list.
- It is one of the most expensive drivers on the market.
Titleist TS2
The TS models from Titleist are a result of building a driver from the ground up rather than improving on an older model.
The TS2 was specifically designed for ball speed and a straight flight. The titanium crown and face of the driver are both thinner than previous models which cut down on the weight and added to the size of the sweet spot.
Pros
- Designed for increased ball speed which leads to increased distance.
- Additional weight at the back of the head adds MOI and increases launch.
- There is a noticeable difference in distance compared to other Titleist drivers.
- A larger sweet spot and better weighting make the club very consistent from shot to shot.
- Streamlined shape makes the club more aerodynamic and reduces drag.
- The club produces high ball speeds, great forgiveness, and a high launch which set this club up to be a favorite for senior players.
- Adjustable options for weight, loft, and lie.
Cons
- A little bulky looking and feeling at the point of address.
- Titleist has been lacking in the driver department for some time now, so some people may not believe the hype.
Conclusion
Our choice for the best overall driver for seniors is that TaylorMade SIM Max D. The speed, control, forgiveness, and high launch make it a great choice for seniors and it is a great looking driver to boot.
While there is something to say for the low price of the TourEdge driver, the added features and playability of the TaylorMade SIM Max D make it worth the extra price.
