***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 know our top choices for 2022, here they are:
- Most Forgiving Driver: Cobra King SpeedZone Extreme
- Most Forgiving Woods: Tour Edge Exotics EXS 220
- Most Forgiving Hybrid: TaylorMade SIM Max Rescue
- Most Forgiving Irons: TaylorMade SIM Max OS
- Most Forgiving Wedges: Cleveland CBX 2
- Most Forgiving Putter: EvnRoll ER10
Golf is supposed to be fun. If you have ever been out on the course for a round when nothing went right, then you know “fun” is not always the right word to describe the game of golf.
There will always be that tension between frustration and fun or relaxing and annoying, that is actually part of the appeal. If the game was easy, it would not have the appeal that it does.
There is, however, something that all of us, no matter what stage of the game we are in, can do to help make the game more fun. Purchase the right clubs. For the vast, vast majority of golfers, that means by clubs that are forgiving and easy to hit.
Make sure the clubs that you are using make mishits more manageable with bigger sweet spots and higher launches. The following are reviews and descriptions of the most forgiving golf clubs in 2020. They can definitely make the game more fun and your scores much lower.
Most Forgiving Golf Clubs in 2022 Reviewed
Most Forgiving Driver
Cobra King SpeedZone Extreme
The CNC milled infinity face expands the zone of maximum ball speed to a level that almost makes it difficult not to get the max mph out of your swing. This club was built for speed and forgiveness at the expense of everything else, and Cobra really succeeded. On top of being fast and forgiving, the club produces a really high launch with really low spin.
In terms of distance and forgiveness there is not much out there that will beat the Cobra King SpeedZone Extreme. While the phrase “grip it and rip it” does not usually work, the huge sweet spot and added forgiveness of this driver almost makes that sound like a good idea.
Pros
- One of the largest sweet spots on the market.
- The CNC infinity milled face means basically the entire face produces top ball speed.
- This club is so forgiving it is almost difficult not to get the most out of your swing.
- The Arccos swing technology in the grip is a nice touch.
- This driver is very long.
- Out of the drivers we reviewed, this one had the 2nd lowest shot dispersion which speaks to its accuracy and consistency.
- 3 great designs help you to look good on the course.
- You get solid distance even when you are off-center.
Cons
- Not customizable especially in terms of promoting a draw or adjusting weight.
To see the full list and learn how the Cobra King SpeedZone Extreme fared against the competition, check out this article: Most Forgiving (Best) Driver for Beginners and High Handicappers in 2022!
Most Forgiving Fairway Woods
Tour Edge Exotics EXS 220
The Diamond Face technology coupled with the max MOI design make this one of the most forgiving fairway woods out there. The Diamond Face technology describes the 44 different thick and thin diamond shapes that act as trampolines right behind the face of the club. These diamonds produce a hotter ball at impact but they also are so expansive behind the face that almost the entire hitting surface is the sweet spot.
On top of that, there is an adjustable weight in the back of the club that maximizes MOI so that your club glides straight through with no twisting. Especially off of the deck, this club is straight no matter where on the face you make contact.
Pros
- The Diamond Face technology means that the sweet spot is basically the entire face. Even off center strikes go pretty straight and pretty long.
- The weighting in the back of the club gives a high MOI.
- The clubs produce a very small amount of spin and a high launch so the ball travels straight and high.
- A lot of the technology you find in the higher end clubs but at a lower end price.
- This brand has been around for a long time and you can find Tour Edge metalwoods in the bags of touring pros and weekend warriors alike.
- The “slipstream sole” has wider speed channels which basically means that the club interacts well with the turf without getting caught up in it.
Cons
- Not as long as some of the other higher end fairway woods.
- Not great off of the tee if you are looking for a club to replace the driver from time to time.
To see the full list and learn how the Tour Edge Exotics EXS 220 fared against the competition, check out this article: Most Forgiving Fairway Woods in 2022!
Most Forgiving Hybrid
TaylorMade SIM Max Rescue
When hybrids began to grow in popularity in the mid and late 90s, TaylorMade took notice and poured some time and R&D into the concept. They have never looked back and have become the high water mark for hybrid clubs. The SIM Max Rescue features the “Twist Face” technology that was first found in the TaylorMade driver. This driver uses various face angles across the club face so that an off-center strike will still travel straight because of the corrective face angle.
The ultra-strong, slim steel face gives you a lot of distance without a lot of effort which also aids in forgiveness. The V-shape sole design is great for alignment and keeping the clubhead straight through impact, and the “V” is slightly lowered so that it cuts through the turf allowing the face to be unencumbered through impact. In short, this is a long, forgiving, and straight club that is very easy to hit.
Pros
- The Twist Face technology makes it one of the most forgiving hybrids out there.
- It is a very easy club to hit and to get off of the ground.
- The “V” sole design helps it to cut through the turf and make solid contact.
- You can hit it straight and high no matter the lie.
- The same construction and technology that you find in the SIM Max driver is found in the hybrid as well.
- TaylorMade remains committed to putting time and R&D into their hybrids.
- The ultra-strong steel face gives you a lot of extra ball speed and distance.
- Very low spin rates.
Cons
- On the expensive side for a hybrid.
- The head is less offset than past hybrid offerings and an offset head generally leads to a more consistent and straight shot for the majority of players.
To see the full list and learn how the TaylorMade SIM Max Rescue fared against the competition, check out this article: Most Forgiving Hybrids in 2022!
Most Forgiving Irons
TaylorMade SIM Max OS
The oversized head, wide sole, and perimeter weighting all combine to make this one of the most forgiving irons out there. These irons were created as a game improvement club, and that means forgiveness. The forgiving shape and size of the club features a very low center of gravity that gets the ball off of the ground very quickly and at a great launch angle.
These irons are also long. The speed bridge supports the topline of the iron for extra distance and forgiveness. The speed pocket maximized face flexibility so that you get under the ball more easily and increase distance on off center shots. These irons are easy to hit, very forgiving, and very long.
Pros
- The oversized head and huge face surface area make this a very forgiving club. Even off-center hits go long and remain fairly accurate.
- The Speed Bridge adds to distance and forgiveness by supporting the topline of the club.
- The Speed Pocket maximized face flexibility so that you get under the ball every time and add distance and forgiveness to low-face strikes.
- A mid range price for a high level club.
- Built as a game improvement iron.
- The low center of gravity gives you a great launch angle and a very straight shot.
- The oversized head and wider sole interacts with the turf better than most cavity back irons.
- Slightly offset to fight the dreaded slice.
Cons
- Lacks the look at setup that some golfers look for because of the larger size.
- Does not have the same feel as a blade iron.
To see the full list and learn how the TaylorMade SIM Max OS fared against the competition, check out this article: Most Forgiving (Best) Irons for Beginners and High Handicappers in 2022!
Most Forgiving Wedges
Cleveland CBX 2
When it comes to forgiveness in the wedge market, there is no other choice than the Cleveland CBX wedges. A cavity back design, and all of its benefits, in a club that has always been dominated by blades. Wedges are “feel” clubs and so club designers just always designed blade wedges. At some point, Cleveland realized that the vast majority of golfers use cavity back clubs and decided to make a wedge that way.
The resulting CBX 2 has most of the feel and setup of a blade with the forgiveness and “full wedge shot” capability of a cavity back. On top of that, the CBX 2 features a different sole grind for each loft, a hollow cavity design, and perimeter weighting to make this one of the best wedges on the market and definitely one of the most forgiving.
Pros
- The positive aspects of a cavity back iron to the wedge market.
- Maximizes full shot wedge play with increased distance and incredible forgiveness.
- The groove design gives it great spin and enhanced feel around the green.
- The feel that most golfers desire in a wedge is present in the CBX 2.
- 3 different sole grinds for the 3 different wedges you will keep in your bag…unless you are Phil Mickelson and carry 20 wedges every round.
- Designed for game improvement and ease of hitting.
Cons
- Looks different at setup than what most golfers are used to in a wedge.
- A little less flexibility and shot creation capabilities.
To see the full list and learn how the Cleveland CBX 2 fared against the competition, check out this article: Most Forgiving Wedges in 2022!
Most Forgiving Putter
EvnRoll ER10
If you are looking for a forgiving putter no matter the price, then the EvnRoll ER10 is our choice. It has a huge head with massive MOI and the club will not twist at impact. The size of the head also aids in alignment so that you can be sure you start off on the right line every time. You may be thinking that a putter that size with that large of a face would lose out on feel.
However, the sweet face technology and precise face milling actually make this one of the softer feeling putters out there. The sweet spot is huge. You could hit a putt with any part of the surface area and you are going to get a straight shot with good and consistent ball speed. The stability of this putter is also unmatched. On top of all of that, EvnRoll has been putting out a high quality product for a while now, so you can trust the quality of construction and know the putter will last for a long time.
Pros
- The sweet spot is pretty much the face of the putter.
- The MOI of this putter is off of the charts.
- Even with all of the features that point toward a solid and straight roll, the precise milling and sweet face technology make this one of the best feeling mallet putters out there.
- The oversized head makes alignment easy.
- The look of the club inspires confidence at address.
- The deep perimeter weighting keeps a solid and consistent ball speed even on mishits.
- A consistent roll with very precise distance.
Cons
- A very expensive option.
- While the look is great to us, some golfers will not like the bulk and others will not like the non-traditional aesthetics.
To see the full list and learn how the EvnRoll ER 10 fared against the competition, check out this article: Most Forgiving Putter in 2022!
Forgiveness Versus Feel
There has always been a debate in golf about forgiveness vs feel. What is more important? If feel is more important why would golfers not just learn with a muscle back iron so that they can get used to swinging it?
The truth is, you can have both. Most, if not all, of the people reading this article will never find themselves competing for a tournament championship at any level of professional golf.
The extra feel that you get from a custom driver or blade iron will not help your game that much, but a forgiving club probably will. You will have fewer mishits, great distance, and a more consistently good score.
From our perspective, err on the side of forgiveness until you become a scratch golfer and then let’s talk performance clubs.
Features To Look For in Forgiving Golf Clubs
Size. The size of the club head makes a huge difference in forgiveness. Generally more surface area gives you a larger sweet spot, and larger heads cut through the turf a little easier for more solid contact. You do not want to get something that is uncomfortably large, but something that gives you that extra inch of forgiveness.
Weight. Generally you want your clubs to be weighted with a lower center of gravity so that you get a better launch. This also usually means that less spin is produced which gives you a little more control. On an iron, you want the club to be perimeter weighted so that the sweet spot is bigger. On a putter you want the shaft to be light so that the putter is more of a pendulum. On a driver you want to be able to customize the weight al little to add some draw or a higher launch.
MOI. MOI is the moment of inertia and basically is the measure of how much your club moves or twists at impact. Even a slight twist of the club head can send your ball at the wrong trajectory and put extra side spin to keep it going farther and farther from the fairway. A high MOI means that twisting is less likely and that your club head will stay square at impact.
Face Technology. A lot of game improvement clubs include face technology that help to add distance or make the sweet spot larger on the club. Either of these 2 things are important for a forgiving club.
Alignment. If you are not aligned right, no matter the club, forgiveness does not matter. If you are aiming for the woods and you hit a great shot, your ball still ends up in the woods. Find clubs that, when you stand over the ball, give you confidence and help you to setup with the right alignment and direction for your shot.
Who Benefits Most From Forgiving Golf Clubs?
Almost everyone benefits from forgiving golf clubs. We all miss the center from time to time, no matter how long we have been playing. When you are just picking up the game, a forgiving club can make you want to play more.
When you have been playing a while, a forgiving club can take strokes off of your final score. When your swing starts to slow down, the forgiveness of your clubs can add distance and accuracy to your shot.
Do not get caught up in what experts say are the best and most precise clubs on the market. Find clubs that you hit well and go straight even when you miss.
Final Thought on The Most Forgiving Golf Clubs in 2022
As golf technology continues to improve, so can your game. Find a game improvement club with a lot of forgiveness so that your next trip to the golf course does not involve 50% of your time trying to figure out where your last shot landed. Your ball can go straighter, farther, and more consistently good with the right clubs and the above listed most forgiving golf clubs in 2020 is a great place to start your search.
