High Performance, Low Cost: 8 Best Budget Drivers in 2023

I’m always on the lookout for the perfect driver that fits both my swing and my budget. With the high cost of new drivers, it can be challenging to find one that doesn’t break the bank. That’s why I’ve decided to share my insights on finding the best budget drivers for golfers like you and me.

Generally, you’ll get the best deal if you choose an older premium model. You’ll get premium quality and performance at a much cheaper price than the latest models.

Whatever you choose, a new driver should give you a good combination of distance, forgiveness, and feel. It should also suit your ability level and your swing.

These are the best cheap drivers in 2023.

Callaway Mavrik

The Callaway Mavrik is a budget-friendly option that offers advanced technology at an affordable price. It features Callaway’s Artificial Intelligence (AI)-designed Flash Face SS20 for faster ball speeds and improved forgiveness. The Cyclone Aero shape reduces drag, helping you achieve more distance off the tee. This driver is perfect for golfers looking for a quality club without breaking the bank.

I love the solid and powerful feel this driver has at impact. It feels stable in your hands and gives you good control over the ball.

Callaway upgraded the Flash Face design for this revamped version. That gives you fast ball speeds off the clubface and helps with consistency.

If you want long and straight drives at a phenomenal price, the Mavrik is the perfect choice for you.

TaylorMade SIM2 Max

The TaylorMade SIM2 Max is a budget-friendly driver that boasts a large sweet spot, excellent forgiveness, and impressive ball speed. With its Speed Injected Twist Face technology, this driver offers more consistent performance on off-center hits. 

The Inertia Generator and lightweight carbon sole provide a low center of gravity, promoting a high launch and longer drives.

The SIM2 Max is an ideal choice for golfers looking for a high-performing driver at a reasonable price.

PXG 0211

The PXG 0211 driver is an excellent budget option that offers premium technology at a more accessible price point. With its Ti412 titanium face, you can expect faster ball speeds and enhanced forgiveness. The hybrid crown construction and honeycomb TPE insert contribute to a low center of gravity, resulting in a high launch and increased distance. 

The quality shines through in the stability this driver offers you. It feels super strong in your hands when you strike the ball.

Also, that stability gives you impressive forgiveness. The titanium-alloy face and back weighting optimize MOI for excellent forgiveness on off-center strikes.

The back weighting also helps you to launch the ball higher. That allows you to get more distance off the tee.

And speaking of distance, this driver gives you fast ball speeds. The face is lightweight, and the ball flies off it for a nice distance boost.

The PXG 0211 suits players of varying abilities. However, fast swingers will get the most out of this driver.

Tour Edge Hot Launch C522

The Tour Edge Hot Launch C522 driver offers a combination of performance and affordability, making it a fantastic choice for budget-conscious golfers. With its Diamond Face 2.0 technology, the C522 delivers increased ball speeds and better off-center hit performance. 

The rear sole weight helps create a high MOI, providing more forgiveness and a higher launch. 

Even when you mishit this driver, it stays accurate. That allows you to be more consistent off the tee.

This driver has Diamond Face 2.0 technology that produces fast ball speeds. So, you get decent distance even though it’s not up there with the other drivers on the list.

The stock shaft options are limited with this driver. But if you don’t need a super specific shaft, you can get great forgiveness at an awesome price.

If you’re searching for a driver that won’t break the bank, the Tour Edge Hot Launch C522 is worth considering.

Cobra RADSpeed

The Cobra RADSpeed gives you premium performance at an excellent price. This driver will suit low-to-mid handicappers who want to lower their spin and launch metrics.

The head is more compact than some of the others on our list. That gives it less forgiveness than some golfers will want or need.

But if you want to get your spin down and lower your launch, it’s a great option. The RAD weighting technology brings 28g to the front at the face to promote a lower launch and reduce spin.

However, these weights in the sole are adjustable. So, players can tinker with them to find the best launch and spin combination to suit their games.

This driver feels impressive, and you know it’s a premium golf club when you hit it. The look is also classy, putting a further stamp on the high-quality construction.

Wilson D9

The Wilson D9 offers golfers excellent value for money. This driver is perfect for average golfers and mid-handicappers on a budget.

Wilson is known and trusted for making quality golf equipment at a fair price. And they’ve done it again with the D9 driver.

It has a massive sweet spot and offers amazing forgiveness. This driver will help you when you miss off the toe or the heel.

With the new Peak Kinetic Response Face, you get faster ball speeds than previous Wilson models. That gives you an increase in distance.

The D9 has a 10g sole weight standard that helps with forgiveness and launch. However, you can also change to a 3g weight that allows you to fine-tune these characteristics.

Pinemeadow Golf PGX Offset

The Pinemeadow Golf PGX Offset is our budget pick for beginners. Many beginners struggle with a slice, and the offset design helps with that.

The offset will aid you in squaring the clubface at impact. You must start getting that clubface square when you strike the ball if you want to fight a slice. A square clubface will put you on the road to straight drives.

This driver has a huge sweet spot, giving you maximum forgiveness. Beginners will miss the center more than they hit it, so you’ll need that forgiveness if you’re just starting.

With a matte black finish, this driver looks sleek. Also, it means you won’t get any distracting glare on sunny days.

You won’t get a better driver at this price range.

Wilson D300 SuperLite

The Wilson D300 SuperLite driver is an excellent value option for high handicappers. It best suits players with slower swing speeds, so it’s also a good choice for seniors on a budget.

For the price, you get a solid performance out of this driver. Those players with slower swings will get a distance boost out of it.

The SuperLite technology – an aerodynamic head and Micro Vortex Generators on the crown – reduces drag. That helps you increase clubhead speed and get more distance off the tee.

This driver is also adjustable, which allows you to fine-tune the performance for distance. You can select lofts from 8-14 degrees with the six-way adjustable hosel.

Also, you can optimize launch angle, ball spin, and spin with three adjustable sole weights. That adjustability means you can find the optimal settings to help you get those extra yards.

Being able to fine-tune such a cheap driver makes for an awesome deal. So, the Wilson D300 must make the list of the best cheap driver.

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What to Consider When Buying a Budget Driver

When buying a budget driver, you should consider price, distance, forgiveness, adjustability, loft, feel, and looks.

Price

The price is something to consider when buying a cheap driver. Of course, the meaning of cheap can vary from one person to the next, depending on their situation.

As you can pay up to $800 for some drivers, I categorize cheap as any driver that costs $300 and below. That’s why you’ll notice that some of the best budget drivers are older premium models.

If you want a brand-new premium driver on the cheap, you need to go for an older model. It’s just not possible to get the newest models at that price if you want to buy brand new.

However, some golfers don’t want or need a premium driver. They can get something even cheaper.

A complete beginner starting golf as a new hobby likely wants to spend less than a seasoned golfer. They could buy the Pinemeadow Golf PGX Offset and use it until they get more serious about the game.

It’s about identifying your needs and determining what you want to pay. That way, you can make the right choice when buying a cheap driver.

Distance

Distance is crucial in any driver, and it’s no different for a budget driver. It’s not often you meet a golfer who doesn’t want some extra yards off the tee.

You want to buy a cheap driver that suits your game and allows you to get that extra boost in distance. That might come from extra speed off the clubface, for instance.

One thing is for sure. You don’t want to buy a new driver that gives you less distance than your current model. Buying new equipment is about game improvement, not about going backward.

It’s always a good idea to test a new driver against your current model. That allows you to dismiss any driver that isn’t performing to the standard of your current one.

If you’re a beginner and don’t have a driver, you can try a few models and see which one you hit the furthest.

Forgiveness

As a golfer on a budget, you’ll want to find a driver that offers maximum forgiveness. This is especially important if you’re prone to mishits or if your swing isn’t perfect yet. Look for drivers with a larger sweet spot and perimeter weighting, which will help reduce the impact of off-center strikes and keep your shots on target.

Adjustability

You should consider adjustability when buying a budget driver. It means you can change the settings to get the optimal performance for you.

You can generally change the loft and weight settings with an adjustable driver. You can set these to suit your swing.

For instance, you can increase the loft if you have a slow swing. That makes it easier to hit the ball and launch it into the air. Getting the right ball launch can help you increase your distance.

Moving the weight settings can also help you with the launch. Moving the weights to the back of the clubhead makes it easier to get the ball airborne.

Also, that adds some more forgiveness to the driver. It moves the center of gravity back and increases MOI, giving you more forgiveness.

Adjusting weights can also help you fight a slice. For instance, you can move the weights to give the driver a draw bias.

Loft

The loft of a driver plays a significant role in determining how high the ball will launch and how far it will travel. Generally, a higher loft is more suitable for beginner and high-handicap golfers, as it helps get the ball airborne and generates more carry distance. When searching for a budget driver, consider one with a loft between 10.5 and 12 degrees.

Feel

You should also consider the feel when buying a cheap driver. It’s best to like the feel of your driver at address and impact.

You want to feel comfortable when you set up to hit the ball. The driver should feel good in your hands.

Also, it should feel solid at impact. That gives you a powerful feeling when you strike the ball and helps with control.

Looks

The look of a driver is another factor to consider. You want to like the look of your driver when you address the ball.

It might seem ridiculous, but looking down at an ugly clubhead can be off-putting. The fewer distractions you have during your round, the better, so buy a cheap driver that looks good.

Tips for Choosing and Maintaining a Budget Driver

Research and Read Reviews

Before you make a decision on which budget driver to purchase, take the time to do your research and read reviews from other golfers. This will give you an idea of the performance and durability of various budget drivers, helping you make a more informed decision.

Consider Buying Used

If you’re struggling to find a budget driver that meets your needs, consider buying a used driver. Many used drivers are still in great condition and can offer excellent performance at a fraction of the price of a new club. Just make sure to carefully inspect the club before purchasing to ensure it’s in good condition.

Related: 6 Used Drivers Worth the Investment: Top Picks for 2023

Proper Care and Storage

Once you’ve found the perfect budget driver, it’s essential to take proper care of it to ensure its longevity. Clean your driver regularly, and store it in a cool, dry place, ideally with a headcover to protect it from scratches and damage. By maintaining your driver properly, you’ll be able to enjoy its performance benefits for a longer time.

Get Fitted

While it might be tempting to skip this step when purchasing a budget driver, getting fitted for the right club is essential to improve your game. A professional club fitting will help you find a driver that matches your swing, ensuring that you get the most out of your investment.

Test Multiple Drivers

Before settling on a particular budget driver, try out multiple options to see which one feels the best in your hands and matches your swing. Visit a local golf store or demo day event where you can test different drivers and compare their performance. This hands-on experience will help you make a more informed decision.

FAQs

Conclusion

Finding the best budget driver doesn’t have to be a daunting task. By considering the factors mentioned above and following the tips for choosing and maintaining your driver, you’ll be well on your way to improving your game without breaking the bank.

Remember that the key is to find a driver that offers forgiveness, the right loft, and shaft flex for your skill level and swing speed. With some research and testing, you’ll be able to find a budget driver that performs just as well as its more expensive counterparts. So, go ahead and start your search for the perfect budget driver, and happy golfing!