As golf has exploded in popularity in recent years, part of that has meant that the game has become increasingly expensive, and that tends to be the case across the board, especially in terms of equipment. This is a bit of a pain, but with a little more effort in terms of knowing when and where to look, there are excellent golf clubs out there with more budget-friendly prices.
One of the best places to do so is PGA TOUR Superstore, a retailer we have talked about a lot because of the sheer breadth of products, and deals often available. We've decided to have a search down the sale aisle to find some of the best drivers on the market for lower prices and my word, did we find plenty. I set out to create this list with three drivers but I've raised that to my favorite five on sale - realistically it easily could have been double figures!
I've also set myself a goal of each driver being under the $300 mark which is obviously still a lot of money to some people, but given new models cost more than double that, and some of the drivers we selected below are only a couple of years old, there is value to be had from the models I've picked.
For more driver news and reviews, check out the reviews section of our website as well as our guides for the best budget golf drivers and best budget golf clubs.
Cobra Darkspeed Max
We'll begin with one of the most underrated drivers in recent years, the Darkspeed Max from Cobra. Looks matter when it comes to any golf club and Cobra smashed it out of the park with the carbon-fibre, dark finish with this one. The head also sits beautifully behind the ball, inspiring confidence in golfers of all abilities.
The Max was the most user-friendly of the Darkspeed family and during our testing we found it nearly impossible to slice meaning it's perfect for players who tend to struggle with a right miss off the tee. Cobra really struck a great balance here of adding some spin and launch to help the intended market for this type of driver, but not too much so as to alienate higher speed players that might be entertaining a draw bias option.
This driver has a clear selling point - deliver user-friendliness and a driver that specifically counters the right miss whilst delivering premium looks. Cobra have achieved that objective and some. So much so, they've produced one of the best drivers for beginners but even at that, this is a driver worth trying for players of a range of handicaps, not just the higher ones.
Callaway Rogue ST Max Driver
Callaway have really stepped up their game in terms of their driver output in the last five to ten years and the Rogue ST Max is just another example of that. It boasts a premium look that we loved in tested as well as excellent levels of stability and consistency across the clubface. Ball speed numbers also impressed when we tested it on the simulator.
Although a few years old now, this remains a driver that can compete with the latest and greatest new releases hitting the shelves and is available for half the price. It should suit players who play a lot (like myself) in windy conditions thanks to the stability of the ball flight.
It's also workable from right to left and left to right which will please players who have the ability to shape the ball both directions. Acoustics are also subjective, but we loved the lower-pitched 'thud' sound of the Rogue ST Max and felt it was a big improvement from the high-pitched metallic sound from the Epic Max driver that was released a few years beforehand.
Mizuno ST-Max 230
Mizuno are more so known for producing some of the best golf irons and best wedges on the market and can be overlooked by those searching for longer clubs as a result. Releases like the ST-Max 230 have helped prove that this is a brand that releases top quality golf clubs from drivers to putters.
The first thing to note is how beautiful this golf club is - the slick carbon fibre pairs wonderfully with the dark colors and the splash of blue on the sole. The sophisticated feel was pleasing during testing and helped us launch this driver high into the air with relative ease. Spin a little higher than its competitors, but that will be music to many players' ears, especially those who struggle from the tee box.
This is a driver that has tried to butt itself into an elite category of drivers that focuses on high MOI (moment of inertia) and top level stability through the strike and has done a great job in doing so. It should certainly be in the conversation for those shopping in this market.
TaylorMade SIM2 Max Driver
Although it's a slightly older model compared to other options in this piece, the SIM2 Max comes from a brand known for making some of the top drivers on the market. As you can imagine then, this remains a quality driver to use in 2025.
This is a driver that produces high ball speeds off the face as well as more spin which will help those who struggle with launching their driver from the tee. It produced a lovely, high ball flight for us during testing which, again, will please those who tend to generate lower spin with driver and suffer from the tee as a result.
Although it's not as good looking a golf club as some of the others on this list, I'd argue that's more so down to those clubs being things of beauty than the SIM2 not being an attractive golf club. I think this club looks particularly great behind the ball and I enjoy the shape of the head as I stare down at the ball before the shot. Couple this with a powerful feel and easy launch, this is a great option for the mid-to-high handicappers.
Wilson Dynapower Carbon Driver
We'll end with a driver from a company who have made a serious step up in their hardware options in recent years - Wilson. Their Dynapower driver should be considered one of the best value drivers on the market thanks to the premium looks, pleasant feel and heaps of forgiveness on offer across the face.
Released in 2023, it lags behind the driver releases of the 'big four' in terms of distance, but you'll also be paying significantly more for those driver if you were to go and purchase now.
Off-centre forgiveness was more than ample - we didn’t see big drops in ball speed when we hit the ball slightly from the heel or toe during testing, although it didn’t always stop me from missing fairways. To get the best out of this driver, we'd recommend a custom fitting to get it really dialed in to suit the playing characteristics of your golf swing. All in all, this is one of the best Wilson golf clubs we've seen in the past few years.
