The 7 Best Budget Drivers Of This Year – Out Of Bounds Golf

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If you’re anything like me, you aren’t big on spending hundreds of dollars every year on a new driver. I always get a club that’s a few years old, and the good news is that there are a lot of great options that are just as good as some of the newer drivers.

These are the best affordable drivers on the market:

• Callaway X Hot
• Wilson Staff D300
• Cobra King Ltd
• Ping G20
• Taylormade R1
• Taylormade R15
• Srixon Z 585

When we were picking our list of drivers we looked for something that was top of the game when it first came out but is now selling used for much cheaper. Some of these are still pretty expensive new, but I’d highly recommend getting something second-hand.

Cobra King Ltd Driver

Cobra King Ltd (on Global Golf) is a great “cheaper” driver and even though this model came out in 2015, it still holds up to this day, and would still recommend it.

It’s designed more for the high handicap player since it has a lot of forgiveness in it and it still generates good distance on off-center hits (which will happen a lot with newer golfers. Trust me, I know).

It’s not the best-looking driver in my opinion but for under $200, the performance definitely makes up for it. Overall, if you’re super tight on a budget, this will be the one for you.

Let’s cover some PROS:

• It comes with 8 loft adjustments.
• This is one of the higher launching drivers in its price range (for me).
• It’s a low spinning and forgiving driver.

Now the CONS:

• It’s a bit too light for my liking (but most people actually like that).
• I didn’t get a whole lot of feedback on mishits.

Wilson Staff D300 Driver

This came out in 2017 and is another great option for mid to high handicaps who have slow to mid swing speeds and need a decent amount of forgiveness (who doesn’t want that?).

I found the weight and balance of the club to be a bit better than the previous Cobra, but it sounded a bit higher at impact (which I wasn’t the biggest fan of, but it doesn’t impact the performance).

It’s still under $200 (which is awesome) and it’s lower spinning as well which will help most people. Overall, if you want a club that offers a bit more feedback, this will be the one for you.

This driver is still a bit expensive if you get it new so that’s why I’d recommend getting one used. Take a look on Craigslist, Facebook, or one of the online golf stores.

Let’s talk PROS:

• The loft is adjustable.
• It gave me a good amount of feedback on mishits.
• It was an extremely comfortable and balanced club to swing.

Now the CONS:

• It’s not as easy to align (with the target) as my #1 pick.
• It’s not quite as long as the other 2 drivers.

Callaway X Hot Driver

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This came out in 2013 and is one of my favorite budget drivers from Callaway and is for mid to high handicaps. It feels great through impact, it’s very forgiving, and it offers great distance on off-center hits.

It’s pretty much the same price as the other 2 drivers but it was slightly better in pretty much all areas (in my experience). It’s still over 200 bucks brand new, but you can sometimes pick one up used for a good price.

I also found it to be easier to align properly (so simple but effective) and that helped a lot with improving my consistency (which is the biggest downfall for most weekend golfers). Overall, if you don’t want to spend a fortune but want something high quality, this could be perfect for you.

The PROS:

• It’s adjustable (just like the other 2).
• It was the highest and straightest of the 3 drivers (for me).
• It was easy to align with the target.

The CONS:

• It’s a little bit lighter than I’d like.
• I could only find ones that were used (still good condition though and also cheaper).

Ping G20

The Ping G20 (on Global Golf) came out in 2011 and is what Bubba Watson used at the time. Ping makes some of my favorite clubs and they’re a great option for forgiveness and hitting fairways.

For me, this driver wasn’t the longest but it was one of the straightest. That’s why I think this driver would be perfect for mid to high handicaps who just want to hit the fairway consistently.

If you’re someone who already hits the ball super high, this might not be the best option. The ball might balloon up in the air and you’ll lose some distance on your drives.

The PROS:

• One of the straightest clubs.
• It sounds and feels solid at impact.

The CONS:

• The price is still a bit high.
• It might launch the ball too high.

Taylormade R1

The Taylormade R1 (on Global Golf) came out in 2013 and is a great option for all skill levels. It’s a pretty solid driver all-around and it has a lot of adjustabilities to really dial things in.

What I like about adjustable drivers is that you don’t have to guess and pick what loft is right for you. You’re able to try a bunch of different lofts and lie settings on the same club.

The PROS:

• The price is super reasonable.
• There are a lot of adjustments.

The CONS:

• Not as forgiving as some.
• It didn’t sound that great.

Taylormade R15

The Taylormade R15 (on Global Golf) came out in 2014 and is ideal for low to mid-handicap golfers. If you’re a beginner or higher handicaps, there are definitely better and more forgiving options out there.

Compared to some of the others, it’s a bit more expensive and might be too much for some. I’d only recommend it if you golf a lot and want a high-quality option without spending 400 bucks.

It’s not going to be the most forgiving driver but it’s longer than most, it’s really adjustable, and it doesn’t launch the ball too high. Overall, it’s one of the best options for a better golfer.

The PROS:

• The distance is awesome.
• It has a bunch of adjustments.

The CONS:

• The price is still a bit high.
• It’s not the most forgiving.

Srixon Z 585

The Srixon Z 585 (on Global Golf) came out in 2018 and is the most expensive option on this list. That being said, it’s probably my personal favorite.

What I like about this driver is that it hits the ball a long distance, but it also hits the ball really straight. My mishit with my driver is always a slice (never draw/hook) and it definitely wasn’t as bad with this club.

I think this club is perfect for a mid to high handicap who just wants to hit the ball far down the fairway. It’s not adjustable and it’s not the most workable, but it’ll get the job done.

The PROS:

• The distance is great.
• The ball flight is one of the straightest.

The CONS:

• The price is still a bit high.
• It’s not adjustable.

Final Thoughts

If you’re new to the game of golf or don’t get out much and don’t want to spend a fortune on a driver, these options will be perfect for you. They all are affordable and offer the performance you’re looking for.

The driver you end up going with will depend on your skill level and what brand you like the best. Some people have to use Taylormade drivers but some people (like me) don’t really like them. If you want to know what drivers are our current favorites, those links are below.