There’s an old saying in sports, “Father Time is undefeated”. Losing our youth and speed affects how we play golf, but that doesn’t mean you have to give up the game. Manufactueres are using research and design to specifically helpout seniors with their drives.
The best drivers for senior golfers will include the proper shaft, proper weight, head size, loft, and even adjustability if need be. As you can imagine not all golf drivers are created equal, so knowing which is correct, can make a world of difference.
If are losing some swing speed the good news is that you can still play golf and have fun.
There is a difference between regular golf clubs and senior golf clubs. A lot of the differences have to with the shaft stiffness. And no this isn’t the beginning of a crude joke. But most touring professional and really strong golfers will use an extra stiff shaft.
Young people will use a stiff shaft, the next shaft stiffness is a regular stiff shaft, and there is a senior flex shaft. Senior flex shafts are designed to optimize the performance of a senior’s golf swing.
Buyers Guide for Senior Golf Drivers
There are a few key features of drivers that you need to be cognizant of. While you don’t need an engineering degree to determine which features are important, I’ve listed them below for easy reference.
Shaft: senior flex or regular flex. These will be the lightest and least resistant shaft flexes for golfers with a slower swing speed. It’s no secret that as we get older we tend to lose a bit of muscle. And with that, our club speed tends to slow down a bit. A senior shaft is designed for club speeds in the 70s to low 80 mph range.
Weight: 190cc-210cc. Lighter drivers for weaker golfers will provide the highest swing speeds. Again, a lighter weight will help produce more club speed, which can help with distance.
Head Size: 460cc has become the standard size for most drivers. It is no different for senior drivers. The bigger the head, and the bigger the sweet spot, the more likely you’ll be hitting drives straight down the middle.
Adjustability: While adjustability is not for everyone. Selecting a driver with adjustability options will give you more flexibility when trying to optimize your drives. A key thing to consider with adjustability is you need to give yourself time to get used to it. Making constant adjustments to your swing can lead to an array of issues, which isn’t ideal for golfing.
That being said, finding the right swing can make a difference. Read about Phil Mickelson’s change to see how he gained yardage with his drives.
Loft: A lower loft will be for the pros. A loft of 7-8 will be reserved for the pros, as it allows them to get more distance. Getting more loft on your drives will lead to more distance. For a slower swing speed, a loft of 10-12 degrees is ideal.
So now that you know what kind of features you’re looking for, here’s 5 of the best drivers for senior golfers, available on the market.
Note – When possible I try to provide a couple of different vendors so you can get the best possible deal available.
Best Driver for Senior Golfers
TaylorMade SIM MAX Driver
1) TaylorMade Sim Max Driver – The biggest factor in selecting a senior driver is distance. Can this driver perform well and go a long way relative to my speed? The TaylorMade SIM MAX is one of the longest drivers on the market.
TaylorMade gave this driver a new aerodynamic shape to produces longer drives because it moves faster through the air. The SIM Max also has the new face technology which will limit wayward drives. If you hit the ball more on the toe the face is designed to limit the hook and for heel strikes, it is designed to limit a slice.
The SIM MAX also has the capability to adjust the loft of the driver by two degrees of loft. This is great because if you struggle with getting the ball in the air, you can add more loft to the driver.
The SIM MAX has a senior flex option and is a driver designed to produce maximum distance.
Cobra Golf 2020 Men’s Speedzone Driver
2) Cobra 2020 Men’s Speedzone – Cobra’s 2020 Speedzone Driver is another excellent choice for a senior driver. Cobra has been producing great drivers and their clubs are used by golf star Rickie Fowler.
Specific to this driver, the Speedzone has a 360-carbon wrapped crown. This means the club is using carbon fiber to cover almost 50% of the clubhead which adds stiffness to the head and saving some weight, making the club lighter. Also, the club has the center of gravity as low as possible on the face to produce forgiving and high launching drives. You can also move the CG weight to the front if you are an accurate striker of the golf ball.
You can order the Cobra Speedzone in a senior flex shaft and 10.5 degrees of loft.
Wilson Staff Golf Men’s D7 Driver
3) Wilson D7 Driver – The Wilson Staff D7 Driver is an excellent option for your next senior driver. This driver only weighs about 192g and its lightweight construction will allow for greater ball speeds and more distance off the tee.
The internal weighting on the driver has been optimized to produce a strong launch angle. The 9-degree driver features the CG weight forward and the 10.5-degree driver has the weight in the mid-sole of the driver for both forgiveness and distance. The 13-degree driver features the CG weight at the back of the club to produce maximum forgiveness.
This driver does not have the same adjustable options as some of the other drivers, but its lightweight construction and overall performance make it a good option.
PGX Offset Golf Driver
4) PGX Offset Driver – The PGX Driver is a driver from Pinemeadow Golf that is specifically designed for senior golfers who struggle with a slice off the tee. This club at address has a lot of offset when you look down at the clubhead, meaning it has a preset draw bias to it. This will help keep the clubhead closed at impact and produce a draw or hook.
This club is worth a shot if you are a slicer of the golf ball and are looking for an affordable option. While not being made by one of the big club manufacturers this driver can help golfers struggling with a slice. The club weighs about 200g and has a massive sweet spot on the 460cc driver head.
Callaway Epic Flash Driver
5) Callaway Epic Flash Driver – The 2019 Callaway Epic Flash Driver introduced a new “Flash Face” technology to its line of drivers. The flash face is designed to produce maximum ball speed for maximum distance. The flash face also includes the Callaway jailbreak technology that stabilizes the crown and sole of the clubhead to produce solid strikes. The Epic Flash also an adjustable perimeter weighting track along the back of the clubhead to provide adjustability to help your drives.
The Epic Flash is a good option as it comes with regular and senior shaft flex options, adjustability, and technology to help with distance and forgiveness.
What is The Best Shaft Material for Senior Golfers?
The best shaft material will most likely be a graphite shaft. The graphite shaft is lighter and provides more flex. The speed of the swing is what really determines which shaft is best. If you have a faster club swing and are comfortable with your distance and speed, you can choose either one.
People often associate the type of shaft with age or strength. This isn’t all that correct. The shaft should correspond with the speed of the swing. If you’re looking to increase the speed of your swing, check out my tips to do exactly that here (How to Swing A Golf Club Faster).
Are The More Expensive Drivers Better?
You’ve probably heard the phrase “you get what you pay for.” The price of the driver will most likely come into play. Some of the aforementioned drivers have a few more bells and whistles than the others. These extra features come with a cost.
That being said, if you know what features you want and which ones you don’t need, it helps you hone in on what driver is best for you. If retirement is your life and golfing will be a part of that life, grabbing a driver that will last is a wise decision. A durable driver will probably not only help you lower your score, but it could prevent you from getting another driver down the road.
Conclusion of Best Driver for Senior Golfers – Verdict
When it comes to buying a new senior driver distance, shaft flex, and adjustability are the biggest factors when looking at drivers. The TaylorMade SIM MAX is the one driver of this list that checks all the boxes. It’s a driver that can provide great distance. You can adjust the loft to range in the best launch angle for your golf drives. It also has regular and senior shaft flex options.
You can trust a brand name driver as TaylorMade is one of the most popular club manufacturers in the world. The SIM MAX is an excellent option for a senior driver to be added to your bag.
Take a look at my golf ball review for the best golf balls for a slower swing speed. Also, if having a consistent golf swing is your issue, read about the best golf swing trainers for beginners.