Hot List
Want an easy-to-hit driver? Here are the most forgiving models on the 2025 Hot List
Hot List player-tester Sean Harper looks over the latest crop of forgiving drivers.
J.D. Cuban
Forgiveness is one of the buzzwords in drivers today. It’s usually surrounded by scientific terms like moment of inertia (MOI), center of gravity and grams-centimeters squared, and although there is a way to measure certain mass properties on a clubhead, numbers sometimes can get overinflated to the point of distortion and confusion. (To be clear, we have measured the MOI, often an indicator of forgiveness, of every driver on this year’s Hot List, and you can see that information attached to every model.)
But we think there’s a more instinctive assessment for whether a club is forgiving. Enter our Vector rating for Forgiveness. When we ask our players during Hot List testing to rate the performance of every driver, one of the key metrics they specifically assess is “Forgiveness.” What we’re after is a player’s experience with how easy a driver is to hit. We want them to ask themselves the following questions:
- What is happening on your mis-hits?
- Is the ball flying inexplicably off line?
- Are your weaker hits still being rewarded?
- Is the level of forgiveness inspiring confidence?
- How easy is it to launch the ball on a good trajectory?
Here are the five drivers that scored the highest in our Forgiveness rating:
Callaway
Elyte X
$600
|
Golf Galaxy
GD SCORE
GD HOT LIST SCORE
Hot List Gold
$600
The largest clubhead in the family improves mis-hits for golfers who tend to cut across the ball with an open face.
The head has a draw bias and two weight ports on the perimeter to let golfers dial in even more draw.
It has the highest measured moment of inertia (stability on off-center hits) of any Elyte model.
Optional heavier screw weight enables the head to reach a total MOI of 10,000—among the highest in the industry.
The new variable-thickness face uses AI analysis of thousands of swings to better match the performance needs of this type of player.
The enhanced head shape incorporates smoother curves for less drag without sacrificing forgiveness or excessively increasing spin.
The forgiving frame and new variable-thickness face improve downrange consistency.
A thermo-forged carbon crown saves weight that is repositioned low for reduced spin.
MOI Rating: EXTREME
9, 10.5, 12 degrees (with an eight-way adjustable hosel)
Cobra
DS-Adapt Max-K
$550
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Golf Galaxy
GD SCORE
GD HOT LIST SCORE
Hot List Gold
$550
Minimizes mis-hits with the largest frame in the family and deep internal weighting in the rear perimeter.
Its measured stability on off-center hits (moment of inertia) is near the USGA limit and is the highest of any Cobra has brought to market.
A 10-gram weight on the rear perimeter pushes mass lower thanks to a machined aluminum housing.
Thin layers of carbon composite replace much of the crown and sole to save weight that is pushed to the back of the head for extra stability.
The adjustable hosel has 33 settings for tweaking ball flight low, high, left and right.
The face is designed with variable thicknesses across 15 distinct regions for more consistent speed across the face.
MOI Rating: EXTREME
9, 10.5, 12 degrees (with a 33-way adjustable hosel)
Ping
G440 Max
$650
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Golf Galaxy
GD SCORE
GD HOT LIST SCORE
Hot List Gold
$650
The most forgiving model in the G440 lineup features fast ball speeds across a wider area of the face.
A redesigned interior portion of the hosel creates room for that area of the face to flex better while lowering the center of gravity.
A carbon-composite piece wraps into the back half of the crown to save mass that is then converted into a 29-gram adjustable weight in the rear perimeter that allows for neutral, draw or fade positions.
The lowest center of gravity in Ping history launches shots with less distance-robbing spin than previous versions.
The titanium-alloy face is thinner and more flexible to optimize ball speed across a broader area.
The reduced size of the overall head results in a more compact view at address and a denser impact sound.
The shaft’s stock length is stretched to 46 inches to create more potential swing speed.
MOI Rating: EXTREME
Top 5 in Performance, middle- and high-handicaps
9, 10.5, 12 degrees (with an eight-way adjustable hosel)
TaylorMade
Qi35 Max
$600
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Golf Galaxy
GD SCORE
GD HOT LIST SCORE
Hot List Gold
$600
The biggest address profile in the line is also the most forgiving with the highest launch.
A 34-gram tungsten weight in the back provides maximum stability on off-center hits.
New internal weighting makes for a slight draw bias, and a lower and more forward center of gravity results in less spin and better energy transfer.
Slightly lighter than last year’s Qi10 Max, it still pushes total MOI (stability on off-center hits) to the highest in company history and among the highest in the industry.
The longer stock shaft increases potential swing speed.
The company’s carbon-fiber face remains the only one in the industry, and compared to the Qi10, this fourth generation features a thicker perimeter and thinner center for more consistent spring across a wider area.
A redesigned slot in the sole improves the way the face flexes.
Special markings embedded in the face of the clubfitting models help launch monitors track the head for more reliable data.
Chromium-tinged carbon flows across the crown for greater weight savings, and a white line atop the face makes the face angle clear at address.
MOI Rating: EXTREME
Top 5 in Forgiveness, middle-handicaps
9, 10.5, 12 degrees (with a 12-way adjustable hosel)
Tour Edge
Exotics E725
$400
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Golf Galaxy
GD SCORE
GD HOT LIST SCORE
Hot List Silver
$400
The ultra-oversized shape addresses mis-hits with the highest measured stability (moment of inertia) in the company’s history at 10,000 MOI.
An 18-gram sliding weight in the deep rear lets golfers set the head in draw, fade or neutral positions.
Rows of cross-hatched diamond-shaped indentations on the back of the face improve rebound across a wider area.
That diamond pattern features 61 shapes and seven thicknesses, with the heel and toe regions thinner than on past versions to improve the worst misses.
The crown area is now covered by 22 percent more carbon fiber. The saved weight is repositioned on the perimeter for extra stability.
A ridge runs along the rear perimeter to further stabilize the entire frame and direct more energy to the way the face flexes, particularly on off-center hits.
A channel toward the front of the sole gives ball speed a boost, particularly on impacts low on the face.
Additional weights (up to 28 grams) allow the user to adjust for swing weight and feel.
MOI Rating: EXTREME
Top 5 in Performance, middle-handicaps
9, 10.5, 12 degrees (adjustable plus/minus 2 degrees)