I’ve mentioned it earlier than and I’ll say it once more:
There has by no means been a greater time to be a golf membership shopper.
That, buddies, is a hill I’ll die on.
We golfers have extra excellent choices at extra worth factors immediately than in your complete historical past of the game. You need loopy ultra-premium? Give the folks at Honma a name and ask about their 5 Star Beres line. You need nice efficiency at a cut price worth? The great of us at MacGregor, Ram, Takomo, Ballistic and others would really like a phrase.
If finances golf is the identify of your sport, 2025 has been a banner 12 months for drivers beneath the $400 threshold. It was once that when you wished a low-cost, direct-to-consumer driver, you’d be swapping out not less than one efficiency class (distance) and probably one other (forgiveness) to get that worth.
That script, pricey buddies, has been flipped.
Principally.
I haven’t tried the entire sub-$400 drivers this 12 months, so we are able to’t actually name this a definitive itemizing. However I’ve gamed every one in every of these (plus a number of others) for stretches this season. Subsequently, regardless that that is, admittedly, one man’s opinion, the conclusions are primarily based on expertise.
Let’s get to it.
#5: Takomo Ignis D1 – It’s En Fuego
At $319, the Takomo Ignis D1 is a legit driver. The sound is on the loud facet, and it loses factors on distance, however it goes straight.
Takomo offers you tech you may not anticipate at $319. The 460cc Ignis D1 encompasses a carbon fiber crown, an adjustable hosel and moveable weights to fine-tune ball flight. You possibly can select between a nine- or a ten.5-degree head, and you will get any shaft you need, so long as it’s both a Ventus Blue or Ventus Pink.
Within the massive image, the headcover shouldn’t matter, however the Ignis D1 does include a pleasant one.
To be fully clear, this spot was actually a toss-up between this Takomo and the Tour Edge Exotics e725. I struggled with this one, feeling like Portnoy ruminating whether or not to offer a pizza a 7.9 or an 8.1. It’s that shut. The Tour Edge is longer and extra forgiving, however ultimately, the Takomo, at $80 much less, is lengthy and forgiving sufficient.
Professionals: We love the worth and it’s a reasonably correct driver. It’s fairly forgiving as properly. The headcover is good and the driving force itself is handsome. We love the identify, as properly, as Ignis is Latin for hearth.
Cons: The Ignis is the shortest of the Prime 5 (not less than in my arms) and the sound is on the loud facet. Forgiveness is OK however there are extra forgiving choices developing. Takomo isn’t providing shaft choices presently and the Ignis is obtainable just for righties.
#4: Ben Hogan PTx MAX – A contemporary-day Adams
Adams deserved far more love than it obtained again within the day. From the early 2000s till it bought out to TaylorMade, Adams was the king of hybrids. It additionally made some grossly underappreciated drivers.
Former Adams membership designer Gavin Wallin now could be the chief designer for Simon Millington’s Hogan-MacGregor-Ram-Zebra-Teardrop manufacturers. Wallin’s new Hogan PTx MAX and PTx LST carry a particular Adams aptitude.
The PTx MAX cracks this record for 2 superb causes. First, it’s one other member of the 10K MOI membership and it’s all the things a 10K driver needs to be. Second, it’s noticeably longer than the Takomo with significantly better sound and really feel.
And it’s $379.99.
Professionals: Squeezes each little bit of forgiveness out of its 10K price of MOI. It appears nice with its carbon fiber crown and the drop-dead attractive Hogan sunburst brand. Lengthy sufficient to get the job performed. Wonderful no-upcharge and premium shaft choice
Cons: Not the longest on this record and the headcover is meh. No moveable or swappable weights.
#3: Sub 70 859/859 Professional – Patented punch
Sub 70 proprietor Jason Hilland co-designed the 859 driver collection with golf R&D legend Bob Renegar. Whereas not a family identify, Renegar’s resume contains stints as R&D director for Arnold Palmer and the unique Ben Hogan firm. He later based the Solus and the Renegar wedge corporations, growing one thing we take without any consideration immediately: a high-bounce wedge with a low vanguard.
Collectively, Hilland and Renegar created Sub 70’s first patented expertise, referred to as Axis of Rotation, or ART. It’s fairly technical, however the easy model says the clubhead rotates not as a free physique however on the axis of the shaft’s centerline. Renegar maximized MOI by distributing weight low-heel and high-toe after which redesigned the face curvature to match. It’s basically a brand new spin on bulge and roll.
The result’s a stupid-accurate driver that, for $399, doesn’t skimp on distance.
Observe: I included the 450cc 859 Professional mannequin, however I didn’t sport it this 12 months. It obtained very excessive marks in MyGolfSpy testing, nonetheless.
Professionals: Lengthy, straight and forgiving, with distinctive efficiency on off-center strikes (particularly towards the heel). Inventory Denali Pink shaft is the bomb and there’s an in depth record of obtainable upgrades. Obtainable in each right- and left-handed fashions. Sub 70 customer support is famous.
Cons: Barely meets the under-$400 threshold. Some golfers might not love the sound and really feel.
#2: Cleveland HiBore XL – Oh captain, my captain…
This one ought to come as no shock. I friggin’ love this driver.
Certain, it completed next-to-last in MyGolfSpy’s driver testing this 12 months however, on this golfer’s arms, that triangular Dorito-looking sunuvabitch finds fairways. There could also be longer drivers on the market, however the HiBore is lengthy sufficient, and it nearly all the time lands the place I can discover it and hit it once more.
I’m fairly positive that’s what you need most in a driver, isn’t it?
Professionals: Distinctive, triangular and horny. It really works for me.
Cons: It did end NTDFL (Subsequent to Lifeless F**king Final) in MyGolfSpy testing. And as a lot because it shocks me, I suppose there are some poor, misguided souls on the market who may object to a driver that appears like a Dorito on a stick.
I don’t get it, both.
#1: MacGregor Tourney MAX – Cinderella story, outta nowhere …
When Simon Millington’s group at MacGregor began engaged on the Tourney MAX, the No. 1 objective on the desk was easy:
Construct one thing that would compete with Costco’s Kirkland driver.
Ummm, he succeeded. After which some.
I get that lots of you’ll dismiss a $249 direct-to-consumer driver with no second thought. That might be a mistake. The MacGregor Tourney MAX has all the things you’d need in a driver: a carbon fiber crown, a variable thickness titanium face and a greater shaft than you’d have proper to anticipate in that worth vary.
In my arms, it’s confirmed to be lots lengthy, probably the longest on this record, and I can maintain it in play. If yards per greenback is a metric that issues to you, the MacGregor Tourney MAX may simply be the most effective deal in golf.
Professionals: Good grief, man, it’s $249. Excellent sound and really feel, loads of distance and the inventory HZRDUS Smoke Black RDX is a critical shaft. MacGregor will even minimize it to size without spending a dime.
It’s accessible for each lefties and righties.
Did I point out it’s $249? I believe I did.
Cons: You possibly can, I suppose, moan about resale worth. Then once more, worrying about resale worth if you purchase a driver is type of like beginning a divorce account in your marriage ceremony day.
At all times with the damaging waves, Moriarty. At all times with the damaging waves.
It’s a good time to be a golfer
Yeah, OEM pricing is what it’s, and we’ve seen pricing go up in current weeks. That kinda sucks, however gloryosky, folks, take a great go searching. There are extra wonderful choices at nice pricing than ever earlier than, model snobbery be damned.
OK, becoming is an issue for these of us making an attempt to squeeze each final ounce of efficiency out of our driver. These sorts of costs do include compromise, so it’s greatest to know the efficiency traits of the usual shafts supplied. You could not get each doable yard however you possibly can come fairly shut.
And also you may simply save $300 or so to place in the direction of that Pebble Seaside journey you’ve been dreaming of.
Now that’s one thing righteous and hopeful.
The put up My Prime 5 Drivers For Beneath $400 appeared first on MyGolfSpy.
