Best Low Spin Drivers 2022
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What is the best low spin driver in 2022? Our in-depth test reveals all.
JUMP TO: Low Spin Drivers | The Data | How we tested | What we learned
Low spin drivers have been around for well over a decade and have been known as among the best golf drivers for players with fast swing speeds. They generally position weight forward in the head, which improves ball speed and carry. And because we live in a launch monitor era, extra speed and distance is a pretty easy sell.
Until now, though, low spin drivers have been less forgiving, and it’s meant golfers have given away up to 20% of forgiveness (MOI) by opting for a low spin model. It meant their best drives were as good as could be, but their less-than-perfect drives were punished more severely. That was a big trade-off.
In 2022, new construction methods are targeting more forgiveness even in low spin models, attempting to deliver the best of both worlds.
The main excitement surrounds one new driver, the TaylorMade Stealth, helped significantly by Tiger Woods declaring it the best driver he’s ever used. To say golfers are going nuts for the Stealth’s new carbon fiber face is a massive understatement.
Our low spin drivers test puts Stealth up against the very best competition, with nine models involved. Our goal is not just to show how the Stealth compares to its peers, and confirm whether it does what the adverts promise, but also show how all the leading low spin drivers out there perform, so you can buy better in 2022.
Should I use a low spin driver?
Players with above average swing speeds (usually low to mid handicappers) and those looking to cut spin to add distance to their drives will get the most out of this category.
However, if like the majority of club golfers, you want a blend of excellent forgiveness and maximum distance, our Forgiving Drivers Test is for you. Realists and slower swing speed players who appreciate a bit of help keeping a slice in check will find their best options in our Draw Drivers Test.
And you’re in the market for any other new equipment this year, make sure you read our guides to the best drivers, fairway woods, hybrids, irons, mid-handicap irons, wedges, putters, and golf balls and use our recommendations to narrow your shortlist. If you can, always get fitted for your clubs, as that’s the only way to optimise new models for your game.
But without further a do, let’s delve into the best low-spin drivers of 2022. Click any driver name to read our full review.
Best Low Spin Golf Drivers Test 2022
TaylorMade Stealth Plus
RRP £499 | VIEW OFFER
Lofts 8° / 9° / 10.5° | Stock shafts Project X Hzrdus, Smoke Red RDX 60 (mid flight), Mitsubishi Kai’li White 60 (low flight)
What TaylorMade say
The Stealth Plus+ has a 60-layer carbon fiber face, which removes inefficient mass from the driver face to improve energy transfer at impact, so golfers get extra ball speed.
A 10g sliding sole weight helps dial in shot shape or improve ball speed (when positioned behind a golfer’s typical impact location).
TaylorMade say this model will be most at home in the hands of golfers who want to chase distance through lowering spin, as well as players who like more workable drivers and those who have a particular shot shape preference.
Today’s Golfer drivers test verdict
Never, in 15 years of testing, have we seen a driver out-perform its peers by 12 yards of carry. Usually, once our pro’s data has been averaged, there’s rarely more than a handful of yards covering off the top models. And a performance difference that small can easily be caveated with “data can be reversed or slightly different on another day’s testing”. But double-digit carry distance gains are utterly unheard of, until this year.
We’ll admit to being pretty shocked by Stealth Plus putting in such a strong performance. We’d tested the model before (in creating our YouTube video) when it outperformed Callaway and Ping models, with tidy but not ground-breaking ball speed and carry distance gains (2.8mph of ball speed and four yards of carry distance gain over the longest). But those numbers were blitzed in our 2022 driver test. The difference in part at least can be explained in switching Neil Wain out of a recommended shaft (that to him felt hard work) and into the stock (low flight) Mitsubishi Kai’Li… and are we glad we did.
To put the Stealth’s performance into context, the model produced a ball speed 1.1mph faster than any low-spin driver we hit. By 12 yards, it was the longest driver within the category (it was also our longest overall driver by three yards). The Plus was flat-out No.1 at protecting ball speed loss on off-center hits and second-best at minimizing carry distance drop-offs (only beaten by PXG’s 0811 Gen4 X by two yards). In anybody’s book that’s an outstanding across-the-board performance.
After what we’ve seen, we’re comfortable naming the Stealth Plus as our best low-spin driver of 2022, an award we’ve never bestowed upon a single model (whether low-spin, forgiving or draw-biased) before. We’re certainly not saying everyone will see a gain of 12 yards. What we are saying is that if you’re looking at buying a new low-spin driver in 2022, hit the Stealth.
To put some context around our test pro’s performance, Neil has never played a TaylorMade driver before. He’s now very excited about getting the Stealth Plus out onto the golf course, particularly because he loves the crisp sound just as much as any performance gain. In the past he has shied away from super low-spin drivers, because their forward CG is less forgiving. But we feel Stealth Plus isn’t the very lowest spinning driver out there, hence why it suits Neil so well. So a switch to this lower spinning model (even though it might not be the lowest spinning driver available) will give an immediate gain in ball speed.
Thanks to slightly less spin there will be a decent distance gain. But as it’s not super low-spin, chances are he will also hit the fairway more often than not, and that’s just the sort of equation lots of decent golfers could replicate for themselves by switching to Stealth Plus this year.
RELATED: Win a custom-fitted Stealth driver
Best Low Spin Golf Drivers 2022: Also consider…
Callaway Rogue ST Max LS
RRP £479 | VIEW OFFER
Lofts 9° / 10.5° | Stock shafts Mitsubishi Chemical AV White
What Callaway say
Callaway reckon the LS is a high MOI driver that’s been built to lower spin to offer above average swing speed players extra distance. Expect a strong, lower, more penetrating trajectory and a more neutral ball flight than the Rogue ST Max.
An excellent choice for bombers, who also want a degree of shot shaping capability, Callaway say the LS typically falls into the hands of mid- to low-handicap golfers.
Today’s Golfer drivers test verdict
Golf equipment has moved on massively since Callaway gave their 2013 X Hot driver a matt paintjob (it was dark grey not black), but we’re loving the return for this season’s Rogue ST. Equipment Editor Simon Daddow had the LS as his favourite looking driver in the category, with the matt black finish really inviting you to hit it.
Our test pro didn’t quite hit the same heights as he did with the standard Rogue ST Max, even though we tested both models with exactly the same shaft.
Our pro’s slightly downward attack angle saw the model giving up 2.9 mph of ball speed and 12 yards of carry distance to its more forgiving sibling. It’s highly likely that more neutral and upwards driver strikers could see these numbers reversed.
What’s certain is that the LS is one of the best low spin drivers of the year. If you’re a more consistent striker who wants to chase distance through lowering spin then it should be on your short list to try in 2022.
Cobra King LTDx LS
RRP £399 | VIEW OFFER
Lofts 9° / 10.5° | Stock shafts Mitsubishi Tensei AV Raw White 65, Project X HZRDUS RDX Blue 60, Project X HZRDUS Smoke iM10 60
What Cobra say
The LS has more weight (32g) positioned towards the front of its titanium and carbon fibre head to lower spin and increase ball speeds. The 457cc head has an aggressive aerodynamic shape, which Cobra say aids faster speed players in rinsing every last yard from whatever club speed they can muster.
Today’s Golfer drivers test verdict
Having the long hitting Bryson DeChambeau on staff at Cobra must present some major issues for anyone who happens to be one of the brand’s driver engineers.
Of-course you’d always want DeChambeau playing this year’s new driver model (unfortunately DeChambeau very publicly let the brand know that he thought the previous RadSpeed driver was ‘junk’), but by making a model so tailored to his super quick speeds you end up creating a driver that’s almost unplayable for anyone else.
It seems a reasonable bet that Cobra tried to hit a sweetspot with the LTDx LS and that lays somewhere between what most low spin driver players want and what DeChambeau needs.
We can’t take anything away from the LTDx LS because its numbers are very good (tied 3rd longest). It’s also a lovely looking and great sounding driver too. But our test pro did say he felt like he had to work harder than with most other drivers to get the very best out of this model.
And when you compare it to the brilliant standard LTDx which was much more friendly and forgiving (it cut carry distance drop-off by 50% compared to the LS), it’s clear which of the models most club golfers should be choosing this year.
Mizuno ST-G 220
RRP £449 | VIEW OFFER
Loft 9° (Adjustable from 7-11°) | Stock shaft Choose from 14 premium options
What Mizuno say
Mizuno drivers have come of age in the last few years. Thanks to three sole weight tracks, the ST-G 220 can go from being an ultra low-spin bomber to a more playable mid-spin driver with either a draw or fade bias.
The G has a deeper face height and more compact front-to-back dimension, so expect a player’s profile. A very versatile driver with two 8g weights for dialling in shot shape, dialling down spin or upping forgiveness.
Today’s Golfer drivers test verdict
Mizuno have made some fantastic drivers over recent years, all of which have performed well for our test pro. The ST-G is the exception to that rule. Despite Mizuno insisting it’s not just for their tour staff, our pro struggled and lost a lot of shots right of his target, a ball flight he just doesn’t get with any other driver.
The driver only being available in 9º speaks volumes about who it is really aimed at – decent golfers looking for very specific launch conditions and/or a particular shot shape. If you can handle it (maybe as a good anti-left driver) the ST-G is a great looking driver at address, it sounds good and its movable sole weight tracks are super clever, as they take up the minimum amount of mass and don’t sprawl right across the sole plate.
It was our test pro’s shortest for carry distance (of any driver we tested). That’s not a huge surprise with the amount of fade spin, but more concerning for club golfers is the 25 yards of carry distance drop-off, the largest of any driver our test pro hit.
Ping G425 LST
RRP £450 | VIEW OFFER
Lofts 9° / 10.5° | Stock shafts Ping Tour, Ping Alta CB
What Ping say
The LST is Ping’s lowest spinning driver. A smaller 445cc head is teamed with a 17g CG shifter to give a degree of shot shape control.
Compared to the previous G410 LST golfers can expect 200 RPM less backspin (which at higher speed adds distance), and 500 – 700 RPM less backspin than the more forgiving G425 Max.
The LST is usually a good match for higher swing speed players, who specifically want to target lower spin for more distance.
Today’s Golfer drivers test verdict
Ping make no mention of forgiveness in their sales pitch for this model but, just as we did in last year’s test, we found the LST to be one of the most forgiving low spin drivers, meaning its very good at protecting ball speed and carry distance drop-off.
It has a really good-looking head shape and presents a powerful profile at address. The LST was our 2nd best low spin driver at preserving ball speed from off centre hits (losing just 2.2mph or 1.3%), and 3rd best at minimising carry distance loss (12 yards or 4.5%).
In terms of ball speed and carry distance the LST wasn’t quite fastest or longest, but from our experience Ping drivers rarely are as their engineers tend to err on the side of slightly more forgiveness than most.
If you’re wary of using louder higher pitched drivers, tou’ll be pleased to hear the LST is nowhere near as noisy as the G425 Max. Even though the LST is now into its second year Ping assure us the model will comfortably see out 2022.
PXG 0811 X Gen 4
RRP £285 | VIEW OFFER
Lofts 7.5° / 9° / 10.5° / 12° | Stock shaft Choose from five premium options (regular flex)
What PXG say
Like its Gen2 predecessor (PXG didn’t make a Gen3 driver) the X is designed to be a low spinning driver.
A taller face height (it’s the tallest of the three PXG Gen4 models) means the centre of gravity is lower in relation to the centre of the face.
An aggressively sloped crown from face to back helps create high launch with low spin for extra distance (usually at above average swing speeds). The aluminium infused carbon crown contains more energy within the face to maximise ball speeds.
Today’s Golfer drivers test verdict
A quick look at our test data reveals that the Gen4 X wasn’t quite our longest PXG driver in this category. The brand’s Gen4 XT (Xtreme Tour) had the upper hand on carry distance, by three yards.
Look closer though and digest our ball speed and carry distance drop-off comparisons. The Gen4 X ranked third at protecting ball speed and first for protecting carry distance (8 yards or 2.9%), where the XT gave up an additional 16 yards (that’s 24 yards in total) of carry distance.
The X will likely be a better low spin option for the majority of good club golfers than it’s more aerodynamic, tour focused sibling.
PXG’s Gen4 drivers are the brand’s first to come without full matt black crowns (expect a silver-coloured aluminium infused carbon fibre crown section) – a decision that’s bound to split opinion. If you need help deciding, we come down slightly more favourably on the side of the older and more-simple flat, black matt. What isn’t open to debate is how PXG drivers are now pound for pound extremely good value for money.
PXG 0811 XT Gen 4
RRP £285 | VIEW OFFER
Lofts 7.5° / 9° / 10.5° | Stock shaft Choose from five premium options
What PXG say
The XT (Xtreme Tour) has a flatter head with the crown being much more parallel to the sole than most modern drivers, there’s also a high skirt to reduce drag (think Callaway Mavrik).
A smaller toe to heel dimension specifically targets more speed for 105+mph speed players. Three sole ports allow golfers to dial in less spin, more forgiveness or a draw bias in what it is very much a tour level driver.
Today’s Golfer drivers test verdict
When you employ big-hitting tour pros you need a driver that matches their thirst for speed and low spin. Tour players don’t spray shots all over the face, instead their impact locations are usually much more consistent, so they can get away with using a driver like the XT that’s front weighted (for less spin and more ball speed) and specifically shaped for maximum aerodynamic performance.
If you swing the driver above 105mph and have a consistent impact pattern then a driver like the XT will deliver additional ball speed and carry distance results.
The XT was our test pro’s 2nd longest low spin driver, so there’s plenty of power to unlock here so long as you have the speed and launch. We really how all PXG Gen4 drivers (thanks to three sole ports and 10g of movable weight) allow users to opt for either a lower spin, higher launch or slightly draw biased set up, along with a choice of length (from 44” – 46”). A huge amount of driver for £285.
Srixon ZX7
RRP £449 | VIEW OFFER
Lofts 9.5° / 10.5° | Stock shaft Project X HZRDUS Smoke Black 60
What Srixon say
Where the ZX5 has a more triangular head shape, the ZX7 is a much rounder, more traditional pear-shaped driver. Srixon say the flatter crown and higher back skirt shaping give a lower, more penetrating ball flight, which means the model is usually most at home in the hands of above average players.
Two swappable sole weights and an adjustable hosel give shot shape adjustability so golfers can dial in their preferred ball flight.
Today’s Golfer drivers test verdict
Srixon drivers have been on the up and up ever since the suits at their Japanese HQ changed the contracts of their sponsored stars to ensure the brand’s drivers were put in play.
As it approaches its second birthday we expect the ZX7 to be replaced later this year, but Hideki Matsuyama still won the Sony Open in Hawaii in January using this model.
For golfers who aren’t brand led when it comes to drivers the ZX7 is a great option. It’s sits beautifully at address, the more pear-shaped head is very appealing and there’s nothing on the crown to draw or distract the eye – even the tiny alignment aid is very subtle.
Our test pro’s numbers with the ZX7 are solid if not remarkable. We saw a sizeable drop-off in ball speed and carry distance but those are exactly the attributes of a driver that’s designed to be more workable than just a flat out straight bomber. Plus it was just three yards back from our second longest low spin driver, a result which could potentially be reversed on another day’s testing.
We feel Srixon could be on the edge of something big with drivers. Having the big hitting Brooks Koepka playing a Srixon ball and driver certianly won’t do them any harm if they do reveal new big sticks later this year.
Titleist TSi3
RRP £519 | VIEW OFFER
Lofts 8° / 9° / 10° | Stock shafts Kuro Kage Black, Tensei AV Blue Raw, HZRDUS Smoke Black, Tensei AV White Raw
What Titleist say
The TSi3 has a more compact, traditional pear shape (than the TSi2), which Titleist say tends to be a good fit for more consistent ball strikers and golfers looking for control and influence over their driver ball flight.
Today’s Golfer drivers test verdict
The Titleist TSi3 has a very solid reputation among Titleist’s contracted players and equipment-free agents on tour.
The TSi3 was among our six favorite low-spin drivers last year. The performance of the TaylorMade Stealth Plus means it doesn’t quite replicate that in 2022, but it’s still no slouch when it comes to low spin performance.
Compared to our very best the TSi3 was 14 yards back from the tee box and, thanks to 150% more drop off distance (than our best low spin driver) between our test pro’s longest and shortest shots, you can see why the model is more workable than forgiving.
The TSi3 because is a cracking ‘players’ driver but, despite being into its second year, it remains one of the most expensive drivers available in 2022. On that basis, and with us expecting a new model later this year, that makes it hard for us to truly recommend.
Data: Best Low Spin Golf Drivers Test 2022
How we tested the 2022 golf drivers
– We created an indoor test lab at Keele Golf Centre to ensure a controlled environment
– The leading brands supplied their low spin 2022 drivers in our Test Pro Neil Wain’s spec.
– We used premium TaylorMade TP5x golf balls and a Foresight GC Quad launch monitor to create the most reliable data possible.
– We rejected major misses but recorded how shots launched, span, peaked, and dropped out of the air, before crunching the numbers to come up with our conclusions.
See more about how TG tests golf equipment.
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Best Low Spin Drivers 2022
