Best Offset Driver | Tame That Slice

Beginner and high handicapper golfers can be prone to a slice with their tee shots. We've all been there, you step up to the golf ball, make your golf swing and then boom the ball flies right off the club head and keeps going right.

What is really depressing about a slice is that results in a weak ball flight, loss of distance and the potential for lost balls. This a recipe for making you want to give up the game.

But wait! There is help to be found and the Offset driver was created for golfers who cannot keep the ball on the planet and have lost the will the keep playing the game. Read on and learn all there is to know about offset drivers and how they can improve your golf game.

What is an offset driver?

Offset golf drivers feature a club face which is set back from the hosel and shaft of the golf club.

The Big Bertha range is back with an offset option to stop the big slices and more exciting for the higher handicapper players, there are higher lofted options.

I love the sound of a 12.5 degree driver and Callaway have done it with the B21. The face is also created by AI (artificial intelligence) to increase ball speeds which makes this a very high launching driver with very low spin. We want that to avoid the big slices and we want the high launch for more carry.

Anything that helps a high handicapper feel confident like this will allow you to move on to a different driver in the future. But start here - why put the game of golf on "expert" mode before you've built that base of confidence? 

The Big Bertha B21 can be a gamechanger for many people. It's almost a mini driver when it gets to the higher loft of 12.5 degrees, but it's a maximum 460CC in size so you're not hitting a smaller clubhead. 

On top of the forgiveness and increased distance, the looks are stunning for such a maximum game improvement driver. 

The 460CC head on the Launchpad driver can be adjusted to lofts of 9, 10.5 and 12 degrees. Whether you swing it fast, slow or medium, you can adjust it to create more height and carry.

Wilson's Launch Pad driver has an ultra-thin face to generate much faster ball speeds for which in turn produces longer carries for more distance. They've maxed out the sweet-spot for increased forgiveness and their is a hint of offset to encourage that club face to close at impact. 

This club is super light. The lightweight materials in the head, shaft and grip all add up to a crazy low 272 grams. this means you can generate some serious club head speed with this bad boy in your hands. 

Don't be fooled into thinking that because of the low price that this driver is no good. 

Wilson have been around for years, only being overtaken in the modern era by the brands with bigger marketing budgets. Top players like Gary Woodland still game their clubs and they make high quality equipment. Wilson are always a sleeper pick but currently also produce some of the nicest putters and wedges I have tried. 

The STEALTH caused a massive buzz in the equipment world due to its RED carbon face and (outlandish) ball speed claims. What's not up for debate is that TaylorMade consistently produce some of the best drivers with every new release and the STEALTH is no exception. 

The HD (High Draw) model is one of the first TaylorMade drivers targeted at the slower swinger and those struggling with a slice. The carbon face is 40% lighter and lot and shaft options make it easy to find you perfect combination. 

The club really is a head turner on the course. The red face is a talking point and the sound of the face is supreme, as you expect from TaylorMade. The TaylorMade STEALTH HD comes in 9°, 10.5° and 12° lofts and can add a new dimension to your tee game. Adjust the loft and you have a driver that can be 12.5° and 14° drivers if you please. There are no complicated set ups, just pick it up and smash.

Joe who contributes to this site uses the Mizuno STX and it has revolutionised his game. He got the 12 degree model and turns it down to 11 degrees and it's a money making fairway finding machine! 

What he loves about this offset driver is that it's basically not offset at all. It's a draw biased model but achieves all of this right to left ball shape help through clever interior weighting. 

At address, there's nothing that makes you think "wow that thing looks weird" - it's simply a stealthy looking black carbon head with matte black face. the head profile is a more traditional pear shape, reminiscent of older Titleist drivers and really inspires confidence. 

This club is almost impossible to hit a slice with. Joe finds that the right side of the course is basically out of play and he can now aim up the right side of the fairway, knowing that the ball will end up left or on his target line. 

This is also a super forgiving club. Strikes across the face aren't severely punished, but you will get meaningful feedback. This means you can feel that you've hit the ball out of the bottom or top of the club and then try and make an adjustment. 

Mizuno are very good with their stock shaft options and you will be able to get a quality option to suit your golf swing. 

Don't overlook Mizuno drivers. They are as good as anything out there. 

Offset Driver Vs Draw Bias Driver?

Offset and draw biased drivers are basically the same club. The word "offset" can put some people off so manufacturers started to call clubs with an offset "draw biased" to appeal to more people.

A draw biased driver will always have some offset built into the design to encourage that right to left ball flight (for the right handed golfer). TaylorMade make a draw biased version of their drivers call the D-Type and it has a clean and sleek look, as most of the draw tech comes from internal weighting. You don't need to play an ugly golf driver to get rid of a slice.

Are Offset Drivers Legal?

Yes. Any offset driver made by a major manufacturer is legal. The golf club will be on the USGA conforming clubs list and is therefore permitted for tournament play.

Pros of Offset Drivers

Here are some of the common pros of having an offset driver:

• Less side spin
• More upright lie angle encourages a better start line
• Club head weighting to close the club face

An added bonus of using a club with a specific purpose is that it actually makes you swing with more confidence. More confidence will mean more club head speed and hopefully more distance and more fairways found on your golf course. 

Cons of Offset Drivers

If you use and offset driver and you actually don't need one, it's going to cause you unnecessary problems.

If you have an in to out swing path, the offset driver is going to cause a massive hook unless you aim way out to the right. Hooking the ball is not fun (trust me) so if the ball starts to go left on you, think again.

Many tour pros will actively seek out a fade biased driver to prevent uncontrollable hooks from happening on the golf course.

How To Hit An Offset Driver

There is not secret to hitting an offset driver. The whole point of the club face being offset is that it corrects any issues with your swing and how your are delivering the face at impact.

You should only be using the club if you struggle to square the face, even after lessons and coaching. Swing as you normally would and watch the offset driver do its thing.