When comparing golf drivers, "best" is a relative term. An expensive, professional-quality driver may be too stiff, short or heavy for a beginner, while the best club for a woman may have too flexible of a shaft or too high of a loft for a man. Knowing the different features of golf clubs and keeping in mind the physics formula Force = Mass X Acceleration will help you find the "best" club for your game.
Club Head Size
A larger club head provides more hitting area and a larger sweet spot. More mass also contributes to added force. If you are not a big hitter, the best club head for you has larger mass. If you are a power hitter, especially one with accuracy, you'll want a smaller head, which weighs less so you can keep your speed. You'll get any control you need from a stiffer shaft.
Club Head Loft
The loft angle of a club head determines how high in the air the ball will go when the club head meets the ball. A higher loft angle produces more trajectory. Players with slower swing speeds (less power), will find that the best driver for them has a higher loft angle, helping them get the ball in the air. The best loft angle for a hard hitter with a fast swing speed is lower, so that shots aren't shortened by a high trajectory.
Club Length
The longer the club, the farther away the club head is from the ball at the peak of the backswing. If the club head takes longer to get to the ball, it will build up more acceleration, creating more force, or a more powerful shot. Therefore, the best driver for players with slower swing speeds is a longer one. A longer shaft can lead to less control, but most recreational golfers opt for the added length a long club offers. The best driver for a big hitter who has the swing speed to hit far is shorter in length, to give the power player more accuracy.
Shaft Material
Golf drivers have shafts made from a variety of materials. Steel shafts are stronger and less expensive than other types, but less flexible, resulting in less power, but more control. Stepped steel shafts have their diameter narrow from the grip to the club head. This allows a more uniform flex from club to club in a set, and is the way most steel clubs are made. Rifled steel shafts are smooth from top to bottom, with no ridges, or steps, like steel shafts. Rifled steel shafts offer more accuracy, due to being stiffer. Graphite shafts are lighter and more flexible than steel and provide more power but less control and durability. Steel and graphite shafts offer a blend of those materials in an attempt to marry the power of flexible graphite with the control of stiffer steel. Titanium shafts are lightweight and stiff.
Because the "best" drivers provide the most power and accuracy, you'll want to look for a more flexible shaft if you are not a power hitter and a stiffer shaft if you have power and need control.
Club Weight
Lighter clubs result in faster swings. However, less club weight means less mass and less force. If you need a faster swing to create more distance, a lighter driver is your best choice. If you are a muscular player who can easily swing a heavier club, a heavier driver is best for you.
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