How to buy a used golf driver

Loft, head versions and adjustability

Most drivers come in 9°, 10.5° and 12° of loft. Unless you swing over about 100mph, 10.5° is the safer choice: more loft means more carry and less sidespin. Almost every driver since about 2010 has an adjustable hosel sleeve that adds or takes off a degree or two of loft, but sleeves only fit their own brand, so check the listing includes it and, ideally, the torque wrench.

The same model usually comes in several heads: Max versions (Ping G430 Max, TaylorMade Qi10 Max, Callaway Paradym Ai Smoke Max) are the most forgiving; LST, LS or Triple Diamond heads spin less and suit fast, consistent swings; SFT, Draw, HL and D heads fight a slice. Every driver head is capped at 460cc under the Rules of Golf.

Shafts and flex

Stock shafts (Mitsubishi Tensei, Fujikura Ventus, Project X HZRDUS, Ping Alta) are usually 50-65g. The flex matters more than the brand: regular suits most club golfers, stiff only helps above roughly 95mph of swing speed. See our shaft flex chart. A "custom" or "tour" shaft adds little resale value unless it's in your flex.

Condition: what matters and what doesn't

Sky marks (scuffs on the crown from skying the ball) and paint chips are cosmetic and knock the price down without hurting performance, which makes them some of the best value on eBay. Never buy a driver with a cracked face, a dented crown or a rattle in the head. Ask for a close-up of the face and the crown if the photos don't show them.

Fakes and why the price matters

Counterfeit drivers exist, and they're almost always listed as new, far below the going rate and posted from overseas. A genuine head has a serial number on the hosel or sole and the brand's own sleeve. We flag anything 40% or more under the typical price and sellers with little feedback.

Which generation to buy

Brands launch a new driver every year or two, and the old one drops in price fast. A model two or three years old usually costs half as much as the newest one for a very small difference in performance. Compare the generations on each model page or in prices by model year.

Today's second-hand drivers by brand

The most listed models