Being a great driver requires speed and consistency, and as courses get longer and firmer on the PGA Tour, being closer to the green on every approach creates a huge advantage — this is measured in the strokes gained: off-the-tee stat.
One piece of the puzzle is the actual equipment used to gain this advantage off of the tee. Not only do those clubs need to be fit properly but golfers also need to have confidence in their technology. These are the top-5 leaders in strokes gained: off the tee on the Tour so far this year and the drivers in their bags.
1. Keith Mitchell (+.966)
Mitchell is as rock solid off the tee as any player on Tour, and that shows in his strokes gained numbers. His driver of choice is the Mizuno STX-230 with a ProjectX Hzrdus T1100 shaft. A fun note about Mitchell’s clubs is that he is one of few Tour pros to still play the Golf Pride Victory full cord.
2. Scottie Scheffler (+.963)
Although his footwork might be unique, there is no denying that Scheffler has no issues hitting the driver well off the tee. To do that, he plays a TaylorMade Stealth2 Plus with a Fujikura Ventus Black 7x. You can check out his full setup from his most recent win at the WM Open here: Winner’s Bag Scottie Scheffler
T3. Kevin Yu (+.912)
Yu is enjoying a solid start to his first full season on the PGA Tour, and beyond being top-5 in strokes gained off the tee, he is also second in total percentage of greens in regulation behind only Scheffler.
Yu plays a Callaway Paradym Triple Diamond with a TPT 15 LO shaft
Callaway Paradym, Paradym X and Paradym Triple Diamond Drivers
T3. Will Zalatoris (+.912)
Zalatoris is one of the best all-around players on the Tour, and even after battling injuries toward the end of the 2022 season, his driving has never been better. He plays a Titleist TSR3 with a Fujikura Ventus 7x, and if you’re curious about some of the tweaks he has made to his driver since coming back from injury, Jonathan Wall covered it in-depth here: Why the numbers written on Will Zalatoris’ driver are so important
5. Hayden Buckley (+.885)
Buckley has had two top-10 finishes so far in 2023 including a second-place finish at the Sony Open in Hawaii. Beyond his strong driving — he plays a Titleist TSR3 — he is also second on the Tour in eagles per hole, which just got a bump thanks to his first-round hole-in-one at the Players.
POV: You just made the first ace of the 2023 @THEPLAYERSChamp 🔥 pic.twitter.com/iMkSb05pKk
— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) March 9, 2023
Hayden used a Titleist TSR3 with a UST Mamiya LIN-Q Blue shaft.
Titleist TSR1, TSR2, TSR3 and TSR4 Drivers
Looking to gain some distance and confidence off the tee with your own game this season? Find a fitting location near you at GOLF’s affiliate company True Spec Golf. For more on the latest gear news and information, check out our latest Fully Equipped podcast below.