Which club is typically used to hit the ball the longest distance off the tee? The answer is the driver. Also called the 1-wood, it is designed to launch a golf ball farther than any other standard club.
A driver usually has the longest shaft, the largest clubhead, and the lowest loft in a golfer’s bag. Those features help create high clubhead speed and a long, penetrating tee shot. Its oversized head also provides a larger sweet spot, making it more forgiving than older wooden drivers.
The driver is primarily used from the tee because its low loft makes it harder to control from grass. Golfers generally use irons, hybrids, or fairway woods when they need more accuracy or must hit from the fairway. A drive is the long-distance tee shot itself; the club used to produce it is normally the driver.
Modern drivers are often made from titanium or composite materials rather than wood. In regulated play, a driver’s shaft can be up to 46 inches long, although many golfers choose shorter shafts for improved consistency.