As part of our equipment testing, we extract key bits of information to help golfers make smart purchasing decisions. This year, we learned a lot, especially about drivers and MOI. If you are in the market for new clubs, let our testing and research help you make more informed decisions. Here are the 2024 equipment testing key takeaways.
Subjective feedback and performance don’t always align
Golfers often assume a club’s look, feel and sound reflect its performance.
Not true.
Models like the T Squared TS-912 and Cleveland HB Soft 2 #1 putters performed well despite low subjective ratings in our putting test. This theme was also seen throughout the iron and driver testing.
Yes, plenty of clubs had strong data to back up the subjective feel and ratings but feel and looks alone are not enough to succeed on the course.
Non-adjustable drivers are obsolete
Adjustability is here to stay.
Non-adjustable drivers are disappearing from the market. Of the 37 drivers we tested, only one was non-adjustable. Manufacturers are realizing that adjustability is needed for the performance that players are looking for on the course.
If you’re holding on to a non-adjustable driver because you think it weighs less, let it go. New materials and improvements in technology will make up for the loss.
Don’t overlook non-mainstream clubs
While major brands dominate the market, several lesser-known models delivered outstanding results in testing.
In our driver testing, the Srixon ZX7 Mk II excelled in distance, the Mizuno ST-G was the top Mizuno driver we tested and the Wilson Dynapower Carbon demonstrated excellent accuracy.
The Haywood Golf fairway wood won the most forgiving fairway wood of 2024. The Ram Axial Forged irons earned a top three for player’s irons (a category where non-mainstream clubs don’t often break through).
If you want to move away from the mainstream, look at the data and you’ll find options where you can get performance from a lesser-known brand.
Here’s a list of our most underrated golf equipment of 2024.
Putter fitting options vary by type
Putter fittting is not the same for mallets and blades. Blade putters have limited hosel options and you’ll see a few brands like PXG, TaylorMade and COBRA with some flexibility and options.
Mallet putters offer more extensive fitting options. Putter fitting is always a good idea, regardless of what type of putter you are considering.
Distance and accuracy are hard to find in the same club
We weighed accuracy heavily in our 2024 best golf club testing. What’s the point of investing in new golf clubs if they don’t save you strokes? We use Strokes Gained as the metric to measure accuracy in our golf club testing.
Finding a club that excels in distance and accuracy (Strokes Gained) is tricky. Many drivers seem to lean toward either distance or accuracy but something like the PING G430 MAX 10K finds a pretty good balance.
Moveable weights can be a double-edged sword
Here’s another important piece of information about drivers. Although moveable weights are valuable for tweaking shot shapes, they can sometimes cause inconsistency in low-spin drivers.
We noticed that the moveable weights in the COBRA DARKSPEED X created inconsistency. In the Mizuno ST-G, the weights helped fine-tune spin and increased the predictability of shot outcomes.
The bottom line is if you will play around with moveable weights, test the configurations while purchasing the club.
MOI is only one factor in forgiveness
“MOI” is a buzz word in 2024. However, as drivers are increasing their MOI, we are not always seeing a direct correlation between that and forgiveness.
We measure forgiveness as the ability of a golf club to produce repeatable shot outcomes. High MOI helps preserve ball speed on off-center hits but it does not ensure straighter or more consistent shots.
Some models that would not typically be known for forgiveness were surprisingly consistent in their shot outcomes. The Callaway Paradym Ai Smoke and COBRA DARKSPEED LS ranked high in forgiveness metrics even though they were not advertised as the higher MOI drivers.
It is important to understand that there may be a difference between MOI and forgiveness when testing (and purchasing) golf clubs.
Final thoughts
If you missed any of our 2024 golf club testing, here is a recap of each test we did. You’ll find more detailed information about hundreds of golf clubs and how they ranked for distance, accuracy, and forgiveness.
- Best Golf Drivers 2024
- Best Drivers for High Swing Speed
- Best Drivers for Mid-Swing Speed
- Best Drivers for Low Swing Speed
- Best Fairway Woods
- Best Golf Hybrids
- Best Utility Irons
- Best Player’s Irons
- Best Player’s Distance Irons
- Best Game Improvement Irons
- Best Super Game Improvement Irons
- Best Wedges
- Best Mallet Putters
- Best Blade Putters
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