The Season’s Best New Golf Gear

In the 600 years since Scottish fishermen accidentally invented golf, the sport has undergone tremendous technological innovation. First played with sticks and stones washed up on beaches, then with clubs crafted from hickory shafts and leather balls stuffed with feathers, golf has evolved into a modern game dominated by equipment made of space-age alloys and employing military technologies like GPS. Here are quick reviews of some of the hottest new gear that will make you look great and maybe even improve your game.

Drivers

TaylorMade describes its new Qi10 as “the most forgiving family of drivers the company has produced.” Simply put, the higher the moment of inertia (this club achieves the elusive 10,000), the more forgiveness. High MOI reduces head rotation on off-center impacts, protecting against mishits and delivering more consistent launch. TM accomplished this using advanced lightweight materials including a carbon face, a reinvented head shape, a lighter torque-controlling shaft, and strategic placement of mass. Results will speak for themselves. The club—available in four versions for players of varying abilities—feels like a secret weapon in your hands.

If you’re after bragging rights for owning the most expensive clubs ever made (up to $40,000 for a set), look to Honma, a bespoke Japanese manufacturer that aims to deliver beautiful works of functional golf art. The company’s lovely adjustable Beres Nx driver features a solid cross-carbon crown that allows for weight distribution, a booster slot that efficiently transmits energy at impact, and keel-design weighting for straight flight and strong trajectory. Nx is available in a variety of lofts and comes with a draw bias. Every step of production occurs at Honma’s factory. To launch a higher trajectory of bragging rights, Honma will adorn clubs with gold-dust paint, diamonds and more.

Irons

Longtime favorite iron provider Callaway Golf announces its Paradym Ai Smoke series, which represents the latest revolution in iron performance. The face was designed using real player data combined with advanced machine learning to create a series of sweet spots, resulting in exceptional distance with tight dispersion. Callaway considered data on swing speed, club delivery and face orientation prior to impact to create a club that’s easy as Sunday morning. The club also features slightly longer length in the mid and long irons, longer blade lengths, thinner top lines, and optimized sole widths to create a forgiving club with a streamlined, confidence-building appearance. And the dynamic sole design cuts through turf with added efficiency—helpful to diggers like me.

Shoes

In the old days, when your only option was a stiff pair of FootJoys that were anything but, golfers carried Band-Aids for emergency action when breaking in new footwear. Today you can pull a new pair of True’s many options right out of the box, wear them for 18 holes, and then match them with your dinner attire. The ultra-comfortable kicks are designed for walking, which makes us like the company even more. True’s minimalist, slide-in, all-day knit will fit in as easily on Cape Cod as on a cape hole—nobody needs to know it’s even a golf shoe. True’s self-described “tour-level” OG Tour shoe combines country-club styling, zero drop for comfort, and a classic leather exterior (in five color combos). This spring True introduced its first spiked golf shoe since its relaunch in 2017, combining old-school performance with modern bells, whistles and style. Trues run a tad small so consider sizing up by half a number.

Bags and Rain Gear

An oxymoron is at work when some of the best waterproof golf gear comes from Sun Mountain. Anyone who plays in the Northwest or British Isles or isn’t scared off by a rainstorm at their home course will be happy to tote Sun Mountain’s H2No 14-Way Stand Bag, constructed of waterproof fabric with sealed seams and water-resistant zippers. Weighing in at 5.8 pounds, the bag includes sections to organize and protect clubs and seven pockets, including two velour-lined for valuables such as watches.

If you need the waterproof bag you’ll also want what Sun Mountain describes as “the most playable rainwear on the market.” The jacket and pants of the Tour Series+ collection boast superhigh waterproof and breathability ratings as well as an elite level of four-way stretch. The technical fabric accelerates vapor movement and prevents overheating and moisture buildup. The storm flaps and deep leg zips, as well as snaps that shorten the hem as necessary, are especially well-considered aspects of the pants.

Club Transport

As a traditionalist who walks, I love Stewart Golf’s R1-S Push cart with dual-ball-bearing wheels that make it smooth but impart the durability of a three-wheeled tank. Boasting three frame colors in aerospace aluminum, patented rack-and-pinion folding, easy assembly, a parking brake, and more, it’s one of the world’s smallest when folded. Stewart also manufacturers three versions of its remote-controlled trolleys. The top-of-line Q Follow integrates wheels that will take on any slope and fits in a Porsche. Just hit the “follow” button and the cart will track behind as if it has a secret crush on you. Dual batteries deliver more power without sacrificing battery life.