Reviews/Recommendations
Golf Digest Hot List:
- Golf Digest 2009 Hot List
- Golf Digest 2008 Hot List – takes a while to load. be patient!
- Golf Digest 2007 Hot List
Reviews:
- The Sand Trap – these guys have some good independent reviews.
- The Deep Rough – another good independent reviews.
- Golf Rewind – for a quick glance at ratings (1 to 5) by users.
- Putter Zone – the name says it all. all about putters.
A Word on Buying Equipment:
The best ball-strikers and coaches put premium on ball flight. Ultimately, your swing and you equipment should produce desired ball-flight.
Be aware of limitations of your friends, glib sales pitch and even vector launch monitors. I bought way too many wrong equipment for those reasons – and everyone I’ve played golf with has too.
Instead, go to demo days held out on an outdoor driving range. Try out different shafts and see how each affects your ball flight and consistency. Then, try different heads for feel and forgiveness.
The quality difference between reputable companies are so insignificant, the purchase decision will most likely (and should) be made by personal preference of aesthetics and feel.
Saving on Golf Balls:
The tour quality balls (multi-layered, urethane cover) definitely provide better performance than lower priced golf balls. With a dozen tour balls costing more than $45, used golf balls make a lot better economical alternative.
Mint condition Titliest Pro V1 or V1x can be purchaed at $21.99 from RockBottomGolf. I have yet to find better price than at Rockbottomgolf.
Modified Golf Digest Hot List:
Golf Digest does an excellent job of selecting best golf equipment. However, I am not sure how innovation and demand should factor in selecting the best equipment. So, here is a compilation their selection based on performance and look/sound/feel (combined score of 8 or higher out of 10). In the end, those are criteria that people make their purchase decisions on.
Drivers:
Adams: Insight Tech A4, Speedline
Callaway: FT-9, FT-IQ, Big Bertha Diablo
Cleveland: Launcher
Cobra: S9-1
Mizuno: MX-700
Nike: SQ Dymo Str8-Fit, SQ Dymo/Dymo2
Ping: Rapture V2, G10
Taylor Made: R7 Limited, Burner 09
Titleist: 909 D2, 909 D3, 909D Comp
Tour Edge: Exotics XCG-V
Fairway Woods:
Adams: Insight Tech A4/A40S
Bobby Jones: Workshop Edition
Callaway: FT
Cleveland: Launcher
Cobra: S9-1
Nike: SQ Dymo/Dymo2
Ping: G10
Taylor Made: Burner
Titleist: 909 F2/F3
Tour Edge: Exotics XCG-V
Hybrids:
Adams: Idea Pro Golf
Bobby Jones: Workshop Edition
Callaway: Big Bertha Diablo, FT
Cleveland: Launcher
Cobra: Baffler TWS/Pro
Nickent: 3dx RC
Ping: G10, Rapture V2
Taylor Made: Burner Rescue
Titleist: 909H
Tour Edge: Exotics XCG-V
