By S. Dee Davis

The G series Ping is very forgiving and has an average of .66 bounce width. This provides stability, forgiveness and distance. The G series has a slightly larger, more forgiving face than the I series. The G is just on the light side for me, but it’s great for medium to higher handicappers that want a nice club. The I is more heavily weighted toward the sole of the club and the face is smaller and it is made of a harder 431 steel to provide that buttery soft feel upon connection with the sweet spot. Distance was average to long with the G series, but there is a ton of good technology built in. The G series irons are heat treated using a specialized process that creates a strong steel Ping calls Hyper 17-4. The idea here is that they can provide a thinner face that gives more bounce and thus more distance and trajectory.

As an avid golfer and tennis player for most of his life, he enjoys researching the latest in golf and tennis technology as well as analyzing his own game. He has been a writer and reviewer for a dozen years and his work has appeared in numerous publications including CBS, the San Fransisco Chronicle… See more about S. Dee Davis

Prices

By S. Dee Davis

Feel, distance and control are all present in this new club from Mizuno. The irons are on the heavy side and the weight distribution is low toward the sole which gets the ball up quickly. My average distance with a 7 iron in the air is around 160-165. I launched this Mizuno over 170 several times and 178 once. I was also very impressed with the accuracy. Add address it doesnt look or feel that great, but once you put the club face on the ball you can feel the strengths of the design. The irons are made of forged Boron which is 30% stronger. The wide soul design helps to lower the sweet spot on the club. It really is different. It’s not just a claim. I hit this club longer than the incredibly long Wilson C200.

I was not as impressed with the JPX-EZ, the back flange is visible upon address. It kind of sticks out too much. The thing I like best is the price at $499 what a deal for a great club. The JPX-EZ is more forgiving, but I also had a harder time keeping it straight than the forged variety. Still $499 for a Mizuno set is a buy.

As an avid golfer and tennis player for most of his life, he enjoys researching the latest in golf and tennis technology as well as analyzing his own game. He has been a writer and reviewer for a dozen years and his work has appeared in numerous publications including CBS, the San Fransisco Chronicle… See more about S. Dee Davis

Prices

By S. Dee Davis

Following are some of the factors that we felt are most important in evaluating the top 10 golf club iron selections. Clubs were tested at a testing facility and loosely measured for the below quality points:

1. Comfort at Setup (Instilling Confidence)
2. Solid Feel at Impact
3. Workable Ball Flight
4. Consistency of Distance
5. Pure Distance
6. Shaft Quality and Consistency, Standard included shaft
7. Ability to Spin the Ball
8. Spin Control
9. Grip Feel and Quality

As an avid golfer and tennis player for most of his life, he enjoys researching the latest in golf and tennis technology as well as analyzing his own game. He has been a writer and reviewer for a dozen years and his work has appeared in numerous publications including CBS, the San Fransisco Chronicle… See more about S. Dee Davis

Beginners Golf Club

Tommy Armour Silver Spot – Beginners Golf Club

This is a great set for the beginner made by a venerable and well-respected club manufacturer so you can feel comfortable about your clubs no matter who you are playing with. They will never know the clubs cost so little with the Tommy Armour name on them. The set comes with 4 metal … [more]

How to Choose the Right Golf Club

Guide to finding the right golf club

Confidence, feel, contact, consistency, spin control – our iron game can pretty much be summed up by those words. If we make good contact, distance takes care of itself as high quality steel on cast urethane produces the crushing blow that launches the ball. The heavy blade makes a punishing … [more]

More Top 10 Lists

Top 10 Golf Putters

Although some of selecting a putter is about “feel” there is more to it than that. We rate the best putters below on the following criteria: Appearance, “feel”, how well the ball rolls off the putter face, alignment characteristics, weighting balance and price/value. See the putter comparison … [more]

Top 10 Golf Drivers

We tested many of the drivers that are out there in the market today and came up with our top 10 list. There are a couple holdovers from last year. Testing and consideration were given based on distance and accuracy with the same neutral swing speed (110) in a controlled distance … [more]

Top 10 Golf Balls

The following list of the best top ten golf balls was determined from the authors opinion using the following criteria: Consistency in length off the tee, spin control and the ability to hold greens, “feel” of the ball around greens for chipping and putting, durability, and price/value. Combining … [more]

Top 10 Golf Wedges

A club class of its own, the wedges have high lofts, the short shafts, and the heavy clubheads. Out of all the irons wedges take all of these to the extreme. The purpose of a wedge is to aid players in making accurate short-distance “lob” shots, to get the ball onto the green and out of hazards….[more]

Top 10 Golf Bags

The following are our top 10 Golf Bag choices based on the following criteria: Durability, Price, Stability of Stand, Access and Organization, Extra Pockets for Accessories, Comfort of Harness strap… [more]

Top 10 Golf Rangefinders

Following are our choices for the top 10 golf rangefinders for the year after some testing and research. We’ve taken price, quality, and value into account when developing these ratings. Rangefinders were tested based on the following factors… [more]

More Top Irons

By S. Dee Davis

The NIKE Vapor Pro irons may be the most playable irons we tested this year. Nike has come a long way in iron design and development in the last two years, and the Vapor Pro irons may be their greatest achievement thus far in irons for better players. We loved the iron’s ability to be shaped and these thinner blades have the ability to manage all turf conditions brilliantly. The forgiveness was average, but the accuracy was excellent. It took a minute, but we were able to dial these irons into pins, even on long shots. The feel was amazing on dead-center strikes, and knockdown shots were tight and controlled, even in high winds.

As an avid golfer and tennis player for most of his life, he enjoys researching the latest in golf and tennis technology as well as analyzing his own game. He has been a writer and reviewer for a dozen years and his work has appeared in numerous publications including CBS, the San Fransisco Chronicle… See more about S. Dee Davis

Prices

By S. Dee Davis

Mizuno has made some subtle, but sexy changes to their players iron but switching from carbon steel to boron-infused steel, a material that is lighter and about 30% stronger than carbon steel to create a powerful iron that has many features to enhance your iron play. The cavity design and perimeter weighting provide nice forgiveness, and the customization options are enticing. Our tests noted a more penetrating ball flight, increased spin on shorter shots, and great support on thin shots with the increased steel strength. We gained 10+ yards per club.

As an avid golfer and tennis player for most of his life, he enjoys researching the latest in golf and tennis technology as well as analyzing his own game. He has been a writer and reviewer for a dozen years and his work has appeared in numerous publications including CBS, the San Fransisco Chronicle… See more about S. Dee Davis

Prices

By S. Dee Davis

The Callaway XR Pro is for better players who want maximum distance with incredible control. The two-piece clubhead design accomplishes this feat, giving this iron the ability to be shaped, along with an incredible amount of distance. During our tests, even on mishits, the carry distance was excellent and hitting long, sultry shots were almost effortless. We loved these irons and they match well with Callaway’s new driver out this year.

As an avid golfer and tennis player for most of his life, he enjoys researching the latest in golf and tennis technology as well as analyzing his own game. He has been a writer and reviewer for a dozen years and his work has appeared in numerous publications including CBS, the San Fransisco Chronicle… See more about S. Dee Davis

Prices

By S. Dee Davis

The XR iron is designed for mid to higher handicap players, but only because better players don’t like to look at much offset at address. That being said, these irons are light in the head, are solid sounding at impact, and the feel of the face at contact with the golf ball & turf were among the best we tested. When you pick this club up, you feel like you can go full throttle through the ball and not worry about the consequences. The responsiveness of the shafts were great, and the distance produced with these irons was borderline ridiculous.

Quick Specs

• 4-PW
• Two-piece construction delivers lower CG, more MOI & promotes feel.
• Stock Callaway shafts in Regular or Stiff flex.
• Game improvement irons.

Prices

As an avid golfer and tennis player for most of his life, he enjoys researching the latest in golf and tennis technology as well as analyzing his own game. He has been a writer and reviewer for a dozen years… See more about S. Dee Davis

By S. Dee Davis

Stronger, progressive lofts of the new G30 irons and the bounce profiles of these clubs prevent digging into the turf, which make them a welcomed addition to the 2015 line-up. The G30’s performance was very good, with a higher ball flight and plenty of distance. The feel was average, but could be best described as firm at impact. If you previously have played Ping irons, you’ll love these, but may not provide enough reason to upgrade unless you’re playing irons that are over five years old. In our opinion the added technology isn’t earth-shattering, except for the stock GFS Distance shafts, which are superb.

Quick Specs

• 4-PW set, (PW is 45 degrees)
• Game Improvement irons
• 17-4 stainless steel heads
• Elastomer cavity badge and Custom Tuning Port (CTP) insert
• CFS Distance shafts.

Prices

As an avid golfer and tennis player for most of his life, he enjoys researching the latest in golf and tennis technology as well as analyzing his own game. He has been a writer and reviewer for a dozen years… See more about S. Dee Davis

By S. Dee Davis

The J15 DF greatest strength may be its ability to produce high, consistent ball flights and great direction on shots hit all over the face. Our test produced excellent forgiveness and good distance control for all of your flag-hunting needs. The rounded sole breezed through all turf conditions it faced, and was spot-on with touch shots. The hidden cavity behind the high-strength face increased ball speed and we loved the stock True Temper DG pro steel shaft. The understated graphics and clean look will appeal to all players, as well as the premium forged carbon steel with the Turbo Rubber Design vibration dampening system, which allows discretionary weight to be moved to the perimeter for increased forgiveness and a higher MOI.

As an avid golfer and tennis player for most of his life, he enjoys researching the latest in golf and tennis technology as well as analyzing his own game. He has been a writer and reviewer for a dozen years and his work has appeared in numerous publications including CBS, the San Fransisco Chronicle… See more about S. Dee Davis

Prices

By S. Dee Davis

The Cleveland CG (Center of Gravity) Black CB irons are a great combination of additional ball speed off the face, coupled with vibration dampening in the club head in an iron that would appeal to most players looking for a little help to hit great shots. This club, as tested, provided great distance, a consistent ball flight, and the clubs just look damn good. The HT high strength steel face material improves COR and provides increased consistency on shots.

As an avid golfer and tennis player for most of his life, he enjoys researching the latest in golf and tennis technology as well as analyzing his own game. He has been a writer and reviewer for a dozen years and his work has appeared in numerous publications including CBS, the San Fransisco Chronicle… See more about S. Dee Davis

Prices

By S. Dee Davis

The new RSi irons from TaylorMade look amazing and feature vertical face slots on the longer irons that visually help you line up shots quickly and accurately. The feel of the forged carbon-steel face is almost unmatched in the 2015 line-up and the increased ball speed and thus distance is worth noticing from the speed pocket within the sole. Our tests put this iron near the top of the heap, since the performance of the club matched the great feel it provided on long and shorter shots. The forgiveness of these irons is great to witness and truly inspire bolder shots at tucked pins. The two-piece welded construction provides for max feel & superior performance.

As an avid golfer and tennis player for most of his life, he enjoys researching the latest in golf and tennis technology as well as analyzing his own game. He has been a writer and reviewer for a dozen years and his work has appeared in numerous publications including CBS, the San Fransisco Chronicle… See more about S. Dee Davis

Prices

By S. Dee Davis

These new irons from Cobra feature forged carbon steel, and undercuts on the 3 through 7 irons that allow it to flex more off the face. They felt heavier at the head than most we tested, but the playability was very good, with a medium to higher ball flight and better shot-shaping characteristics. Forgiveness was good and the irons were true to shots attempted, with nice accuracy. The generous sweet spot was a nice to have, and the feel was excellent, with plenty of feedback on mishits. The very modern design, which is a feature of most Cobra irons was nice, as well as the cavity back design and minimal offset. Distance was not where we’d like to see these irons, but for control players, these irons would be optimal.

Quick Specs

• 3-PW set, Tungsten inserts in the heel and toe position the CG directly behind impact zone
• Lightweight aluminum backplate encased in Thermoplastic Rubber (TPR) help feel
• Stock KBS Tour shaft, stock Lamkin 3GEN Crossline grip
• Swing weights D3 (3-9), D4 (PW).

Prices

As an avid golfer and tennis player for most of his life, he enjoys researching the latest in golf and tennis technology as well as analyzing his own game. He has been a writer and reviewer for a dozen years… See more about S. Dee Davis

By S. Dee Davis

The new Z 545 satin-finish irons from Srixon would be best suited to mid-handicappers, and their look is super, even if its performance doesn’t quite match it’s style. The distance control was good, and distance was decent, but not in the extreme category. We liked the consistency and feel, and the solid looking clubhead allows you to go after even golf balls buried in the rough. We liked the scoring clubs better than the longer irons, but the longer irons performed well on tight lies and out of fairway bunkers. Features a SUP10 steel face and a soft, ultra-premium 1020 carbon steel body for a smooth feel. The Tour V.T. Sole enhances turf interaction and trajectory control, which we noticed and loved.

Quick Specs

• 3-PW set runs about $999.00
• Launch: mid-high, stock True Temper Dynamic Gold shafts
• Lamkin UTx Full Cord Red grips
• Double laser milling on face, produces two different patterns for better spin.

Prices

As an avid golfer and tennis player for most of his life, he enjoys researching the latest in golf and tennis technology as well as analyzing his own game. He has been a writer and reviewer for a dozen years… See more about S. Dee Davis

By S. Dee Davis

OK the color of the back of the club is not going to improve your game but this club might. It’s probably the most beautiful looking iron I’ve seen. Lots going on in the appearance category. It’s a great club for middle to high handicappers. Lots of weight distribution on the bottom part of the blade and some great mis-hit technology included. The AMP cell has a large sweet spot and Cobra’s new V-Skid design to help avoid digging in too deep. By welding a hot, thin face into the face of the club Cobra claims that you get a better distance. I have to say that I experienced the same on the range. This is not a club you need a high swing speed to execute with.

Quick Specs

• Fujikura Fuel shaft
• $699
• 4-PW
• 4-colors available

Prices

As an avid golfer and tennis player for most of his life, he enjoys researching the latest in golf and tennis technology as well as analyzing his own game. He has been a writer and reviewer for a dozen years… See more about S. Dee Davis

By S. Dee Davis

OK we’ll have to give up some award here for most innovative technology in an iron. The Speed Pocket between the face of the club and the back cavity is an insert made of polyurethane developed by 3M that is supposed to quiet vibration from mis-hits and also allow for better ball speed off the face for improved distance. I did notice perceptible distance advantage with the middle irons when using these clubs though I dont think my control was positively impacted. The Tour version of these irons has a much more refined feel and appearance. The sweet spot is still generous compared to many Tour type irons but is obviously much smaller than the Rockerbladez non-Tour version.

Quick Specs

• Milled Face Texture
• Shaft: KBS Tour
• Shaft: .355 tip
• $899
• 4-PW

Prices

As an avid golfer and tennis player for most of his life, he enjoys researching the latest in golf and tennis technology as well as analyzing his own game. He has been a writer and reviewer for a dozen years… See more about S. Dee Davis