What are the best golf clubs in 2024?
It’s the early days of equipment releases for this year, but there are still some absolute gems left over from last year.
Every club on this page underwent extensive testing on the course and on the range.
Disclaimer: “Best” is our opinion from our testing and we always suggest you do your own test before you buy.
There are too many great irons to put on this page.
So, we tried to get down to the top 3 or so for each handicap range. (Feel free to comment below about how you think our format is working – We are always trying to improve)
Here are links to read about more irons from each handicap category.
The real differences come down to the handicap(s) a given club is geared toward and your personal preference.
In this review of the best golf clubs, I discuss my experience with the clubs, unique features and benefits, and our recommendations.
Our Complete List (Updated For 2024)
Best Complete Set
Best Irons for All Handicaps
- Titleist T350 Irons ( Best for 13ish handicaps to beginners)
- Ping G430 Irons (Best for Mid Handicaps – Beginners)
- Ping G425 Irons (Best for Mid – High Handicaps)
- Mizuno JPX 923 Hot Metal Irons (Best for Mid Handicaps)
- Taylormade Stealth Irons (Best for Mid Handicaps)
- 2023 Titleist T200 Irons (Best for 4ish – 9ish Handicaps)
- Srixon ZX5 MKII Irons (Best for 8ish – 12ish Handicaps)
- 2023 Taylormade P790 Irons (Best for 8 – 12 Handicaps)
- Mizuno JPX 923 Hot Metal Pro Irons (Best for 8 – 12 Handicaps)
- Mizuno JPX 923 Forged Irons (Best for 0 – 9ish Handicaps)
- Srixon ZX7 MKII Irons (Best for 0 – 10ish Handicaps)
- 2023 Titleist T100 Irons (Best for 0 – 5ish Handicaps)
Best Drivers
- Cobra Darkspeed X (Golfer Geeks’ Personal Favorite)
- Callaway Paradym Ai Smoke Driple Diamond (Surprisingly Forgiving)
- Taylormade Qi10 (Wes’s Favorite)
- Taylormade Qi10 Max
- Taylormade Stealth 2
- Taylormade Stealth 2 Plus
- Callaway Paradym
- Callaway Paradym X
Best Wedges
Best Complete Sets
Stix Golf Clubs
Save $50 on Full set w/ Code: GOLFERGEEKS50
- Premium Golf Bag
- Complete 14-Club Set
- Beautiful Black Matt Finish
- Great for Beginners & High Handicaps
- Lack premium refinement
- Grips can be slippery
Stix Golf clubs are our top recommendation for the best complete set of golf clubs for beginners.
What we like:
- Quality material and construction.
- They don’t look cartoonish or bulky, though they do look forgiving and have game-improvement-size heads.
- They get the ball up easily and want to fly straight. Perfect for those just starting out.
- You won’t break the bank but you still get a quality set of clubs.
What we don’t like:
- The wedges seem too small for beginners. Not that they’re unplayable, but I’d like to see larger heads with cavity backs.
I resisted testing these clubs for quite a while. They looked cool enough online, but I don’t generally trust full sets like this or non-major brands when it comes to golf clubs.
Plus, there’s no way I could get close to my specs which means I wouldn’t be able to hit them and give them a fair shake.
Surprise – I didn’t get close to my specs and these are definitely game-improvement clubs. But, I was able to get around the course just fine and score one of my best rounds of the year.
Even on the range, I could tell these clubs were good to go. Every club in that bag wants to go straight. And, it was the same story during my round.
Customer Reviews: Stix Golf has collected (as of this writing) 2710 reviews. 76% are 5-star and 12% are 4-star. (Read our full review here)
Recommendation: Stix Golf clubs are made well and work well. They’re worth a try if you’re thinking of buying a full matching set.
Irons: High Handicaps to Low Handicaps
Titleist T350 Irons
- Launch the ball High & Straight
- Forgiving & Long
- Beautiful Clubs
- Pricey
The new Titleist T350 irons are our new #1 recommendation 13-ish handicaps up to beginner golfers.
What we like:
- Easy to launch and elevate. (crucial for high handicappers)
- Loads of forgiveness and help with distance.
- Great-looking irons. Large forgiving clubheads without being cartoonish or awkward-looking.
What we don’t like:
- The price – Very expensive for beginner and high handicapper irons.
I’m always worried when I test game improvement or super game improvement irons like the T350s.
They usually come with light whippy shafts because they cater to higher handicaps with slower swing speeds. The T350s come with a host of good shaft options that will serve you well as your game progresses.
The clubheads are large, but their design blends this in well. They’re about as sleek as you’ll see in this iron category. (Titleist knows how to build attractive irons)
They feel and sound “clicky” with solid contact, but have zero harshness. The ball flies off the face – without needing great contact.
Conclusion: Excellent irons for beginners or high handicappers.
Recommendation – They’ll cost you a pretty penny, but they perform like a Titleist-built game improvement iron – exceptional.
Ping G430 Irons
- Easy to hit & Elevate
- High trajectory & Straight Ball Flight
- Great distance & forgiveness
- Can shape & flight the ball as well
- Looks, not the best
Ping G430s are our former #1 recommendation for high handicappers and beginners.
What we like:
- The large clubheads are confidence builders for higher handicaps at address.
- They elevate the ball easily with or without great contact.
- Hot all over the face with distance to burn.
- They want to fly high and straight.
- You can still work them left or right, flight them down, or take off distance if that’s part of your game.
- Good playability attributes for when your game matures.
What we don’t like:
- Mediocre looks.
- No noticeable improvement over the G425s.
The lofts are stronger in the G430s and they’ve added more tech for distance. Well-struck shots were about half a club longer for me on the course and I got a couple of crazy-long numbers on my launch monitor.
As with the G425s, center contact is stellar, but slight mishits will get you good results too. I was on or around the greens all day.
Conclusion: We like the larger appearing clubhead for the beginner or high-handicap golfer. But, they’re not a significant improvement over the G425s. I don’t think that would be realistic. The G425s are too good.
Recommendation: Put them at the top of your list if you’re in the market. (Stand pat if you own the G425s).
Ping G425 Irons
- So... so easy to hit
- High trajectory
- Great distance & forgiveness
- Nada
We recommend the Ping G425 irons for any mid-handicap and even better higher handicaps.
They are superb irons and below are a few reasons the love them so much.
- We found them supremely easy to hit and elevate.
- All the distance you need – Stronger lofts are available if you want even more.
- Can hit good shots all day long without needing perfect contact.
- Fantastic feel and sound for a mid-handicap iron.
- You can play any shot you want if you’ve got the game.
I was not expecting the G425s to perform as well as they did. I play soft carbon-steel low handicap irons and I thought the 425s would feel harsh and wooden. No sir. I’m a low handicap ball striker with my irons and these did anything I wanted.
Center contact feels great and slight mishits feel about the same, with no very little loss of distance. There’s a ton of forgiveness built into these irons.
The lofts are already a bit jacked, but Ping offers even stronger lofts if that suits your game.
Customer Reviews: 97% of buyers would recommend Ping G425 irons with an average rating of 4.8 from 218 reviews.
Recommendation: You’re going to want to at least test these. My money is on you keeping them if you do.
Mizuno JPX 923 Hot Metal Irons
- Exceptionally Soft & Solid Feel
- Loads of Distance & Forgiveness
- Absolute Eye Candy
- Great Price
- Nada
We recommend them for 10 – 15 handicaps.
Mizuno JPX 923 Hot Metal irons are the best irons for mid-handicappers.
They’re our #1 game improvement iron Recommendation for a few reasons.
- Buttery, marshmallowy, unbelievably soft (yet solid) feel.
- Incredibly forgiving and easy to hit. Great contact is not needed for good results.
- Exceptional distance.
- Exceptional value – You get a whole LOT of club for the price.
- You can play any shot you want if you’ve got the game.
For this year’s JPX 923s, Mizuno combined Chromoly and Nickel to form Nickel Chromoly which allowed them to make the clubface 8% thinner, yet 35% stronger than last year’s JPX 921s.
- So, the sweet spot is bigger for more forgiveness and distance over a larger portion of the face.
Looks: Solid (A) I like the new design elements and the brushed metal finish. They look forgiving without looking bulky. Perfect for game improvement irons.
Sound/ Feel: (A+++++) Exceptional. Hot Metals are still the champ in the iron world.
Distance: ( A+) All you’ll ever need. Long and consistent, not just “hot”.
Forgiveness: (A+) Best in class. Center contact is heavenly and mishits aren’t far off.
Flight / Playability: (A+) The ball gets up fast and easy and comes down on a green-holding trajectory. You can play them straight and high or shape them as your ability permits.
Value: (A+) This much tech, performance, and beauty at $137/club is kind of silly. (Thank you, Mizuno)
ALLL the good things I had to say about the 921s apply to the 923s.
Conclusion: Continued exceptional feel, performance, forgiveness, distance, and value out of the JPX line.
Recommendation: Just try them. You’ll thank me.
Taylormade Stealth Irons
- Long & Forgiving
- Good Sound & Feel
- Elevates ball easily
- Easy to hit
- Looks...not the best
Stealths are next on our list of best irons for 10 handicaps up to better high handicaps.
They’re Taylormade‘s most forgiving irons and most popular irons…by far. Figures, because most golfers need game improvement irons.
They’ve got all the game improvement features mid and high handicaps need, but are still playable once your game improves.
- You can hit ’em high.
- You can flight them down.
- You can shape them.
Customer Reviews: Average rating of 4.8 with 1034 reviews. 99% (367 of 369) would recommend the Stealths.
Recommendation: Need to be on your shortlist if you’re in the market for new game improvement irons.
2023 Titleist T200 Irons
- Gorgeous Refined Look
- Long & Forgiving
- Fly High & Straight but Workable
- Good Sound & Feel
- Pricey
The 2023 T200 irons are next on our list of best irons. They are “player distance irons” and we think they’re playable by 3ish handicaps up to about 10ish handicaps.
What we like:
- Oustanding upgraded premium design.
- Great feel and sound through impact.
- Quick launch & high trajectory with good contact, but can be flighted and worked either way if that’s part of your game.
- Good distance and a splash of forgiveness.
- Accurate and consistent.
What we don’t like:
- The price…kind of.
I just finished my review of the 2021 T200s (a little late, I know). So, I was fortunate to be able to get my hands on the 2023 T200s so quickly.
The playability of the new 2023 T200s is outstanding, much like the 2021s. But, the new design is to die for. They must have decided it was time for a serious upgrade and they done it good. They look premium and remind me of the T100s. In fact, all T-Series irons got an upgraded design.
You can check out our full review for more details, but you have to give these a try to at least see what I’m talking about.
Bottom Line – Superb player distance irons serious eye candy. Must be on your list to try if you’re in the market.
Srixon ZX5 MKII Irons
- Long & Forgiving
- Improved Sound & Feel
- Stable, Accurate & Consistent
- Nada
Srixon ZX5 MK 2 irons are next on our list of best players distance irons.
What we like:
- Long & forgiving.
- Improved sound & feel.
- Still accurate, solid, & consistent for better scoring.
- Player iron looks with game improvement features.
What we don’t like:
- Nada.
They’re our new favorite irons for better mid-handicappers to low handicappers. Taking over the spot from last year’s ZX5s (still great clubs).
Srixon says the MK IIs are for low to mid-handicaps – And, I agree. Up to about a 10 handicap or so. (Wouldn’t hurt to test them if you’re a little above a 10)
There are definitely game improvement features, but they’re understated, so they don’t have the look of pure game improvement irons.
But, they’re easy to hit and hit consistently. They’re stable through impact and show off on slight mishits.
The ZX5 MK 2s are second only to Mizuno Hot Metals in feel.
Customer Reviews: 53 of 55 reviews are 5-star. 100% of buyers would recommend the ZX5 MKIIs.
Recommendation: You will not be disappointed in their performance and the looks are among the best in class if not the best.
2023 Taylormade P790 Irons
- Long & Forgiving
- Easy launch & high trajectory
- Good sound & feel
- Great looking
- Expensive
The 2023
What we like:
- Long without being hot and inconsistent.
- Launch quickly and go straight by default, but you can flight them down and play all the shots if that’s part of your game.
- Forgiving with Soft & solid feel.
- Still accurate, solid, & consistent for better scoring.
- Player iron looks with game improvement features.
What we don’t like:
- Price – they’ll set you back.
They played about the same as the 2021 P790s for me – which I also like and recommend.
These aren’t just mindless distance clubs. There’s more refinement and you’ve got all the shot-making options you’ll need for scoring your best.
I also like the updated design. I think they’re a touch of class. Check out our full review for more details.
Customer Reviews: Average rating of 4.9 with 283 reviews. 96% would recommend the 2023 P-790s
Recommendation: You’ll love the way they play if you like the way they look.
Mizuno JPX 923 Hot Metal Pro Irons
- Unbelievably Soft & Solid Feel
- Plenty Distance & Forgiveness
- Premium Looks
- Outstanding Value
- Nada
Mizuno JPX 923 Hot Metal Pro irons are next on our list of best irons – players distance category.
What we like:
- Mizuno’s exceptional feel and sound.
- ALL the playability of player irons – shot shaping, flighting, consistency, compact clubhead.
- Mega loads of forgiveness & distance.
- Superb value at ~$137/club.
What we don’t like:
- Nada
I expect greatness from the Mizuno Hot Metal Iron series and I get it every single time.
You will not beat the forgiveness or the distance, the consistency, and certainly not the feel.
All at the lowest price in the category.
Customer Reviews: Mizuno doesn’t collect ’em and the rest of the internets have no ill words for them.
Recommendation: Go to your local golf store and get your hands on them or demo a set from Global Golf. You’ll know
Mizuno JPX 923 Forged Irons
- Best Feel in Golf
- Superb Distance & Forgiveness
- Play all the shots
- Gorgeous
- Reasonable Price
- Still looking
We recommend the Mizuno JPX 923 Forged irons for 0 – 10 Handicaps.
What we like:
- You get every bit of the playability you expect from low-handicap irons.
- Best feel of any iron I’ve ever put my hands on.
- Loads of forgiveness & distance.
- Compact clubhead & clean lines.
- Best price for new premium irons.
What we don’t like:
- Would prefer more traditional (weaker) lofts
Mizuno took everything that was great about the JPX 921 Forged irons and shoved it into a more compact and better-looking clubhead.
We had 20+ mph winds for one of the rounds I played with them. I was able to flight them down into the wind and elevate them with the wind with relative ease. They perform exceptionally well in all conditions.
Customer Reviews: Mizuno doesn’t collect reviews, but everything I’ve read on the clubs themselves is 100% positive.
Recommendation: Go to your local golf store and get your hands on them or demo a set from Global Golf. You’ll know
Srixon ZX7 MKII Irons
Player irons
- Long & Forgiving
- Improved Sound & Feel
- Stable, Accurate & Consistent
- Best Player Iron Value
- Nada
We recommend Srixon ZX7 MK 2 irons for 0 – 10 handicaps.
What we like:
- They have improved feel over last year’s ZX7s.
- Plenty of distance & more forgiving than most player irons.
- Consistent and accurate and can deliver all the player shots.
- Among the best-looking irons on the market.
- Best price for premium irons in 2023.
What we don’t like:
- Nada – Srixon hit their mark.
I knew the ZX7 MK 2s would be good irons, but I wondered if they could improve over the ZX7s. They managed to in a couple of areas. Better feel and a more compact clubhead.
Check out our full review here.
Customer Reviews: 96% of buyers would recommend the ZX7 MK IIs to a friend. 29 reviews total on the Srixon website and with a 4.8 average rating.
Recommendation: These are the best value in the player / low handicap iron category. While sacrificing zero performance. Test them, you’ll see.
2023 Titleist T100 Irons
- Soft & Solid Feel
- Accurate & Consistent
- Great Launch & Trajectory
- Player Looks & Profile
- Can play any shot your skill allows
- Pricey
The 2023 T100s are our best Titleist Irons for 0 to about 8ish handicaps.
What we like:
- Premium looks and design.
- Soft, solid, and stable feel at impact.
- Launch them high and straight or flight and work them any way your skill permits.
- Excellent feel and stability through impact.
- Accurate and consistent.
What we don’t like:
- Pricey
- Excellent clubs, but not a big difference from the 2021 T100s
No surprises here with the new 2023 T100 irons…or with any Titleist irons. They look premium in your hands and set up beautifully behind the ball. The compact heads are the perfect size for players. They do everything Titleist says they’ll do.
The feel remains among the best in the game. The ball gets up quickly with good carry and there’s a touch of forgiveness. More than the 620 CBs below. You aren’t overly punished by minor mishits, but you will pay the price with a loss of distance.
These are precision-scoring clubs. You’ve got to bring your game, and when you do…it’s glorious.
Bottom Line – Continued excellence from Titleist. Superb clubs if you’re willing to spend the money.
- Exceptional Feel & Performance
- Classic Elegant Titleist Design
- Surprisingly long
- Scoring MO-chines
- Nada
We recommendd the Titleist 620 CB irons for 0 – 6ish handicaps.
What we like:
- Exceptional hitting experience: Soft and solid with easy elevation, good carry, and good distance.
- They perform precisely how you would expect premium low-handicap irons to perform.
- Waay more gorgeous than online images suggest. You have to see them in person to appreciate.
What we don’t like:
- Nada
This is the second set of Titleist irons I’ve ever tested. The first being the T200s from a couple years ago, which I loved. So, I had high expectations for the 620 CBs. They were exceeded.
Online images don’t do justice to how beautiful these irons are. From their minimal, elegant design to their perfectly sized compact head. Titleist knows how to do player irons.
I loved them on the range and I loved them on the course. The long irons are a bit much for me, but you can order any iron combo you want. So, no worries. I play hybrids starting with 4-hybrid anyway.
Customer Reviews: There’s not a whole lot out there on the interwebs, but the few I found had nothing but good to say about them.
Recommendation: Try them. I bet you’ll want to keep them. I did.
- Great Sound & Feel
- Surprisingly forgiving
- Excellent playability
- Great looking
- Price
We recommend the Titleist 620 MB irons for 0 – 4 handicaps.
What we like:
- Accurate & Consistent.
- Nice sound and feel.
- Good distance & surprisingly forgiving.
- Great looking clubs.
What we don’t like:
- Nada – they hit their mark.
WYSIWYG (What you see is what you get) These are premium blades and play like them.
I think they’re the best blades on the market for low single-digit handicaps.
They are made for shot-making. Not forgiveness. Not distance. Not easy to launch. If you don’t bring it, you’re not going to find it.
Having said all that – Slight mishits (where I live) weren’t punished too harshly.
I was able to get around the course with them fine.
- Distance and ball flight were good for me when I made good contact and left me on or around the green – just a little short.
There are better options out there for those of us that don’t make a habit of wearing out the sweet spot.
I require a touch more forgiveness – like with the CBs or Callaway Rouge ST Pros above.
Customer Reviews: Again, not a whole lot out there. But, what there is positive. Complaints center around shipping and delays and such.
Recommendation: You’d be hard-pressed to find better blades. Worth a test at your local golf store or through Global Golf.
Best Drivers
Taylormade Qi10 Driver
- Long & Forgiving
- Superb Sound & Feel
- Premium Looks
- Not a significant upgrade over the Stealth 2
The Taylormade Qi10 is our new #1 Recommendation for best golf driver of 2024…so far. (we’ve still got more testing to do)
What we like:
- The best combination of playability, forgiveness, and distance.
- Improved sound & feel over the Stealth 2.
- Premium looks.
What we don’t like:
- Still not a fan of paying $600 for a driver.
Wes is a former club fitter and current scratch golfer and equipment nerd, was the primary tester.
He found the hitting experience much improved over the Stealth 2 (a club he does not like). He strongly prefers the sound and feel of the Qi10, and he found it more forgiving, too – by just a smidge.
I also took the Qi10 (and the Qi10 Max) out on the course over the course of a round and a half. I skipped around my course, hitting multiple drives per hole.
Customer Reviews: 97 % would recommend it to a friend. Average 4.7 rating out of 75 reviews.
Bottom line – Premium driver at a premium price. Needs to be on your list to test if you’re in the market.
Cobra Darkspeed X Driver
- Superb Sound & Feel
- Long & Forgiving
- Looks great at address
- Plain cosmetics
The new Darkspeed Max driver from Cobra is next on our list of best beginner drivers.
What we like:
- Best sound and feel in the category (other than the LTDx models).
- Ample forgiveness and distance. Covered up for all but my worst swings.
- Launches the ball well with good carry.
- Cobra has the best prices for premium drivers.
What we don’t like:
- I like the black color scheme, but I need more contrast to frame the ball better at address.
Launch Monitor Data (Wes’s)
Club | Club Speed | Ball Speed | Carry Distance | Total Distance | Vertical Launch | Peak Height |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Darkspeed Max | 117 | 167 | 277 | 299 | 10* | 102 ft |
As usual (starting this year), Wes was the first to hit the Darkspeed Max for golfer Geeks. He liked everything about it, but as an elite-level amateur driver, he likes more workability.
I, on the other hand, had no real complaints other than what I mentioned above. I already knew Cobra made great drivers with great sound and feel. I’d been fighting my swing for months and the Darkspeed Max saved all but my worst swings over and over again during my rounds.
I think it deserves your attention if forgiveness, distance, and ease of use are what you look for in a driver.
Customer Reviews: Average rating of 5 out of 5 reviews at.(1)
Recommendation: A nice option for those who want less stress off the tee. It offers plenty of help with distance and forgiveness.
Callaway Paradym Ai Smoke Triple Diamond Driver
- Solid sound & feel
- Surprisingly forgiving
- Easy to launch high
- Good distance
- Not in love with the cosmetics
I never thought this driver would make it on this page…but here we are. (it’s that good)
What we like:
- Surprisingly forgiving and easy to launch.
- Plenty long.
- Best sound and feel of the Ai Smoke family.
What we don’t like:
- Nada.
My experience with the Ai Smoke Triple Diamond
I hit this driver (almost) unbelievably well. I’d never been able to hit a low spin driver well in my testing. Unless you count the Stealth 2 Plus (I still can’t believe it’s supposed to be low spin). So, I left them off my lists for the most part. I just couldn’t do them justice.
My very first drive went dead straight, on a mid-high trajectory, and plenty long. And it sounded and felt great. I almost hit it on a lark. But it was no lark. I hit it well that entire round.
Then I played 3 more after that. Same thing. Many, many hit fairways or, otherwise, good drives with good looks into the green.
My driver swing is in good shape right now. But that hasn’t helped me in the past with low spin drivers. I’m not sure why the Ai Smoke is different, but it is different.
So much so, that I’ve put it on my list of recommendations for mid handicap golfers to test. I think you’ve got a shot at playing this driver.
The head is 450cc, compared to 460cc for most drivers these days. Although the head looks a little compact, it isn’t intimidating in the lease.
Customer Reviews: Average rating of 4.9 out of 13 reviews at callawaygolf.com.(1) Everyone raves about the distance and forgiveness.
- The one 4-star review was because of a 1-week shipping delay.
Recommendation: Give this one a try if you’re reasonably good off the tee.
Taylormade Qi10 Max Driver
- Exceptional Forgiveness & Distance
- Great Sound & Feel
- Premium Looks
- Great Launch & Trajectory
- Not a significant upgrade over Stealth 2 drivers
The new Taylormade Qi10 Max earned its way on our list of best golf drivers in our “max forgiveness” category.
What we like:
- Superb forgiveness and distance across the face.
- Excellent feel and sound.
- Premium cosmetics and looks great at address.
- Launches your golf ball quickly and carries on a nice high trajectory.
What we don’t like:
- Still not in love with $600 drivers.
Our expert tester Wes, put the Qi10 Max through its paces and came away more than impressed. Center contact was heavenly, as you would expect. But, the Qi10 really makes it money when you miss the sweet spot.
Heel and toe strikes lose maybe 5 yards or so – basically, nothing when talking about a driver. Even Wes’s funkiest swings left his drives just off the fairway.
The Qi10 Max delivers on its promise. All we ask for from a driver…especially at $600.
Customer Reviews: Average rating of 4.7 out of 51 reviews at taylormadegolf.com.
- The 4-star reviews didn’t offer any complaints and were complimentary.
- The less than 4-star reviews basically said they haven’t noticed a big improvement over whatever they had before.
Recommendation: Give this driver a try if you consistently struggle with contact off the tee, regardless of handicap. You’ll likely have found your next driver.
Taylormade Stealth 2 Driver
- Superb Sound & Feel
- Solid, Long & Forgiving
- Great looking driver
- Pricey
The Taylormade Stealth 2 Driver is our favorite new driver of 2023.
What we like:
- Superb distance and most forgiving driver tested in 2023.
- Superb sound & feel. Nice improvement over last year’s Stealth.
- Improved cosmetics. They’ve gone from a flat finish to gloss and it works well.
- I love the muted sound on impact.
What we don’t like:
- Price – still not used to paying $600 for a new driver.
I’m still an inconsistent driver – this year more than last – but I was able to connect on quite a few drives with the Stealth 2 on the course. (Not so much on the range or on my practice mat.)
Good swings and solid contact yield bombs. Mediocre swings will still get you good distance and a good shot into the green. All you can ask of a driver.
Taylormade made actual improvements with the Stealth 2 line of drivers. That’s not something I can say often. Good on them.
Most negative reviews center around quality control – The head – or pieces of the head – are just breaking. Specifically, the red carbon ring that goes around the rear of the sole.
- I’ve seen no sign of this.
- I’ve had mine a couple of months and it’s in perfect condition. I’ll keep an eye out and report back here on what I see.
Customer Reviews: 95.28% would recommend to a friend. Average 4.7 rating out of 5 from 331 reviews.
Recommendation: Premium driver at a premium price. Needs to be on your list to test if you’re in the market.
Taylormade Stealth 2 Plus Driver
- Excellent Sound & Feel
- Long & Forgiving
- Much improved Looks
- Price
The Taylormade Stealth 2 Plus Driver is next on our list of best drivers for 2023. (Could be first, their performance is so close)
What we like:
- Premium sound and feel. The original Stealth Plus had good sound and feel, the Stealth 2 Plus is better.
- Updated cosmetics for a more premium look. The blacks and reds really pop now.
- Even better distance and playability on mishits.
What we don’t like:
- Price tag – $630 is a lot for one club.
The Stealth 2 Plus is in my regular rotation of drivers. Often, driving is the best part of my game these days. (Never thought I’d type those words) It’s not that I make center contact all the time or make great swings.
It’s that mediocre swings aren’t punished and I still end up with good distance and a shot into the green. Which is all I want from my driver.
Customer Reviews: 90% would recommend it to a friend. Average 4.7 rating out of 5 from 782 reviews.
- There seem to be some quality control issues with the heads breaking. This hasn’t been my experience.
Bottom line – This driver fits most golfers and has improved in sound, feel, cosmetics, and maybe a little distance over last year’s Stealth Plus.
Callaway Paradym Driver
- Flat Out Gorgeous
- Superb Sound & Feel
- Solid, Long & Forgiving
- Pricey
The Callaway Paradym driver is one of our favorite new drivers for a few reasons.
What we like:
- Large sweet spot for great forgiveness and loads of distance.
- It keeps you in play when you aren’t swinging your best.
- Superb sound & feel – reminiscent of the Mavrik driver from a couple years ago (the gold standard)
- Best looking driver I’ve seen in years.
What we don’t like:
- Pricey.
It’s made for and is an excellent driver for most golfers, from low to high handicaps or beginners.
I enjoy hitting the Paradym because it turns my mediocre swings into fairways hit or at least a decent shot into the green. Which, is all I ask of a driver.
My driver swing has been more sporadic this year than last, so I really need help off the tee. When I manage a good swing, the Paradym sends it. When not so good, I still have a play into the green.
It didn’t save my worst swings, but that’s not reasonable.
Customer Reviews: 98% of reviewers would recommend to a friend.
Recommendation: Premium driver at a premium price. Needs to be on your list to test if you’re in the market.
Callaway Paradym X Driver
- Premium Distance & Forgiveness
- Excellent Sound & Feel
- Best Looking Driver of the Year(s)
- Nada
The new Paradym X driver is my favorite Callaway driver and the most forgiving best Callaway driver.
What we like:
- Largest sweet spot in the Callaway driver lineup.
- Superb distance on center contact and great distance with minor mishits.
- Superb sound & feel (just like the Paradym)
- THE best looking driver I’ve seen in years (also just like he Paradym).
What we don’t like:
- Price
The Paradym X is the Paradym but with more distance away from the sweet spot. I really enjoy playing and hitting the Paradym. But, I enjoy the Paradym X even more because it’s a touch more forgiving.
I hit some truly great and beautiful drives with the Paradym X during my round with it. I think it’s an exceptional driver for those of us that are mediocre off the tee.
Customer Reviews: 97% of reviewers would recommend to a friend. (I have no idea what the 3% were smoking)
Recommendation: Premium driver and premium forgiveness at a premium price. Needs to be on your list to test if you’re in the market.
- Long & Forgiving as any
- Superb Feel & Sound
- Playable by any handicap
- Large head may turn off some low single digit handicaps
The Cobra LTDx driver remains one of our favorite drivers for a couple of reasons.
What we like:
- Easy to hit.
- It’s long and forgiving.
- Best in class feel and sound.
What we don’t like:
- Getting harder to find.
The Cobra LTDx was a large surprise for me. I’d never hit a Cobra driver before and didn’t know quite what to expect. Now I do. Great feel, great sound, excellent forgiveness and distance.
I’m a mediocre driver – as I’ve said countless times on this website. My driving became a weapon with the LTDx in my hands. I don’t know how else to put it.
The graphics and looks of the club don’t quite match its elite performance. That’s my only gripe.
Customer Reviews: 27 reviews and 27 5-star reviews at cobragolf.com. (I concur)
Recommendation: The LTDx needs to be on your list of drivers to test if you’re in the market. Guaranteed you won’t return it because of performance.
Best Fairway Woods
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- Best Sound & Feel
- Very good off the tee & fairway
- Easy ball launch & high trajectory
- Long & Forgiving
- New clubs getting scarce
The Cobra RadSpeed fairway wood is our #1 Recommendation for a couple reasons.
- Performs equally well from the tee, fairway, or the rough. The RadSpeed is the most versatile wood of the bunch
The RadSpeed is a superior performer from marginal lies and is also great off the tee and the fairway.
The RadSpeed fairway woods come in 4 flavors:
- RadSpeed Fairway: the high launch and forgiving option
- RadSpeed Big Tour Fairway: slightly oversize, mid launch, fastest ball speed, and penetrating flight
- RadSpeed Tour Fairway: compact, mid-low launch, most workable.
- RadSpeed Draw Fairway: mid launch, most forgiving and anti-slice
We recommend the RadSpeed Fairway for any handicap golfer. It provides what we look for in fairway woods:
- Easy launch
- High trajectory
- Forgiveness
- Distance
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- Loads of Distance & Forgiveness
- Looks great at address
- Not the best sound
The Taylormade Stealth fairway woods absolutely maul golf balls.
If you want hot, they deliver hot. They’re forgiving too. I made my go-to club off the tee during my round.
- Players wanting “player” looks in a clubhead (especially at address) with a generous sweet spot for tons of distance & forgiveness.
It’s long, forgiving, easy on the eyes and will set you back a nice penny.
I found it to be rocket-hot most anywhere on the face. It wants to keep you playable too.
Just be prepared to empty your wallet.
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Best Wedges
- Exceptional spin rates
- Superb feel & distance control
- Available in several finishes & grinds
- Nada
The new Vokey SM9 is our Editor’s Pick for best wedge of 2023.
What we like.
- Best spin rates tested.
- Best feel and superb distance control.
- Can play any shot you can dream up.
- Variety of finishes and grinds available.
What we don’t like:
- Too many grinds – Confusing for the average consumer.
We expected the SM9 to do well and we weren’t disappointed. There’s a reason Titleist consistently makes the most in-demand wedges in the game.
They produce tons of spin from full shots to partial shots. And, their spin numbers are consistent. We’re talking 100 rpm differences, from swing to swing on the Foresight GC3 launch monitor.
Whereas the other wedges tested had vary by as much as 500 rpm from shot to shot. (Not as ideal for control and scoring)
Recommendation: If your short game needs spin and consistency, this is where to find it.
- Impressive distance control
- Great feel on both long and short shots
- Not too soft coming off the face of the club
- Spin, regardless of the lie
- Zilch
The Callaway JAWS RAW Chrome wedge is next on our list of best wedges.
What we like.
- Consistently high spin rates on full, partial, and short game shots and from all lies.
- Good distance control and good feel.
- Variety of finishes and grinds available.
What we don’t like:
- High, but not the highest spin rates. (This is nitpicking)
This new Callaway wedge is a solid step up from past Callaway wedges.
Our testing on the GC3 launch monitor and on the course revealed high spin numbers from the RAW Chrome from every distance and from all lies.
Spin numbers weren’t as consistent at the SM9 on the launch monitor, but you won’t notice it on the course. These are scoring machines.
Recommendation: If you want a classic-looking wedge with modern technology and Roger Cleveland’s expertise, the Jaws Raw Chrome is it.
- Superb distance control on finesse shots
- Excellent spin numbers on full shots
- Milled grind improves turf interaction
- Slightly larger profile and more rounded look
- Darker chrome finish for less glare
- Less distance on full swings
The new Taylormade MG4 Wedge is next on our list of best sand wedges of 2023.
What we like.
- Impressive & consistent turf interaction.
- Great feel and great trajectory and distance control.
- Beaucoup spin on partial and finesse shots.
- Incredible out of the sand.
- Best distance wedge tested.
What we don’t like:
- Distance loss on full swings.
The MG4 is a short-game weapon. It was the easiest wedge to dial in awkward yardages we tested and felt great while doing it. Our tester had a ball from 50-80 yards.
It’s a considerable upgrade from the MG3, which we just tested.
Recommendation: An excellent scoring wedge if you’ve got the game.
Final Verdict
This is mostly subjective as all major and most minor golf manufacturers put out high-quality products these days.
It’s up to your game and your eye to decide. Start testing and have some fun.
Thanks for checking out our review of the best golf clubs on the market in 2024.
