Year In Review: Golf Gear That Stood Out in 2023

Another year of testing golf gear. Another year of surprises.

The fun part about club testing is the unpredictability. There’s no telling who might come out on top. And, in many cases, we even see a great underdog story. Sometimes, though, we also see golf clubs dominate testing. It’s not uncommon to see a golf club completely lap the competition.

As we approach the new year, it’s given us time to reflect on our club testing for 2023 and the things that really stood out. We see, test and hit a lot of clubs so the ability to stand out is quite a superpower.

Here’s the gear (and gear stories) we really took note of in 2023.

PING G430 Hybrid

Data is what we live by and it dominated in that category but it was also in listening to what the testers said about this club. It was like cheating and we all know golf is hard enough. Sometimes it’s nice to have a club that makes the game easier. And that is exactly what this hybrid did for almost all who have hit it.

PING iCrossover

For those who are asking, no, this club is not illegal. But it should be. It’s that good. PING has stumbled upon something with both the iCrossover and this year’s hybrid. And it’s something special. The iCrossover dominated our utility iron testing, beating out the runner-up by an amazing10 points.

Mizuno JPX 923 Hot Metal HL

When you rank first for distance AND forgiveness you are speaking our language. That language is helping golfers. Not only is the Mizuno JPX 923 Hot Metal HL one of the best looking super game-improvement irons we’ve tested, it’s also a stand-out performer across the most important metrics a beginning golfer should be looking for.

TaylorMade MG4 Wedges

When golfers think of wedges, they likely think of Vokey and Cleveland. But TaylorMade has had the best-performing wedge in our testing for three years in a row. If you have never tried one, we think you should. It’s rare that we see this type of monopoly for a golf club franchise. But the Milled Grind wedge family just keeps on churning out winners.

Kirkland Signature Golf Clubs

You just knew this was going to make an appearance, didn’t you? In a world (and game) that’s growing increasingly expensive, the Kirkland Signature line of golf clubs is a refreshing addition to the expanding world of direct-to-consumer brands. This year, we saw the introduction of Kirkland Signature player’s irons and the Kirkland Signature driver. Will they outperform offerings from the major OEMs? That’s still up in the air. That said, they may prove to be a solid offering for someone that’s mostly concerned with the bottom line.

AI Tech

AI isn’t just for CHATGPT, it’s for golf clubs, too. It’s helping golfers shoot lower scores and I think it will only get better. The AI we have seen with the Callaway putters and driver is promising for the future and how much it can benefit golfers.

Higher Prices Lead To Opportunities for Value Brands

Prices are on the rise. Which sounds awful for the golf consumer. But there might be a silver lining and that is that higher prices have created opportunities for brands like Sub 70, Takomo, New Level and Kirkland, etc., to fill the need of the value-conscious golfer.

Srixon Irons

There’s a reason Srixon irons made their way into some of our staff’s bags this year. After our ’23 testing season, it was clear golfers are missing out on some gems hidden in the MKII line up. If that didn’t sell you – they placed in the Top 5 for every category they tested in.

Maxfli Golf Balls

Maxfli topping some of the biggest golf companies when it comes to a quality golf ball was not on my 2023 bingo card but here we are. Our extensive lab and performance testing revealed the Maxfli Tour lineup is a great option to keep your wallet and your game in check.

L.A.B. Resurrects Careers

L.A.B. Putters are known for their “unique” look, sure, but the way they’re single-handedly transforming players’ short games is the real story. Nightclub-promoter-turned-putter-wizard Sam Hahn wanted to make a putter for everyone. Trust us. Lie Angle Balancing isn’t a load of bull. Just like Mom said. “Don’t judge a book by its cover.”

Odyssey Remains Dominant

There’s a good chance an Odyssey putter has been in your bag a time or two. Why? Year after year, the proof remains in the pudding. The 1996 Masters was what put them on the map when Nick Faldo won it with the Original Dual Force Rossie II. The Tri-Hot 5K Rossie S took #1 for Mallets this year. A coincidence? I think not. Dating as far back as our first few Most Wanted Tests, they continue to out perform from five, 10 and 20 feet.