We trawl through all the clubs launched this year and based on our vigorous testing, pick out our favourite golf clubs currently on the market.
Best Golf Clubs
What are the best golf clubs this year? Well, whereas in many sports you use just one implement for every shot, in golf you get to choose your 14 best golf clubs to get you from tee to green on every hole.
Finding those 14 best golf clubs for your game will take a bit of time and thought as you work out the line-up that will give you your very best chance of shooting your very best scores.
At Golf Monthly, we test and review hundreds of clubs every year from manufacturers right across the spectrum to pick out what we feel are the best golf drivers, to the best golf irons, to the best putters.
This year, a raft of cracking new golf clubs has been launched and so we thought it would help to pick out some of our favourites should you be looking to upgrade.
You’ll also find links through to reviews, videos and other buyer’s guides in which we highlight more of the best golf clubs out there.
Best Golf Clubs
Best Drivers
The driver is one of the hardest clubs to hit in the bag and getting the right one can install confidence on the tee that can filter down to the rest of your game.
When it comes to drivers, brands have showed no sign of slowing down when it comes to innovation. So perhaps a new big stick could be just what you need to get your season off to a flier.
A big focus with the best golf drivers this year has been placed on forgiveness – making sure your mishits don’t stray too far offline while also limiting the amount of distance you lose.
Below, we have picked three of our favourite drivers from 2021 but if you’re looking for something more specific, check out our list of the most forgiving drivers, the best drivers for beginners and the best drivers for distance.
Titleist TSi3 Driver
Best For Performance
+ Softer-looking toe enhances the visuals over TS3
+ New crown design improves aerodynamics for more ball speed
– Some may find it a little tricky to line up
We feel the TSi3 is Titleist’s best ever driver and easily one of the best golf club out there right now
One of the best Titleist drivers ever made and one of the best golf clubs out there right now.
The ‘i’ in the TSi3 driver stands for impact, innovation and inertia, with important design changes helping to increase club speed, ball speed and forgiveness compared to TS3
The crown has a new shape that reduces aerodynamic drag by up to 15 per cent versus the TS drivers to help increase clubhead speed.
The clubface inserts are made of ATI 425, an aerospace grade titanium with a very high strength-to-weight ratio plus enhanced elasticity and durability.
To fine-tune set-up, there’s a new SureFit CG Track around the rear skirt of the driver ,with five positions for the 8g weight to slot into to manipulate shot shape and launch characteristics.
Because it’s positioned at the very back of the head, it increases stability on off-centre hits for more forgiveness.
Callaway Epic Speed Driver
Best For Adjustability
+ Streamlined shape increases clubhead speed with the same effort
+ Three models cater for different swing types
– Compact address profile could be intimidating.
Image credit: Callaway
The new line of Epic 21 drivers feature the next generation of Jailbreak called Speed Frame designed using Artificial Intelligence to form a completely new shape, connecting with the head at four different points top and bottom to provide extra rigidity in the horizontal direction.
The result, Callaway say, is a five per cent increase in efficiency and when combined with a lighter triaxial carbon crown and enhanced face design unique to every loft, should increase ball speed and forgiveness as well as spin consistency.
There are three models to choose from. The Epic Speed is the fastest as it has the same cyclone shape as last year’s Mavrik driver where the tail of the driver lifts up to improve airflow over the head during the swing to increase clubhead speed for the same amount of effort.
Callaway Epic Speed Driver Review
Cobra Radspeed Driver
Best For Value
+ Adjustable sole weights to alter launch and spin
+ Three models to choose from
– Lowering spin to increase distance reduces playability
Image credit: Cobra Golf
The name comes from the Radial weighting, whereby the distance between the front and back weights has been increased to create a more optimum blend of faster ball speed with low spin and forgiveness to maximise performance for all player types.
In the three Radspeed drivers, Cobra has managed to significantly increase something called the radius of gyration, which is the distance from the club’s centre of gravity to each weight location, to produce extra yardage in different ways.
Whichever head you go for – the standard, the draw bias XD or the larger XB – you’ll find its one of the best golf clubs to use confidently off the tee.
The 460cc Radspeed driver has forward-biased weighting with 28g positioned in the front, (16g fixed, 12g adjustable) and 10g in the back (8g fixed, 2g adjustable). The two adjustable weights can be interchanged to fine-tune the desired launch and spin performance.
Best Fairway Woods
The fairway wood has evolved in recent years to be one of the most versatile clubs you can buy. With enhanced materials and technologies, the best fairway woods can help you find distance and consistency from the tee, they are also playable from the short grass and can even be effective from the rough or around the greens.
This is often the toughest part of the bag to fill. We know what type of driver we like the look and sound of and irons can soon be fitted into position but, if you’re able to find some insurance off the tee (and some of these might outpace your current driver) and/or some more lofted woods, then you can look at your home course through new eyes.
We’ve selected three of our favourites from 2021 here. You can check out our full list of the best fairway woods or, if you are after something more specific, we have guides on the best fairway woods for high handicappers, most forgiving fairway woods and best fairway woods for mid handicappers.
Cobra Radspeed Fairway
Best All-Round Performer
+ Baffler rails aid turf interaction, especially out of bad lies
+ Four models to suit every player
+ Excellent value for money
– Limited improvements over previous generation
RRP: £229 | Lofts: 14.5°, 18.5°, 22.5°
This year’s Cobra Radspeed features a quartet of fairway woods, meaning Cobra have every golfer covered this year. Each new fairway wood features Cobra’s signature Baffler Hollow Split Rails, which increases flexion on the leading edge by 70 per cent to increase speed while still providing excellent turf interaction.
The four heads include the standard Radspeed, the larger Radspeed Big Tour, the draw bias Radspeed Draw and a more compact Tour five wood.
The standard Radspeed fairway features CNC Milled Infinity Face for the first time as well as 16g and 7g weights in the front and back respectively. This gives you quite a scope for adjusting the preferred ball flight, whether you want forward for lower spin or back for higher launch.
Ping G425 Max Fairway Wood
Best For Forgiveness
+ One of the best golf clubs for all-round forgiveness
+ Three models to suit different player types.
– Dot system on the crown won’t suit everyone’s eye
RRP: £299 | Lofts: 14.5°, 17.5°, 20.5°, 23.5°
Unlike its predecessor, the Ping G425 fairway wood has a one-piece face, rather than a steel face insert, which has increased ball speeds on the G425 by up to 1.5mph.
This has translated into one of the most forgiving woods on the market gaining a decent amount of distance. This year’s lineup again features three different heads, the Max, LST and SFT, meaning there is a head for every golfer. The Max head is the all-rounder and Ping have removed the turbulators from the crown, making for a much cleaner, matte aesthetic. The LST, Low Spin, and SFT, Straight Flight, heads are a great option for the golfer who wants a lower spinning head or a draw-bias head respectively.
The adjustable hosel with eight settings allows you to change both loft and lie, meaning you can tweak the G425 to more precise specifications.
Titleist TSi2 Fairway Wood
Tour Favourite
+ Classic, traditional shape and aesthetics
+ Excellent all-round performance
– More compact look may be intimidating for some
(Image credit: Titleist)
RRP: £279 | Lofts: 15°, 16.5°, 18°, 21°
Simplicity is key with the Titleist TSi2 fairway wood. A classic, clean black look at address is accompanied by a nice size head that inspires plenty of confidence off a tee or off a fairway lie.
It launches nice and high and is super forgiving across the face, thanks to the deeper and lower CG. This makes it a thoroughly playable fairway wood for golfers up and down the handicap range. Plenty of adjustment in the hosel and five different lofts mean it’s easy to find the right fit. For the slower swinger, we would recommend the Titleist TSi1 as a great option.
Titleist TSi2 Fairway Wood Review
Best Golf Hybrids
Matching the correct hybrid to your game can transform your scoring – but there is a lot to consider before committing to a purchase.
A hybrid, or rescue, is often more appealing than a long iron thanks to the extra forgiveness on offer and a more confidence-inspiring head.
They can provide a superb option on long par 3s, can be great to hit low shots out the trees and can even help around the greens from bare lies. In short, a hybrid is the most versatile club you can carry and one of the best golf clubs you’ll have in the bag.
Below, we’ve picked out three of our favourite hybrids currently on the market and you can also check out our full list of the best golf hybrids. If you’re after something a bit different in the hybrid market, check out our guides on the most forgiving hybrids, the best hybrids for high handicappers and the best hybrids for seniors.
Callaway Apex Hybrid
Best For Distance
+ One of the longest hybrids
+ Impressive forgiveness levels
– On the expensive side
The Apex hybrid is one of the best golf clubs to get in the bag for out and out distance.
Callaway has enjoyed huge success not just with its hybrids, but also in the driver and fairway wood categories of late, and with just two models in the hybrid range this year, the Callaway Apex makes our list. It features many of the same technologies as its predecessors, but the jailbreak technology has been given an upgrade.
Artificial intelligence was once again key to the design of the new Jailbreak Velocity Blades that are angled and more spread out than they have been in any model since it was first introduced in 2016. The result is more forgiveness across the face and more speed, particularly at the bottom of the club where golfers often mishit their shots.
In addition, the blades also allow the Face Cup to flex more for consistent spin rates and therefore, flight.
Tungsten weight has been specifically placed into each loft offering to lower the CG and create a club that promotes high launch and forgiveness.
Callaway has also unveiled the Apex Pro hybrid, which is aimed at lower-handicap players who prefer more of an iron look, but we really liked the overall performance on offer with the standard Apex model that is available in 3H through to 6H.
Callaway Apex Hybrid Review
Mizuno CLK Hybrid
Confidence Inspiring Model
+ Adjustable to help with distance gapping
+ Powerful feel off the face
– Dirt gathers in the sole slots
Mizuno’s new CLK hybrid has been designed to offer golfers a versatile, high-performing connection between irons and fairway woods and our testing showed it to be one of the best golf hybrids you can buy.
The new Dual Wave sole technology has been designed to create a wider profile at address and a higher ball flight to help the player attack tighter pins.
There are also several structural refinements to ensure a solid sound at impact. Meanwhile, the adjustable hosel has eight loft and lie settings.
We like how the wide, flat crown sits flush to the turf, which is sure to give many golfers that little extra confidence they need with a hybrid.
Titleist TSi2 Hybrid
Best For Forgiveness
+ Exceptional forgiveness
+ Fast ball speeds and strong, towering flight
– Glossy crown does produce glare from the sun in certain angles
Featuring the fastest hybrid face Titleist has ever made, the TSi2 delivers faster ball speeds and excellent forgiveness.
The head is bigger than the lower spinning TSi3 but smaller than the TSi1, making it an extremely versatile hybrid suitable for golfers of all levels.
A lower CG means that not only will golfers enjoy greater speed off the face, but they’ll have no trouble getting the ball in the air.
It comes in three different lofts – 18°, 21° and 24° – but thanks to Titleist’s patented SureFit hosel, golfers can take advantage of the 16 individual loft and lie settings available, something we found very useful when testing from round to round in ever-changing conditions.
While the other two models offer something different, the TSi2 was the most consistent and easiest to hit, delivering excellent feel and inspiring loads of confidence.
Best Golf Irons
Getting the best golf irons to suit your game could make all the difference to your on-course performance. Good iron play will give you scoring opportunities and the potential to knock strokes off your handicap.
Whatever style you’re looking for, you want to feel comfortable and confident with the irons you choose. A set of irons is one of the most expensive purchases in golf and it can be a minefield trying to make the right decision.
We’ve picked out three of our favourites from 2021 but you can also check out our full guide of the best golf irons from this year.
If you’re an improving player, you should probably look towards the best game improvement irons, or some of the most forgiving irons on the market to help your iron play.
Alternatively if you have a slightly lower handicap then the best compact mid-handicap irons might give you a variety of models to consider because they give a blend of consistency and feel.
Mizuno JPX921 Forged Irons
+ Thin face and fast ball speeds
+ Low and deep centre of gravity
– Not as easy to work the ball as with the JPX921 Tour model
The best Mizuno irons are famed for high-quality performance in every way and this JPX 921 Forged design continues that trend.
The JPX921 Forged integrates the power of Mizuno’s Chromoly 4120 metal into a full-body forged iron for the very first time, yet it feels like a traditional forged iron.
Chromoloy 4120 – originally found in Mizuno’s Hot Metal irons – allows the clubface to be 0.5mm thinner. This paves the way to the fastest ever ball speeds from a full-body forged Mizuno iron.
There’s forgiveness too courtesy of additional perimeter weighting with a toe bias. This Stability Frame maximises results on off-centre strikes.
Yet the JPX921 Forged irons retain a sleek, compact profile – shorter blade lengths throughout, a beveled trailing edge and reduced offset. They are definitely one of the best compact mid-handicap irons and best golf clubs on the market right now.
Mizuno JPX921 Forged Irons Review
Wilson Staff D9 Irons
Best For Distance
+ Supreme distance with good ball flight
+ Aesthetically appealing and competitively priced
– Lightweight feel takes some getting used to
The Wilson Staff D9 irons offer a clean, classic look with top distance performance in a competitively-priced package.
The D9 has a lightweight feel, ideal for those with a moderate to slow swing speed as it is easy to swing this club fast. This also contributes to a high launch, which we found surprising considering the strong loft on the 7-iron.
The D in D9 stands for distance and this club certainly delivers on that front too. When we tested the 7-iron we were finding it carried consistently over the 190 yard mark which was a considerable distance more than the other game-improvement, distance irons launched this year. Competitively priced and clearly the longest club on the market in 2021, the D9 is as close to the perfect game improvement iron as you can find and easily one of the best golf clubs on the market right now.
TaylorMade P7MC Irons
Best For The Better Players
+ Good blend of feel and workability
+ Excellent turf interaction
– Scope for blending sets with P7MB and 770 could hurt resale value
The TaylorMade P7MC iron, featuring a classic shape and minimal offset and has proved to be one of the best golf club on Tour as well as for amateur golfers.
The muscle cavity design delivers control and precision, while perimeter weighting offers just the right level of forgiveness. It delivers an impressive combination of distance and accuracy.
Turf interaction with the P7MC is excellent, with its more rounded sole gliding through the turf with minimal snagging.
Although it’s aimed at the lower handicapper, improving players looking for a transitional club to help them move the ball around a little more should add it to their test list.
Best Wedges
If you are serious about improving your performance from 100 yards and in, and most importantly around the greens, getting the best wedge for you cannot be understated in its importance.
There are a few key things you should consider though. For example what bounce angle will suit your action, and which lofts you’ll need, something that may depend on how many wedges you want to carry.
You should also have a think about what finish you want on your wedge because most models these days come in satin, chrome, black or other finishes. Additionally with some of the models below you can create a custom wedge too.
Below we’ve picked out three of our favourites out there currently, but you can also check out our full list of the best golf wedges.
Alternatively, you can take a look at our guide on the most forgiving wedges, best sand wedges and best wedges for chipping, where we go into more detail on some specific types of wedges.
Titleist Vokey SM8 Wedge
Best All Rounder
Image credit: Titleist
Lofts: 46 to 62 degrees
Grind options: 6 (F, M, S, D, L, K)
Finish: 5 (Tour Chrome, Brushed Steel, Jet Black, Slate Blue, Raw)
As you would expect the iconic Vokey is one of the best golf wedges on the market. Titleist says the SM8 is the most accurate and forgiving Vokey wedge to date, which is down to a forward shift of the CG to a position that actually hovers in front of the wedge face.
This boosts MOI (up to a 7 per cent increase in the higher lofts) producing a more solid feel, improved ball flight and a club face that wants to square up at impact for more consistent results – which has been achieved by lengthening the hosels and counterbalancing that weight with high-density tungsten low in the toe.
The patented Spin Milled grooves remain but there are lots more wedge options to choose from now.
Golfers can select from six Tour-proven sole grinds – F, S, M, K, L and D, as well as five finishes – Tour Chrome, Brushed Steel, Jet Black, Slate Blue, plus the tour-preferred Raw finish (custom order only).
In testing, we found the SM8 wedges produced more consistent direction and distance than SM7 without sacrificing the solid feel, versatility and aggressive spin control we come to expect from Vokey wedges
Titleist Vokey SM8 Wedge Review
Callaway Jaws Mack Daddy 5 Wedge
Best For The Better Player
Image credit: Callaway
Lofts: 46-64 degrees
Grind options: 5 (S, W, C, X, L-W)
Finish: 3 (Platinum Chrome, Tour Grey, Custom)
The Jaws MD5 wedges are constructed from 8620 mild carbon steel and the Centre of Gravity (CG) of the wedges is precisely placed to create a soft, crisp feel.
A big focus has also been on the shape of the wedge, with Roger Cleveland using his 23 years of experience to create a profile that is appealing from all angles.
Anyone going through a fitting process – which is a must given the wide variety of loft and grind options – can be certain that they are equipped with the best possible tools to hit those scoring shots into and around the greens.
Callaway Jaws Mack Daddy 5 Wedge Review
Cleveland RTX ZipCore Wedge
Best For Greenside Control
+ One of the best-looking wedges on the market
+ Wide range of loft and grind options
– Fewer sole grinds compared to the outgoing RTX-4
Lofts: 46-62 degrees
Grind options: 3 (Low, Mid, Full)
Finish: 3 (Tour Satin, Black Satin, Tour Raw)
The RTX is Cleveland’s tour-driven wedge family, designed for better players seeking feel, versatility and spin control in a traditional look.
The foundation of the RTX ZipCore wedge, which replaces RTX 4, is a unique core at the heart of the muscleback design that is four times lower density than the steel head it lies within.
This frees up 10-15g of weight, along with the shape of the head, to make the sweetspot better aligned with impact location by shifting the centre of gravity away from the hosel.
We found the RTX ZipCore to be a surprisingly user-friendly muscleback wedge that puts control at the heart of the performance, which also made it worthy of inclusion in our best gap wedges guide too because the control on offer allows it to blend well with irons.
Meanwhile, the sole grinds ensure golfers have the versatility to play the shots that come most comfortable to them around the greens.
Cleveland RTX ZipCore Wedge Review
Best Putters
Widely renowned as the most important club in the bag, the putter is where countless shots can be saved. Therefore finding the right one for you is imperative and because there are so many options and styles to choose from.
Many manufacturers are actually reducing the number of head shapes in their ranges and focusing on improved looks, feel and roll from their more compact collections.
Of course, there is still the choice to be made between different styles of putter – a blade, mid-mallet or mallet. Blade style putters tend to suit ‘feel’ players with a stronger arc to their putting stroke, moving up into mallets that suit golfers who require extra alignment assistance and/or have much less rotation in their putting stroke.
We’ve picked out three of our favourite putters right now below and you can read our full guide to the best putters where we feature a whole range of putters from different styles and price points.
Additionally we have also created specific guides on the best mallet putters, the best women’s putters and if you are just starting up in the game, the best putters for beginners.
Scotty Cameron Special Select Putters
Best Premium Putters
+ Beautiful looks as ever with Scotty putters
+ 8 blade and mallet styles to choose from
– It’s a premium product so you’ll be paying a premium price!
The tour-inspired Scotty Cameron Special Select range – one of the best Scotty Cameron putters created – adds a new dimension to several classic Scotty styles. There are eight models in all from the sleek Newport blade to the Flowback 5.5 mid-mallet. Each Special Select model is milled from a block of solid 303 stainless steel
Tour preferences are for sleeker profiles, plus slightly thinner and flatter toplines, and these have been incorporated into the new Special Select models.
A new performance balanced weighting system, using customisable sole weights, allows for fine-tuning of performance and feel at all shaft lengths.
The use of tungsten in the blades and stainless steel in the mid-mallets generates a larger sweet spot and improved stability.
Scotty Cameron Special Select Putters Review
Odyssey 2-Ball Ten Putter
Best For Alignment
+ One of the best golf clubs to help you line up the ball
+ Very stable on off-centre hits
– Triple Track only useful with the corresponding Callaway golf balls
While this putter doesn’t swing itself, it pretty much does the rest for you and is one of the best golf clubs out there to help you line up the ball.
Odyssey’s 2-Ball Ten has added some incredibly useful alignment tools to a putter that is surprisingly lightweight, easy to roll and forgiving across the face
The new 2-Ball Ten comes with Odyssey’s famous 2-Ball alignment and it really helped us with making sure the ball was lined up correctly and the face came in square at the point of impact; a very useful tool for those who tend to push or pull lots of putts.
Being a mallet, this is also a very forgiving putter and mishits aren’t too punishing so this is ideal for the golfer who struggles with consistent strike. The feel off the face is nice and soft too and that feel is mirrored in the sound it makes off the face.
The 2-Ball Ten is also available with Odyssey’s Triple Track alignment and this works very well with Callaway’s Triple Track balls for even more help with alignment.
Odyssey 2-Ball Ten Putter Review
TaylorMade Spider EX Putter
Tour Favourite
+ Sounds and feels great and should be a big help on those longer putts
+ Variety of visual cues to assist alignment
– Slightly more curved shape might not suit all
The TaylorMade Spider EX is another great addition to the incredibly popular Spider family of putters and there are some key inclusions that make it stand out.
The new True Path system on the top of the head makes it much easier to aim thanks to the reflective white dots that dominate the eye-line. These three dots between the dual rail also make lining up the ball super simple and also helps keep the face square at impact.
Away from alignment, the Spider EX is also a remarkably forgiving putter when you don’t strike it out of the centre. This is thanks to the aluminium frame and carbon composite head that increase the MOI for a more consistent roll and that all important forgiveness across the face.
The adjusted Pure Roll insert has a softer feel and the new Fluted Feel shaft made in conjunction with KBS has added to the altogether lovely and comfortable feel of this putter. It is slightly less angular than last year’s Spider X and if this suits you eye this is a very forgiving and easy to align mallet putter.
TaylorMade Spider EX Putter Review
This article Best Golf Clubs – We Select Our Favourites appeared first on Golf Monthly.