Articles by E. Michael Johnson

McLaren Golf debuts two irons in initial foray into golf equipment

What you need to know: Automotive giant McLaren enters the golf-equipment fray with a pair of irons, the better players Series 1 and players-distance Series 3 models. Both employ a metal-injection-molding process that allows the company to dial in the material to the geometry instead of forcing the geometry to fit the material. A weight-saving Read more…

Start your engines!

McLaren’s shock entry into the golf space promises plenty of thrills and – hopefully – very few spills.

The clubs J.J. Spaun used to win the 2026 Valero Texas Open

It wasn’t exactly Davy Crockett and James Bowie at the Alamo, but J.J. Spaun dodged some bullets on the way to winning the Valero Texas Open in San Antonio. It marked the second time Spaun has won the event, emerging victorious in 2022 as well.

Tester Approved: The best putters for players with poor distance control

Grief on the greens takes on many forms, from not making reasonable putts to three-jacking all over the lot. Perhaps there is no more maddening form of it than the failure to knock a 20-footer into the proverbial “circle of trust”—close enough for a no-doubt-about-it gimme from even the stingiest of opponents. That’s why one Read more…

Most popular Masters wins

Aside from the obvious (2013), these were the most well-received victories from 40 years of covering golf.

Tester Approved: The best irons for bad iron players

Hitting greens is key to being able to score. However, before you break out a “Captain Obvious” retort, you’d probably be surprised to know that players with handicaps in the mid-teens only average hitting three or four greens a round. Add in that it’s rare to find a short-game wizard in that handicap range and Read more…

PXG Stick’em Forged wedges: What you need to know

PXG’s new Stick’em Forged wedges deliver tour-inspired feel and consistency. Triple-forged 8620 steel, high toe weighting, optimized grooves and versatile grinds give golfers more spin, stability and confidence around the green.