Articles by E. Michael Johnson

Wilson Staff Model irons: What you need to know

Wilson’s new Staff Model line of irons features three models: the Staff Model Blade, Staff Model CB, and the Staff Model XB. Each of the 8620 carbon steel irons were designed to fit together to address the increasing desire for combo sets.

How Ben Griffin’s big golf ball bet paid off

“Why are you doing this?” That was the general response from Ben Griffin’s friends on the PGA Tour upon learning he was switching to the Maxfli Tour X golf ball in early 2024. After all, the brand had not registered a win on tour in more than two decades. “There were a lot of questions Read more…

For Hot List consistency and accuracy, it’s not only the clubs that matter

For many years, players at the Hot List Summit tested equipment using a variety of golf balls. All were multilayer, urethane-cover, tour-caliber models. Recently, we went to a single ball to enhance the consistency of our testing process. That said, there’s a reason ball manufacturers offer multiple models at the high end of their lines: Read more…

Titleist Vokey SM11 wedges: What you need to know

Titleist’s wedge team, led by master craftsman Bob Vokey, believes there are three keys to great wedge play: contact, flight control and optimum spin. All three have been addressed in Vokey’s latest creation, the SM11.

PXG 0311 T, P and XP GEN8 irons: What you need to know

The GEN8 irons (T, P and XP models) utilise a proprietary internal polymer that boosts ball speed. The dual perimeter weighting system allows fitters to control centre-of-gravity placement and swing weight.

New Titleist AVX golf ball: What you need to know

The fifth iteration of the Titleist AVX features a reformulated core and a new aerodynamic package on a softer cast urethane cover to produce the driver and iron flight of the previous AVX but with more short-game spin and control.

Cobra 3DP MB and 3DP X irons: What you need to know

Cobra builds on its expertise in 3D-printing with a new players iron (3DP MB) as well as a game-improvement model (3DP X). The irons are completely 3D-printed, allowing for a level of precision and intricacy not available in clubs that are forged or cast.

Mizuno New Releases for 2026

Looking to learn what you need to know about the latest new products from Mizuno? These handy thumbnails will keep you up to date on the company’s new releases across all club catetgories. Mizuno Pro M-13 and M-15 irons: Mizuno updates its Mizuno Pro iron lineup with two new models— Mizuno Pro M-13 and Mizuno Read more…

Mizuno Pro M-13 and M-15 irons: What you need to know

: Mizuno updates its Mizuno Pro iron lineup with two new models— Mizuno Pro M-13 and Mizuno Pro M-15—plus a Mizuno Pro Fli-Hi utility iron. The clubs are designed to showcase Mizuno’s strength in forging irons, while also expanding the audience for its clubs by seamlessly blending sets from multiple models.

The top golf equipment stories of 2025

Each year there are hundreds of equipment nuggets we dole out to our readers. And every year there are some that stand out as being truly notable and worth revisiting. Certainly, the ongoing saga of the golf-ball rollback was chief among them in 2025, but others caught our attention as well. Two of the best Read more…