The Hot List is a comprehensive effort to explain the current golf club landscape, and while we make an editorial commitment to digging deep to understand all the meaningful clubs in the marketplace, it is the effort and input of our panel of real golfers that is the core of what we do. These are players with a passion for the game, certainly, because our goal is that they reflect your commitment, too. But this group of 32 golfers also exudes a passion for doing the work of hitting balls and deciphering the differences in the shades of excellence that the game’s top woods, irons, wedges and putters routinely display. It is not an easy task hitting balls for sometimes eight hours a day, but it is even more difficult explaining why one club resonates and another might not. As a baseline, we remain supremely dedicated to the simple premise that finding the golf equipment that truly matters must be prefaced by three tenets: We must be helpful to the reader. We must be fair to the industry. We must be true to ourselves. We achieve that purpose through many efforts large and small, but ultimately it is our players’ dedication that makes the Hot List go.

The main job of our players is to judge clubs on a 5-point scale in our Hot List judging criteria of Look/Sound/Feel and Performance. (On this scale, “5” is tops and “1” is the bottom.) Our guidelines to our testers includes:

Look/Sound/Feel: Your internal experience in holding, viewing, hitting the club.

Performance: What you see happening to the ball because of how you hit it with this club. Launch monitors are available to assist you in these assessments, please use them. But your gut should be your ultimate guide.

Our players also provide input for our descriptive “vector” ratings to give us a sense of not only the clubs that do well in certain aspects, but what about those qualities is distinct.

It is not an easy task, of course. Our Rapsodo MLM2 Pro launch monitors, one assigned to every panelist, recorded more than 28,000 shots from our players, and this number doesn’t include all the chips, pitches, bunker shots and putts, which might double that total number. An editor is paired with every twosome and follows them throughout the four days of testing, recording every thought and probing them with queries over more specific insights. It’s all in an effort to give you a more definitive picture of what clubs matter, how and why.

Take a look at their thoughts here and their favorites. See if you find a tester or two or three that seem to reflect your game, and search out their comments. This year, every player’s thoughts are included in the Hot List for your review. Our hope is these details and perspectives will further clarify your search for the clubs that will change your game this year.

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J.D. Cuban

Gary Abbott, 37 Dundas, Ontario, Canada Solutions engineer / Handicap: 13 Driver: 265 yards / 7-iron: 170 yards “I minimize big mistakes by playing a fairly conservative game from tee to green so I chase par and bogey on most holes. I lack the higher gear to make a bunch of birdies in a round.” Favorite Hot List driver: Callaway Elyte X

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J.D. Cuban

Thomas B. Allen, 60 Middletown, Ohio Attorney / Handicap: 7 Driver: 250 yards / 7-iron: 153 yards “About once a week, I put in a practice session, mostly on my short game, so I excel with a wedge or putter in my hands. I fight a two-way miss off the tee, which is where I lose most of my strokes.” Favorite Hot List wedge: Titleist Vokey Design SM10

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J.D. Cuban

Alejandra Bedoya, 26 Bogotá, Colombia Corporate financial planner / Handicap: 5 Driver: 240 yards / 7-iron: 150 yards “I have competitive experience, so I’ve put a premium on keeping the ball in play off the tee and scoring around the greens. I sometimes struggle to hit greens with my long irons.” Favorite Hot List players-distance iron: Callaway Apex Ti Fusion

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J.D. Cuban

Jack Bingham, 35 Hilton Head Island Caddie / Handicap: 1 Driver: 275 yards / 7-iron: 170 yards “I’m a straight-and-in-play guy. Nothing fancy from me. I play more than I practice, typically a couple of times per week. My low-launch, high-spin combo can be an issue into a headwind.” Favorite Hot List driver: Ping G440 LST

More From the Hot List Golf Digest Logo Golf Digest Hot List 2025: Inside the process behind our annual equipment review Golf Digest Logo These are the questions you should be asking yourself before buying new clubs Golf Digest Logo 10 myths about golf clubs you should forget right now https://www.golfdigest.com/content/dam/images/golfdigest/fullset/2025/1/GD_0225_MOLLY BRAID.jpg

J.D. Cuban

Molly Braid, 37 Shorewood, Wis. Golf professional Driver: 235 yards / 7-iron: 145 yards “I hit a lot of fairways with my longer clubs, but I miss more greens than I’d like. As a result, I’ve got a deep arsenal of recovery shots around the green. And I’m a streaky putter.” Favorite Hot List wedge: Ping s159

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J.D. Cuban

Ricky Brown, 46 Fort Worth High school principal / Handicap: +3 Driver: 285 yards / 7-iron: 180 yards “I’m a long hitter, and I keep the ball fairly straight with the driver. I tend to have some issues on short shots around the green. I’d say I practice my putting more than anything.” Favorite Hot List driver: TaylorMade Qi35 LS

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J.D. Cuban

Alan Cooke, 30 Denver Service Solutions Specialist / Handicap: 1 Driver: 270 yards / 7-iron: 175 yards “My opponents should be nervous if I’m standing over a short or middle iron. My driver, on the other hand, can get a bit wild. My ball flight is too high, which only adds to the problem.” Favorite Hot List mallet putter: Ping Scottsdale

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J.D. Cuban

Scott Dickinson, 36 Greenville, S.C. Producer/editor / Handicap: 14 Driver: 310 yards / 7-iron: 190 yards “I’m a power guy, and like a lot of long hitters, I don’t always keep the ball on the planet. I do have decent touch when I get down to the wedges. Reading greens is one skill that baffles me.” Favorite Hot List driver: Cobra DS-Adapt LS

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J.D. Cuban

Skylar Frankiewicz, 26 Concord, Mass. Growth/partnerships associate / Handicap: 7 Driver: 260 yards / 7-iron: 155 yards “The best part of my game is my versatility around the green. I struggle to hit lower-lofted irons with enough trajectory to hold the greens. I practice and play about two or three times a month.” Favorite Hot List game-improvement iron: TaylorMade Qi

More From the Hot List Golf Digest Logo Golf Digest Hot List 2025: Inside the process behind our annual equipment review Golf Digest Logo These are the questions you should be asking yourself before buying new clubs Golf Digest Logo 10 myths about golf clubs you should forget right now https://www.golfdigest.com/content/dam/images/golfdigest/fullset/2025/1/GD_0225_JASON GUSS.jpg

J.D. Cuban

Jason Guss, 47 Westmont, Ill. Golf professional Driver: 250 yards / 7-iron: 165 yards “My short game and putting are rock-solid. A lack of distance with the driver and on iron shots is a big weakness for me. I practice most days, but I play only about once every other week.” Favorite Hot List mallet putter: Meridian Milled Stainless Series

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J.D. Cuban

Sean Harper, Sr., 53 Columbus, Ohio Retired / Handicap: 6 Driver: 260 yards / 7-iron: 170 yards “My short irons and wedges are great, and I save lots of strokes around the green. Driver is the worst club in my bag. I play most days, weather permitting, and mix in some practice sessions.” Favorite Hot List players-distance iron: TaylorMade P·790

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J.D. Cuban

R.C. Hill, 62 DeLand, Fla. Auto and powersports dealer / Handicap: 7 Driver: 270 yards / 7-iron: 173 yards “I’m pretty consistent at both ends of my bag. The driver, wedges and putter are definitely where I have some advantage. My irons can get a bit dicey. Plus, I play only a few times a month.” Favorite Hot List mallet putter: TaylorMade Spider Tour

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J.D. Cuban

Paul Ianniello, 63 Scottsdale Retired / Handicap: 4 Driver: 260 yards / 7-iron: 160 yards “I’m consistent with my tempo, which leads to pretty solid ball-striking, especially with my driver and woods. My short irons and wedges usually prevent me from shooting better scores.” Favorite Hot List players iron: Cobra 3DP Tour

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J.D. Cuban

David Ilsley, 65 Wolfeboro, N.H. Financial advisor / Handicap: 8 Driver: 230 yards / 7-iron: 150 yards “My driver is the best club in my bag. I struggle with wedge play, particularly my chipping. When I’m in-season, I play three or four times a week and practice most of the other days.” Favorite Hot List driver: Titleist GT1

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J.D. Cuban

Wayne Johnson, 59 Palm Coast, Fla. Pilot / Handicap: 6 Driver: 240 yards / 7-iron: 160 yards “I hit the ball a decent distance, especially for my age, but when my swing is off, I can get it going left or right. I try for two or three practice sessions a week and play usually three times.” Favorite Hot List blade putter: Odyssey Ai-One Square 2 Square

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J.D. Cuban

Ryan Kroll, 49 Chanhassen, Minn. Stay-at-home father / Handicap: 10 Driver: 237 yards / 7-iron: 157 yards “My short irons and bunker play are pretty good, and I’m a very positive person, which helps. I fight early extension on the downswing and lose accuracy with longer clubs. I’d like more distance.” Favorite Hot List driver: Ping G440 Max

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J.D. Cuban

Peter Lee, 56 San Diego Attorney / Handicap: 7 Driver: 250 yards / 7-iron: 165 yards “I’m generally a good ball-striker, but, ironically, I struggle with the mental game and end up not trusting my swing. I mix practicing and playing on average four or five times a week.” Favorite Hot List game-improvement iron: PXG 0311 XP GEN7

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J.D. Cuban

Dan Lupo, 32 New York City Leveraged credit analyst / Handicap: 12 Driver: 260 yards / 7-iron: 170 yards “I’m an over-the-top swinger, so I fight a fade, but I account for it and can usually control it. As a weekend golfer, I struggle with feel, so my short game is not always there.” Favorite Hot List blade putter: Titleist Scotty Cameron Studio Style

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J.D. Cuban

Wei Mao, 54 Sacramento Rural mail carrier / Handicap: 13 Driver: 240 yards / 7-iron: 155 yards “My ball-striking is a definite strength, albeit with only modest distance. Putting is a sore spot for me. I practice about as much as I play—once, maybe twice per week.” Favorite Hot List driver: TaylorMade Qi35

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J.D. Cuban

Anand Mudaliar, 42 Philadelphia Head of product / Handicap: 6 Driver: 265 yards / 7-iron: 160 yards “I’m a strong driver, and my putting—especially green-reading—has improved over the last few years. I’d benefit from smarter course management and better bunker play.” Favorite Hot List driver: Titleist GT2

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J.D. Cuban

Matt Nestler, 27 Tenafly, N.J. Acquisitions manager / Handicap: 5 Driver: 270 yards / 7-iron: 170 yards “Short game and putting are where I’m at my best. I hit a high cut off the tee, which can get away from me when I’m quick in the transition. I play three times a week and practice once.” Favorite Hot List wedge: Mizuno Pro T1

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J.D. Cuban

Megan Padua Buzza, 39 Frisco, Texas Golf professional Driver: 230 yards / 7-iron: 150 yards “I drive and putt for dough. My wedge play can cause some issues here and there. I try to practice once or twice a week, but I only get to play about once a month.” Favorite Hot List mallet putter: Bettinardi Antidote

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J.D. Cuban

Shane Popham, 36 Norwalk, Conn. Channel sales director / Handicap: 15 Driver: 285 yards / 7-iron: 177 yards “I’m that player who bombs a drive in the team scramble. The scramble part is key because I’m not always able to find it. I like the hero shot over the smart one, despite knowing better.” Favorite Hot List driver: Srixon ZXi LS

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J.D. Cuban

Alex Reinhart, 40 Milwaukee Private equity consultant / Handicap: 11 Driver: 255 yards / 7-iron: 170 yards “My strengths are scrambling and punch-outs. I struggle with putting and making consistent swings with good tempo, which is probably why I excel at punching out.” Favorite Hot List players-distance iron: Callaway Apex Ai200

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J.D. Cuban

Jin Roh, 29 Tenafly, N.J. Personal trainer / Handicap: 13 Driver: 280 yards / 7-iron: 165 yards “I hit the ball high and get plenty of distance through the bag. I’m told I have really nice tempo, but I struggle with reading greens and controlling distance with my putter.” Favorite Hot List game-improvement iron: Cobra King Tec-X

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J.D. Cuban

Robert Shaw, 27 Cumming, Ga. Consultant / Handicap: 2 Driver: 305 yards / 7-iron: 180 yards “I’m usually the long hitter in my group, so where I get into trouble is with accuracy. I’m a ball-striker; I’m most comfortable with an iron or a wedge in my hands.” Favorite Hot List players-distance iron: TaylorMade P·790

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J.D. Cuban

Matt Singer, 52 Portland, Ore. Trial lawyer / Handicap: 11 Driver: 240 yards / 7-iron: 150 yards “I played more than 100 times this past year, often six-, nine- or 12-hole outings. I’ve got a reliable short game because I miss lots of greens and have many opportunities to practice.” Favorite Hot List super-game-improvement iron: TaylorMade Qi HL

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J.D. Cuban

Jamie Struck, 51 Okatie, S.C. Test pilot / Handicap: 5 Driver: 250 yards / 7-iron: 160 yards “Most of the time, I hit the fairway, and I know how far each one of my irons goes. I tend to lose strokes with my short game when I miss a green and have to recover.” Favorite Hot List players-distance iron: TaylorMade P·790

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J.D. Cuban

B.K. Suhr, 41 Orlando Nurse practitioner / Handicap: 1 Driver: 290 yards / 7-iron: 174 yards “I’ve got a wide range of wedge shots I’m comfortable hitting from 30 to 100 yards out, where I often find myself because of my length off the tee. I often battle a two-way miss with my irons.” Favorite Hot List wedge: Titleist Vokey Design SM10

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J.D. Cuban

Sandor J. Valls, 35 Miami Dentist / Handicap: 9 Driver: 290 yards / 7-iron: 185 yards “My strong suit definitely is power. Keeping the ball in play is a different story for me. Sometimes I lack the concentration to avoid big numbers on the scorecard.” Favorite Hot List players-distance iron: Callaway Apex Ti Fusion

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J.D. Cuban

John Vampatella, 54 Storrs, Conn. Author/Chaplin / Handicap: 11 Driver: 270 yards / 7-iron: 170 yards “I’m a good wedge player, and in the peak of the season, I know all my numbers and can even shape shots. Poor putting, especially knee-knockers, and inconsistency plague me.” Favorite Hot List mallet putter: Evnroll Zero

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J.D. Cuban

Ryan Woyski, 46 Agency, Mo. Sales automation specialist / Handicap: 14 Driver: 275 yards / 7-iron: 165 yards “I practice a few times a week, mostly in my garage, and I get out three or four times a month on work or golf trips. I’m a good scrambler and putter, but I struggle to stay in play.” Favorite Hot List driver: Callaway Elyte Triple Diamond

This article was originally published on golfdigest.com