You do not want to play a match against Paul Ianniello, a 63-year-old longtime golfer who lives in the golf mecca of Scottsdale. Square drivers were still a thing when he started Hot List testing, and he has been a low to mid-single-digit index the whole time. Paul won’t blow you away with distance, but his smooth tempo makes him a consistent ball-striker. Playing against him is like death by a thousand cuts as his high draws off the tee find fairway after fairway. To take advantage of those stellar tee shots, he could use some help with his shorter irons and wedges. Here are his favorites from our recent Hot List Summit, irons first because that’s his focus for getting better.
PLAYERS IRONS
false Cobra 3DP Tour $357 per iron | Golf Galaxy 5.0 GD SCORE GD HOT LIST SCORE Hot List Gold $357 per iron “I thought it was on the lighter side and just powered through the ball. I got better-than-average distance and a mid launch. The ability to move the club and shape shots was unmatched, and I got no catastrophic penalty on mis-hits. It gave the feeling you could just go after it.” BUY NOW DETAILS
Paul’s other favorite Hot List players irons
Callaway Apex Pro
Ping Blueprint S
Cobra King Tour
TaylorMade P·770
PLAYERS-DISTANCE IRONS
false Callaway Apex Ti Fusion $300 per iron | Golf Galaxy 5.0 GD SCORE GD HOT LIST SCORE Hot List Gold $300 per iron “The black look gives a sense of power. When I set it down, it looks like a low-handicap style head, but it didn’t play that way. A rocket in distance. Mis-hits felt like you flushed it and the distance showed that. This club gave me great excitement and turf interaction was tops, too.” BUY NOW DETAILS
Paul’s other favorite Hot List players-distance irons
Cobra King Tec
Callaway Apex Ai200
Honma TW767 PX
Mizuno JPX925 Forged
GAME-IMPROVEMENT IRONS
false Cobra King Tec-X $186 per iron | Golf Galaxy 5.0 GD SCORE GD HOT LIST SCORE Hot List Gold $186 per iron “I absolutely love this club. Launched right in a mid-low window. Impact was extremely soft, and it was effortless to swing. It’s offset but not overly noticeable, and I felt I could work this club.” BUY NOW DETAILS
Paul’s other favorite Hot List game-improvement irons
Titleist T350
Callaway Apex Ai300
PXG Black Ops
Vice VGI02
DRIVER
false Wilson Dynapower Carbon $550 | Golf Galaxy 4.0 GD SCORE GD HOT LIST SCORE Hot List Silver $550 “A classic, appealing look. Light to swing and a very speedy clubhead. I got a lot of distance out of this club, and it was workable for all different shots.” BUY NOW DETAILS
Paul’s other favorite Hot List drivers
Tour Edge Exotics E725
Cobra DS-Adapt LS
Cleveland HiBore XL Lite
FAIRWAY WOODS
false Titleist GT2 $400 | Golf Galaxy 5.0 GD SCORE GD HOT LIST SCORE Hot List Gold $400 “Perhaps the longest one I hit during testing. I was taken aback a little by the rigid feel and clicky sound. Not annoying but noticeable. Goes with the impressive distance.” BUY NOW DETAILS
Paul’s other favorite Hot List fairway woods
TaylorMade Qi35 Tour
Cobra DS-Adapt LS
Cobra DS-Adapt X
Mizuno ST-G
HYBRIDS
false Titleist GT3 $330 | Golf Galaxy 5.0 GD SCORE GD HOT LIST SCORE Hot List Gold $330 “Slightly smaller head with wider than normal face. Consistent launch and low spin. A touch heavier feeling but still delivered big length. Every ball felt the same even though some were not solid strikes.” BUY NOW DETAILS
Paul’s other favorite Hot List hybrids
Cobra DS-Adapt
Ping G440
Srixon ZXi
WEDGES
false PXG Sugar Daddy III $300 | Golf Galaxy 4.0 GD SCORE GD HOT LIST SCORE Hot List Silver $300 “Very soft, powerful feeling on full shots. Above-average interaction with the turf. Consistently easy performance from the sand.” BUY NOW DETAILS
Paul’s other favorite Hot List wedges
Titleist Vokey Design SM10
BLADE PUTTERS
false Meridian Milled Series $250 | Golf Galaxy 4.5 GD SCORE GD HOT LIST SCORE Hot List Gold $250 “Noticeable heft for such a small blade. Makes it easy to swing the putter. Produces a simple roll with a soft, quiet feel off the face. A clear your mind and putt kind of putter.” BUY NOW DETAILS
Paul’s other favorite Hot List blade putters
Odyssey Ai-One
Evnroll Zero
MALLET PUTTERS
false Odyssey Ai-One Milled $450 | Golf Galaxy 5.0 GD SCORE GD HOT LIST SCORE Hot List Gold $450 “Simple but well thought out. Face is square and go. Alignment is minimal. Feels the same all the time. Allowed my hands and feel to come into play, which I prefer. It also has a nice, low profile behind the ball.” BUY NOW DETAILS
Paul’s other favorite Hot List mallet putters
TaylorMade Spider Tour
Odyssey Ai-One Square 2 Square
This article was originally published on golfdigest.com
