By Mike Stachura and E Michael Johnson
What do real golfers like you think about the latest clubs? That’s why our panel of players is such a key part of our process. Together, they provide input that helps the Hot List judges determine the leading clubs in Performance and Look/Sound/Feel, two of our four Hot List criteria which together account for 65 percent of a club’s score.

But we know you want as much specific advice as you can get about what club is exactly right for you. So why not see which of our players matches best to your game and see what they were thinking. What follows are some of the top choices in each of our full swing categories from each player on our panel, choices that are informed by data from the Rapsodo MLM and GCQuad launch monitors. Certainly, you’ll see a lot of repeats as you go through these lists (that’s why those products tended to do well on the Hot List overall), but consider this another piece of information as you continue the search for the right club for you. Of course, we firmly believe that search needs the wisdom of a good clubfitter to finish the process, too. Each player’s basic data is listed below, along with their individual lists and accompanying swing videos from the Rapsodo MLM app.

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Jason Guss

Age: 45; Handicap: 0; Driver swing speed: 101; Driver distance: 260; 7-iron swing speed: 80; 7-iron distance: 162\
TOP CLUBS (in alphabetical order)’
DRIVERS: Callaway Rogue ST Max LS; Cobra LTDx LS; Ping G425 Max | FAIRWAY WOODS: Callaway Rogue ST LS; Ping G425 LST; TaylorMade Stealth Plus | HYBRIDS: Cobra King Tec: Cobra LTDx; Wilson D9 | PLAYERS IRONS: Henry-Griffitts TS+; PXG 0311T; Srixon ZX7 | PLAYERS DISTANCE IRONS: Cobra King Forged Tec; Mizuno Mizuno Pro 225; Proto-Concept CO5 | GAME IMPROVEMENT IRONS: Cobra King Forged Tec X; Cobra LTDx; XXIO X

Molly Braid

Age: 34; Handicap: 0; Driver swing speed: 86; Driver distance: 215; 7-iron swing speed: 72; 7-iron distance: 135
TOP CLUBS (in alphabetical order)
DRIVERS: Callaway Rogue ST Max; Cobra LTDx Max; Titleist TSi2 | FAIRWAY WOODS: Ping G425 Max; PXG 0341XF; Titleist TSi2 | HYBRIDS: Cobra Air-X; PXG 0317XF; Titleist TSi2 | PLAYERS IRONS: Srixon ZX7; Proto-Concept C03; Titleist T100 | PLAYERS DISTANCE IRONS: Mizuno JPX921 Hot Metal Pro; PXG 0311P; Srixon ZX5 | GAME IMPROVEMENT IRONS: Callaway Rogue ST Max; Ping G425; Titleist T300

Ricky Brown

Age: 43; Handicap: +4; Driver swing speed: 108; Driver distance: 270; 7-iron swing speed: 88; 7-iron distance: 170
TOP CLUBS (in alphabetical order)
DRIVERS: Callaway Rogue ST Max LS; TaylorMade Stealth Plus; Titleist TSi3 | FAIRWAY WOODS: Cobra LTDx; Ping G425 LST; Titleist TSi3 | HYBRIDS: Callaway Epic Super; TaylorMade Stealth Plus; Titleist TSi3; PLAYERS IRONS: Callaway Apex Pro; PXG 0311 T; Titleist T100 | PLAYERS DISTANCE IRONS: Mizuno Mizuno Pro 225; Titleist T100•S; Titleist T200 | GAME IMPROVEMENT IRONS: Cleveland Launcher XL; Cobra Forged Tec X; PXG 0311 XP

Larry McCoy

Age: 57; Handicap: 6; Driver swing speed: 97; Driver distance: 245; 7-iron swing speed: 80; 7-iron distance: 156
TOP CLUBS (in alphabetical order)
DRIVERS: Mizuno ST-Z 220; Ping G425 LST; Titleist TSi3 | FAIRWAY WOODS: Mizuno ST-Z; Ping G425 Max; TaylorMade Stealth Plus | HYBRIDS: Titleist TSi3; Cobra Air-X; Mizuno CLK | PLAYERS IRONS: Cobra King Tour; TaylorMade P7•MC; Titleist T100 | PLAYERS DISTANCE IRONS: PXG 0311 P Gen 4; TaylorMade P•770; TaylorMade P•790 | GAME IMPROVEMENT IRONS: Callaway Apex DCB; TaylorMade Stealth; Titleist T300

Paul Ianniello

Age: 60; Handicap: 5; Driver swing speed: 92; Driver distance: 220; 7-iron swing speed: 80; 7-iron distance: 162
TOP CLUBS (in alphabetical order)
DRIVERS: PXG 0811 X; TaylorMade Stealth Plus; Titleist TSi3 | FAIRWAY WOODS: TaylorMade Stealth; TaylorMade Stealth Plus; Titleist TSi2 | HYBRIDS: Cobra Air-X; Ping G425; PXG 0317X | PLAYERS IRONS: Callaway Apex TCB; Srixon ZX7: Proto-Concept C03 | PLAYERS DISTANCE IRONS: Proto-Concept CO5; TaylorMade P•790; Titleist T200 | GAME IMPROVEMENT IRONS: PXG 0311 XP; TaylorMade Stealth; Titleist T300

Sean Harper

Age: 50; Handicap: 8; Driver swing speed: 89; Driver distance: 225; 7-iron swing speed: 79; 7-iron distance: 152
TOP CLUBS (in alphabetical order)
DRIVERS: Ping G425 Max; PXG 0811XF; Srixon ZX5 | FAIRWAY WOODS: Ping G425; TaylorMade Stealth Plus; Titleist TSi2 | HYBRIDS: Callaway Apex; Ping G425 Max; Titleist TSi3 | PLAYERS IRONS: Cobra King Tour; Mizuno JPX921 Tour; PXG 0311T | PLAYERS DISTANCE IRONS: Callaway Apex; Mizuno JPX921 Forged; TaylorMade P790 | GAME IMPROVEMENT IRONS: Callaway Apex DCB; TaylorMade Stealth; Titleist T300

Ryan Kroll

Age: 46; Handicap: 8; Driver swing speed: 98; Driver distance: 235; 7-iron swing speed: 79; 7-iron distance: 155
TOP CLUBS (in alphabetical order)
DRIVERS: Callaway Rogue ST Max; Ping G425 Max; Titleist TSi2 | FAIRWAY WOODS: Callaway Rogue ST Max; Cobra LTDx; Mizuno ST-Z | HYBRIDS: Mizuno CLK; PXG 0317X; Titleist TSi3 | PLAYERS IRONS: Proto-Concept CO3; Titleist T100; Wilson Staff Model CB | PLAYERS DISTANCE IRONS: Callaway Apex; Mizuno JPX921 Forged; Srixon ZX5 | GAME IMPROVEMENT IRONS: Mizuno JPX921 Hot Metal; TaylorMade Stealth; Titleist T300

Tom Allen

Age: 57; Handicap: 6; Driver swing speed: 95; Driver distance: 245; 7-iron swing speed: 80; 7-iron distance: 155
TOP CLUBS (in alphabetical order)
DRIVERS: Callaway Rogue ST Max; Titleist TSi2; Ping G425 Max | FAIRWAY WOODS: PXG 0341X; Srixon ZX; TaylorMade Stealth | HYBRIDS: Callaway Rogue ST Max; Mizuno CLK; Ping G425 | PLAYERS IRONS: Mizuno JPX921 Tour; PXG 0311T; Titleist T100 | PLAYERS DISTANCE IRONS: Callaway Apex; Ping i525; TaylorMade P790 | GAME IMPROVEMENT IRONS: Ping G425; TaylorMade Stealth; Titleist T300

Alejandra Bedoya

Age: 23; Handicap: 5; Driver swing speed: 90; Driver distance: 225; 7-iron swing speed: 75; 7-iron distance: 146
TOP CLUBS (in alphabetical order)
DRIVERS: Cobra LTDx; Ping G425 Max; TaylorMade Stealth | FAIRWAY WOODS: Callaway Rogue ST Max; PXG 0341XF; TaylorMade Stealth Plus | HYBRIDS: PXG 0317X: Mizuno CLK; Cobra Air-X | PLAYERS IRONS: Mizuno Mizuno Pro 223; PXG 0311T Gen 4; TaylorMade P•7MC | PLAYERS DISTANCE IRONS: Mizuno Mizuno Pro 225; PXG 0311 P Gen 4; Titleist T200 | GAME IMPROVEMENT IRONS: PXG 0311 XP Gen4; Srixon ZX4; Titleist T300

Anand Mudaliar

Age: 39; Handicap: 9; Driver swing speed: 105; Driver distance: 265; 7-iron swing speed: 84; 7-iron distance: 164
TOP CLUBS (in alphabetical order)
DRIVERS: Callaway Rogue ST Max; PXG 0811XT; XXIO X | FAIRWAY WOODS: Callaway Rogue ST Max; Ping G425 Max; Titleist TSi2 | HYBRIDS: Callaway Apex; PXG 0317X; Tour Edge Hot Launch C522 | PLAYERS DISTANCE IRONS: Callaway Rogue ST Pro; Proto-Concept C05; PXG 0311 P Gen 4 | GAME IMPROVEMENT IRONS: Cobra LTDx; Srixon ZX4; Titleist T300 | SUPER GAME IMPROVEMENT IRONS: Cobra T-Rail; XXIO 12; Wilson Launch Pad

Peter Lee

Age: 54: Handicap: 9: Driver swing speed: 97; Driver distance: 245; 7-iron swing speed: 80; 7-iron distance: 156
TOP CLUBS (in alphabetical order)
DRIVERS: Callaway Rogue ST Max; Ping G425 Max; PXG 0811 XF | FAIRWAY WOODS: Mizuno ST-X; Ping G425 Max; TaylorMade Stealth | HYBRIDS: Callaway Rogue ST Pro; Cobra LTDx; Ping G425 | PLAYERS DISTANCE IRONS: Callaway Apex; Ping i525; PXG 0311P | GAME IMPROVEMENT IRONS: Callaway Apex DCB; Callaway Rogue ST Max: Mizuno JPX921 Hot Metal | SUPER GAME IMPROVEMENT IRONS: Callaway Rogue ST Max OS; PXG 0211Z; Titleist T400

Gary Abbott

Age: 34; Handicap: 15; Driver swing speed: 98; Driver distance: 235; 7-iron swing speed: 81; 7-iron distance: 153
TOP CLUBS (in alphabetical order)
DRIVERS: Ping G425 Max; TaylorMade Stealth; Titleist TSi3 | FAIRWAY WOODS: Cobra LTDx Max; TaylorMade Stealth; TaylorMade Stealth Plus | HYBRIDS: Ping G425; TaylorMade Stealth; Titleist TSi2 | PLAYERS DISTANCE IRONS: Callaway Apex; TaylorMade P790; Titleist T200 | GAME IMPROVEMENT IRONS: Callaway Rogue ST Max: Ping G425: TaylorMade Stealth | SUPER GAME IMPROVEMENT IRONS: Callaway Rogue ST Max OS; Cleveland Launcher XL Halo; Titleist T400

Dan Lupo

Age: 29; Handicap: 14; Driver swing speed: 97; Driver distance: 225; 7-iron swing speed: 87; 7-iron distance: 160
TOP CLUBS (in alphabetical order)
DRIVERS: Ping G425 Max; PXG 0811XF; Titleist TSi3 | FAIRWAY WOODS: Callaway; Rogue ST Max; Cobra LTDx; TaylorMade Stealth | HYBRIDS: Cobra King Tec; TaylorMade Stealth; Titleist TSi1 | PLAYERS DISTANCE IRONS: Cobra King Forged Tec; PXG 0311P Gen 4; TaylorMade P•790 | GAME IMPROVEMENT IRONS: PXG 0311XP Gen 4; TaylorMade Stealth; Titleist T300 | SUPER GAME IMPROVEMENT IRONS: Callaway Rogue ST Max OS; Titleist T400; XXIO 12

Alex Reinhart

Age: 37; Handicap: 12; Driver swing speed: 102; Driver distance: 248; 7-iron swing speed: 82; 7-iron distance: 160
TOP CLUBS (in alphabetical order)
DRIVERS: Callaway Rogue ST Max; Ping G425 LST; TaylorMade Stealth | FAIRWAY WOODS: Callaway Rogue ST Max; Cleveland Launcher XL Halo; Titleist TSi3 | HYBRIDS: Cobra LTDx; Mizuno CLK; TaylorMade Stealth Plus | PLAYERS DISTANCE IRONS: Cobra King Forged Tec; Ping i525; Titleist T200 | GAME IMPROVEMENT IRONS: PXG 0311 XP Gen4; Cleveland Launcher XL; Mizuno JPX921 Hot Metal | SUPER GAME IMPROVEMENT IRONS: Callaway Rogue ST Max OS; PXG 0211 Z; XXIO Prime

Wei Mao

Age: 51; Handicap: 15; Driver swing speed: 90; Driver distance: 220; 7-iron swing speed: 78; 7-iron distance: 145
TOP CLUBS (in alphabetical order)
DRIVERS: Callaway Rogue ST Max; Titleist TSi2; TaylorMade Stealth | FAIRWAY WOODS: Callaway Rogue ST Max D; Srixon ZX; Tour Edge Exotics E722 | HYBRIDS: Ping G425; Srixon ZX; Tour Edge Exotics E722 | PLAYERS DISTANCE IRONS: Callaway Apex; Ping i525; Proto-Concept C05 | GAME IMPROVEMENT IRONS: Callaway Apex DCB; XXIO X; TaylorMade Stealth | SUPER GAME IMPROVEMENT IRONS: Callaway Rogue ST Max OS; PXG 0211 Z; Titleist T400

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The post WATCH: Inside the Hot List — Our testers reveal their preferred clubs appeared first on Golf Digest Middle East.

By E. Michael Johnson
The biggest equipment free agent in golf is off the market. After five years without an equipment contract, Brooks Koepka has signed a multi-year deal with Cleveland/Srixon to play the company’s clubs and ball, with several changes to the bag coming this week for The Match against Bryson DeChambeau in Las Vegas.

“I am very excited to join my good friends Shane Lowry, Graeme McDowell and Hideki Matsuyama as a Srixon and Cleveland Golf Tour Staff member,” said Koepka in a statement released by the company. “I’ve been an equipment free agent for the past few years, so it will be fun to be involved with a company on a daily basis and be able to contribute to the development of their future equipment. I put the ZX7 Irons in play in January and it is the best iron I have played on tour. I look forward to kicking off our new partnership this week in Las Vegas!”

In addition to the ZX7 irons (which have True Temper Dynamic Gold TI X100 shafts), Koepka will use a 9.5-degree Srixon ZX5 driver with a 44.5-inch Mitsubishi Diamana D+ 70 TX shaft, tipped an inch. He also will use a trio of Cleveland RTX ZipCore wedges with the “Tour Rack” raw finish. The 52- and 56-degree wedges have a mid bounce while the 60-degree is low bounce. The shafts are True Temper Dynamic Gold S400s. Koepka also will play a Srixon Z-Star prototype golf ball and have a Srixon staff bag.

According to the company, Koepka chose the ZX5 driver over the ZX7 because he preferred the shape. Meanwhile, the ball not only best fit his launch conditions throughout the bag, but performed well in the wind.

As for the irons, which he first put in play at the 2021 American Express: “I just felt like the irons were going a little bit higher,” he said when asked shortly after at the Waste Management Phoenix Open, which he won, what he liked about the clubs. “The ball flight was pretty good. The way the sole goes through the turf. They don’t stick, [which is good] because I do come in pretty steep on it.”

In August 2016, Nike announced it was exiting the golf equipment business. With that, its tour staff suddenly were equipment free agents. Among them was Koepka, a talented player but with only one win to his credit. In the ensuing five years as a free agent, Koepka went on to win seven more times, ascend to No. 1 in the world in 2018 and capture four major championships (two U.S. Opens and two PGA Championships). Now he’ll try to build on that résumé with some new sticks in the bag.

The post Brooks Koepka, golf’s biggest equipment free agent, signs deal with Cleveland/Srixon appeared first on Golf Digest Middle East.

Answer the simple question below, fill in the required details and you are in the draw to be conducted June 30, 2017. Good luck!

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The post COMPETITION: WIN a new <br> Srixon Z 565 driver appeared first on Golf Digest Middle East.

High or low compression, three-piece or four, urethane or ionomer cover? What does it all mean and does it even matter?

The vast amount of time and money players spend carefully selecting 14 clubs, only to pluck a ball they found last time out from a bag of full of random spheres is bemusing.

Golf ball manufactures spend millions of dollars on research and development every year to push the R&A and USGA regulations on golf balls and help you score better. Indeed, the amount of technology packed into those little white balls we all love to hate is quite fascinating and a ball fitting offers benefits that can help golfers of all abilities hit longer, straighter and more consistent shots.

Where to start?

Consider your strengths and weaknesses before any fitting as this will ensure the ball you ultimately choose will offer the best chance of improvement for your current skill level. With that said, which of the following scenarios do you relate to?

1. Good short game feel but struggle for distance and accuracy from the tee?
2. Hit the ball a long way but struggle for distance control?
3. Hit the ball consistently well but don’t see the distance and accuracy you expect?
4. Slower club head speed and balls always feel dead and harsh even on a good strike?

Once you have narrowed down your search, its time to look at possible ball options and their performance by analysing data taken from shots hit using a launch monitor. The launch monitor data gives accurate feed back on spin, distance and dispersion and can be compared to make sure you use the best ball for your game.

1. This could be a high handicapper or new player looking for increased distance and accuracy from the tee. Chances are the player is suffering due to excessively high spin levels and low ball speeds with the driver. For this category of player, a good fit would be balls using an ionomer cover. The low spin properties will help reduce hooking and slicing, and will allow you to get the ball to travel higher, especially for those with slow to moderate swing speeds. The ideal type of ionomer balls for this type of golfer are two-piece due to the emphasis on distance and low spin. Two-piece balls also offer low compression which will also help maximise ball speeds for slower swing speeds. Consider the Srixon Soft Feel, Titleist Velocity and Callaway Warbird if this sounds a bit like you.

2. In the second scenario, we could have a single figure handicapper who hits the ball a long way but struggles with distance control. A player in this bracket is capable of hitting 275 yards+ from the tee and making multiple birdies during a round. The player has great club head speed and hits the ball a good distance. Their requirements are for a ball which maintains the distance but improves their control both from the tee and with iron shots. A tour level ball gives performance while technology such as a urethane cover gives ultimate control over short game shots. Alongside this , the four- or five-piece construction of premium balls is designed to maximise ball speeds for high swing speeds by using a high compression core which gives greater distance when driving and additional layers that maintain feel and short game control. Balls in this category are the Srixon Z-Star XV, Titleist Pro V1x, Taylormade T5x and Callaway Chrome Soft X.

3. This player is likely a mid-to-single figure handicapper who hits the ball consistently well but suffers with accuracy or distance from the tee. They are capable of shooting rounds in the low 80’s and high 70’s so still expect high levels of control and feel. This category of player is starting to demand more from their ball than an entry-level product but doesn’t yet have the club head speed to make a tour level ball perform. Using an ionomer covered three-piece ball will help to maintain feel and control yet keep spin as low as possible from the tee to help hit more accurate, longer drives. Balls in this category, such as the Srixon AD333 Tour, Titleist NXT Tour/Tour S, Callaway Chrome Soft and TaylorMade Project A, use technology from both the game improvement and tour performance categories to offer high performance balls for slower swing speeds.

4. In the final scenario, we have a player with a slower club head speed who struggles for distance and feel. This could be a senior, junior or lady golfer that may not generate the club head speed to properly compress a standard or premium ball and as a result loses distance, feel and accuracy. Playing an ionomer covered ball will benefit you by reducing spin on drives which will help increase distance and accuracy. A super low compression core will help boost ball speed and give greater feel for the slower swing speeds so consider the Srixon Ulti-Soft, TaylorMade Kalea or Callaway Supersoft.

One final consideration is, of course, price. For a developing player, a premium price, tour performance ball could not only hinder performance but is likely to be an expensive experience. My advice would be to get fitted and play the ball that best aligns to your performance needs and budget. Playing the same ball over a period of time will allow you to get used to its performance characteristics. You’ll soon learn what your game requires and your preferences so you can regularly assess your choice and make sure you get the best fit for your game.

Stuart Barber is a PGA Professional and Srixon Middle East Ambassador

Photographs by Kristina Nabieva 

The post Ball Fitting 101 appeared first on Golf Digest Middle East.

Core: The three-piece Z-Star’s core is now softer (two compression points lower from 90 to 88) to improve feel, lower spin and increase launch. The dual core on the Z-Star XV features a larger and softer inner core while maintaining the firmness of the outer core (105 compression or firmer than other leading outer cores according to Srixon’s testing) for faster ballspeeds.

Dimple pattern: Both balls use a new 338-dimple pattern that reduces drag for better downrange carry. The new pattern uses five dimple sizes to improve the relationship between the uniformity of the dimples and the occupancy (or surface coverage).

Cover coating: In addition to the urethane covers, both balls benefit from the third generation of a cover coating it calls “spinskin.” The new design is 13 percent softer than the previous version, helping it to get into the grooves better. The softer coating allows the cover to stretch more at impact to create greater friction & more spin on short greenside shots.

The Z-Star and Z-Star XV differ largely in spin, with the Z-Star spinning a little less on tee shots and launching generally higher through the bag than the XV.

“I think it’s more complicated than saying the differences are based on swing speed,” says Srixon’s Jeff Brunski, director of research and development. “For our tour staff, they’re making the decision between Z-Star and XV based on approach shots and greenside. The guys that are really sensitive in those kinds of shots tend to be Z-Star guys because of a slightly softer cover and feel.”

Brunski also makes the point that while the high swing speed player may see more ballspeed with the XV, certain of those players may get better launch conditions and end up hitting it farther with the Z-Star.

While the Z-Star models are geared to elite players with swing speeds north of 90 miles per hour, the other new urethane cover entry for Srixon has a focus on average golfers and average wallets, too. The Q-Star Tour is a lower compression design (overall ball compression of 75, according to the company) with a three-piece construction aimed at producing higher launch and lower spin on driver and iron shots. The lower compression core helps average speeds produce more ball velocity, while the resilient intermediate mantle layer works with the core to help iron shots launch higher and faster.

Brunski says the Q-Star Tour’s urethane cover produces very close to the spin on short game shots that its Z-Star models do (about 200 rpm less on a half-wedge shot where overall spin might be in the mid-5000s). In addition, its one of the few balls from a major manufacturer at this price point ($30 a dozen) to feature a urethane cover, which can be key to executing greenside shots that check when they land rather than release. Most other balls less than $40 a dozen use ionomer covers, which tend to yield less spin on the shortest of shots.

Brunski believes that because of its lower-spin Q-Star Tour would be a benefit to any golfer who’s fighting to keep the ball curving less off the tee.

“I think the Q-Star Tour could really help a lot of golfers because a lot of golfers spin the ball too much,” Brunski says. “And since it’s higher launch and lower spin through the bag, a lot of players are going to be hitting 5-irons instead of 4-irons, for example. So the Q-Star Tour really has mass appeal.”

The Z-Star and Z-Star XV ($40 a dozen) will be available February 17. The Q-Star Tour will be in stores April 14.

The post Srixon Z-Star, XV and Q-Star Tour offer three options off the tee, all with greenside control appeared first on Golf Digest Middle East.