Golf Gear Lab | Top Drivers & Irons Compared by the Numbers

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The most-read articles in the 7 days up to Oct 5, 2026 (our own site count, excluding bots). Updated every Monday.

Latest Irons 2026 | Compared by Release Date and 7-Iron Loft September brings the Srixon ZXi and Bridgestone B-FORGED. 7-iron lofts run from 28° to 33°, a 5° spread. Srixon ZXi5 vs ZXi7 | A 3.5° Bounce Difference The 7-iron lofts differ by just 1°, but bounce differs by 3.5°. Line up the official specs and your buying criteria change. New Golf Clubs 2026 Release Calendar | Prices by Month 75 new releases from January to September, plus 3 scheduled for October onward. Release dates and prices listed month by month, updated monthly.

NEWLatest articles

ZXi5 vs P790: The Long Irons Decide It The 7-irons are 31° and 30°, and both PWs are 44°. The differences between these two similar irons come down to the long irons, the construction and the price. Published Oct 5, 2026 Titleist New Irons 2026: Only a Limited Oil Can Finish All that came out in 2026 was a limited-edition finish. The four current models cost the same, ¥178,200 for a 6-club set, so choose by 7-iron loft. Published Oct 5, 2026 SPEEDER BOOST BLACK vs. Standard: The Difference Is 1 g The limited black version is just 1 g lighter than the standard one. What matters more: the BOOST 60S is as soft as the NX GOLD 40R. Published Oct 3, 2026 Low-Launch, High-Spin Iron Shafts Ranked | 5 Picked From 34 Tested Makers classify it as "low launch = low spin." Yet in testing, a shaft in that class had the most spin of all 34. Published Oct 2, 2026 Best Irons for a Penetrating Flight | 5 Picked on Measured Data It launches at 18.7° and climbs to twice its height with no air. I lined up five irons that posted numbers like that. Published Oct 1, 2026 How to Hit a Penetrating Iron Flight | Launch Low, Let Spin Lift It A tour pro's 7-iron launches at 16 degrees and climbs to 31 m. Without air, that ball would top out at 12 m. I wrote up what makes the difference. Published Oct 1, 2026

PICK UPEditor's picks

Choosing clubs Best Drivers 2026 | Latest Models from the 4 Major Brands Compared Qi4D, G440 K, Quantum, GTS, OPTM. With a quick chart by goal and 5 tips to avoid a bad buy. Sep 12, 2026

Best Golf Rangefinders | Laser or GPS: Which Should You Buy? Sep 12, 2026 Best Irons | How to Choose When You're Trying to Break 90 Sep 12, 2026 Latest Drivers 2026 | 11 Models Compared, Up to the Srixon ZXi RKT (Sep release) Sep 14, 2026

REVIEWDriver reviews

2026 Driver Review | 8 Models Scored on 6 Criteria 8 models scored on 6 criteria. My pick is the QUANTUM ◆◆◆, then the GTS2 and the ZXi RKT. TaylorMade Qi4D Driver Review | 4 Models Scored Street price is about 40% off list. Weak points: measurements “on par with the previous model” and a lineup that's hard to choose from. Srixon ZXi RKT Review | 6 Criteria Scored At ¥89,100, among the cheapest from the major brands. Weak points: forgiveness doesn't stand out, and opinions split on sound and draw bias. Callaway QUANTUM Review | Is the Price Drop a Buying Chance? My No. 1 is the ◆◆◆: a 450cc pear shape that lets you work the ball. For forgiveness, take the MAX, now about 40% off MSRP. Titleist GTS Driver Review: GTS2 vs. GTS3 Distance stays consistent even off the center. The GTS2 and GTS3 are future classics. The only catch is the sound on off-center hits. PING G440 K Driver Review | Is It Worth the Extra Cost? The most stable of 21 models. But some golfers may barely feel a difference from the G440 MAX. Mizuno JPX ONE Review | The Weak Point Is Spin The ONE spins on the high side; the SELECT is unforgiving off-center. Opinions on feel are split, too. PRGR RS / RS MAX Review | All-In on Distance Among this year's longest. But even the RS MAX is, inside, “the equivalent of other brands' LS models.” Bridgestone BX TOUR Review | Few Places to Try One A serious, no-compromise build. But the ★★TOUR comes only in 9.0° loft, and places to buy it are limited.

READINGGuides | Latest models by category

New Drivers 2026: A Gear Nerd's Top 3 and Release Dates The Srixon ZXi RKT, released Sept. 12, is the newest you can buy at regular retailers. The Bridgestone BX is custom-order only, out Sept. 18 and Oct. 9. New Fairway Woods 2026: The One a Gear Nerd Would Pick The Srixon ZXi RKT (Sep 12) is the newest and, at ¥55,000, the cheapest new model from a major brand. 3-wood volume ranges from 162 to 200 cc. New Hybrids 2026: A Gear Nerd's Top Pick Even the same “4” ranges from 20 to 23° in loft and from 101 to 130 cc in volume. The newest is the Srixon ZXi RKT (Sep 12). Latest Irons 2026 | Compared by Release Date and 7-Iron Loft September brings the Srixon ZXi and Bridgestone B-FORGED. 7-iron lofts run from 28° to 33°, a 5° spread. New Wedges 2026: The One a Gear Nerd Picked 2026 saw a surge in forged soft-carbon-steel wedges. September brings the Bridgestone BITING SPIN 2, Hi-Toe 5 and RTZ 2. New Putters 2026: A Gear Nerd's Top Pick Isn't Zero Torque In 2026, “zero torque” spread across brands. Prices run from ¥41,800 for the SYSTM2 to ¥129,800 for the DF3i. New Golf Rangefinders 2026: A Gear Nerd Picks 3 by Weight 5 new models in 2026: from the 130 g Laser FIT2 to the PRECIS LM, which also measures your swing, and the GPS-equipped Tour Hybrid. New Golf Shoes 2026: A Gear Nerd Picks 3 by the Numbers The lightest is the Mizuno NEXLITE ENERZY II at about 280 g. Only 2 Mizuno models come in wide 4E. Best Golf Tees | Do “Distance Tees” Really Go Farther? Popular tees compared by height and shape.

See all guides →

Browse by brand (TaylorMade, Callaway, PING, Titleist, Dunlop, Mizuno) →

WHAT’S NEWNew content

1 Rakuten Ichiba / Ad Callaway QUANTUM Driver A 2026 model with a 3-layer face. Besides the standard MAX, you can choose the draw-biased MAX D, the lightweight MAX FAST and more. Drivers No. 1Callaway

2 Rakuten Ichiba / Ad Titleist GTS Driver (GTS2 / GTS3 / GTS4) All three models are 460cc; the only difference is where the CG sits. Released on Jun 11, 2026. Drivers No. 2Titleist

4 Rakuten Ichiba / Ad TaylorMade Qi4D Driver TaylorMade's main 2026 model. It comes in 4 versions, Qi4D / LS / MAX / MAX LITE, so you can lean toward forgiveness or workability. Drivers No. 4TaylorMade

5 Rakuten Ichiba / Ad PING G440 K Driver The draw-helping model in the PING G440 series. It suits players who want fewer misses to the right. Released on Feb 5, 2026. Drivers No. 5PING

6 Rakuten Ichiba / Ad Cobra OPTM Driver (OPTM X and others) Loft and lie adjust through 33 settings. It suits players who want to dial the club in after buying. Drivers No. 6Cobra

1 Rakuten Ichiba / Ad Srixon ZXi5 Irons (2026 model) A true-to-number design with a 31° 7-iron that doesn't chase extra distance. Brand new, released September 12, 2026. Irons #1Srixon

2 Rakuten Ichiba / Ad PING G440 Irons A wide sole helps on fat shots, and the 29° 7-iron delivers distance. A broad shaft lineup lets you match your strength. Irons #2PING

3 Rakuten Ichiba / Ad Callaway ELYTE Irons (Japan version) Currently available at outlet prices, even as single clubs. A strong-lofted 29° 7-iron; released February 14, 2025. Irons #3Callaway

4 Rakuten Ichiba / Ad TaylorMade P790 Irons ('25 model) A hollow-body design filled with SPEEDFOAM AIR. It looks sleek at address yet is forgiving on mishits. Irons #4TaylorMade

5 Rakuten Ichiba / Ad Titleist T100 Irons (2025 model) At 33°, the weakest 7-iron loft here, so distance gaps between clubs fall into place cleanly. Irons #5Titleist

1 Rakuten Ichiba / Ad Nikon COOLSHOT PROIII STABILIZED (laser rangefinder) It has image stabilization, which helps at long range or when targeting a thin flagstick. Rangefinders #1Nikon

2 Rakuten Ichiba / Ad Bushnell Pinseeker Pro XM Jolt (laser rangefinder) A side switch toggles between slope mode and straight-line mode. So it's always clear whether it's tournament-legal. Rangefinders #2Bushnell

3 Rakuten Ichiba / Ad Voice Caddie SL mini (laser rangefinder) A touch screen on the outside of the body lets you operate it without looking through the eyepiece. Light at about 130 g. Rangefinders #3Voice Caddie

4 Rakuten Ichiba / Ad FineCaddie J2000 (laser rangefinder) At 113 g, the lightest here, and it has a tournament mode for around ¥20,000. Rangefinders #4FineCaddie

5 Rakuten Ichiba / Ad Garmin Approach S50 (GPS golf watch) A GPS watch you can keep on your wrist. Light at 29 g, and you know the distance before you address the ball. Rangefinders #5Garmin

1 Rakuten Ichiba / Ad Tabata Stepped Lift Tee 48mm (GV-1426 48) ¥660, and it goes in at the same depth every time. The aim isn't more distance but less variation in where you strike the ball. Tees #1Tabata

2 Rakuten Ichiba / Ad PLUSTEE D PLUS GOLF TEE (for drivers) ¥1,320 for 4 tees. I give it credit because the maker itself states that "not everyone will gain distance." Tees #2PLUSTEE

Rankings are within each category. The reasoning is explained at the top of each ranking page.

POLICYOur promises

• We show why each item ranks where it does. What the order is based on is stated at the top of every ranking.
• We always show the basis for our ratings. Each page makes clear whether a rating comes from official specs or from numbers I got hitting it myself.
• Commissions never change the rankings. The site carries ads, but they have no say in the order.
• We also report “no difference.” A difference smaller than the normal spread is not called an “effect.”

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