How we rank
A ranking isn't worth reading unless it explains why things are ranked where they are. So here, up front, is what this site bases its order on.
Three inputs
| Input | What it is | Limits |
|---|---|---|
| ① Measured data (coming later) | 10+ balls hit on the same day, with the same ball, by the same golfer, recording the average and the spread. Not published yet | Only one golfer. Results may differ at other head speeds |
| ② Official specs | Figures the manufacturer publishes: loft, length, weight, moment of inertia (MOI) and so on | Good numbers and a good fit for you are two different things |
| ③ Used prices | Prices from several used-club shops, logged by hand (with the date stated) | They move with the shop, condition and timing. Check the article's date |
The basis for each rating is written right there
Honestly, buying and testing every product is impossible. So each page shows whether its ranking is based on "official specs and street prices" or on "numbers from 10 balls hit by the operator". All current rankings are based on "official specs and street prices." Products I actually hit will get a "Measured" label.
Ad commissions never change the order
This site contains ads (affiliate links). If you buy or sign up through a link, I earn a commission. But the size of a commission is never an input to the ranking. A product that pays nothing can still take first place.
On every page that contains ads, we say so at the top.
We publish "no difference" too
When the difference from 10 balls each is smaller than the ball-to-ball spread, I write "can't tell with this many balls." I don't force a ranking.
That isn't dodging. It's the opposite: calling a difference smaller than the spread an "effect" is the real dodge.
For example, if the distance gap is 2 yards and the ball-to-ball spread is 8 yards, the test can't pick up those 2 yards. In the article, I calculate and show how many balls it would take to tell.
About the numbers
- Carry: distance until the ball lands. Roll isn't included.
- Spread (standard deviation): how widely each shot scatters. About 7 in 10 balls land within "average ± spread."
- 90% range: the range that holds 9 of 10 balls. The narrower, the more consistent.
Corrections
When an article turns out to be wrong, I don't delete it. I fix it and leave the correction date and what was wrong in the text. I never quietly rewrite past numbers.