Our 6 favorite clubs we added to our bags in 2024

Welcome to GOLF’s 2024 holiday edition of Our Picks, where our experts are hand-selecting the items you — and your golf-loving family and friends — need on your radar. Scroll below for our latest batch of recommendations, and visit our Best Golf Stuff of 2024 hub page for more articles.

With all the great clubs that hit the market in 2024, it’s not a surprise many of our staff made room in their bags for new gear.

Whether it was a new driver to help us find the fairway or a new flatstick to help us find the bottom of the cup, these clubs were among the favorites GOLF staffers put in play. And if our staff liked them, there’s reason to believe you might too.

Here are six favorite clubs GOLF staffers added to their bags in 2024.

Our 6 favorite clubs we added to our bags in 2024

Jack Hirsh, Associate Equipment Editor: Mizuno Pro 245 3- and 4-irons

Mizuno Pro 245 Custom Irons

$200

The Mizuno Pro Irons are the result of a longstanding connection between Mizuno’s club engineers and the legendary Grain Flow Forging plant in Hiroshima, Japan. Every fraction of a millimeter and subtle curve has been meticulously considered, shaping the future of golf club technology. KEY FEATURES OF THE MIZUNO PRO 245 / TOUR SPEED AND LAUNCH: Grain Flow Forged HD in Hiroshima, Japan Hollow body GFF 4135 Chromoly face and neck (2-8 iron) Internal Tungsten Weighting (2-7) for improved launch More compact partial hollow scoring irons (9-GW) Soft Copper Underlay for exceptional feel Harmonic Impact Technology for a soft muscle-back feel Traditional blade appearance Increased bounce angle for optimal turf interaction Full Satin Brush finish Available 2-GW / RH and 4-GW LH

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WHY: If there’s one thing I’ve learned from testing golf clubs, there’s no shame in using a little help. Sure I have the ability to use a pure blade iron (once in a while), but those just don’t make sense toward the top of my bag when something with a little more forgiveness will help me make the ball go where I want it. I’ve used a hollow-bodied 2-/3-iron for many years now, but this year I finally took the plunge and replaced my cavity-back 4-iron with a hollow-body and boy, what was I missing? I’m able to hit the ball higher more easily and it just rockets off the face. Not to mention if I strike it a little off the toe, I don’t have to worry as much about it carrying the distance I need like I did with a regular cavity-back long iron. Maybe I’ll go with the hollow-body 5-iron next year!

Jessica Marksbury, Senior Editor: Ping G Le3 Louise Putter

Ping G Le3 Louise

$229

Four distinct G Le3 putters are offered in a variety of shapes, materials and alignment cues to fit every golfer’s eye and stroke type (straight, slight arc and strong arc). Each model is engineered with a white, two-piece Pebax elastomer insert consisting of a soft front with PLD-inspired shallow grooves and a firmer back to ensure the optimal combination of feel and distance control. They are paired with a PING Pistol PP59 Deep Sea grip that offers superior feel and a premium look in distinctive G Le3 colors.

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WHY: At last year’s ClubTest, I was fit into a new putter, the Ping G Le3 Louise. Transitioning to a mallet-style head was a huge change for me. My trusty Ping Isopur had been a staple in my bag since high school. I’m not a tinkerer, so even as my putting suffered in recent years, I never thought to blame my equipment. But upgrading to the Louise has proven to be a wise decision. I love the weight, it’s easy to aim, and contact feels crisp. According to my fitter, the putter is also a much better fit for my natural stroke style. I’m very happy to have made the switch.

James Colgan, News and Features Editor: TaylorMade Qi10 Driver

TaylorMade Qi10 Custom Driver

$599.99

Wrapped in a clean and confident package, the Qi10 driver has been strategically engineered to help players optimize distance and enhance forgiveness.  THE QUEST FOR INERTIA TaylorMade’s goal with the Qi10 family is to make each driver as forgiving as possible, using advanced multi-material constructions to increase inertia. Qi10 is engineered for a balanced blend of distance and forgiveness. COMPLETE PERFORMANCE The Qi10 Driver features a lower CG projection and higher MOI than its predecessor, delivering balanced performance without any tradeoffs. NEW INFINITY CARBON CROWN An Infinity Carbon Crown covers 97% of the total crown area, creating a strategic advantage for mass redistribution and enhanced forgiveness.

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WHY: I’ve always been a long-and-wrong player, which means my driver is either the biggest weapon or liability in my bag. Earlier this year, I got fitted for a new Qi10, and the results were shocking. By cutting down the length of my club by an inch, I could completely transform my dispersion without affecting my launch characteristics. The result? The best driving year of my life. Oh, and whole bunch of warm and fuzzy feelings each time I pull this club from the bag. I can’t recommend it highly enough. 

Josh Sens, Senior Writer: XXIO 12 Driver

XXIO 12 Men’s Driver

$499

Swing easy and strike it pure with our new premium Driver, the XXIO 12. Its remarkably ultralightweight feel and significant ball speed improvement let you send it off the 18th tee as well as you did on the 1st by avoiding swing fatigue caused by heavier Woods. This one’s in a class all its own. Experience the Difference.

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WHY: Last year, on a golf trip with a younger colleague, I had the depressing experience of being out-driven routinely by upwards of 70 yards. With age, alas, come limitations. But also wisdom. And I soon made the smart switch to XXIO 12, which builds clubs for what they politely describe as golfers with “moderate” swing speeds. On my first few whacks with my new driver, I worried that the club might be too whippy. But I adjusted quickly, and that little bit of flex was precisely what I needed: extra power without the extra effort that often leads to overswinging. While I can’t claim that I’m now hitting it past the young ‘uns, I’ve gained at least 10 yards off the tee, and my shot dispersion is tighter than ever. Now, if only XXIO could figure out a cure for the putting yips.

Nick Piastowski, Senior Editor: Cobra DarkSpeed X 3-wood

Cobra DarkSpeed X Custom Fairway Wood

$249.99

The X model is designed for versatile shot making and plenty of forgiveness to make your long game more consistent. MORE LAUNCH. MORE BALL SPEED. The PWRSHELL insert and suspended weight PWR-BRIDGE design create a more flexible face and sole to maximize launch and ball speed. SPEED & SPIN OPTIMIZATION An A.I. designed H.O.T. Face features an optimized variable thickness pattern that delivers more efficient speed & spin across the clubface.

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WHY: About five years ago, I totally punted on 3-woods. Too many tops, and if I wasn’t embarrassingly doing that, I was shoving golf balls right. But late last year, I put the Cobra DarkSpeed X model in the bag and hit it … OK. Hmm. I gave it a go again this year. Still OK. Actually great. Forgiveness is the keyword here. To me, it glides through the turf, and the ball springs forward. With the black appearance, it also looks kinda sweet. It’s a keeper.

Kris McCormack, Head of ClubTest and Gear Data: Callaway AI Smoke Heaven Wood

Callaway Paradym Ai Smoke Max Custom Fairway Wood

$349.99

Ai SMOKE MAX FAIRWAY The new Paradym Ai Smoke fairway represents a quantum leap forward in Callaway’s Ai journey. This new family of fairway woods feature the most sophisticated face in Callaway history, the Ai Smart Face. Breakthrough Fairway Performance Powered by Ai Smart Face™ Ai Smoke fairway woods utilize Ai Smart Face; a breakthrough technology in face design that utilizes thousands of actual player swings. Every Ai Smart Face is designed to optimize launch and spin, creating sweet spots across the face. Refined Shaping with Adjustability for More Versatility With progressive shaping and the most extensive offering, Ai Smoke Max Fairway Woods will be the optimal choice for players who want consistent launch and a neutral ball flight. An adjustable hosel in the 3W and 3HL models gives players additional control to dial in loft and shot shape.

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WHY: As a player that struggles with lower launch and lower spin conditions, I needed a club that filled a gap I found between my 3 wood and 4 iron. The Heaven Wood has a very shallow face and 20° of loft, but a larger footprint than a 7 wood. During testing, I didn’t see the left miss that I typically see with a hybrid. I also found this club to be extremely easy to launch and spin higher than an extra long iron or hybrid. This new ball flight gave me more control and stopping power coming into the green from 225 to 235 yards. Adding control from this distance finally made reachable par 5’s and long par 3’s accessible scoring opportunities. Next stop, 9 wood!

Want to overhaul your bag for 2025? Find a fitting location near you at True Spec Golf.