Opened in 1998 and designed by Peter Harradine. BY HARRY GRIMSHAW
voices
8 Round With Ronan
A trip back to the 90’s with a global popstar.
WITH HARRY GRIMSHAW features
44 Nacho Holds On At The Creek
The Spaniard captured his third DP World Tour at the Dubai Invitational.
46 Reed’s Rolex Series
Captain America won the 37th Hero Dubai Desert Classic.
48 Function Over Form
My golf swing is not technically perfect by any stretch.
BY RYAN FOX WITH HARRY GRIMSHAW
56 Golf Digest Honours
We salute golfers who give back with their time, money, skill and passion.
how to play
10 Simple Shot Shaping
You need to get a clear visual for shaping the ball.
BY LIV JACKSON
12 Swing Analysis
Sebastián Muñoz
BY JAMES SIECKMANN
FEBRUARY 2026
14 Rules: Swapping Out
Can you use a range ball on the golf course?
BY RON KASPRISKE
16 Get More Distance
This simple adjustment will put you further down the fairway.
BY TRAVIS FULTON
17 Start Back With The Club
The one-piece takeaway is a mistake.
BY MARK BLACKBURN
what to play
18 Drive Time
This is your year.
BY PETER MORRICE
20 Best Hot List Ever
Our 2026 guide helps you find the perfect upgrade for you.
BY MIKE STACHURA AND E. MICHAEL JOHNSON
22 Hot List: The 2026 Winners
Gold and silver medals go to 138 entries which includes 12 driver families, 55 irons and 33 putters.
23 Our Testers
Our panel of 32 players from 90-shooters to pros performed hundreds of hours of comprehensive testing.
27 Hot List Part 1: Drivers
This year’s top models might extol all sorts of gamechanging technologies.
BY MIKE STACHURA
gulf club
66 Club News
A gallery of the local tournament winners in the amateur circuit within the Middle East.
Fantastic Mr. Fox
Winning without fitting the mould
BY HARRY GRIMSHAW
FEBRUARY PICKS UP right where the new year left off, with familiar faces, big performances and a closer look at what really makes great players win.
New Zealander Ryan Fox fronts this month’s issue and opens up on the journey behind one of the most recognisable swings in professional golf. It may not be textbook, but it has delivered 19 professional wins, including two on the PGA Tour and four on the DP World Tour. Foxy breaks down how he found confidence in his own move and why embracing what works for you can be far more powerful than chasing perfection.
We look back on a whirlwind stretch in the UAE that saw both the Dubai Invitational at Dubai Creek and the Hero Dubai Desert Classic at Emirates Golf Club take centre stage, it was very much another reminder of why the Dubai Desert Classic continues to earn its reputation as the Major of the Middle East.
Away from the ropes, our exclusive interview with Ronan Keating offers a different perspective on the game. Now a Dubai resident, the Irish pop icon explains why golf has become an even bigger part
of his life, from competitive rounds with friends to what the game gives him away from the stage.
Instruction takes a front seat this month too. Liv Jackson from Five Iron Golf Dubai shows how to shape shots with purpose, Travis Fulton explains how one simple adjustment can add real distance off the tee, and Mark Blackburn challenges the idea that a one-piece takeaway is always the right move.
We also kick off Part 1 of our annual Hot List equipment coverage, starting with the latest drivers hitting the market and the models worth your attention as the season gets underway!
editor-in-chief Obaid Humaid Al Tayer
managing partner & group editor
Ian Fairservice
chief commercial officer
Anthony Milne
group content director
Thomas Woodgate
editor Harry Grimshaw
art director Clarkwin N. Cruz
editorial assistant Londresa Flores
sales manager Abdel Djeebet
general manager - production
S. Sunil Kumar
production manager Binu Purandaran
assistant production manager
Venita Pinto
THE GOLF DIGEST PUBLICATIONS
editor-in-chief Jerry Tarde
senior director, business development & partnerships
Greg Chatzinoff
international editor Ju Kuang Tan
GOLF DIGEST USA
editor-in-chief Jerry Tarde
general manager Chris Reynolds
editorial director Max Adler
executive editor Peter Morrice
managing editors Stephen Hennessey, Ryan Herrington, Jonathan Wall
chief designer David Schlow
playing editors Collin Morikawa, Jordan Spieth
head office
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Email: motivateuk@motivate.ae
the starter
Doha’s Iconic Desert Test
Home to the Qatar Masters
Opened in 1998 and designed by Peter Harradine, the 7,508-yard championship course at Doha Golf Club, Qatar, was one of the first grass golf courses in the Middle East and quickly gained popularity. With 21st century skyscrapers providing a formidable backdrop, the desert course features eight strategically positioned lakes, 65 giant cacti and limestone rock formations that contrast with the fairways and pale desert. This month it hosts the USD $2.75 million Qatar Masters on the DP World Tour, won previously by Paul Lawrie, Adam Scott, Ernie Els, Henrik Stenson, Retief Goosen, Thomas Bjorn and Sergio Garcia. The list goes on!
Round with Ronan
“I’m totally addicted now” WITH HARRY GRIMSHAW
The people and celebrities you meet in this line of work are really astonishing at times, and this one was no different, as I was given the chance to be sent back to my childhood and interview one of Ireland’s biggest pop stars, Ronan Keating.
I had the opportunity to chat with him over the space of two weeks of golf in Dubai—firstly at the Dubai Invitational pro-am, then the following week at the Hero Dubai Desert Classic proam at Emirates Golf Club.
I introduced myself and asked if I could film him teeing off the first hole at the Creek. “I’m Ronan, good to meet ya buddy. Of course you can,” he said
with a grin. But his opening drive barely made it over the hazard, as he turned back laughing, telling me to delete the footage. As he waited while his playing partners teed off, a short chat followed about him growing up in Dublin and where his love for golf came from —
“I travel with my golf bag everywhere, even if it’s only a day in the city. It clears the head. It’s a great way to switch off.”
and then I figured it was best to let him focus on his game.
The following week at Emirates Golf Club, I got the chance to dive a little deeper into his love of golf. Ronan greeted me warmly on the first tee. “Now, no filming me teeing off again!” he laughed. I laughed as he sent his drive straight down the fairway. And just like that, we were off!
Having risen to fame with Boyzone and launching a solo career in 2000, Ronan is a familiar face on radio, television, and stages around the world—but here he was in Dubai, navigating a fairway instead of a performing on a stage playing to 100,000 screaming fans.
Growing up in Dublin, golf wasn’t exactly top of the charts for Ronan. “We just played GAA football and hurling,” he recalls. “It was my brothers that got me into it. They emigrated to New York and parttime they caddied in upstate at Wykagyl Country Club. They were actually the ones that brought the game back.”
“Then when I was about 12, 13 I went out with them and started hitting golf balls… I’ve never looked back since. I’m totally addicted now.
Having made Dubai a base for his family three years-ago now, he’s become very much a connoisseur of UAE golf courses, being a regular player at Dubai Creek, Emirates Golf Club, Jumeirah Golf Estates, Yas Links, and Saadiyat Beach. “I sometimes even get down to Tommy Fleetwood’s academies, too. It’s like being a kid in a candy store over here.
“I can drop the kids off at school and then come out and play with amazing pros. Last week I was with Jayden Schaper, this week Dustin Johnson. It’s been a phenomenal two weeks.”
The nine handicapper even makes sure to still take his sticks with him around the globe whether it be performing, presenting or touring.
“I travel with my golf bag everywhere, even if it’s only a day in the city. It clears the head. It’s a great way to switch off.
“Then the other good side of golf is you’re “stuck” with someone for four or five hours on a golf course, and some of the best deals I’ve ever done have happened out here!”
ABOVE: Trading notes with Dustin Johnson. BELOW: Ronan and Storm at eGolf Megastore.
Having played in some of the world’s most prestigious pro-ams, including the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship in Scotland for the past 15 years, he still enjoys the simple rounds with wife, Storm. “We’ll go on holiday with our golf clubs and just play golf together. Time well spent, you know?”
Ronan and Storm are so hooked on golf they have become PXG ambassadors, and the pair are even frequent visitors to eGolf Megastore branch in Al Quoz, Dubai, “Storm and I have been PXG ambassadors for the last 5 years now, so eGolf Megastore sets us up with our new clubs through PXG.
“They have a great setup down there though, a great fitting facility with Trackman and all the bells and whistles. I make sure to buy some clothes when I’m there as well, I’m a sucker for some golf gear!”
As my time with Ronan was coming to an end, I couldn’t not ask a proud, golf-obsessed, Irishman about the upcoming Ryder Cup at Adare Manor in 2027, as his face lit up once again. “Oh, you know it! I’ll even be there as a punter behind the ropes if I have to be.
J.P. McManus’ Adare Manor is one of the finest golf, hotel and luxury setups you’ll find anywhere in the world.
“I was actually at the Ryder Cup in 2006 at the K Club and sang for the European Team in the locker room. Then Tom Lehman dragged me into the American Team room, and I ended up on a pool table singing in front of Tiger Woods. It was pretty special that man. It was rocking.”
EDITED BY HARRY GRIMSHAW
Simple Shot Shaping
Place six balls in front of you to create a clear visual for shaping the ball. To hit a draw, move the ball slightly back and, for a right-handed golfer, aim the feet to the right. The club will follow the line of the feet, while the clubface sits slightly right of the target line but left of the swing path.
To hit a fade, the same applies but in reverse: move the ball slightly forward and aim the feet to the left. The club follows the path of the feet, while the clubface sits left of the target line but right of the swing path.
–LIV JACKSON, HEAD OF INSTRUCTION, FIVE IRON GOLF DUBAI
Painting Inside the Lines
Sebastian Munoz has ‘freakish’ control of his tee shots
BY RON KASPRISKE
SEBASTIAN MUNOZ IS the only player to shoot 60 twice in one PGA Tour season, and his playoff victory over Jon Rahm at the LIV Golf Indianapolis event in August bolstered his reputation as a clutch player. Still, if you’re trying to identify what has been the key aspect of Munoz’ success since turning professional in 2015, his swing coach says it’s his ability to drive the ball anywhere he wants.
Munoz, 33, a native of Colombia, has risen from the mini tours to the Korn Ferry Tour to the PGA Tour and now,
since 2023, LIV Golf, thanks in a big part to his tee game, says one of his instructors, Troy Denton.
“He’s the straightest hitter I’ve ever worked with. He has great hands and freakish face control,” says Denton, who also has coached PGA Tour winners Will Zalatoris and Ryan Moore (Moore also is known for his driving accuracy).
“The thing about Sebastian’s accuracy is, the more pressure and the more it’s real, the better he plays.”
Munoz is working harder than ever to keep elevating his play, his coaches say. He gets swing help from his
caddie, Jose “Pepa” Campra, during tournament weeks on LIV and sees Denton on off weeks. The trio currently is working on a driver swing that preserves his accuracy while not sacrificing too much distance. He can carry the ball about 300 yards with a driver swing speed around 118 miles per hour. That’s not slow by tour standards but not super fast either.
Munoz ranked fourth in driving accuracy (66 percent) on LIV in 2025.
“When we started together eight or nine years ago, he was super steep
FULLY COMMITTED
Munoz’s accuracy often stems from staying down well past impact.
with his swing, so we tried to shallow him out and get him to hit more up on it,” Denton says. “But then he started hitting up on it too much, so now we’re back to getting him to feel like his chest is covering the ball through impact and staying down through it.” One way to reinforce the feeling of “covering the ball” is to have him practice hitting stingers with his 3-wood, Denton says.
“It’s funny, though, even when he
thinks he’s not doing that and he’s coming up and out of the swing and it feels like rubbish, he’s still hitting it straight,” Denton says.
Looking at the images of Munoz above, Denton says some things to note are his positions in the third frame, “he’s lined up so straight,” the top of the swing (fourth frame), “getting deep into his right hip,” and his ability to stay in his posture well past impact (seventh).
“The work he’s putting in is really starting to show,” Denton says. “That win against Rahm is a testament to that. He had a great season.”
Swapping Out
Can you use a range ball on the golf course?
BY RON KASPRISKE
ONE OF THE BIGGEST changes to the Rules of Golf, perhaps since the death of the stymie, awaits in the nottoo-distant future. The USGA and R&A are implementing new procedures for testing golf balls used at the elite level starting in 2028 and the recreational level in 2030. As you might imagine, some golf-ball makers and members of the PGA of America aren’t happy. The expected effect of the change is to roll back distance, particularly for players with faster swing speeds.
While it might be at least five years before the new balls become the ones you play, you might have some questions about balls currently in your bag. For example, who among us hasn’t pulled out a beat-up ball for a meaningless round in an effort to save the “good ones” for the golf that counts? Perhaps you might have even resorted to using a drivingrange ball when you ran out of eggs or didn’t want to risk dunking a $15 multilayer urethane sleeve into a pond.
If you’re guilty of pulling out a red-striped practice ball from time to time, you might wonder if you’re running afoul of the rules in terms of potentially using a non-conforming golf ball. And what about those Xout balls you can get for $12 a dozen? Surely, they don’t offer the same performance characteristics of a premium ball. Does that mean they are non-conforming and would lead to a penalty or penalties if used during a round?
The good news is, you’re probably safe to use either a range ball or an X-out ball on the golf course. Rule 4.2a(1)/2 covers the status of these types of balls. It first defines them. X-outs are usually stamped
that way after a manufacturer has deemed them too imperfect to be sold otherwise. Range balls, meanwhile, are “normal” balls that are simply stamped or painted so they are easy to identify and recover for golfers using the practice tee or short-game area.
A third category of balls you might wonder about are “refurbished balls.” This group typically includes stuff that is recovered at the bottom of ponds and/or other spots on the course where they accumulate in great numbers.
In all three cases, you’re likely to get less-than-ideal performance, which is why they are cheaper to buy and generally more disposable (Can you say, water ball?). That difference in performance might lead you to believe that they are no good for a normal round of golf, but again, Rule 4.2 says unless there is “strong evidence” to suggest one is nonconforming, then there’s nothing wrong with using it. (However, you might be in
violation of a golf-course or club policy regarding their use—especially range balls, so don’t get caught.)
One more thing to consider is whether the course, club or tournament committee has adopted a Local Rule with a “list of conforming golf balls.” If so, refurbished and X-out balls are typically not permitted to be used, even if the model of the ball is on the conforming list. However, balls stamped “PRACTICE” or similar can be used, regardless of the Local Rule.
Using a range ball might be OK with the rule book, but that doesn’t mean you should be pocketing private property—right?
• O icial EGF Handicap (GHIN), recognised worldwide
• Discounted green fees at all UAE golf clubs
• Play in events/competitions and receive awards
• Third party and property damage golfer’s insurance
TRUMP INTERNATIONAL GOLF CLUB, DUBAI
Check Your Knees to Get More Distance
This simple adjustment will put you further down the fairway
BY TRAVIS FULTON
ONE OF THE BIGGEST power leaks in the swing is when the hips move laterally off the ball on the backswing—known as “swaying.” This robs you of the hip turn you need to load properly into your trail side and store energy for the downswing.
A simple check to see if you’re turning your hips enough is to practice with a full-length mirror or someone videoing you. From this perspective directly behind you ( left ), observe your legs at the top of the backswing. If you see a little daylight between your knees like I have here, then congratulations—you’ve made a nice, deep turn with the trail hip. You should feel a good bit of pressure move to the inside of your trail heel, too, but not to the outside of that foot.
MIND THE GAP
There should be space between your knees at the top of the swing.
Conversely, if you see no space, it’s a good indication that your lower body is likely swaying from the target, and you’re not getting enough hip turn. Keep working at it until you can consistently see daylight between your knees.
A good thought is to feel the trail knee lose some flexion during the backswing. That should help you turn your trail hip more up and behind you, encouraging the full wind-up necessary to swing the club down from the inside and generate maximum clubhead speed.
—WITH DAVE ALLEN
TRAVIS FULTON, one of Golf Digest’s Best Teachers in Florida, is the owner of Travis Fulton Golf in Jacksonville.
Start Back With the Club
The
one-piece takeaway is a mistake
BY MARK BLACKBURN
SOME INSTRUCTORS have long preached the importance of a one-piece takeaway, where the club, hands, arms and shoulders start the backswing together. Actually, the clubhead should start first. Some players might feel like they have a one-piece move off the ball, but feel and real aren’t always the same. Taking everything back together gets the club too far inside the target line and starts a chain of events that typically produces a slice. Looking at the swings of the best players with 3-D technology, you can see that the clubhead moves away from the ball first, followed by the arms, shoulders, torso and lastly, the hips. This is the proper kinematic sequence, which keeps the club tracking on a good path, so you can simply reverse the order coming down and deliver it efficiently into the ball.
START SMALL
Initiate the swing with the little muscles, not the big ones.
To nail this move, focus on giving the clubhead a head start. This might feel like an earlier wrist set, as opposed to moving everything together. A good thought is, small to big. The smaller muscles of the hands, wrists and arms move before the larger ones of the shoulders, torso and hips. If someone were filming you with the lens square to your chest, it should appear that the clubhead starts before the hands or arms.
—WITH DREW POWELL
MARK BLACKBURN, voted No. 1 by his peers on Golf Digest’s 50 Best Teachers in America, has coached dozens of pros including Justin Rose, Max Homa and Collin Morikawa. His golf academy is located at Greystone Golf & Country Club in Birmingham, Alabama.
FROM THE TOP (NEXT PAGE), CLOCKWISE:
Srixon ZXi Max
Callaway Quantum Max
PXG Lightning Tour Mid
Ping G440 K
Mizuno JPX One
TaylorMade Qi4D
Titleist GT3
Cobra OPTM X
Serious golfers now wait almost five years to buy a new driver, according to research firm Golf Datatech. That’s nearly 18 months longer than they did back in 2012. This makes sense. Investing in a driver requires careful consideration, so part of your search should include studying our annual Hot List, now in its 23rd year as golf’s leading equipment guide. Let these eight Hot List drivers get the wheels turning, and see our full rundown online and in our upcoming special issue. The right driver might
driver, according to research firm Golf Datatech. That’s just make this your year.
BEST HOT LIST EVER
Our 2026 equipment guide helps you find the perfect clubs to upgrade your game
specific needs. Plus, they make us, well, thoroughly geeked out to get this stuff in our golf bags as soon as possible.
Our search involved the input of dozens of editors, fitters, scientists and, most importantly, players like you. We identified the 138 winning entries in this year’s Hot List after months of research, including a couple of weeks of player testing at the Reunion Resort in Orlando. With a total of 251 clubs reviewed, more than 20,000 shots tracked and almost half a million words of player commentary analysed, this search for truly exceptional clubs was our most rigorous ever. We hope the result will inform your journey through the vast—and confusing—equipment landscape.
The mission of the Hot List remains unchanged: To help you identify the golf equipment that should be at the top of your shopping list. What has changed, however, is how much higher the level of excellence has become. Sure, today’s golf clubs, including the second-hand market, are universally very good, but “very good” isn’t good enough for our ratings anymore. Clubs now need to earn a score of 90 to make the Hot List and a score of 95 to earn a gold medal.
What you will see with the Hot List again this year are the clubs that substantially raise the bar, a list robust with new woods, irons, wedges and putters that push new technological barriers and offer more designs tailored to an array of golfers’
Yes, clubs have gotten better, and the Hot List has responded with a higher standard. We do serious work because getting it right is the first step in putting together your perfect set.
—MIKE STACHURA AND E. MICHAEL JOHNSON
You can read full reviews and detailed analyses of every winning club each month for the first half of the year.
OUR SEARCH
Fueled by detailed study from our scientists and intensive field testing by golfers like you
Producing the Hot List is an all-hands project for our editorial team, but it’s the contributions of two groups that aren’t doing it as their day jobs that set it apart. Our scientific advisors guide us on technological advancements, and our 32 player-testers try out every club—over and over—and tell us what they experience. Together, these dedicated folks help us formulate our three selection criteria: Performance, Innovation, Look/Sound/Feel.
INNOVATION
30%
In consultation with our scientists and based on our interviews with company R&D teams and our review of company technical documents, this grade reflects how a particular technology advances the category. We also consider how that technology is explained and how much of a commitment to fitting a company has made. In short, the best clubs in this category are changing what’s possible.
LOOK • SOUND • FEEL
20%
EXPERT HELP
Our scientists prod manufacturers to find the game’s truly innovative clubs, and our fitters from Golf Galaxy ensure that players hit the right clubs for their individual swings.
SCIENTISTS
MARTIN BROUILLETTE, PH.D. University of Sherbrooke
TOM MASE, PH.D. Cal Poly-San Luis Obispo
JOHN MCPHEE, PH.D. University of Waterloo
DICK RUGGE
Senior Technical Director, USGA (retired)
FITTERS
CHRIS MARCHINI
PERFORMANCE
50%
Based on interviews with our testers, we assess the utility of each club. In other words, this is a grade for what happens to the ball when a player hits it. Rapsodo MLM2Pro launch monitors were used at every hitting station, and during testing over two weeks, we recorded more than 20,000 shots and thousands more
wedge shots and putts. For the first time ever, players made every swing using the Titleist ball fit to their specifications to breed further accuracy and consistency in our process. During each session, top fitters from Golf Galaxy worked with our testers so they were evaluating only models that were ideal for their swings. (Note: Prior to testing, all drivers were tested for conformance to USGA rules on spring-like effect.)
Using responses from our testers, we rate the relative excellence of the visual, auditory and tactile experience of hitting a particular club. The more the club aligns with our understanding of what a golf club should be, the higher the grade it receives. In short, this is a measure of what golfers like you discover while testing. The breakdown below shows how clubs earn medals.
GOLD
Products earned a score of 95 to 100.
SILVER
Products earned a score of 90 to 94.99
97-100
Director of Performance and Innovation, Golf Galaxy, Coraopolis, Pennsylvania.
CARSON BOWEN Ocala, Florida.
ANDREW FARLOW Richmond, Virginia.
BRENDAN HEPTNER Columbia, Maryland. RONNIE HURST Greensboro, North Carolina.
EMILIE JACKSON
Oklahoma City
STEVE LANGS Lakeside, Michigan.
DEVIN LOGUE Richmond, Virginia.
DANIEL MARTINEZ
Orlando
DERRICK MAYER
Greendale, Wisconsin.
RHIANNON RAY
Pittsburgh
PAT SNYDER
Pittsburgh
ANDREW STONESIFER Towson, Maryland.
HOT LIST: THE 2026 WINNERS
Gold and silver medals go to 138 entries this year, including 12 driver families, 55 irons and 33 putters
DRIVERS
•CALLAWAY
Quantum Max
Quantum Max D
Quantum Max Fast
Quantum
Quantum
•COBRA
Max
OPTM LS/OPTM Max-D
OPTM Max-K/OPTM X
•MIZUNO
JPX One/JPX One Select
•PING
G440 K/G440 LST
G440 Max/G440 SFT
•PXG
Lightning Max-10K+
Lightning Max Lite
Lightning Tour
Lightning Tour Mid
•SRIXON
ZXi/ZXi LS/ZXi Max
•TAYLORMADE
Qi4D/Qi4D LS/Qi4D Max
Qi4D Max Lite
•TITLEIST
GT1/GT2/GT3/GT4
•HONMA
TW777/TW777 Max
•LA GOLF
Face ID
•TOUR EDGE
Exotics Lite/Exotics LS
Exotics Max
•WILSON
Dynapower Carbon
Dynapower LS
Dynapower Max
Dynapower Max+
FAIRWAY WOODS
•CALLAWAY
Quantum Max
Quantum Max D
Quantum Max Fast
Quantum
•COBRA
OPTM LS
•COBRA
OPTM Max/OPTM X
•MIZUNO
JPX One
•PING
G440 LST
•PING
G440 Max/G440 SFT
•TAYLORMADE
Qi4D/Qi4D Max/Qi4D Max Lite
•TAYLORMADE
Qi4D Tour
•TITLEIST
GT1/GT2/GT3
•CALLAWAY
Apex UW
•PXG
Lightning/Lightning Tour
•SRIXON ZXi
•TOUR EDGE Exotics LS
•WILSON Dynapower Carbon Dynapower Max
HYBRIDS
•CALLAWAY
Quantum Max
Quantum Max Fast Quantum Max OS
•COBRA
King Tec
•COBRA OPTM
•MIZUNO
JPX One
•PING G440
•PXG Lightning
•TAYLORMADE
Qi4D/Qi4D Max/Qi4D Max Lite
•TITLEIST
GT1/GT2/GT3
•SRIXON ZXi
•VICE VGH01
PLAYERS IRONS
•CALLAWAY
Apex Ai150
•COBRA
3DP MB
•COBRA 3DP Tour
•MIZUNO Mizuno Pro M-13
•SRIXON ZXi7
•TAYLORMADE
P•770
•TITLEIST
T100
•TITLEIST T150
•AVODA GOLF
Origin
•BEN HOGAN Fort Worth CB
•CALLAWAY X Forged
•COBRA King Tour
•MAXFLI XC2
•MIZUNO Mizuno Pro S3
•PING i240
•PXG
0311 T GEN8
•TAYLORMADE
P•7CB
PLAYERS-DISTANCE IRONS
•CALLAWAY
Apex Ai200
•CALLAWAY
Apex Ti Fusion
•MIZUNO
JPX925 Hot Metal Pro
•MIZUNO
Mizuno Pro M-15
•TAYLORMADE
P•790
•TITLEIST T250/T250*
•COBRA King Tec
•MIZUNO
JPX925 Forged
•PING i540
•PXG
0311 P GEN8
•SRIXON ZXi5
•WILSON Staff Model XB
GAME-IMPROVEMENT IRONS
•CALLAWAY Apex Ai300
•CALLAWAY Apex Ti Fusion 250
•CALLAWAY Quantum Max
•COBRA 3DP X
•COBRA King
•COBRA King Tec-X
•MIZUNO
JPX925 Hot Metal
•PING G440
•PXG
0311 XP GEN8
•SRIXON ZXi4
•SRIXON ZXiR
•TAYLORMADE Qi Max
•TITLEIST T350
•HONMA TW777 PCB Max
•TOUR EDGE Exotics Max
•WILSON Dynapower
SUPER-GAMEIMPROVEMENT IRONS
•CALLAWAY Quantum Max OS
•COBRA Baffler
•COBRA King Max
•MIZUNO
JPX925 Hot Metal HL
•PING
G740
•SRIXON ZXiR HL
•TAYLORMADE Qi Max HL
•HONMA Beres 10
•TOUR EDGE
Exotics X725
•WILSON Dynapower Max
WEDGES
•CALLAWAY Opus SP
•CLEVELAND RTZ
•PING s259
•TAYLORMADE
Milled Grind 5
•TITLEIST
Vokey Design SM11
•CLEVELAND
CBZ
•COBRA King
•EDEL
SMS Pro
•LA GOLF
FS-26
•MAXFLI
XCW
•MIZUNO Mizuno Pro T1
•PROTO-CONCEPT RR Forged
•PXG
Stick’em Forged
•TAYLORMADE
Hi-Toe 4
BLADE PUTTERS
•BETTINARDI
BB Series
•MERIDIAN Milled Series
•ODYSSEY Ai-Dual
•PING
PLD Milled
•TITLEIST
Scotty Cameron Studio Style
•BETTINARDI Antidote
•COBRA 3DP Tour
•EVNROLL Origin
•MIZUNO
M.Craft City Series
•PING
Scottsdale
•PXG
Battle Ready II
•PXG
ZT Series
MALLET PUTTERS
•BETTINARDI Antidote
•BETTINARDI
BB Series
•L.A.B. GOLF
DF3i
•L.A.B. GOLF
Oz.1i HS
•MERIDIAN Milled Series
•ODYSSEY Ai-Dual
•ODYSSEY
Square 2 Square Ai-Dual
•ODYSSEY
Square 2 Square Tri-Hot
•PING
Scottsdale Tec
•TAYLORMADE
Spider Tour
•TAYLORMADE
Spider ZT
•TITLEIST
Scotty Cameron Phantom
•TITLEIST
Scotty Cameron Studio Style
•TOULON GOLF
Formula Series
•COBRA 3DP Tour
•COBRA MIM
•EVNROLL
Zero
•PING
Scottsdale
•PXG
Battle Ready II
•PXG
ZT Series
•SEEMORE
SBx/SKx
OUR TESTERS
Real players giving real reviews
Our panel of 32 players—from 90-shooters to pros—performed hundreds of hours of comprehensive testing to rate each club. Here’s the team.
PLAYER PROFILES BY JARED GOLDSTEIN
Gary Abbott, 38
Paris, Ontario, Canada
Solutions engineer / Handicap: 13
Driver: 250 yards / 7-iron: 165 yards
“I share a kindred spirit with Jordan Spieth: My long game can be shaky, but I hit enough good shots and sink a few putts. I tend to cast from the top, so pulls and hooks haunt my golf brain, which is prone to over-activity.”
Favourite Hot List driver: Ping G440 K
Tom Allen, 61
Middletown, Ohio
Trial attorney / Handicap: 7
Driver: 244 yards / 7-iron: 158 yards
“I’ve been known to have the driver yips and a two-way miss. I’m decent with my irons but fight a stubborn sway, so I have a lower trajectory than I want. My short game, up to 60 yards, is still intact. I’m an OK putter.”
Favourite Hot List driver: TaylorMade Qi4D Max
Alejandra Bedoya, 27
Bogotá, Colombia
Corporate financial planner / Handicap: 6
Driver: 220 yards / 7-iron: 140 yards
“Truth be told, I love showing off with my driver, but putting is probably my favorite part of the game. I practice short game more than anything else to offset my struggle to find consistency with my longer irons.”
Favourite Hot List game-improvement iron: Titleist T350
Jack Bingham, 36
Hilton Head Island
Property manager / Handicap: 1
Driver: 280 yards / 7-iron: 165 yards
“I don’t do anything really great, just navigate my way around pretty well. I’m confident that I can stay in play and avoid big numbers. I do get steep on the downswing, so I usually play with a low-launch, high-spin shot.”
Favourite Hot List players iron: Cobra 3DP Tour
Aaron Borgmann, 44
Kansas City
Physical therapist / Handicap: 16
Driver: 260 yards / 7-iron: 165 yards
“I’m halfway decent when I get off the tee safely. I have a finely tuned recovery game because I have to use it so often. Reading greens is something I do pretty well, but I struggle to hit them where I want to.”
Favourite Hot List hybrid: Titleist GT2
Ricky Brown, 47
Fort Worth
High school principal / Handicap: 0
Driver: 300 yards / 7-iron: 180 yards
“My job is similar to golf: No day is ever the same. Golf is my therapy. My driver is a strength, for sure, and my iron play is fairly consistent. Wedge play is a constant work in progress, but that’s part of the fun of it.”
Favourite Hot List driver: Callaway Quantum
Max
Chris Carda, 60 Mesa, Ariz.
Retired / Handicap: 8
Driver: 250 yards / 7-iron: 165 yards
“Good scores for me are about driving it well. I’m best from 100 yards and in. My goal is to remember ‘Animal House’ and the sage words of Otter: ‘Don’t think of it as work. The whole point is just to enjoy yourself.’ ”
Favourite Hot List wedge: TaylorMade Milled Grind 5
Alan Cooke, 31 Centennial, Colo.
Private wealth associate / Handicap: 3
Driver: 270 yards / 7-iron: 175 yards
“I’m pretty proud of my iron game. My driver can get wild and lead to double bogeys, but if I’m in play off the tee, I can score. I grew up a range rat, and I wish I’d spent more time as a kid on driving and short game.”
Favourite Hot List players-distance iron: Callaway Apex Ti Fusion
Scott Dickinson, 37 Easley, South Carolina.
Mechatronics student / Handicap: 16
Driver: 310 yards / 7-iron: 190 yards
“I’m a bomber, but no house is safe on either side. I get to see parts of courses that most don’t. I love the saying, ‘Scorecards don’t have pictures.’ My putting and distance control are my Achilles’ heels.”
Favourite Hot List wedge: Titleist Vokey Design SM11
Andrew Dulak, 40
Pittsburgh
Golf fitness trainer / Handicap: 8
Driver: 285 yards / 7-iron: 182 yards
“My game is held together by iron play. The driver is sporadic with misses when I overswing. My short game is average, and I play best on faster greens where I can focus on just starting the ball on line.”
Favourite Hot List game-improvement iron: Ping G440
Skylar Frankiewicz, 28
New York City
Growth & partnerships associate / Handicap: 7
Driver: 255 yards / 7-iron: 152 yards
“My strengths are driving and inside 150 yards. I play a fade, but a snap hook can show up. If I could have three wishes, I’d like to be better at 60-yard shots and lag putts and have sniper-level aim with my hybrids.”
Favourite Hot List hybrid: Callaway Quantum Max
Wesley Gilmore, 31 Mableton, Georgia.
Data analyst / Handicap: +3
Driver: 292 yards / 7-iron: 197 yards
“I’m pretty good with my long irons, wedges and shot-shaping, and I can hit it out there with the driver. When I get in trouble, it’s typically off the tee or with speed control on the greens.”
Favourite Hot List driver: Titleist GT3
Jason Guss, 48
Naperville, Illinois.
Golf professional
Driver: 260 yards / 7-iron: 165 yards
“I go through phases of being a very good driver, although a left miss on any full swing can rear its head. My short game has always given me an advantage, and I’m a solid putter. I’d just love to play more than I do.”
Favourite Hot List mallet putter: Ping Scottsdale Tec
Sean Harper, Sr., 54
Reynoldsburg, Ohio
Retired / Handicap: 6
Driver: 260 yards / 7-iron: 175 yards
“I rarely feel in control with my driver, and I haven’t quite figured out how to eliminate a two-way miss. On the plus side, my irons and short game are pretty dialed and save my scores more often than not.”
Favourite Hot List driver: Cobra OPTM Max-D
Paul Ianniello, 64 Scottsdale
Retired / Handicap: 6
Driver: 260 yards / 7-iron: 156 yards
“I’m consistent, but I struggle with short irons and chipping. Hitting fairways is a strength and getting fit for a driver was huge. I used to have the yips, so I’m proud to say putting is now my best asset.”
Favourite Hot List blade putter: Bettinardi Antidote
Wayne Johnson, 60
Palm Coast, Florida.
Pilot / Handicap: 7
Driver: 240 yards / 7-iron: 165 yards
“My game is like a box of chocolates: You never know what you’re gonna get! I fight a two-way miss. Chipping and putting save me a lot. My favorite club is my 5-wood, which I feel good hitting from anywhere.”
Favourite Hot List fairway wood: Srixon ZXi
Ryan Kroll, 50
Chanhassen, Minnesota.
Stay-at-home father / Handicap: 10
Driver: 245 yards / 7-iron: 166 yards
“Consistency off the tee is my big weakness. When I keep it in play, I lean on my irons and a decent short game to score. I can have an all-world warmup, lose it walking to the tee, then find it again on 18!”
Favourite Hot List game-improvement iron: Mizuno JPX925 Hot Metal
Peter Lee, 58
San Diego
Attorney / Handicap: 8
Driver: 250 yards / 7-iron: 160 yards
“I’m most comfortable with my short game. Chipping and putting keep me from blowing up. My full swing is hot and cold. When I’m on, I feel great, but one wayward shot can escalate. I need mental fortitude.”
Favourite Hot List fairway wood: TaylorMade Qi4D
Timothy Linn, 45
Dublin, Ohio
Sales director / Handicap: 17
Driver: 280 yards / 7-iron: 165 yards
“I’m capable of crushing drives, hitting precise irons and rolling perfect putts—just never on the same hole. Instead of trying to control it, I just enjoy the game without taking the results too seriously.”
Favourite Hot List driver: Cobra OPTM Max-K
Daniel Lupo, 33
New York City
Financial analyst / Handicap: 11
Driver: 270 yards / 7-iron: 170 yards
“I hit a lot of fairways and am most confident with my long clubs, although I can get steep and miss right. My stats show that 120 and in is a problem. Putting is OK, but any bunker shot is a disaster.”
Favourite Hot List fairway wood: Titleist GT3
Wei Mao, 55
Elk Grove, California.
Postal carrier / Handicap: 14
Driver: 240 yards / 7-iron: 155 yards
“Ball-striking and tempo are the best parts for me. I enjoy visualizing the shot and conjuring a swing that could make it reality. I don’t always pull it off, but when I do, the feeling I get is why I love the game.”
Favourite Hot List driver:
TaylorMade Qi4D Max
Anand Mudaliar, 43
Philadelphia
Head of product / Handicap: 6
Driver: 265 yards / 7-iron: 155 yards
“I drive it well and probably putt better. My issue is getting the ball on the green. The wedges are streaky, but my 7-wood has been a revelation. The more I plan a round, the more wayward I get. Humbling game.”
Favourite Hot List fairway wood: Mizuno JPX One
Matt Nestler, 28
New York City
Masters degree candidate / Handicap: 7
Driver: 260 yards / 7-iron: 170 yards
“I save myself with short game and putting. I drive it decently, but a high-right miss gets me in trouble. My biggest test is middle and long irons. If approach shots were stricken from the game, I’d be dangerous.”
Favourite Hot List wedge: Callaway Opus SP
Megan Padua Buzza, 40
Frisco, Texas
Golf professional
Driver: 250 yards / 7-iron: 155 yards
“I’m a college-golf alum whose strengths are driving and putting. With two little ones under age 4, I don’t play a lot, but simulator reps help. On any given day, I can go low or shoot in the 80s. I always enjoy myself.”
Favourite Hot List driver: Titleist GT3
Shane Popham, 37
Ridgefield, Connecticut.
Director of partnerships / Handicap: 12
Driver: 285 yards / 7-iron: 174 yards
“As a former college football player, I rely on athleticism to make up for lack of skill or practicing. I could probably putt the same with a croquet mallet as any putter. I do have it in me to hit any green—or nearby condo.”
Favourite Hot List super-gameimprovement iron: Srixon ZXiR HL
Jin Roh, 30
Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey.
Personal trainer / Handicap: 10
Driver: 280 yards / 7-iron: 180 yards
“My iron game tends to be my strength, with the occasional tee shot to match. My tempo is smooth, but sometimes under pressure I can get some wild misses, which explains why my handicap isn’t lower.”
Favourite Hot List game-improvement iron: Callaway Apex Ai300
Robert Shaw, 28
Dawsonville, Georgia.
M&A consultant / Handicap: +2
Driver: 305 yards / 7-iron: 185 yards
“My game is anchored in dependable ball-striking with my irons and wedges, enhanced by some greenside touch. I like to create shots and trust my feel to turn tough situations into scoring chances.”
Favourite Hot List players-distance iron:
Mizuno Mizuno Pro M-15
Matt Singer, 53
Anchorage, Alaska
Trial lawyer / Handicap: 11
Driver: 245 yards / 7-iron: 150 yards
“Driver is a strength of my game. While not terribly long, I find most of the fairways. My approach game is lacking, with a dreaded two-way miss. I lean on my wedges and get up and down or two-putt most of the time.”
Favourite Hot List driver: PXG Lightning Tour Mid
Jamie Struck, 52
Okatie, South Carolina.
Test pilot / Handicap: 7
Driver: 250 yards / 7-iron: 160 yards
“I’m lucky to have a reliable driver. I need that consistency with my irons, where I tend to miss left and right. I do pick approach clubs with no ego, so I have good distance control. I’m streaky with my putter.”
Favourite Hot List players-distance iron: Callaway Apex Ai200
B.K. Suhr, 42
Orlando
Nurse practitioner / Handicap: 2
Driver: 300 yards / 7-iron: 180 yards
“The best parts of my game are driving and longer approaches. I don’t get to play as much as I used to, so I’ve tried to optimize my set to simplify things. Playing less has hurt my finesse. I need to get fit for wedges.”
Favourite Hot List driver: Ping G440 LST
Todd Wade, 62
San Mateo, California.
Financial technology consultant / Handicap: 13
Driver: 240 yards / 7-iron: 160 yards
“Driver has become my favorite club after working on swing speed and the release. My ball-striking is solid enough, particularly when the short game is on. When I grow up, I want to be a great putter.”
Favourite Hot List driver: Cobra OPTM X
Ryan Woyski, 47
Kansas City
Sales manager / Handicap: 10
Driver: 280 yards / 7-iron: 160 yards
“My tee shots are a game of driver roulette: sometimes center cut, sometimes out of play. Irons are decent, and I can usually scramble around the greens. On most days, my putter holds it all together.”
Favourite Hot List mallet putter:
L.A.B. Golf DF3i
DRIVERS
• No moment in golf inspires more uncertainty and fear for most golfers than standing on the tee with driver in hand. When that shot reveals the ball flying far and true, bounding down the fairway at full tilt, there might be no greater joy. The right driver starts every hole—every day, really—with a delightful confidence. This year’s top models might extol all sorts of game-changing technologies, but what they truly deliver is belief. All that proficiency and fearlessness you always wish you had, now you suddenly do. These are the clubs that can make that happen. HOT LIST 2026 GOLF DIGEST P.27
CALLAWAY Quantum
QUANTUM MAX
RRP 3,195
• This model features the deepest center of gravity in the Callaway driver family, creating maximum stability on o -centre hits.
• The multi-material face has three levels: an ultra-thin titanium reinforced by a polymer-mesh compound and a carbon-fiber panel.
• The titanium front piece allows greater variable thicknesses—designed using AI—to optimize ball speed and spin performance.
• Top 5 in Performance, middle- and high-handicaps
• 9, 10.5, 12 degrees (with an eight-way adjustable hosel)
QUANTUM MAX D
• Callaway’s most draw-biased driver, the Max D has a larger frame and lower centre of gravity to promote higher launch.
• Three elements make up the face: an extrathin titanium front piece, a polymermesh backing and a carbon-fiber support layer.
• The club’s AIassisted design provides a wider array of face-thickness permutations to create consistent speed and controlled spin across a greater area of the face.
• 9, 10.5, 12 degrees (with an eight-way adjustable hosel)
COMMENT SUMMARY* Hot List testers noted exceptionally forgiving, hot, lower-spin faces that deliver high, piercing launch and consistent distance, plus a crisp, powerful sound and futuristic carbon looks.
RRP 3,195
Demo this club and get a custom fit at eGolf Megastore
Megastore
QUANTUM MAX FAST
• For players with moderate speed, this club has a lightweight carbon-composite construction covering the crown and sole to provide more velocity.
• A deep centre of gravity stabilises the head for consistent distance and direction control.
• A 40-gram shaft (about the weight of two Oreos) is easier to swing.
• The three-layer face has a thin, flexible titanium front piece supported by a polymer-mesh backing and a layer of carbon composite.
• 10.5, 12 degrees (with an eight-way adjustable hosel)
• This more compact, easier-to-work head shape targets better players with faster swing speeds who are looking for less spin and a flatter trajectory.
• The innovative threelayer face uses an ultra-thin titanium layer supported by an inner layer of carbon composite
joined to the face by a polymer mesh.
• The carbon fiber’s strength allows for an intricate variablethickness pattern on the titanium face, designed using AI.
• Top 5 in Performance, low-handicaps
• 8, 9, 10.5 degrees (with an eight-way adjustable hosel)
Demo this club and get a custom fit at eGolf Megastore
• Built for players who desire the low-spin performance of the company’s Triple Diamond drivers but need the extra forgiveness from a full-size shape.
• A new three-layer face combines a thin front layer of titanium and a strong carboncomposite backing
with a high-strength polymer mesh in between.
• Shaped by an AI study of impact patterns, the face structure lets the titanium flex in more intricate ways.
• Top 5 in Performance, low-handicaps
• 9, 10.5 degrees (with an eight-way adjustable hosel)
Demo this club and get a custom fit at eGolf Megastore
OPTM X RRP 2,895
• For players seeking distance over workability, this club features a larger front-to-back shape for more forgiveness and lower spin.
• Like the rest of the OPTM lineup, the design uses balanced internal weighting to boost consistency by reducing the way the head might wobble on mis-hits.
• Sole weights (11 and 3 grams) allow the player to adjust stability and spin.
• Top 5 in Performance, middle- and high-handicaps
• 9, 10.5 degrees (with a 33-way adjustable hosel)
Hot List testers noted a soft face feel and easy launch for penetrating, lowspin, high-speed ball flights with abundant distance, forgiveness and
workability.
Demo this club and get a custom fit at eGolf Megastore
OPTM MAX-D
• Along with the Max-K, the Max-D has the largest profile in the OPTM line, and this club adds internal heel-side weighting for built-in slice relief.
• The clubhead’s lighter weight helps players control it throughout the swing and return the face to square at impact.
• The rear skirt section provides a lower and deeper centre of gravity for easier and higher launch.
• Like others in the OPTM family, this model uses balanced internal weighting for increased consistency.
• 10.5, 12 degrees (with a 33-way adjustable hosel)
• The most forgiving o ering in the OPTM lineup uses a broad address profile to deepen the centre of gravity for maximum forgiveness and high launch.
• This club ranks among the top 10 in total moment of inertia on the Hot List.
• The large size uses a rear skirt section
to provide a lower and deeper centre of gravity for easier and higher launch.
• Like others in the lineup, this club uses balanced internal weighting to minimise the way the head tends to wobble on mis-hits.
• 9, 10.5, 12 degrees (with a 33-way adjustable hosel)
• With more internal weighting up front, this compact head is ideal for lowering spin and enhancing workability.
• The LS is Cobra’s most aerodynamicallye cient model.
• Like others in the OPTM lineup, this model uses balanced internal weighting for
more consistency by minimising the way the head tends to wobble on mis-hits.
• Three movable sole weights allow the player to tweak spin and ball flight.
• Top 5 in Performance, low-handicaps
• 9, 10.5 degrees (with a 33-way adjustable hosel)
Demo this club and get a custom fit at eGolf Megastore
Demo this club and get a custom fit at eGolf Megastore
Demo this club and get a custom fit at eGolf Megastore
JPX One
JPX ONE TBC
• This club has the larger footprint of Mizuno’s two new models and uses a nanoalloy coating on the titanium face for better ball speeds, forgiveness and straighter ball flight.
• The coating increases the strength and bending properties of the titanium on high-speed impacts to create better resilience than typical forged titanium. It also allows the thickest parts of the face to get nearly 10 percent thinner versus previous models.
• Top 5 in Look, high-handicaps
• 9, 10.5, 12 degrees (with an eight-way adjustable hosel)
JPX ONE SELECT
• This more compact model also uses a nanoalloy coating on the titanium face for better ball speeds across the face.
• The coating increases the bending properties of the titanium on high-speed impacts to create better resilience.
• The face is neutral to
slightly fade-bias for players who like to work the ball.
• A little taller profile with a more forward centre of gravity lowers spin and produces a penetrating flight.
• Top 5 in Look, low-handicaps
• 9, 10.5 degrees (with an eight-way adjustable hosel)
COMMENT SUMMARY
Hot List testers noted a striking glossy-blue face and crown; soft yet springy feel and a satisfying sound, plus tight dispersion and repeatable high launch and carry.
G440 K
RRP 3,195
• This extremely forgiving design incorporates a 32gram adjustable weight for draw, neutral and fade settings.
• Weight saved by the use of light carboncomposite sections that wrap around the crown and fill the sole plate is used for extra stability.
• Like the other models in the lineup, the face has a thinner section in the high part of the heel for ball-speed consistency.
• Top 5 in Sound/Feel, high-handicaps
• 9, 10.5, 12 degrees (with an eight-way adjustable hosel)
this club and get a custom fit at eGolf
Hot List testers noted crown fins that helped with alignment, extremely hot faces with huge sweet spots, easy launch, strong distance and consistent ball flight.
Demo
Megastore
G440 SFT
• The slice-fighting “neutral” face angle in this model is 1.5 degrees closed compared to the draw setting in the G440 Max.
• A new 9-degree o ering provides slice correction for faster swingers.
• The redesigned interior portion of the hosel creates room
• The LST targets faster swingers looking to reduce spin and maintain shot trajectory and ball speed.
• It earns one of the top ratings for stability on o -centre hits.
• A carbon-composite piece wraps into the back half of the crown to save mass that is repositioned
low and more forward than in the other G440 models.
• A 29-gram adjustable weight in the rear perimeter accommodates neutral, draw or fade positions.
• Top 5 in Performance, low-handicaps
• 7.5, 9, 10.5 degrees (with an eight-way adjustable hosel)
Demo this club and get a custom fit at eGolf Megastore
for that area of the face to flex better while lowering the centre of gravity.
• Mass saved from the carbon-composite crown is converted into a 23-gram adjustable rear weight for Draw and Draw+ settings.
• 9, 10.5 degrees (with an eight-way adjustable hosel)
this club and get a custom fit at eGolf
RRP 2,995 G440 MAX
• With a smaller profile than the G440 K, this version saves weight in the head and shaft to create more potential speed while still being among the highest in stability.
• A redesigned interior portion of the hosel opens up room for that area to flex more e ciently.
• Mass saved from a
carbon-composite crown wrap is converted into a 29-gram adjustable weight for neutral, draw or fade positions.
• Top 5 in Performance, middle-handicaps
• 9, 10.5, 12 degrees (with an eight-way adjustable hosel)
Demo this club and get a custom fit at eGolf Megastore
2,995
2,995
Demo
Megastore
LIGHTNING TOUR MID
RRP 3,195
• With a slightly larger look at address compared to its sibling Lightning Tour, this model has a more forgiving frame that incorporates much of the low-spin emphasis of the Tour model.
• Expect the Tour Mid to launch a bit higher than the Tour.
• A new clubface design is intended to match the way the face deflects with the way the ball compresses at impact for better energy transfer.
• 8, 9, 10.5 degrees (with an eight-way adjustable hosel)
Demo this club and get a custom fit at eGolf Megastore
Hot List testers noted clean looks with an effective ‘X’ alignment, explosive ball speed with low spin, an easy-to-find center, strong mid-high launch and tight
dispersion.
LIGHTNING MAX LITE
• This lightweight model o ers moderate-speed players more distance potential via a faster swing.
• Despite less overall mass, the design uses a 12.5-gram rear weight to match the moment of inertia of last year’s standard Black Ops, preserving high stability.
• Large composite sections in the crown and sole create more saved mass to improve stability.
• The intent of the clubface design is to match how the face deflects with how the ball compresses at impact.
• 10.5, 11.5 degrees (with an eight-way adjustable hosel)
Coming soon at eGolf Megastore
LIGHTNING MAX-10K+
• Highly focused on maximum stability on o -centre hits, this club was built to be the most forgiving driver in PXG history.
• One of the top five drivers in moment of inertia evaluated at this year’s Hot List.
• The clubface design matches the way the face deflects with the way the
ball compresses at impact for more e cient ball speed.
• The spined sole sti ens to control vibrations for better energy transfer.
• Wide carbon sections in the crown and sole improve stability.
• 9, 10.5, 12 degrees (with an eight-way adjustable hosel)
LIGHTNING TOUR
RRP 3,195
• Built with input from PXG tour sta , this compact model o ers low spin and advanced workability.
• The clubface design aligns how the face deflects with how the ball compresses at impact for better energy transfer.
• Carbon sections in the crown and sole
(67 percent larger on this year’s model versus the Black Ops Tour-1) create more space to increase the mass of movable weights and boost stability on ocenter hits.
• Top 5 in Forgiveness, low handicaps
• 8, 9, 10.5 degrees (with an eight-way adjustable hosel)
Demo this club and get a custom fit at eGolf Megastore
3,195
3,195
Demo this club and get a custom fit at eGolf Megastore
ZX i MAX
RRP 2,995
• This new shape o ers moderate-speed players the most forgiving driver the company has made.
• Produces higher launch with a slight draw versus the ZXi.
• A 14-gram weight in the perimeter enhances stability.
• The face’s variablethickness pattern has a thin middle section and thicker heel and toe sections to maximise ball speed across a wider area.
• A new, stronger titanium alloy helps optimise the thickness pattern.
• Top 5 in Forgiveness, middle-handicaps
• 9, 10.5, 12 degrees (with a 12-way adjustable hosel)
Demo this club and get a custom fit at eGolf Megastore
Hot List testers noted appealing looks, explosive ball speed, highlaunch/low-spin carries and a massive sweet spot producing strong forgiveness, long drives and
• This model will appeal to better players with faster swing speeds who are looking to reduce spin.
• The clubhead favours a slight fade in the neutral setting.
• Two adjustable front and rear sole weights provide options for creating less spin or higher launch.
• The face’s variablethickness pattern uses a thinner middle section surrounded by thicker heel and toe sections to maximise ball speed across a wider area.
• 8, 9, 10.5 degrees (with a 12-way adjustable hosel)
Coming soon at eGolf Megastore
• This driver is designed for players seeking mid-to-high flight and mid-to-low spin.
• Alternating rigid and flexible regions in the crown and sole boost power at impact.
• A lattice pattern of thicker bands allows most of the crown to be thinner than a credit card.
• The face’s variablethickness pattern (thinner in the middle, thicker on the heel and toe sides) creates a larger area with the highest ball speeds.
• Top 5 in Look, middle-handicaps
• 9, 10.5 degrees (with a 12-way adjustable hosel)
Demo this club and get a custom fit at eGolf Megastore
Qi4D
Qi 4D
RRP 3,195
• Extensive carbon composite in the crown, sole and face yields extra stability on o -centre hits and aerodynamic e ciency.
• Four adjustable sole weights provide 26 grams of movable weight to reduce spin, increase stability, change trajectory or mitigate left or right misses.
• A shaft-fitting algorithm, based on 11 million shots, matches golfers to one of three profiles.
Hot List testers matte-carbon look; white alignment line; explosive, stable ball speed a forgiving sweet spot, plus high launch with tight dispersion.
Megastore
Qi 4D MAX
• The most forgiving model in the Qi4D family benefits from a titaniumfree construction that blends carbon composite in the crown, sole and face with a lightweight aluminum frame.
• Stretched longer from front to back than the Qi4D, the Max has the deepest
Qi 4D MAX LITE
• The Max Lite is a lighter-weight version of the Qi4D Max o ering high stability while giving moderatespeed players more distance potential.
• The lighter head, which uses aluminum instead of titanium, and a lighter shaft and grip help to build speed and control.
• A wider sole slot at the heel and toe improves mis-hits low on the face.
• A new variablethickness pattern comprising 60 layers of carbon composite boosts face deflection for o -centre hits.
• 8, 9, 10.5 degrees (with a 12-way adjustable hosel)
Demo this club and get a custom fit at eGolf Megastore
centre of gravity for more stability and higher launch.
• Substituting aluminum for titanium saves mass to make space for two adjustable sole weights so players can tweak ball flight and spin.
• 9, 10.5, 12 degrees (with a 12-way adjustable hosel)
Qi 4D LS
• This compactlooking head shape (although still 460cc) is built for low spin with its lower, more forward centre of gravity and higher speed achieved through enhanced aerodynamic styling.
• The aerodynamic improvements include a softer topline and a weight
RRP 3,195
RRP 3,195
port tucked within the rear perimeter.
• Two adjustable sole weights (15 and 4 grams) serve to reduce spin, increase stability or change trajectory.
• Top 5 in Look, low-handicaps
• 8, 9, 10.5 degrees (with a 12-way adjustable hosel)
Demo this club and get a custom fit at eGolf Megastore
RRP 3,195
Demo this club and get a custom fit at eGolf Megastore
GT3
RRP 3,295
TITLEIST GT
• In this model, the centre of gravity is more forward than in the GT2, making it better for golfers with a repeatable impact location looking to lessen spin and maximize centre-strike ball speed.
• A thermo-formed polymer piece wraps around the crown to meet the sole on the heel and toe sides. This lowers the centre of gravity but keeps Titleist’s preferred sound and feel.
• Top 5 in Performance, low-, middle- and high-handicaps
Hot List testers noted a sleek, minimalist head with a trampoline-like, ultra-hot face that produces high ball speeds and long, low-spin carry; adjustable weighting provides for better shot shaping.
Demo
Megastore
GT2
• With a larger head than the GT3, this model provides more stability on mis-hits and a higher launch.
• Ideal for players with average to aboveaverage speeds who use the entire face.
• A lightweight, thermo-formed polymer piece wraps around the crown at the heel and
GT1
• The lightest driver in the family, the GT1 sports the deepest centre of gravity for enhanced stability and high launch.
• The lightweight balance potentially gives moderatespeed players more control, speed and higher trajectory.
• A rear weight port can house a heavier
flat weight to benefit average-speed players looking for a slight draw bias.
• A thickened ringlike area around the back of the clubface stabilises the perimeter to boost face deflection for more ball speed.
• 9, 10, 12 degrees (with a 16-way adjustable hosel)
Demo this club and get a custom fit at eGolf Megastore
toe, lowering the centre of gravity and maintaining Titleist’s sound and feel.
• The centre of gravity also is slightly more forward, boosting energy transfer and reducing spin.
Demo this club and get a custom fit at eGolf Megastore
GT4
• The most compact model in the lineup (430cc) pushes the centre of gravity further forward than in any other GT driver to reduce spin.
• Switchable weights in the sole allow players to choose between lower spin (heavier weight forward) and more forgiveness (heavier
RRP 3,295
weight back).
• A lightweight, thermo-formed polymer piece wraps around the crown on the heel and toe sides to lower the centre of gravity and maintain Titleist’s preferred sound and feel.
• 8, 9, 10 degrees (with a 16-way adjustable hosel)
RRP 3,295
RRP 3,295
Demo this club and get a custom fit at eGolf Megastore
NACHO HOLDS ON AT THE CREEK
THE SPANIARD CAPTURED HIS THIRD DP WORLD TOUR AT THE DUBAI
INVITATIONAL
Nacho Elvira came out on top with a nerveless display during a roller coaster final round to claim his third DP World Tour title at the 2026 Dubai Invitational.
No less than five players shared the lead on a chaotic Sunday at Dubai Creek Resort, where overnight leader Elvira cruised into a three-shot lead following a third birdie of the day at the seventh.
He left the door ajar when finishing his front nine with successive bogeys as Rory McIlroy, Shane Lowry, Daniel Hillier and Marcus Armitage joined the Spaniard at the summit at nine under down the final stretch.
Lowry made his move with a birdie at the 15th, only to double bogey the last and spectacularly fall out of contention.
Hillier was the clubhouse leader at nine under, but Elvira carded his first birdie of the back nine at the 17th to earn a one-shot lead down the last and calmly rolled a final par for a brilliant victory.
“It means the world,” the 38-year-old said. “If you told me on Tuesday that I’d be winning this tournament I’d have never believed you.
“It’s a dream come true, especially having the family here. I’ve always dreamed to have my kids walking up to me with a win and anything that happens after this, nothing compares to this.
“I knew at some point it was going to be difficult, especially with the great players playing in front of me. I somehow managed to make a par on ten, managed somehow to make a par on 11
and I guess I calmed down a little after this and stayed patient.
“To be honest with you, I wasn’t nervous until the very last putt - the onefooter I had for the win. I knew what I needed to do, I knew I needed to be patient.
“I think there are so many positives from this week and I couldn’t be more happier.”
Elvira was handed the trophy by tournament host Abdullah Al Naboodah, Chairman of Al Naboodah Investments and Non-Executive Board Member of the European Tour group. He was joined in the presentation party by Eric Nicoli, Chairman, European Tour group; H.E. General Abdullah Al Hashmi, President, Emirates Golf Federation; Mustafa Al Hashimi, CEO, Wasl Hospitality; and Eisa Sharif Al Marzooqi, Director of Sports Events, Dubai Sports Council.
“Congratulations to Nacho Elvira on an outstanding performance and well-earned victory,” said Al Naboodah. “The calibre of golf from both our professionals and amateurs has been remarkable. The Pro-Am format is what makes the Dubai Invitational special, and it remains an honour to host the world’s best here.
“Thank you to everyone who took part and to our global partners DP World and Rolex, along with our tour-
It’s a deam come true.
-Nacho Elvira
nament partners Discovery Land Company, Dubai Basketball, Gulfsteam and Silverlake. We also extend our thanks to the Wasl and World of Hyatt for providing the unparalleled backdrop of the Dubai Creek Golf Club and special thanks to the Dubai Sports Council and the Emirates Golf Federation for their continued support for the tournament and golf in the region. We look forward to welcoming everyone back in 2028.”
Geoff Wang was the 2026 Dubai Invitational Team Event Champion following a total of 17 under.
“It’s incredible,” Wang said. “I’ve not spent a lot of time in Dubai, it’s only my second time, but to experience this place on this occasion and on this beautiful golf course, the tournament is exceedingly well run.”
ABOVE: Nacho Elvira alongside his caddie.
LEFT: Team event winner Geoff Wang, with tournament host Abdullah Al Naboodah.
REED’S ROLEX SERIES
THE AMERICAN CAPTURED THE HERO DUBAI DESERT CLASSIC, THE MAJOR OF THE MIDDLE EAST
Patrick Reed delivered a composed and assured performance to win the 37th Hero Dubai Desert Classic, closing with a level-par 72 to secure a four-shot victory on the Majlis course at Emirates Golf Club and claim his maiden Rolex Series title and fourth DP World Tour win of his career.
The American began the final round with a fourshot lead but faced an early test as the conditions toughened and playing partner from Spain David Puig, mounted pressure around the turn as he birdied the eighth and ninth holes to cut the deficit to two. Reed finished his front nine one over par for the day, has he struggled to create birdie chances as conservative lines and swirling winds made precise distance control difficult.
“It hasn’t fully set in yet,” Reed said after the round. “Today was a lot harder than I expected. I knew it was going to be. I just couldn’t really get anything going on the front nine.
“Instead of keeping the foot on the gas early, I tried to protect that lead,” he said. “Next thing you know, David goes and birdies eight and nine and shuts it down to two. Now it’s a dogfight.”
A timely reminder from his caddie helped reset Reed’s focus heading into the back nine, with a clear message to trust his game and stay aggressive when opportunities arose.
“He was like, ‘Go shoot under par on the back nine and no one will beat you,’” Reed explained.
The turning point came at the par-four 13th, where Reed rolled in a crucial birdie putt while Puig dropped a shot, restoring his healthy four-shot cushion. From there, Reed managed to take any late drama out of the contest.
“We were able to get that birdie on 13 and he gave me a gift there by bogeying,” Reed said. “From there on, just hit fairways, hit greens and don’t make any mistakes.
“With the firepower David has, especially with his length, I knew I had to keep the pedal down,” he said. “I can’t drive 17. I can’t cut a lot of those corners. Those long guys are going to take advantage of those holes, so I knew I needed a bit of a cushion.”
Reed’s final-round 72 completed a commanding week in Dubai and marked his first DP World Tour victory since 2020, a gap of five years and 336 days. The win also carried added significance as his first Rolex Series title, achieved on one of the Tour’s most established stages here in the Middle East.
By lifting the Dallah Trophy, Reed became the sixth American winner of the Hero Dubai Desert Classic, joining a list that includes Fred Couples, Mark O’Meara, Tiger Woods and Bryson DeChambeau. It was also his best result in a Rolex Series event, having previously finished runner-up at this tournament in 2023.
The win sees Reed surge up to second on the Race to Dubai Rankings and climb inside the world’s top 30.
England’s Andy Sullivan recovered from a shaky front nine to finish birdie-birdie and sign for a one-
IT HASN’T FULLY SET IN YET. TODAY WAS A LOT HARDER THAN I EXPECTED. I KNEW IT WAS GOING TO BE. — PATRICK REED
ABOVE His Highness Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum presents the Dallah trophy to Patrick Reed
under-par 71, securing solo second at ten under.
France’s Julien Guerrier carded an eagle, two birdies and a bogey to record his best finish at a Rolex Series event in third at nine under.
Denmark’s Nicolai Højgaard, Italy’s Francesco Molinari and Race to Dubai Rankings Delivered by DP World leader Jayden Schaper from South Africa finished a shot further back, while Portugal’s Ricardo Gouveia, England’s Marcus Armitage and Puig – who incurred a two-shot penalty for grounding his club in a bunker at the last – ended the week at seven under.
The Hero Dubai Desert Classic was the opening Rolex Series event of the year, offering a $9 million prize fund and 8,000 Race to Dubai points.
Simon Corkill, Executive Tournament Director of the Hero Dubai Desert Classic, said: “Congratulations to Patrick on a dominant performance and a well-deserved victory at the 37th Hero Dubai Desert Classic. He played outstanding golf all week and thoroughly earned his place on the Dallah trophy.
“This year we welcomed one of the strongest fields in the tournament’s history, and the quality of golf matched the occasion. Beyond the fairways, we’re proud to have delivered an experience that brought together world-class sport, family entertainment, sustainability innovation, and player wellbeing.
“A huge thank you to our title sponsor Hero MotoCorp, founding partner Emirates Global Aluminium, and all our partners and fans for making this week a true celebration of golf and community. We look forward to welcoming everyone back in 2027.”
IT DOESN’T HAVE TO LOOK PRETTY TO WIN
BY RYAN FOX
PHOTOGRAPHS BY GETTY IMAGES WITH HARRY GRIMSHAW
IN THE BEGINNING
My golf swing originally started from reading that Tiger Woods book, How I Play Golf.
I know it doesn’t look anything like it, but that’s how it started. I never had any lessons as a teenager. I literally just read that book, whacked some golf balls around in the backyard, and I didn’t take golf overly seriously at that point.
I got my first proper lessons around the age of 18 when I started taking golf seriously. I’ve been through a few different
coaches since then, but I’ve settled on Marcus Wheelhouse back home in New Zealand.
I’ve been working with Marcus basically since I turned pro, since about 2012 and we’ve always worked on function over form.
My golf swing is not technically perfect by any stretch. It certainly doesn’t look pretty, I know that.
We work really hard on keeping the club in front of me, controlling the face, turning hard through the ball and having control of the golf ball. For the most part, I feel like we’ve achieved that over the last few years especially.
THE EVOLUTION
My swing used to be quite a bit more behind me, with a flatter swing, and I used to hook the ball a bit, for want of a better term.
When I first started working with Marcus, we worked hard on getting the club more in front of me and hitting more of a fade as a stock shot. That got the club more upright and my hands a lot higher than they were.
I don’t think it’s changed too much in the last few years.
I also did quite a bit of work with Jamie Gough while I was in Europe for a few years, which was really good. I made big strides under Jamie. He and Marcus would work in tandem, Jamie on tour and Marcus back in New Zealand.
It was a lot of the same principles, maybe set slightly differently, but both wanted the same thing: club in front of me, plenty of room, space and time to hit the ball, with a stock shot being a little fade.
That’s what I’ve played with and played well with over the last four or five years.
I finished up with Jamie last year, purely because he’s Europe-based and I was playing predominantly in the States, so it didn’t really work logistically. But I really appreciate everything he did for me.
THE STRUGGLES ARE REAL
The biggest struggle I had was in 2024, and that was due to injury. I tore the labrum in my right hip.
I’ve always gone down and back, but I’ve also always been good at holding my right hip and spine angle and getting through the ball well. Even though I’m down and back, I could still hold the face nicely.
With the torn labrum, I couldn’t hold that angle in my right hip. I basically fired early, got up and out of the shot, and missed it right routinely for most of the year.
The frustrating thing was that there wasn’t really any pain. It just stopped working properly.
It took a while to get that sorted, with rehab and a
cortisone injection. At the beginning of 2025, a lot of the work was about getting rid of the bad habits I’d picked up in 2024 and getting back to what I do best.
I remember talking to Marcus and Jamie during 2024, with them wanting me to do certain things in the swing, and me saying, “I can’t. I don’t know why, but I just can’t do it.”
In hindsight, obviously I couldn’t do it because the labrum was torn.
Thankfully, all of that’s behind me now, and I feel like I’m getting back to where I was swing-wise in 2022 and 2023, which were probably my two most consistent years.
GAINING CONFIDENCE
If you went through my phone, I don’t have many videos of my swing. The only time I’ll take one is if I don’t have someone with me at a tournament and I want to send a video for feedback.
Even then, I won’t look at it myself most of the time. I’ll get Dean, my caddie, to take the video, send it on and see what feedback I get.
I’m someone who gets confidence
from the ball doing what I want it to do. I try to be as “out there” as possible rather than thinking about my swing or getting too technical.
Obviously, it’s not pretty, and I’m not worried about hitting certain positions. I know there are some things I need to do well in the takeaway, the set-up and the feeling on the way down to get the swing working at its best, but I’m certainly not worried about how it looks.
I’m someone who gets confidence from the ball doing what I want it to do.
CALORIE COUNTING, GOES OUT THE WINDOW
Fitness has become much more important over the last couple of years, especially after the injury, which was a bit of a scare. I’d always been a bit hit and miss with it before.
Tournament weeks are generally lighter than off weeks. In off weeks, I’ll go to the gym four or five times. During tournament weeks, that drops to one or two sessions, plus my daily warm-up.
Food is something I can definitely be better at. I like food a bit too much, and when you go somewhere like Dubai with so many great restaurants, it’s easy to get carried away.
I’ve never been someone who counts calories or eats the same meals with exact portion sizes. But I’m trying to get away from pizzas, burgers and chips the night before I play. They don’t generally work very well.
FEELS VS REALS
MY GO TO SHOT
I like to fade it most of the time. With my irons, I don’t mind working it both ways, mainly for yardage control. If you want a bit more distance, it’s easier to draw it slightly and take some spin off. I tend to hit draws with the ball a bit further back in my stance, which flattens the flight and adds distance.
It’s rare that I’m trying to draw a driver. There aren’t many holes where I stand there thinking I need to draw it or feel comfortable doing so. If I really have to hit a draw off the tee, I’ll probably hit a three-wood because I’m more comfortable with that.
Thankfully, there aren’t many holes where you’re forced to draw a driver.
I spend a fair bit of time chatting with Karl Morris, who I’ve worked with since about 2019. A lot of that is about being creative, creating shots and being more reactive on the golf course, rather than being internal and worried about the swing or where the ball might go.
Every golfer fights that stuff. You’ve got too much time to think, and it’s easy to get stuck on, “I need to feel this,” or “I need to set up like that.”
For me, the swing is always about finding a good feeling rather than worrying about positions. I just need to find something that feels good.
Often it only takes a couple of shots with that feeling to think, “That’s it,” and then you can have a good week with it.
Most of the work with Karl is about finding something that works, focusing on a couple of mental things for the week, and sticking to that whether I’m playing well or badly.
WHAT I HATE
Trying to draw a driver brings both sides into play. I can block it if I don’t turn it over, or I can get a bit handsy and hit a big hook. Neither of those tend to work very well.
The miss I really don’t like at the moment is right. I fought that all through last year and a bit of this year, and it was a product of the injury. When you see the same miss over and over, it gets frustrating.
I’m slowly getting rid of it now. For a while, it wasn’t much fun with that left-to-right window, because it felt like I couldn’t aim far enough left to keep it on the course.
That’s probably the shot that irks me most.
AROUND THE GREEN
I’ve worked hard on my wedges over the last few years, and they’ve definitely improved, especially from inside 120 yards.
I had a little patch at the start of 2025 where I struggled with chipping, but I found a couple of things and that’s come back.
I wouldn’t say I’m one of the best chippers in the world, but it’s very serviceable. I feel pretty confident around the greens for the most part. Not Jordan Spieth-level or anything like that, but it’s a solid part of my game and something that does its job well.
CONSISTENCY WITH THE FLATSTICK
Over the last couple of years, my driving has been a bit erratic, which is unusual for me. A lot of that was down to the hip, and I’m still tidying up some of the mess that came with that.
The other thing I’ve probably battled my whole career is the putter. It’s been streaky.
When I first got on tour, I used a short putter. I’d have weeks where I made everything, but most weeks it felt like a fight.
A few years ago, we realised I didn’t need to be the best putter on tour. I just needed to be average, and not down the
bottom over a full season.
I switched to an armlock putter, which tidied things up, reduced face rotation and made everything more consistent. I still have good weeks and bad weeks, like everyone, but they’re nowhere near as extreme as before.
A decent chunk of my success over the last few years has come from being more consistent on the greens and getting my hands out of the stroke. I’ve holed some important putts in wins, play-offs and down the stretch, and having confidence in the armlock has made a big difference.
HONOURS
WE SALUTE GOLFERS WHO GIVE BACK WITH THEIR TIME, MONEY, SKILL AND PASSION
THE ARNIE AWARD
RICKIE FOWLER
e’s turned 37, married with two kids, but Rickie Fowler retains plenty of flash. The hair and fashion choices remain topical, and the ageless face still recalls the California kid who grew up jumping dirt bikes and reaching high camp with “The Golf Boys.” Fowler’s enduring appeal rests in something more subtle: the self-possessed calm he carries as a quiet and close observer. It presents a cool, approachable exterior to fans, but even more importantly, good judgment in best practices. His grandfather and lifelong muse Yutaka Tanaka saw it when he took pre-school Rickie fishing. “He didn’t talk much, mostly just watched,” the now 87-year-old told Golf Digest in 2016. “When we fished, he did everything right.”
The pattern was similar after Fowler first met Arnold Palmer in 2006. He was 17, in the process of winning an AJGA event at Bay Hill when the then 76-year-old icon drove up in a cart to introduce himself. “I remember his handshake and eye contact were strong,” said Fowler, “and that when people gravitated to him, he made them smile.”
Over the next 10 years, Fowler himself became one of golf’s all-time Pied Pipers, a role his growing friendship with Palmer helped him embrace.
“Arnie really cared about his fans, and I watched him always react to them just by being himself,” said Fowler. “Seeing that told me that the best way to handle a lot of attention was to continue being myself. It makes the interaction more real, especially with kids. At this point in my career, I come across people who tell me how a five- or 20-second contact we had 10 or 15 years ago had an impact on them. It’s given me a greater understanding of who Arnie was and what he did.”
That appreciation and emulation is why Rickie Fowler is the 2026 recipient of The Arnie Award presented by Golf Digest. The winner of six PGA Tour events, including the 2015 Players Championship, Fowler will be honoured in March at the Arnold Palmer Invitational with a Palmer bronze sculpture created by the artist Zenos Frudakis. Golf Digest will donate $50,000 to the Arnold & Winnie Palmer Foundation.
Fowler’s own foundation supports youthoriented charitable causes. He also gives back with demonstrations of sportsmanship like staying until the end of a tournament to celebrate with the winner and remaining unfailingly gracious with media during periods in his career when his game has declined. In 2023, he purchased the 15acre Murrieta Valley Golf Range, where his grandfather began bringing him at age 3 and where he took lessons from Barry McDonnell from age 7
until McDonnell’s death at age 75 in 2011. Other than plans for a junior learning centre, Fowler will keep the character of the spartan all-grass facility unchanged, with no outward indications that he is the owner.
“Rickie gives back with so much of himself, somehow making time for everyone,” said Palmer’s grandson, Sam Saunders, who played junior, amateur and professional golf with Fowler. “He thinks about the game holistically instead of just what it can do for him, just as my granddad did. He carries that torch very well.”
Amy Palmer Saunders, Sam’s mother and chairwoman of the Arnold Palmer Group, believes her father saw himself in Fowler. “He liked that Rickie was compelling to a broad audience and a different audience, just as he had been when he came onto the scene,” said Saunders, who oversaw Fowler being named an honorary co-host of the Invitational in 2018 as well as receiving the tournament’s inaugural Player Philanthropy Award, “But what he loved about Rickie was his awareness of the players who created the pathway for his generation. As much as my dad had a great rapport with all the guys, with Rickie there was an extra depth.”
Fowler’s relationship with Palmer was built on a succession of moments. At the 2011 Seminole Pro-Member, the two played in the same group with Fowler shooting a winning 63. “A great day,” said Fowler. “Somewhere around that time, I stopped calling him Mr. Palmer and just went with Arnie. I don’t know if I ever got that fully approved, but it felt right.”
At the 2013 Arnold Palmer Invitational, Fowler challenged for the lead in the final group with Tiger Woods until a late triple bogey dropped him to T-3. He was about to leave when Palmer, sitting at the locker room bar, invited him over. “We had a couple of drinks, didn’t replay anything, just hung out. Tiger stopped by. Arnie did what he did—made me feel good, one of my best memories.” Before the following year’s tournament, Fowler dramatically trimmed his famously flowing locks, knowing the gesture would please his old-school host.
In 2016, Fowler decided that skipping Bay Hill might allow him to better prepare for the Masters, but his drive from Jupiter to Orlando to tell Palmer face to face was full of apprehension. “One of the hardest things I ever had to do,” he said. “Arnie was disappointed, but I’m glad we had that time.”
A few weeks later, Fowler made sure to attend what would be Palmer’s last appearance as an honorary starter, where they shared a final handshake.
Palmer’s death that September a few days before the Ryder Cup at Hazeltine was a galvanizer for the U.S. side. At an early week team dinner, players were ordering individual drinks until Fowler, loud enough for the table to hear, said “I’ll have an Arnold Palmer,” after which a short silence lead to Arnold Palmers all around. After the U.S. won handily, it was Fowler who carried the trophy into the packed memorial service for Palmer at St. Vincent Basilica in Latrobe. Since 2017, Fowler at Bay Hill has worn Puma shoes and clothing that commemorate Palmer, with proceeds from sales going to the Arnold & Winner Palmer Foundation.
Like his departed friend, Fowler’s greatest gift to the game has been his example. “Since we lost Arnie,” he said, “giving back has become more meaningful because he knew how to do that better than anyone else.”
—JAIME DIAZ
BEST FAMILY FEAT
Jim Rohrstaff, co-founder of Tara Iti and Te Arai in New Zealand, took his two sons and wife, Kara, on a trip to Scotland in July, and what happened on the 280yard eighth hole at Cullen Links is a first. Jim hit driver and saw his ball land on the front left of the green then roll down a backslope toward the right pin, which was partially obstructed from the tee. “Good shot, maybe off the back, we thought,” said Rohrstaff, a 3-handicap. His 18-year-old son, Blake, a 4-handicap, hit next with a 3-wood. Same thing. At the green, the Rohrstaff’s younger son, Eric, nonchalantly walked by the cup and uttered: “There’s two right here.” The family went nuts, celebrating with a drink before the next hole. Jim, 47, couldn’t sleep that night. He told his son: “This is the coolest thing ever, but some people won’t believe us.” No matter. The group could see the green the entire time, so no mischievous person could have interfered. Consecutive aces on a par 4 by a father and son? “It’ll be something that we’ll talk about until my last breath,” Rohrstaff said. “It might even be the very last thing that we talk about.” The family is working on their own display with the golf balls and the bottle of drink.
—STEPHEN HENNESSEY
JIM AND BLAKE ROHRSTAFF
BEST PAR
If the hardest shot in golf is the one after a shank, Greg Rollins begs to differ. Playing alongside partner Ben Chapman in the first round of the 2025 Maine Four-Ball Championship at Northeast Harbor G.C., 6-handicap Rollins selected driver off the tee on the par-4 seventh—a 270-yard hole that bends to the right—and hit a pull that travelled “so far into the woods.” Chapman, a scratch-handicap, played safe. “I put my driver back, grabbed a 5-iron and put it directly behind this little pine tree, in jail.” On a birdie hole, the two were in danger of making bogey or worse. Rollins reloaded, made “a swing half out of frustration,” and hit a high fade onto the green, 20 feet from the cup. “Like many golfers before me, I felt a very complicated sensation of hitting a gorgeous provisional.” Chapman didn’t recover well and was facing double bogey. After a cursory search near the edge of the woods, Rollins wisely declared his first ball lost. Carrying the weight of the team, Rollins drained the putt for a “second-ball eagle” for a team par. “It was the perfect case of ‘What could’ve been,’ ” Rollins says. “Seriously, why couldn’t I do that the first time?”
—DREW POWELL
BEST
DAY
rounds with a hole-in-one in one day. “Only in college,” Phillips said of the double shotgun opportunity, adding, “It was the best day of golf in my life.” Phillips carded even and one-under rounds, but a 79 (+7) the next day dropped him to T-14 for the event. The Course at Sewanee is adding a Niel Phillips burger to the menu—a double-patty, of course—with strictly no royalties for the amateur.—MAX ADLER
BEST SHOT
GAME CHANGER
Niel Phillips’ father drove to the college tournament disappointed he’d missed his son’s ace, only to be treated to an instant replay of sorts. Day 1 of the Chick-fil-A Invitational at Stonebridge G.C. in Rome, Georgia, is 36 holes and in both rounds, Sewanee sophomore Niel Phillips started on the 182-yard eighth hole. He hit six-iron in the colder morning; a seven in the warmer afternoon. It’s a stern and generally featureless hole with a flat green. Both pitch marks were dead online short of the cup, which hadn’t been changed. His playing partners were the same, too, and all the young men did their best to maintain an atmosphere befitting a tournament while congratulating the craziest feat each will ever witness—a golfer starting two
The 7,042nd shot was the sweetest. Jordan Gumberg was playing in his 34th DP World Tour event of the season and was oh-so-close to earning full status for 2026 coming down the stretch at the Genesis Championship in South Korea, the last regular-season event of the year. At the par-5 home hole, the 30-year-old American figured he needed to make birdie. His tee shot left him 272 yards to a back-left pin guarded by water and a large bunker. Gumberg decided laying up and trying to get up and down was his best chance. His third shot from 58 yards landed softly into the left fringe and slowly trickled down and into the cup for an eagle. Gumberg and his caddie reveled, certain he’d earned status, which was confirmed moments later by tour officials. It was the best seventh-place tie of his life.
“I saw the ball land on the green and trickle over the hill. You couldn’t see anything,” Gumberg said. “The crowd went nuts, we went nuts. It was the best shot I’ve hit in my career so far.” It was also the last shot of his season. —JAY COFFIN
It’s never too late. Allen Doyle was a welldecorated amateur working in the textile industry when he turned pro at 46 and won three times on the then-Nike Tour. The affable Doyle became a menace on PGA Tour Champions, capturing 11 senior titles, including four majors, and made headlines when he donated his $1-million bonus from the Charles Schwab Cup to various charities. That’s when his involvement with First Tee began. Doyle, named this year’s George H.W. Bush Volunteer of the Year, teamed with his daughter, Michelle, to spearhead the creation of a First Tee chapter in their hometown of LaGrange, Georgia. For more than 20 years, they’ve run the program at the ninehole golf course and range they designed and built at First Tee-Troup County, with Michelle as the executive director and dad as the “pseudo groundskeeper.” Allen, now 77, still mows the grass, and he says it’s only now that he’s beginning to realize the First Tee’s impact, when former students in their 30s return to say thanks. “It’s not until they morph into adults that it comes back and grabs you,” Doyle says. —TOD LEONARD
JORDAN GUMBERG
NIEL PHILLIPS
BRANDT SNEDEKER
hen Brandt Snedeker was 8 years old, his parents bought a pawn shop in a gritty section of Nashville. After school he’d assist his mother, Candice, behind the counter and receive an accelerated education in real life.
“My mum was probably the worst and best pawn shop owner ever,” Snedeker recalled, now 45, a nine-time winner on the PGA Tour and the current U.S. Presidents Cup captain. “She’d believe people to a fault, but she helped so many who were really struggling and just needed a break. I could tell it made her feel good, and her example stayed with me.”
Candice Snedeker passed away in 2020 but lived to see her son set his own example. When Brandt won the 2012 FedEx Cup and its $10-million bonus, he and wife Mandy started The Snedeker Foundation, which has now raised nearly $6 million for underprivileged youth in middle Tennessee.
This year Brandt Snedeker has been honoured with the AT&T Legacy Award, presented by Golf Digest and the Monterey Peninsula Foundation at the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am, recognising the spirit of partnership and philanthropy. The tournament is the PGA Tour’s leading contributor to charity, generating $18 million annually to California central coast communities. Snedeker succeeds the inaugural winner of the award, Jordan Spieth.
The tournament winner in 2013 and 2015, Snedeker over the years has excelled in every dimension of the event. Along with his mastery of Pebble’s diabolical greens, he’s known as a pro that amateur participants would most like to have in their foursome.
“Oh, yeah, everybody wants to play with Snedeker,” said tournament director Steve John. “They know they’re going to be more relaxed because Brandt cares about their experience and is so good with people.”
In his first AT&T victory, Snedeker paired with Toby Wilt, a close friend who established the athletic scholarship at Vanderbilt that made Snedeker its first recipient, to also win the team title. “To get to walk down the 18th at Pebble arm in arm with Toby and come out on top was a magical, fullcircle moment for both of us,” said Snedeker in his rapid-fire cadence. “We had a lot of fun talking about everything but what we were doing, and that’s what you need out in that tournament.”
“Brandt has the qualities of a great quarterback,” said NFL Hall of Fame quarterback Steve Young, who partnered with Snedeker in 2020, “a really high emotional intelligence, a responsibility and energy that makes things happen. He’ll be a tremendous Presidents Cup captain.” Snedeker will lead the U.S. Team at Medinah in 2026.
At the root of Snedeker’s appeal is an empathy that distinguishes him in a game that is unavoidably self-centered. Learning to play on Nashville’s public courses and going on to win the 2003 U.S. Amateur Public Links gave him the grass-roots perspective to develop the Sneds Tour, which in partnership with the Tennessee Golf Foundation provides affordable golf and tournament opportunities for junior golfers. In 2025, the tour held 220 events for more than 2,000 competitors from ages four to 19. The foundation also supports several different charities, including Our Kids, a Nashville clinic that provides free medical evaluations and crisis counseling for victims of sexual abuse.
“Sneds is the best of what golf is,” said Dan Crockett, a prominent Nashville businessman and accomplished amateur who sits on the foundation’s board and partnered with Snedeker at Pebble in 2018. “He’s an incredible competitor, but also kind and gentle. It’s hard to do both at the same time. That makes him the perfect partner.”
Humbled by the praise, Snedeker deflects credit for the award to the pro-am itself. “I’ve always been blessed with a good attitude, but it improves at the AT&T,” he said. “You are around all these quality human beings who are giving back, and it motivates you to do the same, which ends up being almost selfish because it makes you feel good.”
That’s an old lesson straight from the pawn shop. —JD
GAME CHANGER
Anthony Rodriguez grew up on Long Island obsessed with golf but without the money to play. He’d sneak on to the local municipal, get caught and return the next day to do it all over again. Eventually, the head pro offered him a deal: Wash 25 carts a day and he could play all the golf he wanted.
“That was huge; it really propelled me into getting the golf bug,” says Rodriguez, now 47 and the director of programming for the First Tee of Metropolitan New York. The man known as “Coach A-Rod” at Mosholu Golf Course in the Bronx, Rodriguez is also the 2025 First Tee National Coach of the Year after 15 years with the program. His fellow teachers and volunteers serve 600 kids a year, with many travelling by train to take part.
“It’s full circle. I want to make sure that kids don’t have to sneak on and get deterred, that there’s a path for them in golf,” Rodriguez says. “It’s huge, because everything we’re trying to teach about life is seamlessly integrated into golf.” —TL
ROBERT MACINTYRE
BEST REACTION
Robert MacIntyre was one of the few players on Sunday in the U.S. Open to tackle brutish Oakmont Country Club with a red number (two-under-par 68), and when he stood before the media immediately after the round, there was a hopeful gleam in the Scotsman’s eye that he’d finally done enough to win a major. “Today, I said to myself, ‘Why not be me today?’” MacIntyre shared. He then retired to a quiet spot in the clubhouse—albeit with a camera focused on him— and watched on a monitor as J.J. Spaun rolled in a stunning 64-foot birdie putt on the 72nd hole to beat him by two. MacIntyre could have dropped his head in despair, but in a reflexive display of sportsmanship, he offered far more than a golf clap, robustly slapping his hands together while mouthing the one word he could come up with: “Wow.” Already a popular fi gure in the golf world, MacIntyre’s “good guy” status reached new heights, and on social media that day, the most common description used was “class.” —TL
GAME CHANGER
The province of New Brunswick in far northeast Canada had never been much of a spot for golf. Could a person be more powerful than a climate? Physical education teacher Michelle PhillipsLeBlanc happened to try the game with her husband, quickly embraced golf’s virtues beyond the scorecard, then teamed with the First Tee-Atlantic chapter to bring programming to her classes at Forest Glen School in Montcon. Recognised as First Tee’s first Teacher of the Year outside of the U.S., Phillips-LeBlanc, 38, has introduced golf to more than 400 children—few of whom had ever held a club. Each year, she works with classroom teachers on STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) projects that challenge students to create miniature golf holes that become an 18-hole course in the gym, with families and community members invited to see their creations. PhillipsLeBlanc remembers one dad loudly celebrating when he made his first minigolf hole-in-one. “It’s one of their favourite events of the year. The whole experience has been incredible.” —TL
BEST PARTNER
Marc Dull and Chip Brooke know how to keep a secret. Last May, the Florida golf buddies were sitting on a doozy when they arrived at New Jersey’s Plainfield Country Club to compete for their seventh time in the U.S. Amateur Four-Ball. Should they make match play and win in the opening round—a real possibility given they reached the semifinals in 2017 and finals in 2018—Dull would be facing their next opponents alone. Brooke’s daughter, Peyton, was graduating from high school the same day as the second round and quarterfinals. After Dull and Brooke beat 2016 champs Nathan Smith and Todd White in the first round, Dull showed up by his lonesome the next morning to face John Ramsey and Chadd Slutzky. After the rules officials confirmed that Dull could play by himself and some initial jitters, the 39-year-old caddie at Streamsong Resort and former U.S. Mid-Amateur finalist settled into the match, holing several four- to eight-foot putts. Birdies on 12 and 13 and a par on 14 allowed him to rally from 1 down and pull off a 2-and-1 victory—the first time in the championship’s 10-year history a single won a match. Brooke had just watched his daughter get her diploma when he got the text that Dull had pulled off the upset. Brooke would return to New Jersey if Dull managed to win again that afternoon, but Dull lost 1-down. “He was awesome,” Brooke, 49, said of Dull. “We figured it was the kind of course where he could hang around, that birdies were hard to come by, and he played his heart out.” Dull’s heroics earned the team a spot in the 2026 championship. Brooke has no more graduations coming up.
—RYAN HERRINGTON
MARC DULL WITH CADDIE BRIAN DAVIDSON
BEST PRESS CONFERENCE
Apart from a particularly bizarre day in Louisville in 2024, Scottie Scheffler has never been the most interesting man on tour. That all changed at Royal Portrush when Scheffler used his press conference to ponder a question that has plagued not just golfers, but philosophers, for centuries: “What’s the point?” he asked himself aloud. “I love being able to play this game for a living. It’s one of the greatest joys of my life. But does it fill the deepest wants and desires of my heart? Absolutely not.” Golf Digest
Contributing Editor Shane Ryan was in the press room and said the monologue caught even veteran reporters by surprise. “He spoke about wrestling with a strange existential truth in the same exact tone he’d use for describing why he chose a 7-iron instead of an 8,” Ryan said. “A lot of journalists were laughing at lines that were meant with total sincerity. It was like they had no clue how to react to somebody digging deep and revealing something that was so far from the boilerplate talking points.” Of course, Scheffler would also go on to win. Instead of stuffing another bill in golf’s cliché jar, he gave fans, journalists and fellow pros something much more to think about, and maybe, just maybe, that was the point.
—COLEMAN BENTLEY
YOUNGEST ACE
In September, 4-year-old Levi Antal went viral with footage of his hole-in-one at the 108-yard fifth hole at Beverly Park Short Course in Knoxville, Tennessee. “Oh, my goodness gracious,” says his father as the ball leaves the driver face. Later, jubilant from the shot as well as the hat and snow cone gifted from the course, young Levi recounted: “I just hit it straight, and it rolled up to the green and then turned into the hole.” Neither of Levi’s parents are golfers, but their son got interested in the game while staying at an Airbnb near a course on a family vacation. When they returned from their trip, they took Levi to the local short course to try it, and a golfer was born. Now Levi “begs to go,” so his parents walk with him about twice a week. Many golfers wait their entire lives for an ace. As we celebrate young Levi, let’s also tip our cap to Englishman John Payne, who made his first hole-inone the day after his 90th birthday this July. —CB
SCOTTIE SCHEFFLER
LEVI ANTAL
GAME CHANGER
Andrew Hunt was destined to pay it forward. His grandfather was Roy A. Hunt, a Pittsburgh aluminum magnate who made philanthropy a family priority. Andrew, 66, has embraced that responsibility his entire life, and as a person who “lives, eats and breathes” sports— particularly golf—and enthusiastically supports causes for children, he found the perfect melding of his passions in First Tee. In 2012, Andrew and his wife, Robin, led the establishment of First Tee-Treasure Coast in southeast Florida. The Hunts’ personal contributions to First Tee total more than $3.5 million, including $450,000 for a new learning center in Fort Pierce. Over a dozen years, participation in the Treasure Coast chapter has grown tenfold. “First Tee represents my vision of youth development,” Andrew Hunt says. “All children are capable of success— no exceptions.” As the latest recipient of the First Tee’s Tim Finchem Leadership Award, Andrew got a jaw-dropping congratulatory video message from one of his childhood idols, Jack Nicklaus. “That was a dream come true,” he says. —TL
BEST YOUTUBE PERFORMANCE
When two-time U.S. Open champ Bryson DeChambeau had Stephen Curry on his popular “Breaking 50” series, the Golden State point guard stole the show. Playing a two-man scramble from the forward tees at Lake Merced Golf Club, Curry drove the green on the par-4 first to five feet then made the putt for eagle. He drove the green on two other 300-yard-plus par 4s to set up easy birdies and even out-drove the long-hitting DeChambeau a couple times as the duo shot 49! The team used 11 of Curry’s shots from tee to green compared to 14 of DeChambeau’s. Factoring the opening eagle plus two solo birdies on par 3s, one could argue the two-time NBA MVP was the MVP that day. Toward the end of the episode, DeChambeau says, “You need to play professional,” to which Curry replies, “Don’t you start there.” Doesn’t sound so crazy once the 37-year-old retires —ALEX MYERS
BEST PLAYOFF WIN
Upon holing a 50-yard punch chip for an eagle 2 on the third extra hole at the 153rd Open Championship Final Qualifier in West Lancashire, 20-year-old amateur Richard Teder couldn’t find enough people to high-five. The crushing double bogey on his 36th hole that dropped him into the playoff wasn’t even the biggest reason to root for Teder. Teder is from Estonia, population 1.3 million with an estimated 2,200 male golfers. He got hooked on the game as a 6-yearold after tagging along with his aunt, who earned 10 free rounds of golf for winning a tennis tournament. With just seven courses in the former Soviet republic and a five-month-or-so golf season, Teder spent winters in Spain to develop his game. He missed the cut at Portrush, but he’ll forever be the first Estonian to play in a major championship. —RH
MOST PATIENT
An hour after winning the biggest tournament of her life, the U.S. Senior Women’s Amateur at Virginia’s Omni Homestead Resort, Dawn Woodard finally looked at her phone. The 51-year-old from Greenville, S.C, had long imagined how it might feel to come out on top after 37 USGA events (her first USGA start was the 1991 U.S. Girls’ Junior). She hadn’t given much thought, though, to how others would react. “I opened it, and it had a couple of hundred messages.” The camaraderie of being a career amateur hit home like never before. “Those tournaments are so special because of the relationships and the friends that you develop and the people that you get to know,” said Woodard, a three-time medalist at the U.S. Mid-Amateur who surprisingly hadn’t gone any farther than the quarterfinals in any USGA championship. The well-wishes continued a month later with an outing at her home course, Thornblade Country Club, when another hundred family and friends left her grateful once again. “Everybody has been so happy for me,” Woodard says. “That part has been just as special as having the trophy and winning.” —RH
DAWN WOODARD
STEPHEN CURRY AND BRYSON DECHAMBEAU
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