Golf club test
A golf club test is the systematic comparison of clubs — in specialist magazines, on the internet or in your own trial swing.
Tests appear every year as the season starts, when the manufacturers bring new models. Specialist magazines and portals assess drivers, irons, wedges and putters for length, forgiveness, feel and looks. Measurements are taken on launch monitors, supplemented by verdicts from test players of different abilities. Such tests are good for the pre-selection because they show which models suit your player group. Their limit: a club performs differently for every golfer depending on swing speed and strike point. The test winner is therefore never automatically your best club.
In practice, the best way to use tests is as a filter. An example: you read three driver tests and draw up a shortlist of two models. With that you go to club fitting or to the demo day at your club. The launch monitor then shows: the test winner gives you less ball speed than the model with the softer shaft, because your swing is slower than that of the testers. The test supplied the selection, the measurement made the decision.
A typical mistake is buying the test winner blind. Test conditions such as balls, weather and the level of the testers shape the result, and advertising co-finances some comparisons. Also popular: the belief in the big yearly leap. Progress from model to model is usually small; a good club remains playable for years. Read tests for context, test yourself for the truth — and get measured at a specialist store or by your pro before you buy.
FAQ
How do I use club tests properly for my buying decision?
Read two or three current tests and write yourself a shortlist of at most two models per club type. Take that to the demo day at your club or to a specialist retailer and get measured on the launch monitor. The test provides the selection, the measurement makes the decision.
Why is the test winner not automatically the best club for me?
Tests measure with specific balls, test players and conditions that rarely match your swing. Your swing speed and strike point completely change the result. A softer shaft can do more for you than the winning model with a stiff shaft.
Is it worth switching to the newest model every year?
No, progress from model to model is usually small. A good club remains playable for many years, and a proper club fitting brings more than any new-release upgrade. Invest in the fitting rather than in the manufacturers' yearly cycle.