Shop ‘Til You Drop (Your Loved One’s Scores)

Looking to give the gift of golf clubs this holiday season? Here are some great buys to consider for the golf-crazed person in your life!

While upgraded equipment isn’t a secret formula in and of itself for improved play and better scores, the mind-blowing advancements of technology in the game have made it so that players who are using outdated equipment are truly at a comparative and competitive disadvantage. Each year, clubs are being produced that are longer, sleeker and more forgiving than ever before. So, whatever equipment you’re in the market for these holidays – whether for yourself or as a gift to one of your loved ones or close playing companions – there’s something to benefit everyone’s game, and we’re going to help you find it.

One clear place to make a significant equipment upgrade right away is with the putter. After all, the better player will make 43 percent of his or her strokes on the putting surface, and no other club comes close to that sort of usage. Now, putting can be an especially personal deal (it was Jordan Spieth who once jokingly told Jimmy Fallon on “The Tonight Show” that he slept next to his), so you’ll want to try and get an idea for what style of putter the player prefers before gifting it to them. There are blade, peripheral-weighted and mallet putters, and putters are also either toe-balanced or face-balanced. Knowing the type to get is a critical step.

As for brands to be eyeing, you won’t find a better feeling putter than a Scotty Cameron – long considered a premier brand by the best players in the world. But Odyssey putters are great also, with a combination of consistency, accuracy and forgiveness on every stroke that is unmatched in the industry.

Similar to a putter, a new set of wedges is also a great gift idea because of how important the short game is to scoring well and the frequency with which players utilize them. When you want the best control around the greens, feel is a must, and the Titleist Vokey family of wedges contains the best features and design to promote that feel. For full shots, half swings and pitches around the green these wedges do it all, providing quality and control that is simply spectacular. Personalization is also available through Titleist’s website, making them super-cool for gift giving.

A new set of irons is another great holiday gift to think about because you’d essentially be giving the person half (seven) of the 14 clubs the Rules of Golf allow them to carry in their bag. Recent advancements in iron playability are truly substantial. The RIBCOR technology found in TaylorMade’s M4 irons improves and increases feel and sound, with optimized mass distribution from head to toe, increasing resistance when it comes to twisting of the clubhead during an off-center impact. What this means is an exceptionally forgiving iron, even long irons. Callaway’s Rogue Pro irons are another superb option, especially for high handicappers and those who are new to the game.

For those requesting a fairway metal to help them get home in two on par 5s, you can’t go wrong with the Titleist TS2/TS3 woods. Designed at the cross-section of remarkable speed and unparalleled forgiveness, these clubs have a high-strength, steel-alloy face complete with a sole slot which cuts into the head to create speed and increase forgiveness on fat and thin shots. The TS3 has a dial allowing for a draw or fade set-up, while the more-forgiving TS2 is designed to help players launch the ball higher.

Take note that the TS2/TS3 family includes drivers also, making it a great choice for those looking to increase their distance and accuracy off the tee. The Ping G410 series is also a great choice. The G410 Plus offers an adjustable center of gravity for stable contact, even on mishits, as well as a 16-gram weight that easily shifts into draw, neutral and fade positions in the rear. This driver is as adjustable as they come. Meanwhile, the G410 SFT model has some extra mass to help players square the face at impact.

Your golf-crazed loved ones will thoroughly enjoy the holiday gift of playing better golf, because there are few better feelings than a pure strike with a new iron or driver or sinking a putt with a new putter to help shoot a personal best!