The year 2024 brought a plethora of new golf clubs to the market, and with so many choices available, it can be overwhelming to decide which ones are worth adding to your bag. To help you navigate through the sea of options, GOLF’s experts have hand-selected their favorite new clubs of 2024 in their holiday edition of Our Picks. Whether you’re looking to upgrade your driver, irons, putter, or fairway woods, these recommendations cover a wide range of equipment to suit every golfer’s needs. In this article, we’ll dive deeper into the six favorite clubs that GOLF staffers added to their bags in 2024.
Starting off the list is Jack Hirsh, Associate Equipment Editor at GOLF, who chose the Mizuno Pro 245 3- and 4-irons. These irons are a result of a longstanding collaboration between Mizuno’s club engineers and the legendary Grain Flow Forging plant in Hiroshima, Japan. With features like Hollow body GFF 4135 Chromoly face and neck, Internal Tungsten Weighting, and Harmonic Impact Technology, these irons offer exceptional feel and performance on the course. According to Jack, the forgiveness and playability of these hollow-bodied irons have greatly improved his ball-striking and overall performance.
Next up is Jessica Marksbury, Senior Editor at GOLF, who selected the Ping G Le3 Louise Putter as her favorite new club of 2024. Transitioning from a blade-style putter to a mallet-style head was a significant change for Jessica, but it proved to be a wise decision. The Louise putter features a white, two-piece Pebax elastomer insert for optimal feel and distance control, paired with a PING Pistol grip for superior performance. Jessica credits this putter for improving her putting stroke and helping her make more putts on the greens.
James Colgan, News and Features Editor at GOLF, opted for the TaylorMade Qi10 Driver as his top pick for 2024. This driver is designed to optimize distance and forgiveness, with features like a lower CG projection, higher MOI, and an Infinity Carbon Crown for enhanced forgiveness and performance. By getting fitted for the Qi10 driver and customizing it to his specs, James was able to transform his driving game and achieve the best results of his golfing career. The balanced performance and forgiveness of the Qi10 driver have made it a go-to club for James off the tee.
For Josh Sens, Senior Writer at GOLF, the XXIO 12 Driver stood out as his favorite new club of 2024. Designed for golfers with moderate swing speeds, the XXIO 12 driver offers an ultralightweight feel and significant ball speed improvement for maximum distance off the tee. Josh, who struggled to keep up with younger colleagues in terms of driving distance, found that the XXIO 12 driver helped him gain extra power without sacrificing accuracy or control. With improved shot dispersion and added distance, Josh has regained confidence in his driving game with the XXIO 12 driver.
Nick Piastowski, Senior Editor at GOLF, chose the Cobra DarkSpeed X 3-wood as his top club of 2024. After previously struggling with 3-woods, Nick found success with the forgiveness and performance of the DarkSpeed X model. Features like the PWRSHELL insert and A.I. designed H.O.T. Face optimize speed and spin across the clubface, while the sleek black appearance adds a touch of style to Nick’s bag. By adding the Cobra DarkSpeed X 3-wood to his arsenal, Nick has improved his long game and found consistency in his ball-striking off the fairway.
Kris McCormack, Head of ClubTest and Gear Data at GOLF, rounded out the list with his favorite new club of 2024, the Callaway AI Smoke Heaven Wood. Designed to fill the gap between a 3 wood and 4 iron, the Heaven Wood features a shallow face, 20° of loft, and a larger footprint for easy launch and higher spin. Kris, who struggled with lower launch and lower spin conditions, found that the Heaven Wood provided him with more control and stopping power from longer distances. By adding this versatile club to his bag, Kris has unlocked scoring opportunities on reachable par 5s and long par 3s, showcasing the performance and versatility of the AI Smoke Max Fairway Wood.
In conclusion, the 2024 season brought a wave of innovative and performance-driven golf clubs to the market, and GOLF’s experts have highlighted their top picks for the year. From irons to putters, drivers, fairway woods, and more, these clubs offer a mix of forgiveness, distance, control, and style to enhance every golfer’s game. By incorporating these favorite new clubs into their bags, GOLF staffers have experienced improvements in their ball-striking, putting, driving, and overall performance on the course. Whether you’re looking to upgrade a specific club in your bag or overhaul your entire set for the upcoming season, these recommendations provide a valuable guide to finding the best equipment for your game in 2025.
