Let’s be honest, we all want to hit it like the pros. But while we may only be able to dream of striking it like Brooks Koepka or Dustin Johnson, having a look at what is currently in the bags of the world’s best is usually a good indication of what is hot right now. From the exciting new driver that all the players are raving about to the irons of choice for many of the world’s top ten, we take a look at the hottest gear on tour.
Ping i500
The latest offering from Ping, the new i500 is undoubtedly one of the longest and most aesthetically pleasing clubs in the brand’s current line-up. The i500 is the ideal gear example of the latest trend in golf club manufacturing. Namely, irons that offer exceptional distance while maintaining a compact look at address. Nonetheless, despite looking akin to a muscle back, with limited off-set and a blade length, the i500 is a hollow club. As a result, offering far more forgiveness than golfers will find in the typical blade.
TaylorMade P730
The P730 has been specifically designed for the best players in the world. Played by the likes of Rory McIlroy, Dustin Johnson and Justin Rose this tour inspired blade is currently the hottest club on the planet. For the low-handicapper in search of soft feel and extreme playability few irons can close to this current tour inspired offering from Taylormade. An out-and-out blade, with a thin topline, minimal offset and ultra-compact head, the club is the first forged blade from the brand in four years. The MOI is extremely low, with the designers figuring that the world’s best players would prefer workability over distance. As a result, this is a gear that should only be considered by truly sublime ball strikers.
Mizuno JPX919
The recently unveiled JPX919 replaces the highly-acclaimed JX900 as Mizuno’s latest tour inspired blade. It certainly has some big shoes to fill. After all, the JX900 model was used to devastating effect by Brooks Koepka on course to his two major championships in 2018. Comprised of the Tour, Forged and Hot Metal models the new release features a few subtle changes including a new stability frame designed to maximise perimeter weighting and a Pearl Brush finish to enhance durability. Following in a long Mizuno tradition, the club looks and feels beautiful, and like its predecessor is likely to be the club of choice for several players on tour. Including those not contractually obliged to play them.
Titleist TS2 & TS3
Titleist has long been a popular choice among the world’s best gear and it’s no different with their latest releases. The Titleist TS2 and TS3 drivers are currently in use by 80% of the tour’s staffers including Rafael Cabrera Bello, Cameron Smith and Matthew Southgate, with many of the brand’s players choosing to put the club into use straight off the bat at the US Open. It’s a decision that suggests that the pros love the new models, which is set to be released later this month. Titleist’s new range of drivers and woods has already proved victorious on tour, with Michael Kim scoring a running away at the PGA Tour John Deere Classic.
Bettinardi BB Series Putter
Bettinardi is the putter brand of choice for Open Champion Francesco Molinari.
Bob Bettinardi is a long-time connoisseur of great golf clubs and that’s certainly the case with the new BB Series. As with all Bettinardi putters, the new range is milled from a single piece of proprietary blend soft carbon steel, affording exceptional feel across the range. All four new BB models feature Super-Fly Mill Face milling, a feature designed to enhance the consistency of speed and feel off the face.
