Equipment – Page 12 – Syndication Server

PXG Allan putter

A special hosel and balance helps the Allan keep the face square to your putter’s path.

[anyclip-media thumbnail=”https://cdn5.anyclip.com/i8MRvpEBBUt7G_ED6YbU/1725471109131_248x140_thumbnail.jpg” playlistId=”undefined” content=”PHNjcmlwdCBzcmM9Imh0dHBzOi8vcGxheWVyLmFueWNsaXAuY29tL2FueWNsaXAtd2lkZ2V0L2xyZS13aWRnZXQvcHJvZC92MS9zcmMvbHJlLmpzIiBkYXRhLWFyPSIxNjo5IiBkYXRhLXBsaWQ9Im5lNGUydXR3b2JjdWVxc3ZvcTN1b3gyZmlxM2ZzeXN2IiBwdWJuYW1lPSIxOTk4IiB3aWRnZXRuYW1lPSIwMDE2TTAwMDAyVTBCMWtRQUZfTTgzMjciPgo8L3NjcmlwdD4=”][/anyclip-media]

Gear: PXG Allan putter
Price: $449.99
Specs: 303 stainless steel chassis with injected polymer and milled 6061 aluminum crown.

Who It’s For: Golfers who want to reduce face rotation on putts and increase stability and consistency.

What You Should Know: The PXG Allan putter is designed with an S-shaped hosel that creates a toe-up balance, helping the putter’s face stay square to the arc of your stroke. This design aids golfers in making solid contact more easily.

The Deep Dive: According to the Rules of Golf, when you sole your putter and rest it flat on the ground, the shaft can’t go straight up. If it did, golfers could make a pure pendulum stroke, which golf’s governing bodies believe would reduce the challenge of putting. To ensure a challenge, the putter must have a lie angle of no less than 80 degrees, which is why every golfer’s putting stroke has some level of arc. One of the biggest challenges in putting is returning the putter face to the exact position you establish at address and preventing it from swinging into the ball with an open or closed face, which would start the ball rolling offline.

PXG’s new Allan putter, named after the brother of PXG founder Bob Parsons, is designed to eliminate this challenge by helping golfers keep the putter face square to the natural arc of their stroke while boosting stability and improving distance control.

PXG Allan putter — The hosel points directly at the center of gravity, creating toe-up or “Zero Torque” balance. (David Dusek/Golfweek)

The Allan putter achieves this with a unique hosel design. Unlike many hosels that attach to the heel area and create some level of toe hang, or center-shafted putters that produce a face-balanced condition, the Allan putter has an S-shaped hosel that points the tip of the putter shaft directly over the center of gravity (CG) behind the center of the hitting area. The hosel then bends and attaches to the putter head in the heel area, creating a toe-up condition that PXG refers to as Zero Torque.

When you make a stroke with the Allan putter, the balance helps keep the face square to the arc of your stroke, reducing the chances of the face fanning open on the backswing and closing on the downswing and follow-through. According to PXG, this should allow golfers to return the putter to the ball with a square face more often and start putts rolling on their intended line more easily.

There are two other notable features of the Allan’s hosel and shaft configuration. First, when you address the ball, the backward-pointing shaft and hosel give you an unobstructed view of the ball. Second, with the shaft set so far behind the putter’s topline, the Allan putter creates a natural forward press. Typically, when a golfer intentionally presses their hands forward before making a stroke, it de-lofts the face and points it downward. To counteract this, PXG designed the Allan with five degrees of loft, which offsets the two-degree forward press and makes the putter play like a club with a more typical three degrees of loft.

The black frame of the Allan putter is made of 303 stainless steel, and the face is designed to be very thin. Behind the face, there’s a hollow chamber filled with a lightweight polymer called S COR, which PXG says absorbs excessive vibrations to enhance sound and feel.

The silver-toned top piece of the Allan is milled from 6061 aluminum, which is exceptionally light. Each Allan putter comes with a single black alignment line.

On the underside of the Allan, adjustable weights have been added to the toe and heel areas, allowing fitters to adjust the putter’s swing weight based on its length or the player’s preferences. Finally, the pocket designed into the aluminum piece enables golfers to press the Allan on top of a ball and pick it up without bending over.

Below are several close-up images of the PXG Allan putter.

Mizuno JPX 925 Fli-Hi hybrids

Mizuno’s updated Fli-Hi hybrids have a low profile and draw bias to help recreational golfers enhance their consistency and hit straighter shots than they can with long irons.

Gear: Mizuno JPX 925 Fli-Hi hybrids
Price: $150 each with UST Mamiya Recoil Dart ESX shaft and Lamkin UT+ grip
Specs: 17-4 stainless steel face with 431 stainless steel body and internal tungsten weight. Available in 19-, 22-, 25-, and 28-degree versions.
Available: Sept. 5 (pre-order), Sept. 19 (in stores)

Who It’s For: Golfers who want more height, distance, and consistency than they get from long irons.

What You Should Know: Mizuno’s updated Fli-Hi hybrids have a low profile and draw bias to help recreational golfers enhance their consistency and hit straighter shots than they can with long irons.

The Deep Dive: While pros make it look easy, most recreational golfers struggle to hit a high draw with long irons. Hybrids, thanks to their lower center of gravity and larger size, make solid contact and consistency easier to achieve for many players. With the release of its new JPX 925 Fli-Hi hybrids, Mizuno aims to bring that elusive shot, the high draw, to players who routinely shoot in the 80s and 90s.

The JPX 925 Fli-Hi hybrids are available in lofts designed to replace a golfer’s 3-, 4-, 5-, or 6-iron. They feature a wider profile in the stronger-lofted clubs, with the width decreasing as lofts increase. For example, the 19-degree, 3-iron replacement is a fairway wood-style hybrid and wider than the 28-degree version that could replace a 6-iron.

In the address position, the Mizuno JPX 925 Fli-Hi hybrids have no visual distractions. (David Dusek/Golfweek)

All JPX 925 Fli-Hi hybrids have a matte-black crown that is free of visual distractions, along with a low-profile design that is meant to inspire confidence.

These hybrids feature a 17-4 stainless steel face attached to a 431 stainless steel body. Internal mass placed in the back on the heel side is meant to help the faces close more easily during the downswing. That should result in squaring the face more consistently, so shots should fly straighter or be inclined to have a draw shape.

The accordion-style Wave Sole behind the leading edge is designed to compress at the moment of impact and lower the sweet spot, so thin-struck shots should retain more ball speed.

Mizuno’s designers rounded the leading edge and added extra bounce, making the JPX 925 Fli-Hi hybrids more adept at working through the turf, especially when golfers have a steep angle of attack or when conditions are soft.

While there isn’t an adjustable hosel on the JPX 925 Fli-Hi, the 17-4 stainless steel hosel is bendable, allowing custom fitters to adjust the lofts and help golfers fill distance gaps.

Finally, the price of the Mizuno JPX 925 Fli-Hi hybrids is $150, which is the same price as each of the new JPX 925 Hot Metal, Hot Metal Pro and Hot Metal HL irons. So, working with a custom fitter, golfers can mix and match the clubs to create their ideally blended sets without increasing the price.

Below are several close-up images of the new Mizuno JPX 925 hybrids.

Mizuno JPX 925 Hot Metal, Hot Metal Pro, Hot Metal HL irons

Each of the three new JPX Hot Metal irons feature thinner faces that offer a larger sweet spot.

Gear: Mizuno JPX 925 Hot Metal, Hot Metal Pro, Hot Metal HL irons
Price: $150 per club with Nippon N.S. Pro 950 NEO steel shafts and Lamkin UT+ grips (Hot Metal)
Specs: Cast stainless steel body with Nickel Chromoly 4335 cup face and internal tungsten weight.
Available: Sept. 5 (pre-sale), Sept. 19 (in stores)

Who It’s For: Golfers who want more ball speed and forgiveness (Hot Metal), accomplished players who want a better-player’s distance iron (Hot Metal Pro) or moderate- and slower-swinging golfers who want more height and carry distance from their irons (Hot Metal HL).

What you should know: Each of the three new JPX Hot Metal irons – the standard, HL (high launch) and Pro – feature thinner faces that offer a larger sweet spot and more ball speed on mishits, while also delivering the feel and sound that golfers expect from a Mizuno iron.

The Deep Dive: Mizuno has invested significant time and resources to make better woods over the last few seasons, resulting in clubs like the ST-Max and ST-G drivers, but most golfers still think of the Japanese brand as an iron company. That’s not a bad thing because the Mizuno Pro 241, Mizuno Pro 243 and Mizuno Pro 245 irons are extremely popular with golfers who love classic-looking blade-style irons that enhance feel.

The JPX Series irons have been popular with elite players, but JPX irons are also where Mizuno blends unique technologies and design elements to boost forgiveness and distance, often making them more playable for a wider number of golfers.

The new Mizuno JPX 925 Hot Metal, Hot Metal HL, and Hot Metal Pro irons continue that tradition, thanks to an updated face design and internal changes that should make it easier for players to hit longer, higher shots.

Mizuno JPX 925 Hot Metal irons — Using Nickel Chromoly allowed Mizuno to make the hitting area thinner across a larger portion of the face. (David Dusek/Golfweek)

While each club in the Mizuno Pro family is forged, the JPX 925 irons are all cast using Nickel Chromoly 4335, an extremely strong alloy. Nickel Chromoly was introduced in the JPX 923 irons and is significantly stronger than the standard Chromoly Mizuno has used. This allows engineers to redesign the cup-face hitting area to be thinner.

In the JPX 923 4-iron through 8-iron, the hitting area was 2.05 millimeters thick in the center and thinned to as little as 1.75 millimeters to allow a larger portion of the face to flex at the moment of impact. Now, in the JPX 925 irons, a tiny area in the center of the face is thick (2.4 millimeters), but a larger area around it is thinned to just 1.2 millimeters.

Mizuno refers to this new multi-thickness design as a CORTECH face. This cup face is complemented by a thinner leading-edge area that flexes more efficiently and allows the whole face to bend more at impact.

The thinner face design and the thinner leading edge should result in more ball speed and distance, especially on mishit shots.

The 4-iron through 7-iron in the JPX 925 series have also been given 11-gram internal tungsten weights. By positioning the weights low and forward but not allowing them to touch the back of the face, it should be easier to start shots on a higher launch angle and bring them down on a steeper angle of descent for increased stopping power and distance control.

Mizuno designers also added a series of reinforcing ribs under the topline to stiffen that region of the club. When combined with a new bar that goes across the back, this attunes the JPX 925 irons to sound and feel more solid and pleasing at impact.

There are three different versions of the JPX 925 Hot Metal iron. The standard is a game-improvement iron offered from 4-iron through sand wedge for both right- and left-handed players that should appeal to a wide variety of golfers. Its lofts are strong, with the 5-iron at 22 degrees and the pitching wedge at 42 degrees.

The JPX 925 Hot Metal Pro, which is also available for right- and left-handed players, has a shorter blade length, thinner topline, and less offset, making it appealing to slightly better golfers. However, it has the same lofts as the standard Hot Metal irons, so golfers should easily be able to create a blended set by working with a custom fitter.

The JPX 925 Hot Metal HL is for moderate and slower-swinging golfers who want to maximize carry distance and get more height on their shots. To help them do that, Mizuno weakened the lofts, so the HL’s 5-iron has 25 degrees of loft, and the pitching wedge has 45. The JPX 925 Hot Metal HL is only available in a right-hand version.

Below are several close-up images of the JPX 925 Hot Metal, Hot Metal HL and Hot Metal Pro irons.

Winner’s Bag: Hideki Matsuyama, FedEx St. Jude Championship

Matsuyama has won for a second time in 2024 and for the 10th time in his PGA Tour career.

A complete list of the golf equipment Hideki Matsuyama used to win the PGA Tour’s FedEx St. Jude Championship:

DRIVER: Srixon ZX5 Mk II LS (9.5 degrees), with Graphite Design Tour AD DI 8 TX shaft

[afflinkbutton text=”Shop Hideki Matsuyama’s driver” link=”https://worldwidegolfshops.pxf.io/DKEJQb”]

FAIRWAY WOODS: TaylorMade Qi10 (15 degrees), with Graphite Design Tour AD DI 9 TX shaft, Cobra King RadSpeed Tour (17.5 degrees), with Graphite Design Tour AD DI 10 TX shaft

[afflinkbutton text=”Shop Hideki Matsuyama’s fairway wood” link=”https://worldwidegolfshops.pxf.io/QyqWJ6″]

IRONS: Srixon Z-Forged II (4-9), with True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue S400 shafts

[afflinkbutton text=”Shop Hideki Matsuyama’s irons” link=”https://go.skimresources.com?id=77560X1658191&xs=1&url=https%3A%2F%2Fus.dunlopsports.com%2Fsrixon%2Fclubs%2Firons%2Fz-forged-ii-irons%2Fz-forged-ii-irons%2FMZFIII.html”]

WEDGES: Cleveland RTX 4 Forged prototype (48, 52, 56, 60 degrees), with True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue S400 shafts

PUTTER: Scotty Cameron Handcrafted Squareback Bullet Bottom prototype

BALL: Srixon Z-Star XV

[afflinkbutton text=”Shop Hideki Matsuyama’s golf ball” link=”https://worldwidegolfshops.pxf.io/eKobqQ”]

GRIPS: Iomic X

TaylorMade Hi-Toe 4 wedges

TaylorMade is now offering its high-toe wedges in five sole grinds.

[anyclip-media thumbnail=”https://cdn5.anyclip.com/nYa9VpEBOko400vNG0O6/1723737551962_248x140_thumbnail.jpg” playlistId=”undefined” content=”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”][/anyclip-media]

Gear: TaylorMade Hi-Toe 4 wedges
Price: $179.99 each with True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue 115 shafts and Lamkin Crossline 360 grips
Specs: Cast and milled 8620 carbon steel body with raw-steel hitting area, five sole grinds, and lofts from 50 to 60 degrees
Available: NOW

Who it’s for: Golfers who want more spin and more versatility on greenside shots.

What you should know: TaylorMade is now offering its high-toe wedges in five sole grinds, so golfers who like the copper finish and the idea of a larger hitting area on open-face shots can also find a sole grind that matches the conditions they typically confront.

The Deep Dive: There was a time when a wedge with an extra-high toe section raised eyebrows and was seen as a novelty, but those days are long gone. Over the last several seasons, many of the game’s elite players have added a high-toe wedge (or two) to their bags to handle unique conditions, and recreational golfers have accepted high-toe wedges too.

TaylorMade debuted its first Milled Grind Hi-Toe wedges back in 2018 and has updated them regularly. With the release of the fourth generation of Hi-Toe wedges, the Carlsbad, California-based equipment maker is now coupling the design benefits of high-toe wedges with more sole grinds than ever before.

[afflinkbutton text=”Shop TM Hi-Toe 4 wedges” link=”https://worldwidegolfshops.pxf.io/AWz3bN”]

TaylorMade Hi-Toe 4 wedges have grooves across the entire hitting area. (David Dusek/Golfweek)

The advantage and appeal of a high-toe wedge for many golfers is the ability to open the face and slide the leading edge under the ball while having an extra portion of the hitting area available. It’s confidence-inspiring, and with a hitting area covered from heel to toe by 20 grooves, TaylorMade feels it can give players of every level more options and shots around the green.

Each Hi-Toe 4 wedge is cast using soft 8620 carbon steel and given an aged copper finish that will mature and patina over time. However, the hitting area is un-chromed and unfinished, so the raw steel is exposed. Over time and with exposure to water and air, the face will rust and create a natural anti-glare coloring that many golfers love. The grooves extend over the entire hitting area in the 56, 58 and 60-degree wedges, but to make the hitting area appear more iron-like in the 50 and 52-degree gap wedges, the grooves do not extend to the end of the heel and toe areas.

BUY: TaylorMade Hi-Toe 4 wedges

Between the main grooves, TaylorMade has added a new laser-etched Spin Trend microgroove pattern. In dry conditions, the Spin Trend does not do much, but in wet conditions, it adds more places where water can be removed from the hitting area to increase spin consistency.

The Hi-Toe 4 gap wedges, sand wedges and lob wedges each have a hollowed-out area low in the back heel, with the mass repositioned high behind the toe. This helps to shift the center of gravity (CG) location up, aiding golfers in hitting lower, more precise shots for enhanced distance control.

The most significant update to the TaylorMade Hi-Toe wedges in their fourth generation is the availability of five different sole grinds to help golfers find wedges better matched to their playing style and the conditions they face.

[afflinkbutton text=”Shop TM Hi-Toe 4 wedges” link=”https://worldwidegolfshops.pxf.io/AWz3bN”]

ATS Grind: This is the all-terrain standard grind, and it is meant to be an all-purpose design that can be used in a variety of conditions. The ATS Grind is available in lofts from 50 to 60 degrees.

ATV Grind: This sole profile has been in the TaylorMade lineup in years past. It has a concave sole and asymmetric bounce that makes it ideal for shallow-swinging players and golfers who play in firmer conditions despite having 11 degrees of measured bounce. The ATV Grind is available in lofts from 56 to 60 degrees.

ATX Grind: This is a new grind for TaylorMade and features a wide design with three distinct areas. The leading edge is beveled, followed by a flat midsection and an aggressive trailing edge. The wedge sole and 12 degrees of bounce should make it ideal in bunkers but surprisingly useful on fairway lies. The ATX Grind is available in lofts from 56 to 60 degrees.

ATC Grind: This is a classic C grind wedge with significant heel and toe relief. The sole is narrower, and the ATC has only 8 degrees of bounce, so it is meant for skilled players in firm conditions. The ATC Grind is available in 58- and 60-degree versions.

ATW Grind: The ATW stands for all-terrain wide, and this wedge has the widest sole of any Hi-Toe 4 offering. With 14 degrees of bounce, it is the most forgiving wedge in the family and is designed to handle soft turf, fluffy sand and thick greenside rough. The ATW Grind is available in lofts from 56 to 60 degrees.

[afflinkbutton text=”Shop TM Hi-Toe 4 wedges” link=”https://worldwidegolfshops.pxf.io/AWz3bN”]

Below are several close-up images of the TaylorMade Hi-Toe 4 wedges.

Callaway Apex Ai200, Ai300 irons

Callaway enhanced the feel and updated the look of its game-improvement Apex irons.

[anyclip-media thumbnail=”https://cdn5.anyclip.com/_zkMSJEBjsbPL24jtgI_/1723491186205_248x140_thumbnail.jpg” playlistId=”undefined” content=”PHNjcmlwdCBzcmM9Imh0dHBzOi8vcGxheWVyLmFueWNsaXAuY29tL2FueWNsaXAtd2lkZ2V0L2xyZS13aWRnZXQvcHJvZC92MS9zcmMvbHJlLmpzIiBkYXRhLWFyPSIxNjo5IiBkYXRhLXBsaWQ9Imw1NWd3dGt0ampjdWUydHRtamlleW1ydW5qMmdvc2s3IiBwdWJuYW1lPSIxOTk4IiB3aWRnZXRuYW1lPSIwMDE2TTAwMDAyVTBCMWtRQUZfTTgzMjciPgo8L3NjcmlwdD4=”][/anyclip-media]

Gear: Callaway Apex Ai200, Ai300 irons
Price: $200 each with True Temper Dynamic Gold Mid steel shafts or UST Mamiya HDC Recoil Dart graphite shafts and Golf Pride Z grips
Specs: Forged 1020 stainless steel body with forged 455 stainless steel face, internal urethane microspheres, and adjustable back weight
Available: NOW

Who it’s for: Mid- and higher-handicap golfers who want more distance, feel, and consistency from shot to shot.

What you should know: Callaway enhanced the feel and updated the look of its game-improvement Apex irons, then used artificial intelligence to create iron faces that deliver more distance, along with spin and trajectory consistency.

The deep dive: When Callaway sold Ben Hogan Golf in 2012, it retained the naming rights to Apex, an iron family that had been synonymous with high performance, feel, and classic looks for well over a decade. The first Callaway Apex irons arrived in 2014 and were popular from the start. The standard Apex irons retained the classic looks while hiding game-improvement features, while Apex Pro and TCB irons blended feel, control, and consistency into clubs that could help amateur golfers win club championships and professionals like Jon Rahm and Xander Schauffele win majors.

Yes, Callaway released an updated Apex Pro last year, along with the Apex CB and MB, but the standard Apex’s most recent update was in 2021. Now, however, Callaway has announced the release of the Apex Ai200 and Ai300, two new Apex irons that blend popular Callaway technologies and features with Apex heritage.

[afflinkbutton text=”Shop Callaway Apex Ai irons” link=”https://pga-tour-superstore.pxf.io/jrEyvZ”]

Callaway Apex Ai200 irons — Callaway has reorganized the names of the new Apex irons to make it easier to understand how they relate to each other. (David Dusek/Golfweek)

First things first: the new names. To make understanding the Apex line easier, Callaway has switched to a number system. The larger the number, the bigger and more forgiving the irons will be. Smaller numbered clubs will focus more on feel, precision, and control. Callaway hopes that even before they hit the new Apex irons, golfers will be able to easily understand how each club relates to the others in the Apex family.

The Apex Ai200 (which replaces the Apex ’21) and Ai300 (which replaces the Apex DCB) now cosmetically match the most recent Apex Pro, CB, and MB irons, even though both are hollow-bodied irons designed for mid- and higher-handicap players.

Callaway Apex Ai300 iron. (David Dusek/Golfweek)

The Ai200 and Ai300 feature a forged 1020 carbon steel chassis that is attached to a thin, forged 455 Carpenter stainless steel cup face. Callaway injects urethane microspheres inside each Ai200 and Ai300 head to soak up excessive vibrations, enhance feel, and improve the sound created at impact.

While some of that may seem familiar, what is new is that the 455 Carpenter stainless steel cup face has been created with the help of artificial intelligence (AI) in the same way Callaway used it to create the faces in the Ai Smoke drivers. Knowing they wanted to create more ball speed but maintain the spin rates and launch angle characteristics in the Apex irons, Callaway engineers programmed supercomputers to run thousands of simulations of impacts using different face patterns and designs. The result is a hitting area that should give golfers more distance, but also more consistency because the hitting area does not have hot spots or excessively rigid areas.

BUY: Callaway Apex Ai irons

Callaway has added an adjustable weight plate to the back of the Apex Ai200 and Ai300. It is not meant for golfers to change, but it allows fitters to adjust the swing weight of the heads during fittings for extra customization.

The Ai200 has been designed for slightly more skilled golfers who tend to hit down on their iron shots and compress the ball. It has a thinner topline than the Ai300, along with slightly less offset and a narrower sole. The Ai200 should produce a lower initial launch angle and a touch more spin than the Ai300, but because it is larger, the Ai300 will offer more stability on mishits to go along with its higher ball flight.

Both the Ai200 and Ai300 have strong, modern lofts. The Ai200’s 5-iron has a loft of 23 degrees and a pitching wedge at 43 degrees. The Ai300’s 5-iron has 22 degrees of loft, and its pitching wedge is 42 degrees. Working with a custom fitter, golfers should easily be able to create blended sets of Ai300 long irons and Ai200 scoring clubs.

[afflinkbutton text=”Shop Callaway Apex Ai irons” link=”https://pga-tour-superstore.pxf.io/jrEyvZ”]

Below are several close-up images of the Callaway Apex Ai200 and Apex Ai300 irons.

Callaway Apex Ti Fusion irons

Callaway Apex Ti Fusion irons blend a soft stainless steel body with a titanium face.

Gear: Callaway Apex Ti Fusion irons
Price: $300 each with True Temper Dynamic Gold Mid Gunmetal steel shafts or Mitsubishi MMT graphite shafts and Golf Pride Z grips
Specs: Forged 1020 stainless steel body with brazed titanium face, internal urethane microspheres, adjustable back weight, and diamond-like coating
Available: NOW

Who it’s for: Low- to mid-handicap golfers who want more distance, feel, and consistency.

What you should know: Callaway Apex Ti Fusion irons blend a soft stainless steel body with a titanium face designed using artificial intelligence and internal urethane material to create more ball speed, a softer feel, and more consistency.

The deep dive: “Ladies and gentlemen, have fun.” Something like that must have been said to the club designers and engineers at Callaway before they created the new Apex Ti Fusion irons.

While the new Apex Ai200 and Ai300 are game-improvement clubs for the masses, the materials and technologies packed into the Apex Ti Fusion enabled Callaway’s club makers to elevate their design approach for a slightly-better set of players.

[afflinkbutton text=”Shop Callaway Apex Ti Fusion irons” link=”https://pga-tour-superstore.pxf.io/k0nMY0″]

The story with the Apex Ti Fusion irons is all about the hitting area. The forged stainless steel body is similar in design to the new Ai200, although it is slightly smaller. However, the cup face given to the Apex Ti Fusion irons is very different. While the new Ai200 and Ai300 have forged stainless steel faces, the Apex Ti Fusion irons feature titanium faces.

Callaway is not claiming that the Apex Ti Fusion irons are the first titanium irons in golf, but the Carlsbad, California-based company developed a new way to bond titanium to stainless steel, a process that typically is not possible. The new manufacturing process allows the thin, titanium cup face to flex more efficiently at the moment of impact for increased ball speed instead of being slowed by the stiffer stainless steel that holds it.

To maximize the titanium face’s performance, Callaway designers used artificial intelligence to simulate and test different face patterns and designs, then determined which would produce the best performance for each club in the set. As a result, the long iron faces were optimized to enhance distance and forgiveness on mishits, while the short irons and scoring clubs feature more spin consistency for better distance control and accuracy.

BUY: Callaway Apex Ti Fusion irons

Historically, titanium-faced irons have been made for mid- and higher-handicap golfers who want more ball speed and distance, and the addition of a titanium hitting area certainly helps to do that in the Apex Ti Fusion, though the Apex Ti Fusion is geared toward a different audience. As the numbers in Callaway’s new nomenclature get larger, irons get bigger and more forgiving. For instance, the Ai300 is bigger and more stable than the Ai200, but the Ai200 has less offset, a smaller blade length, and aims to appeal to better golfers. The Apex Ti Fusion can be thought of as a 150, slightly smaller than the Ai200, and its dark finish makes it appear even slimmer. Golfers can expect the Apex Ti Fusion irons to perform more like the updated Apex Pro released last year. Still, thanks to the titanium face, the irons should provide more distance and better performance on mishits.

The Apex Ti Fusion irons’ lofts are modern, with a 5-iron at 23.5 degrees and a pitching wedge at 43 degrees. An attack wedge is available that comes standard at 38 degrees.

[afflinkbutton text=”Shop Callaway Apex Ti Fusion irons” link=”https://pga-tour-superstore.pxf.io/k0nMY0″]

Below are several close-up images of the new Callaway Apex Ti Fusion iron

Winner’s Bag: Aaron Rai, 2024 Wyndham Championship

A complete list of the golf equipment Rai used to win the PGA Tour’s regular-season finale.

[anyclip-media thumbnail=”https://cdn5.anyclip.com/Ukj8C5EBOko400vNnrGh/1722483274490_248x140_thumbnail.jpg” playlistId=”undefined” content=”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”][/anyclip-media]

A complete list of the golf equipment Aaron Rai used to win the PGA Tour’s 2024 Wyndham Championship:

DRIVER: TaylorMade M6 (9 degrees), with Aldila Synergy Blue TX shaft

FAIRWAY WOODS: TaylorMade Qi10 (15 degrees), with Fujikura Ventus Blue 8 X shaft, (18 degrees), with Fujikura Ventus Blue TR 8 X shaft

HYBRID: Titleist TSR2 (24 degrees), with Mitsubishi Tensei CK Pro White Hybrid 90 TX shaft

IRONS: TaylorMade P•7TW (5-9), with True Temper Dynamic Gold S300 shafts

WEDGES: Titleist Vokey Design SM9 (46, 49, 55, 60 degrees), with True Temper Dynamic Gold S300 shafts

PUTTER: TaylorMade TP Collection Hydro Blast DuPage

BALL: Titleist Pro V1

GRIPS: Golf Pride Tour Velvet (full swing) / SuperStroke Zenergy 1.0P (putter)

PXG 0311 GEN7 irons

The PXG 0311 GEN7 irons feature a new material inside the hollow portion of the head that returns energy more efficiently.

Gear: PXG 0311 GEN7 irons
Price: $229.99 per club with chrome finish, $239.99 with Xtreme Dark finish
Specs: Hollow-body design including forged and milled 8620 carbon steel body, HT1770 maraging steel face, internal tungsten weight, internal polymer and adjustable titanium back weight.

[anyclip-media thumbnail=”https://cdn5.anyclip.com/GSvuN5EBjsbPL24jpK7W/1723220586268_248x140_thumbnail.jpg” playlistId=”undefined” content=”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”][/anyclip-media]

Who it’s For: Five- to 18-handicap golfers who want more ball speed and more forgiveness on mis-hits from a club that looks like a better-player’s iron.

The Skinny: The PXG 0311 GEN7 irons feature a new material inside the hollow portion of the head that returns energy more efficiently, while exotic materials like a tungsten weight and titanium back weight enhance performance and allow fitters to customize the clubs more easily.

The Deep Dive: The tungsten screws that ringed the perimeter of early PXG irons are gone, but many of the core concepts and technologies that the Scottsdale, Arizona-based equipment maker included in its early offerings have been refined, improved and updated through the years. Now, with the release of the seventh generation of the 0311 irons, PXG is showing it can use exotic materials and unique manufacturing techniques to produce clubs that continue to look like a better-player’s blade while delivering game-improvement levels of forgiveness and distance.

[afflinkbutton text=”Shop PXG 0311 GEN7 irons” link=”https://www.dpbolvw.net/click-100287807-15606512″]

The PXG 0311 GEN7 P and 0311 GEN7 XP irons both start as glowing red billets of 8620 carbon steel before they are forged five times. After each forging is completed, the still-hot metal is moved into a different tool and then forged again so the intricate shapes and contours, like the deep internal cavity, can be produced. Then, the back of each head is milled using a computer-controlled bit that passes back and forth over the clubheads, shaving off tiny ribbons of material and making the walls thinner than forging can refine.

An HT1770 maraging steel face is then attached to the chassis. The steel is exceptionally strong, allowing PXG to make it just 0.05 inches thick. According to PXG, it is the thinnest hitting area in golf, so it can flex more efficiently at the moment of impact.

The most significant difference between the 0311 GEN7 irons and their predecessors is the internal material PXG has injected inside the heads. The company has used different polymers and combinations of polymers in the past, but its new QuantumCOR polymer is the fastest yet. It supports the face and helps with durability but also returns more energy created at impact back to the ball, so golfers can generate more ball speed and distance.

To increase stability and forgiveness, PXG designers added a 20-gram internal tungsten weight in the toe of the 0311 GEN7 irons. The tungsten offsets the weight of the hosel and shifts the ideal hitting area into the middle of the face.

BUY: PXG 0311 GEN7 irons

There is also a large titanium weight screw in the back of each head. Titanium weighs less than the 8620 carbon steel used in the rest of the head, so when combined with the internal tungsten weight, more of the GEN7 iron’s overall weight shifts to the perimeter, resulting in a higher moment of inertia (MOI) and less twisting on off-center hits.

During the fitting process, fitters can swap out and change the back weight to allow golfers to try different swing weights and overall weights to see which best matches their swing and needs.

PXG claims the GEN7 irons produce nearly the same launch angle as the GEN6 irons but with more ball speed and less spin, resulting in more distance and tighter dispersion.

The 0311 GEN7 P irons are designed for low to mid-handicap golfers who want more distance and stability, while the XP is for mid- to higher-handicap golfers who need maximum forgiveness and distance. The P has a smaller blade length, less offset and a thinner topline.

Cosmetically, the clubs look very similar, but the lofts of the XP irons are significantly stronger than the lofts of the P irons. Still, golfers can mix and match them to create a blended set by working with a custom fitter.

[afflinkbutton text=”Shop PXG 0311 GEN7 irons” link=”https://www.dpbolvw.net/click-100287807-15606512″]

Below are several close-up images of the new PXG 0311 GEN7 irons:

Titleist GT2, GT3, GT4 drivers

Each of the Titleist GT drivers is designed to create more ball speed and distance.

For well over a decade, as more golf equipment companies added exotic materials to their drivers, Titleist continued making its drivers using titanium. Working with its manufacturing partners, Titleist made the titanium crowns, faces and body sections thinner, enhanced the aerodynamics of the heads, and developed different head styles so players and fitters could create a club that maximized overall performance. Attaining more ball speed was great, but designers did not want to sacrifice stability to get it, and their goal was not to increase forgiveness by giving up speed.

[anyclip-media thumbnail=”https://cdn5.anyclip.com/rgsrEJEBjsbPL24jRYx8/1722553540379_248x140_thumbnail.jpg” playlistId=”undefined” content=”PHNjcmlwdCBzcmM9Imh0dHBzOi8vcGxheWVyLmFueWNsaXAuY29tL2FueWNsaXAtd2lkZ2V0L2xyZS13aWRnZXQvcHJvZC92MS9zcmMvbHJlLmpzIiBkYXRhLWFyPSIxNjo5IiBkYXRhLXBsaWQ9Im9qdHhnNHNmampjdWUydHRtamlleW1ydW5qamZzNmJ5IiBwdWJuYW1lPSIxOTk4IiB3aWRnZXRuYW1lPSIwMDE2TTAwMDAyVTBCMWtRQUZfTTgzNDAiPgo8L3NjcmlwdD4=”][/anyclip-media]

That overall philosophy hasn’t changed, but in the new GT2, GT3 and GT4 drivers, the decision to go with a new shape necessitated the use of a new material, which has helped to quicken the adoption of the new GT drivers by PGA Tour players like Justin Thomas (GT2), Max Homa (GT3), Cameron Young (GT2), Tom Kim (GT3), and Patrick Cantlay (GT2). Now Titleist is making the GT family of drivers available to everyone.

Who are the Titleist GT2, GT3, and GT4 drivers for?

Each of the Titleist GT drivers is designed to create more ball speed and distance. The GT2 is made specifically for players who want to maximize stability and forgiveness. The GT3 was made for players who want left-right adjustability, and the GT4 is for golfers who need a low-spin driver.

What do you need to know about the Titleist GT drivers?

To improve the aerodynamics of the GT drivers, Titleist engineers elevated the back portion of the sole to reduce drag and improve the way air flows over the club. However, using the new shape in an all-titanium club elevated the center of gravity (CG) location, resulting in more spin, a lower launch angle and less distance.

The back of the sole of the Titleist GT3 driver peals up, creating a more aerodynamic shape. (David Dusek/Golfweek)

To use the aerodynamic head shape but lower the CG location, engineers decided to use a thermoform polymer to design a crown piece that wraps over the heel and toe and into the sole. While many carbon fiber crowns require small ledges and glue on the top of the club to hold them in place, Titleist’s design positions the ledges low in the heel, toe and back of the head. In those areas, adding a small amount of extra weight does not reduce performance.

Look as closely as you want at the GT drivers, but you won’t see the seams where the thermoform polymer insert is joined to the titanium portion of the chassis. After the crown piece is added, Titleist fills the seams with resin, which is then hand-buffed to create a smooth surface before the heads are painted. In the address position, golfers see nothing but a glossy black crown and a small “GT” logo that players can use to center the ball when they address it.

Titleist GT drivers — The top of the Titleist GT2 driver is made using thermoform polymer instead of titanium. (David Dusek/Golfweek)

For many players, drivers with a carbon fiber top sound muffled or soft because the resin glue used to create the carbon fiber material absorbs vibrations and sounds. However, in addition to being light, Titleist’s proprietary carbon material is impregnated with a polymer instead of resin glue, and the polymer can be tuned to create specific sounds. That allowed Titleist to modify the sound of the GT drivers so they mimic what you hear with titanium drivers. If you tap it with your fingernail, the polymer piece even sounds like a metal crown.

Much of the weight saved by using the thermoform polymer crown piece was redistributed to different areas within the heads. Each of the GT drivers has extra mass low and forward, which should increase ball speed, with the remaining mass going to the back.

Titleist GT4 driver — The Titleist GT4 features a variable-thickness titanium face. (David Dusek/Golfweek)

Finally, Titleist gave each GT driver a variable-thickness face that is thicker around the perimeter and very thin on the inside before getting thicker again in the middle. Titleist refers to this design as Speed Ring and it debuted in the TSR3 driver two years ago and Titleist claims it creates more speed over a larger area.

As with the TSR driver family, Titleist has designed three GT heads that players and fitters can use to create the ideal club for the majority of golfers.

The GT2 is a 460cc driver that is the largest from front to back and has the most stability. It comes standard with a nine-gram weight in the back of the head to boost the moment of inertia (MOI) and make the head twist less on off-center hits.

The GT2 is available in 8-, 9-, 10-, and 11-degree lofts for both right and left-handed golfers. It comes standard at 45.5 inches in length and has Titleist’s 16-position SureFit adjustable hosel that lets players and fitters independently adjust the loft and lie angle.

The GT3 is also a 460cc head and comes in the same loft options for right and left-handed players, and it has the SureFit hosel system, too. However, the GT3 has a five-position weight track in the front of the sole that pushes the CG location more forward for increased ball speed. The moveable weight lets players and fitters create either a draw or fade bias. The weight, which comes standard at eight grams, is accessible by unscrewing a plate in the sole. Compared to the TSR3, the sliding weight is more forward in the head, so the GT3 should produce a slightly lower flight and less spin than the TSR3.

Finally, the GT4 is a 430cc driver designed to create the lowest spin and launch angle. It is available in 8-, 9-, and 10-degree heads, has the SureFit hosel and comes with an 11-gram sole weight in a rear port and a three-gram sole weight in the front port. According to Titleist, moving the 11-gram weight to the front in the GT4 makes the club produce less spin and a lower flight than a front-weighted TSR4, but keeping the 11-gram weight in the back keeps the CG location between the GT2 and GT3, so the spin and launch angle fit between the GT2 and GT3.

How much will the Titleist GT drivers cost?

The Titleist GT2, GT3, and GT4 drivers are $649 each with Project X Denali Red, HZRDUS Black 5th Generation, or Mitsubishi Tensei 1K Blue shaft and Titleist Universal 360 grip.

When will the Titleist GT drivers be available?

The Titleist GT2, GT3, and GT4 drivers are available for pre-order with fittings starting August 1 and should be in stores starting August 23.

Below are several close-up looks at the Titleiust GT2, GT3 and GT4 drivers: