But most golfers aren’t shopping across all three categories at once. You know what style suits your eye and your stroke. So instead of a list that zero torque wins by default, we wanted to show you the best performers inside each category: the top five blades, mallets and zero-torque putters of 2026.

Top 5 best blade putters of 2026

The Mizuno M.Craft Osaka ran away with the blade category. It’s great for short and long and held strong at medium, which is tough for a blade putter based on 2026 results.

What makes the two PING Scottsdale models interesting is how differently they got to nearly the same overall score. The Anser 4 was the stronger short-putt performer while the Anser 2D posted the best long-putt number of any blade in the entire test at -9.3. If you struggle with longer putts, the Scottsdale Anser 2D should be on the list.

Top 5 best mallet putters of 2026

Bettinardi taking the top two spots won’t surprise anyone who follows equipment testing but the Ben Hogan story is interesting. The BHM03 is the most balanced putter in the entire mallet top five. It has no weakness. Two Ben Hogan mallets in the top five at a price point well below the Bettinardis is good news for mallet shoppers. The Cleveland HB Soft 2 Black Retreve also makes its way into the top five.

Top 5 best zero-torque putters of 2026

The Odyssey Ai-Dual S2S #7 leads the category with strong performance from every distance.

The Sub 70 011-SQ is worth a second look. It posted the best make percentage of the group at 50.5 percent and beat everyone on short putts. More broadly, seeing Sub 70, Vice Golf, and Wilson all crack the top five is good news for golfers who don’t want to spend $400 to get zero-torque performance. The category doesn’t have a budget problem.

What about make percentage?

The average make percentage across all 79 putters tested was 44.3 percent. Zero-torque was the only category that beat it, averaging 46.9. Mallets came in at 43.8 and blades at 41.9.

Final thoughts

The data across all three tests tells a pretty clear story. Zero-torque putters are performing at a level that traditional categories aren’t matching. There are still plenty of good blade and mallet putters in the test and, in the end, you need to go for a fitting and see what works for your stroke.

If you want to dig deeper into any of the three tests, the full results can be found here:

• Best Blade Putters of 2026
• Best Mallet Putters of 2026
• Best Zero Torque Putters of 2026

The post Best Putters of 2026 (Test Data From 75+ Putters) appeared first on MyGolfSpy.

“Finally!”

It’s funny, really. I’ve spent the last two years or so telling anyone and everyone that melin makes the best golf hats on the planet. I firmly believe that, and that much is evidenced by the number of inferior hats that have been displaced and left without a home in favor of their more premium counterparts.

But the thing I’ve heard time and time again from non-ball knowers is that they wish the little rubber melin logo (what they call the ThumbSeal) on the underbrim of the hat acted as a functional ball marker.

It’s a novel idea. And one that makes sense. Too much sense.

So much sense, in fact, that melin heard what folks like you were saying about it and decided to make it a reality.

Introducing the latest iteration of the melin Links collection, complete with a MagnaLink Ball Marker built right into the undervisor of the hat.

So yeah, the best golf hat on the planet just got better. And more functional. It still does everything else that melin is known for. It’s hella durable, antimicrobial and as comfy as they come. Just with the added functionality of a ball marker for people like me who either forget to snag one out of my bag or continue to lose them after dropping them in and out of my pants pocket.

It’s convenient. It’s functional. And it’s a cool way to listen to consumer feedback and turn it into something actually useful.

You can shop the melin Links collection with the new MagnaLink Ball Marker starting today.

The post I’ve Been Calling This the Best Golf Hat for Years. Now It’s Even Better. appeared first on MyGolfSpy.

The Amazon set is considerably less expensive. It’s tempting. I’ve tested both of these sets on the course and at the range. Here’s what you should know.

What’s in each set

The club count tells the story

The Amazon Basics set gives you six clubs. The MacGregor gives you 11. That’s nearly double the coverage and makes it a bit of an unfair comparison. Stick with me, though. There’s a reason we are comparing these two.

With the Amazon set, you have no fairway wood, no pitching wedge and a two-iron setup that leaves real gaps in your game. For a true beginner, it might take a little bit to feel those gaps but eventually you will want to fill them in.

The MacGregor fills most of it but leaves out a gap wedge. MacGregor makes a milled face Tour Grind 50-degree wedge that runs about $70 and could fit in the set when you are ready for an upgrade.

The upgrade problem worth understanding

Here’s the real issue with the Amazon Basics set and it goes beyond the club count.

When you decide you want to add a pitching wedge or a fairway wood, there are no matching clubs to buy. The set that got you started becomes the set you have to replace entirely. Standalone fairway woods and even wedges are expensive additions and there will be no consistency throughout the set.

The MacGregor doesn’t have that problem. It’s complete enough to play real golf with from day one. When you’re ready to upgrade individual clubs, you’re adding to a foundation rather than starting over.

The quality gap is noticeable

The Amazon Basics set does what it needs to do at $199. The driver is longer than you’d expect. The irons are functional. But you can feel and see the difference in the price point.

The MacGregor MacBLK is a different conversation. The all-black PVD finish looks sharp. The driver sits nicely at address. The CNC precision milled putter face is something you typically find on putters that cost quite a bit more.

On-course performance

The Amazon Basics driver held up better than expected off the tee. Distance was reasonable and the oversized head does its job for a beginner still working on consistent contact. The irons are functional but the gaps in the set become obvious quickly. Around the green, you’ll be limited and the overall look and feel of the sand wedge is not great.

The MacGregor performed like a set that costs more than it does. The driver sits well at address and was consistent and easy to launch. The 56-degree sand wedge is nice and spins well around the greens for a complete set wedge. The CNC milled putter was the standout. It has a great feel and look.

The verdict

If you don’t know whether golf is for you, the Amazon Basics at $199 is a reasonable way to find out. It’s not a set you’ll grow with but it’s a low-risk entry point.

If there’s any part of you that thinks this might stick, get the MacGregor. At $569, you’re getting nearly twice as many clubs, significantly better quality throughout and a set you can play and improve with. You’ll keep these clubs longer and they can help you on your way to becoming a better golfer.

The post I Put Amazon’s $199 Golf Set Up Against A Better Beginner Set appeared first on MyGolfSpy.

I’m not allowed to have nice things. Never have been. Buy me something nice and I’m just going to break it or lose it. My parents told me as much when I was young and the lesson has stuck with me well into adulthood, especially when it comes to golf. Since picking up the game a few years ago, I estimate I’ve sent roughly 2,000 balls into the woods at various courses around the country. Fortunately, I followed my parents’ advice and stocked up on the absolute cheapest balls I could find: Top Flite XL Distance. Sure, golfers make fun of Top Flite (not-so-lovingly referred to as “Rock Flite”) but at less than $20 for a 15 pack (buy two boxes for $30!) and with promises of “maximum distance,” how could I possibly pass up that kind of a bargain? 

One of the happy side effects of getting better at golf is you lose fewer balls. Most days, I’ll play the same round with a single ball. This new phenomenon has me wondering if I finally, maybe, deserve an upgrade. 

MyGolfSpy does amazing golf ball analysis but what does all of that data mean for an 11 handicap who just wants to find more fairways and stick more greens? Does the ball really matter when I’m still working on some core elements of my game? 

I decided to find out so over the last few weeks, I incorporated a variety of balls that did really well in our annual ball tests. It was painful to shell out $60 for a dozen Titleist Pro V1s when right down the aisle they were basically giving away shiny new Top Flites but I did it for the sake of journalism. I also tracked down a jumbo box of Kirkland Performance+ and a couple of different Callaway options. And during a recent trip to Florida, I hit Vice Pro almost exclusively. 

I’m not really concerned about maximizing my distance right now. Sure, it would be nice to get another 10 yards out of my drives but I’m more focused on hitting more greens. Or, I should say, I’m more focused on sticking more greens. I’m tired of watching my ball land in the center of a green and then wander 20 yards off the back. So I want a ball with more spin so I can start trying to stop it in the vicinity of where it lands. 

The Top Flite XL I’ve been using hasn’t even made it into the extensive annual Ball Test from MyGolfSpy but I know that TF has an ionomer cover and there wasn’t a single ionomer ball that performed well greenside in the most recent MGS ball test. Ionomer balls are typically the most budget-friendly as opposed to the urethane cover of pricier options but, according to the Ball Lab data, they don’t spin as well. 

I know getting a ball to stick has a lot to do with the golfer’s swing and even the club they use but I’m looking for every advantage I can get out of my equipment so I want to see if the ball I game will help. 

Anecdotally, the answer is “yes.” Over the last few weeks, I’ve watched as these “higher class” balls stick to more greens. For example, during my latest mid-week nine-hole round, I hit five out of nine greens in regulation and landed an average of four feet closer to the pin on approaches than a scratch golfer. I still gave up two strokes on long approaches but that’s a big improvement from previous rounds. 

But is that improvement because of the ball I’m using? Or am I hitting more greens because I’m getting better at approach shots in general? Probably a little bit of both. But to get really scientific about it, I hit my home course last night and did some experimenting with balls. 

I walked the course and hit a brand-new Top Flite XL and a brand-new Titleist Pro V1 into the greens from a variety of different spots. Instead of just using the final resting place of the ball for evidence, I brought a small launch monitor with me to get hard spin data on each ball. 

For example, there’s a 135-yard par-3 that plagues me. I often hit the green but then watch the ball roll off into the distance. Tonight, I tracked both gap wedge shots with the launch monitor, looking for spin discrepancies. Same club, same hole, same swing. Would the spin rates be different? 

In a word, yes. With the gap wedge, I carried the Titleist Pro V1 126 yards and watched it check and roll backwards three or four feet. Then I hit the Top Flite 129 yards and watched it land and roll several feet away from the pin. According to the launch monitor, the Titleist had a backspin of 5,307 rpm while the Top Flite had a backspin of 3,675 rpm. 

Those numbers told me the ball matters but only so much. I’m still not getting the ideal spin from these balls with my wedges. The lack of spin in my shots is likely because of some impurity in my strike. But even with that less than perfect swing, I get more spin out of the better ball and that better ball is sticking to more greens. 

I swing my irons in the low 90s and my driver in the low 100s which puts me in the high end of mid swing speeds—plenty fast to get some spin on the ball, assuming I strike it well. 

I still have some work to do before I find the Goldilocks ball that’s perfect for my swing speed and overall game. In theory, I should take this experiment further and try to match the ball with my swing speed—but the ball experiments I’ve been doing have been enlightening and encouraging. Even though I still have a mountain to climb in terms of the technical aspects of my swing, the ball I play absolutely makes a difference. And it’s obvious to me that I don’t have to wait for that work to be complete to upgrade the ball. 

Turns out my parents were wrong; I can have nice things. 

Dig deeper into one golfer’s struggle to get better at golf in middle age and read last week’s Scratch By 50 where Graham details his hour-long practice plan. 

The post Scratch By 50: Does The Ball Matter For A Golfer Like Me?  appeared first on MyGolfSpy.

Welcome back!

Now that you have had a crack at the mySpider ZT interface, I want to share with you the mySpider ZT putters that my MGS colleagues Chris, Tony and I created.

TaylorMade has the best club customizer interface

For a number of years, TaylorMade has had the best online interface for customizing putters and other clubs. Competitors are not even close.

For a while, the playing field was fairly level. That changed when TaylorMade unveiled the myStealth2+ interface.

Design choices were reflected on the rendering instantly. More importantly, users could now rotate the club in three-dimensional space. This allowed users to view their creation from all angles. At the time, other companies’ renderings were static views from various angles.

That myStealth2+ interface was well beyond the competition and thankfully continued into TaylorMade’s other customization programs such as the mySpider ZT creator that we are seeing the fruits of today.

The only criticism I have of the TaylorMade myProgram system is that they never returned to driver customization. The Shadowfall versions are cool but they are no substitute for the ability to fully customize the driver.

Now that the stage is set, and you’ve played with the interface, let’s take a look at the putters that we built.

Dave’s Sun Devil mySpider ZT

Forks Up! We are rapidly approaching the greatest time of the year: college football season! Naturally, I had to send some love to my Arizona State Sun Devils.

Typically around the beginning of August, my predominantly purple golf equipment shifts to maroon and gold. The ASU carry bag comes out of storage as do the fancy pom-pom headcovers.

For the past few years, this tradition has resulted in lots of wins! Hiring Head Coach Kenny Dillingham has probably helped as well but I’m not going to dismiss the power of a single alum switching golf gear.

As per usual, I am very happy with the rendering versus real results. In many ways, the in-hand putter is better than the rendering. For example, the shaft and grip are a much deeper maroon than the computer screen suggested. All in all, it was a solid what you see is what you get experience.

This Sun Devil mySpider ZT will fit perfectly with the ASU aesthetic. If I can find a center-shafted Arizona State headcover, we may win the college football national championship this year.

See you in Las Vegas!

Chris’s Let’s Go Bo Nix and Jaylen Waddle mySpider ZT

Sunsets are blue and orange because even God loves the Denver Broncos. At least, that’s my line of thinking.

Custom has become standard in the sense that adding some personal flair to every element of your club setup is something most golfers seem to expect, particularly when it comes to putters and wedges. The “A-game” isn’t always in the trunk but at least you’ll like the way your putter looks.

Does that count for much? Maybe not on the scorecard but should I miss that downhill left-to-right slider for birdie, at least I can fondly recall “The Drive”, “The Fumble” and Von Miller destroying Cam Newton in SB 50.

In terms of the process, the interface is simple and user-friendly. If you can comfortably order Door Dash, I’m always a bit wary to go with too bold of a color scheme.

So, while this is Denver Broncos-inspired, I limited any orange accents to the sole, offset by the blue face. So just enough to drop more than a subtle hint. I also wanted something with a familiar address profile with a bit of contrast, thus the matte silver topline.

If I were to run this back, I might opt for a full-on, Rickie Fowler Sunday kit: orange body with blue face and white accents. But that’s the beauty and draw of any custom program: the virtually limitless options that consistently threaten to drain the Venmo account.

And for the record, I’ll see Dave’s ASU mallet cover and raise him a Broncos throwback “D” logo Robert Mark headcover.

Tony’s Let’s Not Overcomplicate this Shit Putter

First, nobody told me we were supposed to be doing a “team theme” kind of thing so don’t expect that from me. I started my build with the counterbalanced option for no other reason than, on an OEM visit a few years back, I played a round with a counterbalanced putter. It went pretty well and since I hadn’t used one since, I figured why not?

The downside to that decision is that it immediately led to fewer options than you’d get with a standard build like Dave’s.

With that, a good bit of what I did was a process of elimination. I felt like the milled leading edge option was a bit busy for my taste so I passed on that. Because there’s a lot of chatter about “quiet eye” stuff right now, I would have loved a single-dot alignment option. That’s not in the catalog so I went with three dots while convincing myself that if one is quiet, three is dead silent.

Winning.

I might have done a black/gunmetal pairing if that were available on CB built but it isn’t and, since I’m not a fan of the hydroblast, I went with a cohesive black look. And, again, since I’m not trying to theme this out (subtle was the goal), I went with a simple gunmetal face insert instead of something like electric blue (which I definitely considered). The black body with the gunmetal insert creates some contrast without being over the top like Chris’s.

Likewise, I wanted some contrast on the sole so I went with the silver weights instead of the black and since it’s not the type of thing you see at address anyway, I went with a splash of color via a dark blue sole plate with silver paint fill across the board.

Is it all a bit understated relative to what Dave and Chris did? Absolutely. Is it less painful to look at? Also absolutely. To each their own, I guess.

For the custom engraving, I chose NMF3P!, short for No More Fucking 3 Putts. Thus far, results have been mixed.

Lastly, I chose the white headcover because I’m amused by the thought of how trashy (or well-worn) it’s going to look after a reasonable amount of use.

I’m not sure zero-torque (and ZT-adjacent designs) are right for me but the longer counterbalanced design gives me a new excuse to experiment. I suppose that’s fun.

Final thoughts on the mySpider ZT custom program

As I mentioned, the enormous number of options creates thousands of possible mySpider ZT configurations.

Whatever your mind comes up with, the mySpider ZT program will have the options for you to build it. 

You’ve seen first-hand how the three of us approached the build process and how we ended up with three very different putters.

One thing that is worth emphasizing is the upcharge for customization. It’s only an extra $100 to go from off-the-rack to full customization. If you know you want a Spider ZT, spend the extra money. Mow a few lawns, recycle your Busch Light Apple cans or do whatever it takes to scratch together the extra Benjamin.

The custom program also allows you to tweak the physical characteristics of your putter such as length and lie angle. That means that not only will your putter look like a Bapple can but it will also fit your stroke.

The post What Did We Build With The TaylorMade mySpider ZT Customizer? appeared first on MyGolfSpy.

When it comes to a slice, I’m no different.

A slice happens when the clubface is open relative to the path of your swing. The face does not match up with the direction the club is traveling. That’s why the ball peels weakly to the right, loses distance and makes you feel like you need to aim farther left just to keep it in play.

I won’t tell you every slice fix is the same. I also won’t tell you that one 30-minute range session will permanently fix your golf swing. But I can tell you this is worth a shot if you’re tired of learning about slices and ready to fix one.

You don’t need much for this. I’d bring a driver, a 7 iron, an alignment stick or extra club, a headcover (or towel) and some impact tape if you have it.

Minutes 0 To 5: Build the station

Before you start fixing anything, make sure your setup is not making your issues worse.

Put an alignment stick or extra club on the ground parallel to your target line. Most slicers are not aimed where they think they are aimed. They aim left, swing left and then wonder why the ball keeps moving farther right.

Start with five easy shots using a 7-iron. Don’t try to fix the slice yet. Just watch the pattern.

Pay attention to:

• Where the ball starts
• How much it curves
• Whether your finish feels low and left
• Whether the club feels like it is cutting across the ball

Minutes 5 To 10: Get the face less open

The slice is a face problem first.

If the clubface is open relative to your swing path, the ball is going to curve right. You can improve the path later but if the face stays open, the slice is still there.

Start by checking your grip. For many slicers, a slightly stronger grip helps the face return less open.

Look for this:

• You can see two knuckles on your lead hand
• Your trail hand sits more on the side of the grip
• Your grip pressure is soft enough that your hands can release

Slicers tend to get tight because they are trying to steer the ball away from trouble. The problem is that tension makes it harder to square the face.

Hit five half speed shots with a 7-iron or hybrid. Your only goal is to feel the face closing a little easier through impact. If the ball starts heading left, that’s not a bad sign.

Minutes 10 To 15: Stop rolling the face open

Now work on the takeaway.

A lot of slicers roll the clubface open early. Once that happens, the rest of the swing becomes a recovery mission. You don’t need to hold the face shut but you do need to stop fanning it open right away.

Make a few slow rehearsals where the clubface feels like it is looking slightly more toward the ground in the takeaway. Your lead wrist should feel more controlled, not cupped and wide open.

Then hit five balls at about three-quarter speed.

Minutes 15 To 20: Swing to right field

Now it’s time to give the club a better direction.

Put a headcover or towel just outside the golf ball and slightly behind it. You are creating a small wall that discourages the over-the-top move. If you swing too far from outside to in, you’ll hit the headcover or towel.

The swing thought here is to swing out towards right field.

Hit eight to 10 shots with a 7-iron.

Watch the feedback:

• If you hit the headcover, the path is still too far outside to in
• If the ball starts right and curves less, you are getting closer
• If the ball starts right and stays right, the face is still open
• If the ball pulls left, the face is improving but the path may still be left

Minutes 20 To 25: Find the strike

Now we move to the driver where your slice is probably the most prominent.

Some people use foot spray on the face. I think impact tape is much cleaner and I don’t love spraying my driver, but either one works.

Hit three drives and look at the strike pattern. Many slicers hit too much on the heel side of the face which can add slice spin and make a shot feel weak. Even if your grip and path are getting better, heel contact can keep the ball moving left to right.

If the mark is on the heel, stand just a touch farther from the ball or feel like you are trying to strike it slightly toward the toe.

Don’t overdo this. You are just trying to move the contact closer to the center and away from the heel. Hit three more drives and compare the strike pattern. If the strike moves closer to the center and the curve is smaller, you are moving in the right direction.

Minutes 25 To 30: Put it together

Now finish the session with a few final drives. Keep the station in place. Alignment stick down. Ball just inside the lead heel. Tee height high enough. Grip pressure soft.

Before each shot, make one slow practice swing with these three thoughts:

• Square the face earlier
• Swing to right field
• Finish through it

The “face earlier” part is important. A lot of slicers try to square the clubface after the ball is already gone.

Don’t judge the session by whether every ball is perfect. Watch for a different pattern.

Good signs include:

• The slice turns into a smaller fade
• The ball starts straighter
• Contact moves away from the heel
• You hit a ball that starts right and curves back
• You hit a pull instead of a weak slice

A pull is not perfect but it is different. Sometimes that’s where the fix starts.

Final thoughts

This session is not about rebuilding your entire golf swing. It’s about changing the pattern that keeps the slice alive and gaining some awareness about what your golf club is doing at impact.

You are trying to get the clubface less open, stop the face from rolling open in the takeaway, move the path a little more from the inside and get the strike away from the heel.

That’s a lot more useful than aiming left and hoping.

The post A 30-Minute Driving Range Routine To Fix A Slice appeared first on MyGolfSpy.

Thankfully, it was not gone forever. TaylorMade was overhauling the interface and updating the options.

I suppose I should have expected this since TaylorMade typically launches a new mySpider program right after the release of a new line of Spider putters.

As you know, last week TaylorMade released their new Spider Tour Torched putter line (shown above). Right on schedule, the new mySpider Tour and mySpider Tour X customization tools became available today.

For about $70 above the price of a stock Spider Tour, you can create a custom Spider Tour or Spider Tour X that fits your eye and your stroke.

Huge list of options including some new ones

The mySpider program is known for its huge suite of build options. The new mySpider Tour and mySpider Tour X programs continue this trend. When creating your putter, you select from a deep list of cosmetic options to give your mySpider just the right look.

Since you’ll probably also want to make putts with your new putter, you can also fine-tune the alignment scheme and physical aspects of the putter to fit your stroke.

New milled face options

There is a very intriguing face option this time around. In addition to the usual assortment of colored Surlyn PureRoll inserts, there are two milled aluminum face options.

If you want a face that is firmer than the Surlyn, go with the milled aluminum PureRoll option. For the firmest face, choose the silver or black milled aluminum face.

I love these two new milled face options and I am very curious to see how they influence feel and roll.

To True Path or not to True Path

Another great thing about the mySpider program is that it gives you the ability to add the True Path alignment to a Spider Tour. Typically, if you wanted True Path, you had to play a Spider Tour X.

With the mySpider customizer, you can add True Path to the Spider Tour as well.

The only exception would be if you choose the new Tommy (Fleetwood) sight line on the Spider Tour. That one cannot also have the True Path alignment.

(It would look awful with both anyway.)

The Spider Tour X will have the shape of the True Path scheme in the head but you can choose to have it painted in or not.

Spider Tour options

Spider Tour X options

TaylorMade mySpider packs a ton of value into the up-charge

As I mentioned, going from off the rack to full custom will cost you $70. Spending that extra money really allows you to create a putter that will flight your fancy.

Did I mention that center-shaft is one of the neck options?

The disadvantage of the program is that you will need to wait for the putter to be built. Typically, this takes about six to eight weeks. Most recently, it took about six weeks. I built a mySpider Tour in mid-April and it just arrived last week.

(Yes, I did in fact need to buy another putter.)

If you want a putter today, obviously you will need to go with something already in the shop. It’s not like the stock Spider putters are bad. The Tour Torched putters are actually really nice.

You won’t find a stock Spider Tour Torched with a milled aluminum face (or purple paint), though.

Maybe buy the stock Spider now and play it until your custom mySpider arrives. Spiders are so hot right now that I am sure you can find someone to buy the stock version on Facebook.

Regardless, tell me what you would build. I’m always curious about what features and options catch golfers’ eyes.

By the way, check back tomorrow to see what Chris, Tony and I built with the new TaylorMade mySpider ZT customizer. Three different people made three very different putters and that’s the beauty of the mySpider program.

The post Exciting New Build Options For The Updated TaylorMade mySpider Tour And mySpider Tour X Customizers appeared first on MyGolfSpy.

Stripes on golf balls aren’t going anywhere. A growing stack of internal studies says there’s a real alignment benefit and the brands have clearly noticed. But before we go any further, let’s set the table. If putting breaks down into three elements (reading the green, aiming to your target, making the stroke), a stripe is built to help with exactly one of them. We’re talking about aim. Full stop. Nothing printed on a golf ball reads the break for you and no stripe has ever made the stroke on its owner’s behalf. Who knows? Maybe the first AI-designed golf ball will help with that.

Until then, what you might find interesting about TaylorMade’s new TP5 and TP5x Performance Stripe is that, in a world of increasingly bold designs, the company is actually rolling things back a bit.

A subtler stripe

The Clear Path Alignment stripe TP5 players already know is a full 360-degree design that wraps the whole ball. Performance Stripe is more of a sidestamp enhancement than a true stripe.

Because numbers are fun, TaylorMade says the Performance Stripe design creates a sidestamp that’s 75 percent longer than what you get on the standard TP5 side stamp (20 millimeters) and 52 percent longer than the TP5x version (23 mm). It gives you a bit more to look at than standard white and yellow models, while remaining significantly smaller than the full-wrap stripe treatment.

I suppose the practical implication is that you have options (sometimes). Because the stripe only covers part of the ball, you can orient it for alignment when you want the help or tuck it out of sight for a clean look on the tee and on the green. (In between, you get what you get but that’s true of any side stamp.) If the approach sounds familiar, it’s the same basic idea behind Titleist’s AIM stamps: a line for the golfers who want it; deniability for the ones who don’t.

Whether that line meaningfully moves your make rate is still the part you’re asked to take on a little faith. More than one ball manufacturer has run tests and determined that alignment aids provide a benefit. Take that for what it’s worth but the premise isn’t far-fetched. As I’ve said, I genuinely believe longer, wider stripes are useful alignment aids, so I’m inclined to trust that the data is real.

What’s under the paint

The stripe is the headline but it isn’t the only change. Both balls get new Microcoating which TaylorMade describes as a more precise process for controlling how paint is applied to the cover. The goal is a more consistent outer layer which in theory lets the dimple pattern do its job the same way shot after shot and ball after ball. It’s not something you’ll feel standing over a putt but it should go without saying that consistency is more than a little important.

Where I land

I’ll admit I usually give TaylorMade grief for playing it straight with stripes. This is a company that put flamingos on a golf ball, and pickles on a golf ball, while its TP alignment graphics tend to show up dressed for a board meeting. In this case, though, the restraint is the point. A loud, colorful stripe would undercut a design whose entire pitch is that you can make it disappear when you want to so I’ll keep my “give me some color” complaint in my pocket for once.

The honest caveat is that the optionality only goes so far. You get the clean look if you set the ball up for it but the in-between orientations are whatever the ball hands you. For a lot of golfers, that trade is more than fair. For others, a stripe is a stripe.

Pricing and availability

TP5 and TP5x Performance Stripe come in six-ball packs priced at $29.99. The six-ball pack is worth a beat of its own. Premium balls are almost always sold by the dozen so this is a different way to buy in. I’ll let you run the per-dozen math yourself.

The post TaylorMade TP5 And TP5x Performance Stripe: A Stripe You Can Hide appeared first on MyGolfSpy.

Callaway is keeping its 2026 major-series train rolling with the third installment, a release that conveniently lines up with the exact number of men’s majors that’ll be in the books once next week’s U.S. Open wraps.

Limited-edition golf balls have officially crossed into boilerplate territory, a themed drop for every major that lands as less “event” and more “Tuesday.” That said, credit where it’s due. Callaway’s TruTrack platform gives these things enough room to actually be interesting and the company’s commitment to a full, themed photoshoot for damn near every limited release is the kind of effort that’s easier to mock than to execute.

A theme built for the Hamptons

The June major is, of course, the U.S. Open, which sails into Shinnecock Hills in Southampton, dead center of the Hamptons on New York’s Long Island. Callaway leaned all the way into the coastal, old-money, boat-shoes-on-the-veranda aesthetic. “A tribute to the Hamptons,” per the official line. Read: a ball dressed for a zip code where the club initiation fee outruns your annual equipment budget.

Onto the fleet.

The four designs

The compass. The unofficial star of the set and the one that writes its own punchline. It’s supposed to help you find your line. The better question: If you yank your compass ball into the trees, can it find itself? Asking for a sleeve.

The lighthouse. Red, white and blue stripes stacked top to bottom which means it reads less like a beacon guiding sailors home and more like a Bomb Pop off the neighborhood ice cream truck. I’m not mad about it. Patriotic dessert energy is a vibe.

The ship’s wheel. Or the helm or whatever the boat crowd calls the steering thingie. It’s the most restrained of the group, the design equivalent of the one guy at the marina who can actually back a trailer down the ramp.

The sailboat. Or a schooner if we’re feeling fancy or a sloop, a ketch, a yawl. I’ll be honest, my nautical vocabulary peaked at “boat.” Whatever it is, it’s the most literal nod to the theme, for whatever that’s worth.

The limited-edition tax

All this coastal good taste runs $59.99 a dozen, two bucks north of a standard dozen of 2026 Chrome Tour ($57.99). Two dollars for the theme and the photoshoot. You can decide whether that math floats your boat.

And nothing’s changed under the paint. It’s the same 2026 Chrome Tour so you’re buying the look, not new yardage.

If you’re keeping score, there’s still a July major (better known as The Open) on the calendar which means the 2026 series isn’t even finished. Pencil in more or less the same routine for 2027 and every year after that your pro shop has shelf space. The limited-edition ball isn’t a moment—it’s a subscription.

Pricing and availability

The Chrome Tour June Major is available Thursday, June 11, for $59.99 per dozen. As with the rest of the series, it’s Chrome Tour only. If you play Chromes Tour X, Triple Diamond or Soft, you’re watching this one from the dock.

So … nautical kitsch or genuinely sharp design work? Tell us which of the four you’d put in play. And, yes, “the Bomb Pop” is an acceptable answer.

The post Callaway’s Chrome Tour June Major Sets Sail For The U.S. Open appeared first on MyGolfSpy.

If you’re old enough to remember the Bicentennial in 1976, you remember that celebration had a full two-year run-up, with Bicentennial Minutes every night on TV, a massive observance in 1975 at the Old North Bridge in Concord, Mass., and the biggest party the country had ever seen on July 4^th a year later.

Times change.

Anyway, enough of that. Let’s punch Bridgestone’s ticket to the 250^th celebration. Bridgestone Golf does limited-edition/special-event drops as well as anyone. Some are simple, some are fun and some, like the new USA 250 patriotic “capsule,” get right to the point.

Bridgestone Golf USA 250 “capsule”

The Bridgestone Golf USA 250 capsule is as straightforward as it gets. The products in the “capsule” (a trendy name for a special limited-edition package) include a dozen Bridgestone TOUR B RX golf balls, a collectible 250^th ball marker and a pretty slick USA snapback cap.

The TOUR B RX golf balls are the same as non-USA 250 golf balls. The packaging is decidedly retro, though, even with some deliberate weathering on the box and sleeves (Hey, you don’t get to 250 without a few bumps and scrapes). The balls themselves feature Bridgestone’s USA 250 logo and the play numbers are all 250 instead of the traditional – and boring – 1 through 4.

The heavy-ish ball marker also features the 250^th logo while the USA snapback resembles an NFL sideline hat from the mid-90s.

Not that that’s a bad thing.

Price and availability

The thing about a “capsule” is that it’s sold as a, well, capsule. Perhaps “package” would be more descriptive. In other words, the pieces aren’t sold separately.

The capsule will sell for $99.99 starting Monday, June 15, just in time for the U.S. Open. It will be available exclusively on the Bridgestone Golf website.

The golf balls, however, are available now.

The post Bridgestone Golf Joins The USA 250 Party appeared first on MyGolfSpy.