It Looks Incredible

I am a sucker for a green golf bag and the Evergreen Heritage Trouper is an immediate head-turner. Jones has always understood how to give its bags a distinctive identity, and the details here are particularly good.

The gold plate positioned above the handle gives the bag a real edge. The braided handle, a Jones trademark, adds character while the white buckles near the top provide excellent contrast against the evergreen body. Everything works together extremely well. The material is also better than I expected. The Heritage Trouper is constructed from synthetic leather and, while it does not feel quite like the real thing, it is easily among the most substantial vegan leathers I’ve handled on a golf bag.

Jones describes the Heritage Collection as an attempt to pair its traditional silhouette with modern performance. Visually, that is exactly what the company has accomplished. This looks like a classic golf bag without looking contrived.

Comfort, Weight, and the Strap System

The Heritage Trouper looks like it should be heavier than it actually is. Thankfully, it does not carry that way. That does not mean it is especially light. At 5.8 pounds, nobody will confuse it with a minimalist walking bag. However, compared to my Kolf Maison Paganica, and Ghost Anyday bags, the Heritage Trouper is noticeably lighter and easier to carry than its size and material would suggest.

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Employee #2, Editor, Jack of All Trades

The strap system is extremely comfortable once it is arranged properly. Jones’ lumbar support is second to none and the bag sits comfortably against my back throughout a full round. The legs are equally impressive. They feel sturdy, deploy quickly, and are among the best I’ve used. There is also plenty of storage. I never found myself wanting for space, whether I was carrying apparel, accessories, golf balls or the inevitable collection of things that find their way into a golf bag and remain there for several months.

The insulated cooler pocket is less useful to me. I don’t drink on the course, so I would have preferred a dedicated ball pocket. Needless to say, I think most golfers would prefer a ball pocket here, too. I eventually used the cooler compartment for golf balls, which worked well enough but was not ideal.

As comfortable as the straps are, they are not especially intuitive. You have to cross them properly for the bag to sit as intended. This is hardly an insurmountable problem but other bags make the process more obvious. Golfers who want to throw a bag over their shoulders without giving the straps a second thought may find the setup slightly irritating. Once the straps are in position, however, the comfort largely makes up for the inconvenience. I would rather spend a few extra seconds arranging an excellent strap system than walk 18 holes with a simpler one that digs into my shoulders.

The Club-Tangle Problem

This is where the Heritage Trouper became very complicated for me. I loathe club tangle. Few things annoy me more than removing a club and then having to fight with the bag to put it back. Like the standard Trouper, the Heritage Trouper’s dedicated putter well initially appeared to offer exactly the kind of organization I wanted. Unfortunately, it did not solve the problem.

I play midsize grips and carry 14 clubs. My putter also has an oversized grip. That combination is not friendly to the Heritage Trouper’s five-way top. To be clear, all 14 clubs fit. I know because I’ve carried them. The issue begins once you start removing clubs. Simply put, getting them back into the bag cleanly was virtually impossible. With that being said. the putter well is still one of my favorite features of Trouper lineup. Keeping the putter separate is a luxury and prevents its oversized grip from becoming entangled with every other club in the bag. Without it, the club tangle would be unbearable.

I suspect the Heritage Trouper reaches its full potential for golfers using standard grips and a more traditional tapered pistol putter grip. With that setup, the five-way top should have more than enough room. Golfers carrying midsize or jumbo grips should know that club tangle may remain part of the experience.

It Won’t Stand on Its Own

This may be a niche concern but I always test whether a stand bag can remain upright without deploying its legs. To me, that says something about the bag’s balance. Without clubs, the Heritage Trouper stands perfectly well. Fully loaded, it tips over. That is not a fatal flaw. It is a stand bag, after all, and the legs are there for a reason. Still, I frequently set my bag upright while loading clubs, organizing equipment or just alone in the house. I appreciate a bag that can support itself without forcing me to deploy the legs every time.

The Heritage Trouper cannot reliably do that once it is full.

Is It Worth $375?

The Heritage Trouper is expensive but, within the premium golf-bag category, $375 is comparatively reasonable. Plenty of bags made from similar materials cost substantially more, and few match the Heritage Trouper’s combination of visual character, comfort, construction, and storage. From a quality perspective, the price is justified. I sincerely believe this is a premium bag. The legs are excellent, the synthetic leather feels good, and the details separate it from the endless collection of interchangeable modern stand bags. Whether it is worth $375 for you depends largely on your grips and your tolerance for club tangle.

The Bottom Line

I maintain that the Jones Heritage Trouper is one of the best-looking golf bags ever made. I like this bag an awful lot and I’ve enjoyed carrying it. It is comfortable, lighter than expected, extremely well-built and priced below much of its premium competition.

It is not, however, my favorite golf bag I’ve used. I thought it would be.

For golfers using standard grips who want a classic-looking stand bag with excellent comfort and plenty of storage, the Heritage Trouper is a compelling option. Golfers using midsize grips, an oversized putter grip and a full set of 14 clubs may find its organization frustrating. The Heritage Trouper is every bit as beautiful as I thought it would be. I simply don’t love using it quite as much as I love looking at it.

The post I Called the Jones Heritage Trouper One of the Best-Looking Golf Bags Ever. I Still Do. appeared first on MyGolfSpy.

Every golfer has a lay-up number. Mine used to be 100 yards, full sand wedge, because a coach told me two decades ago that a full swing beats a partial one and I never questioned it.

Ask any golfer about the “right” number to leave yourself on a par-5 and you’ll get a different answer every time, anywhere from 80 to 100 yards. Some swear by leaving a full 9-iron in. The bottom line is that how you lay up on a par-5 is a real course management decision and having the data behind it helps.

Arccos pulled 1.34 million par-5 holes from 18,285 USGA-handicapped golfers over a full year and tested that decision directly: lay up to a favorite number or get as close to the green as you can. So if you’ve ever wondered whether you should go for it or lay up, here’s what the data says.

There is no lay-up sweet spot

If a sweet spot existed, strokes-to-hole-out would improve at some ideal distance and get worse on either side of it. It doesn’t. It gets worse in a straight line the farther back you lay up, at every distance in the data. The table below shows the strokes to finish from each of these layup locations.

There’s no distance where that trend turns around. Laying back from 60 to 100 yards costs about 0.22 strokes and it only gets more expensive from there. The one thing that does move the number is lie. Fairway beats rough by 0.09 to 0.18 strokes at every yardage.

So here’s the clean answer.Don’t lay up to a number. Lay up to the fairway as close to the green as you can get without bringing trouble into play.

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Tony Covey

Employee #2, Editor, Jack of All Trades

Going for it beats laying back, at every handicap

Another important way to look at this data is based on handicap ranges. It might be easy to think of a scratch golfer attempting to go for the green and having success with it compared to a 20-plus handicap. Arccos isolated second shots hit from the fairway from 180 to 260 yards out. They compared golfers who finished on the green or within 40 yards of it against golfers who laid back.

To me, the most interesting stat here is the 20-handicap row. Going for it more than doubled the birdie-or-better rate and cut the bogey-or-worse rate by nearly a third, compared to laying back. Every band shows the same pattern. Going for it doesn’t trade birdies for blow-ups. It improves both ends of the scorecard at once.

Par-5s are where strokes are sitting on the table

Zoom out for a second on why this matters.

Par-5s spread the field more than any other hole type on the course. A scratch golfer plays them in just +0.12 on average and makes birdie or better one out of every five times. A 20-plus handicapper plays the same hole type in +1.51, makes double bogey or worse almost half the time, and sees birdie or better less than one time in 30.

The good news for higher-handicap players is that this is not another swing flaw to fix. It’s simply a different decision about what club to put in your hands.

What should you do?

• Advance your second shot as far as the trouble in front of you allows, not to a number you like.
• Stop laying up to a distance. Lay up to a spot in the fairway.
• If you’re in the fairway with a real look, go for it. The data says both your birdie chances and your blow-up risk improve when you do, at every handicap level.

To find out how far you hit every club in your bag instead of guessing, you need to be tracking your own game. Arccos Air allows you to gather valuable information about your game without having to input every shot. Simply play your game and get insights so you can play smarter golf.

The post The Par-5 Lay-Up Debate Is Over. We Have The Data. appeared first on MyGolfSpy.

Snell PR3

Pros

• Compression consistency ranks high — a delta of just 5.3 points means ball-to-ball compression is tight
• Perfect 100% Good Ball rate — zero defective balls across all 36 tested

Cons

• Compression symmetry graded F — data suggests the individual balls are internally inconsistent even if the sample-wide numbers are tight
• While within roundness tolerances, notably, every ball in our sample measured thicker at the pole than the seam

Our Verdict

The 2026 Snell PR3 earns a Quality Score of 80 and a B-minus grade. Compression consistency is a standout, ranking in the top 10 of the entire Ball Lab database with a delta of just 5.3 points. But compression symmetry graded F. Individual balls are internally inconsistent in how compression is distributed across the three points we measure on each ball. Good Ball Rate was a perfect 100 percent. Weight and diameter consistency both came in at average, neither helping nor hurting the score.

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Snell PR3

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Product details

• Price: $34.99/dozen
• Construction: 3-piece urethane
• Compression: 88 (Firm)
• Factory: Unknown, China
• Diameter: 1.6841 in.
• Weight: 1.6075 oz.
• Bad Balls: 0 of 36

Test results

The 2026 Snell PR3 scored 80 and earned a B-minus grade.

Good Ball Rate came in at 100 percent. All 36 balls passed inspection with zero flagged defects across cores, layers and covers. It’s the best possible outcome in this category.

Compression consistency graded at A-minus with a delta of just 5.3 points and a spread running from 84.5 to 89.8. That puts the PR3 in the top 10 of the Ball Lab database on this metric.

Compression symmetry is where the PR3 starts to fall apart. The PR3 averaged 5.5 points of symmetry deviation and graded out at F. The field average is 1.9. Where compression consistency measures variation across all 36 balls, symmetry measures how evenly compression is distributed across three points on each individual ball. A score this far above average means individual balls are performing inconsistently within themselves, even as the sample-wide numbers look strong. The findings are consistent with what we find when there are pronounced differences between the pole and seam measurments.

Diameter and weight consistency both landed in average territory — C+ and C respectively — neither a strength nor a meaningful weakness.

With a score of 80, the 2026 Snell PR3 does not earn a quality recommendation. Compression symmetry is the primary driver of that outcome and it’s worth understanding what that means before you put this ball in play.

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Tony Covey

Employee #2, Editor, Jack of All Trades

Compression

Compression is a measure of how much force is required to deform a golf ball. The higher the compression value, the more force required. Consistency in that value matters because a ball that compresses differently from shot to shot produces different results from shot to shot. Ball Lab measures every ball individually and tracks the average and the spread across the sample.

The 2026 Snell PR3 averaged 88, in the firm range of our database. Compression consistency graded out at A-minus with a delta of just 5.3 points and a spread running from 84.5 to 89.8. That is well above the database average of 9.7 and ranks in the top 10 of all balls tested — the strongest category on the card by a significant margin.

Ball Lab also measures compression symmetry, distinct from the delta measurement. Where the delta tracks variation across all 36 balls, symmetry tracks how evenly compression is distributed across three points on each individual ball. The PR3 averaged 5.5 points of symmetry deviation, well above the field average of 1.9 — and graded at F. It’s worth understanding the distinction here: the PR3 is remarkably consistent in average compression from ball to ball across the sample but each individual ball is internally inconsistent in how compression is distributed across it.

The charts below detail the compression measurements in our sample.

Weight

Weight is another metric we analyze in these Ball Lab tests. Even small differences in weight across a dozen can translate to inconsistent ball flight. Ball Lab weighs every ball to four decimal places.

The 2026 Snell PR3 averaged 1.6075 ounces across 36 balls, in the average range of the database. Every ball in the sample came in under the USGA maximum of 1.6205 ounces, with a range running from 1.5992 to 1.6162 and a standard deviation of 0.0042.

Weight consistency grades out at C.

The charts below detail the weight measurements in our sample.

Diameter

A ball that isn’t uniform in shape can track offline on the putting green or produce inconsistent flight patterns in the air. Ball Lab measures each ball across multiple axes to get a true picture of its shape.

The 2026 Snell PR3 averaged 1.6841 inches, above the USGA minimum of 1.680, with a roundness deviation of 0.0034 inches. Every ball cleared the minimum although the sample showed a consistent and notable pole bias. All 36 balls measured thicker at the pole than at the seam. That’s a uniform lot-wide pattern, not a handful of outliers, and it’s the kind of finding that stands out in the data regardless of where the grade lands.

Diameter consistency graded out at C+, an average result that neither helps nor hurts the overall profile in a meaningful way.

Ball Lab report card

Each Quality Score is a weighted average of five grades: good ball rate, compression consistency, compression symmetry, diameter consistency, weight consistency. Our scoring system punishes defective balls more severely while giving greater weight to compression metrics than to weight and diameter.

The post This $35 Urethane Golf Ball Had A Perfect “Good Ball” Rating But Here’s The Catch appeared first on MyGolfSpy.

You can fudge the numbers on your scorecard. You can “find” a ball that wasn’t yours. You can pretend your four-man scramble group somehow shot a 46 to receive ceremonial pro shop credit (we still need to shame these people). The typical stuff.

Three months ago, I put together a list of the top cheating incidents in pro golf. All of them are some version of what you would expect with golfers trying to shave their score.

But this? This one is highly unusual.

For this incident, we head to the Member-Member at WingHaven Country Club just outside of St. Louis.

Zach Holland, a 2-handicap who played college golf at the NAIA level, was forced to resign his membership after faking a hole-in-one on the fourth hole of the event.

The incident has gone viral and Holland has even given an interview about it.

Holland planned a whole scheme to fake the ace

Playing in the first group off in the tournament, Holland’s round began normally. His group played the first three holes together.

But as the group was finishing the third hole, Holland told them he needed to take a phone call concerning his terminally ill grandmother. He had mentioned on the first tee there was a possibility this could happen.

To keep up with the pace of play, Holland went up and hit his tee shot at the par-3 fourth prior to his group getting there. Then he took the brief phone call before reuniting with his group at the green.

When he got to the green, Holland said he told his partners that he thinned his tee shot but did not see where the ball ended up.

The group then found the ball in the cup, assumed Holland made a hole-in-one and everyone went crazy.

It was believable enough, right? Holland is a good player and making a hole-in-one is a reasonable thing that could have happened.

But with significant money on the line in the form of a “hole-in-one pot”—and the fact Holland made the ace without witnesses—everyone involved was a little suspicious. Holland kept up the charade, insisting he made the hole-in-one. His group had discovered the ball in the hole together, after all.

No worries, there are security cameras! The superintendent grabbed the footage and the debate would be settled in short order.

Uh-oh. That was not good news for Holland.

The footage showed Holland parked his car near the fourth green an hour before his tee time. He had manually created a ball mark, placed the ball in the hole and then driven back to the clubhouse.

The jig was up. He immediately owned up to the scheme and resigned his membership.

“You do something as dumb as I did, there are consequences for that,” Holland said Friday during an interview with “The Morning After” show on 101 ESPN St. Louis.

“There’s no excuse for what I did, and I was completely in the wrong. There’s really no motivation. Just complete stupidity. And we were giving two shots back to the field and that’s not an excuse. There’s no excuse for what happened.”

He remains adamant that he is “not a cheater on the golf course” (I don’t know, man, you literally just cheated).

“I made a bad decision, and I have to suffer the consequences,” he said. “I’m trying to move forward as best I can and it’s been rough.”

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The incident has now gone viral

Holland is under a lot of fire for his actions. TikTok, Twitter, ESPN, the New York Post … everyone is talking about what he did.

He said his wife and two young children have also received threats.

“I made a terrible mistake,” he said. “The lack of moral character—I can take the banter and the chatter and the heat because I deserve that from a golf perspective.

“What I am most worried about is my family … It’s not fair to them for me to put them in that situation where when they walk through a room, there is a stigma there that your dad is a (cheater). So questions that they may get asked or be getting asked down the road, that’s the worst part. The golf is secondary.”

That’s not right, but welcome to the Internet in 2026. And in the words of Taylor Swift, you play stupid games and you win stupid prizes.

Sean’s breakdown

I totally understand how golfers can feel a pressure to cheat. People make mistakes.

What really gets me on this one is how premeditated it was. Playing a wrong ball or changing your scorecard is typically a moment where the blood rushes to your head and you do something dumb. Especially for pro golfers, their livelihoods are on the line. It’s inexcusable but you can connect the dots.

Holland had many hours to think about this. He had to plan his entire day around it. He probably thought about it long before that morning began. Then he drove out there, created a ball mark and put the ball in the hole.

He had another couple of hours to abort! Even on the first few holes, he could have thought better of it. Yeah, the ball would have been in the hole on No. 4, but that could have been dismissed. Maybe someone was chipping around the green or there were kids fooling around. The day would have moved on and nobody would have cared to check the security tapes.

All of that time to turn around, and he still went ahead with it.

This wasn’t some incredibly important event, either. Yeah, there was money on the line, but it wasn’t that big of a deal. And did he not see the security cameras? Like how dumb can you be about this?

Oh, and he lies about his grandma dying? That’s super scummy.

He went through all of this and now Holland is in deep. Think about anyone wanting to hire him. Think about him trying to join another club.

Yeah, the news cycle will turn over—but the Internet never forgets. Holland’s name is always going to be associated with him being a cheater.

What are your thoughts? Let me know in the comments.

The post This Viral Cheating Incident Is The Craziest One I’ve Seen In Years appeared first on MyGolfSpy.

He was letting me know about his displeasure with the rather expensive Galvin Green rain gear he had bought a couple of seasons prior. It wasn’t repelling water anymore, and it was all my fault.

It was me, after all, who recommended he buy it in the first place.

Hey, he wanted the good stuff, so I said if you want the best, you go KJUS, Galvin Green, Abacus or higher-end FootJoy.

“Worked dandy for the first couple of years,” he told me. “But now it’s absorbing all that water. What the hell is wrong with you?”

Between the jacket and pants, my friend dropped close to $800 for his rain gear. For that kind of scratch, he was expecting more than two years’ worth of performance.

So, frankly, was I.

What’s a golfer to do?

When it comes to rain gear, you have two choices.

You can buy cheap stuff and just replace it when it’s no longer waterproof. Alternatively, you could buy expensive stuff and then bitch and moan when it’s no longer waterproof.

Or you could just not play golf when it’s raining but what the hell fun is that?

Anyway, since my friend was holding me responsible for his underperforming rain gear, I reached out to Galvin Green for some help. Turns out waterproofs, regardless of manufacturer, require periodic maintenance.

I honestly did not know that but as Greek philosopher Epictetus famously said:

It is impossible for a man to learn what he thinks he already knows.

As it turns out, you can refresh your rain gear. It’s not all that hard, either.

Wash, rinse, repeat

Every waterproof garment you buy comes with detailed care instructions. Like most men, my default setting is “Screw the instructions.” In the case of waterproofs, however, the instructions can save you money. You can resolve loss of waterproofosity (?) simply and easily with proper care.

Galvin Green, for example, says with its Gore-Tex and Pertex waterproofs, the first step is to machine wash the garment by itself in the permanent press cycle in warm water, around 105 degrees F. They recommend using only a small amount of liquid detergent. Do NOT use powdered detergent, fabric softeners, stain removers or bleach.

The important part here is to wash it by itself.

Next, either line dry it or tumble dry it at a low temperature on a gentle cycle. Tumble drying will activate the durable water-repellent (DWR) treatment on the outer fabric. When the DWR loses its effectiveness, the garment won’t shed water like it did when it was new. You won’t get wet, per se, but water will soak into the garment itself. This is usually what we experience when we think our raingear isn’t working anymore.

Home laundering is the best but if you have to take it to a dry cleaner, ask them to use a clear, distilled hydrocarbon solvent for rinsing, and then spray DWR on the outer fabric between drying cycles.

Also, if you can’t tumble dry to reactive the DWR, you can use an iron. Set it to low heat (no steam!) and place a towel or cloth between the garment and the iron.

If you can’t reactivate the DWR

The durable water-repellent treatment isn’t a forever thing. You can usually reactivate it simply by washing and drying. Galvin Green, KJUS and FootJoy say machine washing is the key step to remove dirt, oils and other gunk that can reduce water repellency. The heat from drying will then reactivate the DWR. As always, follow the care instructions on the garment label.

The DWR does wear off over time, however. You’ll know the DWR is cooked when water won’t bead on the surface, no matter what you do. When that happens, you’ll need to apply a DWR restoration product and activate it according to that product’s instructions.

Commonly used products include Revivex, Nikwax or TX.Direct. There’s no schedule for reapplying a DWR. How often you’ll need to do it depends on use, washing frequency, abrasion and exposure to things like dirt, sunscreen and body oils. A good rule to follow is to check whether water still beads on the fabric after each wash. You don’t need to reapply the DWR if washing and heat reactive the finish.

If you use your rain gear a lot, you might have to refresh the DWR once, maybe twice, a season. If you only use is occasionally, every few years might be enough.

As always, if you are going to reapply the DWR, always follow the instructions on the bottle. They’ll always recommend cleaning the garment first. Spray-on products are usually preferred over wash-in products. It’s better for breathable waterproofs because they target the outer fabric.

After applying the treatment, tumble dry on low (if the garment care tag allows) for about 20 minutes.  If you can’t tumble dry, use the warm iron and towel trick. Test it when it cools down. If water beads, you’re good. If not, you may need a second application.

Hope this helps

Maybe you buy el-cheapo rain gear because you rarely play in the rain. Maybe you buy the primo stuff for that once-in-a-lifetime trip to St Andrews. Or maybe you mostly use your waterproofs to walk the dog. Regardless, rain gear will eventually lose its ability to shed water. That doesn’t mean it’s junk or that it’s worn out, though.

Try these simple steps to breathe some new life into your waterproofs. If you do buy the premium products from the likes of Galvin Green, KJUS or FootJoy, know they do offer repair and reproofing services.

More often than not, however, a simple wash and tumble dry will get your rain gear shedding water like new again.

The post Your Rain Gear Not Keeping You Dry Anymore? Don’t Replace It – Revive It! appeared first on MyGolfSpy.

In a lesson, I care less about which connection a golfer was taught to use and more about whether that connection survives the swing.

The interlocking grip places the trail-hand pinky between the lead-hand index and middle fingers, with the lead index wrapping around it. That connection is different from hand position. You can interlock with a grip that is neutral, strong or weak, so changing styles is not automatically a cure for a slice, hook or poor contact.

The overlapping, interlocking and 10-finger grips can all work. The question is whether your current method lets you hold the club securely, keep the hands working together and maintain usable pressure throughout the swing. MyGolfSpy’s explanation of the three common golf grip styles provides the basic comparison.

These three signs suggest that an interlocking grip deserves a fair test.

Sign No. 1: Your overlapping pinky never finds a comfortable home

In an overlapping grip, the trail-hand pinky rests over the lead index finger or in the channel between the lead index and middle fingers. For some golfers, that feels natural. For others, the pinky seems perched on top rather than connected to the hands.

You may rebuild the grip several times before every shot. The pinky may slide toward the knuckle, dig into the lead hand or feel as though it could fall off once the club moves. Golfers with shorter fingers or smaller hands sometimes experience this but hand size alone is not the decision. Comfort and stability matter more than a glove label.

Make your normal overlapping grip and perform three slow-motion swings without a ball. Stop at waist high, the top and the finish. If the trail pinky keeps searching for a new position or the hands develop a visible gap, an interlock may create a cleaner fit.

The fingers should connect without being jammed together. A deep interlock that pinches can be as disruptive as an unstable overlap.

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Sign No. 2: Your hands separate when the swing gets longer or faster

A grip can feel acceptable during a waggle and still fail once speed enters the motion. This often appears when a golfer moves from a wedge to a driver.

Does the trail hand slide farther under the handle? Does the lead thumb become exposed? Does the trail pinky tighten during transition? Those are signs that the connection is changing while the club moves.

An interlocking grip can give the hands a more defined link and help preserve their relationship from address to the finish. It does not make the hands passive. It gives them a better chance to function as a unit.

Use face-on video and hit five shots with impact spray. If the connection changes and your strike or start line changes with it, testing an interlock is reasonable.

If the hands remain connected but the face is still unpredictable, the issue may be hand placement, wrist conditions or motion rather than grip style. MyGolfSpy’s clubface-control drills are the better next step in that case.

Sign No. 3: You have to squeeze the club to feel secure

When the overlap feels loose, many players add pressure with the thumbs, forefingers and trail hand. The club feels safer but the hands and forearms become rigid. The golfer has solved the sensation of slipping by creating excess effort before the swing begins.

The interlock can provide security through connection rather than pressure, especially when the golfer can build the same grip repeatedly and maintain it as speed increases.

Do not assume the grip style is responsible until you inspect the equipment. A worn, slick or incorrectly sized club grip can force a golfer to squeeze regardless of how the fingers connect. MyGolfSpy’s guide to matching club-grip size to your hands addresses that separate fitting issue.

Try the interlock only after the handle and glove provide reasonable traction. The goal is to hold the club securely without unnecessary tension.

Run an “A-B-A” grip test before you switch

Do not judge a new grip after three uncomfortable swings. Test it against the grip you already use.

With an 8-iron and one target, hit six shots using your normal overlap, six with the interlock and six more with the overlap. Use the same routine and a controlled full swing. Record:

1. How easily you built the grip the same way each time.
2. Whether pressure stayed stable from address to the finish.
3. How many shots produced solid contact and started in your intended window.

Repeat the test during two more practice sessions and then use a longer club. The interlock should earn its place through better security, equal or improved contact and less need to manipulate the hands. One unusually long shot is not enough evidence.

Expect the new connection to feel different. Do not accept pinching, joint discomfort, numbness or a grip that forces the hands into an unnatural position. Those are reasons to stop.

The best connection method is the one you can build consistently and forget once the club starts moving. If your overlap never fits, changes under speed or requires excessive pressure, the interlocking grip may be the more functional choice.

Test it carefully, let the strike and start line provide the verdict and then commit to one style long enough to make it familiar.

The post 3 Signs You Should Switch To An Interlocking Grip appeared first on MyGolfSpy.

That doesn’t mean there aren’t certain brands I tend to remain loyal to. There are. But when I think about why, it’s usually less about loyalty to the name on the club and more about loyalty to the performance I’ve gotten from that brand.

If something works, I’m going to be more likely to try that company again. If something else performs better, though, I have no problem putting a different logo in the bag.

Apparently, most golfers feel the same way.

I came across the 2026 Golf Gear Marketplace Report from Buffalo Groupe and one statistic in particular caught my attention: 80 percent of golfers surveyed said they mix and match golf brands based on what performs best for them individually.

In other words, the matching golf bag may be the exception rather than the standard.

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Golfers are looking for better results

Buffalo Groupe surveyed members of its Players Panel, an opt-in group of avid golfers, during April and May 2026. The study included 504 participants, with 391 completing the entire survey.

When golfers were asked what would cause them to replace a major club such as a driver or iron, the leading answer wasn’t a new release or a different brand.

It was better results.

• 36%: Seeking better results
• 30%: Wear and tear on current clubs
• 15%: New technology or features
• 14%: Changes in swing or physical ability
• 2%: Recommendation from a golf pro or friend
• 1%: Desire for a new look in the bag
• 1%: Switching brands for better reliability or reputation

Golfers aren’t necessarily changing clubs because they’ve decided they want to become a “PING golfer” or a “TaylorMade golfer.” They’re looking for something that solves a problem.

Golfers want to see the performance themselves

The way golfers research equipment tells a similar story. When asked which information source they trust the most, 50 percent chose testing the product themselves.

Nothing else was particularly close.

Recommendations from friends were next at 11 percent followed by recommendations from a local pro at 10 percent and golf magazines/websites at eight percent.

There’s another piece of the report that fits perfectly here: 91 percent of respondents have used a club-fitting service.

Put all of this together and the message becomes pretty clear: golfers want evidence.

They’ll listen to recommendations and research products but eventually they want to hit the club, see what it does and determine whether it deserves a spot in the bag. We agree wholeheartedly.

Your golf clubs don’t have to match

There’s nothing wrong with having a favorite golf brand. Familiarity matters. If you’ve repeatedly had success with a company’s drivers, irons or wedges, it makes sense to start there the next time you shop.

But that’s different from assuming every club in your bag needs the same logo.

The most interesting takeaway from this study isn’t that golfers have stopped being brand-loyal. It’s that performance may be what creates that loyalty in the first place.

Now the question is, do all of your clubs match?

The post Do Your Golf Clubs Have To Match? This Stat May Surprise You appeared first on MyGolfSpy.

Garmin offers an aggressive lineup of golf rangefinders, GPS devices, watches and launch monitors. Over the last few years, Garmin has consistently dominated Most Wanted Testing.

Bushnell has followed a similar path, with the addition of golf speakers. In recent testing, Bushnell has also performed well above average.

By the end of this article, you’ll have a clear understanding of where each brand wins, and which one aligns with your golf game.

Garmin Golf Rangefinders

At the time of writing, Garmin offers three golf rangefinders.

Model:Garmin Approach Z82
Price: $599.99

The Garmin Approach Z82 is the most advanced rangefinder in the lineup, offering on-screen data such as front, middle and back distances, PlaysLike Distance, more than 43,000 preloaded courses, Green Contour data and the ability to account for wind—to name just a few features.

During our 2023 testing, the Approach Z82 scored a 9.3/10, with testers describing it as having the “most innovative system and display in the whole test.”

If you’re searching for Garmin’s most robust golf rangefinder, the Approach Z82 is as good as it gets.

Model: Garmin Approach Z30
Price: $499.99

The Garmin Approach Z30 is the middle offering in Garmin’s rangefinder lineup. It can connect to your smartphone, offers 6x magnification and PlaysLike Distance, and can even be located through Garmin’s Find My feature if lost.

The Approach Z30 earned the Editor’s Choice badge during our 2026 testing, notching high scores across every category aside from price. At $499.99, you’re spending much more than the market average.

If you’re beginning to dial in your distances and want some extra oomph, the Approach Z30 may be the perfect middle ground.

Model: Garmin Approach Z10
Price: $299.99

The Garmin Approach Z10 is essentially a more affordable Approach Z30. When you compare them side by side, it becomes difficult to justify purchasing the Z30 now that the Z10 is on the market.

The Approach Z10 does virtually everything the Z30 does but with a lesser display and 50 fewer yards of range—but who really needs 400 yards of range, anyway?

A full breakdown of its performance and how it compares directly to the Approach Z30 is coming soon. For now, the Approach Z10 appears to offer considerably more value for your money. Similar to the Approach Z30, the Approach Z10 can work for golfers of any skill level but the $200 price difference makes it much easier to justify.

Bushnell Golf Rangefinders

At the time of writing, Bushnell offers four golf rangefinders.

Model: Bushnell Pro X3+LINK
Price: $599.99

Bushnell’s premium offering is the Pro X3+LINK. At $599.99, it commands a steep price but offers features such as connectivity to the Bushnell Golf App, Plays As distance, home elevation adjustment and even club recommendations displayed directly on the rangefinder’s screen, to name a few.

Bushnell excels at delivering precise, dependable yardages that can be trusted to within a yard of the actual distance. The golfer who should consider the Pro X3+LINK is someone who knows their game like the back of their hand—primarily golfers that are thinking about factors such as spin, green contours and actual birdie chances.

Model: Bushnell Tour Hybrid
Price: $499.99

The Bushnell Tour Hybrid is more affordable than the Pro X3+LINK and offers several features that make it worth considering.

• Slope-adjusted distances
• Built-in GPS (no phone or cell signal required)
• 6x magnification
• Two-year warranty

The built-in GPS is by far its best feature, giving you front, middle and back distances while incorporating Bushnell’s Plays As technology.

The golfer who would benefit most from the Tour Hybrid is someone looking for more depth than the average rangefinder can provide without spending top dollar on Bushnell’s premium offering.

Model: Bushnell Tour V7 Shift
Price: $399.99

The Bushnell Tour V7 Shift was the runner-up in our 2026 Most Wanted testing, scoring 9.6/10. What helped it score so well?

• Fast target acquisition
• Premium optics
• Bushnell’s LINK technology

LINK technology takes your actual club distances while the benefits of its speed and premium optics speak for themselves. If you’re searching for the perfect blend of basic functionality and premium features, the Tour V7 Shift is a winner—and one that will benefit golfers of any skill level.

Model: Bushnell A-1 Slope
Price: $299.99

Last but not least, Bushnell’s budget option: the A-1 Slope.

The A-1 Slope is by far the most basic of the aforementioned golf rangefinders, offering minimal additional features despite its $299.99 price tag. For this price, you get:

• Slope
• A compact design
• Pin jolt

The A-1 Slope is a good golf rangefinder but is overpriced when you consider how limited it is in terms of data and overall performance.

Final thoughts

The premium options are meant for those who understand their game and how to go low while the more affordable options cater to beginners but work for every skill level.

In all honesty, a beginner would benefit from finding a budget golf rangefinder that is truly worthy of the title “best value.” With Garmin and Bushnell pricing their value options at $299.99, you’re significantly overpaying (as a beginner) for your first golf rangefinder.

Sure, they’ll grow with your game, but if you’re new to golf and hoping to keep costs down, look elsewhere.

If you’re stuck between Garmin and Bushnell, know that both prioritize speed, optics, and enhanced features—it’s just a matter of determining what specific features are aligned with where you’re at in your golf journey.

According to the data, go with Bushnell if your priority is top-of-the-line optics. Choose Garmin if you value speed, consistent accuracy and advanced technology.

If you’re not sold on Garmin or Bushnell, check out the full 2026 testing pool for more insightful data to help you determine what’s best for you.

The post Garmin Versus Bushnell: Which Golf Rangefinder Fits You Better? appeared first on MyGolfSpy.

As I worked through the tests, I started counting how many of the winners I had owned or played. Below is the Most Wanted Driver winner from each of the last 10 years.

One important note: Testing methods and tester pools have evolved throughout the decade so this isn’t a head-to-head ranking of all 10 drivers. It’s simply a look at the driver that came out on top in each individual year.

How many have you owned and which one was your favorite?

2026 TaylorMade Qi4D

The TaylorMade Qi4D won through its lack of a significant performance weakness. It ranked sixth for distance and fourth for both accuracy and forgiveness, making it the most complete driver in the 2026 test.

There wasn’t much to criticize in the data. However, the carbon face produces a distinctive sound and feel that still won’t appeal to every golfer, even though the testing group rated it highly overall.

2025 Callaway Elyte Triple Diamond

The Elyte Triple Diamond finished in the top three for distance and accuracy while providing above-average forgiveness. That combination made it much more playable than many golfers would expect from a low-spin Triple Diamond model.

The main complaint was looks rather than performance. A handful of testers didn’t like the transition from the topline into the glossy crown.

2024 PING G430 MAX 10K

MyGolfSpy described the G430 MAX 10K as “absurdly straight” and its 9.7 accuracy score was the highest of the 2024 test. It also finished inside the top 10 for both distance and forgiveness.

The only real performance limitation was distance. It wasn’t short but distance was its lowest-rated category and there were longer drivers in the test.

2023 TaylorMade Stealth 2 Plus

Exceptional distance and accuracy pushed the Stealth 2 Plus into the top spot. It ranked second for distance and performed well enough that it returned the following year and still finished fifth overall in the 2024 test.

Forgiveness was its clear weakness in 2023. Its low-spin, fade-oriented design also means it’s not an automatic fit for golfers who need more launch, spin or help turning the ball over.

2022 PING G425 Max

The G425 Max won primarily because of accuracy and forgiveness. It finished first for accuracy and second for forgiveness, making it one of the most dependable and widely playable winners on this list.

It finished 19th out of 38 drivers for distance so this wasn’t the choice for golfers chasing every possible yard. Testers also had strong opinions about its sound and prominent crown turbulators.

2021 Callaway Epic Max LS

The Epic Max LS finished first in Strokes Gained and forgiveness while ranking fourth for total distance. It nearly doubled the Strokes Gained score of its closest competitor and was the only driver in its high-speed group to produce a 60-percent fairway-hit rate.

Interestingly, it wasn’t one of the leaders in ball speed. Its win was built on what happened after impact rather than simply producing the fastest number off the face.

2020 PING G410 LST

The G410 LST finished first in Strokes Gained and third in driving distance. Testers also found fairways at a high rate, giving it the kind of balanced performance that has made older PING drivers so appealing on the used market.

The LST was designed to reduce spin and offered settings that could help take the left side out of play. That made it highly adjustable but not necessarily the right model for golfers who already launch the ball too low or need additional spin.

2019 Callaway Epic Flash Sub Zero

The Epic Flash Sub Zero ranked first in Strokes Gained and fairway accuracy while finishing second for total distance. It beat the TaylorMade M6 and PXG 0811 XF to claim the 2019 title.

Testers gave it strong marks for its appearance but rated it poorly for sound.

2018 PING G400 LST

The G400 LST finished in the top three for accuracy and distance and was described as an “absolute fairway finder.” It combined low but playable spin with the type of consistency that helped it remain relevant well beyond its original release.

The LST designation is still important. Golfers who naturally create very little spin or need help launching the ball may get better results from a higher-launching, more forgiving version of the G400.

2017 Srixon Z565

The Srixon Z565 was one of the more unexpected winners on this list. It beat the Callaway Big Bertha Epic in a field that also included models such as the TaylorMade M2, PING G LS Tec and COBRA F7+.

The Z565 wasn’t a tester favorite in every respect. Several golfers thought it looked closed at address and weren’t impressed by its sound and feel. It also lacked movable weighting, giving golfers fewer fitting options than several of its competitors.

Which one was your favorite?

Ten years of testing produced four PING wins, three Callaway wins, two TaylorMade wins and one victory from Srixon.

Some of these drivers are still in golf bags. Others can now be found for a fraction of their original price. Winning a previous test doesn’t guarantee that a driver will fit your swing but it’s a pretty good reason not to dismiss it.

How many of these have you owned and which one would you put back in the bag today?

The post The Best Driver From Every Year Of The Last 10 Years. How Many Have You Owned? appeared first on MyGolfSpy.

With a driver, you are mainly checking loft, shaft, flex and condition. An iron set adds club makeup, shaft weight, length, lie angle and grip condition across several clubs. The process can quickly become overwhelming and exhausting.

I wanted this to serve as a starting point for golfers trying to determine whether a good used iron set is even within their price range.

I searched 2nd Swing for iron sets around $500 or less and compared some of the most interesting options with previous MyGolfSpy testing.

The answer is yes.

You just need to know where to look.

Used inventory changes quickly. The prices and configurations below were available during my research but may no longer be listed. Each model name links to 2nd Swing’s current inventory page.

The sweet spot is about three to four years old

Based on the inventory I looked at, the best combination of price, performance and availability generally came from irons released about three to four years ago.

That range included former MyGolfSpy test winners and irons that originally sold for $1,300, $1,500 or more.

We did find some newer models below $500. However, they were more likely to have noticeable wear, unusual specifications or a less common shaft setup. The real target is a three- or four-year-old iron in average condition with specifications that fit your game, if you want to try and spend less than $500.

Used player’s irons under $500

Player’s irons were some of the newest models we found around the $500 mark.

One of the best examples was the TaylorMade 2023 P7MC. The P7MC won the 2024 MyGolfSpy player’s iron test, earning particularly strong scores for accuracy and forgiveness.

I found P7MC configurations ranging from $336.99 for 7-PW to slightly more than $500 for 5-PW. The least expensive options were generally in below-average condition.

Other player’s irons we saw included:

• TaylorMade 2023 P7MB — A 5-PW set for $497.99 in below-average condition.
• PING Blueprint S — Several configurations around $485.99.
• Tour Edge Exotics Pro 723 — A 4-PW set in average condition for $437.99.

If you play player’s irons, $500 may buy something newer than you expect. Just be prepared to find heavier shafts, X-stiff flexes, and customized specifications.

Used player’s distance irons under $500

Player’s distance irons may offer the strongest overall value at this price.

The standout was the Srixon ZX5 Mk II. It won the 2023 MyGolfSpy players-distance iron test and returned in 2024 as one of the most accurate irons in the category.

I found a 7-PW set in average condition for $455.99. Larger configurations were also close to $500 but generally came with more wear.

Other player’s distance examples included:

• PXG 0311 P GEN6 — Multiple configurations between approximately $414 and $475.
• Callaway Rogue ST Pro — A 5-PW and approach-wedge set for $482.99 in below-average condition.
• TaylorMade 2023 P770 — A standard-length 5-PW set for $450.99 in poor condition.
• PING i525 — Several sets close to $500, depending on condition and setup.

Used game-improvement irons under $500

There were plenty of game-improvement options below $500, especially from the 2022 and 2023 model years.

The COBRA LTDx was the longest iron in the 2022 MyGolfSpy game-improvement iron test. It came with some accuracy issues but it was strong from a distance perspective. I found a standard-length 4-PW set for $499.99 in below-average condition. You’ll go over $500 to get a full set like that in better condition.

Other options included:

• XXIO 2022 X — Several 5-PW sets in average condition for $379.99.
• COBRA Aerojet — A 7-PW and gap-wedge set for $337.99 in average condition.
• Wilson Staff Launch Pad 2 — Several configurations between approximately $329 and $453.

COBRA and Wilson both have a lot of inventory and value in this category.

Condition and grips can change the real price

Average-condition irons will typically show normal face wear, scratches and bag chatter damage but should still have plenty of useful life. With poor-condition irons, groove wear becomes a bigger concern.

The grips also need to be included in your budget.

Replacing six or seven grips can add roughly:

• $42 to $49 for basic grips
• $78 to $91 for mid-priced grips
• More than $100 for some premium options

That does not include installation.

A $475 iron set that needs new grips may turn into a $550 purchase. When comparing two sets, look at the face wear and grip condition before assuming the less expensive option is the better deal.

What can $500 really buy?

A $500 budget is enough to buy a good set of used irons.

Looking three to four model years back gives you access to former MyGolfSpy winners, modern player’s distance irons, recent forged player’s irons and plenty of forgiving game-improvement options.

From what I found, the best value will usually be a set that is:

• About three to four years old
• In average condition
• Built with shafts that fit your game
• Close to your preferred length and lie
• Equipped with grips that do not need immediate replacement

If you want a simple place to begin, start with models released in 2022 and 2023.

That appears to be where $500 stops feeling like a restrictive budget and starts giving you some genuinely good options.

The post Can You Get A Good Used Iron Set Under $500? appeared first on MyGolfSpy.