Years ago, I worked for a golf startup and my entire job was to track a handful of up-and-coming players. One of them was James Nicholas. I logged every shot he hit in competition which means I got to know his game extremely well. Eventually I got to know Nicholas himself, and even his family, when he played a Korn Ferry Tour event at my club.

He’s a genuinely nice guy and my kids have a pile of signed James Nicholas gear to prove it.

This year was a thrill to watch. In February, James won the Astara Golf Championship in Bogotá, Colombia, his first career Korn Ferry Tour title, and it felt like the next big step toward locking up his PGA Tour card. In June, he made the cut at the U.S. Open at Shinnecock Hills in his home state of New York after qualifying on Golf’s Longest Day for the second straight year. Then he qualified for the Open Championship at Royal Birkdale, earning medalist honors in a 36-hole qualifier.

Everything was lining up. Then came the wall.

One jump, one bad landing

During Open week, James climbed a wall to sneak in an early practice round and jumped down on the other side. The landing went wrong and the injury turned out to be far bigger than anyone expected.

He tried to play through it. He shot 75 in the opening round but by the next morning he couldn’t tee it up and withdrew. For a player who had worked years to reach his first Open, it was a brutal way for the week to end.

Anyone who plays knows how much the swing depends on the ground. Now imagine chasing a Tour card when you can’t push off it. Even a little pressure on the heel hurt too much to play through.

The shoe question I couldn’t shake

We spend a lot of time at MyGolfSpy talking about how much equipment influences performance and when James told me about the injury, one question jumped out immediately: What about his shoes?

James is a sharp dresser and I knew his go-to was the FootJoy Premiere Series. I asked him if he was able to keep the Premiere Series shoes in play after his injury. The answer was no; for a stretch this summer, he couldn’t wear them at all.

The shoes that got him through

I caught James as he was heading to a flight and he walked me through what he did. He first moved into the FootJoy HyperFlex Carbon LE, then to the FootJoy Pro/SL. FootJoy helped him along the way and James did some rigging of his own.

The goal was to shift pressure into the arch of his foot and away from the heel. To get there, James cut pieces of a material similar to the memory foam in a Tempur-Pedic mattress and added them to his shoes, adjusting as he went.

It’s not a polished solution but it worked. He was back competing in August and kept grinding through the final stretch of the season.

A note on the Pro/SL

The Pro/SL, one of the shoes that helped carry James through the summer, was named MyGolfSpy’s Best Spikeless Golf Shoe of 2026 after our testing. It’s a great shoe that even James said didn’t make him feel like he needed to compromise.

What most amateurs miss

Most of us don’t have a team of trainers and a footwear rep on call. Most of us just walk 18 holes in whatever’s in the trunk and write off sore feet as part of the game.

The fixes are often simpler than you’d think.

• Check how worn your shoes are. Cushioning and support break down long before the uppers look bad. If your feet ache more than they used to, the shoes may be the culprit.
• Look at the insole. A different insole or a bit of arch support can change where pressure lands on your foot which is exactly what James was chasing.
• Get the fit right. A shoe that’s too tight, too loose or the wrong width will make a long round feel longer. Feet also swell over 18 holes so try shoes on later in the day.
• Adjust when you’re not at 100 percent. If a small change gets you around the course comfortably, make it. Nobody is handing out points for suffering.
• Don’t ignore pain that doesn’t go away. Shoe changes are a good first step for everyday soreness but persistent heel or foot pain is worth a conversation with a doctor or podiatrist.

So why go back?

James is back in the Premieres and I asked him why he didn’t just stick with the shoes that got him through the season.

It wasn’t performance. James said the traction, support and stability didn’t fall off at all when he moved to the other FootJoy models. The Premiere has all of that, too, and he never felt like he was giving anything up on the course.

The real reason is style. He simply likes the look of the Premiere better.

He also mentioned that he likes how low the Premiere sits to the ground. He admitted it would be interesting to test whether he plays better in that lower shoe but when I pressed him, he came back to the look.

I love that answer. It’s honest and it’s a reminder that shoes are personal. They have to fit, they have to feel right and, yes, you should like how they look. Confidence is part of performance.

The path is still there

James finished 30th on the Korn Ferry Tour points list, outside the top 20 who earned PGA Tour cards. That’s not where he wanted to land but the door isn’t closed. Finishing inside the top 60 sends him straight to the final stage of PGA Tour Q-School in December where the top five finishers earn Tour cards. He also keeps full Korn Ferry status for next season.

After a year that included a win, two U.S. Open cuts and a summer spent rebuilding his shoes just to keep playing, I wouldn’t bet against him.

The takeaway for the rest of us is simpler. Your feet carry you through every round and the shoes under them deserve a little more attention than most of us give them.

The post Your Golf Shoes Matter More Than You Think. Here’s What A Korn Ferry Winner Did When His Feet Failed Him. appeared first on MyGolfSpy.

We put together a Golfer’s Bucket List of 50 things that capture why we love this game and what keeps us coming back. There are thousands of versions of this we could have put together. This one isn’t meant to be the definitive one; just an honest look at some of the things that matter most.

Scroll down and take the test. Check off what you’ve done and when you’re finished, share your score in the comments. Tell us which item means the most to you. What’s the one you’re chasing next? And let us know if we missed something that belongs on the list.

The post The Golfer’s Bucket List: 50 Things To Do Before You Quit (How Many Have You Done?) appeared first on MyGolfSpy.

But the lesson most of us take from it is the wrong one. We decide it’s easy. Then we start swinging like it’s easy.

What I saw in my son’s swing

I watched it happen this summer. My 12-year-old son who is learning the game alongside his sister came to me one day and said, “Mom, can you look at my swing again? It was so easy last week and now I can barely hit it.”

I told him what every golfer eventually learns: that’s golf. You find it, you lose it. But when I watched him swing, I saw two different players. His swing had slowed way down. He’d stopped turning. There was almost no weight transfer. So I asked what he’d been thinking. His response explained it all.

“It was so easy last week so I’m just trying to recreate that.”

Why chasing “easy” backfires

It made complete sense. He wasn’t being lazy. He was chasing a feeling, the feeling that he had last week. The swing that felt easy was the result of good, committed motion.

What he copied was the sensation, not the movement.

Easy-feeling swings usually come from being fully committed, not from holding back. This isn’t just a kid problem; it happens to adults, too. If “easy” means slowing down, stopping your turn or getting tentative through impact, you can create a big problem in your game.

When things feel easy (and good), it isn’t permission to quit on the shot.

How tentative swings sneak in

Here’s what I see when someone starts thinking golf is easy. They stop swinging at the ball and start guiding it. They start feeling like they need less of a turn and the club slows down.

What to do instead when things are going well

When you start playing good golf, there are ways to keep it going without falling into this “swing easy trap.”

Don’t try to recreate the feeling. The easy feeling came from swinging with commitment. If you try to copy the feeling itself without the commitment, you’ll end up swinging slower and calling it “smooth.” Think about what you were doing, the movements you were making, not just how it felt.

Keep your routine the same. When things are going well, it’s tempting to rush or just grab a club and hit it. Do what you did when you were working for every shot.

Swing to a full finish. If you’re focused on getting all the way through to a balanced finish, it’s a lot harder to steer the ball or quit on it at impact. Thinking about that balanced full finish is always a good thought.

Pick one thing to check. Have one simple feel you can go back to like fully turning through or getting your weight onto your front foot. If the swing starts to feel lazy, that’s your reminder that there is still work to be done.

Treat every shot like it counts. A good run makes people relax and that’s usually when the wheels start to come off. Give the next shot the same attention and focus you gave the first one.

The takeaway

When I got my son back to turning through and moving his weight, he went right back to hitting great shots. The big thing I think any golfer can take away from that is that “easy” isn’t something you can aim for. It’s what a committed swing feels like when it’s working. So when it’s going well, keep attacking the ball.

The post The Dangerous Lesson Golfers Learn From Their Best Rounds appeared first on MyGolfSpy.

In 2018, Tim Wright, the founder, inventor and CEO of Caliber Golf, wanted a solution to the age-long challenges of putting. As unlikely as it sounds, the former hockey player took the concept of a hockey stick and constructed it as a putter grip. He states, “I could rip a slapshot from the blue line and score a goal, but when it came to golf, I was missing 5 footers.”

How does Caliber Golf work?

As the name implies, Caliber Golf is a putter grip in the form of a hockey handle. While that sounds unorthodox, if you’ve ever held a hockey stick, you’ll feel right at home. 

The genius of using a hockey handle design becomes clear once you try it. The Caliber Golf grip accommodates a conventional putter grip, but also effortlessly supports options like left-hand-low or the claw. Best of all, hockey players will love the option to use a split-handed grip.

Caliber Golf gives you the option of buying a limited selection of complete putters or you can send your current putter for a custom fit installation, which is $225. 

Why should you consider this putter grip?

Caliber Golf’s unique putting system offers stability and builds consistency by allowing you to position your hands naturally on the grip. Interestingly, with Caliber Golf, your hands aren’t tied to a small, traditional surface area. Instead, you can grip the putter however you want. 

Experience leaves a lasting an impression

Naturally, I had to try Caliber Golf. Holding a hockey stick isn’t unnatural to me. I had one growing up and used to shoot at a bin in the street. It is the one sport I wish I could play but never did. Testing Caliber Golf really satisfied my curiosity.

Evaluating the Caliber Golf putter grip demands testing on and off the course. Just like any club in your bag, taking it out for a few rounds is essential. However, thanks to PuttView, I can also gather precise data away from the course.

Golfing with the Caliber Golf putter grip

Caliber Golf sent a low-torque, Sub 70 011-SQ putter with their grip installed. I requested this specific head as it was a strong performer in our 2026 Most Wanted Zero-Torque test. 

I was instantly sold on this unique concept. Taking it out for an evening round at a local course, I couldn’t believe it—I drained the first two putts I stood over, both for birdie. You honestly couldn’t make that up. It’s no exaggeration to say that Caliber Golf made a significant impact on my putting confidence.

During a business trip to Idaho, I brought the putter along and rolled it exceptionally well. The grip is extremely user-friendly and its major selling point is that it lets you hold the club in whatever way feels most natural to you.

My playing experience with the Caliber Golf putter grip lasted about half a dozen rounds. The grip itself is outstanding. Applying it to the putter you love is definitely an outstanding option. In terms of innovation, Caliber Golf is one I’m a proponent of.

What does the data say?

Analyzing the data can be done in several ways. To evaluate how the Caliber Golf Sub 70 011-SQ putter measures up against other models I’ve evaluated this year—including a recent addition to my bag that ranked as my top blade putter for 2026—I put it through our PuttView Most Wanted Protocol. 

The PuttView metrics back up what I felt out on the course. Inside 10 to 15 feet, the Caliber Golf putter grip absolutely shines, helping roll putts with incredible accuracy. However, lag putting is where things get tricky as controlling speed on long attempts proved difficult. My time on the course reflected this exact pattern, especially when rolling it on slower putting surfaces. During those initial few rounds, I didn’t notice any issues. Yet, once I played a local muni with slower green speeds, dialling in my pace became a real struggle.

Where golf and hockey collide

Putting the Caliber Golf system through its paces on the course and in the lab yielded remarkably positive impressions. I first got a taste of the design back in 2025 during a two-day stint at PGA Frisco and the overall concept immediately caught my attention.

The future of the company is bright.

Wright states, “Our focus is to continue building on this momentum while staying true to the principles that started Caliber Golf: innovation, quality, stability, control and exceptional customer service. We’re continuing to work with professional golfers, putting coaches, and club fitters to introduce our technology to more players. We’re also developing relationships with premium putter manufacturers to demonstrate how Caliber Golf can complement their existing designs. One of the most exciting aspects of our technology is that golfers don’t necessarily have to abandon a putter head they already love. Caliber Golf can transform 99% of existing putters.”

If you are battling flat-stick woes and searching for repeatable performance, Caliber Golf offers a unique avenue to lock in stability and build trust on the greens. It truly is where golf and hockey collide. Choosing Caliber Golf could be a game changer for your putting.

The post Can a hockey stick grip solve your putting woes? appeared first on MyGolfSpy.

Club results come from MyGolfSpy’s Most Wanted tests where human testers hit each club on Foresight GC Quad launch monitors. If you’re a TaylorMade fan, this should give you everything you need to know about how the brand performed across our testing.

Drivers: Qi4D won but swing speed changes the pick

The TaylorMade Qi4D is MyGolfSpy’s Best Driver of 2026, scoring 9.2 out of 10 among 42 drivers. MyGolfSpy credits consistency: it ranked sixth for distance and fourth for accuracy and forgiveness. Its carbon face has a distinct sound some golfers won’t like.

The four Qi4D models score differently depending on how fast you swing.

• Qi4D: MyGolfSpy’s top driver for 90 to 105 mph, averaging about 254 yards total. At slow speeds, it finished ninth and accuracy (8.4) was its weakest score.

• Qi4D LS: The high-speed distance pick with a 9.7 distance score and a 294.04-yard average total, second of 42 behind the Callaway Quantum Max (295.65). Forgiveness (8.7) was its softest high-speed number.

• Qi4D Max Lite: Its 9.2 forgiveness score was second in the test behind the Srixon ZXi Max (9.4) but its 7.7 distance score is the family’s lowest. This is not the longest of the models.

• Qi4D Max: The lowest scorer at 8.2 overall. Most golfers who want forgiveness will do better with the Max Lite or even the Qi4D standard model.

Mini driver: R7 Quad won for the second straight year

The TaylorMade R7 Quad is MyGolfSpy’s best mini driver of 2026, scoring 8.9 out of 10 among six models. It also won the category in MyGolfSpy’s 2025 test. MyGolfSpy scores mini drivers with distance weighted most heavily and 80 percent of the score comes from shots off the tee.

• Distance: It scored 9.2 for distance and was the top performer off the tee, averaging 238.97 yards of carry and 251.3 yards total.
• Accuracy: 8.9.
• Trade-off: Forgiveness scored 8.2; its shot-to-shot consistency is not the tightest in the field. Testers also described a low launch off the ground.

Fairway woods: Qi4D finished third of 20

The TaylorMade Qi4D fairway wood scored 8.8 out of 10 in MyGolfSpy’s 2026 fairway wood test, third among 20 woods. The Mizuno JPX One and Callaway Quantum Max D tied for first at 8.9. TaylorMade had two clubs in our fairway wood test: the Qi4D and the Qi4D Tour.

• Qi4D: The better all-rounder. Testers rated it the fairway wood they were most likely to buy, a subjective rating that does not count toward the score. Forgiveness (8.4) is its lowest number.

• Qi4D Tour: The longest wood in the test at 221.89 yards total which earned MyGolfSpy’s distance award. Its accuracy score of 8.1 is what pushed it a little further down the leaderboard.

Hybrids: Strong distance, weak accuracy

TaylorMade’s two hybrids finished seventh and eighth of the eight models in MyGolfSpy’s 2026 hybrid test. The Mizuno JPX One won at 9.3. Accuracy carries half the score in this test with distance and forgiveness worth a quarter each which is why the TaylorMade hybrids’ distance did not help them move up the leaderboard.

• Qi4D Max: The stronger of the two. It launched highest in the field (16.23 degrees) with the highest peak height and steepest descent angle (38.67 degrees), a flight that tends to help a ball hold the green. Testers also rated it best for sound, looks, feel and likelihood of purchase although those ratings are not counted in the overall score. Its accuracy score of 8.1 was second-lowest.

• Qi4D: The second-longest hybrid with a 9.4 distance score and 184.86 yards total. Its accuracy of 7.4 was the lowest in the test and its shot area the widest so it might be a club to get fitted for before putting it in the bag.

Irons: Qi Max is a middle-of-the-pack pick, Qi Max HL trails

TaylorMade entered one iron in each of MyGolfSpy’s two game-improvement tests. Accuracy carries half of an iron’s score and both TaylorMade models scored below the leaders there.

• Qi Max (game-improvement): It scored 8.8 against 9.2 for the winner, the Takomo Iron 101 MKII ($579). Distance is its strength, at 140.23 yards of carry and 149.65 total, within about half a yard of the runner-up, the Callaway TI Fusion 250. Its accuracy of 8.6 trails the 9.3 to 9.5 posted by the top three.

• Qi Max HL (super game-improvement): It finished last of seven at 8.3 while the Tour Edge Hot Launch Max D won at 9.3 ($599.99). It carried 121.73 yards, sixth of seven, scored 8.2 for accuracy, and had a wider shot area (1,014) than the winner (875).

Wedges: Hi-Toe 5 did not podium and lost spin when wet

The TaylorMade Hi-Toe 5 was one of 15 wedges, all tested at 56 degrees, in the 2026 wedge test. The Kirkland Signature GEN 3 Forged won at 9.1, ahead of the New Level SPN V3 and Titleist Vokey SM11. TaylorMade Hi-Toe 5 snuck into the top 10 with a ninth-place finish.

The clearest TaylorMade data point is wet spin. On a 50-yard shot, the Hi-Toe 5 produced 6,783 rpm dry and 5,697 rpm wet, retaining 84.0 percent of its spin, ninth of 15.

Dry, every wedge was within about 490 rpm of the others, so wet performance is what separated the field. The Hi-Toe 5’s 6,783 rpm dry was also near the low end of the 6,729 to 7,217 range which makes it a weaker pick for golfers who play dewy mornings or damp rough.

Putters: None tested in 2026 so here is the 2025 data

No TaylorMade putter was tested in our 2026 putter testing.

The latest TaylorMade data is from MyGolfSpy’s 2025 test. Scores are PuttView Handicap, a Strokes Gained-style metric where a lower, more negative number is better, and they are not directly comparable to 2026 results.

The Spider 5K ZT was TaylorMade’s best putter and finished runner-up in the zero-torque category. It was strongest on long putts and weakest on short ones. No TaylorMade blade was tested in 2025, either.

Frequently asked questions

How We Tested

Every club result comes from MyGolfSpy’s Most Wanted testing: players hit clubs indoors at its Yorktown, Va., headquarters on Foresight GC Quad launch monitors with Titleist Pro V1 balls. Scores are out of 10 and compare each club only with the others in the same test.

The post Best TaylorMade Golf Clubs Of 2026 (Driver, Woods, Irons & More, Tested by MyGolfSpy) appeared first on MyGolfSpy.

From PGA TOUR Superstore and Golf Galaxy to TaylorMade, Callaway, PING and more, we’re keeping tabs on the latest offers so you don’t have to. Without further ado, check out the deals below and save yourself some money.

Five Deals Worth Checking Out Right Now

1. $120 Off Rapsodo Mobile Launch Monitor

Somebody brought this one to my attention last week, and I’d be remiss if I didn’t share it.

The Rapsodo Mobile Launch Monitor is $120 off right now.

This thing has been around for a while, and for golfers who want basic launch data without spending a fortune, it still makes a lot of sense. You’re getting ball speed, club speed, launch angle, shot shape and video feedback from a unit that costs a fraction of what a lot of modern launch monitors do.

At $120 off, this is a very good price.

2. 10% Off Sitewide at Kolf Maison with code MGS10

You already know my thoughts on the Kolf Maison Paganica Stand Bag. I called it a piece of art that belongs on the golf course, and I still stand by that. The materials are excellent, the detailing is beautiful and, perhaps most importantly for me, club tangle is virtually nonexistent.

The Paganica is a very much a premium golf bag. It currently sells for $479, so getting 10% off with code MGS10 knocks a nice chunk off the price.

If you’ve had your eye on one, this is the code to use. I’ve spent a lot of time with the Paganica and still think it’s one of the most distinctive premium bags on the market.

3. Maxfli Golf Balls 2 For $70

Maxfli makes really good golf balls.

Right now, you can get two dozen for $70, which works out to $35 per dozen. That’s a really strong price for a ball lineup that continues to perform well in our testing.

If you already play Maxfli, this is the kind of sale where it makes sense to stock up. And if you’ve been curious about trying them, $35 a dozen makes that decision pretty easy.

4. $100 Off Tour Edge Exotics Max Driver

The Tour Edge Exotics Max Driver is $100 off, and this is another one I’d have no problem recommending.

We named it our Best Driver for Mid-Swing Speeds in 2026, and Tour Edge as a whole has had a heck of a year. The Exotics Max is forgiving, easy to launch and built for the golfer who wants some help without spending $600-plus on a driver.

At $100 off, you’re getting a current-generation driver with legitimately strong performance for a lot less than most of the big-name competition.

That’s a very good deal.

5. adidas Tech Response 3.0 Golf Shoes for $60

Look, these were $41 during October Prime Day, and that was an absolutely amazing deal.

They’re more expensive now, but at $59.97, the adidas Tech Response 3.0 is still extremely strong value.

At the moment, these have real potential to be one of the best deals in golf. We’ll be keeping an eye on the price going forward because this is exactly the kind of shoe that could keep bouncing around.

That said, $60 for a pair of adidas beaters is still worth it. Wear them to the range, wear them in bad weather, beat them up and don’t think twice about it.

The post The Best Golf Deals of the Week appeared first on MyGolfSpy.

Launch it high with low spin, right? So the fastest swing speed golfers who are naturally able to launch the ball higher should find drivers that spin lower, right?

In the words of Lee Corso, “Not so fast, my friend.”

Rory McIlroy studied the TaylorMade Qi4D and Qi4D LS (which stands for “low spin”) before choosing the standard model. One priority in his fitting was avoiding unpredictably low spin.

Huh? He wants to avoid low spin? That’s right (I’ll explain in a moment).

That raises a reasonable question for the rest of us: If Rory can get what he needs from the standard head, what should convince an amateur (even a high swing speed player) to choose the LS?

Our testing provides an answer albeit with a few complications. The LS produced more distance for high-speed testers while the standard head scored better for accuracy and forgiveness in that group.

The choice comes down to the shots each head produces for you.

Said another way: playing the LS is not a swing-speed badge.

What Rory wanted from his driver

According to TaylorMade’s account of McIlroy’s fitting, spin falling below 2,000 rpm was a concern for him. He wanted a dependable spin window and fewer unexpectedly low-spin shots that were harder to control in terms of trajectory and shape.

In more concrete terms, McIlroy found the standard Qi4D head allowed for more curve where he wanted it—namely, hitting his famous towering draw out of the window he wanted. The LS sacrificed some of that shape.

The company credits improved spin stability and performance across mishits as reasons he trusted the Qi4D. His setup places the heavier pair of adjustable weights in the rear positions with lighter weights forward.

He was evaluating how reliably the driver performed including when contact varied.

The standard Qi4D can also produce relatively low spin. Choosing it doesn’t mean choosing a high-spin driver.

The standard model won our test

The Qi4D finished first overall in our 2026 Most Wanted Driver test which included 42 models and 20,580 shots.

It earned that through balanced performance (sixth for distance, fourth for accuracy, fourth for forgiveness). Its scores were 9.3 for distance, 9.2 for accuracy and 9.1 for forgiveness, contributing to a 9.2 overall score.

There was no need to accept a weak distance result to get the standard head’s other strengths.

Our forgiveness category also deserves an explanation. We assess variation in ball speed and carry distance along with shot area. The score reflects consistency in measured outcomes.

Rory’s choice and our test result come from separate evaluations. Together, they offer a reason to put the standard head into a fitting rather than assuming the LS is the inevitable destination for a high-swing-speed player.

Where the LS earned its place

Tommy Fleetwood provides a TaylorMade counterexample.

His February equipment listing featured a Qi4D LS with 10.5 degrees of loft and a Fujikura Ventus TR Blue 6 X shaft.

Fleetwood is not McIlroy with his driving stats. Rory finished second on Tour last season (330.3 yards per drive) while Fleetwood finished 100th on the nose (304.8 yards per drive), slightly below Tour average.

We shouldn’t guess why he selected it. For testers swinging at least 105 mph, the comparison looked like this:

The LS added approximately 2.7 yards of carry and 3.5 yards of total distance, a small but meaningful difference that could be greater from player to player. The standard head scored better for accuracy and forgiveness. Both earned the same rounded overall score.

For a player who can use the additional distance while maintaining acceptable dispersion—Fleetwood ranked a very strong 23rd in accuracy last season—that is a valid reason to potentially favor the LS.

Interestingly, the LS averaged 2,398 rpm in this test group compared to 2,335 rpm for the standard head. The LS label didn’t guarantee the lowest measured spin average. 

These are golfer-test results rather than a robot comparison holding every delivery variable constant so the human element is at play.

The advantage changed at other speeds

So what happens if it’s not a high swing speed golfer?

Among mid-speed testers, the distance gap essentially disappeared.

The standard Qi4D averaged 253.8 yards of total distance compared with 254.1 for the LS; we’re really splitting the width of a golf tee now.

Meanwhile, the standard head’s accuracy score was 9.7 versus 8.4 for the LS. The LS scored better for forgiveness, 9.3 versus 9.0, but the standard head earned the higher overall score: 9.3 versus 8.9.

That produces a different buying discussion from the high-speed results. In this group, choosing the LS didn’t deliver a meaningful average distance advantage.

At slow speeds, the standard head also finished ahead overall, 8.8 to 8.5 and averaged 199.5 yards of total distance versus 198.2 for the LS.

It’s worth reiterating that these are group averages so an individual fitting can produce a different result.

But the “LS goes farther” assumption is something that needs to be challenged.

Who should buy the low-spin model?

Who should buy the LS model of this driver?

The answer is the golfer who can demonstrate a benefit from it (sorry to be diplomatic).

If excessive spin is limiting your current flight, compare the LS with a properly fitted standard head. Judge the combination of launch, spin, carry, dispersion and consistency. A smaller spin number is useful when it improves the resulting shot.

Take Rory’s advice and don’t be a prisoner to the “lowest spin at all costs” thought.

A practical comparison should answer three questions.

• Does it improve your normal drive? Compare representative shots rather than selecting the longest ball from each club.

• What happens on your common miss? Include the strikes that usually cost you distance or position.

• Is the gain worth any tradeoff? Extra carry may justify a change. Wider dispersion or less reliable carry may change that calculation.

You also don’t need Rory’s speed to earn permission to try an LS head. Equally, having Tour-level speed doesn’t obligate you to choose one. The fitting has to establish the advantage.

Our results show that the LS offered a distance benefit in the high-speed group while the standard head provided the stronger overall result at mid and slow speeds.

Copy Rory’s question

Rory’s driver choice is a useful challenge to the idea that the fastest players automatically belong in the lowest-spin model.

It isn’t a reason to remove every LS driver from consideration. Fleetwood plays one and our testing found a distance advantage for the Qi4D LS among fast swingers.

The useful question is the one Rory’s fitting addressed: Which setup gives me the flight I want, reliably?

If the LS improves that result, it belongs in the conversation. If it only gives you a more appealing model name, keep testing.

The post If Rory McIlroy Doesn’t Need A Low-Spin Driver, Who Does? appeared first on MyGolfSpy.

PING G440 Max

The G440 Max is the best fit for golfers who aren’t sure where they land on swing speed. Among the discounted drivers we looked at, it’s the only one that finished in the top 10 at every speed with MGS Scores of 8.9 at slow speeds, 9.2 at mid speeds and 9.1 at high speeds. If you are new to the game and working on gaining speed, it’s a club you know will help you for quite some time.

At high speeds, it ranked first for playable shot percentage. It’s now $449, down from $619.

Srixon ZXi Max

If you swing under 90 mph and want to find more fairways, this is the driver to look at. The ZXi Max was the most accurate driver in our slow swing speed results and in our draw-bias testing it hit 88.5 percent of fairways.

It’s now $399.98, down from $549.99. The trade-off is distance which was middle of the pack for slower swingers. It also doesn’t carry over to faster speeds with a score of 8.0 at both mid and high. If distance matters more to you, the standard ZXi, which is also $150 off, was our distance leader for slow swing speeds.

Tour Edge Exotics Max

The Exotics Max is aimed at mid swing speed players (90 to 105 mph) who care about consistency. In that group, it ranked first for accuracy and forgiveness, with a 9.8 in each, and it tied for the top overall score at 9.3. Distance is its weaker area. It was around average with higher spin and slower ball speed than most of the field.

It’s now $399.98 at PGA TOUR Superstore, down from $499.99. For a mid-speed golfer who would rather keep the ball in play than chase a few extra yards, it’s a good one to try.

Titleist GT2

At $449 instead of $649, the GT2 is a lot of driver for the price if you swing between 90 and 105 mph. It ranked 10th out of 42 at mid speeds with 253.64 total yards and a forgiveness score of 9.3. Accuracy was the weaker category.

The GT2 isn’t for everyone. At high speeds, it scored 7.9, with a 6.7 accuracy score, so faster swingers should look elsewhere. Slower swingers who need more forgiveness can consider the GT1, our forgiveness leader at slow speeds with a 9.8.

Titleist GT3

The GT3 is built for golfers who swing over 105 mph and want distance. It finished third overall at high speeds with a 9.3, leading the field in distance. Forgiveness was also strong at 9.3. Accuracy was satisfactory at 8.7 so we’d recommend a fitting to get the most out of it. It’s now $449, down from $649. If you swing slower, the numbers drop to 8.6 at slow speeds and 8.5 at mid so it makes the most sense for faster speeds.

Wilson DYNAPWR Max

The Wilson is the lowest-priced driver on this list at $349.99, down from $499.99. Its scores are steady across swing speeds with 8.9 at slow, 8.8 at mid and 8.5 at high. The one real weak spot is accuracy at high speeds where it scored 7.7. It’s a good option for a golfer who wants a forgiving driver without spending much and who may want to put the savings toward a fitting or an upgraded shaft.

The post Which Discounted Golf Drivers Are Worth It? What Our 2026 Test Data Says appeared first on MyGolfSpy.

Since the TaylorMade Spider is one of the hottest putters in golf, I had to take the new interface through the paces.

Today, I’ll give you a quick rundown of the mySpider build process and also dive a little deeper into the new face options.

Expanded build options

For a few years now, the TaylorMade mySpider program has been the gold standard in online putter building. The mySpider program represents much more than just custom painting a stock Spider Tour putter.

Naturally, the cosmetic options are expansive but now you also have quite a few physical build options as well.

First, you will need to choose between the Spider Tour and Spider Tour X head shapes. This is an important choice. The physical and weighting profiles for the two Spider models are quite different. 

Before you pick one, I would recommend going to the shop to roll both.

Select your neck

Your next big decision will be choosing the correct hosel. This is where you can really fit the mySpider to your stroke needs. Your stroke should fit one of the following necks.

• L Neck (moderate toe hang, slight arc stroke)
• Double Bend (minimal toe hang, straight/minimal arc stroke)
• Short Slant (increased toe hang, slight/strong arc stroke)
• Center-shaft (minimal toe hang, straight/minimal arc stroke)

As with picking the correct body style, picking the correct neck is an important step. If you are not sure which neck will fit your stroke profile, head to your local shop for help.

The shop can also help you determine if you need loft or lie adjustments. Thankfully, these adjustments are available in the mySpider program. With all of these options, you should be able to dial in your putter’s build to match your stroke.

I do strongly suggest you figure out all of the physical aspects before you look at the pretty colors. You don’t want to order a custom putter that doesn’t fit your stroke.

Once you get the body build established, you can then let loose your personal palette.

There are so many cosmetic choices. I’m not going to do the math but there are easily thousands of different ways you can paint your mySpider. Let your inner artist shine!

When you are finished with the interface, you should have a putter that suits your eye and fits your stroke.

Chef’s kiss to the TaylorMade mySpider interface

Even if you are not going to buy a mySpider, you should spend some time tinkering with the build interface. It’s fantastic, fun and free.

Other companies offer online building tools but so far no one else has come up with a digital tool to rival TaylorMade.

The selected options update in the putter rendering with minimal lag. Should you change your mind, a quick click on the right-hand menu allows you to access menu items previously selected. When you make a change, the putter changes.

By far, the best feature of the mySpider interface is the ability to rotate the generated image of your putter in all directions. This feature gives you a great preview for the putter that will be arriving at your door in about four weeks.

Using the interface is free but don’t be surprised if you end up ordering a putter. After running all of the combinations and seeing your creation from all angles, you’ll want one.

Should you get bored at work a few months later, you may end up building and buying another one. I say this from experience …

Regardless, here are the two mySpider builds that I created.

Dave’s mySpider Tour

This mySpider Tour was a direct reflection of another mySpider putter I was playing at the time of ordering. As I said, be careful when playing around with the interface. I may lead to a new putter in your garage.

On a dark April day, I built this purple mySpider Tour with the previous mySpider interface.

Today’s mySpider Tour is very similar in build to that purple mySpider. I wanted to compare the previous model’s PureRoll insert head to head with the new milled aluminum insert.

Once I had the build specs established, I played around with the colors. Splashes of purple here and there but nothing too gaudy.

This putter was built for the business of making putts.

Dave’s mySpider Tour X

The mySpider Tour X build was driven by whimsy more than work. On the green, I get better results from the Spider Tour shape than the Spider Tour X.

The Spider Tour’s slightly larger and boxier profile looks better to me at address and the more rearward weighting feels better during the stroke.

As such, I built the Spider Tour X with a theme coinciding with the movie that I enjoyed quite a bit this past summer. Can you guess which movie?

Like a true fanboy, I set out to build Spiderman’s mySpider Tour X. I figured if nobody remembered who he was, then Peter Parker should have had plenty of time to practice his putting.

Naturally, the build needed lots of red and blue to match his classic suit. This build opens up the door to future costume-themed mySpider creations. After Secret Wars, it will be time to build a black-and-white version.

(Hopefully that’s not a spoiler for you.)

It wasn’t a totally aesthetic exercise. I built the mySpider Tour X with the same L-neck and specs as the mySpider Tour to see how the non-milled aluminum insert compared to the other two inserts.

Since the body shape and weighting are different, the comparison is less valid but I figured I should be able to gather some feel and roll information nonetheless.

A tale of three faces

The availability of the new milled aluminum face was the thing that excited me the most about the new mySpider program. I’m a fan of the PureRoll Surlyn insert but sometimes I want just a little more pop.

In my previous experiences, the PureRoll2 insert with its aluminum interior produced a slightly hotter roll than the original PureRoll but I wasn’t as fond of the feel.

My hope was that the feel and pop of the milled aluminum insert would check all of my boxes.

After some loosely controlled testing, I can confirm TaylorMade’s feel scale is accurate. The PureRoll feels the softest, the PureRoll2 with the aluminum is slightly firmer and the milled aluminum face has the firmest feel.

The feel of the milled aluminum is firm but not without richness. It is not a dead metal face. It gives you impact feedback and delivers a crisp roll.

The roll ranking for me from hot to cold was: milled aluminum, PureRoll Syrlyn, PureRoll2 aluminum.

For some reason, I have trouble calibrating stroke and roll with the PureRoll2. Distances were much more inconsistent than with the other two. It is also due to the insert being in the Spider Tour X rather than the Spider Tour body. There are too many variables to blame just the insert but it was the wonkiest of the three for me.

As for the other two, the milled aluminum insert just edged out the PureRoll. It was the more consistent of the two for me.

I also believe the addition of a Lamkin Deep Etch grip to the new mySpider Tour played into the final decision. I think that I am over big round putter grips. I like the repeatable way my hands interface with the contours of the Lamkin.

Trust your Peter tingle and build your mySpider

If you are in the market for a new Spider, go with the mySpider rather than a stock model sitting in your local golf shop. You’ll spend about $70 more for the full custom experience.

Yes, you will need to wait about a month for it to arrive but it will be worth it. For just a bit more than the price of a dozen premium balls, you can get the exact Spider you want.

Pick your options and press the Buy Now button. After a few weeks, you will have your Spider.

“That’s all it is, Miles. A leap of faith.”

If you are a zero-torque player, don’t forget TaylorMade also has the mySpider ZT customizer.

With the extensive options and top-tier computer interface, TaylorMade’s mySpider Tour program is a no-brainer decision for someone shopping for a new Spider.

You’ve even got time to build one as a gift for the upcoming holidays. It will be the one time when finding a spider under the Christmas tree is a good thing. If the box has your name on it, all the better.

Build your mySpider Tour at TaylorMadeGolf.com.

The post What Happens If Two TaylorMade mySpiders Putters Go Face To Face? appeared first on MyGolfSpy.

Is it legal to switch golf balls between holes?

Yes. Under Rule 6.3 of the Rules of Golf, you may play any conforming ball when starting a hole from the teeing area and may change balls between two holes. Once you’ve holed out, you can tee up a different ball on the next hole.

One thing to watch for is the One Ball Rule, Model Local Rule G-4 in the Committee Procedures section of the Official Guide to the Rules of Golf. It’s an optional condition that committees may choose to use. When it’s in effect, you must play the same brand, make and model of ball you started the round with. It’s most common in serious amateur competitions and on professional tours.

Switching in the middle of a hole is a different story. You must hole out with the ball you played from the tee, with limited exceptions such as a lost ball. So if you were planning to hit a distance ball off the tee and then swap in a high-spin ball as you get close to the green, that option is out.

The appeal of different balls for different holes

Since you can change balls between holes, the next natural question is whether there is a strategy here that would be worth considering.

• Par-3s: You’re hitting an iron off the tee so a softer, higher-spin ball that stops quickly sounds ideal.
• Long par-5s: You want every yard off the driver so a low-spin distance ball sounds ideal.

On paper, that makes sense: a ball can be good off a par-3 tee and good off a long par-5 tee.

What our ball test results tell us

In our 2026 golf ball test, we talk about how to pick the best ball for your game. The advice is always to start at the green and work your way back to the tee. The shots around the green are where a ball either gives you control or doesn’t.

Once you know which ball performs the way you want on chips, pitches, and putts, you look at what it gives up off the tee.

Switching balls hole by hole does the opposite. You’re choosing a ball for the tee shot first and dealing with the green second. Take the par-5 example. You play a distance ball and maybe pick up a few yards off the tee. But when you get close to the green, you’re playing a ball with less spin than the one you’d normally choose and it may not check up the way you expect.

I’d rather have a ball in play with predictable greenside spin that doesn’t cost me yards off the tee. It makes more sense than trying to optimize for a single shot. Find your golf ball, optimize for the whole round and learn to play with it.

Find the Right Golf Ball for Your Game

Use the MyGolfSpy Golf Ball Selector to compare 48 golf balls using data from our 2026 robot test. Filter by swing speed and see how each ball performs from driver to wedge to find the best fit for your game.

Tony Covey

Employee #2, Editor, Jack of All Trades

So should you switch golf balls between holes?

I would not recommend switching golf balls between holes. If you’re looking for a golf cheat code, learn how to make 12-foot putts or how to hit every shot from 100 yards out close to the pin. Playing the same ball you’re comfortable and confident with all the way around is the most important thing.

The post Can You Switch Golf Balls Between Holes? (And Should You?) appeared first on MyGolfSpy.