In our 2026 iron testing, we tested 47 iron models across four categories: player’s irons, player’s distance irons, game-improvement irons and super game-improvement irons. Some of the longest irons were also strong overall performers. Others were clearly built for speed but gave something back in greens in regulation or overall ranking.

Here are the longest irons of 2026.

Best irons for distance 2026: Category winners

How We Test

MyGolfSpy’s Most Wanted Testing is powered by:

UNRL Apparel – The official staff apparel partner of MyGolfSpy, we rely on UNRL to keep staff comfortable and focused at providing the world-class testing.

Titleist Pro V1 golf balls are a key component in testing. Every shot hit in Most Wanted utilizes these golf balls. They have long been the gold standard in golf ball quality, and it is the only ball we trust to complete our Most Wanted testing.

Foresight GC Quad – Foresight is the gold standard in camera-based launch monitor technology because it produces data we can rely on with every shot hit.

The Indoor Golf Shop’s SIGPRO Premium – All of our testing is done indoors at our HQ in Yorktown, Va. With each test, our screens take an absolute beating. Thus, we need high-quality, durable impact screens to handle the workload. SIGPRO Premium exceeds our expectations.

Best player’s irons for distance

In the player’s iron category, the Callaway Apex Ai 150 was the raw distance standout. It led the group in carry and total distance which is not always easy to do in a category where manufacturers are still trying to preserve feel, workability and a more compact shape.

The Apex Ai 150 also finished fourth overall so this was not just a long iron with nothing else to offer. There was a bit of a tradeoff in greens in regulation where it ranked 10th.

The Titleist T150 was not quite as long as the Callaway but it finished first overall and was a stronger all-around performer.

Best player’s distance irons for distance

The PING i540 did exactly what a player’s distance iron is supposed to do. It produced speed and distance. It led the category in carry, total distance and distance score, making it the obvious choice for golfers who are shopping this category because they want more yardage without moving into a larger game-improvement profile.

The part to pay attention to is that the i540 finished 10th overall.

If your bigger issue is turning distance into more greens, the Mizuno Pro M-15 is hard to ignore. It finished second for distance, second overall and led the category in greens in regulation.

Best Game-Improvement Irons For Distance

The PXG 0311 XP GEN 8 was the longest game-improvement iron in the test. It led the category in carry and total distance.

The PXG finished 14th overall so this is more of a distance-first option than the most balanced game-improvement iron in the test.

The Callaway Ti Fusion 250 finished third for distance, third overall and third in greens in regulation. It’s a good option for a mix of distance and playability.

Best super game-improvement irons for distance

The PING G740 was the longest super game-improvement iron we tested. It finished fourth overall.

The Callaway Quantum Max OS finished second for distance and second overall.

The Tour Edge Hot Launch Max D finished third for distance, first overall and first in greens in regulation. While some categories made it hard to find a mix of distance and playability, super game-improvement has some great choices.

Final thoughts

For some golfers, the longest iron in the test will be the right choice. For others, the best distance iron will be the one that gives up a few yards but makes the game easier from the fairway. Go for a fitting and try to find the iron that gives you distance you need without sacrificing control.

The post Best Irons For Distance 2026: We Tested 47 Models appeared first on MyGolfSpy.

It’s smart, simple and useful. I’ve had one for about six years and have used it not only for my own practice but also to help other golfers understand what is happening at impact. It’s especially good for indoor practice when you can’t take real divots or see turf interaction.

Since the Divot Board has become so popular, I’ve seen other products pop up that claim to do the same thing. Most are much cheaper. So I broke down and bought one of the less expensive versions available on Amazon to see what the differences were.

Like a lot of things you test in golf, this one became pretty clear: you get what you pay for.

What is the Divot Board?

The Divot Board is a portable training aid that shows you where your club is striking the ground. It gives instant visual feedback on low point, swing path and whether you are catching the ground too early or too late.

You can use it indoors or outdoors with or without a golf ball. The surface changes as the club moves through it. You can see the path and contact point immediately after each swing.

The standard Divot Board is currently on sale for $99.99. There is also a Divot Board Mini for $59.99 which brings the price much closer to some of the cheaper alternatives.

Replacement pads are available for both models. The full-size replacement pad is $49.99 and the Mini replacement pad is $29.99. Divot Board says the pad lasts between 1,000 and 3,000 swings depending on swing speed, force and how often you hit behind the ball. In my experience, they last a long time.

You can also buy grip pads to help keep the board from moving when practicing on smooth surfaces.

What is the cheaper version?

The cheaper version I tested was the Cosportic Golf Hitting Mat with Swing Path Feedback. It sells on Amazon for $27.99 and comes with a rubber base, a replaceable velvet surface and an extra surface pad.

The idea is similar. You swing across the mat and the surface shows your swing path. It claims to help you see toe, center or heel contact and gives you a way to practice indoors, in the garage, on the patio or in the yard.

The biggest difference I noticed

The cheaper mat moved around too much.

That was the first issue and it was enough to make practice frustrating. When you are working on low-point control, you need the board or mat to stay put. If the mat slides, shifts or moves after impact, the feedback becomes less useful.

With the Divot Board, you have to actually strike it to get useful feedback. That makes it feel closer to the type of interaction you are trying to train.

With the cheaper version, the feedback was not as clean (probably because it was sliding) and the contact did not feel as realistic. It showed some path information but it did not give me the same level of confidence in what I was seeing.

The Divot Board also does a better job visually. Something as simple as the color variation on the board makes a difference. You can see the strike pattern clearly and that visual sticks with you. The entire point of a training aid like this is to create feedback you can remember and use on the next swing.

Is the cheap version worth it?

Normally, I can find a use case for the cheaper version of a golf product.

Maybe it’s good enough for a beginner or it makes sense if you are not sure you’ll use the training aid often. Maybe it works as a way to test the concept before spending more money.

In this case, I really can’t find that use case.

I would either buy the Divot Board or skip this category entirely and work on low-point control using grass. Put a tee in the ground, draw a line on the turf or pay attention to where your divot starts. Those are free ways to learn the same basic concept.

The Mini changes the price conversation

The release of the Divot Board Mini makes this comparison even more interesting.

At $59.99, the Mini is still more than the Amazon mat but it’s closer. I’ve only recently started using the Mini and I like it just as much as the original.

It’s smaller, easier to store and still gives the same type of clean feedback that makes the Divot Board useful in the first place. For most golfers practicing at home, the Mini may be all you need. It’s about the same size as the Cosportic Golf Hitting mat.

If the full-size Divot Board feels like too much money, I’d look hard at the Mini before buying a cheaper knockoff.

Final verdict

For me, this one is Divot Board or bust.

The real Divot Board costs more but it works better, lasts a long time and has replacement parts available. It also gives cleaner feedback and a better strike feel which is the whole reason to buy this type of training aid in the first place.

As with any golf training aid, you have to be realistic. If you’re going to use it twice and throw it in a closet, don’t buy one. But if you want something you can use at home to work on contact, low point and swing path, the Divot Board is worth it.

The post I Tested The Real Divot Board Against A Cheap Amazon Version appeared first on MyGolfSpy.

Jordan Spieth hasn’t recorded a top-10 finish since the Memorial Tournament.

Wait, that’s not so bad. The Memorial just happened a month ago.

Oh, hold on … he hasn’t recorded a top-10 finish since last year’s Memorial Tournament.

Spieth has gone 22 consecutive starts—more than a year’s worth of events—without a top-10 result. He now ranks No. 56 in Data Golf and No. 53 in the Official World Golf Ranking. He hasn’t won a PGA Tour event in more than four years.

More than frustration, Spieth fandom has turned into apathy. He’s just not a factor anymore.

It’s time for a change that is long overdue.

Spieth should finally let go of putting with a blade

Spieth has spent his entire career using a blade putter.

Most of his damage was done with a Scotty Cameron 009 Prototype. He started using the putter as a 15-year-old and kept it through all three of his major victories. He used it pretty much exclusively for a decade and a half.

At the 2025 WM Phoenix Open, Spieth officially benched his legendary 009 in favor of a hand-forged, heel/toe-weighted blade from TP Mills. That has remained in the bag.

However, Spieth’s putting is a far cry from what it once was.

He ranks No. 63 on Tour in Strokes Gained: Putting this season. Last season, he was 65. A year before that, 101.

The last time Spieth ranked within the top 30 of putting on Tour? The 2018-2019 season when he finished No. 2.

Putting isn’t necessarily a liability for him but it is no longer a strength—let alone the superpower it used to be. From 2014-2016, Spieth was an elite putter consistently ranked within the top 10 on Tour.

If Spieth is going to awaken his game, the putter will need to be elite.

So why hasn’t he switched to a mallet or zero-torque option?

Well, it could be coming. Spieth was spotted testing a L.A.B. Golf VZN.1i at the Travelers Championship but he did not put the putter in play. He probably should have, given his T66 (out of 72 players) finish and the fact he lost strokes on the greens.

Can we please get Spieth into a new putter?

I’m not saying going to a mallet would suddenly fix Spieth but he desperately needs a shakeup.

Our data is very clear about blades lagging behind. They are clearly inferior to other technology available. Maybe Spieth is more comfortable with a blade but it’s time to throw comfort out the window.

If he’s not going to change putters, I think Spieth should consider a caddie switch. He’s been with Michael Greller his entire career. I’m not suggesting Greller is the issue but sometimes you just need a new voice to get things going.

It’s kind of wild that he hasn’t made a bigger switch at this point. I get that not everything in life is about being the best golfer. Spieth has won three majors and made a boatload of cash. He already had a Hall of Fame career by the time he finished the 2017 season.

It’s just sad to see him languishing. Golf is way more fun when characters like him are relevant. If he can find a spark on the greens, it’s worth the risk.

What is the worst thing that could happen?

Let me know what you think of this.

Top Photo Caption: Jordan Spieth has been in a blade putter his entire career. (GETTY IMAGES/Dylan Buell)

The post It’s Time For Spieth To Ditch The Blade appeared first on MyGolfSpy.

You finally have a chance to get close to a par-5 in two or hit a long second shot into position and the ball barely gets off the ground. It rolls 40 yards, your playing partners pretend not to look and you start wondering why you even carry a fairway wood.

The good news is that fixing a fairway wood top is relatively simple and usually requires simple adjustments. Here are three I would make today to fix it.

1. Move the ball back from your driver position

A fairway wood looks more like a driver than an iron so a lot of golfers set up to it like a driver. The stance gets wide, the ball moves way forward and the trail shoulder drops. With a ball that’s not on a tee, this setup can create some issues.

The club may reach the bottom of the swing before it gets to the ball. By the time the club arrives, it is moving up. The result is you hitting the top of the golf ball.

Try this instead:

Set the ball about a clubhead inside your lead heel. Your stance can be a little narrower than driver and your weight should feel fairly balanced, maybe even slightly favoring your lead side. If your fairway wood setup looks exactly like your driver setup, the ball is probably too far forward.

2. Use a club on the ground to fix your low point

My favorite swing thought for hitting great fairway wood shots is to brush the ground. This is a great drill that helps reinforce that concept.

Place a club on the ground parallel to your target line. Put the grip end toward the target and line the back of your golf ball up near the start of the grip. (As seen below.)

Now make practice swings with your fairway wood. The goal is to brush the ground on the grip side of the club.

If your club is brushing the ground behind the ball, your low point is too early. That is the topping pattern. If you can start brushing the ground slightly in front of the ball, you are training the club to keep moving down and through impact.

Start with small swings. Then go to half swings. Then hit a few at 70 percent speed. You don’t need to hit a ball while you get used to this feeling. Once you have it down, start hitting some shots without changing the concept.

3. Hold your finish on your lead side

A lot of fairway wood tops happen because golfers hang back and try to help the ball in the air.

When your weight stays on your trail foot through impact, the club usually bottoms out too early. By the time it gets to the ball, it’s already moving up. That’s when you catch the top half of the ball and send it skidding across the fairway.

Instead, use your finish as a checkpoint.

Take a few fairway wood swings at about 70 percent speed and hold your finish until the ball lands. For a right-handed golfer, you should be balanced on your left leg. For a left-handed golfer, you should be balanced on your right leg.

If you fall backward or can’t hold the finish, you need to work on getting your weight to your lead side. Turn through the shot, get to your lead side and prove that your body kept moving through impact.

Final thought

Most golfers hit a few fairway woods in a round. Take some time to practice these things on the range so you can develop confidence in your woods.

The post How To Stop Topping Your Fairway Woods: My 3 Favorite Fixes appeared first on MyGolfSpy.

Charlie Woods is not exactly guessing when it comes to club setup. He has access to some of the best people in the game and every part of his bag has clearly been thought through: loft, lie angle, shafts, wedge setup, ball choice, etc.

But the detail that stood out to me most was one most amateurs would probably miss.

Charlie uses Golf Pride MCC Align grips from driver through irons. However, on his 56- and 60-degree wedges, he switches to the regular MCC MultiCompound grip instead.

That may not sound like much, but it is.

Why the grip changes on the wedges

The MCC Align is a reminder-style grip. It has a raised ridge that helps your hands return to the same position on the club.

For a driver or iron, that can be a good thing. Most golfers want a consistent grip and a square clubface. A reminder grip gives your hands a reference point.

But wedges are different because of the way we use them.

Charlie explained that he rarely uses his 56- and 60-degree wedges with the face square. Around the green, he is opening the face, changing the loft, using the bounce differently and hitting a variety of shots. When he had the Align grip on those wedges, the reminder got in the way.

With the round grip, he said he feels like its easier to open the face and hit different shots.

Do you need this?

If you play reminder grips and never feel restricted with your wedges, there is no reason to change just because Charlie Woods does it.

But if you use a reminder grip on your sand wedge or lob wedge and you feel like the club does not sit right when you open the face, this is something to think about. It may not be your technique. It may be that the grip is giving your hands a reference point that works better for full swings than it does for touch shots.

While wedge loft, bounce and grind are often the most important things to keep in mind around the greens, don’t forget the grip.

The post The Small Grip Detail In Charlie Woods’ Bag That Most Amateurs Would Miss appeared first on MyGolfSpy.

If you haven’t held it in your hands, I’m here to give you a deeper look into what makes the GenePro G1 so impressive. It’s accurate, has well-protected storage, and packs more features than a brand-new car fresh off the lot.

I’m here to break down every performance category, giving you a sneak peek at what you’re getting when purchasing the GenePro G1.

Accuracy

If a golf rangefinder isn’t accurate, it’s utterly useless.

The first thing you should always consider when purchasing a new golf rangefinder is accuracy. The Mileseey GenePro G1 is extremely accurate, providing near-perfect accuracy from a number of tested distances.

We’ll dive into this a bit deeper when we get to the “additional features” section, but the on-device GPS provides additional security when determining yardages.

With the Mileseey GenePro G1, you’re essentially getting double the accuracy due to multiple sources.

Speed

The next most important metric is speed: How fast can the golf rangefinder notify you of the distance of your next shot.

When it comes to speed and golf rangefinders, the key word should be “instantaneous.” It shouldn’t take more than a second to lock onto the target with an accurate distance. Any golf rangefinder that takes longer than this was docked points. Golf rangefinders are meant to speed up the game of golf, not slow it down.

The Mileseey GenePro G1 garnered every point possible in this category, proving to be one of the fastest golf rangefinders from the 2026 testing pool.

Optics

The optics category is a big one. How clear is the image when you’re utilizing the golf rangefinder?

The best golf rangefinders magnify hazards, pin positions, and even green undulation. If your golf rangefinder is lacking premium optics, you’re going to be out of luck when you step up to the tee on a tough par-3 with a false front.

The Mileseey GenePro G1 featured premier optics, earning a score of 96% in this category — good enough to slightly edge out the competition.

Display

The display category is one of the most underrated and overlooked categories we test.

The on-screen text when shooting your target should be crisp and clear, regardless of the time of day. Some golf rangefinders struggled with this, offering faint text that was hard to see when shooting towards sunlight.

Personally, I prefer bold on-screen text that makes it abundantly clear what your number is. If this sounds like something you could benefit from, you’ll appreciate the on-screen display of the Mileseey GenePro G1.

A number of golf rangefinders finished tied for first in this category, and the Mileseey GenePro G1 was one of them.

Additional Features

Welcome to the category that was built for the Mileseey GenePro G1.

In terms of additional features, the GenePro G1 may be the most action-packed golf gadget that is currently available. The GenePro G1 contains a number of different features, but here are the few big ones:

• On-device touchscreen GPS
  The on-device touchscreen GPS can sync directly with your phone, pairing to log scores and statistics.
  
• Lay-up planning
  Lay-up planning is essential for scoring well, and the GenePro G1 has a tool to help increase accuracy when doing so.
  
• Pin Pointer
  The Pin Pointer tool provides an arrow that points directly to the pin when encountering blind shots on the course.
  
• Scorekeeping
  The name speaks for itself, but you’re more than welcome to keep your score on the GenePro G1 throughout your round.

This thing is PACKED with features. If features are your thing, you’ll want to give the GenePro G1 a try.

Final thoughts

There’s one thing that will keep most golfers from buying the GenePro G1:

Price.

At $504.99, you’re spending a big chunk of money on a golf rangefinder. The easiest justification is the built-in touchscreen GPS, but even then, some golfers won’t be willing to stomach the price tag.

Most golf GPS devices fall in the $200-$700 range, while most golf rangefinders sit between $100-$400. If you’re the type of golfer who wants both tools in their bag, the Mileseey GenePro G1 gives you the opportunity to combine them into one.

If you’re simply looking for a tool to shoot the pin and other greenside hazards, this probably isn’t the rangefinder for you. Similarly, if you already use your favorite golf GPS app, you should probably look elsewhere.

The golfer who should buy the Mileseey GenePro G1 is the one who is dead-set on having both a golf GPS and a golf rangefinder. In that case, combining them into one device creates a simpler, more convenient experience.

Think about it this way:

If the average golf GPS costs $450 and the average golf rangefinder costs $250, the Mileseey GenePro G1 gives you the best of both worlds for $504.99 — nearly $200 less than buying both separately.

The Mileseey GenePro G1 isn’t for everyone, but for the golfer who wants a premium rangefinder and a high performing built-in GPS in one package, it’s the best option.

The post How the Mileseey GenePro G1 Won Best Overall Golf Rangefinder of 2026 appeared first on MyGolfSpy.

Before we get to the meat of the story, let me get one very important detail out of the way.

BOOST is back, baby.

After what I would call an ill-advised move away what worked in the past, the CODECHAOS returns to its roots with a full-length BOOST midsole.

We are so back.

Let’s dive in.

What’s new?

I can’t say a full-length BOOST midsole is new, necessarily, because it existed in previous iterations. But after last year’s departure from BOOST, having that oh-so-good foam back in the CODECHAOS 27 is a godsend.

Complementing the BOOST midsole are additional traction lugs for better grip. The TWISTGRIP outsole, a staple of previous CODECHAOS models, now features four new lug shapes and better overall coverage—120 percent more coverage (on the BOA model), to be exact.

The upper has been retooled as well. It still has that signature, loud CODECHAOS styling, but it’s now made from a new TWISTSKIN material. It’s a two-piece construction that’s plenty flexible while maintaining its waterproof performance.

Enhanced stability and fit come from the new AXISLOCK tech. It’s essentially a shank plate that wraps up around the heel. I don’t know for sure, but seem to be your typical TPU construction.

Mo’ BOA

Another interesting storyline behind the new CODECHAOS 27 is BOA. Like the previous iteration, adidas is positioning the CODECHAOS 27 BOA as the flagship model over the standard laced version.

Naturally, this means an enhanced fit thanks to the integrated BOA system. But, as mentioned above, it also means slightly different traction patterns. While the BOA model features a full TWISTGRIP outsole, the laced version uses a combination of TWISTGRIP and adiwear.

For what it’s worth, expect the BOA version to have better traction. No doubt about it—the full-length TWISTGRIP outsole is the move here.

A worthy upgrade

The CODECHAOS 25 was good, not great. I expect the CODECHAOS 27 to be a better all-around performer.

I won’t know for sure until I get a few rounds in, but I feel confident the upgrades are more than enough to give the CODECHAOS a legitimate shot at reclaiming the “Best Spikeless Shoe” title it won in 2023.

The post The Best Spikeless Golf Shoe Is Finally Back appeared first on MyGolfSpy.

It can be the best possible situation for all involved. Or it can be the worst. There’s usually very little in between.

That’s true for employees but it’s doubly true for family members.

For the Solheim family, PING is its empire. Over the 67 years of its history, there’s been a Solheim at the helm. Founder Karsten Solheim, with his wife Louise, ran the company into the mid-‘90s when son John A. Solheim took over. John A. ran the show until 2017 when his son John K. became president.

How does a family business sustain itself for more than half a century? How is the next-generation leader chosen and how has PING navigated the kind of change? MyGolfSpy was fortunate to enjoy an exclusive sit-down with John A. and John K. Solheim to explore how the PING story and the Solheim family story intersect.

All we can tell you is it’s a fascinating combination of golf history, the blending of generations and the complexities of family operations.

PING: Family-run vs. family owned

John K. Solheim is 52 and succeeded his father as PING president in 2017. He was named CEO in 2022. Having been part of a family business, I had to ask him if he ever felt like his dad was looking over his shoulder and if he ever wanted to just say, “Dad, I got this.”

“Oh, every day,” John K. replied. “But I’ve learned how to use it in a good way. I’ve matured a lot and now see he’s just trying to help. Where I felt like he was always critiquing, now I see it as how much he cares about this business, just like I do.

 “Sometimes we’re going to disagree but we work through it. It doesn’t need to be smooth for us to be successful.”

Therein might lie the disconnect between a family business that lasts and a family business that doesn’t. History is littered with tales of family businesses that rarely survive the second generation. And if they do make it, the third generation usually manages to finish it off.

To survive, let alone thrive, a family-run business needs three elements that tie the generations together. First, there needs to be shared values and vision from one generation to the next. Second, the generational successor needs both the desire and the ability to lead. In other words, he or she needs to both want and deserve their role.

Finally, there needs to be trust. Even when things get bumpy.

“We’ve always been aligned in that we all want the best things for PING,” says John K. “We want our products to be the best, so we’ve always had the same vision of where we want to go, just maybe not the exact same process to get there.”

Succeeding a legend isn’t that easy

John A. Solheim turns 81 this year. He was 49 when he took over for his dad in 1995 and he learned first-hand how difficult a family transition can be.

“With my dad, it was not easy,” he tells MyGolfSpy. “He didn’t want to let anything go for a long time but his health was declining and my mom was getting a lot of things done. I was advised that I was going to run the place but wasn’t allowed to say anything to anybody.

“It wasn’t easy and he didn’t want to change things but, you know, things needed to change. I asked if I could work with him in his office so we worked together.”

The transition became official at a three-generation board meeting. John A. nominated his father for the role of chairman (a new position for PING) and asked his father to nominate him as president. By this point, Karsten was feeling the effects of Parkinson’s disease (he would die of the disease in 2000) and had spent the previous several years battling the USGA and PGA Tour over the grooves in the PING Eye 2 irons.

“The timing was right,” says John A. “I knew we needed change because a lot of things had changed and my dad wasn’t up on that at the time, just like I wasn’t up on a lot of the things the youth were. That’s why I depended on them more than they may have realized.

“It won’t be long before John has that problem, too.”

“Oh, I’m already there,” replied John K. “But I do know more about AI than he does. I think.”

Lessons learned

The transition from John A. to John K. was, on one level, considerably smoother. It was also considerably more gradual, something John K. admits has wasn’t a fan of at the time. He was admittedly impatient for the transition to take place. His dad, having lived through one abrupt change, had other ideas, so he sent John K. to Japan to run PING’s Asia operations.

For three years.  

“It definitely slowed me down and I learned a lot about doing business,” admits John K. “There was a lot of personal growth and learning the value of patience and understanding that you don’t know everything.”

Father eventually called son home to start the transition.

“I didn’t want him to go through what I went through with my dad,” says John A. “But I knew the younger generation is more in tune with the marketplace, so that’s why I tried to get things done earlier.

“I’m still executive chairman, but I’m trying to ease off and do what I enjoy. I’m still working with the engineers, critiquing their work and giving them ideas.”

“I would say we’ve done a much better job from generation two to generation three,” says John K. “I was not a fan of this gradual transition idea when I was younger, but I definitely see the wisdom in it now. It’s been much more seamless. That first transition was pretty abrupt and wasn’t great for the business overall.”

The benefits of family-owned and family-run

Businesses are about dollars. They may get started as acts of love, but they can’t survive without dollars. Family businesses, however, exist in a funny space where, while it’s all about the dollars, it’s also not all about the dollars.

“The Solheim family owns the whole thing,” says John K. “There’s no private equity, no outside shareholders or anything like that. That gives us the control to make long-term decisions. Sure, we like short-term results, but we focus on the long haul.”

“We care for things differently,” adds John A. “We want to look after the family and we want to look after our employees. There are things that we do because we believe they’re the right thing to do.”

One of those is PING’s dedication and financial support for the Wounded Warrior Project, a non-profit that provides programs and services for veterans wounded during military service.

“I’ve spent many dollars on the Wounded Warriors Project,” says John A. “I’ve never looked at how much; we just did what we felt was right. We have many employees with family in the military, and this is how we look after them.”

PING’s employee retention is indicative of a well-run, family-oriented business. The average tenure is nearly 12.5 years. More than 250 employees have been there for at least 20 years. Those figures make PING a bit of an outlier, as the U.S. average tenure is approximately five years.

“I think Karsten and Louise set the standard of what we do and how we look after people,” says John A of his mom and dad. “From the way we do bonuses to our insurance program, we just try to do what’s right. It’s what Karsten and Louise set up long ago.”

Where will the next generation take PING?

“One of our goals is to be the oldest company in golf,” says John K. “We see a lot of companies come and go, but having full ownership with no debt, we have a lot of leeway to make the right decisions.”

Over the past decade, we’ve seen a generational shift in PING equipment. The company still carries Karsten’s original mission of making the game easier and more enjoyable, but it’s also addressing issues such as aesthetics that interact with performance. This has all happened with a concurrent generational shift in PING leadership.

It’s still, however, all in the family. And it doesn’t look like they’ll be running out of Solheim heirs any time soon.

“We have several of the next generation,” says John K. “There are about 10 of the cousins’ kids working here. My brother’s daughter works in our Tour department, and my daughter works in golf sciences. My cousin Stacy has two sons and a daughter-in-law working in software engineering.”

John K, at 52, still has plenty of road ahead of him, but he does admit to being curious as to who the next generation leader might be. For what it’s worth, his father says John K. wasn’t anointed at birth.

“I didn’t pick him early on; I just tried to leave it open,” says John A. “But put it this way: John’s far above anybody else for running a business. He’s doing awfully well.”

“My son Sutherland just took his last final in college at St Andrews in Scotland,” adds John K. “So, yeah, it’s exciting to think about who’s choosing to come and work here, and what their roles will be in the future.”

Family-owned vs family-run: a postscript

John K.’s choice of wording there isn’t accidental. If a family business is to be successful, working there has to be a choice, not an expectation or mandate. In the right circumstances, that choice shows shared values and a shared vision. Also in the right circumstances, the family members making that choice understand that the only thing promised is an opportunity. Everything else had to be earned.

The last element, trust, is also earned based on what you do with the opportunity given. It’s not always smooth and it’s not always easy, but the family-run businesses that last realize that that’s how families work, regardless of whether they’re in business together.

“We can disagree on things,” says John K. “When we do, we actually wind up getting to a better place. So you have to embrace the friction, I guess.”

The post Why Being Family-Run For 67 Years Makes PING More Than A Little Bit Different appeared first on MyGolfSpy.

Here’s what the 2025 Titleist Pro V1x looks like under the microscope.

Pro V1x

Pros

• Exceptional compression consistency — a delta of just 3.3 points ranks in the top 10 of the entire database
• Perfect quality control — 100% good ball rate across all 36 balls, zero defects

Cons

• Weight consistency grades out at B
• Diameter consistency also grades at B — keeps the Pro V1x from matching its compression performance across every metric

Our Verdict

The 2025 Titleist Pro V1x earns a Quality Score of 94 and a Ball Lab Quality Award. It’s built on a foundation of zero defects and compression consistency that ranks among the best in the database. Weight and diameter consistency both grade out at B, which brought the score down a bit from where it might have landed.

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Pro V1x

BUY NOW $54.99

Product details

• Price: $57.99/dozen
• Construction: 4-piece urethane
• Compression: 101 (X-Firm)
• Factory: Titleist Ball Plant 3, New Bedford, Mass.
• Diameter: 1.6818 in.
• Weight: 1.6087 oz.
• Bad Balls: 0

Test results

The 2025 Titleist Pro V1x scored 94 and earned a Ball Lab Quality Award. The headline number is built on a clean defect record and compression consistency that ranks among the best in the database. Weight and diameter consistency brought the score down a bit.

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

Compression symmetry averaged 1.0 points, well below the field average of 1.9. That means not only is compression consistent across the 36-ball sample but it’s evenly distributed across each individual ball.

Where the Pro V1x stands out most is compression consistency which graded at A with a delta of just 3.3 points and a spread running from 98.7 to 102.0. For an X-firm ball, that’s a tight window. Ball to ball, you’re getting a very consistent product off the shelf. Weight and diameter consistency both graded at B, solid but not a standout relative to the rest of the profile.

At 94, the Titleist Pro V1x comfortably earns a Quality Award and delivers on the manufacturing quality you’d expect from a ball at this price.

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 2025 Titleist Pro V1x averaged 101, putting it at the top of the extra-firm range in our database. Compression consistency graded out at A with a delta of just 3.3 points and a spread running from 98.7 to 102.0. A spread of 3.3 points means ball-to-ball speed variation is minimal; what you get out of the first sleeve should perform nearly identically to the last ball in the third box.

Ball Lab also measures compression symmetry which is 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 Pro V1x averaged 1.0 points of symmetry deviation, well below the field average of 1.9. Each ball is internally consistent which combined with the tight sample-wide spread makes for one of the stronger compression profiles in the database.

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 2025 Titleist Pro V1x averaged 1.6087 ounces across 36 balls, in the average range of the database. Every ball came in under the USGA maximum of 1.6205 ounces, with a range running from 1.6028 to 1.6136 and a standard deviation of 0.0025. No individual ball was flagged as an outlier.

Weight consistency grades out at B.

The charts below detail the weight measurements in our sample.

Diameter

Roundness matters more than most golfers realize. A ball that isn’t truly uniform in shape can track off line 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 2025 Titleist Pro V1x averaged 1.6818 inches, above the USGA minimum of 1.680, with a roundness deviation of 0.0004 inches. Every ball cleared the minimum and there was no consistent pole-versus-seam pattern across the sample: 31 of 36 balls came in within gauge noise on that measurement.

Diameter consistency graded out at B, one of two categories where the Pro V1x left a little score on the table.

The charts below detail the diameter measurements in our sample.

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. This is a reflection of how much compression variation actually matters to ball flight and feel.

The post Titleist Pro V1x (2025) Ball Lab appeared first on MyGolfSpy.

You have 147 yards. Your 8-iron goes 150 when you hit it well. Your 9-iron goes 138. The pin is tucked. There is trouble short. The wind is doing something weird.

Now you are standing over the ball with doubt.

That doubt is often worse than the yardage gap itself. Most golfers do not miss because they picked the wrong club by three yards. They miss because they never fully committed to the shot.

When you are between clubs, the goal is not to find the perfect answer. It is to choose the smartest miss and make a committed swing.

Start with the trouble

Before you decide between clubs, look at where you cannot miss.

Is short dead?

Is long dead?

Is there a bunker on one side?

Is the green sloping away?

Most amateurs choose clubs based only on the flag. Better players choose clubs based on the safest playable miss.

If the trouble is short, take more club. If the trouble is long, take less club. If the pin is tucked right over a bunker, aim away and stop pretending the flag is the only target.

Being between clubs is easier when you stop trying to hit the perfect number and start playing the hole.

Know your real carry numbers

A lot of between-club mistakes happen because golfers use best-case yardages.

They think their 8-iron goes 155 because they hit it 155 once. In reality, their normal carry might be 145. That matters.

When choosing a club, use your stock carry, not your career-best strike. The course does not care what you did once on a warm day with no wind and a perfect lie.

Your stock number is the distance you can usually produce with a normal, balanced swing.

If you do not know your true carry numbers, start tracking them. Use a launch monitor when you can. On the course, pay attention to where well-struck shots land, not where they finish.

Take more club and make less swing

For many amateurs, this is the best option.

If you are between a hard 8-iron and a smooth 7-iron, the smooth 7 is usually the smarter play. A slightly shorter swing often improves contact, balance and face control.

The key word is smooth, not lazy.

You still need commitment. You are not guiding the ball. You are making a controlled swing with a club that gives you enough distance.

Try this feel: three-quarter backswing, full finish.

That gives you speed through the ball without overswinging.

When to hit the harder club

There are times when the shorter club makes sense.

If the lie is perfect, the wind is helping, long is bad and you are comfortable making a committed swing, the harder-hit shorter club can be the right choice.

But a hard swing often brings more spin, more curve and less center-face contact. If you are already tense, trying to squeeze extra yards out of a club usually makes things worse.

The harder club is a good option only when you can swing aggressively and stay balanced.

If the thought in your head is “I have to kill this,” choose something else.

Use trajectory to solve the gap

You do not always have to change speed. Sometimes you can change flight.

A lower shot with more club can take distance off while staying controlled. Move the ball slightly back, put a touch more pressure on your lead foot and make a balanced three-quarter swing.

This works especially well into the wind or when you want to avoid a shot ballooning.

A higher, softer shot with less club is harder for most amateurs. It requires speed, contact and loft control. Unless you practice it, do not make that your default on the course.

The reliable shot is usually more club, lower flight and a committed finish.

Pick the middle of the green more often

If you are between clubs and the pin is not accessible, aim at the middle.

This sounds boring. It is also how you stop making doubles from decent positions.

A shot to the middle of the green with the wrong club is often better than a perfect club aimed at a terrible target. Most golfers would lower scores quickly by accepting more 25-foot birdie putts and avoiding short-sided misses.

The flag is not always your target.

Final thought

Being between clubs is not a math problem. It is a decision problem.

Check the trouble. Use your real carry numbers. Pick the club that gives you the best chance to make a committed swing. Most of the time, that means taking more club and swinging with control.

The worst choice is not the wrong club.

The worst choice is standing over the ball unsure and hoping your swing figures it out.

The post What to Do When You’re Caught Between Clubs: A Practical Guide appeared first on MyGolfSpy.