Holiday Gift Guide: The Best Golf Clubs to Buy

It's the holiday season and that means golfers (or people who will buy for golfers) are on the hunt for the perfect gift. An easier said than done task, but we're here to help. One of the categories golfers tend to gravitate toward for gifts is equipment. Drivers, irons, fresh wedges, a new putter . . . yes, you may find that your golfer is looking for a new club (or clubs). Some are in desperate need of a bag reboot while others are just looking to swap out a set of wedges or one club for a newer version. So, where do you start? We asked PGA of America Golf Professional Blaine Seitz, who's a Top 100 Master Clubfitter for 2nd Swing Golf in Frisco, Texas, at the PGA Coaching Center . Blaine fits hundreds of golfers a year for the latest equipment so he knows his stuff when it comes to the latest clubs. He recommends any new club be purchased as a result of a clubfitting. "Whenever we're thinking about buying new clubs we have to remember that we're playing for better scores, not more yards," says Seitz. "A lot of times golfers buy a new driver off the rack in search of an instant 10 yards. It's unlikely to happen. Instead, let's dial in the right measurements so you hit the course with a club built for you." You heard him right. Step 1 is always a clubfitting, but once you've cleared that here's Blaine's recommendations for some clubs to consider: Drivers This is always a popular category for holiday gifts and Seitz boils it down to few of the new options. First up, the Callaway Paradym Ai Smoke . Released in January, the driver comes in four different versions: the Max, Max D, Max Fast and Triple Diamond. The clubface is the real star of the show with the entire line and uses AI to create sweet spots all over the face for off-center hits. "Callaway used supercomputers and AI to test like 50,000 iterations of a clubface so each of the four types they released is built for a specific player," says Seitz. "So if a player needs a certain club, say to help their slice or launch, they can fit into one of the models easily and not worry about losing distance or speed." Next is the TaylorMade Qi 10 , which was also released earlier this year and comes in four models. Like the Smoke, the clubface is the star of the show, and TaylorMade's is packed with what they call Twist Face technology. When you mishit, the carbon face twists to maintain speed and performance, even with off-center strikes. You don't have to look far to see impressive results: World No. 1s and arguable the best players in the world, Scottie Scheffler and Nelly Korda both use the Qi10. "It's durable, repeatable and reliable," says Seitz. "That carbon face is lighter, too, so it allows for more weight to be distributed to help golfers launch it higher and further." Lastly in this category is the newest driver on the block, the Titleist GT2 . The "GT" stands for generational technology, so you know Titleist has poured some of their best stuff into this club, which also comes in two other models: the GT3 and GT4. A new head construction and weight distribution allows for even more clubhead speed, while an upgraded Speed Ring-tech infused face and increased MOI pack consistency and forgiveness inside the head. "The GT2 is a model that can help players across the board," says Seitz. "Not only is it loaded with new technology, and a more stable face it's also got great adjustability to match what golfers are looking for off the tee. 7-wood This is one of Seitz's top recommendations for a holiday gift this year. Why? "Everyone should play a 7-wood," he says. "It basically replaces the second fairway wood or longest iron in your bag and can give you a weapon both off the tee and from longer distances on par 3s, par 4s and par 5s. The forgiveness is outstanding and I've seen first-hand the confidence it can inspire." Seitz's sentiments come to life on tour where professionals like Adam Scott, Ludvig Aberg — who used one to hit this insane shot at the 2024 U.S. Open — and Tommy Fleetwood all carry a 7-wood in place of a 3-iron. It's a club that goes super high, lands soft and carries consistent distances that can span those awkward longer gaps golfers face. "I've seen a lot of success with the Ping , Titleist and Callaway models this year," says Seitz. "The 7-wood can really change people's games." Irons The Titleist T150 irons are Seitz's pick for this category. They've been popular, he says, because Titleist brought back the AP2 design recipe from 2010-2018 that golfers loved. As usual, Titleist works with its tour players and PGA of America Golf Professionals on staff to provide feedback and tweak as necessary. The company worked with their grind experts at Vokey Design to improve the club's sole and generate faster flow their turf. Plus, a new clubface creation process boosts speed and consistency . . . all while maintaining that classic look. "They just have a really good balance you'd want in a set of irons," says Seitz. "Loft, spin, a good sized sweet spot. If a golfer was playing the AP2s from years ago and went away from them, the T150s might be a nice option because of their familiarity." Wedges Callaway sticks out here as a winner with their new Opus line of wedges , according to Seitz. The company went away from their Jaws and Mack Daddy grooves to focus on new Spin Gen face technology that's a combination of three factors: more grooves on the face, less groove-in-groove when opening the face, and a face blast for a biting and spin action for those touchy shots around the green. The Opus Platinum adds tungsten and metal injection molding to enhance performance and feel. "The Opus is a very clean, retro throwback that's been super popular," says Seitz. "The grind and finish options allow you to customize the wedge a bit, too." One last piece of holiday gift advice from Seitz that isn't an actual club? Don't be scared of a gifting a clubfitting. 2nd Swing , for instance, throws in a free fitting, with the purchase of a new or used club so you're getting the attention to detail anyway. The difference between that and grabbing one of the clubs above from off the rack at a big-box store is massive. "We want to make sure you have the right ingredients for the right ball flight: length, loft, lie, weight flex and head type," says Seitz. "Sometimes golfers think they're not good enough for a fitting or a little unsure. No matter what skill level, properly fit clubs will help your scores. And that's a pretty good holiday gift."