By ED TRAVIS
For Avid Golfers this tie of year is special, maybe as much as the first round each season if the weather has made play unplayable. how And Anticipating the New Season and the staff of California + Travel has reviewes the dozens of offerings to find a few found significant. Here they are with a breif description so you can chek them out yourself and remember being properly fit for new clubs is raly an investment in your future enjoyment of them.
Callaway Golf Paradym Ai Smoke Driver
Last year’s Paradym was the bestselling driver and for 2024 Callaway made even more extensive use of AI for the Paradym Ai Smoke with the analysis of data from more than 250,000 golfers covering swing speed, club delivery angle, attack angle and face orientation prior to impact. Four models Paradym Ai Smoke MAX, MAX D, MAX Fast and Triple Diamond. The price is the same for all of them at $600 each.
Cleveland Halo XL Full Face Irons
These hollow head irons are targeted for use by higher handicap players looking for very forgiving, easy-to-hit irons that look like mini-woods—more confidence means more good shots. The face is 20% larger with lots of flexing at impact with the ball which means more distance and the weight is pushed to the outside of the head for more stability. A seven-iron set with graphite shafts $1000 or steel shafts $900
Cobra Darkspeed Driver
Cobra used artificial intelligence programming to design the face of the game-improvement category Darkspeed X and Max drivers plus the better player Darkspeed LS (Low Spin) model. All have a slicker shape to decrease the amount of aerodynamic drag on the downswing and have adjustable hosels as well as sole weights to modify ball trajectory bias. Each model retails for $549.
Honma Beres Nx Driver
The Beres Nx is a game-improvement driver designed for players in the 6- to 30-handicap range. The carbon fiber crown in a cross-pattern redistributing weight for added strength and performance and the face is an L-Cup without any welding giving extra rebound at impact. The sole features both a wide slot to improve ball initial velocity and a 12g rear weight. The adjustable hosel uniquely does require shaft rotation. $750
Ping Blueprint S and T Irons
The Blueprint irons from Ping are for better players, those looking for performance at the highest level. The S model is a cavity back distance iron offering forgiveness in the lower lofts and the T model is a traditional blade, less forgiving with lower flight flatter trajectory. Stock lofts are the same so combination sets are possible such as Blueprint S long irons and Blueprint T mid and short irons. $1610 steel shafts, $1715 graphite
Srixon Q Star Tour
Recreational players with driver swing speeds over 75 mph looking for a tour-type ball without the higher price should evaluate the Q-Star Tour from Srixon. It is a three-layer ball with a thin (just 0.5mm) urethane cover with 338 dimples featuring a friction coating called Spin Skin to give more control on shot shots. The core has been reformulated to increase the compression a little for increased distance. Priced at $40 per dozen. us.dunlopsports.com
TaylorMade Qi10 Drivers
The Qi10 Max driver has an extremely high resistance to twisting or MOI making it one that can help any recreational player. Less twisting at impact means more ball speed is preserved therefore more distance and more particularly the straighter the tee shot. Besides the Max ($600) the Qi10 family includes the Qi10 ($600) and the Qi10 LS ($630) as well as a Qi10 Max HL build for slower swing speeds also priced at $600.
Titleist TruFeel & Tour Soft Golf Balls
Titleist is the largest golf ball maker and in addition to the models played by professionals such as the Pro V1 they offer other models for recreational play. The TruFeel has two-layers with ionomer cover and is priced at $25 per dozen in white, yellow or matte red. The Tour Soft which is $40 per dozen has a large core surrounded by an ionomer cover with a soft feel for shorter shots in white, optic yellow and green.
Tour Edge Hot Launch C524 & E524 Drivers
For the new year Tour Edge continues to make clubs packed with the latest technology at golfer-friendly prices. The C524 has a classically shaped head with a high MOI aided by the sole weight and sets up well for players with medium to fast swing speeds. The E524 (E is for Extreme) is made for slow to medium swing speeds with a high MOI and the company says it’s all about making an easy-to-hit forgiving driver. $250
Wilson Staff Model Blades and CB Irons
The iconic Wilson Staff brand has a new Blades and CB model for 2024. Forged from 8620 carbon steel with a milled face they were crafted in conjunction with the players Wilson sponsors on Tour. The CB cavity backs are more forgiving, something even the best players find helpful. The two models have the same lofts and appearance at address, so a mixed set is possible. A set of 4-iron through pitching wedge is $1,200.
