/THE HOT WE ARE GETTING BETTER. And equipment technology is the reason. LIST/ Either that or we’re in the midst of one of the most curious coincidences in the 500-year history of our game. First, to the evidence about us. The USGA is unequivocal about average golfers: Despite decades of naysayers and experts alike suggesting that the average handicap is not dropping, has not dropped and never will drop, the fact is, it has. Let’s say that again: The aver- age handicap of all golfers—men, women and children—has decreased consistently for the past 15 years. The average handicap today is two strokes better than it was in the early 1990s, according to research provided to Golf Digest by the USGA’s Golf Handicap & Information Network (GHIN). This decrease coincides with a remarkable decade of equipment innovation that has brought us titanium drivers in every shape and size, game-changing hybrids and oversize putters.➞ /HOTLIST 2009/ tHE Shapes EVOLUTION oF iMPROVEMent 1985 1997 2003 2009 TaylorMade Burner Plus: 144 cubic TaylorMade Ti Bubble 2: TaylorMade R580XD: 440cc, TaylorMade Burner: 460cc, centimeters, hollow stainless-steel 278cc, titanium casting titanium casting with titanium casting with 45 percent casting filled with foam with springlike effect separate titanium face insert thinner walls than Ti Bubble 2 ➞ Those clubs and others like tHE truth them have been introduced in More club choiceS=lower handicapS record numbers the past dozen years. All because a lot of smart uSGa avERAGe HANDICAP ModelS in MARKET Coincidence? We think not. Handicap people have come to golf with data provided to Golf Digest by the ideas to make the game easier. USGA (the blue line in the chart) shows 17.0 500 Consider that the number a decrease in the average Handicap Index for men from 16.5 in 1994 to 14.6 of products tracked by Golf in 2008 (the drop for women during 16.5 400 Datatech, an industry-research this time went from 29.9 to 27.4). That firm, has more than doubled coincides with the greatest expansion 16.0 300 in golf technology in history. Annual since 1997, and equipment equipment submissions to the USGA’s submissions to the USGA have Research and Test Center have nearly 15.5 200 gone from about 500 a year quintupled since the mid-1990s, and the number of products being tracked in the early 1990s to almost by research firm Golf Datatech has 15.0 100 2,500 in 2008. One reason for doubled (the red line in the chart). In that increase is that the USGA 1997, there were 217 clubs and balls on 14.5 its list. In 2008, there were 454, down evaluates more products for slightly from a high of 475 in 2005. rules conformance, but all those 1990 1995 2000 2005 2010 Mike Stachura new products and improvements can’t be unrelated. What’s that, you say? Your handicap hasn’t budged since the first Bush Administration? Golf Digest Hot List. Our annual “Golfers have gotten better The game can be made Maybe the problem is that equipment review and analysis because new equipment helped easier. Not easy, mind you, but the contents of your golf bag has yielded 116 exceptional make it easier to produce easier, and probably easier than haven’t changed. Oh, sure, we’ve products in 12 categories, the adequate launch conditions,” it has ever been. (Of course, golf heard the familiar protests: most exhaustive review ever of says Benoit Vincent, chief courses are getting longer and “I’m not good enough,” “None the game’s top clubs. technical officer at TaylorMade. more difficult, so for many of of this stuff really helps average What we’ve learned over the “New equipment also has us it might not seem like we’re golfers that much” and our years is that new equipment allowed golfers to maintain improving. But take a trip back favorite: “I’m doing just fine with is designed to help average adequate launch conditions to that muny where you grew what I’ve got.” players more than tour players, for bad shots and to maximize up, and see if you aren’t driving Not really. Or at least you and the engineers behind golf’s launch conditions with their to places you did in your youth could be two shots better. For new technologies can explain best swings when custom-fit.” or even farther.) those of you who need further in detail how they’re making technology update. This convincing, we present the improvement happen. year’s technological advances 2 / GOLFDIGESt.COM /HOTLIST 2009/ tHE aWARDS tHE CATEGOrIES tHE NuMBErS To get on our final list, Golf Digest measured all sample clubs using digital calipers and a digital candidates for the Hot List were planimeter. Measurements of moment of inertia in drivers were collected in judged in four weighted criteria partnership with the Department of Physics at Gordon College in Wenham, Mass. GOLD sILVER by our five judges. (HIGH MOI = 4,000-4,699; VERY HIGH = 4,700-5,299; EXTREME = 5,300+) 1. perForMance(40%) IRONS TOPLINE Based on interviews with our player panelists, robot testing Gold products earned a score of toe heiGht 93 to 100 on our weighted scale. and other sources, the judges heel to toe Silver products earned a score of 88 assessed the utility of each to 92.99. For example, a product scoring product. In other words, this is a 94 in Performance, 91 in Innovation, grade of what happens to the ball 96 in Look/Sound/Feel and 86 in when it’s struck by the club. Demand would earn a weighted score of 92.7, or Silver status. There was no 2. INNOVATION (30%) minimum number of stars required to In consultation with our technical earn Gold or Silver status. panel and based on company interviews and our review of company technical documents, tHE RATINGS this grade reflects how a FACE AREA Sole WIDTH particular technology advances the category in all aspects, to The star ratings are meant to reflect driverS/WOODS/hYbridS what degree the commitment to the various levels of judges’ scoring fitting the vast majority of golfers from Poor to Outstanding. Each star FRONT TO BACK is executed, and how that FACE heiGht represents a scoring range, with a technology is explained to the heel to toe ½-star generally equal to the upper public and to our editors. end of a particular range. For example, scores in the 93 to 96 range represent 3. LOOK/SOUND/Feel (20%) a score of ★★★★½. Products that Exactly what it says. Our judges led the scoring in a particular criterion evaluated the relative excellence are designated with a circled blue of the visual, auditory and tactile star. If a product is also available in a experience of using a particular women’s-specific model, it’s tagged club. The more the club resonates with a “W” in a pink circle. with our understanding of what a golf club should be, the higher MoMent oF inertia ★ Less than 50 FACE AREA (DRIVER ONLY) the grade it receives. ★★ 51 to 69 4. deMand (10%) Independent robot testing for driverS was conducted by Golf Laboratories ★★★ 70 to 87 An assessment of the reputation, Inc. of San Diego. The launch angles and spin rates are designated on these interest, intrigue and excitement scales, relative to the field of drivers tested. The lofts were chosen based on a ★★★★ 88 to 96 about a particular product, 95-miles-per-hour clubhead speed, per the manufacturers’ recommendation. considering market presence, tour Of the 31 drivers tested, launch angles ranged from 9.2 to 13.8 degrees, and ★★★★★ 97 to /100hybrIds/ use, relative value and consumer spin rates ranged from 2,300 to 3,600 revolutions per minute. satisfaction through consulting ★ CATEGorY LEADER research by Golf Datatech, other LAunCH AnGLE SPIn published resources and a panel W alSo in WOMen’S of leading retailers. LOW HIGH LOW HIGH sILVER sILVER hyBrid: good playEr tHE IMaGES iron: good playEr tHE judges titleist tOUR eDGe hyBrid: aVEragE playEr 909H EXOTICS XCG-V iron: aVEragE playEr 220 yards street PrICe street PrICe $190 $220 SWITCH TO 210 lofts lofts HYBRID> 15, 17, 19, 21, 24 16, 18, 21, 24 laberge 200 teCh tAlK teCh tAlK the size, shape, cg location and offset the lightweight, V-shape titanium cupface change gradually from loft to loft in this 17-4 is brazed to a heavy steel soleplate SWITCH TO 190 stainless-steel clubhead that also features a to move 66 percent of the clubhead’s HYBRID> fast, carpenter 455 steel face insert. the face weight to the rear of the heel and toe for 180 is larger and longer than previous titleist a higher moi and improved launch. hybrids to add a touch more forgiveness. A A complicated brazing technique bonds charles factory-adjustable swingweight screw in the the two materials without leaving a weld. 170 back of the sole allows for customization the titanium hosel frees an additional and a low, deep cg. 30 grams of weight to add to the sole. 160 PlAyer Comments PlAyer Comments 4i / 4h 3i / 3h 2i / 2h 4i / 4h 3i / 3h (m) “Beautiful club. it looks like a BmW. (m) “A wind-cheater. it flies like nothing’s Simple and elegant.”. (t) “great in its way—like a bullet.”. (l) “there’s TRACKMAN sAYs images trajectory. Not too spinny.”. (l) “i’ve never nothingPHOTO bad about thisG golfRAPHERs club. No ILLUSTRATOR JudGe JudGe JudGe JudGe JudGe hit a titleist hybrid i liked until now.”.