Top Driver: Ping G5
In the battle of the heavy hitters it was the PING G5 which won through. In the face of the latest entourage of square headed drivers – just one of which made it in to the top 10, the Nike Sasquatch Sumo2 - sheer power and reliability helped the G5 maintain its position as the nation’s favourite driver.
But it doesn’t stop there for PING. Refusing to rest on their laurels, they have replaced the entire G5 range after three years at the top. The G5’s replacement, the G10, takes the best of its predecessor and does the near impossible - improves the original's high-powered performance. The G10 will be available in Europe from the beginning of September, and you can read about the new range in Fairway to Green magazine next month. Elsewhere on the list, Orka are the surprise package. The Kii driver earns its place on the back of the custom fitting craze – and quite rightly. The versatility afforded by custom fitting specialists Orka make the K11 a serious contender.
Top Premium Iron: Mizuno MP-60
When it comes to premium irons, Mizuno’s 2007 offerings are the pick of the bunch. It was all but a toss-up between the MP-60 and the MP-67 series, though there were also exceptional alternatives from the likes of Titleist, PING and MacGregor. Nevertheless, it was the MP-60s that came out on top thanks to their inspiring, sleek design and world-class performance. They had the edge over the MP-67 range in forgiveness for players with higher handicaps. Behind the ball the MP-60s feel solid and look impressive, with a little extra bulk helping to generate more power and higher shots. Both Mizuno sets retail for around £599, which is very reasonable in the realm of premium irons.
Top Budget Iron: MD Golf Superstrong
Absolutely no contest here – we had to foray in to reviews of premium irons to find the MD Golf Superstrong, such is the impression made by golf’s best-kept equipment secret of 2007. At first glance, simplicity seems to have been the key for MD Golf, yet these irons pack the same features you would expect from sets that come at twice the price. Benross found their way near the summit of the list by virtue of their characteristic combination of quality and affordability. An up-and-coming brand, Benross’ VX Combo OS series did extremely well to force an excellent RAM offering down in to third.
Top Hybrid: Benross V6 Escape
The Benross V6 Escape emerged as the leading hybrids thanks to some extra weight in the club head and the fact they look amazing. Although Benross’ unrivalled styling proved decisive between the V6 Escape and TaylorMade’s Rescue Dual hybrid, the Escape also shapes shots beautifully. Considering Benross have only been around since 1997, they have made leaps and bounds at the top end of the market. The Kasco K2K will catch some people’s eye on the list, but the original rescue club proved a popular choice. The K2K gets great distance and feels fantastic – competing with the V6 Escape on just about every level. For the less gifted, it also is one of the most forgiving hybrids around.
Top Wedge: Titleist Vokey Design 200 Series
Make no mistake, the Titleist Vokey Design 200 Series is a serious club for serious golfers. A fairly hefty price tag and the generally impeccable design of the Vokey makes it abundantly clear this is a wedge that regards itself as a bit special. Reviewers raved about the teardrop shape of the head, its feel and everything about the look of the club. This was generally an extremely strong category, with a host of great wedges clamouring for a place at the top of the list including the Nike SV Tour and the Callaway X-Tour.
Top Putter : Mizuno Bettinardi C-05
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wo manufacturers went to war at the summit of the top putters list, with Mizuno and Yes! Golf dominating the category. The C-05 combines the renowned quality of Mizuno’s design with the know-how of putter specialist Robert Bettinardi. Like drivers, the trend in putter design has become increasingly outlandish. Yet these top 10s demonstrate these fads have nothing to challenge the traditionalists at Mizuno and Yes! Golf. The way Yes! tackle the issue of spin has made the C-Groove Olivia popular on Tour. Either of these putters would make an excellent addition to your bag.
Top Ball: Titleist Pro V1
It seems just about impossible for anything to oust Titleist off the top spot on any ball review, and once again the Pro V1 is the undisputed champion. The long reigning Titleist brand is the ultimate performance ball from the Tour down into the amateur game, offering optimum launch conditions and more and more distance. The Pro V1 remains simply exceptional. Nike are highly billed, with both the One Platinum and One Black at the top end of the market. Srixon also continue their steady rise up in the world of balls with the Z-URC and Z-URS demonstrating they could be the ones to watch over the next couple of years.
Top Shoe : Bite Traveller
The Traveller came out as the top shoe for the customer service offered by Bite. The manufacturers offer a 40-day return policy, so if the Traveller doesn’t quite feel right you can send it back and go for an alternative. On top of that, the Traveller is an excellent shoe at an impressively low cost. Elsewhere on the list, the Stylo Cayman edged out the FootJoy Classics Tour – which has a similar appearance and styling – on price. For the more individual touch, the Medori Old Tour is a beautiful shoe, though like FootJoy it comes at a price.
Top GPS : Caddyaid
There are a number of superb GPS systems available to golfers, and the technology is getting better all the time. The CaddyAid stands out because of the unrivalled amount of information it provides, allowing users to view an aerial photo of every hole in colour and in extraordinary detail. Of course that sort of hardware doesn’t come cheap, so for the golfer on a budget the Golf Plus Caddy Lite is a good alternative.
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