Mike Stachura

6 days ago | golfdigest.com | Mike Stachura

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW: The iconic Ben Hogan golf brand, resurrected by golf entrepreneur Simon Millington in 2023, brings two drivers, fairway woods, hybrids and four new sets of irons to the market. Notable among them are the Ft. Worth MB and CB models, which feature lightweight ceramic matrix composite core pieces to control the center of gravity location throughout each set. The two drivers include a forgiving PTx Max model with a deep CG and a low-spin PTx LST with a low, forward CG location.

2 weeks ago | golfdigest.com | Mike Stachura

What’s the most important performance metric when you’re looking at new irons? In this era of ubiquitous launch monitors, it’s easy to get excited about things like ball speed or dispersion or even smash factor (ignore that, please) as the readouts flash by. But there’s a number buried in your typical launch monitor report you should be paying attention to because it might be the difference between hitting greens instead of just visiting them.

2 weeks ago | golfdigest.com | Mike Stachura

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW: Bridgestone launches the Electron, a new low-compression ball targeting junior golfers starting to develop an appreciation for the game. The Electron is designed with soft feel and higher flight. Launched in partnership with Dick’s Sporting Goods and the First Tee, each ball features a sidestamp with one of the words reflecting the First Tee’s core values. PRICE: $22, available exclusively at Dick’s and Golf Galaxy. 1. First ball.

2 weeks ago | golfdigest.com | Mike Stachura |E. Michael Johnson

Urethane balls are a better option for the vast majority of golfers, not just tour players. They simply offer more performance benefits across all clubs, distances, speeds and shots. Testing by Golf Laboratories showed that there is no distance advantage with non-urethane balls, and the short-game spin advantage of urethane can be staggering. Our robot testing saw as much as a 4,000 rpm difference on a 45-yard shot between balls with a urethane cover and balls with a non-urethane cover.

3 weeks ago | golfdigest.com | Mike Stachura

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW: Cobra has made a series of strides in using 3D printing across its putter, wedge and iron lines, most notably in its LIMIT3D/3DP Tour irons (the first fully 3D printed irons on the market). It now adds to its fully 3D printed collection with two new putters. The Enzo mallet and Pista blade, offered in a limited run, represent a new frontier in putter design.