This year we have seen some impressive equipment launches across the board, but how do you know what is going to be the most appropriate equipment for your skill level?
We have been reviewing all of our testing notes to put together the ultimate bag for high handicappers in 2025.
From driver to putter (plus golf ball), these are the products that have impressed us the most, and will hopefully help if you're a high handicap golfer looking to upgrade a certain area of the bag.
Driver
The old phrase “drive for show and putt for dough” has long been dispelled through the understanding of statistics, with driving actually showing out to be one of the most crucial areas of the game for scoring.
Significant advancements in the understanding of how best to harness MOI have made 2025 a strong year for high-handicap drivers, and our number one in this category is the Tour Edge Exotics E725.
This model is geared almost entirely towards forgiveness, with features such as a 3D Diamond Face and 360-degree Ridgeback designed to provide optimal feel and maximize ball speed.
This is the brand's highest-ever MOI driver, with the 10,000 g-cm2 reading matching that of drivers such as the Ping G430 Max 10K and the TaylorMade Qi10 Max, which is heady company.
Fairway Wood
Fairway woods are a particularly interesting area of the bag for the high handicap player, as we need them to do so much - often being the strong driver alternative when the driver isn’t firing, and needing to be easy to hit off the turf on longer approach shots.
Our top pick in the high handicap market is the TaylorMade Qi35 Max. The larger and slightly stretched head size will appeal to those looking for more confidence when resting the club down at address.
The larger head size allows for the CG to be lowered and pulled further back in the head to create more MOI, easier launch and ultimately more forgiveness.
Meanwhile, TaylorMade has introduced a new TSS weighting system in order to create precise swing weights through assembly and in the case of the Qi35 Max model, this weight is situated on the sole towards the rear of the club.
Hybrids
This is generally a pretty pertinent category for the high-handicap player, with many choosing to substitute the more difficult-to-hit longer irons for the best hybrid clubs.
One of the key elements here is to figure out how many and what loft of hybrid(s) you should be opting for to fill the distance and flight requirements in your game.
We have opted for the the Ping G440 hybrid, a perfect all-rounder that will perform well for golfers of all levels.
The club benefits from a Carbonfly Wrap across the crown which has been introduced to redistribute weight, creating a lower CG and ultimately more speed and forgiveness.
Meanwhile, the larger head inspires confidence and the refined tech means this club excels in different situations.
Irons
This is a particularly competitive category with a number of manufacturers excelling themselves in the game improvement iron sector.
For the high handicap player, we've opted for the PXG Black Ops irons, which represents PXG's first real venture into true game improvement iron territory.
The technology story is a fairly comprehensive one. Firstly, to boost MOI, PXG Black Ops irons introduce a Dual Cavity Design that is engineered to remove mass from the center of the club and redistribute that weight to the perimeter.
The weight-saving insert on the outer cavity allows the CG to be placed lower and further back in the quest for optimal launch and forgiveness properties.
Meanwhile, the inner cavity is filled with the proprietary XCOR2 Technology, a lightweight polymer designed to increase forgiveness on heel-toe and high-low mishits.
The Black Ops irons also feature a high-strength maraging steel face that allows the face geometry to be extremely thin and therefore boost ball speeds.
All boxes have been ticked in terms of head size and forgiveness, and they pack a punch distance-wise.
Wedges
A huge growth area in golf equipment is more forgiving wedges. Not everyone requires bladed wedges with narrow and versatile soles, and as such we are seeing many more playable alternatives in this category.
After some deliberation, we've gone for the Callaway CB 12 wedge, a perfect option for those wanting a forgiving wedge with a soft, responsive feel.
This model inspires confidence as soon as you place it down behind the ball, its large footprint, thick topline, and cavity back design giving it an inviting look at.
We must mention the leading edge, which sits squarely behind the ball and doesn’t have the excessive offset that can sometimes put golfers off using one of the most forgiving wedges.
The new tri-sole design and Opus groove design offer impressive versatility and decent levels of control.
Putter
The Odyssey Ai-One Square 2 Square range has been the manufacturer's entry into the zero-torque putter space.
We've had a few reservations about the benefits of zero-torque putters since testing out a few different models, but one or two models have won us over.
Having tested all the leading models released over the past couple of years, the Ai-One range has consistently ranked among the best.
We found the Cruiser range to be extremely stable and forgiving, so when we discovered the Square 2 Square was going to be offered in this longer length option, we were very keen to see how it performed.
In summary, the Odyssey Ai-One Square 2 Square Jailbird Cruiser putter is the most stable zero-torque putter we've tried to date, and really works to minimize face twisting relative to your path.
We also love the way it frames the ball well and makes lining the putter face up square to your target very simple, thanks largely to the highly contrasting sections and the three dots near the face.
Ball
Too many high-handicap players overlook this crucial part of equipment and just pull out whatever they have found from their golf bags - which just promotes inconsistency.
We've tested lots of different models so far this year, and the Wilson Duo Soft ball is certainly one to try, especially if you're a senior golfer or someone with a slower swing speed.
This model performs well throughout the bag and provides a high ball flight as well as unrivalled soft feel.
Although it lacks a bit of spin and control around the greens, the feel of the Duo Soft is exceptional, especially with driver.
