Best Golf Clubs For Intermediate Players 2025

Choosing the right golf clubs for your game can be very tricky considering how much choice there is on the market these days. If you’re a beginner, it’s actually more straightforward – you need clubs with game improvement features, as you'll find in our best golf clubs for high handicappers and best golf club sets for beginners guides. It's also easy for the scratch golfer and more accomplished ball strikers too, as you don't get to that level without knowing a lot about the tools of your trade and exactly what you need. Those players demand superior feel and workability and will be looking at similar clubs to those used by Tour Players. The 8-18 handicap category, however, comprises a wide range of abilities and is therefore the hardest to buy for.

If you're an 'intermediate player', you may find that one day you're going around in a few over and thinking you've cracked it, only to then shoot in the 90s next time out. Then there's the golfer who hits driver like a scratch player but putts like a beginner. He may have a handicap of 16 despite being a prime ball striker, while the reverse can also be true. For players in that mid-handicap range there is no hard and fast rule for buying clubs based on your handicap.

Generally speaking, however,the best golf clubs for intermediate players will offer a combination of feel, forgiveness and workability. Keep in mind that not all clubs in this category will suit the same level of player (even those with similar handicaps) but some models do actually have quite a broad appeal. So, based on our testing of what is on the market right now, let's take a closer look at some of the best golf clubs for intermediate players.

Best Golf Clubs For Intermediate Players 

Drivers

Part of the GT family, which all feature Titleist’s new lightweight Proprietary Matrix Polymer in the crown section, the GT3 is the most adjustable of the driver options, using a new weight track that sits close to the face.

As for looks, the GT3 should appeal to Titleist devotees as well as those who like a clean crown. Despite the use of more than one material there are no joins to be seen, resulting in that classic Titleist appearance. At address the ‘pear shape’ will appeal to some, but less so to those who prefer a rounded head of say the Mizuno ST-G or TaylorMade Qi10. As for the shelf appeal of the sole, we found it a little underwhelming but as it has no impact on performance it shouldn’t detract from this otherwise excellent product.

And when it comes to performance, the GT3 shines. There are notable improvements from previous iterations, which combined add up to a truly impressive driver. It’s easy to shape but also forgiving; on misses low on the face and off the heel it still delivered plenty of ball speed. We also felt that the feel and acoustics were a step up from older Titleist models, likely a product of the new crown material that’s a reported three times lighter than an all-titanium construction. It all adds up to what we feel is one of the best all-rounders on offer today.

• Read our full Titleist GT3 Driver Review

The G440 Max is designed to be the most forgiving of the G440 range, comprising a large 460cc head alongside a 29-gram, three-position adjustable back weight so you can dial in your ball flight to suit your needs.

There’s plenty of tech involved here, but perhaps most notable is Ping’s decision to lower the centre of gravity, achieved by saving weight higher up on the head. The combination of a shallower face, a carbon crown and Ping’s ‘Free Hosel’ design all help save weight and put the CG in a place to optimize ball speed, spin rate and launch angle.

As for the looks, it’s likely to divide opinion, with the blue colourway a carryover from the older G range, and the sole aesthetics a little underwhelming. We do like the Carbonfly Wrap crown however, although the inclusion of the turbulators won’t please those who prefer a clean look at address.

But vitally, how does it perform? In short, it’s as forgiving as promised, meaning mishits still produced impressive numbers on the FullSwing KIT launch monitor, especially those low on the face. The lower GC was at play here, adding more mass to aid those thin shots. It also impacted the launch angle, and was a degree more compared to the G430 Max; Ping promotes using less loft in this model, which should equate to higher ball speeds.

• Read our full Ping G440 Max Driver Review

With its new Elyte family, Callaway aims to blend speed with forgiveness. To achieve this it's created a higher Moment of Inertia (MOI) while at the same time improving the aerodynamics of the clubhead. A faster clubhead should equate to extra yards, while the higher MOI is there to help out on mishits. And who doesn’t want those attributes in a driver?

Visually, we like how the Elyte looks at address. While playing position profiles are largely subjective, it’s well proportioned and cuts a confidence-inspiring shape. The matte finish is in contrast to the brand’s Triple Diamond model, which has a clean, gloss finish. We prefer the latter but again, it’s essentially down to your preferences.

Of course what truly matters is how it performs, and the Elyte impressed, firmly cementing its place as a solid all-round driver. On less-than-ideal strikes it proved exceptionally user-friendly. The spin profile also appealed, combining a lower spin rate with a pretty high launch angle that added up to plenty of carry - it’s a combination that should result in the Elyte finding its way into plenty of golf bags this year and makes it well suited to the intermediate category of golfers.

As for the feel, we’d describe it as solid, while our clubhead speed was up by about 1.5mph compared to the brand’s Paradym Ai Smoke Max, which isn’t to be sniffed at. Finally, the three weight ports at the back are useful enough, and allowed us to fine tune the CG location to our requirements.

• Read our full Callaway Elyte Driver Review

With a playing staff that includes Tiger Woods, Rory Mcllroy, Scottie Scheffler and Tommy Fleetwood, it’s not surprising that the Qi35 range received plenty of coverage on release. But how does it play?

The interesting tech development revolves around Center of Gravity (CG) projection. In simple terms TaylorMade has engineered the clubhead so the CG projects out to the face as low as possible. Why? With a lower CG projection, what TaylorMade describes as ‘the area of opportunity’ is increased, giving you more chance of hitting above that CG projection, which leads to a ball flight with high launch and low spin, adding up to plenty of distance. This has been achieved by moving discretionary weight around the club head, specifically from the crown, the ring, and the hosel sections. Two adjustable weights allow you to fine tune launch and spin further.

But does it work? The short answer is yes it does. The feel off the face is best described as lively, with a high pitched sound that we approve of. The adjustable weights allowed us to dramatically alter the playing characteristics of the Qi35. In the neutral position we were rewarded with a real fairway finder, stable at impact and very forgiving. Switching the weight to the front however saw the spin drop off considerably, which meant more distance but also a wider dispersion rate.

All-in-all, there’s not much we don’t like about the Qi35, with the visuals receiving a thumbs up too. The grey carbon head adds a touch of class, while the rounder shape looks great from the playing position.

• Read our full TaylorMade Qi35 Driver Review

Fairways

At address the DS-Adapt X delivers a lovely symmetrical shape, with the face highlighted by the contrasting white horizontal score lines. Given this is a club designed to have broad appeal it should help many golfers with alignment, as well as helping the jet black clubhead appear less compact when it’s sat behind the ball.

The tech headliner is the FutureFit33 hosel. As the name states, it offers a mind bending 33 different positions; it even comes with a QR code printed by the hosel so you can scan it to check the settings and how they should impact your ball flight. Like the DS-Adapt X driver, the fairway wood uses Pwr-Bridge technology that also features in Cobra’s popular Darkspeed range. Here it’s positioned a little forward in the head with the aim of reducing spin as well as increasing playability for those who like to shape their shots.

The X model has a shallower face than the LS version and we love how it looks at address.. It inspired plenty of confidence, which translated to an impressive performance both off the tee and from the short stuff. Ball flight was high and led to soft landing shots that will appeal, especially to shorter hitters who find themselves hitting plenty of fairways metals into greens. As for the feel, we’d describe it as firm and fast, with good feedback from the strike.

• Read our full Cobra DS-Adapt X fairway wood review

On looks alone, the ZXi is a winner. The matte black crown oozes class and results in a compact looking clubhead, which we appreciated. The steeped crown design will be familiar to those who’ve played Srixon woods before. It’s designed to lower CG for a high launch, low spin ball flight but we also found that it helped us to square the club at address.

Fortunately it has a performance to match the impressive aesthetics. Compared to the previous ZX Mk II model, the ZXi was longer and straighter. The newly designed i-flex face is designed to add thickness in areas of the face where mishits are most prominent while the rebound frame design is there to help keep ball speeds high on off-center hits. We can attest that both work. There’s also an adjustable hosel, which is another upgrade from the ZX Mk II.

The move from a full titanium structure to one that uses a carbon crown has dampened the sound and feel a little, but like all Srixon woods it’s still loud at impact with plenty of zing. Combined with the attractive looks and reliable and forgiving performance it adds up to a fairway metal that should put Srixon on the map in a category where it hasn’t excelled in years past.

• Read our full Srixon ZXi fairway wood review

Mizuno, long known for its butter-soft forged irons, has made waves recently in the fairway metal category; the ST-Z 230 and ST-G model are both popular with club golfers and touring professionals alike. So how does the ST Max 230 shape up?

Perhaps unsurprisingly given the Japanese brand’s penchant for producing visually appealing clubs, it looks the part. It blends the classic with the modern thanks to the gloss black and carbon crown, while its familiar bright blue Cortech Chamber TPU insert on the sole adds to its impressive shelf appeal.

At address the larger footprint of the ST Max compared to the ST-Z 230 is apparent. It’s likely to appeal to those looking for a confidence boost from their fairway woods. The deeper face suggests that it might perform better off the tee rather than from the fairway but we found that with our fast swing speed we created a fair amount of spin, which led to high ball flight that at times became a tad difficult to control. Fortunately Mizuno has equipped the club with an adjustable hosel that allowed us to lower the ball flight. That said, for those with slower swing speeds, this additional height will be appreciated.

However, from the fairway and the rough ST-Max 230 fairway wood excelled. That same high ball flight we saw off the tee was repeated, probably aided by what Mizuno calls the ‘Speed Bevel’, a modification to the leading edge to improve turf interaction and maintain speed from shots struck from the fairway. Combined with the club’s high MOI and you end up with one of the most forgiving fairway woods we’ve tested in a while.

• Read our full Mizuno ST-Max 230 Fairway Review

Hybrids

At address the Cobra DS-Adapt cuts a compact shape. This will appeal to some of course, but less so to those shopping for one of the most forgiving hybrids. The gloss and satin black tone colorway appealed to our eye, resulting in a modern yet classy looking hybrid.

We’ve discussed the FutureFit33 hosel design when reviewing the fairway wood above, but in essence it provides 33 different settings to help you dial in or correct a certain ball flight. Whether that’s overkill or not will likely be down to preference alone but it should enable you to make the club behave as you wish, whether that’s a high soft landing club, a powerful alternative from the tee or something in between.

The adaptive weighting used across the DS-ADAPT range is present here of course; Cobra says the weight has been brought forward in the face as well as being positioned lower to help with launch and spin. The result, for us, was a strong ball flight with plenty of speed. This was also likely aided by the brand’s H.O.T. face technology that allows for better ball speed retention across the whole of the face, resulting in smaller losses in distance when you don’t get a clean strike.

A hybrid should be one of the more versatile clubs in your bag, and here the DS Adapt was good, but not great. It excelled both off the tee and from the fairway but wasn’t quite as impressive from the rough, despite that compact head shape. That said, it combines ample distance with plenty of forgiveness and if the design suits your eye it’s well worth considering.

• Read our full Cobra DS-Adapt Hybrid Review

The entire Qi35 lineup oozes class, and the hybrid is no different. You get the same chromium carbon fiber finish on the crown and sleek gloss silver and grey sole that won us over when we reviewed the Qi35 Tour fairway wood. The medium-sized footprint shone at address, with the rounded back and crown decals helping with alignment and squaring of the face.

As for the tech, the CG has been centered to deliver optimum energy transfer at impact and there’s the brand’s Speed Pocket and TwistFace features in play here too. The results of all this tech proved interesting.

Off the tee, the club produced a strong, penetrating ball flight, matched with a solid thud at impact. However, from the fairway, the flight became floaty in comparison, and had us reaching for the adjustable hosel. Despite seeing a dropoff in distance when we didn’t quite flush it, the Qi35 proved to be pretty stable at impact and performed admirably out of the rough. If you’re after greater distance and more forgiveness then the Qi35 Max is likely a better option, but if you’re confident with your hybrids then this all-rounder should fit the bill.

• Read our full TaylorMade Qi35 Hybrid Review

If the smaller head shape of many hybrids don’t appeal, the Elyte might well pique your interest. At address it’s just that little bit larger and adds a small dose of confidence whatever your ability.

Callaway calls this club its most adjustable hybrid ever, and certainly there’s plenty of tech here to substantiate that claim. The 4-way Optifit hosel features two weight ports on the sole, one with a 13g tungsten weight and the other with a 3g aluminum weight. Both fit into either slot allowing you to create more draw-bias or remain with a more neutral ball flight. The new Ai10x face is also used here and features 10 times the amount of sweet spots compared to Ai Smoke hybrids.

The latter worked wonders, especially when we caught it low and towards the heel. On these mishits our speed and carry numbers barely dropped. When we hit it solidly the results were just as encouraging - ball speeds were high, spin rates consistent, with carry numbers that made it a strong contender for that tricky spot in the bag, which can be occupied by a lofted fairway wood or a utility iron.

As you’d expect from a club that delivers plenty of speed, the feel off the face is lively and firm. The other performance characteristic that appealed, especially for a club for intimidated players, was the towering ball flight that will be music to the ears of shorter hitters who find themselves hitting plenty of hybrids over the course of a round.

• Read our full Callaway Elyte Hybrid Review

Irons

It’s been a couple of years since TaylorMade updated its heralded distance players iron. And it turns out that it was well worth the wait.

Fans of the 2023 P790 iron will be pleased to see that the blueprint remains. That means you get the same hollow body, filled with SpeedFoam Air and the Speed Slot in the sole of the longer irons. But the 2025 iteration uses a new high-strength forged face material (4340M) that allows for a thinner face offering more flex and speed.

As is the trend, the CG has been moved lower still in the longer irons, while sitting higher in the scoring clubs. The combination should mean improved launch in those longer clubs and greater control with the shorter irons.

Looks-wise, the new irons have a thinner topline, with the transition to the hosel also tighter. For us both are improvements but it does perhaps edge the club more in the direction of better players who prefer a cleaner, more compact shape, rather than those looking for a boost of confidence at address. It certainly moves the P790 firmly into the best compact mid-handicap irons category.

However, looks can be deceiving and the 2025 irons are no less forgiving than the previous model. Ball speeds remained high on off-center strikes without sacrificing feel. It’s here that the P790 really shines and is a noticeable improvement over the outgoing model. While you still get that sense of speed and power at impact, it's balanced with a softness previously lacking.

Another highlight for us was the new sole design. It features an increased radius which results in a little more versatility. It all adds up to an impressive all-rounder that’s hard to beat.

• Read our full TaylorMade P790 Iron Review

Updated in 2023, the T200 aimed to improve on the somewhat disappointing feel of the 2021 T200 iron, which was a tad loud and clicky at impact for many tastes. To address this, Titleist revamped the Max Impact design feature to make the head more stable as well as adding a polymer back plate to dampen the vibrations generated when the forged face strikes the ball.

For us it still results in a harder feel, certainly when compared to other forged offerings from Mizuno and Ping. Similarly, the look and performance aren’t greatly different from the previous model. Regarding the shape, that's fine by us. The 2025 T200 offers the same appealing look at address, but is perhaps a little more compact, with a lighter finish. Overall, it adds up to a slightly more refined appearance.

At the range and out on the course, the results were comparable to the older mode too. Stability at impact looks to have improved a little, while it’s a tad quieter than before. The additional tungsten used in the head did help keep ball speeds up on off-center strikes as well as limiting the amount the ball curved away from the target. There was also more spin and height compared to the 2021 model, which appeals, but these were minor gains rather than being anything significant.

There’s a lot to like about the T200, and if you want a classic looking compact players iron it will more than do the job. But in a competitive category they don’t really stand out from their rivals.

• Read our full Titleist 2023 T200 Iron Review

The intermediate player category encompasses both long and short hitters. If you’re chasing ball speed and distance but don’t want to opt for a pure game improvement club then Ping’s i530 might be a good match. From a visual perspective you get a decent sized club head for confidence but without the degree of offset found in irons aimed at higher handicappers.

The Arizona-based brand has loaded the club with tech aimed at adding more yards. There’s a new internal weight pad that provides a deeper to thinner face-to-sole transition designed to increase face flex and and as result ball speed too. There’s also the maraging steel face that Ping uses in its woods; here it's matched to a stainless steel hollow body with an internal polymer insert at the back of the face which is said to add face flex and improve feel. Throw in lofts that are 1.5˚ stronger than the outgoing i525 iron and you should get an iron that’s plenty long.

And they are. Ball speed was as high as we’ve seen in this category. Coupled with a moderate launch angle and spin rate in the low 6000s it added up to bags of carry across the set. The lower CG in the long irons was noticeable, and we enjoyed being able to stop the ball comfortably thanks to the steep landing angles achieved.

As for feel, the i530s are pretty firm, which might not appeal to those who prefer a softer feel. However if you enjoy a lively, robust sensation at impact then you won’t be disappointed.

• Read our full Ping i530 Iron Review

The ZXi5 is the ‘mid cavity’ style iron of the ZX family and sits between the ZXi7 and ZXi4 irons. Srixon has designed the range to work as blended sets and thus has kept the shape and topline thickness pretty consistent throughout. It results in the ZXi5 looking a little less user-friendly that some may like, but we appreciated the compact head shape and the blending off the offset into the hosel to create a clean and sleek look.

Srixon have aimed to improve the feel throughout the new ZX range, using an impact forged process that enables it to choose the steel densities to suit the desired performance of each iron within the family. And it works. The quality of the feel is so impressive, delivering a feeling of controlled power at impact, with minimal vibration. Combined with the intelligent design of the Tour V.T. Sole, and you get a club that’s a joy to play with.

In short, if you’re after an iron that combines a ‘player’s look’ without compromising on distance and forgiveness, then the Zxi5s are well worth closer inspection.

• Read our full Srixon ZXi5 Iron Review

Wedges

While Ping is better known for its drivers, irons and putters, it’s been putting out some of the best golf wedges of late, including the Glide 4.0 and Glide Forged models. So how does the S159 compare?

Off the bat, the S159 catches the eye with its clean and classy visuals. We loved the chrome satin finish as well as the black banner on the rear that shows off the classic Ping logo to great effect, all rounded off with a subtle ‘S159’ stamp down on the hosel. Is there a better looking wedge currently on the market? Quite possibly not.

The theme continues at address. The thin topline and relatively compact shape appealed to our eye; for comparison its slightly larger than the Titleist Vokey SM10 wedges. If you play Ping’s Blueprint irons, the S159 is designed to provide a smooth transition into the wedges.

Of course, performance is key and again the S159 didn’t disappoint. The feel was superb, soft and with plenty of feedback. On full shots they served up a reliable trajectory that’s best described as mid-height, while around the greens they delivered a ludicrous amount of spin; the result is one of the best wedges for chipping we’ve tested in the past few years. If you’re after a classic looking wedge that focuses more on feel than forgiveness then the S159 is as good as they come.

• Read our full Ping S159 Wedge Review

If you favour a traditional wedge then the Callaway Opus will be right up your alley. Unlike the shaping or the design of the brand’s Jaws Raw wedges, it benefits from a classic blade shape alongside a classy chrome finish - although it is available in black, too.

Callaway says its designed the Opus using the feedback gained from its tour players and certainly these wedges are predominately aimed at better players. At address you get a higher toe peak and radius on the leading edge compared to its other wedges.

Spin is generated via its Spin Gen Face Technology. In essence this combines two additional grooves on the face alongside diagonal grooves that run across the face between the main grooves for improved friction on lob shots where you’re cutting across the ball and a face blast to add a bit of extra bite on your chips and pitches.

Does it work? From the fairway on full shots and around the green we didn’t notice a huge difference compared with other wedges we’re familiar with. However, from the rough the Opus produced an impressive amount of spin, even checking up on the green at times.

Offered in four grind options, there should be a loft and bounce combo to fit the needs of most players; we tested the S grind, which is designed to work across a range of conditions and lies.

• Read our full Callaway Opus Wedge Review

Cleveland has been making blade wedges since the late 1970s and the RTX6 continues the company tradition.

To the eye it cuts a pretty traditional shape, but there’s plenty of modern tech concealed within the club. The ZipCore insert, located in the hosel, is made of up to 95 percent more aluminium and silicon material than before, helping to save weight in this area. It allows the engineers to move it elsewhere in the head, which adds up to greater forgiveness and a significant increase in the MOI.

The result is one of the most forgiving wedges we’ve tested, while the UltiZip grooves and HydraZip blasted face combine to deliver bags of spin around the greens. The club is a little heavier than some of its rivals, but we like how this allows you to feel the clubhead in your hands; combine with a light grip pressure and you find the clubhead is happy to do the work.

Cleveland offers the RTX6 is lofts from 46° to 60°, alongside a range of bounce options. Combined with the tri-bounce sole and you should find a combination that works for the type of course conditions you typically encounter.

• Read our full Cleveland RTX 6 ZipCore Wedge Review

Vokey wedges account for more than half the wedges used on the PGA Tour each week. The appeal for pros and amateurs alike is the combination of a classic head shape offered in a myriad of lie, loft and bounce combinations.

Now in its 10th iteration, it’s as good looking as ever. The SM10 uses progressive shaping which delivers huge appeal at address. In the stronger lofts, the head shape is compact with a straighter leading edge. Move into the sand and lob wedges and you get a more rounded leading edge and a larger footprint by comparison.

There are three finishes available - a traditional chrome, a matte black and a new nickel finish. With six grinds on offer you should find the right fit for the course conditions you play as well as for your pitching action.

While the looks are comparable to the SM9, there are some significant updates that improve the club’s performance. In essence the SM10 is designed to flight the ball slightly lower, spin it more and provide improved feel. All are noticeable out on the course, but to differing degrees. The SM10 does spin a little more than the SM9, which becomes more apparent on longer pitches. Far more apparent is the lower ball flight. We found this allowed us to control our distances with greater accuracy; combined with the added spin generated by the individually cut TX9 grooves it enabled us to go at tight pins with increased confidence.

Already a longtime market leader, these small but not insignificant updates will surely mean that the Vokey wedge continues to appear in the bag of many golfers around the globe.

• Read our full Titleist Vokey SM10 wedge review

Putters

The M. Craft X line offers an impressive degree of customization, allowing you to choose from three hosel types to suit your stroke and alignment preferences, which are then compatible with different shaped backs as well as weights. These can be purchased separately, effectively allowing you to change the shape and weighting of your putter without having to buy a whole new model.

We tested the X6, which boasts a fang shape to create a high MOI for a stable head through impact. The face is CNC milled, which produced a 'clicky' feel rather than the soft one we’d expected. Of course, this is a subjective area but we found we quickly became attuned to the feel and acoustics of the X6.

Alignment aids are another subjective area, but we liked the fact that the X6 opts to go sight line free. Another noteworthy feature is the Lamkin Sink Fit grip that offers just the right amount of feel. All told, it’s a solid feeling mallet putter with the added bonus of the interchangeable back designs and weights.

• Read our full Mizuno M.Craft X 6 putter review

While the name of Kevin Burns might not ring too many bells among most golfers, his putters have claimed a number of victories, most notably Jose Maria Olazabal’s 1999 Masters win. Roll on more than a quarter of a century and the California club maker is still designing flat sticks worthy of attention. Just like the 9307.

This elegant blade is custom-built and it shows throughout, from the precision milled face to the exquisite hand-finish. The neck is screwed into the head, meaning you can purchase additional styles if you want to tinker or find that your stroke is better suited to another design. It does mean that the sole has to feature a rather unsightly screw, but it’s a concept that we approve of.

As for the looks, the 9307 features a relatively thick topline; being custom built you can opt for a sightline or go without. You also get to select the length, loft, head weight and face style. We opted for a pyramid grove design, which the brand says creates the smallest impact ratio of any putter on the market. And it works like magic, resulting in the best feel we’ve experienced with a putter, buttery smooth and skid free off the face.

Beautifully balanced and weighted, the 9307 really helped with our tempo, which in turn improved our distance control, especially on longer putts. Yes, all this comes at a hefty price, but given that the putter is the most used club in the bag over a round, it’s likely that you’ll soon forget how much you've spent as you see putt after putt start on line and fall into the cup.

• Read our full Kevin Burns 9307 Putter Review

It’s not an overstatement to describe L.A.B as a game changer. The putter brand has shaken up the industry with its Lie Angle Balance zero torque flat sticks, with the concept now being used by other brands.

Of all the models the compact mid-mallet OZ.1i putter, designed in conjunction with Adam Scott, is, to our eye at least, the most visually appealing. It also uses a milled insert rather than an all-aluminum face, the first time the brand has offered this. For us it resulted in plenty of feedback as well as reliable distance control; it’s worth noting that we’re used to playing with milled face putters and are attuned to the ball speed they deliver.

Like all L.A.B putters, the shaft enters the putter head in a way to reduce torque and keep the face square to the path through impact. The OZ.1i is offered with both 0° and 2° shaft lean; we feel that the former helps give golfers a vertical view of the shaft at address and is likely a little more comfortable on the eye for those new to this style of putter.

• Read our full L.A.B OZ.1i Putter Review

How we test golf clubs

Our testing for golf clubs is based on a comprehensive process combined with the knowledge and expertise of the Golf Monthly test team. The process usually begins with us attending product launches to speak to developers to learn about the technology used in the new clubs. When it comes to our actual testing, the first step is to hit the clubs in a controlled environment. This usually takes place on an indoor simulator at Foresight Sports, with premium balls and the GCQuad launch monitor.

The next step in the process is outdoor testing, which normally takes place at West Hill Golf Club. We believe that it is vitally important to do both indoor and outdoor testing so we will continue to test the clubs until they have been comprehensively put to the test in different conditions. It should also be stated here that manufacturers cannot pay for a good review and we make our conclusions from the testing and our experiences. This is because we strive to give the best reviews possible so you can get a greater understanding of the clubs themselves.

How to choose golf clubs

Buying golf clubs can be a tricky thing to get right for intermediate players looking to improve but who also need a little bit of forgiveness. Getting the right golf clubs for your needs as a player can be a daunting task. While we always recommend players get custom fitted for their clubs, sometimes it's good to have a bit of advice knowing what to look out for before you head down to your club shop. For that reason, we've set out below some key points we think you should keep in mind if you're buying new clubs.

1. Price

Some clubs can be very expensive, particularly irons. While some of the best drivers on the market can come in at a pretty hefty price, it is always worth looking at purchasing a club that fits into your budget and skill set. You don't always need the most expensive option and there are some excellent budget options out there that will sit your needs. For that reason it's really important to think about the price point of the clubs you're buying. For some better value options, see our guide to the best budget golf clubs.

2. Your experience level

Every golf club on the market right now is designed to cater to the needs of a particular player. From the best drivers for high-handicap golfers to the best game-improvement irons, each will cater to the needs of that player in their size, shape and technology on offer. Mid-handicap players will need to think very clearly about this when they're picking up a new set of clubs, simply because you may want to get a club that has a lot of forgiveness but also offeers up lots of distance too.

3. The clubs you already have

Take stock of the clubs you already have and the yardages they offer and try to fill the gaps in your bag that you might need. This is particularly important if you're buying a couple of new wedges or hybrids. You don't want to be purchasing the same club that you may have and be comfortable with, so try to ensure you have a good range of clubs.

4. Visuals

Aesthetics aren't the most important thing to consider, but they can play a big factor in helping boost your confidence on the course. Playing with a good-looking gear always helps to boost the mental side of your game and that in turn can help you score better. Certainly there are some stunning options from Callaway, Titleist and TaylorMade listed above on this list.

5. Adjustability settings

Particularly when it comes to your drivers and metal woods, being able to adjust and tinker with the clubs to ensure they perform to your needs is a really useful feature to look out for. Adjustable hosels and weighting settings allow you to alter the angle of attack and delivery the club head strikes the ball at, helping you to put different shapes and lofts on the golf ball. That can often be a great way to help alleviate a bad hook or slice too!

For more advice on some of the best golf clubs on the market, take a look at our guides to the best Ping Putters, best Titleist irons and best Callaway drivers.

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