Golfing News & Blog Articles

Here’s something that might surprise you: the difference between a good golf ball and a great one isn’t always about the latest technology or whatever performance claims are printed on the box. It’s about consistency. And consistency—the thing that separates a ball that performs the same way shot after shot from one that leaves you guessing—boils down to manufacturing quality.

Most golfers can’t tell you why one ball flies straighter than another or why some models seem to perform differently from one dozen to the next. That’s not their fault. Identifying quality defects in golf balls is extremely difficult without specialized equipment. A ball that’s slightly out of round or has an inconsistent core might look identical to a perfectly manufactured one but the performance differences can be significant.

The reality is this: while there are plenty of good golf balls on the market today, there’s a substantial gap between the best-made balls and the worst. Understanding what separates them can help you make smarter equipment decisions and, more importantly, play more consistent golf.

So what determines whether a golf ball is made well or made poorly? It comes down to four key factors, each playing a critical role in the consistency and performance of the finished product.

1. The Factory: Ground zero for quality

If there’s one thing that matters more than anything else when it comes to golf ball quality, it’s where the ball is made. Not all factories are created equal—not even close.

If you’ve been playing golf over the past handful of years, you have surely seen nicotine tins popping up all over the place.

For the unaware, nicotine pouches are smoke-free, tobacco-free products you place in between your upper lip and gum. The pouches, which last for about an hour, give you a certain high that boosts your alertness while also increasing heart rate and blood pressure.

They are safer than smoking cigarettes but still addictive. And golfers love them.

I’m going to brutally honest with you. I am not a nicotine user in any form. Until a few weeks ago, I had never even tried it. I don’t have a good reason for that other than my vices being in other categories.

And, generally speaking, I just assumed that unserious golfers use nicotine as an alternative to drinking so they have an even better time on the course.

We polled our Forum members on their Most Wanted Ball of 2025 and the results are in: the Maxfli Tour X took the overall win with the Tour and Tour S earning plenty of love as well. For those who have been following the MyGolfSpy 2025 Ball Test, it’s no surprise that our Forum members are high on this relative newcomer. But the better story is why. What makes golfers reach for Maxfli over the big-name tour balls? We asked members to make their best case—performance, price, feel, durability, alignment aids. Here’s what they said.

Value meets “tour-level” performance

Bang for your buck. Yards per dollar. Premium performance packaged at a price for a pauper (I’m a sucker for alliteration).

“Maxfli Tour has the best performance for the dollar… rivals Pro V1/TP5/Chrome at a fraction of the cost. In-app sales as low as $25/dzn.” — Shrek74

“I play Tour X for feel, consistency, durability, spin. Only ball as good for me is Pro V1x—and that’s $25 more per dozen.” — JB2334

I recently wrote about how more golfers than ever are not fixing their ball marks.

Whether it’s a municipal course, a resort course or a private course, greens have become littered with unfixed ball marks. Curiously, some of the nicer clubs I’ve been to are among the worst offenders.

The issue is a mix of a few variables. Perhaps the most pressing concern is that an influx of new golfers have come into the game without the knowledge (or maybe the desire) to understand why this matters.

And that’s not to excuse seasoned golfers, either. There are way more golfers not fixing their ball marks than those who are fixing them.

Ball marks that are not fixed can take a few weeks to heal, according to the USGA. That makes greens bumpier for everyone.

I gotta admit it. I don’t get fashion.

It’s one of the few things my wife and I agree on.

That said, it’s easy to see that I am not the target demographic for Galvin Green’s newest apparel line, the confoundingly named Concept // The Progression.

Technically, Galvin Green is calling it Concept // The Progression capsule. One look confirms that you don’t have to be Christian Dior to know this capsule is designed for golfers much younger than yours truly.

Like, what is a capsule?

Electric push carts are having a moment. They represent the perfect middle ground between the pure enjoyment of walking the course and the low-effort convenience of riding in a cart. You get the exercise, the pace, and the connection to the game that comes with walking, but without showing up to the 18th tee completely gassed.

My wife likes it when I don’t come home from golf and immediately take a nap (especially when I skip the showering part).

For golfers who’ve embraced the electric cart lifestyle, Stewart Golf has long been among the category leaders. Their Q Follow has performed well in Most Wanted testing and racked up rave reviews. And now it’s even better.

What’s new with the Q Follow

Stewart Golf has rolled out the eighth generation of their industry-leading Follow technology and the improvements are substantial. The updated system is more responsive and intuitive, giving you that seamless, hands-free experience whether you’re navigating fairways, rough or pretty much any terrain.

One of the standout upgrades is the extended remote range. The new system works from nearly 100 yards away, which means you can send your cart wandering off to find your ball in the woods while you pretend to look for it from the safety of the fairway. It’s like having a loyal golden retriever, except it won’t judge you for that slice and it actually comes back when you call it.

Look, I love it when collabs actually make sense. Most of the time, we get partnerships that feel like they were dreamed up by throwing darts at a board of random brands (still holding out for Titleist x Old Spice).

But every once in a while, something comes along that’s so perfectly on the nose it actually works – like Sunday Swagger teaming up with Uncrustables (because nothing says golf fashion quite like golf’s semi-official sandwich).

Enter the Johnnie Walker x Devereux Golf “Spirit of the Cup” collection and, friends, this one hits different. Golf and whisky? It’s such a natural pairing that you’d think every distillery would have a golf line by now. Maybe they do (it’s possible I got really drunk and forgot), but this one actually feels thought out.

With the Ryder Cup heading to Bethpage for the first time, Johnnie Walker decided to lean into golf’s most spirited (see what I did there?) rivalry with a collection that includes everything from hockey jerseys (I’ll get to that) to cocktail kits that’ll be perfect for Americans celebrating victory and Europeans drowning their sorrows in the kind of premium Scotch whisky that losers don’t deserve.

The gear that makes (some) sense

Let’s start with the Johnnie Walker Knitted Cardigan because, apparently, we’ve reached peak golf when whisky companies are making sweaters. Crafted from soft knitted cotton with the Johnnie Walker Golf Club logo on the back and featuring a “Striding Man and Skull Caddie” on the front. The tipped red sleeve adds what they’re calling “a subtle pop of distinction,” marketing speak for “look, we put whisky branding on a golf sweater and somehow it works.”

Johnson Wagner is now perhaps better known for his bad shots than his good ones, and he revisited the highs and lows of his TV shots in 2025.

The post Johnson Wagner breaks down best (and worst) TV shots of the year appeared first on Golf.

Keegan Bradley recently sat down to talk about his road to Ryder Cup captain and Bethpage Black, a course he used to sneak onto in college.

The post ‘So much trouble’: Keegan Bradley talks sneaking onto Bethpage Black appeared first on Golf.

Former Ryder Cup star and captain Lanny Wadkins, in a Golf Channel interview, jabbed the European team. “Just a bunch of wusses,” he said.

The post ‘Just a bunch of wusses’: Former Ryder Cup star jabs European team appeared first on Golf.

Keita Nakajima’s whiff during the DP World Tour’s FedEx Open de France stunned analysts, and rules were examined.

The post ‘One for the referees’: Pro’s whiff stuns analysts, and rules examined  appeared first on Golf.

The Ryder Cup does many (not all) things well, as does the Walker Cup. Each would benefit by learning from one another.

The post What the Ryder Cup and Walker Cup can learn from one another appeared first on Golf.

Fans will be charged when the Ryder Cup visits the Black Course at Bethpage State Park next week. But will they be out of control?

The post This New York Ryder Cup will be crazy. Question is, how crazy? appeared first on Golf.

Golf Channel's Johnson Wagner joined GOLF's Subpar podcast to discuss his TV gig, the Ryder Cup, Scottie Scheffler's dominance and more.

The post Scottie Scheffler’s best quality? Analyst says it’s ‘light years’ ahead of others appeared first on Golf.

I never took motorized push carts seriously. Then I tried one and quickly realized how it helped me enjoy the game more.

The post Why I’ve fully embraced my remote-control push cart | I Tried it appeared first on Golf.

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again:

There has never been a better time to be a golf club shopper.

That, friends, is a hill I’ll die on.

We golfers have more outstanding options at more price points today than in the entire history of the sport. You want crazy ultra-premium? Give the people at Honma a call and ask about their Five Star Beres line. You want great performance at a bargain price? The good folks at MacGregor, Ram, Takomo, Ballistic and others would like a word.

If budget golf is the name of your game, 2025 has been a banner year for drivers under the $400 threshold. It used to be that if you wanted a low-cost, direct-to-consumer driver, you’d be swapping out at least one performance category (distance) and possibly another (forgiveness) to get that price.

Fresh off the heels of a successful campaign with NIKE Golf and a few banger collabs with Jordan Brand, Eastside Golf is ready to reach new heights with their new “Take Flight” collection.

Headlined by two exclusive pairs of NIKE golf shoes, the highly anticipated drop aims to be a beacon of sorts for golfers everywhere, calling them to come together as a community to rise higher, break boundaries, and set new standards.

Eastside Golf’s mission has never changed. And their second collaboration with NIKE proves it.

It’s not about flashy colors or brash branding. It’s about telling a story in the best way they know how. Their canvas is just a pair of golf shoes. Well, two to be exact.

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Eastside Golf worked with NIKE on two sky blue silhouettes, the Victory Tour 4 (Rory’s non-signature, signature shoe) and the Air Max Plus G, an iteration of the popular big-bubbled lifestyle sneaker.

COBRA hybrids have always been a strong point in the company’s lineup, especially for mid- to high-handicap players who want forgiveness and reliability. This year’s 2025 Most Wanted Hybrid Test featured three different COBRA models. One was a clear standout, one proved solid but not spectacular, and one fell short. If you’re in the market for a new COBRA hybrid this information may help.

The Champ: COBRA DS-Adapt Hybrid

The DS-Adapt was one of the stars of this year’s test and earned the title of Best Overall Hybrid of 2025. It combined accuracy, distance and forgiveness in a way that few other clubs managed.

MGS Score: 8.8Accuracy: 8.9Distance: 8.6Forgiveness: 8.8

With an average carry of 180.28 yards, total distance just under 195 yards and one of the tightest dispersions in the field, it proved to be long enough and consistently accurate. Testers described it as “solid,” “very forgiving” and even a top choice for players who usually struggle with hybrids.

If you want a hybrid you can trust to launch high, hold greens and stay in play, DS-Adapt deserves a spot on your short list. The only real knock is brand bias. If you’ve been reluctant to bag a COBRA, skipping this one could be a mistake.

Solid Performer: COBRA KING TEC Hybrid

KING TEC didn’t quite reach DS-Adapt’s level but it still produced a strong showing and finished within the top 10. It offered plenty of distance and solid accuracy, landing right in the middle of the pack. For better ball-strikers, there’s plenty to like here.

One of the most overlooked fundamentals in golf is alignment. Even skilled players slip into bad habits. Right-handers start aiming left to compensate for a slice or right to make up for a hook. That usually makes things worse.

Fixing alignment doesn’t require a swing change. It’s a simple check that gives you more confidence and a better chance of starting the ball on line. Here are some basics to help you start lining up correctly.

Why alignment matters (and how it drifts)

Many golfers don’t realize how far their aim drifts. You might be 20 or even 40 yards left or right of the target without knowing it. Over time, your “golf eyes” adjust to a crooked setup and your brain creates swing compensations to get the ball back on line.

The best way to prevent this is to have an understanding of alignment and then a routine that checks your alignment on the course.

The two lines you must control (the “train tracks”)

Think of alignment as two parallel train tracks.

For some reason, practicing wedge shots has always been my favorite. I think it’s the instant feedback you get and the challenge to get the ball in the hole. However, there are times when having the right short-game training aids can help motivate anyone, me included, to put in a little more time with the wedges.

Here are a few short-game tools that I’ve tested (and one I haven’t but like the concept of) that can help you sharpen your wedge play.

The Compression Ball

The Compression Ball is a new release from Golf Training Aids and I’ve been playing around with it for about a month. It’s simple and while you can use it for full swing practice, I like it better in the short game.

By holding the Compression Ball between your forearms, you train your arms and body to move together instead of working against each other. For wedge shots, that connection is something you’ll feel right away. It keeps your swing compact, helps you strike it more solidly and makes your distance control a lot more predictable.

Lag Shot Wedge

If you feel disjointed, “flippy” or just generally out of sync around the greens, the Lag Shot wedge is worth a look. The extra-whippy shaft forces you to slow down, find rhythm and let the club do the work. It creates a natural feel for sequencing and tempo. Once you groove that, the short game suddenly feels a lot easier to manage.