The gear winning 2026
A few themes are quietly reshaping what golfers buy this year: zero-torque putters going mainstream, launch monitors crashing through the price floor, and the value brands gatecrashing the premium charts. Here's our running read on the kit actually making noise — and what's worth your attention.
The big moves
What we're writing about
Review
8.7/10Zero-torque putters: golf's fastest-spreading idea
Tour bags are quietly being rebuilt around a putter that won't twist. Here's why — and where it started.
Review
8.4/10The launch monitor that broke the price floor
Personal launch monitors used to start in the thousands. This one moved the floor — and dropped the subscription.
Review
8.2/10Read your divots: the cheap board that fixes ball-striking
It's all over golf TikTok for a reason — instant, brutally honest feedback on where your club actually bottoms out.
Comparison
Pro V1 vs Chrome Tour: the premium ball question
The two balls most good players agonise over. They're closer than the tribalism suggests — here's how to actually choose.
Comparison
Spider ZT vs Odyssey Jailbird: two routes into zero-torque
The big brands' answers to the zero-torque craze, head to head — and which one suits how you actually putt.
Comparison
Garmin R10 vs Shot Scope LM1: the budget launch-monitor face-off
Two ways to get real numbers without remortgaging — which one fits how you'll actually use it.
Explained
Launch monitors explained: what your money actually buys
Radar vs photometric, the numbers that matter, and where to jump in at every budget — in plain English.
Explained
What is zero-torque putting — and is it for you?
The idea behind golf's hottest putter category, in plain English, and how to tell if it'll actually help your stroke.
Explained
Spikeless vs spiked golf shoes: how to choose
Grip, comfort, versatility and weather — what actually matters in 2026, and which type fits your golf.
Explained
How to choose a golf ball without overthinking it
Compression, spin, feel, price — most of it is noise. Here's the short version of what actually matters for your game.
Explained
How much should you spend on a rangefinder?
They all measure the same yardage. Here's what your money actually buys above the basics — and where it stops mattering.
On the charts
What everyone's buying
L.A.B. Golf
L.A.B. Golf DF3 Putter
View
TaylorMade
TaylorMade Qi4D Driver
ViewShot Scope
Shot Scope LM1 Launch Monitor
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Callaway
Callaway Chrome Tour Golf Balls (Dozen)
ViewTitleist
Titleist Pro V1 Golf Balls (Dozen)
ViewDivot Board
Divot Board Strike Trainer
View
Bushnell
Bushnell Tour V7 Shift Laser Rangefinder
View
Mileseey
Mileseey GenePro G1 Touchscreen GPS Rangefinder
ViewWant the full picture?
Every category, ranked and reviewed in our buying guides.