HOW WE DO IT
GOLF Magazine's editors
review thousands of
applications and
interview candidates we
think would make
exceptional ClubTesters.
We watch video of their
swings and critique their
answers to detailed
questions. After months
of deliberation, we
selected 40 ClubTesters.
Their handicaps range
from 2 to 20—one-third
are single-digit
handicaps, two-thirds
are double-digits. Those
selected fell evenly into
three age groups—20 to
39 years old, 40 to 49
years old and 50 or older.
(Ages range from 25 to
66 years old.)
Individual testers try all the clubs in a particular category (drivers, hybrids, irons, etc). We use full sets (not partial), both on the driving range and on course in real game conditions. (For your benefit, we spell out the exact lofts and shaft models tested.) We make sure not to overload our panel with an enormous number of clubs, because we want them as sharp on the final day of testing as they were on the first.
Lastly, we divide irons into three distinct categories—better-player irons (tested by panelists with 2 to 10 handicaps only), game-improvement irons (10 to 20 handicaps only) and max game-improvement irons (14 to 20 handicaps) for higher handicappers. For a more detailed description of the methodology, visit golf.com/testing
