The 10 new pieces of equipment that have shocked us the most this season

When you've been working in golf for a certain amount of time, very few releases come out of left field to really shock you.

Golf companies are, after all in a constant game of oneupsman-ship against the other, with most gains year-on-year marginal at best. As such, when a product really catches us by surprise, we love to shout it from the rooftops.

We've tested plenty of good and not-so-good products so far this year. We've also reviewed some that are so bad they barely warrant writing about, and so good that we have to bring them up to anyone we talk to. Some, however, have really stuck in the memory due to just how much their performance took us aback, be that positively or negatively.

As such, we thought we'd round up the new gear that we've had the most memorable time testing this year – and why they might just be right for your game.

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The new Mizuno Pro irons might be the best on the market

They actually dropped back in the dying breath of 2025, but Mizuno's two new Pro iron models, the M-13 and M-15, still stick with us as the best new irons we've tested so far this year.

While both intended for better players, the M-13 and M-15 both offer a surprising level of forgiveness, all the while delivering the pure Mizuno feel players around the world covet so much. Indeed, the M-13, despite being very much a player's iron, are so forgiving it made us ask if the M-15s are even worth buying.

"Even after 6 months of testing, these irons are still probably my favourite in terms of feel and I found them way more forgiving than they we're claiming them to be. All in all, their general performance was super high and everything you'd expect from a Mizuno, but they've actually delivered more than they promised here." - Georgina Black, Equipment Editor

Meanwhile, Mizuno's drivers were a rare miss

Mizuno's shiny new irons were very quickly lost in the noise of the JPX One launch: a new driver range from the Japanese brand that, in addition to being one of the first drivers of the new season to drop, made huge distance claims owing largely to a brand new NanoAlloy face material.

The results, however, left a lot to be desired. The JPX One performed dead last in our driver testing across the season, even falling short of budget drivers like the Tour Edge Hot Launch Max in terms of speed.

There are probably a lot of of golfers out there who will get on well with the JPX ONE. It's remarkably consistent and forgiving, producing exceptional dispersion numbers. If you want a reliable fairway finder and aren't too concerned with hitting out and out bombs, this could be right up your alley.

For those chasing distance, however, our initial testing suggests that the Mizuno is a club to avoid for now. When tested against its rivals with comparable shafts and swing speeds, the JPX simply produced too much spin and not enough ball speed from its face to challenge any of its competitors, which is concerning. - Georgina Black, Equipment Editor

Callaway's Quantum Max Irons are unbelievably forgiving

Callaway have been quietly knocking it out of the park with their game-improvement irons in recent years. The Elyte Irons were a triumph, blending gorgeous looks, forgiveness and playability to cater to just about every level of player. Their successors, the Quantum Max, dial up the game-improvement factor while feeling absolutely incredible for a more affordable cast iron.

"The Quantum irons are incredible for off-centre strikes. You could just about miss the clubface altogether and still hit good shots!

"Callaway have once again delivered a wonderfully balanced game-improvement package with the Quantum Max irons, which deliver admirable performance in pretty much every facet of the game improvement sector." - Georgina Black, Equipment Editor

Cobra's 3DP irons are astonishing, and expensive

Cobra made some serious claims with their buzzy new 3D printed iron line-up for this year. Harnessing an internal 3D-lattice structure to unlock incredible forgiveness, the 3DP irons promised not just forged-level feel, but game-improvement-levels of forgiveness in a far more compact, workable profile.

To our great surprise, they delivered on basically every single claim. These irons really are that good. Catching us off guard as much as their performance, however, was their price, with a new set of 3DP irons retailing at over £2,000.

The 3DP lineup from Cobra is incredible. They're obviously at the very upper in terms of price point, but they've delivered what they've promised extremely well. - Georgina Black, Equipment Editor

PAYNTR's Golf Shoes really are that good

We'd heard pretty good things on the review circuit about upstart shoe brand PAYNTR. They look great, after all, but did the comfort and performance really live up to the hype? Absolutely, and after testing a couple of their models, it's easy to see just why the likes of Jason Day, Justin Rose and Min Woo Lee have all flocked to the brand.

"The SC delivers an uncanny blend of style, substance and genuine comfort. The upper is gorgeous and lends itself nicely to a classic-modern silhouette that other brands, try as they might, simply haven't been able to make work in such a way. 

"Add this to the the PAYNTR's incredible comfort, wonderful step-in feel and class-leading blend of support and stability, and you have what in our opinion might be the most complete golf shoe available right now." - Brad Nash, Reviews Editor

PING's G740 irons are absolute launch machines

While we typically associate PING with the purest player's irons around, their game-improvement offering continues to grow year-on-year. The G740s are the brand's first ever step into true super game improvement territory, and they blew us away with the distance they offer slower swingers.

"The G740 irons from PING are great, especially for the distance. "I don't think I've found a forgiving iron that goes that far while still maintaining descent angle." 

"With bags of forgiveness and launch, they'll prove an absolute tonic for players who really need that extra help getting the ball up in the air. They're pretty good-looking despite the larger profile, feel nice at impact for a club of this category, and deliver straight distance in spades." - Georgina Black, Equipment Editor

Takomo has made a massive leap with its irons

Takomo have been around for a fair while now, and while they've always earned plaudits for their style and price, many felt that the performance and feel of their most popular irons didn't quite hit the mark. Now though, with their second major generation of irons, they've taken a huge step forward in delivering a compelling, affordable alternative to the major OEMs.

"The new Takomos represent near unbeatable value – along with one of the best-looking offerings in the segment to boot. As a relatively low-risk entry point into golf equipment for beginner players and game-improvers, these irons will some beating in 2026 and are a must-try for budget-conscious golfers wanting an excellent set of irons to built their first proper bag around.

"I came away hugely impressed by Takomo's entire MKII range overall. The performance, looks and feel all line up with the big names at around half the price tag." - Georgina Black, Equipment Editor

Adidas's MC70 is an affordable, stylish banger

We were surprised when we learned that adidas's major shoe releases for 2026 were all going to be centred around a more affordable price point. The Adipower was okay, if a little chunky, but the MC70, which released shortly after, won us over immediately with its classic styling, grip and genuinely fun Boost/Lightstrike midsole combination.

The MC70 is one of those shoes I have to really dig deep to find anything to meaningfully critique. Is it quite as good-looking as the MC80 or a pair of FootJoys? Perhaps not, but given the MC70 rings in at £80 cheaper than the latter and is actually more comfortable straight out of the box, we can easily forgive that.

Beyond the looks, the MC70 delivers an incredible combination of comfort and stability that's hard to find elsewhere in shoe this price. Put simply, this is one of the best value golf shoes on the market right now. - Brad Nash, Reviews Editor

Tour Edge's Hot Launch drivers are beginner friendly weapons on a budget

Budget golf clubs rarely give you much to write home about, especially if you're a scratch golfer used to playing the best equipment in the world. Which is why Tour Edge's budget-conscious Hot Launch Max, which retails for less than £250, proved such an exciting find upon testing.

"If you're in need of a driver upgrade and your budget is super tight, you could do a lot worse than investing in the Tour Edge Hot Launch Max.

"The £239 price tag is insane, but it really is that solid for how much you pay. The feel and finishing isn't great – it looks like something from Sports Direct. But I was pretty blown away by how it performed. When caught well it produced distance, ball speed and spin numbers that we'd be impressed with testing a driver double its price." - Georgina Black, Equipment Editor

Wilson's Infinite ZT putters are unbelievable value

Any time a new piece of equipment comes along with a truly disruptive price tag, we're pretty skeptical. Thankfully, in the case of Wilson's new Infinite ZT putters, our concerns were quickly laid to rest. They're a true high-end zero torque putter, with a price tag of just £200. That's a game-changer.

"Wilson's Infinite ZT Putters are incredibly stable for the price tag. This is a true entry to the ZT world with none of the bugbears a lot of the more premium zero torque brands often lump you with. They're not overly huge, they're not weird-shaped, and most importantly they don't cost a fortune." - Georgina Black, Equipment Editor