As someone who tests golf clubs for a living, I’m often asked about the best clubs ever made. It’s a tough question, as personal preference, technological advancements, lived experience, and emotion play a huge role. However, after countless rounds and swings over the years, I’ve narrowed down my top ten, picking two contenders in the categories of putters, wedges, irons, fairway woods, and drivers. Don’t agree with my selections? Be sure to let me know in the comments!
Putters
Choosing just two of the best putters was a challenge, with honorable mentions to classics like the Wilson 8802, the Ram Zebra, and even the Bullseye. But for sheer impact and influence, two stand out.
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First, the Ping Anser. Designed by Karsten Solheim in 1966, this putter is arguably the most copied golf club of all time. It pioneered perimeter weighting, a design feature that revolutionized putter stability. With over 500 tour wins, including 19 men’s major championships (and that’s not even counting the numerous copycat wins), its legacy is undeniable. The list of professionals who’ve wielded an Anser to victory is simply too long to mention! After a recent visit to the Ping gold putter vault, my admiration for the Anser and its achievements only increased after seeing the sheer volume of gold Ansers in that vault!
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The other choice for me would have to be the original Odyssey Two-Ball. I still vividly recall its launch in 2001-2002. It was a radical yet, in hindsight, remarkably obvious design, featuring two large white discs that instantly improved most people’s alignment. Its white hot insert provided an incredibly soft feel, and it remains in heavy use on tour today in various new designs. It truly changed how many golfers approached putting, a genuine classic.
Wedges
(Image credit: Future)
It simply isn’t possible here to ignore the behemoth of the wedge game over the past two decades, Vokey. There are so many models I could have gone with, but the Vokey SM4 gets my vote for the contemporary era. Bob Vokey consistently produces top-tier wedges, and while each generation has its merits, the SM4 was my favorite. It offered an incredibly soft feel, and while the shaping of Vokey wedges changes subtly year to year, the SM4 hit a sweet spot for me in terms of the address profile.
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While the modern wedge landscape is…
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