We have an injured soldier this week. Despite looking like he's in his late 20s, Joe is decaying at the standard rate for someone in their early 40s, and as such suffered a back injury in the lead-up to this week's show. Luckily, we have a super sub waiting in the wings. So, for the first time, we welcome fellow Golf Monthly equipment tester Sam De'Ath onto the show. We've mentioned Sam in passing on many episodes as our chief fairway wood and hybrids tester amongst other things. So, with Sam on this week, we thought it made sense to take a deep dive into the latest fairway woods on offer. We break down this large category by looking at the most forgiving options, best for sound & feel and best for distance before crowning our overall winner. Of course, there's also an Ask The Pod and this week we help a listener from Down Under with a query about his muddled bag set-up. Enjoy! Get in touch with Dan and Joe and Ask The Pod via our email kickpointpodcast@futurenet.com We're now on YouTube! Watch full episodes at: https://www.youtube.com/@KickPointGolf We're also now on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kickpointgolf/?hl=en Check out our full reviews of all the equipment mentioned in this week's episode here: https://www.golfmonthly.com/reviews Get three issues of Golf Monthly magazine for just £5 at https://www.magazinesdirect.com/kickpoint
Get in touch with Dan and Joe and Ask The Pod via our email kickpointpodcast@futurenet.com We're now on YouTube! Watch full episodes at: https://www.youtube.com/@KickPointGolf We're also now on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kickpointgolf/?hl=en We're back in the studio this week with special guest Ludvig Aberg who talks us through the ins and outs of his equipment choices. The world number six joined us back in October last year to chat about his relationship with relatively new sponsor Titleist and his close relationship with Adidas golf. Before all that we've got in-depth reviews of the gorgeous new Mizuno Pro S3 and JPX925 Forged irons and a full round-up of the Wilson Dynapower family of drivers, fairways and hybrids. Check out our full reviews of all the equipment mentioned in this week's episode here: https://www.golfmonthly.com/reviews
It's our first every 'emergency' episode! Of course, there's no such thing as a real emergency when you're running a golf equipment podcast, but a busy week for Dan in Florida meant we had to sit down for a catch-up. Because of that, we're on our laptops today and no in the studio - so we apologise in advance for the less-than-perfect sound quality we usually pride ourselves on. So, coming up this week, we've got all of the down low on what it's like to be inside the TGL arena and a behind-the-scenes look at all of the best (and worst) equipment we saw at the PGA Show. Why does TGL insist on using a Full Swing Kit as its launch monitor? Do players change their equipment to play TGL? And are Cobra bringing our favourite iron to the masses in 2025? All of this and more are answered this week. Enjoy!
0:00 Intro waffle 2:55 Srixon ZXi drivers: What are they all about? 7:04 ZXi driver technology 10:22 ZXi looks 16:30 ZXi drivers summary 17:22 Srixon ZXi drivers review 23:47 Sirxon ZXi fairways & hybrids review 26:11 Srixon ZXi utility iron review 33:26 Srixon ZXi7 iron review 38:39 Srixon ZXi5 iron review 45:06 Srixon ZXi4 iron review 49:30 Ask The Pod - Best driver set up for slower swing speed golfer... While the Big Five have announced their driver range for 2025, there is still a big and largely underrated brand we have yet to discuss: Srixon. Its new ZXi range is huge and includes three drivers, a fairway wood, a hybrid, a utility iron and three new irons. We get stuck into the depths of the new range and try to work out why Srixon doesn't pull the weight it should in the golf game. There's also a very in-depth Ask The Pod this week focussing on the options for a golfer whose swing speed is sub 90mph, focussing on the shaft and fitting options available.
Another big dog has entered the chat. Ping has arrived with its new G440 family of golf clubs. After a two-year wait since G430, has the brand been able to elevate what was one of the most successful and popular club families in its history? We've got our in-depth verdicts on the whole driver family, fairway woods, hybrid and new game improvement irons too. In a bid to include some non-new-release content, Ask The Pod is also back this week with a question from a very mysterious listener with two different aliases. They ask, why doesn't every golfer use some form of game-improvement iron to get the most forgiveness possible? Get in touch with Dan and Joe and Ask The Pod via our email kickpointpodcast@futurenet.com We're now on YouTube! Watch full episodes at: https://www.youtube.com/@KickPointGolf We're also now on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kickpointgolf/?hl=en Further Reading: https://www.golfmonthly.com/reviews/drivers/ping-g440-sft-driver-review https://www.golfmonthly.com/reviews/drivers/ping-g440-lst-driver-review https://www.golfmonthly.com/reviews/drivers/ping-g440-max-driver-review https://www.golfmonthly.com/reviews/irons/ping-g440-iron-review https://www.golfmonthly.com/reviews/hybrids/this-new-club-can-hit-all-the-shots-and-is-a-must-try-this-year https://www.golfmonthly.com/reviews/fairways/ping-g440-max-fairway-wood-review https://www.golfmonthly.com/reviews/fairways/ping-g440-lst-fairway-wood-review
Back in the autumn, you may remember Joe saying, ' I've seen a new club coming out that I like looks of so much, it is going in my bag no matter what the performance is like.' Well, that club is here, and it's called TaylorMade Qi35. In this episode, we're bringing you our in-depth review and verdict of all five (yes, five) new driver heads, three fairways & the lone new hybrid. We'll go over all the new tech and Joe will give his thoughts on each model as it sits in the new range. Let us know how you're feeling about release season! Are you interested in all the new clubs coming out, or is it much of a muchness to you? Remember, you can get in touch with us via our email below with any opinions or thoughts on the show - we'd love to hear from you! We'll return to our normal programming by the end of the month! Get in touch with Dan and Joe and Ask The Pod via our email kickpointpodcast@futurenet.com We're now on YouTube! Watch full episodes at: https://www.youtube.com/@KickPointGolf We're also now on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kickpointgolf/?hl=en Further reading: https://www.golfmonthly.com/reviews/drivers/taylormade-qi35-driver-review https://www.golfmonthly.com/reviews/fairways/taylormade-qi35-max-fairway-wood-review https://www.golfmonthly.com/reviews/fairways/taylormade-qi35-tour-fairway-wood-review https://www.golfmonthly.com/reviews/drivers/taylormade-qi35-ls-driver-review https://www.golfmonthly.com/reviews/drivers/taylormade-qi35-max-driver-review https://www.golfmonthly.com/reviews/hybrids/taylormade-qi35-hybrid-review https://www.golfmonthly.com/reviews/fairways/i-didnt-think-the-perfect-golf-club-existed-until-i-hit-this-one
Happy New Year! As is customary at the start of a new calendar year, new drivers are launching. The first to go in 2025 is Callaway and in this episode, we take a deep dive into the new Elyte range. You've likely already seen images of them online, and it's fair to say the new range has been taking a bit of heat for the design. But, can Elyte battle back by being one of the best-performing drivers of the year? Joe has been busy testing all three drivers and the new game improvement irons and will give his full, in-depth verdict here. Get in touch with Dan and Joe and Ask The Pod via our email kickpointpodcast@futurenet.com We're now on YouTube! Watch full episodes at: https://www.youtube.com/@KickPointGolf We're also now on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kickpointgolf/?hl=en Get three issues of Golf Monthly magazine for just £5 at www.magazinesdirect.com/kickpoint Further reading: https://www.golfmonthly.com/reviews/drivers/callaway-elyte-driver-review https://www.golfmonthly.com/reviews/drivers/callaway-elyte-triple-diamond-driver-review https://www.golfmonthly.com/reviews/drivers/callaway-elyte-x-driver-review https://www.golfmonthly.com/reviews/irons/callaway-elyte-irons-review https://www.golfmonthly.com/reviews/irons/callaway-elyte-x-irons-review https://www.golfmonthly.com/reviews/fairways/callaway-elyte-x-fairway-wood-review https://www.golfmonthly.com/reviews/hybrids/callaway-elyte-hybrid-review
We're on the road this week, bringing you a special episode from inside the Precision Golf Fitting Centre in Surrey. Joe has mentioned the studio several times in previous episodes (he used to work at Precision Golf too!) so we thought it was time we took a deep dive into what an independent fitting centre is and why Precision Golf is so revered in the fitting industry. We'll chat about how the studio works, what advantages you might get from being fitted at an independent studio, and just what makes them so different from any other fitting centres. We're also joined by Precision Golf owner Simon Cooper who takes charge of this week's explainer, looking at shaft frequency and shaft analysers. There's also time for an Ask The Pod and this week we're asked how to go about building the perfect half-set and if it's possible to be fit for just half a set of clubs. Thanks for downloading and Happy New Year from Dan, Joe and the whole Kick Point team! Get in touch with Dan and Joe and Ask The Pod via our email kickpointpodcast@futurenet.com We're now on YouTube! Watch full episodes at: https://www.youtube.com/@KickPointGolf We're also now on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kickpointgolf/?hl=en Get three issues of Golf Monthly magazine for just £5 at www.magazinesdirect.com/kickpoint
It's the last Friday before Christmas and we were feeling the perfect mixture of festive and silly to bring you the first annual Pointy Awards (see what we did there?) to commemorate the year in equipment. Awards handed out include: Most Innovative/Disruptive Release, Best Equipment Change, Most Innovative Use Of A Golf-Specific Product Off The Golf Course, Best Costume Design & The Rising Star. Enjoy the episode and Merry Christmas from Dan, Joe and the whole Kick Point team! Get in touch with Dan and Joe and Ask The Pod via our email kickpointpodcast@futurenet.com We're now on YouTube! Watch full episodes at: https://www.youtube.com/@KickPointGolf We're also now on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kickpointgolf/?hl=en Get three issues of Golf Monthly magazine for just £5 at www.magazinesdirect.com/kickpoint
Cobra's newest family of drivers, fairways, hybrids and irons are here, and we're here to break down everything you need to know about DS-Adapt! From all the new tech to the results of Joe's extensive testing, it's all here this week. We've dedicated the whole episode to the new range as Dan and Joe dive into all of the technical details and their opinions on the performance of the new clubs as we herald the start of driver launch season. We're now on YouTube! Watch full episodes at: https://www.youtube.com/@KickPointGolf We're also now on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kickpointgolf/?hl=en Get three issues of Golf Monthly magazine for just £5 at www.magazinesdirect.com/kickpoint Further reading: https://www.golfmonthly.com/reviews/drivers/cobra-ds-adapt-ls-driver-review https://www.golfmonthly.com/reviews/drivers/cobra-ds-adapt-max-k-driver-review https://www.golfmonthly.com/reviews/drivers/cobra-ds-adapt-max-d-driver-review https://www.golfmonthly.com/reviews/drivers/cobra-ds-adapt-x-driver-review https://www.golfmonthly.com/reviews/fairways/cobra-ds-adapt-x-fairway-wood-review https://www.golfmonthly.com/reviews/fairways/cobra-ds-adapt-ls-titanium-fairway-wood-review https://www.golfmonthly.com/reviews/fairways/cobra-ds-adapt-max-fairway-wood-review https://www.golfmonthly.com/reviews/irons/cobra-ds-adapt-iron-review
We're now on YouTube! Watch full episodes at: https://www.youtube.com/@KickPointGolf We're also now on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kickpointgolf/?hl=en Brace yourselves for the biggest (and best?) episode of Kick Point to date. It's a bumper episode, so settle in for the ride. Building on last week's head-to-head versus old and new driver generations, we've put three different brands head-to-head in the ultra-competitive compact distance iron category. It's an epic three-way pitting the TaylorMade P770, Callaway Apex Pro and Mizuno Pro 245 against each other. Joe has tested all of them and gives his verdict on each iron across multiple categories and Dan comes up with a new scoring system that we'll politely call 'ad-hoc' for now. This week's Ask The Pod is likely the most philosophical question we've received as a listener enquires whether he should buy a set of blades despite his 18 handicap ability - what do we buy golf clubs for if not to enjoy them? Then, YouTuber James Robinson joins us for a What's In The Bag special. As a content creator who reviews pretty much every club there is to be reviewed, what does a man with the ultimate choice decide put into his bag? He joins Joe for a conversation about his equipment and spends some time discussing wider equipment topics. Thanks to James for joining us! You can find him on: YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@JamesRobinsonGolf Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jamesrobbogolf/?hl=en Further reading: https://www.golfmonthly.com/reviews/irons/taylormade-2024-p770-iron-review https://www.golfmonthly.com/reviews/irons/mizuno-pro-245-iron-review https://www.golfmonthly.com/reviews/irons/callaway-2024-apex-pro-iron-review
With the Titleist GT range being the newest driver family currently on the market (more to come on this in January...) we thought it would be a good time to compare it to its older sibling, the TSR. How much, if any, gains were made in Titleist's newest driver offering and what changes were made in the new design? The Ask The Pod wanted to know what our favourite clubs we've ever used are. While Dan only has one club he's got much affinity for, Joe has used so many in his long career that he runs us through a whole bag of his favourites - stick around for a particular story about a trip to Orlando... Finally, we get stuck into another retro What's In The Bag and dive into the clubs Sir Nick Faldo used to win the 1996 Masters.
While we remain in the equipment Twilight Zone, Joe has decided once again to get all philosophical about golf equipment. He's questioning everything about how the golf bag is set up. Why don't we carry two drivers? Why do we use so many irons? This week, he gives some out-of-the-box suggestions for how we should think about making the most of all 14 clubs in the bag. This week's Ask The Pod is seeking buying advice. As a 10 handicapper looking to get down into single figures, what are the best irons on the market right now? Joe offers up some options to help whittle down the search. Finally, though we're in equipment purgatory, we're confident that Billy Horschel's clubs will be locked in place for at least the next few months, so we thought it would be a good time to investigate the goings-on in his equipment. Broadly a Titleist man, he switched to the new GT driver at the end of the summer - but what else lurks in the former Florida Gator's bag? Get in touch with Dan and Joe and Ask The Pod via our email kickpointpodcast@futurenet.com You can also WATCH every episode in full at www.golfmonthly.com/features/kick-point-the-golf-gear-show-every-single-episode Get three issues of Golf Monthly magazine for just £5 at www.magazinesdirect.com/kickpoint Further reading: https://www.golfmonthly.com/reviews/irons/ping-i530-iron-review https://www.golfmonthly.com/reviews/irons/mizuno-pro-245-iron-review https://www.golfmonthly.com/reviews/irons/titleist-t150-iron-review https://www.golfmonthly.com/reviews/irons/callaway-2024-apex-pro-iron-review https://www.golfmonthly.com/best-golf-deals/mid-handicap-irons-96139 https://www.golfmonthly.com/best-golf-deals/best-irons-for-low-handicappers-213078
We’ve got something a little different for you on this week’s episode - our first retro WITB. As we’re entering a period with new equipment being seeded into players' bags (which we can't talk about until embargoes lift), we thought we’d pause the modern WITBs and dive into some retro ones - and where better to start than with Tiger Woods? Joe focuses specifically on the clubs he used to win the 1997 Masters, a tournament he won by 12 shots with no less than four different manufacturers in the bag. We're also popping Tested This Week on the back burner for the next few episodes as we can’t quite reveal to you what we’re currently testing, so Joe decided to lead a history lesson on some of the best and worst equipment switches in modern history. Think Justin Rose's move to Honma, the Pro V1's first every victory and Mickelson's pre-Ryder Cup club switch. Finally, this week's Ask The Pod seeks advice on trying different grip sizes and types and Joe thinks he has the solution... Get in touch with Dan and Joe and Ask The Pod via our email kickpointpodcast@futurenet.com You can also WATCH every episode in full at www.golfmonthly.com/features/kick-point-the-golf-gear-show-every-single-episode Get three issues of Golf Monthly magazine for just £5 at www.magazinesdirect.com/kickpoint
It's a mega episode for you this week as we dive into Adam Scott's bag. Though he's now known for being one of the biggest tinkerers in the game, there was a time when he didn't change a single club in the bag for years at a time. Joe examines each club in the Australian's bag (at the time of recording) and the story of when and why he finally started to change clubs. Before all of that, we've got an explainer on compression in golf balls while the Tested This Week looks at PXG's latest Xtreme range of golf balls, a new bag from Big Max and a golf shoe described by Joe as the lovechild of a Nike Air Force 1 and a Croc. Finally, this week's Ask The Pod features some of our favourite products of the year that aren't golf clubs, including rangefinders, shoes and apparel we've been enjoying in 2024. Get in touch with Dan and Joe and Ask The Pod via our email kickpointpodcast@futurenet.com You can also WATCH every episode in full at www.golfmonthly.com/features/kick-point-the-golf-gear-show-every-single-episode Get three issues of Golf Monthly magazine for just £5 at www.magazinesdirect.com/kickpoint Further reading: https://www.golfmonthly.com/reviews/balls/pxg-xtreme-golf-ball-review https://www.golfmonthly.com/reviews/laser/voice-caddie-laser-fit-rangefinder-review https://www.golfmonthly.com/reviews/shoes/ecco-street-720-golf-shoe-review https://www.golfmonthly.com/reviews/balls/taylormade-2024-tp5x-golf-ball-review
Get in touch with Dan and Joe and Ask The Pod via our email kickpointpodcast@futurenet.com You can also WATCH every episode in full at www.golfmonthly.com/features/kick-point-the-golf-gear-show-every-single-episode After seeing the Cobra Limit3d irons secure their first win on Tour in the bag of Angel Hidalgo, we start this week's episode with a slightly unplanned chat about innovation in golf club manufacturing. With the emergence of the PXG Allan zero torque putter and multiple manufacturers launching 10k MOI drivers at the start of 2024 we ask, is it okay that golf club manufacturers end up going down the same path of innovation whether they came up with the idea or not? Meanwhile, Joe's been testing Fujikura's latest invention. It's a potential 'difficult second album' for a product that has been almost universally well-received and Joe gives his verdict on the sequel. He then gets stuck into this week's explainer, which is all about putter necks and what each style does to a putter's characteristics. Finally, Joe dives into the bag of Lydia Ko, current AIG Women's Open champion and Olympic Gold Medalist. After we chatted about the differences between professional men's and women's club specs last week, we thought it would be a good idea to take a proper look inside the bag of one of the best golfers in the game. Get three issues of Golf Monthly magazine for just £5 at www.magazinesdirect.com/kickpoint
Get in touch with Dan and Joe and Ask The Pod via our email kickpointpodcast@futurenet.com You can also WATCH every episode in full at www.golfmonthly.com/features/kick-point-the-golf-gear-show-every-single-episode Another busy episode this week, thanks for joining us! To start, Dan has a James Bond-themed show-and-tell from a recent trip to Stoke Park. The name's Pride, Golf Pride... Meanwhile, Joe's been testing a viral training aid called 'The Butter Blade' and explains how using something that makes practice harder could be the key to better golf out on the course. This week's explainer focuses on the difference between professional men's and women's clubs. Having both watched the AIG Women's Open and Solheim Cup over the end of the summer, we wanted to discuss the key differences between the specs of men's and women's clubs and how most amateur golfers might be better served looking in the bags of LPGA Tour players for an ideal set up and spec sheet. Our Ask The Pod this week comes from Matthew, who wants to know how he can be sure he's getting a good fitting service next time he buys a new club. Joe gives him some easy questions you can ask to make sure the fitter you're going to knows what they're doing. Finally, our WITB deep dive this week looks into Sahith Theegala's bag. The charismatic American has only been on the Tour for two years, yet he's felt like something of a regular atop leaderboards on the PGA Tour. He also has two 8-irons in this bag, what's that all about? Further reading: www.golfmonthly.com/reviews/golf-tech-and-training-aids/could-this-miniature-training-aid-be-the-key-to-improving-your-iron-play Get three issues of Golf Monthly magazine for just £5 at www.magazinesdirect.com/kickpoint
You thought our run of interviews was over. We thought our run of interviews was over. That was until Matt Fitzpatrick invited us for an in-depth chat about his golf clubs at a recent Skechers event in London. While Joe covered his clubs extensively in an episode a few months ago, his in-person chat with Matt allowed him to ask some of the questions left unanswered by his research while also diving into the equipment changes he's made over the late summer. Also this week, Joe explains exactly what CG is in a golf club and how it affects ball flight, Dan has a new GPS watch that might have too much data and our best Ask The Pod to date asks us, 'What should I invest in first - lessons to get my swing in good shape before buying new clubs, or new clubs so I can make sure I'm learning with the correct equipment?' There's also a guest appearance from Ozzy Osbourne, sort of... Get in touch with Dan and Joe and Ask The Pod via our email kickpointpodcast@futurenet.com You can also WATCH every episode in full at https://www.golfmonthly.com/features/kick-point-the-golf-gear-show-every-single-episode Further reading: https://www.golfmonthly.com/reviews/gps/voice-caddie-t11-pro-gps-watch-review https://www.golfmonthly.com/reviews/accessories/prgr-portable-launch-monitor-review https://www.golfmonthly.com/reviews/accessories/rapsodo-mobile-launch-monitor-review
Did you really think our series of What's In The Bag interviews was over? In what can only be described as a scheduling error on Dan's part, we (Dan) forgot to publish this episode we recorded in late August featuring our interview with Martin Kaymer - so here it is! Not only do you have a deep dive into the two-time Major winner's bag to enjoy, but Joe also explains why he thinks the new PuttOut AirBreak putting mat is a revolutionary new product for at-home putting practice. Finally, in an explainer that should've probably come a lot earlier to the podcast, we take a look atswing weight, what is effects and how to better understand which swing weight best suits your game. Get in touch with Dan and Joe and Ask The Pod via our email kickpointpodcast@futurenet.com You can also WATCH every episode in full at https://www.golfmonthly.com/features/kick-point-the-golf-gear-show-every-single-episode Further reading: https://www.golfmonthly.com/reviews/golf-tech-and-training-aids/puttout-airbreak-putting-mat-review
This week, Joe gives us his insight into how to build your very own club workshop, we explain what the data you see on a launch monitor actually means, Dan tests the new Adidas Codechaos shoes AND Louis Oosthuizen joins us for a what's in the bag special. It's another jam-packed episode, hope you enjoy it! Get in touch with Dan and Joe and Ask The Pod via our email kickpointpodcast@futurenet.com You can also WATCH every episode in full at https://www.golfmonthly.com/features/kick-point-the-golf-gear-show-every-single-episode Further reading: https://www.golfmonthly.com/reviews/shoes/adidas-codechaos-25-golf-shoe-review