As 2017 comes to a close, the promise of new golf clubs in 2018 is just around the corner. While many players will spring to try out the latest and greatest, the equipment released this year remains capable as ever. Maybe you’ve been playing with the same old clubs for a while, and are ready to try out some of the latest technology. Or maybe you finally have the extra cash to upgrade, but don’t want to jump right to the newest 2018 models and their price points. As we pointed out recently, buying used clubs is an excellent way to save money while still receiving great value.
Prices on used 2017 clubs will only continue to drop as the 2018 models are released. That makes the releases from this year the perfect path to a less expensive yet impactful boost to your game. But where to start? Thankfully, months of playing with 2017 models has allowed plenty of time for critical feedback and ratings online. We’ve compiled a list of some of the best clubs from this past year based on reviews from Golf Digest, Golf WRX, and Golf.com. For this list, we’ll look at drivers, fairway woods, hybrids, and irons.
Best 2017 DRIVERS
Callaway Great Big Bertha Epic/Sub Zero
Callaway’s driver innovation proved to be a huge hit, the green color-scheme standing out almost as much as its ability to increase ball speed. Golf Digest gave the club 5/5 stars for Performance, Innovation, and Look/Sound/Feel. The majority of GolfWRX users voted the GBB Epic and the Sub Zero version as the drivers of the year. Golf.com called it “A buzz-worthy bomber with rare distance and standout styling” and “One of the top drivers in its class.” And while we can’t personally endorse the playability of the club, it was one of the fastest sellers of the year for Golf Club Brokers.
TaylorMade M1 2017
Noted by Golf.com as one of the best all-around performers, the M1 2017 received praise for its level of adjustability and consistency. As with the Epic driver, Golf Digest gave M1 top marks in Performance, Innovation, and Look/Sound/Feel. GolfWRX ranked it as the third best driver of the year, just behind the M2. It was noted for giving testers some of their best numbers out of all tested 2017 drivers.
Best 2017 FAIRWAY WOODS
Titleist 917F2
The 917F2 was deemed a worthy successor to previous Titleist fairway woods, with GolfWRX stating in their review that it would be an easy transition for anyone who has used Titleist models before. Their review claims that the club is one of the best all-around fairway woods on the market. Their users rank it third among 2017 models. The 917F2 is one of only two 2017 woods to receive full marks from Golf Digest, and Golf.com calls the club “one of the best models tested”.
Callaway Great Big Bertha Epic
The other fairway wood that got 5/5 in Performance, Innovation, and Look/Sound/Feel from Golf Digest is the Great Big Bertha Epic. The Epic was a unanimously named the best fairway wood of the year by all three review sources. The Golf Digest review calls it “dynamite on a stick”, remarking that it was powerful but effortless to hit. GolfWRX users voted the GBB Epic as the best fairway wood of 2017. Golf.com ends their review with this high praise: “Nearly universally loved, the Callaway GBB Epic is the top model tested. It’s powerful, playable, accurate and looks great.”
Best 2017 HYBRIDS
Hybrids were more of a mixed bag when it comes to reviews this year. Few really stood head-and-shoulders above the rest. While there were certainly some that were notably better, our three review sources were mixed about which was best. So instead of us highlighting two standouts, take a look at a handful of hybrids that received positive reviews:
- Titlelist 816H1/H2
- Cobra King F7
- TaylorMade M1 2017
- Mizuno JPX 900
- Callaway Apex 2017
Best 2017 IRONS
In most reviews of irons, reviewers like to separate sets into two categories: players, and game-improvement. For this list, we’ll share the consensus top one or two sets for each category.
Players
Ping iBlade
The iBlade is the only Players iron from 2017 that Golf Digest gives five out of five in Performance, Innovation, and Look/Sound/Feel. Golf.com states that the iBlade “is rock-solid across the board, with a clean look, plenty of forgiveness and traditional Ping reliability.”
Titleist 716 AP2
Many of the compliments for the 716 AP2 are about the similarity to last year’s model. Testers were pleased that Titleist didn’t do too much to change it from the previous year’s model. While advancements were still made, the company was careful not to mess with the features that players’ were happy with. Golf Digest says that it was on of the top irons tested.
Game Improvement
Callaway Apex CF 16
The consensus #1 game improvement iron, according to all three review sources. Golf Digest gives exceedingly high praise, stating that “if there were a Mount Rushmore for game-improvement irons, this one would be on it.” Golf.com deems them best in show. And GolfWRX users voted it as the best game improvement iron of 2017.
Don’t forget to check out our store to find these and other great clubs in new and used condition!
*Please note that these clubs have not been tested and reviewed by Golf Club Brokers. This is simply a compilation of reviews from other reputable websites.
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