Confession Corner - Admit Your Golf Equipment Biases

[Golf Dawg]

I grew up in the era of persimmon drivers, blades, and a SW if your were lucky. My male parent had his own golf club store in the garage, with the latest and greatest readily available for him. 
 

I was fitted for HM919s by my instructor and love them. He fitted my wife with HM921s, so Mizuno irons and Beti/zuno putters get my vote. 

I played HS golf with OG Hogan irons and Power Bilt Citation persimmon woods and a Ping Anser putter. Sadly, two of them are gone. Ping was my second choice for irons when fitted, but the 919s became a part of my arms. 

I’ve had TM and Callaway irons (BB Fusions and M4s were nice, but not quite fitted right - from the used market. I have Cally, Adams, and Cobra woods in rotation - and like adjustability. 

I’ve always considered Titleist a “Country Club brand,” who were “proud“ price wise. That said, I have used Vokey SM7s in my bag and used SC putters in the rotation (NOTE: I AM a putter ho).

D2C brands are a toss up to me. Used to live near Tour Edge (who was a definite consideration for a whole bag fitting). I don’t know (or care) about the others. I definitely don’t care for pompous, border-line misogynistic marketing for clubs or politics. They may be the best clubs ever made, but I don’t suffer from low T, and not conspicuously consumed. 

There a a number of brands out there for everyone. You do you. Kumbaya.

[Rick Haggard]

[billybogey]

Wow!! Some good & helpful comments here!! At the end of day would probably choose PING. Yes; only Factory I been to, however, as a result have Trust & Confidence. Been playing for a long time, some of my Dude Friends would say too long!!. Know Big 4 but still Trust Ping!!

Do like Wilson too but for Ball!!

Just sayin'; Sports Fans!!

Billy Bogey

Edmonton Alberta

[TylorJudd]

1 hour ago, Middler said:

About a half dozen of the guys I play golf with regularly spend as much or more on cigars/round as they do (equivalent) greens fees. They go through 2-3 good cigars per round even if we tee of early, they don’t buy cheap cigars. I’m not a cigar smoker (anymore), but only because I’m too cheap…

I definitely won't use a $35 cigar for every round. If its a golf trip probably. Other wise there are high quality cigars for $10 a piece. I also will not smoke more than one a round. That is a heroic dose of tobacco.

[Andrew75]

I'm biased toward Japanese made forged distance irons. I love Epon, JBeam, Honma, Bridgestone, Yamaha and Mizuno. I've always wanted to try RomaroRay but never have. 

I'm biased toward Honma woods and Mizuno hybrids.

I avoid Taylor Made equipment at all cost.  I did use the "A"  ball, but reject the Tour Response ball. It went backwards. 

I've held a grudge against Titleist golf balls, but steadily find myself pulled between AVX and ProV1. I dislike Srixon Zstar and Maxfli tour golf balls. I can't dial in wedges with them. 

[JWK1969]

Interesting topic, and I certainly see biases when I'm out looking for clubs.  I tend to be a Mizuno fanboy, as I'm now playing my second set of their irons.  Their "woods" aren't as impressive to me as some others, but one thing I do like about Mizuno (and I'm sure plays a role in my positive bias towards their clubs) is that everything is "included" in the price of the club (other than some very exotic shafts or grips).  If the advertised price of the driver is $499, the shaft that best fits your swing is likely included in that $499.  

In contrast, while I do view Titleist favorably, too, pricing out their new TSR driver with the shaft best for my swing (though not at all an uncommon/exotic shaft) drove the price up to almost $900.  That takes a bit of shine away from Titleist for me.

For whatever reason, I've never been able to look down at a Ping club and like what I'm seeing.  Even as their club designs have gravitated to more "traditional" shapes, I still can't get comfortable over them.

Another negative bias I have relates to Cobra clubs.  I "know" they make excellent player's clubs (a friend plays their Forged lineup and loves them), I still can't get past the image of them as always being "old people" clubs.  And, yes, I am fully aware that I probably qualify as "old people" now.

The final bias I have is against all DTC clubs.  I'm sure sub70 and others make fine clubs and I've seen a lot of reviews/anecdotes on this site in favor of them, but due to a bad experience early in the DTC clubs days, I'm very averse to them.  I guess I just want to get my hands on them, swing them a few times, see what they look like at address, have them fitted in person, before I'm willing to commit $1K+ to them.

[Laker_Long]

I have a mental hang-up that requires me to play all the same brand.  I know I am not a tour player but something just feels wrong if they aren't all the same.  I have been a loyal Titleist user since the 731PM irons came out (yes, I am a lefty).  In hindsight, I realize I have tolerated some inferior drivers in the past which was evident when I switched from the 915D to the TS3.  Since that time, I believe that I haven't had to make any sacrifices in my equipment.

If I wasn't a Titleist guy, I would probably play Ping.  I am not a big fan of companies like Callaway and Taylormade- flashy designs and always trying to imply big improvements every year.

I really liked the image PXG was originally promoting as a super premium line.  It was exclusive and when someone at the club had it, everyone noticed.  The 0211 line has ruined that image making PXG a premium brand and a discount brand at the same time.  I bought a PXG 0211 driver for my son because it was $175 and I would continue to purchase from them at those prices while he is outgrowing clubs every two years. 

I also have an aversion to the color blue, so clubs or shafts with blue in them are out.   

[ORIGINAL SCARP]

I am a Titleist guy for irons (still using 2010 AP1 irons ) and a Taylor Made fan when it comes to woods. Hybrids are also Taylor Made and Cleveland wedges generally are my favorite. Although I have 14 putters I tend to like Taylor Made and Odyssey face balanced putters the best.

[pjaxx88]

Positive Bias

Cobra irons, I feel they have more distinction from some others like the copper finish.

Taylormade/ Callaway/Mizuno Drivers - General shape is always pleasing to the eye.

Putters - Ping mallets, Taylormade mallets 

Negative Bias

Titleist Driver/Woods - Never like the look in general or behind the ball.

Wilson irons - always feel very big behind the ball.

 

I am a bargain bucket golfer so never too picky but I have built my bag around most of these and a thinner top line behind the ball. Give me another few years and practice on short game and then I might be a wedge snob but not yet.

[null]

36 minutes ago, Laker_Long said:

I have a mental hang-up that requires me to play all the same brand.  I know I am not a tour player but something just feels wrong if they aren't all the same.  I have been a loyal Titleist user since the 731PM irons came out (yes, I am a lefty).  In hindsight, I realize I have tolerated some inferior drivers in the past which was evident when I switched from the 915D to the TS3.  Since that time, I believe that I haven't had to make any sacrifices in my equipment.

If I wasn't a Titleist guy, I would probably play Ping.  I am not a big fan of companies like Callaway and Taylormade- flashy designs and always trying to imply big improvements every year.

I really liked the image PXG was originally promoting as a super premium line.  It was exclusive and when someone at the club had it, everyone noticed.  The 0211 line has ruined that image making PXG a premium brand and a discount brand at the same time.  I bought a PXG 0211 driver for my son because it was $175 and I would continue to purchase from them at those prices while he is outgrowing clubs every two years. 

I also have an aversion to the color blue, so clubs or shafts with blue in them are out.   

Ha! I was like that for a loooong time.  Got a new Tmag driver?  Well now I need TMaG irons, wedges, putter, etc.  Did the same with Srixon, Callaway, etc.  

Took me a long time to get to the point where I was comfortable with a mixed bag, but the great thing about golf is that we all get enjoyment from different aspects of it.  Some only care about score.  Some only care about their equipment.  Some only care about just playing and don't care about their score or their equipment.  There is no wrong way to enjoy golf, and who ever is telling someone else they are enjoying golf incorrectly needs to get off his or her high horse!

[Mikedb26]

POSITIVE:  MIZUNO, SRIXON, PING, Titleist, EVNROLL 

MIZUNO irons are hard to beat, anything that they forge is pretty damn good, woods really have no idea

SRIXON thru the bag (irons and woods) close to MIZUNO, woods and hybrids are underrated.  Love my 3 & 5w

In all my years playing, probably have gamed every major manufacturer at one point.  PING & Titleist also on this side of the list, never had anything negative to say, all positive

NEUTRAL:  COBRA, TourEdge EXOTICS, PXG, Scotty Cameron, Callaway

Will always give props to EXOTICS, CB1 & 2 Fairways were excellent, original Tour Proto driver (2006) was a world beater.  New stuff have no idea, just a solid place in my heart.

PXG irons at the beginning felt like total crap, regardless of price at the time.  Have a Gen2 driver, have hit their latest couple models of irons, like them very much.  Yes their ads are a bit "annoying", but respect to someone to throw tons of money at a new golf company and still successful.

COBRA nice looking irons, ok woods, but seem kinda lost.  Paying Fowler probably tons, but the return on investment...  don't think I've come across anyone playing their irons, maybe a driver here and there.  Don't think they are junk, but nothing spectacular either.  Watched a few new reviews of the new driver, positive there, so we shall see.

Cameron makes beautiful works of art, still have my original Futura, not beautiful by any stretch, groundbreaking at the time and very different.  Like his stuff, status symbol, wall hangar, investment all come to mind though.  They perform but there are manufacturers that do it just as well for much less.

Callaway woods are all over the place, great, good, suck, indifferent, back to great.  EPIC was epic, then on to so so with Flash, Rogue absolutely sucked, Maverick so so again...  Waiting on the final say for PARADYM.  Irons to me are take 'em or leave 'em, nothing exciting or gorgeous 

NEGATIVE:  Taylor Made, WILSON, Tour Edge (non Exotics)

TM makes some incredible looking stuff no doubt, but I've had 2 sets of irons that have shattered or caved and dented 2 different driver faces (2014-2016 models)  so that's why I'm down on TM.  People love them, I will never spend money on them again.

WILSON is just whatever, too many other ventures to really concentrate on golf.  Driver v Driver show really hurt their brand.

Tour Edge is just cheap super duper game improvement 60mph swing speed old fart stuff.  We will all be there at some point, ask me then and it may be at the top of the heap and MIZUNO down here.   

[EasyPutter]

I CONFESS!!!

 I have absolutely no bias for or against any particular brand.   My bias is to what works well for me and I have tried a lot of experienced clubs in my just over decade of golf giving them a chance at being used again for their intended purpose.

 My bias is for low/no cost golf because my preference is to play golf more than worry about what I use to play golf.  Radical I know but I go out for my other bias of  being on a beautiful landscape manicured to idyllic design of peaceful delight.  The golf course is my peaceful place so having a set of clubs, the least requirement for going onto the golf course is low on my priority and if a club works for me then I don't care what label is stamped or emblazoned on the stick/club head/grip wherever.

 My bias against is for equipment that is advertised as the greatest thing since the rubber core golf ball that when bought becomes an albatross and I don't mean a double eagle.  The worst of those for me has been the Club Buddy that was going to mean I would never leave a club behind on a green again but in reality was so cumbersome it took away the serenity of the golf course and "being there" which is my #1 reason to golf.

 Put me down for bias for what works well and keeps my focus on moving a good ball in the right direction so that  nobody pays any attention to how quickly I play and thereby they pay no attention to how I play 

[ckeller52]

Garmin S62 and C10

Clicgear/Alphard

ECCO

Snell

So far as clubs go I really don't care as long as they perform for me. 

[DymnDog]

6 hours ago, No3Jacks said:

I don't have an equipment bias, I have a retail bias.  The all the clubs I play with are purchased on eBay.

THIS. There's nothing but the marketing claims of a new line that prove it's any better than previous years (and could be worse!). With the gift of hindsight and real world experience, I prefer to troll for used clubs that have become deemed solid equipment at a fraction of the retail price.

Golf magazines tell us we need new equipment to be better, but golf instructors hardly look in my bag. I think about that a lot. 

Edited January 18, 2023 by DymnDog

[ChuckZ]

When I started playing golf in 1985, at the age of 39, I never played Titleist because I felt that I was not good enough to play that brand, felt they were for scratch players only.  I started out playing Wilson Staff for a few years then moved on to Ping Eye 2.  Always played wood drivers to match my iron sets.  Over the next few years tried to buy a game as a number of golfers do who have not started the game correctly by going to a pro and getting lessons and maybe even getting fitted for a set of clubs.  Played component clubs, TaylorMade, Wilson (again), Titleist, Mizuno, Calloway, Nickent and Adams.  Always looking for improvement in my game.  I became a retail buyer, some of the manufacturer would change their clubs about every six months and would buy into that knowing it would help my game.  As I got older I think I got smarter.  I was talking to our pro one day and he suggested that I go to a fitting and picked up a new set of Wilson staffs and a lesson.  It changed my attitude and game.  I went to Titleist fitting and [purchased one of their drivers which was a 910D and really like the way it performed over all the others I had played.  Seemed RIGHT for me.  Nothing against what I had been playing, but the distance and accuracy were there.  Maybe the confidence and they did not change their equipment every six months.  That was the biggy for me.  At that point, I picked up a set of the original AP2s, second hand, not fitted and really liked them.  Played ok, but from them went to a fitting and the rest is history and never looked back.  Am now playing the 2020 T300 irons and they fit my game at the age of 76 and the rest of my set up is in my profile.  All the others I played over the years seemed to fit what I needed at that time, but Titleist seemed to offer me the most improvement in my game and I just love the feel of the equipment.  I do have two putters that I game.  A 2020 Special Select Newport 2 Scotty Cameron, 1* flat 35" and a 2022 Ping PLD Black Matte Milled Anser 35" that I game, all depending on the type and speed of the green.      

[Joneb]

I’ve been a loyal Mizuno iron player most of my life. Even though I’ve gone to other brands I always seem to go back to them. We’ll see how the Srixon ZX7s I’m going with this year work. I find Ping woods, putters and wedges are consistently good. You can never go wrong with Cleveland wedges and TM putters. 
 

I believe all major brands have excellent quality even though I haven’t had positive results with some of them. 

[KevinJ]

Ping for my driver and woods.  I had a Ping driver (G400) that the face developed a crack on.  While I had already purchased the G425 I called Ping and asked them about it to see if I had done something wrong.  They told me to take the club to a local Ping Rep and that they would look at it.  4 week later I was given a new Ping G425 driver. What I was impressed with is 2 details.  The club was out of warranty and event thought I was not thinking they would replace it with a new model or even at all, they stood behind their product and said this should never have happened.  

for the Irons, I love the Mizuno's.  I will be getting new irons this year, but I am leaning towards the new line of Mizuno irons. 

[homerun3]

The “yeps” are:

Titleist, Ping, Tour Edge, Evnroll, Callaway woods/hybrids 

The “Nopes” are:

Taylormade, Cobra, Callaway irons 

Neutral on the rest. If I tried and liked a neutral, I’d consider it. 

[Beakbryce]

I have pretty much been a Callaway buyer since I discovered Callaway preowned. Prior to that I owned Ping Eye 2 for 13 years. Right now I have mostly Callaway through the bag except for Vokey wedges. I think anyone can fit themselves in to Callaway adjustable woods and hybrids. The ease of changing shafts, changing loft, and the sliding weight is hard to improve upon. If I do my bit, the irons are good. Not butter mind you, I have swung better feeling clubs, but they just work which is all I need.

I have tried Ping clubs off and on. For me, other than the Eye 2, they don't work. I hated the shaft that was supposed to fit every swing. I know they have gotten away from that but looking down, for me, at any of their clubs is a turnoff. For me. My wife was fit by Ping and used a set of Pings for about 6 years. She loved them. I have slowly replaced those with Callaway woods and hybrids and new Cobra hybrid irons. Now she is complaining that her handicap is coming down. Jeepers! I still wonder how a re-imagined modern Eye 2 head with today's shafts would work.

I tried TM when they came out with the bubble shaft. Hated it. I was sent a free 7 iron to demo a couple of years later. The shaft head combo didn't work for me. I have tried various other TM clubs from friends but they just never felt right. Tried the new Stealth at a fitting event, observed no improvement over what I was hitting and they felt weird to me. TM and I just can't find a happy medium with their clubs.  The TP5 ball is okay, for me less length off the driver but longer off the irons so a wash.

I was working at a golf course in Idaho in 98 or 99, in the club pro program, when a Titleist rep showed up with new irons. I guess they were DCI? Anyway, loved them. Butter, am I right? Still remember the unlimited joy at hitting that 6 iron.  I was working as a assistant pro but the rep would only provide a discount to people that had already completed the program. I am one of those people that doesn't pay retail for anything. If I go looking for new irons, Titleist is on my list. Titleist as a company is top notch.

I was at a local event in 2019 and hit a couple of Mizuno clubs. There was only one rep and he was talking to some guy who claimed to be a 2 handicap and was spraying the ball all over the place. I was hitting lasers. Loved the clubs. The rep wouldn't give me the time of day. So see ya.

Boy, Bob Parsons on this thread is pretty polarizing.  I am a retired Marine so love him. If I go looking for new clubs, they are on my list. I live in the Phoenix area and they have a fitting center. If I look at new clubs, I am going there for sure. I play mostly at a military course. Plenty of buddies have availed themselves of the military discount available through PXG and love their clubs.

I live in a golf retirement community. I can't wait for reps to again show up with lots of clubs to demo. They stopped during Covid. Now they come by sometimes but you have to schedule a "fitting". They expect you to buy that day. Not for me. I just want to swing them, you know? See what's out there. Find that same wonderlust as that Titleist 6 iron.

 

 

[James L. Marshall]

My early days were filled with an inability to hit a driver.  Callaway Big Bertha broke that streak.  By happenstance I hit my buddy’s TaylorMade driver and been with the brand every since.  Currently playing Rocketballz, soon to be upgraded to Stealth2.  Callaway and Pings irons have filled my bag.  Had some early success with Tour Edge woods but have moved on.  Titleist equipment viewed favorably, but too expensive for my taste, which also rules out PXG.  Wilson, Mizuno, Srixon and others don’t have much chance of making my bag.  I am a dedicated Titleist ProV1x player however.

[garyt1957]

On 1/17/2023 at 12:42 PM, RickyBobby_PR said:

The shaft isn’t the engine 

 

Shaft Myth #1 – The shaft is the engine of the golf club 

If I had a dollar for every time I have heard this statement, I might not be rich, but I definitely would be able to go to a nice restaurant and enjoy a good dinner with a good bottle of wine! It is far more truthful to say that “the golfer is the engine,” while “the shaft is the transmission of the golf club.” 

A shaft does not create energy during the swing. It is simply the component that takes the energy generated by the golfer and transmits it to the clubhead to hit the ball. It is true that if certain elements of the shaft are not properly fit to the golfer’s specific swing characteristics, the golfer can lose distance by experiencing a lower clubhead speed or more off-center hits than he could generate from using a correctly fit shaft. At the same token, if the shaft is accurately fit, the golfer has a much better chance of fully optimizing his/her potential to hit the ball to the best of their ability. 

Performance wise, the shaft, 1) can affect the dynamic loft of the clubhead at impact within a narrow range of 2 to 3 degrees, but only for those golfers with a later to very late release; 2) will chiefly control the total weight of the club, which in turn can have an effect on the golfer’s clubhead speed, 3) can affect some golfers’ (not all) confidence and swing consistency by displaying a “bending feel” during the swing that is either more preferred or less preferred by the golfer. That’s it, that’s the full list of what the shaft can do.

You might be right but it's semantics. When someone says the shaft is " the engine " or "the transmission " or "the whatever" we all understand that they're saying the shaft is more important than the head. Maybe they should just say that.

[gard51]

I won't play any club that I don't make / assemble myself and that is not fit by me for me.  I distrust some fitters and many assembly workers for most OEMs.  

Edited January 19, 2023 by gard51

[Schlacky]

Positives:

Cobra: Fanboy of Cobra. Gaming F9 Irons and an LTDx Driver right now. 

Ping: Something about Ping Putters I love even though I’m gaming an Odyssey StrokeLab.
 

Ping Glide Wedges are permanently in the bag until I find something as forgiving and perform as well. 
 

Cleveland: First real set I bought myself was Cleveland Irons (TA5) so I have a soft spot for them. 

Negatives:

Taylor Made: I dislike everything Taylor Made has ever come up with… It might be because I grew up in the generation of the burner driver and it looked, sounded, and felt like trash to me…. I just can’t put a Taylor Made club in my hand and enjoy it. Also, all of their stock options are super light weight (IMO) and I don’t like that feel for myself either.

 

Neutral:

Titleist: made for better players than me, but don’t dislike their stuff.

Callaway: solid stuff just never love the look/feel.

 

Curious:

I have never played Mizuno or Srixon clubs. Love the look and should probably test them out.  
 

Putters: Forever in search of a new putter to try or add to my collection…

 

 

[darbster]

I'll fully admit to full-on Ping bias for as long as I've been playing but mostly due to how much I enjoy playing them. I've recently developed the same affinity for PXG because I think their DTC model is fantastic and a great way to buy clubs and my switch to their driver (and going through their fitting process) changed my game dramatically. 

My Ping Fairway and Irons have been a mainstay in my bag for going on 10 years

For wedges, I'm always pro-Vokey and have loved the 2 that I've owned.  

Putters, Ping used to be the king for me but Odyssey, Scotty, Evnroll have all jumped up my bias meter

Titleist and Ping have always been among the best all-round brands from a perception/bias standpoint.  I don't really have any true 'negative' brand perception but definitely think certain ones aren't 'me' - Honma & Wilson to name two... But I can't say I have a negative view of any of the 'Big 5' brands

I've definitely become strongly opposed to buying equipment off the rack going forward.  

In the clothing space, Bias toward Travis Mathew, Peter Millar and Adidas.  Nike from head to toe has never fit me well so it's more a 'not for me' than a negative connotation...

 

[RickyBobby_PR]

2 hours ago, garyt1957 said:

You might be right but it's semantics. When someone says the shaft is " the engine " or "the transmission " or "the whatever" we all understand that they're saying the shaft is more important than the head. Maybe they should just say that.

Incorrect saying it’s the transmission indicates the shaft isn’t as important as those who think it’s the engine.

[Tom the Golf Nut]

Absolutely no bias to anything. If it works well for me it stays in the bag. If it doesn't its out of the bag within a few rounds. But I admit to being research driven. Never any impulse buys. All reviews are read and picked apart, then I note what had all good reviews. I store that information for purchase once the new model release comes out. I typically buy a model year old at 50% off somewhere. It's not that I'm cheap but having been in manufacturing my entire career, I know the costs and markups. Golf and Automotive have ridiculous markups. So it's my way of feeling like I got one over on them. Even thought they still made a profit I feel better. 

[Andrew75]

I'm biased toward Japanese made forged distance irons. I love Epon, JBeam, Honma, Bridgestone, Yamaha and Mizuno. I've always wanted to try RomaroRay but never have. 

I'm biased toward Honma woods and Mizuno hybrids.

I avoid Taylor Made equipment at all cost.  I did use the "A"  ball, but reject the Tour Response ball. It went backwards. 

I've held a grudge against Titleist golf balls, but steadily find myself pulled between AVX and ProV1. I dislike Srixon Zstar and Maxfli tour golf balls. I can't dial in wedges with them. 

Ping doesn't appeal because they're cast for the most part and stock shafts are atrocious.

I like how Japanese are so precise with shaft flex and weight. Try finding a stock 54 gram stiff fairway or driver.  Taylor made, for instance reduces weight and flex at same time, so you go from 70 x, 60 s, and 50 r. That's so backward. My sweet spot driver shafts are between 60r and 50s, and hybrids are 70r. The Japanese aftermarket has amazing selection on stock shaft.

I am bias against Dynamic Gold shafts and vastly biased in favor of NS Pro.

I'm biased against Winn grips. They're disgusting. 

[Tom54]

Positive: 

Callaway - have had 4 drivers, countless hybrids, wedges, using 6 year old irons, and even a Toulon putter. My most positive company. 

TaylorMade - first driver, and possibly my favorite irons ever, the RocketBladez

Titleist - original AP1 irons. And or course, a ball or two you may have heard of.

NIKE - yes. Slingshot irons FTW

 

Negative:

Mizuno - fitted for the 919 JPX HMP. Hit them so bad and so sideways I almost stopped playing. Finally gave up on them and put my old Callaways back in and now I’m back to being at least competent. 
 

PING - spent more than I care to remember on a fitted Ping driver. Ditched it in a year. 
 

And yes, I realize negative feelings about Ping and Mizuno make me an alien in the MGS community. 
 

To be perhaps fair, though, it’s entirely possible the particular boutique fitters I went to put me in the wrong clubs, or more likely in the wrong shafts. But the performance of the irons has more or less scared me off from Mizuno, and more importantly, from boutique fitters. Can’t waste money on equipment like that. 

Edited January 19, 2023 by Tom54

[RichL85]

Positives. 

I've always liked Cobra and Ping for drivers and fairways. Never actually owned either, but enjoyed hitting multiple models from both brands over the years. 

Love Cobra for hybrids. The old Baffler DWS was one of my favorite hybrids I've ever hit. I also really like my PXG hybrids that I currently have. 

I am definitely a Srixon fan when it comes to irons ever since my I-701s. They had a special feel. I've spent a lot of time loving the look of Mizuno irons, but never really hit them all that well for whatever reason. 

I don't have any real positive bias for putters. I love the look of the standard Anser style putters, but I accept that they aren't the best fit for me. I've grown to like the look of my PXG Spider-lookalike putter. 

Negatives. 

Mizuno for drivers, fairways, and hybrids. They never really caught my eye visually and I've always felt like their performance wasn't where I wanted it to be. 

Callaway for irons. They perform fine, but man they make some chunky looking irons. 

I might be an outlier here, but I'm not a fan of Vokey wedges. Can't even say why, just never had much success with them.

Negative bias toward Scotty Cameron putters. I just don't get them. That's a personal thing on me, but yeah, it is what it is. 

Biggest negative bias towards marketing is hands down PXG. They have, by far, the most obnoxious marketing and advertising, and don't get me started on the stupid price of their clothes. They make some solid clubs though. 

[Splatt]

Positives

Love my Cobra driver. It just feels so powerful when I catch it right, and even when I slightly toe or heel it, I don't lose a heap of distance and it still feels controllable. I've also had a hit with the Cobra SZ fareway and hybrid and I think I definitely need to complete the set.

Big fan of Taylormade wedges, I have a gap and a lob in Taylormade (my 58 degree lob is probably my favourite club in my bag), and again, I think I need to complete the set and get a Taylormade PW and SW.

 

Negatives

PXG anything. I'll admit I've never had a swing of any PXG clubs, but my god, those visuals! All of their clubs look like something I would have designed in crayon when I was 6. What makes a golf clubs better and faster? More obnoxious weights, of course!

And, a bit of a controversial one here, but the Pro V1 golf ball. I'm sure it's because they're probably not suited to my swing speed and ratty technique, but I've had some of the worst rounds of my life with a Pro V1. Now they just give me the heebie jeebies even looking at them. The first tee box can be intimidating enough without teeing it up with a golf ball actively working against me.