Editors' Choice: The best golf equipment, apparel and accessories we reviewed this year

Another year, another pile of new golf gear.

With the rise in the number of new golfers post-pandemic, we've made a conscious effort to test and recommend (or not) more new golf equipment, products, accessories and gear than ever before to help golfers figure out what to buy.

It might sound glamorous getting sent new sunglasses, wedges and polos to use on the course, but the reality is it requires real work. Casual rounds of golf with friends are the best times for us to get out and test products. Some are so tech-heavy that they actually distract from what should be a fun and low-key day on the golf course. Other times shoes or shirts don't fit all that well. And putting new equipment into the bag can be downright ugly on the scorecard if the clubs don't feel or look right.

By our estimation, we tested more than 100 new products this year. By sharing our 10 favorites, we're essentially providing the top 10 percent of what crossed our desks in 2024. It's the stuff we stand by, so whether it's a holiday gift you're looking for or something for your own bag, these are the 10 items to consider buying:

I’m not going to sugarcoat it – Chervò makes expensive stuff, with both shirts and shorts typically nearing $200 each when released. But if there was ever a golf shirt to spend that amount of money on, it would be this Italian brand’s offerings. The 2024 Resort collection used water as its inspiration, and the wavy forms of the light- and deep-blue shirt I was given to review back in February is lightweight, breathable, stretchy and cool-looking. In other words, it’s the ideal golf shirt. I fully expect it to stand up to repeat washings for years. The only fussy aspect of Chervò’s garments is that they are not meant to be tumble-dried, so either simply hang them to dry or get out a drying rack for them and they’ll treat you well for a long time.

I could have listed the $600 USwing sunglasses I reviewed for our golf sunglasses buying guide this spring, but I have gotten many times more wear out of my pair of Scheydens in the months since I published the review. I wear them in the car every day and I have brought them with me on trips, afraid of losing the delicate and pricy USwings on the road somewhere. My preferred style is the full-frame Looper ($179), but the half-jacket CIA Grabber has found many supporters on the PGA Tour Champions (see photo above).

“Are those golf shoes?” – that’s a question numerous people have asked me when I’ve played golf in my pair of green Merrells, sent to me for review earlier this fall. They impressed me so much that they made me start to question whether golf-specific shoes are really necessary at all. Several outdoorsy brands have realized that their trail-oriented offerings can do double-duty on the course. The Moabs are very comfortable and, crucially, waterproof. So yes, they may come from a general outdoors brand, but they are golf shoes, too, and darn good ones at that.

To be fair, I haven’t really hit these clubs myself, but if you ask Alice Gavrich, aged 3 ½, she will give a positive review, if not necessarily an exhaustively thorough one. They’re well-built, they come in a snazzy golf bag and they’re blue – her favorite color. That's good enough for me to recommend them for any young golfer you have at home. The five-club "TOT" set ($189) - for golfers between 38 and 42 inches tall - is just right for my daughter at the moment.

The wild ride of Ben Hogan equipment took a new turn in 2024, releasing new classic-looking forged irons - the PTx line of irons. Playing rounds the PTx Tour irons with KBS Tour 90 regular flex steel shafts and standard Hogan Z5 grips served a reminder to me just how live modern equipment can feel. The ball just jumped, immediately adding roughly 5-7 yards per club. Although the brand suffered a closure in 2022, the "Hogan" name still carries plenty of weight no matter what generation of golfer you are. These hand-built sets come in different styles depending upon your skill level and tastes - Tour, Pro, Icon, Edge Ex and combo options, ranging from $699-$949, which is a bargain compared to other custom-built clubs.

My buddies and I celebrate birdies by tipping the whiskey. These High Camp Flasks are so much better than traditional flasks. The larger Firelight Flask ($129) holds up to 750ml of spirits, hot water or coffee. The kitchen-grade stainless steel interior never influences the flavor of what's inside and cleans easily to make sure you can fill it with whatever you want without any lingering tastes from what was previously inside. Its best feature is each end becomes a separate tumbler cup. I keep the much-smaller Torch Flask (6 ounces) in my bag ready to go for that next birdie putt.

Lululemon’s new ShowZero technology eliminates the appearance of sweat, keeping golfers cool and dry on the course. The ShowZero polo ($98) rates among of the most comfortable I've worn in my two decades of testing and reviewing golf polos. The fabric is stretchy, soft and feels entirely unique. I just wish it came in flashier styles than its current three-color lineup. Look for Lululemon to expand its golf offerings in the near future.

When Tiger was spotted wearing Costa Diego Sunglasses ($303) last fall, the brand had suddenly "arrived". An innovative vented spring hinge system maximizes airflow and enhances fit. The color-enhancing polarized 580 lenses deliver 100-percent UV protection.

While there are so many good rangefinders out there these days, only the original brand does great consistently. The new Bushnell Pro X3+ Laser Rangefinder ($599.99) addressed many of the minor inconveniences of past editions. My favorite new feature is the visual jolt - a red ring appearing in the view finder - that accompanies the vibrating jolt when you lock onto the pin. That doubles the assurance you've got the proper distance.

What's a favorite golf toy you bought this year? Let us know in the comments below.