Instant Gratification

Lessons will surely fix some of your game's deficiencies, but new equipment can sometimes be a quicker, easier remedy. Here's a roundup of some of the year's best.

BY SCOTT KRAMER | Photography by R.J. Hinkle

IF YOU WANT TO POUND TEE SHOTS INTO OBLIVION ...

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Cleveland Golf Classic XL Custom driver
Armed with golf's largest and deepest clubface, plus an immense sweet spot, you'll probably have better luck outdriving your buds with this one. You can adjust the hosel and weighting to find your optimal ball flight. $330

Cobra AMP Cell driver
Choose one of six loft settings on a whim, to accommodate the wind, course terrain, or your swing. You'll instantly see the ball trajectory correct, helping you get more carry over those ponds and canyons when you need it. $375

TaylorMade R1 driver
You can quickly adjust this club's loft from low to high, the face angle from wide open to tightly closed, and the removable weights from heavy to light - there are 168 combinations in all. $400

Titleist 913D3 driver
This classic pear-shaped driver's 445cc titanium clubhead boosts your ball speed and distance from the get-go - even on mishits - with its lively thin face insert. $450

Callaway HEX Hot ball
This three-piece model's ionomer cover spins less off the clubface at impact so your shots travel long and straight. Bottom line: It's built to generate ball speed, making you the envy of your foursome. $26/dozen

Nike Golf 20XI ball
Made with a proprietary material in the core and mantle, this new-generation ball will rocket off of your woods and long irons for loads of distance. All the while, it feels nice and soft. $58/dozen

IF YOU'RE TRYING TO HIT FAIRWAYS MORE OFTEN ...

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Orlimar Tri-Metal ZX fairway wood
It practically dares you to fade the ball - but you probably won't. The draw-oriented tungsten sole weight and a closed face help you square contact, as does an offset hosel. A low center of gravity (CG) helps you get the ball high. $100

Mizuno MP-64 irons
The sleek blade shaping and muscular cavity make these look easy to hit - and, in fact, they are. The long irons are a dream to hit high and straight, and the entire set feels soft. $1,000

Wilson Staff D-100 irons
An undercut cavity (plus more sole, heel, and toe mass) generates forgiving shots that stay on target. To boot, the large, thin clubface gets your shots off to a fast launch for plenty of distance. $700/graphite, $600/steel

Bridgestone Golf e6 ball
Its soft core reduces sidespin and backspin to help your shots fly straighter. A new aerodynamic cover has larger dimples that reduce air drag and increase lift for more carry distance. $27/dozen

IF YOU NEED HELP GETTING THE BALL AIRBORNE ...

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Adams Golf Idea Super S hybrid
One slot along the sole, behind the thin face, ramps up your ball speed and distance, while another on the crown boosts the clubface's trampoline effect at impact to further spring the ball forward at a higher velocity. Perimeter weighting helps you lift shots quickly. $200

Cleveland Golf 588 Altitude hybrid-irons
These game-improvement clubs are weighted and shaped to help you hit higher, longer shots. A deep-and-low CG adds forgiveness, so more of your shots find the target. $800/graphite, $700/steel

Tour Edge Exotics Xrail hybrid
Because of this club's energy-efficient construction, you'll feel like your ball is floating off the clubface at impact. Its V-shaped sole smoothly grazes through grass to help your shots feel as solid as they perform. $130

TaylorMade RocketBladez irons
A generous-sized toe lowers the CG, so your ball launches high, gets plenty of carry, and lands at a steep angle. A Speed Pocket behind the clubface makes impact feel buttery on both pure shots and mishits. $900/graphite, $800/steel

IF YOU WANT TO HIT THE PIN MORE OFTEN ...

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Cleveland Golf 588 RTX wedge
You can finally generate really tight backspin on the ball using your regular stroke, thanks to this wedge's large U-shaped face grooves that are especially effective from rough, sand, and wet grass. Surface roughness milled into the clubface also induces spin. $120

Mizuno MP-T4 wedge
PGA Tour pro Luke Donald helped create this sleek wedge that generates plenty of backspin, to help you zero in on the flagstick. The forged, mild carbon steel feels soft at impact, while precisely cut face grooves enhance spin and trajectory. $130

PING Tour wedge
The soft stainless-steel head's three sole width options - thin, standard, and wide - lend versatility, so you can hit your optimal chips from any lie. Milled-face grooves help you maximize backspin. $168/graphite, $140/steel

SRIXON Q-Star Spin Skin ball
The proprietary cover coating helps generate more greenside spin for you - hence the ball's name. But way back at the tee, this ball's also designed to travel long and straight. $25/dozen

TaylorMade Lethal ball
Its ability to generate greenside backspin will help you home in on the cup from within 100 yards. But getting to that point is easier too, as an aerodynamic dimple pattern helps you control long shots in the wind. $46/dozen

IF YOUR PUTTS AREN'T SINKING ...

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Nike Golf MC11w putter
Fixed weights on the sole and heel position the CG low and away from the face, preventing you from driving the ball down into the ground and thus creating unwanted backspin on your putts. Polymetal face grooves generate immediate forward roll. $168

Odyssey Versa putter
An attractive black-and-white blade scheme helps you easily align putts and square the putter at address. The popular "White Hot" face softens every putt, as does the buttery grip. $170

PING's Scottsdale TR Anser 2 putter
No matter where you strike the ball across the face, the ball will roll as if you hit the center - a result of face grooves that are shallower toward the outside and deeper in the middle. Translation: more consistency. $163

Scotty Cameron by Titleist Select GoLo 5 putter
Even if your stroke is jerky, the heel-toe weighting on this putter will help smooth it out because of the way it balances the elegant-looking head. The putter's deep face is milled to soften feel and sound. $375

Yes! Golf i4-Tech putter
Concentric face grooves impart immediate forward roll on the ball, helping you get consistent distance control from one putt to another. Tungsten weights stabilize your directional accuracy, while four-layer construction cushions the feel. $180

IF YOU NEED BETTER BALANCE DURING YOUR SWING ...

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Allen Edmonds First Cut With SLV Sole shoe
A new lightweight, spikeless rubber sole boasts multiple traction studs for steadiness during your swing and while you're walking. The distressed leather upper makes for a great look. $295

Ecco Tour Hybrid shoe
This crossover has a classic leather upper and noncleated outsole that features 100 molded traction bars to keep you from slipping. Best of all, you can also wear it stylishly in business settings on golf days. $190

GoBe Golf Rebel shoe
Its low-profile build and cleat-free outsole give you that breezy look out on the course. The sole's ridged pattern and vertical and horizontal traction bars add stability, gripping, and balance throughout your swing. $160

Oakley Cipher 2 shoe
You may seriously forget that you're wearing one of golf's lightest cleatless shoes. Its waterproof, synthetic skin upper keeps the inside dry and vented, and its flexibility and light weight mean comfort on the course. $150

TRUE linkswear Sensei shoe
Extremely lightweight and comfortable, this actually doubles as a running shoe. The mesh upper keeps your feet cool, while the cleatless rubber outsole grips the ground to maximize your footing on all terrains. $100

IF YOU WANT TO SEE THE COURSE MORE CLEARLY ...

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Adidas Golf Tour Pro sunglasses
Adjustable temples and bridge give you a snug fit, while traction nose and ear grips add comfort and security. The wraparound mirrored lens packs technology to let you clearly see the course and green contours. $170

Callaway NEOX Trestles sunglasses
The golf-specific lenses enhance clarity and depth perception, so you'll see all of your shots. Comfy nose pads and temples make this a lightweight pleasure to wear for your entire round. $200

Tifosi Veloce sunglasses
An open-frame design and streamlined vented lens provide you a wide field of vision. Their comfort and feather-light weight make them easy to negotiate the course in. $60-$100, depending on lens