3 Gear Trends I’m Glad to Leave Behind in 2025

The game of golf is full of moments and 2025 was not lacking. Rory earned his Mastersthe ‘zero torque’ machine category continued to grow and everyone and their dog seems to have bought a high altitude wood. The question then arises, was it worth it? Well for Rory, of course it was, although I’ll admit I was rooting for Justin Rose. But when it comes to gear trends in 2025, I’m more than happy to leave some behind.

1.) ‘Zero Torque’ Putters

Before you shoot the messenger, let me just say that there is nothing wrong with the paws themselves. If it works for you, it works for you and I shouldn’t stop you from using a piece of equipment that makes you play better golf. The last shot I got and probably the nicest of the bunch is the new one Toulon Golf Concept 59 Roswell; a very futuristic, linear shooter that tries to continue to solve the problems that come along with the ‘zero torque’ category. It’s a great shooter that’s a little edgy, gives players a refreshed option for the category, and performs very well. But, it’s still a CoG shaft hammer that’s meant for a very linear stroke. Next to the Formula 45 Toulon, which was another attempt at solving a problem in the ‘zero torque’ space, it’s probably one of my favourites, with AiOne Max Stripe and her drama is thrown in there too. But even that isn’t enough to keep me interested.

Odyssey Ai-ONE Square 2 Square Max Stripe Custom Putter

Our most durable Square 2 Ai-ONE Max 1 and Max 1 Stripe putters are our highest MOI Square 2 putters. The Max 1 features a simple line of sight down the middle of the design, while the Max Stripe features our bold stretch line using the Versa 90 stretch for better alignment in your setup and throughout the stroke. Ai-One Insert Designed using Artificial Intelligence, we’ve created the contours on the insert’s aluminum support, which we fuse to a hitting surface with White Hot Urethane to promote consistent ball speed across the face with the classic White Hot feel that golfers and tour enthusiasts love. Modern Spindle Center Design This design centers the spindle in the cg plane of the thrower. This results in putters that rest with the thumb up in a counter-rotating position, as opposed to a traditional finger-slung putter. This design promotes a square face throughout the stroke. The built-in forward press 3.3° of forward shaft tilt pre-positions the hands in a forward press position to eliminate the face opening that often occurs when golfers press forward on their own.

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So with that being said, I’m done. I was taking stock of some content samples the other day and realized that the last 10, YES TEN, paws I’ve received for review have been ‘zero torque’ models. What happened to a great blade or a new hammer shape? What about introducing a new grinding pattern or a new material? I wasn’t a fan of the carbon fiber LA pretty golf but hey, at least they were trying to be different. Maybe the fact that I’m not a great candidate for a ‘zero torque’ option is part of why I have a bit of anxiety in this category, but that’s definitely not my whole attitude. I’ve told several zero-torque industry executives that the best customer for this category is someone who has never used a barrel before, and none of them disagreed. But this only adds to the idea that there is a large group of players who feel left behind. Golfers want to have stroke in their deployment arc. Players who like the idea of ​​a smaller package. Golfers who don’t want a 380-400g putter head. At the risk of sounding leftist… we’re here and we’d love some new offerings.

The other issue, which I will probably cover in its own article, is that the ‘zero torque’ category has essentially destroyed its own devices. I was talking to a best friend about this. This category may not actually be “convenient”. Just decide what length and lie best suits the way you stand on the ball and get out. There’s no art to it, no excitement in discovery, not even a chance to figure out if that shooter isn’t the right option for you. It’s very transactional, and this seems to take a lot of fun away from the convenient bay.

Also, they are not actually zero torque. Don’t get me started on that. Don’t worry, I’ll continue to cover new offerings in the category, and like I said, The putters themselves are excellent. They help a lot of golfers, and maybe make the beginning of golf a little easier for some golfers. Just don’t expect to see an end to my bag unless someone shows me some irrefutable data.

2.) High altitude forests

This is complicated, so let me explain. I think there’s a big market for higher fairway woods, but that market has been really muddled because some big names on Tour ditched one. As I’ve said many times before in other content, just because a Tour player (aka a player with more control over a golf ball than you have over your vehicle on the way to work) puts something in their bag doesn’t mean you should. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve been in a game with better players who have a high wood in their bag and never use it. Why? Because it’s a one-trick pony. I know this because I have tried it myself. Is it fun to put a 9-wood in the bag and hit the ball 150 yards in the air with a big draw every now and then? yes. Of course it is. But is that shot something I need 99 percent of the time? Absolutely not. I disagree that there are circumstances that would suggest a higher option to be the best tool, but I’m also super team hybrid. I think people ignore the category too much and 2026 will be about making hybrids great again.

Now, I won’t leave you on a cliff. I said there are a bucketload of players who can benefit from a freeway being a tool in their bag. These players are usually lower skill or lower speed players who need an iron replacement at the top of the bag. Fairway woods are usually a little shallower, especially those that would be good for this market, and that shallowness will make it easier to launch the ball with less effort. These players don’t worry about getting caught in the wind or spinning the ball too much. In this case, the higher-height option is a great tool for the bag, because the metric of success is simply getting the ball into the air with ease. If this is you, move. If you need to, put an 11-wood in the bag.

3.) Combination or ‘flow’ sets

This is where I will probably take the most heat and probably end up being a huge hypocrite. First, my beef with combination sets isn’t really in their actual use, but rather in the very messy definition. When I talk about a TRUE combo set, there must be at least two irons of the same pattern, or more than two patterns in total. Putting a more forgiving 4-iron in the bag doesn’t mean you’re playing a combo set. It means you are playing your set from the 5-iron down and using a specific tool for the 4-iron slot in the bag. A true combo set would be something like a 4-6-iron option on one club pattern and a 7-PW option on another. A real break in the set. Or maybe you get really spicy and go 4, 5 on Model A, 6, 7 on Model B, and 8-PW on Model C. Now you’re really doing it because you can.

Second, I’m still on the fence about the actual use case of a combined array. For three years I played nothing but combo sets. Mostly because it’s an easier way to get samples from OEMs when I’m reviewing gear (I don’t have to search for multiple sets), but it also started to grow on me. In fact, my favorite set of irons from this year is a combo set from Bettinardi, with their CB on top and MB on the bottom. I love that set. I got a hole-in-one with a combo set from Cobra. I shot the same level on my home course for the first time with a combo set from Mizuno. But I’m still not convinced. Should I play the Bettinardi or Cobra or Mizuno CB offering throughout the set?

Yes. Maybe. When they are made to match, it usually means the loft package is the same and you will see a bit more forgiveness and ball speed from the larger package. Why wouldn’t I want that? Again, most of the time, I don’t actually have the full set of each. I have the combo set so I only play this one. But I’ll never stop wondering about that green I missed on the 152-yard 18th hole that stopped me from breaking par for the first time. If it was a CB instead of a MB, wouldn’t I have been short? It keeps me up at night.

Product 2026 is about to drop! Be sure to put your fit on the calendar at the local True Spec.

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