It’s that time of year again. Last year, I wrote about possible gift options for different budgets. From a budget of P1,000 to over a million, there’s surely a gift that any golfer would appreciate. Last year, all I wished for was unlimited golf passes from my wife. Of course, that didn’t happen. So this year, I’m wishing for actual golf clubs! What would I most want in my Christmas stocking this year? Here’s my list:

A new driver

My driver, as much as I still think it performs well, is 7 years old. It’s the oldest club in my bag, which is odd since most golfers change drivers more often than other clubs in the hopes of gaining an advantage from newer tech.

My 2017 Taylormade M1 440 is as the name suggests, a smaller version of the standard 2017 M1. It has a more neutral stance and lower spin compared to the standard. I prefer heads with a smaller profile and a traditional pear shape, rather than the larger 460cc heads.

So what replacement driver would I want? My wife can choose from these three: Titleist GT3, Callaway Ai Smoke Triple Diamond Max, or Ping G430 Max 10k. Why are these three among the countless new drivers out there?

Well, Titleist’s newest “smaller” driver has been getting great reviews. Titleist has always made nice-sounding, great-looking drivers. They feel the best in my opinion, but they also have had a reputation for not being the longest drivers out there. The GT series seems to have gotten the distance part down, so I am open to trying Titleist’s latest driver.

Callaway always makes good drivers and I used to have an FT9 Tour which stayed in my bag for a good 5 years.

Usually, Callaway makes its drivers in a standard version, a max version, and a triple diamond (low spin) version. But this year, they’ve come out with a rare combo — a triple diamond max model. If their claims of max forgiveness and low spin are true, then this may be my top choice.

Ping has made waves with its G430 Max 10K. Quite many amateurs and pros have put this driver in their bags and for good reason. It does perform. I got to try the 10K during a few rounds, and even on obvious bad swings, it went straight and high. It’s not longer than my current driver though, but it is straighter and easier to hit. Do I go for max forgiveness and fairways hit, or do I take a chance and pick a driver with more distance potential? That is something I have yet to decide on.

A new putter

I like my current putter, an old See More Giant FGP. It’s a much bigger version of the classic See More putter, famously gamed by Zach Johnson.

As someone used to broomstick/long putters, my eyes are used to seeing massive putter heads. It “tricks” me into thinking that I have less of a chance to get hands-y during my putting stroke. Less kabig, less tulak, less pitik in Filipino golf terms. It has been a good 3 or 4 years. I am not looking to replace my putter unless the new LAB putters outperform it drastically.

I am a straight-to-straight putter, and the new LAB putters, as well as the newest Odyssey models built for straight-to-straight putters, have caught my interest.

So a putter isn’t a top priority for me, but IF my lovely wife wants to give me two gifts, then I would appreciate a LAB OZ1 putter. I don’t mind waiting, since it was just recently launched.

A new bag

Aside from a new driver and putter, I am ok with my current set. I just upgraded to Srixon MKII irons in July, my 3 wood and 3 hybrids are still usable, and my old Cleveland wedges are also fine. What I do need is a new bag. My Srixon stand bag has seen better days, with the waterproof pocket already ripped.

What bag though? I always match my bag to my irons, so I guess it will be another Srixon stand bag. While the current one is nice, I’ve seen the 2025 model and will just wait for that to reach our shores.

So a new bag might be better as a Valentine’s or anniversary gift in February.

Back to reality

While these wishes are just that, wishes, the reality is, that my wife wouldn’t know a wooden club from titanium or carbon. Rather than her searching for what I want, I just get “clearance” to buy myself a golf kit. That way, I can thank her for getting me the exact club I want, with the exact specs, and sometimes, even with an upgraded shaft! Now, isn’t that much better than getting a surprise gift?