5 Things I’ve Already Added To My Golf Bag In 2026
Joel Tadman is a 3-handicap golfer seeking better results on the course this year and he’s turned new equipment as the catalyst for faster improvement and lower scores
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I start every season with the same unfounded hope and optimism for better scores, competition wins and maybe even a scratch handicap index (currently 2.8). It usually comes off the back of a decent result in the winter league (my game peaks around February time, apparently) when I prove to myself the shots are in there somewhere. But then spring rolls around, the ball starts bouncing offline and the putts stop dropping.
How will 2026 be any different? Well I’ve made 5 tweaks to the gear in my bag that is already having a positive impact and I see no reason why, with some dedicated and regular practice time, I can’t arrest the usual decline and achieve my 2026 goals. They might get you to think about the gear in your bag, especially if you're as frustrated as I am in a lack of progress...
1. Higher-Lofted Driver
I travelled to TaylorMade’s Carlsbad HQ in November and was lucky enough to get fitted into the Qi4D driver. What became apparent was I could no longer move the driver as quickly as I used to - this is no slight on TaylorMade’s aerodynamic claims, more a reflection of my body reminding me it’s approaching its 40th year and that the days of 110mph of club speed are long gone.
I was fitted into the core head, 10.5° loft, standard setting. I typically played a 9.5° head but honestly, I haven’t noticed a much higher flight and the lower-spinning performance of many of the ‘core’ heads these days means I could afford to add some loft. As my fitter Dwayne reminded me on the day, loft is your friend.
My distance is comparable with where I was before but my accuracy has noticeably improved. I’m in the fairway more often, which is giving me more opportunities to attack pins from short range rather than chip out sideways from the trees. Being in play is my new mantra and this new driver set up is certain to help.
2. Ribbed grips
Historically I've never liked the idea of a ridge sticking into my fingers, which is essentially what a ribbed or reminder grip is. But having had the opportunity to try the Golf Pride Align MCC Plus4 grips, I can now appreciate the benefits they provide.
We know how meticulous Scottie Scheffler is about how he places his hands on the club and rightly so - it's our only point of connection with the implement used to strike the ball. These new grips give me feedback on where the grip is positioned in my fingers and helps me set the club in the same place every time.
The performance gains are subtle but I would say anecdotally that my start lines and dispersion with my irons have been a little tighter but it's more the intangible confidence I have over the ball knowing that my fundamentals are in a good place.
3. A 7 wood
That’s right, I’ve jumped on the high-lofted fairway wood bandwagon and I have to say, I wish it was something I’d done sooner. I had visions of a 7-wood whizzing past my left nostril in testing but I was actually surprised how flat the ball flight was with a 21° head - the window wasn’t much higher than where my three wood goes. I can hit my new secret weapon high when I need to but I can also knock it down into the wind should the situation demand it.
My 7-wood goes a similar distance to my 19° hybrid (around 220 yards carry) but with three crucial advantages: the flight is more neutral (less left biased), it’s more forgiving off center and works better in the rough. A win win win.
4. Fresh wedges
I absolutely love my SM10 wedges but they’ve been in the bag since March 2024 and I reckon I’ve played at least 60 rounds with them since then. Titleist says you should start to look to replace your wedges after around 75 rounds, depending on how much you practice and the visual degradation.
Mine weren’t in terrible shape by any means but some fresh grooves is never a bad thing to get a little bit more zip and consistency on full shots to help on those close approach shots or short-sided chips. I like how Titleist hasn’t made wholesale changes with SM11 so I’m going for a straight swap in loft, bounce, grind, shaft and grip so that everything feels familiar.
5. A Striped golf ball
This has been one of the biggest revelations of the off-season for me. Despite the results of my no line v line v stripe test, I continued to not use anything on the ball to help with my alignment and it cost me. Some bad putting rounds ensued and so back in came the L.A.B. Golf DF3, which had been temporarily shelved (unjustifiably), and the new TaylorMade TP5x Stripe for 2026. The impact was immediate and significant.
I actually changed to the striped ball, be it the TP5x Stripe or the Callaway Chrome Tour X Triple Track, mid round in early Jan and holed pretty much everything inside 10-feet from that point onwards. I’ve continued with it and had some of my best putting rounds in my last two outings. While I’m still missing the occasional shortie - I’m holing way more than my fair share from that 6-10 foot range, especially when there’s not much break and you start to second guess yourself over the ball.
I’ve dabbled on and off over the last year but I’ve made the decision to 100% commit to the Stripe on the greens in 2026.
What changes have you made to your bag in 2026 and why? I’d love to hear from you in the comment box below!
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