The headlining feature of CNCPT irons is the inclusion of an L-face insert constructed from a rare, aerospace metal alloy, never before used in golf club construction. That insert has allowed Titleist’s engineers to create the thinnest, unsupported, constant-thickness clubface on the market. This innovation was born from an experimental program that Titleist started several years ago to continually push the limits of golf club design—both in engineering concepts and advanced materials. Also contributing to the irons’ exceptionally soft feel and unparalleled ball speeds is at least 100 grams of tungsten. “The amount of tungsten that we use in our head provides an unbelievable amount of forgiveness in the size of the clubs that you’re hitting,” says Marni Ines, the director of irons development for Titleist golf clubs R&D. “That forgiveness reduces the amount of twisting and increases the stability of the club at impact.” $500; titleist.com

The first artificial intelligence platform for golfers utilizes sensors—attached to the butt of each club—that capture thousands of data points during a round. As golfers continue to use it, Arccos accrues information about how far players hit with each of their clubs, and through the system’s app (or a small wearable that clips to a belt, waistband, or pocket), they’re given precise yardages to any point on the hole that they’re playing and specific club recommendations. The system also tracks players’ Strokes Gained Analytics, which highlights weaknesses and makes practice recommendations. According to the company, the average scores for Arccos Caddie users have improved by five strokes during the first year of use. $280; arccosgolf.com

The Premiere Series of golf shoes was designed to reflect the past while sporting contemporary performance capabilities. The most significant design feature (as far as performance is concerned) is the lineup’s Versa-Trax outsole, which is defined by an anti-channeling tread pattern engineered to firmly grip terrain no matter the golfer’s stance. Constructed of supple leathers and ultra-lightweight synthetic materials, the three new shoes pay homage to key individuals in the brand’s history—the Flint, for example, is named after Perley Flint, a Harvard graduate who created FootJoy’s first golf shoe during the 1920s. Each shoe was designed in collaboration with several PGA Tour players, making them stylish fashion statements as well as game changers out on the course. From $220; footjoy.com

Pro ball-striker and PGA Tour star Patrick Reed collaborated with Japanese brand Grindworks on these bespoke irons. The seven-club set can be configured as a combination of muscle back and forged CNC cavity back irons, the latter of which were crafted around a “back to basics” design. The muscle back, by contrast, was engineered with a higher center of gravity to create more powerful trajectories and to provide players more control over the flight of their shots. Players can choose between two configurations: 4 and 5 irons (in cavity back) paired with muscle backs in 6 iron through pitching wedge; or 4, 5, and 6 irons (in cavity back) and muscle backs for the 7 iron through pitching wedge. $1,597/set; grindworksusa.com

Artisan Golf has structured its entire mission statement around the reality that amateur players will find the biggest gains by focusing on their short game, which means wedges are really the clubs deserving of their attention. The brand, founded by two experienced clubmakers who spent decades working for numerous equipment manufacturers, requires in-person fittings at its headquarters in Fort Worth, Texas. Their handcrafted wedges are utilized by many successful golfers on the PGA Tour—including major champion Jason Day—and the company’s founders are committed to extending that same level of tour support and performance customization to golfers of all ability levels. There is one drawback, however: Currently, the company doesn’t build left-handed clubs. From $300; artisangolftx.com

The latest generation of PXG’s flagship irons incorporates an engineering feature that not only enhances their performance over previous models but also distinguishes them in appearance. Gone are the nine high-density, tungsten alloy weights strategically screwed in around the clubhead’s perimeter. In their place is a singular, more expansive weight positioned near the club’s center of gravity. In the irons’ standard configuration, that weight is 8 grams; however, PXG clubfitters can adjust its mass, swapping in lighter or heavier ones, in 2-gram increments, to better dial in the ideal swing weight for every golfer. According to Brad Schweigert, PXG’s chief product officer, swing weight at the consumer level has historically remained the same, despite the fact that average amateur golfers vary significantly in strength and flexibility, and their swing speeds are dramatically different. “They’ve never had an opportunity to experience different options,” Schweigert says. “What we’re delivering for consumers is an efficient and easy way to experience those changes of head mass. For the first time, we’re bringing to the fitting tee a really simple and efficient way of adjusting the head mass up and down.” $350; pxg.com

Ask skilled players about their favorite club, and you’ll get a variety of answers. Ask those same players about the most important club in their bags, and most will agree that such reverence belongs to the putter. French company Argolf crafts milled clubs by two brothers who previously worked as aeronautical industrialists and understand how these flat sticks both inspire confidence and solicit positive emotional responses. Those feelings can make the difference between putts that drop and putts that miss. Made from solid blocks of German stainless steel and milled into a variety of shapes and sizes, Argolf putters are enhanced with treatments like anodic oxidation, which diffuses the reflection of light on a metal’s surface. They also feature patented innovations such as uniquely shaped (rules-conforming) grooves that are designed to enhance topspin. Produced in the French town of Brittany, not far from where the Arthurian legends were born, each Argolf putter has a name that pays homage to those legends. Those names may not impact the putters’ physical capabilities, but you can bet that golfers who pull Excalibur from their bags are going to feel at least a little more confident as they make their putting strokes. From $300; argolfusa.com