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Hot List

This 80-shooter hated the sand. Then he tried these new Hot List wedges

By E. Michael Johnson
March 28, 2025
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J.D. Cuban

Playing out of bunkers is a bugaboo for many golfers, including Hot List tester Anand Mudaliar. A 6-handicap who plays about 50 rounds a year, Mudaliar, 42, has no issue bashing it 260 off the tee but struggles big-time in the sand. Still, he knows what he wants in a wedge. “I really value how the wedge feels as it glides through the sand,” he says, “I’m looking for that effortless cut without too much resistance.” Anand admits it’s also in his head. “Confidence plays a big role. If my mind is saying, ‘Cut through the sand,’ then I want a wedge that visually backs that up. That usually means a sharper-looking leading edge. It’s as much about visual trust as it is about performance.” Here are the wedges that caught Anand’s eye, along with the rest of his favorite clubs from this year’s Hot List.

WEDGES

Mizuno Mizuno Pro T3
$180 | Golf Galaxy
4.0
GD SCORE GD HOT LIST SCORE
Hot List Silver
$180
“Consistent across the board on full shots. I could take the 50-degree and hit it anywhere from 70 to 110 yards. Easy to take yards off and add them. Interaction with the ground, trajectory and spin were all working in unison. On greenside shots, the 58-degree worked really well in terms of hitting high, soft, bump-and-run shots and the work from the bunker was effortless.”
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Anand’s other favorite Hot List wedges

Edel SMS Pro

Titleist Vokey Design SM10

TaylorMade Hi-Toe 4

Ping s159

DRIVERS

Titleist GT2
$650 | Golf Galaxy
5.0
GD SCORE GD HOT LIST SCORE
Hot List Gold
$650
“Reminds me of a Porsche—fast, sleek, powerful. Looks aerodynamically perfect. Felt like it would just glide through the air, no matter how bad a swing I made.”
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Anand’s other favorite Hot List drivers

Callaway Elyte

Srixon ZXi

Tour Edge Exotics E725

Cobra DS-Adapt X

FAIRWAY WOODS

Titleist GT2
$400 | Golf Galaxy
5.0
GD SCORE GD HOT LIST SCORE
Hot List Gold
$400
“Love the way it looks. Has this unassuming power behind it when the ball hits the face. Doesn't feel super hot off the face, but you look up and it keeps going up and up. Worked well off the deck and tee. Head glides through the turf.”
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Anand’s other favorite Hot List fairway woods

Callaway Elyte X

Srixon ZXi

Mizuno ST-G

TaylorMade Qi35 Tour

HYBRIDS

Titleist GT2
$330 | Golf Galaxy
5.0
GD SCORE GD HOT LIST SCORE
Hot List Gold
$330
“When I think of GTs, I think about Porsche. I think about speed, money, elegance, class. This has all of them. Incredible ball speed, high launch, super tight dispersion. Just money.”
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Anand’s other favorite Hot List hybrids

Srixon ZXi

Cobra King Tec

Ping G440

Cobra DS-Adapt

PLAYERS IRONS

Cobra King Tour
$200 per iron | Golf Galaxy
4.0
GD SCORE GD HOT LIST SCORE
Hot List Silver
$200 per iron
“Love this club! I don't know about the forgiveness because I didn't miss a single shot. That surprises me because the clubhead is so small. The all-black look—it's a black beauty. You carry these in your bag and people are going to ask you where you got them.”
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Anand’s other favorite Hot List players irons

Titleist T100

Mizuno Mizuno Pro 243

Callaway Apex Pro

Ping Blueprint S

PLAYERS-DISTANCE IRONS

Srixon ZXi5
$186 per iron | Golf Galaxy
4.5
GD SCORE GD HOT LIST SCORE
Hot List Gold
$186 per iron
“I'm going to call this the ‘Don't-hold-back club.’ You can bring everything and more. You just step in and rip it. You can play these irons like you play a driver. A lot has to do with sole design and how it interacts with the turf. If you're afraid to dig divots, please get this club. It will help you get a better divot pattern and help you hit it hard and long.”
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Anand’s other favorite Hot List players-distance irons

Honma TW767 Px

Mizuno Mizuno Pro 245

Muzno JPX925 Hot Metal Pro

GAME-IMPROVEMENT IRONS

Callaway Elyte HL
$143 per iron | Golf Galaxy
4.5
GD SCORE GD HOT LIST SCORE
Hot List Gold
$143 per iron
“Just by looking at it, it feels like a player’s iron. Everything about it, the sole design, the head design, only a little offset. I like the shiny chrome. The performance is amazing. Every shot is pure. These clubs are supposed to launch the ball and it does with the 5-iron. High launch, low spin.”
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Anand’s other favorite Hot List game-improvement irons

Wilson Dynapower

Honma TW767 HX

Vice VGI02

BLADE PUTTERS

Ping PLD Milled
$450 | Golf Galaxy
5.0
GD SCORE GD HOT LIST SCORE
Hot List Gold
$450
“Traditional Ping look. Why fix it if it's not broken? Love the gold accents. Minimalistic to the core. Center is soft, cushioned feel; off-center hits firmer and more metallic.”
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Anand’s other favorite Hot List blade putters

Evnroll Zero

Evnroll V2

Kevin Burns Custom Series 9307

MALLET PUTTERS

TaylorMade Spider Tour
$350 | Golf Galaxy
5.0
GD SCORE GD HOT LIST SCORE
Hot List Gold
$350
“If you put ‘Pure Roll’ on the face, the roll better be pure, and it is! There's a reason this is probably the most successful putter I've played the last five years, and in general. It performs. I feel like when it comes to lag putting, this is the G.O.A.T. I have more tap-ins with this than anything else. Gimmes. More gimmes. More tap-ins. Everything works. Three-putt avoidance is huge. Make a mistake, this putter is incredible.”
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Anand’s other favorite Hot List mallet putters

Cobra 3D Printed Agera RS

PXG Battle Ready II Bat Attack

Scotty Cameron by Titleist Studio Style Fastback

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