XS Golf is a research-driven publication covering golf simulators, launch monitors, clubs, balls, and golf travel. We exist for one kind of reader: the serious golfer who’s about to spend real money — $700 on a launch monitor, $5,000 on a garage build, a week on a golf trip — and wants a recommendation they can actually trust.
How we work
We don’t rewrite press releases, and we don’t run a physical testing lab — and we’re upfront about that. What we do is research and synthesis: we cross-reference manufacturer specifications, pull together independent third-party testing, and aggregate owner reviews, forum threads, and expert consensus across many sources. Then we compare products on the things that actually matter for how they’re used — accuracy, value, space, and budget — and tell you plainly what we’d buy and what we’d skip.
A single loud opinion shouldn’t decide a $3,000 purchase. Our job is to weigh the whole picture and hand you the honest version.
What we stand for
- No paid reviews. We have never accepted, and will not accept, payment or free gear in exchange for a positive write-up or an inflated score.
- Honest about our method. We tell you where our numbers come from. If a figure is a manufacturer claim rather than independent data, we say so.
- Allegiance to the golfer. If a $700 device beats a $3,000 one, that’s exactly what we’ll tell you.
We don’t currently run affiliate links. When we add them, we may earn a commission if you buy through our links — at no extra cost to you — and we’ll disclose it clearly wherever it applies. Affiliate payouts will never influence a score or a recommendation.
Where we’re headed
We’re building toward first-party testing in 2026 — a structured, repeatable protocol run against reference equipment, a tester panel across handicap ranges, a formal re-test policy for flagship products, and an annual transparency report. We’re putting dates on those commitments so you can hold us to them.
You can read the full detail on how we research, score, and stay independent on our Standards & Editorial Policy page. If you ever want to know how we arrived at a rating, get in touch — we’ll show our work.