Equipment
Scotty Cameron to open a public putter studio
Titleist putter maker Scotty Cameron will open a public putting studio in Encinitas, Calif., GolfWRX has learned.
For years, Cameron has had a private putter studio in nearby San Marcos that has functioned largely as a place for touring professionals to be custom fit for a Scotty Cameron putter. The intent of the public putting studio is largely the same, sources say, but it will offer putter-fitting services to the general public.
Cameron, 50, joined Titleist as a putter maker in 1994. Since that time, he has become the most prolific putter maker in golf, creating the putters that were used to win two out of the four major championships in 2013 (Adam Scott, The Masters; Jason Dufner, PGA Championship). Tiger Woods and Rory McIlroy have also used a Scotty Cameron putter in each of their combined 16 major championship victories.
Cameron’s retail line of putters fetch prices between $299 and $399 in the United States, making them some of the priciest in golf. But that’s nothing compared to the prices collectors assign to his “tour-only,” limited-edition and one-off putters, which can sell for as much as $20,000.
That fervor for Cameron’s products, which has held strong for more than a decade, is likely one of the driving forces behind the opening of the public putter studio, as many Cameron enthusiasts are willing to pay a premium for anything associated with the brand.
It is doubtful that the Cameron would decide to sell any of his most sought after tour-only, or “Circle T” putters through the public putter studio, as he has resisted selling any of those putters through retailers in the past. However, Cameron had successfully sold limited-edition merchandise such as apparel, ball markers, head covers and putter grips through his website for years, and it would make sense that those items would line the walls of a public putter studio.
Titleist is yet to make an announcement about the public putter fitting studio, which sources say is expected to open sometime in 2014.
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- Kevin Tway what’s in the bag accurate as of the Wells Fargo Championship. More photos from the event here.
Driver: Ping G430 LST (10.5 degrees)
Shaft: Fujikura Ventus Black 6 X
3-wood: TaylorMade Stealth 2 (15 degrees)
Shaft: Mitsubishi Diamana D+ 80 TX
5-wood: TaylorMade Stealth 2 (18 degrees)
Shaft: Mitsubishi Diamana D+ 90 TX
Irons: Wilson Staff Utility (2), Titleist T100 (4-9)
Shafts: Mitsubishi MMT 100 TX (2), True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue X100 (4-9)
Wedges: Titleist Vokey Design SM10 (48-10F @47, 52-12F @51, 56-14F), SM7 (60-10S)
Shafts: True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue X100 (48-56), True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue S400 (60)
Putter: Scotty Cameron T-5 Proto
Grip: Scotty Cameron Black Baby T
Grips: Golf Pride Tour Velvet Plus4
More photos of Kevin Tway’s WITB in the forums.
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Editor’s note: This is an excerpt from a piece our Andrew Tursky originally wrote for PGATour.com’s Equipment Report. Head over there for the full article.
The timing of Lowry’s putter changeup was curious: Was he just using a Spider putter because he was paired with McIlroy, who’s been using a Spider Tour X head throughout 2024? Was Lowry just being festive because it’s the Zurich Classic, and he wanted to match his teammate? Did McIlroy let Lowry try his putter, and he liked it so much he actually switched into it?
Well, as it turns out, McIlroy’s only influence was inspiring Lowry to make more putts.
When asked if McIlroy had an influence on the putter switch, Lowry had this to say: “No, it’s actually a different putter than what he uses. Maybe there was more pressure there because I needed to hole some more putts if we wanted to win,” he said with a laugh.
To Lowry’s point, McIlroy plays the Tour X model, whereas Lowry switched into the Tour Z model, which has a sleeker shape in comparison, and the two sole weights of the club are more towards the face.
Lowry’s Spider Tour Z has a white True Path Alignment channel on the crown of his putter, which is reminiscent of Lowry’s former 2-ball designs, thus helping to provide a comfort factor despite the departure from his norm. Instead of a double-bend hosel, which Lowry used in his 2-ball putters, his new Spider Tour Z is designed with a short slant neck.
“I’ve been struggling on the greens, and I just needed something with a fresh look,” Lowry told GolfWRX.com on Wednesday at the 2024 Wells Fargo Championship. “It has a different neck on it, as well, so it moves a bit differently, but it’s similar. It has a white line on the back of it [like my 2-ball], and it’s a mallet style. So it’s not too drastic of a change.
“I just picked it up on the putting green and I liked the look of it, so I was like, ‘Let’s give it a go.’”
Read the rest of the piece over at PGATour.com.
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Equipment
Webb Simpson equipment Q&A: Titleist’s new 2-wood, 680 blade irons, and switching to a broomstick Jailbird
With seven career wins on the PGA Tour, including a U.S. Open victory, Webb Simpson is a certified veteran on the course. But he’s also a certified veteran in the equipment world, too. He’s a gearhead who truly knows his stuff, and he’s even worked closely with Titleist on making his own custom 682.WS irons.
On Wednesday at the 2024 Wells Fargo Championship, I caught up with Simpson to hear about his experience with Titleist’s new prototype 2-wood, how Titleist’s 680 Forged irons from 2003 ended up back in his bag, and why he’s switching into an Odyssey Ai-One Jailbird Cruiser broomstick putter this week for the first time.
Click here to read our full story about Simpson’s putter switch on PGATOUR.com’s Equipment Report, or continue reading below for my full Q&A with Simpson at Quail Hollow Club on Wednesday.
See Webb Simpson’s full WITB from the 2024 Wells Fargo Championship here
GolfWRX: It seems like you’ve been a little all over the place with your irons in the past six months or so, and now going back to the 680’s. Is that just a comfort thing? What’s been going on with the irons?
Webb Simpson: Titleist has been so great at working with me, and R&D, on trying to get an iron that kind of modernizes the 680. And so the 682.WS took the T100 grooves, but kinda took the look and the bulk and the build of the 680’s into one club. They’re beautiful, and awesome looking. I just never hit them that well for a consistent period of time. It was probably me, but then I went to T100’s and loved them. I loved the spin, the trajectory, the yardage, but again, I never went on good runs. Going through the ground, I couldn’t feel the club as well as with the blade. So last week, I’m like, ‘Alright. I’m gonna go back more for…comfort, and see if I can get on a nice little run of ball striking.’
So that’s why I went back.
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OK, that makes sense. I know you had done some 2-wood testing recently. Is that in the bag right now?
It’s like day-by-day. I used it at Hilton Head every day. Valero, I used it one round. And this week, me and my caddie will do the book every morning, and if it’s a day where we think we need it, we’ll just put it in and take the 3-wood out. I love it because it’s a super simple swap. Like, it doesn’t really change much.
Yeah, can you tell me about that club? I mean, we don’t really know anything about it yet. You know? I haven’t hit it or anything, obviously.
It has grooves like a 3-wood. Spin is perfect. And it’s honestly, like, everything is in the middle of a 3-wood and driver number. Trajectory, spin, carry, all of it. So, a Hilton Head golf course is almost too easy to talk about because, you know, there, so many holes are driver 3-wood.
Valero, our thinking was we had two par-5’s into the wind, and we knew that it would take two great shots to get there in two. So instead of hitting driver-driver, we just put it in. And I used it on those holes.
Hilton was a little easier because it was off-the-tee kind of questions. But Colonial will be a golf course where, you know, there’s a lot of driver or 3-woods. It’s kind of like a backup putter or driver for me now. I’ll bring it to every tournament.
So it’s, like, in your locker right now, probably?
Well, it would be. It’s in my house [because Webb lives near by Quail Hollow Club, and is a member at the course.] It’s in the garage.
Oh, yeah, that’s right. Do you know what holes you might use it out here if it goes in play?
Potentially 15, depending on the wind. Second shot on 10. Could be 14 off the tee. The chances here are pretty low (that he’ll use the 2-wood). But, like, Greensboro would be an awesome club all day. I’m trying to think of any other golf courses.
There’s plenty that it’ll be a nice weapon to have.
It’s interesting, the wave of 2-woods and mini drivers. Like, it’s just really taken off on Tour, and all the companies have seemed to embrace it.
Yeah. The thing I had to learn, it took me, like, at least a week to learn about it is you gotta tee it up lower than you think. I kept teeing it up too high. You need it low, like barely higher than a 3-wood. And that was where I got optimal spin and carry. If you tee it up too high, you just don’t get as much spin and lose distance, I don’t know if that’s just a mini driver thing.
And you obviously have a Jailbird putter this week. What spurred that on?
Inconsistent putting. I’m stubborn in a lot of ways when it comes to my equipment, but I have to be open minded – I just hadn’t putted consistently well in a while. And I’m like, ‘Man, I feel my ball-striking coming along. Like I feel better; for real, better.’
If I can just get something in my hands that I’m consistent with. Being on Tour, you see it every year, guys get on little runs. I can put together four to five tournaments where I’m all the sudden back in the majors, or in the FedExCup Playoffs. You can turn things around quick out here. I’m like, ‘Man, whatever’s going to get me there, great.’
My caddie, David Cook, caddied for Akshay at the Houston Open and he putted beautifully. Then, I watched Akshay on TV at Valero, and he putted beautifully. And, I’m like, ‘I’m just going to try it.’
I’ve never tried it for more than a putt or two, and I just ordered what Akshay uses. It was pretty awkward at first, but the more I used it, the more I’m like, ‘Man, it’s pretty easy.’ And a buddy of mine who’s a rep out here, John Tyler Griffin, he helped me with some setup stuff. And he said at Hilton Head, he wasn’t putting well, then tried it, and now he makes everything. He was very confident. So I’m like, ‘Alright, I’ll try it.’”
And you’re going with it this week?
Hundred percent.
Alright, I love it. Thank you, I always love talking gear with you. Play well this week.
Thanks, man.
See Webb Simpson’s full WITB from the 2024 Wells Fargo Championship here
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Conrad
Nov 18, 2013 at 1:37 pm
I sent my Putter to the Custom Shop and It came back the same length. Ie: only half the work was done. And when I asked them to remedy this and that I didnt want to send my putter off again they said no deal. I HAD TO send my putter back… Horrible customer service.
Nice
Jan 22, 2015 at 2:13 am
Did you want them to come to your house to fix it?
Ponjo
Nov 10, 2013 at 4:31 pm
Wonder if the UK will get a Scotty Studio. I won’t hold my breath for that 🙂
Mike M
Nov 7, 2013 at 8:09 pm
I think is great, as a huge fan of scotty and somewhat of a collector, i think this is great for us fans to be fit by the best with the best. scotty fans will pay for anything to be in “THE HOUSE OF SCOTTY” hopefully open before february 2014 !
j diz
Nov 6, 2013 at 4:36 pm
my putter is huge! i sink mad putts!
chowchow
Nov 6, 2013 at 1:36 pm
I listen to guys come in the shop WHINE about paying $299 for a putter, then turn around and drop $400 on a driver they hit crooked maybe 14 times around. If a guy shoots a stock 72 he will use the putter 36 times. Seems the $299 is better spent than on a $400 driver.
Players pay for PUTTERS.. hacks waste big money on drivers.
Harry Dorton
Nov 6, 2013 at 1:47 pm
Not a bigger waste of money anywhere then scotty cameron putters. Get a 30 year old anser it will do same thing.
Michael Weill
Nov 6, 2013 at 1:21 pm
Plenty of Newport 2 putters on ebay for around $229.
Bill
Nov 6, 2013 at 12:52 pm
Impossible to justify the price of a “custom” Scotty. Lord knows what he’ll charge for a visit to his “public studio”. And when you consider the skill level of 99% of the golfing public, they be just as well off with a TGW discounted Odyssey or PING putter for $79.00! As for the tour pros? Well they don’t pay for their custom Scotty’s (most pros have several) AND more importantly, PGA tour players could putt better with a shovel than literally all amateurs putting with a $5,000 Circle T Scotty.
chowchow
Nov 6, 2013 at 1:45 pm
you are wrong on Pros don’t pay. Might try asking some about those free $2500 plus putters. Pros go to the Studio and they PAY for the fitting. Very few get freebees. Been to the studio twice. It is a tech envolved session dialing in a putter. Pros know that the putter is where the bread is made. Not wasting money on drivers. That is the difference between PLAYERS and the HACKS that hangout on blogs whaaaababying about the price of a putter but turn around and drop $400 plus on a driver they can’t hit straight or out of their shadows
Conrad MacDonald
Nov 7, 2013 at 6:14 pm
Actually most touring pros do get free circle t’s. I know multiple players personally on the champions web.com and pga tour canada and they all get access to free circle t’s. Also you dont need to go in to get fitted you can send in a request for one with your resume to scotty and he will decide (maybe not him personally?) if you are to get one.
KK
Nov 14, 2013 at 12:52 am
chowchow, from reading some of your other posts, it sounds like you work at a golf course or at least at a retail shop….so do I. I’m a terrible golfer and I don’t pay for much of my equipment; clothes, clubs, shoes, hats, I couldn’t tell you the last time I paid for balls, pretty much whatever I need within reason. It’s one of the many great things about working in the golf industry. Maybe you have inside information on tour players and what they pay for, but if I’m getting free stuff, I highly doubt Adam Scott or Jason Dufner asks Scotty Cameron for a putter and he says: “OK, here’s your custom putter, that will be $300.00.”
Anthony Maccioli
Nov 6, 2013 at 9:28 am
So if it only the retail Scotty putters, what good will that do someone? They will find a putter for them but since they are so expensive will not be able to buy them. How bout making a putter more in the normal person’s price range instead of opening a new store?
Regular people buy Scotty's....
Nov 6, 2013 at 5:48 pm
How bout I’ll take the oppurtunity to get fitted by Scotty’s trained peeps, which have one how many? Or I should say who doesn’t win with a Scotty? PGA, LPGA, Senior, amateur, etc….the numbers speak for themselves…just like titleist has the monopoly of wins with balls. It’s on a smaller scale, but prov’s are pricey and no ones complaining, just as I’ve never heard someone say “this Scotty is garbage”…give me a rossa. May not be the right arrow for the scotty hater Indian, but can’t deny the quality of his work. So I’m unsure what a “normal person’s” putter price is, but I’ve got every bit of enjoyment outta of the Scotty’s I’ve played, and that’s fine as well if you wanna get kicked in your 2-balls leaving one short playing the minority of putters cause u wanted to save a few bucks to buy that disposable driver you change every six months, rather then spending on your moneymaker that will stick with you for a lifetime, or until you buy another Scotty:) Cheers!
Mikey
Nov 5, 2013 at 7:53 pm
How about an east coast location? Oh well, I needed a reason to visit Cali anyway!
Johnny
Nov 5, 2013 at 11:40 am
I’m hurtin’ for a squirtin’ from Cameron…
Josh
Nov 5, 2013 at 8:24 am
the last push to squeeze every dollar out of the Cameron crazies…
Billy
Nov 5, 2013 at 12:07 am
How much for a newport 2? Yay.
bill
Nov 4, 2013 at 9:11 pm
I can only imagine the lines to get in that joint. It’ll be worse than the retail crawl at the Camarillo Coach Outlet Store that my wife subjects me to. Ugh! I’m sure Scotty staff will be passing out 30% off coupons as well!
Jason
Nov 4, 2013 at 8:23 pm
This has been talked about for a while now in Titleist / Cameron circles. You will have access to some of the great fitting technology used by the Putter Studio.
OverPriced!
Nov 4, 2013 at 8:03 pm
Just a place to see more merchandise. Not that there is anything wrong with that, but that is all we are looking at here. Titliest opens a new store…
And there was much rejoicing….. Yea!
Pingback: Scotty Cameron Opening a Public Putter Studio | Everything Golf
froneputt
Nov 4, 2013 at 6:43 pm
Guys, it’s a putter, not a Picasso.
Brand Me Silly
Nov 4, 2013 at 6:53 pm
More like a Thomas Kincaid.
k
Nov 5, 2013 at 2:11 am
you clearly don’t have the right scotty then..
Scott Chaffin
Nov 4, 2013 at 6:06 pm
This is great news. Keep it up Scotty!!
Brand Me Silly
Nov 4, 2013 at 5:36 pm
Scotty thanks you for your loyalty, but if he catches you buying a different brand of putter he will banish you.
Steve Barry
Nov 4, 2013 at 5:09 pm
Good scoop Zak, but didn’t Tiger use a Ping putter during his first Masters win? I thought the Cameron was in the bag for 13 of his 14, so it would only be 15 of the 16 combined majors for Roiger, or Tigoy, your choice.
thedurtydurden
Nov 4, 2013 at 5:12 pm
No, he used a Teryllium in his first Masters win, but it was the only major he won with that putter.
Ben Jackson
Nov 4, 2013 at 5:14 pm
Tiger used a Titleist/Scotty Cameron Teryllium Newport (Sole Stamp) in his win at the 1997 Masters.
Graig
Nov 4, 2013 at 5:31 pm
….and it was a Newport 2 – Long Neck
Chuck
Nov 5, 2013 at 10:17 pm
No. It was a newport as mentioned above. He used a long neck very briefly but not to win the 97 masters….
chowchow
Nov 6, 2013 at 1:38 pm
and their was controvery over the length of the neck. Some of the putters had to have the cup cut down to USGA conforming specs. If you have a long cup.. you have a very rare putter
Jim
Nov 5, 2013 at 2:02 am
He used a Ping anser 2 in his U.S. Amateur wins.
froneputt
Nov 4, 2013 at 5:07 pm
I wish it wasn’t Encinitas. I like Encinitas.