Equipment
Sponsor Shuffling: Els, English and DeLaet
The start of the 2014 PGA Tour calendar has given a fresh look and some new clubs for Harris English, Ernie Els and Graham DeLaet, who have all signed new sponsorship deals.
Ernie Els’ new equipment contract with Adams Golf became official yesterday, settling the rumors about where he would end up for the 2014 season.
Els, who is currently ranked No. 27 in the Official World Golf Rankings, has bounced between several equipment sponsors over his hall-of-fame career, winning majors with three separate OEM’s: Lynx (1994 U.S. Open), TaylorMade (1997 U.S. Open and 2002 British Open) and Callaway (2012 British Open). He seems to have found a situation he is happy with in Adams.
In a blog post on the Adams Golf website, Els wrote that he is “so excited about joining Adams.” To answer the questions about what clubs he will game, he continued “Right now we’re working hard to finalize the configuration and exact specs of my set, focusing specifically on the Tight Lies fairway metals, XTD irons and hybrids.”
Since TaylorMade-Adidas acquired Adams Golf in 2012, it is also likely that Els will be swinging a TaylorMade driver. The public will see Els with his new set for the first time at the Qatar Masters later this month.
Harris English, a two-time PGA Tour winner in 2013 and four-time All-American from the University of Georgia, signed a deal with Callaway Golf, filling the void left by the departure of Ernie Els. He’s not yet a hall-of-famer, and has big shoes to fill, but a strong showing last year proved his potential to be a household name on Tour.
Callaway and Odyssey clubs appear in English’s bag this week at the Hyundai Tournament of Champions, and will comprise his set throughout the year. English is excited about his new sponsor, saying “I’ve been really happy with the new Callaway clubs. In a short period of time I’ve been able to take advantage of the resources they have and I’m excited about the start of the 2014 season.”
Graham DeLaet, ranked No. 36 in the world, is also making moves, signing on to wear Puma apparel for the upcoming 2014 season. He will not play the company’s Cobra golf equipment, however, as he recently signed a three year contract to continue to use Titleist’s golf equipment and golf ball and wear FootJoy’s gloves and shoes.
New additions are rare for Puma Golf, but the celebrated and always entertaining Canadian was a no-brainer to sport colorful Puma threads. DeLaet, a mainstay on the GolfWRX weekly feature “Tweets of the Week” keeps his fans amused on and off the golf course. He’s a spark to the already flashy group of Rickie Fowler, Jonas Blixt, Jesper Parnevik and Ian Poulter. DeLaet’s flair complements his talent, a successful recipe for the Cobra/PUMA team.
His 2013 bid included a second place finish at The Barclays, third place finishes at the Travelers and Deutsche Bank Championships, and 11 top-25 finishes.
Fully suited in Puma gear from the 2014 Spring/Summer Collection, DeLaet will make his 2014 debut on January 23 at the Farmers Insurance Open. Much like the Tiger Sunday Red, or Rickie Fowler Sunday Orange, DeLaet will show his Canadian patriotism with red and white every Sunday on Tour this year. Puma will share photos on social media using the hashtag #CandianSunday.
Between DeLaet, Poulter and Fowler, Cobra/Puma has a strong contingent of Tweeters.
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Whats in the Bag
WITB Time Machine: Danny Willett’s winning WITB, 2016 Masters
Driver: Callaway XR 16 (9 degrees)
Shaft: Mitsubishi Rayon Diamana W-Series 60 X
Length: 45.5 inches
3-wood: Callaway XR 16 (15 degrees)
Shaft: Mitsubishi Rayon Diamana W-Series 70X
5-wood: Callaway XR 16 (19 degrees)
Shaft: Mitsubishi Rayon Diamana W-Series 80X
Irons: Callaway Apex UT (2, 4), Callaway Apex Pro (5-9)
Shaft: True Temper Dynamic Gold X100 Superlite
Wedges: Callaway Mack Daddy 2 (47-11 S-Grind) Callaway Mack Daddy 2 Tour Grind (54-11, 58-9)
Shaft: True Temper Dynamic Gold X100 Superlite
Putter: Odyssey Versa #1 Wide (WBW)
Lie angle: 71 degrees
Ball: Callaway Speed Regime SR-3
Check out more photos of Willett’s equipment from 2016 here.
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Equipment
Project X Denali Blue, Black shaft Review – Club Junkie Review
Originally, Project X was known for low-spin steel iron shafts. However, the company might now be known for wood shafts. Denali is the newest line of graphite shafts from Project X. With the Denali line, the company focuses on feel as well as performance.
There are two profiles in the Denali line, Blue and Black, to fit different launch windows. Denali Blue is the mid-launch and mid-spin profile for players who are looking for a little added launch and Denali Black is designed for low-launch and low-spin. Both models are going to offer you a smooth feel and accuracy.
For a full in-depth review check out the Club Junkie podcast on all podcast streaming platforms and on YouTube.
Project X Denali Blue
I typically fit better into mid-launch shafts, as I don’t hit a very high ball so the Denali Blue was the model I was more excited to try. Out of the box, the shaft looks great and from a distance, it is almost hard to tell the dark blue from the Denali Black. With a logo down install of the shaft, you don’t have anything to distract your eyes, just a clean look with the transition from the white and silver handle section to the dark navy mid and tip.
Out on the course, the Blue offers a very smooth feel that gives you a good kick at impact. The shaft loads easily and you can feel the slightly softer handle section compared to the HZRDUS lineup. This gives the shaft a really good feel of it loading on the transition to the downswing, and as your hands get to impact, the Denali Blue keeps going for a nice, strong kick.
Denali Blue is easy to square up at impact and even turn over to hit it straight or just little draws and most of the flex of the shaft feels like it happens right around where the paint changes from silver to blue. The Blue launches easily and produces what I consider a true mid-flight with the driver. While it is listed as mid-spin, I never noticed any type of rise in my drives. Drives that I didn’t hit perfectly were met with good stability and a ball that stayed online well.
Project X Denali Black
When you hold the Denali Black in your hands you can tell it is a more stout shaft compared to its Blue sibling by just trying to bend it. While the handle feels close to the Blue in terms of stiffness, you can tell the tip is much stiffer when you swing it.
Denali Black definitely takes a little more power to load it but the shaft is still smooth and doesn’t give you any harsh vibrations. Where the Blue kicks hard at impact, the Black holds on a little and feels like keeps you in control even on swings that you try and put a little extra effort into. The stiff tip section also makes it a little harder to square up at impact and for some players could take away a little of the draw from their shot.
Launch is lower and more penetrating compared to the Blue and produces a boring, flat trajectory. Shots into the wind don’t rise or spin up, proving that the spin stays down. Like its mid-launch sibling, the Black is very stable and mishits and keeps the ball on a straighter line. Shots low off the face don’t get very high up in the air, but the low spin properties get the ball out there farther than you would expect. For being such a stout shaft, the feel is very good, and the Denali Black does keep harsh vibrations from your hands.
Overall the Project X Denali Blue and Black are great additions to the line of popular wood shafts. If you are looking for good feel and solid performance the Denali line is worth trying out with your swing. Choose Blue for mid-launch and mid-spin or Black for lower launch and low spin.
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Equipment
What we know about Bryson DeChambeau’s 3D-printed Avoda irons
Bryson DeChambeau fired an opening-round 7-under 65 at Augusta National, hitting an impressive 15 of 18 greens in regulation in the process. Golf’s mad scientist’s play grabbed headlines and so too did his equipment. In place of the Ping i230 irons he had in the bag last week for LIV Golf’s Miami event, DeChambeau is gaming a prototype 5-PW set of irons from little-known direct-to-consumer manufacturer Avoda.
What is Avoda Golf?
Founded by Tom Bailey, also a Mike Schy student like Bryson DeChambeau, Avoda Golf is a direct-to-consumer golf equipment company that currently manufactures both single and variable-length irons in one model that are available for pre-order.
What irons is Bryson DeChambeau playing?
Per multiple reports, DeChambeau is playing a custom-designed set of single-length irons that incorporate bulge and roll into the face design. The two-piece 3D-printed irons were reportedly only approved for play by the USGA this week, according to Golfweek’s Adam Schupak.
Regarding the irons, DeChambeau told Golf Channel the irons’ performance on mishits was the determining factor in putting them in play this week. “When I mishit on the toe or the heel,” DeChambeau said. “It seems to fly a lot straighter for me and that’s what has allowed me to be more comfortable over the ball.”
What can we tell about the design of the clubs?
These days, it is a little hard to speculate on what is under the hood with so many hollow body irons. DeChambeau’s irons look to be hollow on the lower section as they do flare back a decent amount. That “muscle” on the back also looks to be fairly low on the iron head, but we can assume that is progressive through the set, moving up higher in the short irons.
A screw out on the toe is probably used to seal up the hollow cavity and used as a weight to dial in the swing weight of the club. From pictures, it is hard to tell but the sole looks to have a little curve from heel to toe while also having some sharper angles on them. A more boxy and sharper toe section looks to be the design that suits Bryson’s eye based on the irons he has gravitated toward recently.
What are bulge and roll, again?
Two types of curvature in a club face, traditionally incorporated only in wood design. Bulge is heel-toe curvature. Roll is crown-sole curvature. Both design elements are designed to mitigate gear effect on off-center strikes and produce shots that finish closer to the intended target line. (GolfTec has an excellent overview of bulge and roll with some handy GIFs for the visual learner)
What else is in DeChambeau’s bag?
Accompanying his traditional Sik putter, Bryson builds his set with a Ping Glide 4.0 wedges, a Krank Formula Fire driver and 5-wood, and a TaylorMade BRNR Mini Driver, all with LA Golf graphite shafts.
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Brian Dudz
Jan 4, 2014 at 9:49 pm
Great article, Andrew! My favorite line was “…but the celebrated and always entertaining Canadian was a no-brainer to sport colorful Puma threads.”
Zak
Jan 4, 2014 at 4:07 pm
I saw someone say that Henrik Stenson will be playing a full bag of Callaways this season, does that mean he will he parting ways with his beloved (and extremely successful) Piretti putter?
Hoylake
Jan 3, 2014 at 1:33 pm
Henrik Stenson Has signed with Callaway and will play a full Callaway bag 2014!
bellsy13
Jan 3, 2014 at 12:27 pm
Mateo: Canadians don’t have the luxuries Americans have with sports. DeLaet is the best Canadian golfer on tour and was in the hunt more than not. He’s a class act, picked for the President’s Cup and had a stellar end to his season. You must not follow golf too closely. He is much more relevant than your comments.
Shawn
Jan 3, 2014 at 10:55 am
“So we lost Ernie, huh? That’s okay, we just signed Harris English”
I’ll take things that WEREN’T said at Callaway headquarters for $500, Alex.
ryan neuzerling
Jan 3, 2014 at 6:20 am
whatever shirt doesn’t have a beer/grass/food stain….
Mateo
Jan 3, 2014 at 1:17 am
yawn. 1 over the hill and the other 2 are almost irrelevant
LorenRobertsFan
Jan 3, 2014 at 2:31 am
Over the hill? Ernie won the Open this past year. And English isn’t irrelevant. He won twice on tour this past year also
burkie
Jan 3, 2014 at 11:27 am
neither of them are nearly as irrelevant as your post.
Do you follow the PGA tour at all?
Shark
Jan 2, 2014 at 6:39 pm
I just loaded up in Canadian Winter offseason on sligo golf clothes as I like delaet style. Oh well I like his old funky stuff. Puma is flashy but not as fun…
Shelby
Jan 4, 2014 at 3:10 am
Instead of you and Graham D., you can at least say it’s you and Brian Gay! He rocks the Sligo still……
jc
Jan 2, 2014 at 6:00 pm
and what will all of you be wearing on sunday? golfwrx wants to know…
I will be wearing my old footjoys and whatever golf shirt I find first in the closet that goes with the first pair of pants I grab.