Equipment
Photos of Cobra prototype irons made for Bryson DeChambeau
News came on Tuesday that amateur standout Bryson DeChambeau entered the 2016 RBC Heritage as a professional, and signed deals with Cobra-Puma (apparel/equipment) and Bridgestone (golf ball).
Although Cobra-Puma reported DeChambeau will play the RBC Heritage with his familiar Edel prototype irons, we spotted single-length Cobra King CB and MB prototype irons made for him, while live at the event.
We do not know if and when these irons will go into play, or if these are the same irons he reportedly played at the 2016 Georgia Cup. But check out more photos of the prototype Cobra irons below.
See what GolfWRX members are saying about the irons here.
See what GolfWRX members are saying about the irons here.
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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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- Pavon’s WITB accurate as of the Wells Fargo Championship. More photos from the event here.
Driver: Ping G430 Max (9 degrees)
Shaft: Fujikura Ventus TR Black 6 X
3-wood: Ping G430 LST (15 degrees)
Shaft: Fujikura Ventus TR Black 7 X
Hybrid: Ping G430 (19 degrees)
Shaft: Fujikura Ventus Black 10 X
Irons: Ping i230 (3-PW)
Shafts: Nippon Modus3 Tour 120 X
Wedges: Ping Si59 (52-12S, 58-8B)
Shafts: Nippon Modus3 Tour 120 X
Putter: Ping Cadence TR Tomcat C
Grip: SuperStroke Claw 1.0P
Grips: Golf Pride MCC Align
Ball: Titleist Pro V1
Check out more in-hand photos of Pavon’s gear here.
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Tommy Fleetwood has been attached to his Odyssey White Hot Pro #3 putter for years now. However, this week at the Wells Fargo Championship, we did spot him testing a new putter that is very different, yet somewhat similar, to his current gamer.
This new putter is a TaylorMade Spider Tour X head but with a brand new neck we haven’t seen on a Spider before. A flow neck is attached to the Spider head and gives the putter about a 1/2 shaft offset. This style neck will usually increase the toe hang of the putter and we can guess it gets the putter close to his White Hot Pro #3.
Another interesting design is that lack of TaylorMade’s True Path alignment on the top of the putter. Instead of the large white center stripe, Tommy’s Spider just has a very short white site line milled into it. As with his Odyssey, Tommy seems to be a fan of soft inserts and this Spider prototype looks to have the TPU Pure Roll insert with 45° grooves for immediate topspin and less hopping and skidding.
The sole is interesting as well in that the rear weights don’t look to be interchangeable and are recessed deep into the ports. This setup could be used to push the CG forward in the putter for a more blade-like feel during the stroke, like TaylorMade did with the Spider X Proto Scottie Scheffler tested out.
Tommy’s putter is finished off with an older Super Stroke Mid Slim 2.0 grip in blue and white. The Mid Slim was designed to fit in between the Ultra Slim 1.0 and the Slim 3.0 that was a popular grip on tour.
- Check out the rest of our photos from the 2024 Wells Fargo Championship
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Tour Pro
Jun 9, 2016 at 6:26 am
No OEM will ever release a single length set. At best it will be a “custom option” if its ever offered.
Matt Vernot
Apr 18, 2016 at 10:37 am
These are really interesting. In comparing these side by side with his Edel set, there is no external weight on these. Cobra’s R&D department must have done an exceptional job to get the weight into the head (probably the toe side) and making them look “normal”
Bruce Gerhold
Apr 16, 2016 at 11:35 am
Reply to “lost in the convo”. I fabricated and play a set of “2 length” irons: 2 length because of difficulty with large weight adjustments required when using off the shelf iron heads. My 3,4,5,6 irons are 37 inches long and my 7,8,9,PW are 36 inches long. Love the simplicity – one swing and 2 different ball positions covers all irons; play much better.
1. single length irons, and 2 length irons require lie adjustment assigning a lie to each club length. Note minimal lie adjustment (small changes) when using 2 lengths.
2. The notion of loosing length with lon g irons is a myth propagated by those taking our $ for old style irons. I hit my 3 iron 195 and my PW 105 which is very similar to old style irons.
The science (new term for golf clubs) is : at club-ball impact, MOMENTUM is conserved. Momentum – ( head mass) x (head velocity). Now, my 3 iron is 2 inches shorter than standard (about 5%) which costs 5% head velocity. BUT the club head is 21 g heavier which is 8.6% higher than old style heads. Thus, the momentum transfer to the ball – think ball velocity – actually increases with same length or 2 length irons. YOU DO NOT SACRIFICE DISTANCE OR SUFFER FROM SMALL DISTANCE INCREMENTS BETWEEN IRONS.
As a bonus, the shorter clubs help you make solid strikes for added consistency and length.
jeff
Apr 17, 2016 at 10:22 pm
momentum is MV^2
Hawk
Apr 19, 2016 at 8:54 am
All the research I’ve ever done on this has always showed one thing in regards to length of club in irons. Since most irons use a .5″ increment that translates into less than 2 yard distance in length between clubs. So really if all the clubs were the same exact loft and one the length was different you would increase or decrease distance by 2 yards for every .5″ difference in length. Loft however; has a much higher difference in distance, which is why same length clubs with proper loft gaps works!
As always though all the clubs have to be the same exact weight, head weight, shaft, grip, swing weight, and so forth for the same length shaft to actually work properly. This is also the reason why you can’t make a set unless you buy custom heads and shafts.
Chuck D
Apr 15, 2016 at 3:14 am
I recently saw Ping Scottsdale’s selling for $299 in Torrance California at a shop called Golf Exchange.
:-p
Apr 15, 2016 at 3:08 am
I would like to touch those irons, just once :-ppppp
Eye4golf
Apr 13, 2016 at 11:28 pm
Does anyone know where I can find selling prices for a old Scottsdale PO box ping putter , I own one and want to see what it’s worth? Kushin model.
Matty
Apr 13, 2016 at 12:16 pm
I have a question about single-length irons. Does the offset have to be constant throughout, or should there be small changes in offset?
Scott
Apr 13, 2016 at 3:16 pm
Tom Wishon’s site has some good information on that. Tom has a set designed to be single length.
nathan
Apr 13, 2016 at 5:04 pm
All the clubs should have the same offset. Not sure why Tom’s set varies the offset from club to club.
Teaj
Apr 13, 2016 at 6:40 pm
+1 as I believe offset is to help with the squaring of the club of a longer moment.
WillThaPill
Apr 14, 2016 at 5:55 pm
+1
setter02
May 3, 2016 at 8:25 pm
Don’t tell Butch he can’t teach because he can’t play as well as his students…
Lost in the convo
Apr 13, 2016 at 10:38 am
is the fact that the lie angle in his dingle length set is due his particular swing. For anyone else that is thinking of trying single length irons the lie angle doesn’t have to be so upright. I would think the biggest issue for anyone wanting to attempt single length irons would be the club head weights all the same and handling the yardage gaps. I think a lot of guys are sticking w/ tradition here and not even willing to try a set of single length clubs. Would be interested in trying if a company stepped up and did like the new Ben Hogan Golf irons and allowed a 30 day trial of a few clubs. Just my 2 cents.
Joshuaplaysgolf
Apr 13, 2016 at 12:11 pm
‘Dingle length’ lol. I’m not sure if your asking actual questions, since your post of void of actual punctuation…but if you are actually asking, yes, weighting and distance falling is the challenge here. My buddy is going through the process of getting single length irons dialed in right now. The lie angle is unique to Dechambeau’s stance/swing. It’s VERY upright and he takes most of the angle out of his wrists at address, so his arms and the shaft are almost parallel. If your going the single length route, you’ll just have to have the lie angle measured for your swing, most likely not 13* upright.
SirBigSpur
Apr 13, 2016 at 12:31 pm
“your post of void of actual punctuation.”
Dude. You’re that guy aren’t you?
Joshuaplaysgolf
Apr 13, 2016 at 5:25 pm
Lol. Not intentionally, it just makes it really difficult to discern if it’s a rhetorical question or for real asking. But sure, I’ll be ‘that guy’ in this instance.
Smoking gun
Apr 13, 2016 at 10:09 am
Like the song say’s, ” money money money mon’ey, money”!!!
M
Apr 13, 2016 at 8:50 am
Yikes, not sure I could look down at a neck that is that rounded, Cobra may have to work on that a little, maybe get Miura to forge them with spin welded hosels and stamp cobra on them
Chuck D
Apr 13, 2016 at 6:31 am
Wait a minute, they’ve been forcing this Einstein golfer dude and his crude scientific looking equipment down our throats for the past year and he jumps ship, to now hit traditional “looking” I know, I know already, they’re still one length, settle down, golf gear?! Sheesh, what’s next, he’s
gonna switch to a baseball cap, or stop the presses, a visor? Or maybe white pants? Well Edel, he couldn’t win the Mahztaz with your gear, so now the musical clubs begin. You….uhhh….GO DECHAMBEAU, or however he spells his name.
MLECUNI
Apr 13, 2016 at 3:23 am
I still don’t know why edel made him a new set recently. Sad for them to put hard work and have to let him go.
jordy
Apr 12, 2016 at 11:22 pm
Those are some upright looking lie angles!
cody
Apr 12, 2016 at 6:58 pm
interesting that it is blade low lofts and cavity high lofts. kinda backwards isnt it?
Greg Moore
Apr 12, 2016 at 7:40 pm
There is a full set of muscle back irons and a full set of cavity back irons. Not sure if he will put either one in play this week
Richard
Apr 13, 2016 at 12:05 am
Money talks, he will play a Cobra Iron before long even if it is not one of these two….and you can bet Cobra is biting at the bit to get it set so they can make a version for the public…I would think if your playing a one length set of irons you will have to be fit for lie angle for sure…
cody
Apr 13, 2016 at 11:21 am
thanks, it seemed so strange to me.
Teaj
Apr 13, 2016 at 6:47 pm
could be two sets. it could also be that the CB with the added weight to the lower lofted irons spins to much due to the added weight to the head to bring the swing weight up because of the shorter shaft length.