Equipment
Mizuno’s new T7 Wedges are Japanese-Forged with Boron
Mizuno has been strategically adding a material called boron to several of its new forged irons in recent years, the benefits of which have been longer-flying, more forgiving irons that retain the company’s signature feel. With its new T7 wedges, Mizuno is claiming that boron isn’t just the answer for better forged irons; it can also make better forged wedges.
Instead of adding distance and forgiveness to the company’s new T7 wedges, trace amounts of boron were used to create a forged wedge with more durable grooves.
“The one drawback with a traditional soft, forged wedge is that the
grooves compress more quickly than a harder, cast wedge,” says David Llewellyn, Mizuno’s Director of R&D. “A very small trace of boron in the steel means we can now maintain the forged feel and precision, but maintain the performance of the grooves and the wedge’s stopping power for a longer period of time.”
The T7’s grooves have also been improved with a new milling tool, according to Mizuno, which allows their Quad-Cut grooves to be machined closer to the USGA/R&A limits. The result is more consistent grooves with tighter tolerances, which creates more spin around the greens.
The configuration of the new grooves also varies based on loft; they’re narrower and deeper in the lower lofts (44-53 degrees) for better performance on square-face shots, and wider and shallower in higher lofts (54-62 degrees) for better performance on open-face shots.
The T7 wedges ($149 each) are forged in Mizuno’s Hiroshima (Japan) plant, and use the company’s “teardrop” club-head shape. They’re available in lofts from 44 to 62 degrees in 1-degree increments, and are offered in two finishes: Blue IP, which wears to a chrome finish, and white satin.
The stock shaft is True Temper’s Dynamic Gold Wedge Flex. The stock shaft is Golf Pride’s MCC Blue/Black 60 Round. Custom stampings of 6 characters and 12 colors can also be added.
They’ll be in stores on Sept. 16.
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Equipment
A shocking Backstryke putter appearance + 7 interesting gear photos from the Zurich Classic
Welcome to New Orleans, where TPC Louisiana plays host to the 2024 Zurich Classic. In between breakfast beignets and nightly Creole feasts, PGA Tour players are also competing in the unique two-man format at the Zurich this week.
Although the vibes in Nawlins are a bit lighter-fare than the recent back-to-back competitions the Masters and the RBC Heritage signature event), the gear news was no less serious this week.
We spotted some recent changes from Rory McIlroy, a very rare Odyssey Backstryke putter, dove into the bag of legendary New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees, and spotted Patrick Cantlay continuing to test new equipment.
Get your beads out and crack your crawfish, because it’s time for an equipment rundown from The Big Easy (meaning New Orleans, of course, not Ernie Els).
See all of our photos from the Zurich Classic here
Rory’s on-and-off lob wedge
Since the end of 2023, Rory McIlroy has had an on-again, off-again relationship with a Titleist Vokey K-Grind lob wedge. In his last start, it was on, and the wedge is back in the bag again this week. We got a great look at the complicated grind that McIlroy uses.
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A full look into McIlroy’s bag above also shows that he switched out of the TaylorMade BRNR Mini Copper that he used at the RBC Heritage, and he’s back into the Qi10 core 3-wood. As we discussed last week, McIlroy will likely keep the BRNR around as a course-specific club, trading it in and out for the 3-wood.
See Rory McIlroy’s full 2024 WITB from the Zurich here
Turning Back the clock
Unless Tommy Gainey is in the field, it’s unlikely you’ll ever see Odyssey’s Backstryke technology make an appearance on the PGA Tour.
But then, when you least expect it, Russ Cochran shows up.
For more than a decade – since the 2013 Sony Open in Hawai’i – Cochran has been stuck on 599 PGA Tour starts. This week will be his 600th.
Cochran is in the field at the Zurich this week playing alongside Eric Cole, whose regular caddie is Reed Cochran, Russ’s son.
The Backstryke putter was first released back in 2010, and its unique design helps shift the axis point of the putter closer to the CG of the head. And, the putter is getting a nod this week at the Zurich Classic, thanks to Cochran’s 600th career PGA Tour start.
The putter is certainly awesome, but don’t forget to check out Cochran’s full WITB from this week.
Drew Brees with a Super Bowl winning Scotty Cameron putter
Drew Brees, a legendary retired quarterback for the hometown New Orleans Saints, made an appearance at the Zurich’s Wednesday Pro-Am, playing alongside Zach Johnson, Ryan Palmer, and current Saints QB Derek Carr.
Brees’ bag included a TaylorMade Stealth2 Plus driver, a BRNR Mini 13.5-degree, a Stealth 5-wood, a mixed set of P-790 and P-760 irons, Milled Grind Hi-Toe wedges, and a custom Scotty Cameron “New Orleans Saints” putter, which Scotty made for Brees following his Super Bowl MVP-winning performance in 2010.
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It should also be noted that Brees has his Venmo QR code as a bag tag.
If you’re gambling with Brees on the course, just know that not having cash won’t work as an excuse.
Brilliant.
See Drew Brees’ full WITB from the Zurich here
Stricker’s unrecognizable putter
Steve Stricker has made numerous upgrades to his bag recently, including a new TSR3 driver and T100 irons, but his longtime Odyssey White Hot No. 2 putter is still going strong. It’s the most recognizable unrecognizable putter ever.
Here’s a better look at Stricker’s flatstick, which he started using back in 2007.
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Patrick Cantlay has opened the equipment-switching floodgates
Over on the PGA Tour’s Equipment Report this week, we covered Cantlay’s recent switch into Ping Blueprint S irons, and a Titleist TSR2 driver.
Cantlay hadn’t switched irons for about seven years, so the iron switch he made at The 2024 Masters came as a shock to the norm. He simply isn’t one to change gear very often, so anytime Cantlay makes a switch, it’s news.
It seems the floodgates of equipment testing have opened up a bit for Cantlay, who was also spotted testing a custom Scotty Cameron blade putter on Tuesday this week. By Wednesday, Cantlay was back practicing with his familiar Scotty Cameron T5 Proto mallet, but it’s certainly something to keep an eye on going forward.
Daniel Berger’s custom Jailbird site lines
Berger, who’s currently using Odyssey’s Ai-One Mini Jailbird mallet putter, has a unique 3-dot, 2-line alignment on the crown of his navy-white-navy-white mallet putter. Looking down at the putter, it’s easy to see why this alignment system would help; it just seems impossible to set up to the ball off-center, or misaligned to the target.
Also, for anyone worried, you can rest easy. Yes, he’s still playing the 2013 TaylorMade TP MC irons, which we highlighted in our recent “Modern Classics: Old vs. New” video testing series.
FitzMagic teams back up
Brothers Matthew and Alex Fitzpatrick are teaming up once again at the Zurich this year, and Bettinardi Golf hooked them up with some festive “FitzMagic” headcovers to match this week.
See what else is in Alex Fitzpatrick’s WITB here
And, with that, we say goodbye to the Zurich Classic in New Orleans. Don’t forget to check out all of our photos from this week, including 30 unique photo galleries full of equipment photos.
We’ll see you next week in Texas for the 2024 CJ Cup Byron Nelson!
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Whats in the Bag
Alejandro Tosti WITB 2024 (April)
- Alejandro Tosti what’s in the bag accurate as of the Zurich Classic.
Driver: Srixon ZX5 Mk II LS (9.5 degrees @10.5)
Shaft: Project X HZRDUS T1100 75 6.5
3-wood: TaylorMade Qi10 Tour
Shaft: Project X HZRDUS Black 80 TX
Hybrid: TaylorMade Qi10 Tour Rescue (22 degrees)
Shaft: Project X HZRDUS Smoke Black RDX 6.5 100
Irons: Srixon ZX7 Mk II (4-PW)
Shafts: True Temper Dynamic Gold Mid Tour Issue X100
Wedges: Cleveland RTX6 ZipCore Tour Rack (50-10 MID, 54-10 MID, 58-10 MID, 60-06 LOW)
Shafts: True Temper Dynamic Gold Mid Tour Issue X100, S400
Putter: Scotty Cameron
Grips: Golf Pride MCC Plus4
Check out more in-hand photos of Alejandro Tosti’s WITB in the forums.
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Whats in the Bag
Drew Brees WITB 2024 (April)
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Driver: TaylorMade Stealth 2 Plus (10.5 degrees)
Mini driver: TaylorMade BRNR Mini Copper (13.5 degrees)
5-wood: TaylorMade Stealth Plus (19 degrees)
Irons: TaylorMade P790 (4-8, PW), TaylorMade P760 (9)
Wedges: TaylorMade MG Hi-Toe (52-09, 56-10, 60)
Putter: Scotty Cameron Select Newport 2 Prototype
Check out more in-hand photos of Drew Brees’ clubs here.
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Billy M
Aug 4, 2016 at 3:28 pm
Chlorophyll? More like Borophyll!
Jafar
Jul 30, 2016 at 9:28 pm
What happened to the MP-T6? There was the T4, T5…but no T6?
Tom
Jul 30, 2016 at 7:42 pm
hawt damn…daddy’s got new toy’s!
Mark
Jul 30, 2016 at 4:04 pm
Stunning.
Christosterone
Jul 30, 2016 at 12:25 pm
Wilson had awesome blue wedges a few years ago….love these too
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Adam
Jul 30, 2016 at 12:04 pm
9:03am PST and no one has clicked “shank” or “flop”
Take Matsuo
Jul 30, 2016 at 10:09 am
For Japanese market,T7 is GFF1025E.
Not a boron.
Fl
Jul 31, 2016 at 11:51 am
Exactly. So everything that Llwellyn says about how a forged wedge compresses the grooves so they added Boron – makes no sense at all. Don’t these manufacturers understand that people can surf the web and find info?
Sloop
Jul 30, 2016 at 10:06 am
Was at their flagship store in Osaka today. Other than hitting the 5s, the 55s, the fli-his and seeing all the new woods, hybrids, bags, clothes and shoes… I was gonna make a joke. I’m totally horny for some Mizuno.