Equipment
Report: Tiger to use Bridgestone B330S golf ball, Monster Energy golf bag
All eyes will be on Tiger Woods this week in the Bahamas, where the 14-time major champion will make his return to competitive golf at the Hero World Challenge. Speculation is rampant about how Woods will play, and also what he will play given Nike’s decision to shutter its golf equipment business in August, making the most famous golfer in the world an equipment free agent.
Woods has had months to test the latest gear, but it’s still not clear if even he is certain what he will use come Thursday. Based on reports, the smart money is on Woods using TaylorMade woods (driver, 3 wood and 5 wood), Nike irons (3-PW), Nike wedges (56 and 60) and the Scotty Cameron putter he trusted for 13 of his 14 major championship wins. We’ll wait to confirm those changes until we arrive at Albany later in the week.
There are two switches, however, that are appear to be locks this week.
The first is Tiger’s decision to use Bridgestone’s B330S golf ball, reported by Steve DiMeglio of USA Today. Woods was previously using Nike’s RZN Black golf ball.
Bridgestone’s B330S golf balls sell for $44.99 per dozen.
The B330S, also used by Matt Kuchar and Bryson DeChambeau, is one of two Bridgestone golf ball models played on the PGA Tour. It’s a four-piece design that has a slightly higher-spinning construction than Bridgestone’s B330, which is played by Brandt Snedeker.
The other change is Woods’ golf bag itself, which according to ESPN’s Darren Rovell will be branded with a Monster Energy Drink logo.
While it’s hard to imagine Woods chugging Monsters on the course, energy drink endorsements are nothing new to professional golf. Rickie Fowler, arguably the most well-known golfer outside the sport after Woods, has an endorsement with Red Bull. Jim Furyk has also been an endorser of 5-Hour Energy since 2012.
Related: See the clubs Woods in 2015
Woods has had six previous bag sponsors: Titleist, Buick, AT&T, Nike, Fuse Science and MusclePharm. MusclePharm was the latest, and disclosed in SEC filings that it paid Woods $7 million to carry the bag for two years, and paid the golfer an additional $2.5 million to terminate the deal in May.
According to Woods’ website, the golfer’s current sponsors include Nike, Hero, Kowa, Upper Deck, Rolex and a partnership with the PGA Tour.
Join the discussion: See what GolfWRX Members are saying about Woods’ equipment changes in our forum.
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Equipment
Why Rory McIlroy will likely use the new TaylorMade BRNR Mini Driver Copper at the RBC Heritage
Although we spotted Rory McIlroy testing the new TaylorMade BRNR Mini Driver Copper last week during practice rounds at the Masters, he ultimately didn’t decide to use the club in competition.
It seems that will change this week at the 2024 RBC Heritage, played at the short-and-tight Harbour Town Golf Links in Hilton Head.
When asked on Wednesday following his morning Pro-Am if he’d be using the new, nostalgic BRNR Copper this week, McIlroy said, “I think so.”
“I like it,” McIlroy told GolfWRX.com on Tuesday regarding the BRNR. “This would be a good week for it.”
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According to Adrian Rietveld, the Senior Manager of Tour at TaylorMade, the BRNR Mini Driver can help McIlroy position himself properly off the tee at the tight layout.
Here’s what Rietveld told GolfWRX.com on Wednesday:
“For someone like Rory, who’s that long at the top end of the bag, and then you put him on a course like Harbour Town, it’s tough off the tee. It’s tight into the greens, and you have to put yourself in position off the tee to have a shot into the green. It kind of reminds me of Valderrama in Spain, where you can be in the fairway and have no shot into the green.
“I’m caddying for Tommy [Fleetwood] this week, so I was walking the course last night and looking at a few things. There’s just such a small margin for error. You can be standing in the fairway at 300 yards and have a shot, but at 320 you don’t. So if you don’t hit a perfect shot, you could be stuck behind a tree. And then if you’re back at 280, it might be a really tough shot into the small greens.
“So for Rory [with the BRNR], it’s a nice course-specific golf club for him. He’s got both shots with it; he can move it right-to-left or left-to-right. And the main thing about this club has been the accuracy and the dispersion with it. I mean, it’s been amazing for Tommy.
“This was the first event Tommy used a BRNR last year, and I remember talking to him about it, and he said he couldn’t wait to play it at Augusta next year. And he just never took it out of the bag because he’s so comfortable with it, and hitting it off the deck.
“So you look at Rory, and you want to have the tools working to your advantage out here, and the driver could hand-cuff him a bit with all of the shots you’d have to manufacture.”
So, although McIlroy might not be making a permanent switch into the new TaylorMade BRNR Mini Driver Copper, he’s likely to switch into it this week.
His version is lofted at 13.5 degrees, and equipped with a Fujikura Ventus Black 7X shaft.
See more photos of Rory testing the BRNR Mini here
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It seems like the RBC Heritage is full of new gear to be spotted, and you can add TaylorMade’s P-UDI utility irons to that list.
We spotted a 17-degree P-UDI 2-iron in Nick Dunlap’s bag yesterday, and now have some photos of both the 3- and 4-irons. Nick has his P-UDI 2-iron setup with a Project X HZRDUS Black 4th Gen 105g TX shaft.
From what we can tell, this new P-UDI utility iron looks to have some of the usual TaylorMade technology as we can see the Speed Slot on the sole of the club for additional face flexibility. A toe screw is usually used to close off the hollow body design that will probably be filled with a version of TaylorMade’s Speed Foam that is present in the current iron lineup. This hollow body, foam-filled design should offer additional ball speed, soft feel, and sound, as well as an optimized CG for ball flight.
“Forged” is etched into the hosel, so we can assume that either the face, body, or both are forged for a soft and responsive feel. The club looks good from behind and at address, where we can see just a little offset and a topline that I would consider medium thickness. We don’t have the full details on what is under the hood or how many loft options will be available yet.
TaylorMade P-UDI 3-iron – 20°
TaylorMade P-UDI 4-iron – 22°
- Check out the rest of our photos from the 2024 RBC Heritage
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- Collin Morikawa what’s in the bag accurate as of the RBC Heritage. More photos from the event here.
Driver: TaylorMade Qi10 LS (9 degrees)
Shaft: Mitsubishi Diamana D+ Limited 60 TX (45 inches)
3-wood: TaylorMade Qi10 (13.5 degrees)
Shaft: Mitsubishi Diamana D+ Limited 80 TX
5-wood: TaylorMade Qi10 (18 degrees)
Shaft: Mitsubishi Diamana D+ Limited 80 TX
Irons: TaylorMade P770 (4), P7MC (5-6), P730 (7-PW)
Shafts: True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue Mid 115 X100 (4-6), True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue X100 (7-PW)
Wedges: TaylorMade MG4 (50-SB09, 56-LB08), TaylorMade MG4 TW (60-TW11)
Shafts: True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue S400
Putter: TaylorMade TP Soto
Grip: SuperStroke Zenergy Tour 2.0
Grips: Golf Pride Z-Grip Cord
Ball: TaylorMade TP5x
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Sean
Nov 29, 2016 at 4:18 pm
No surprise. Bridgestone manufactured the Nike golf balls.
David Labbe
Nov 30, 2016 at 8:18 am
They were made in the same plant and Bridgestone had nothing to do with the design of the ball itself. Both companies have their own R&D department. This is very typical for not just golf balls but many products in many industries.
Ryan Butryn
Nov 30, 2016 at 12:23 pm
I understand what you are saying, but I think he was trying to say that Tiger has been perticularly picky about the ball he uses. So picky that most of the time, his ball never makes on to store shelves because a ball that spins that mich isn’t very marketable. So, since Bridgestone manufactured balls for Nike, Bridgestone knows the exact specifications of the ball Tiger uses. So now, Toger is using the same ball he has used for a while but now with a Bridgestone logo slapped on the side. It’s a win win for both sides, Tiger gets the ball he wants and Bridgestone gets great marketing.
Matt
Nov 29, 2016 at 9:16 am
LOL! Perfect! Go Tiger!!!!
Taylor
Nov 28, 2016 at 7:31 pm
Laddie.
TM SOLD
Nov 28, 2016 at 7:29 pm
TIGER, JASON DAY, & 3 BACKERS ARE BUYING TM.
Tony Lynam
Nov 29, 2016 at 8:26 am
Bad time to be buying a golf equipment company. The amount of your own money that goes into it can destroy your wealth.
HoselRockets INC
Nov 28, 2016 at 7:11 pm
Hardly surprising. Fred Couples would have nudged him to this ball.. And its a putters ball for sure too..
jlukes
Nov 28, 2016 at 6:08 pm
Golf Channel keeps showing a graphic that has Tiger playing the Bridgestone RX – that can’t be right, can it?
setter02
Nov 28, 2016 at 6:03 pm
Hopefully the older version in the One Tour D era. Last time Nike made a good ball and was the best 330s’.
HennyBogan67
Nov 28, 2016 at 5:16 pm
If he quits on the front 9 on Friday, Bridgestone will be blamed.
Jack Nash
Nov 28, 2016 at 3:44 pm
I heard years ago that Tiger was using a Bridgestone ball with a Nike swoosh on it. He was on the range with Couples at the time and hit some and liked the feel. Nike didn’t have anything like it at the time, so this was an interim fix.
Moretti
Nov 28, 2016 at 4:18 pm
Bridgestone made Nike golf balls for a number of years. Nike hired Bridgestone’s head golf ball engineer when they started making the balls themselves.
Real Logo
Nov 28, 2016 at 2:49 pm
He’s just going back to the ball that won him all those majors. At least now he doesn’t have to hide the logo with a Nike one lol
Hook Whisperer
Nov 28, 2016 at 2:41 pm
Great ball around the green and off the tee.
Uhit
Nov 28, 2016 at 1:00 pm
The picture shows the old 2014 version of the B330S…
…I thought all the mentioned players use the 2016 version – no?
Uhit
Nov 28, 2016 at 2:00 pm
Thank you – now, the picture is showing the 2016 version…
Dave R
Nov 28, 2016 at 12:16 pm
OUCH. The trunk
Andy C
Nov 28, 2016 at 11:59 am
He should try to use Costco’s Kirkland’s balls. 🙂
At least he can return the balls, if he is not completely satisfied with the performance (i.e. not winning the tourney)
greg
Nov 28, 2016 at 1:02 pm
lol
Mat
Nov 28, 2016 at 1:55 pm
Win!
Brian
Nov 28, 2016 at 4:29 pm
I guess he’ll have to search eBay, because Costo can’t keep those damned things in stock.
ooffa
Nov 28, 2016 at 11:42 am
They will look great in his trunk after the withdraw.
drkviolet
Nov 28, 2016 at 11:48 am
oooooh good one
Branson Reynolds
Nov 28, 2016 at 12:27 pm
And we’ll get a good view of it since 100 reporters will follow him to his car
Jamie
Nov 28, 2016 at 4:39 pm
you love this joke.
Tony Lynam
Nov 29, 2016 at 8:29 am
Yeah, but he gets them for free and free is good. But you and I will always be paying for our golf balls.
Branson Reynolds
Nov 28, 2016 at 11:05 am
WITB is such a better topic when players have unique input. So boring when a WITB has the player gaming the latest equip from the sponsoring mfgr, Kevin Na style
drkviolet
Nov 28, 2016 at 10:19 am
first