Equipment
Bryson DeChambeau is going old school at the RBC Heritage
This week at the RBC Heritage, Bryson DeChambeau and his sponsor Cobra-Puma Golf are taking the word heritage seriously, and golfers can get in on the trend.
Bryson is keeping it old school with a full line of Heritage clothing from Puma (hat, polo, cardigan, chinos, belt and shoes) that golfers can buy.
On April 14, Cobra will also release a limited-edition King F7 driver with a wood grain finish that’s designed to make the titanium-and-carbon-fiber club head look like a modern-day persimmon. The King F7 Wood Grain LE will sell for $349.
Correction: This story originally indicated that DeChambeau would use a Cobra King F7 Wood Grain driver at the RBC Heritage. He will use a Cobra King LTD driver in the tournament.
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Whats in the Bag
Kevin Tway WITB 2024 (May)
- 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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Equipment
Did Rory McIlroy inspire Shane Lowry’s putter switch?
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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Georgina
Mar 28, 2018 at 12:23 am
It’s remarkable to pay a quick visit this web site and
reading the views of all mates about this paragraph, while I am
also keen of getting know-how.
Matt
Apr 28, 2017 at 2:37 pm
Just missing the upside down u-shaped knot grain at the toe end – that would be funny. Pretty outstanding winning the US Amateur doing his own thing. Sign of the times unfortunately that he’s been marketed to hell and back already by an agent and sponsor for borrowing a few unorthodox strategies (the old one length irons idea, the mechanics of Moe Norman’s swing and Pelz’s wedge strategy…) Needs a few years to prove himself.
Simon
Apr 18, 2017 at 4:09 pm
Cleveland did a much better job wth the persimmon look with the Classic driver
Mark
Apr 14, 2017 at 9:37 am
More interested in his image than his swing. Golfers get respected for their skills, not number of Instagrams.
Shanks Happen
Apr 13, 2017 at 2:58 pm
If it actually looked like wood grain, than it would great. In its current state, this thing looks terrible.
Daniel
Apr 13, 2017 at 10:05 am
Not persimmon grain. Curly maple maybe. Grain is running all wrong if it were a true wooden headed club anyway.
krikets
Apr 12, 2017 at 9:46 pm
Man, by going old school I thought it was going to be about how he has finally decided to behave like a good boy, a gentleman, and not a total dee.eye.see.kay
The dude
Apr 12, 2017 at 6:01 pm
Whats the over/under on how many of these are sold….??
Bwall
Apr 12, 2017 at 3:22 pm
A lot of bashing on a guy that just finished 2nd in an actual PGA tour event less than 3 weeks ago.
Mr Muira
Apr 12, 2017 at 6:30 pm
….against guys who didn’t get the $224,000 that he did.
Brian
Apr 13, 2017 at 9:53 pm
He is inside the top 125 in both Fed Ex Points and Money List. I’d say, he is well on his way to keeping that PGA tour card.
Jon
Apr 12, 2017 at 1:26 pm
Cobra must have called these guys up for the persimmon skin: http://bigwigzskins.com/bigwigz/index.php?page=shop.product_details&flypage=flypage.tpl&product_id=118&category_id=10&option=com_virtuemart&Itemid=1
#1 Ball for a reason... EVERY SEASON.
Apr 12, 2017 at 9:06 pm
Neither looks much like persimmon but Cobra’s loos better. That other one in the link is HORRENDOUS!
Jon
Apr 13, 2017 at 1:31 pm
I can’t disagree with you, but for $18 delivered to your door it is a helluva lot more affordable if you end up not liking it. Plus they have other designs as well. Personally, I would go to the local hobby shop and buy a Testers airbrush kit and paint my driver the color I wanted it.
mitch
Apr 12, 2017 at 12:18 pm
he is so occupied trying to “change” the game , and how people think.. he is never gonna win
Mike Honcho
Apr 12, 2017 at 11:19 am
Keep it up Bryson, keep experimenting and make it all about show. You’ll be finishing your PHD in Physics at SMU on a full time basis very soon and going to Golfer’s Anonymous meetings with Ty Tryon.
Lester Diamond
Apr 13, 2017 at 9:41 am
PHD? He better work on getting that Bachelor of Science degree first.
joro
Apr 12, 2017 at 9:31 am
Interesting, I worked at Cobra in the late 70s as Wood Maker, real wood, Persimmon and Laminated. I did all the custom work and made clubs for over 200 tour Pros including Jack, Trevino, Player and a ton more. Those were the days when the Baffler was born and the real backbone of the Company. At one time Karsten said at a convention that we made the best Persimmon out there and in those days it was all hand made. And by the way, Laminated Wood was much better than Persimmon, but Persimmon could be beautiful if you picked right piece. I wish they would bring those days back and get rid of these 350 yd. Bombs and bring everybody back in play. But, I guess technology and price has taken over, too bad.
cgasucks
Apr 12, 2017 at 11:54 am
As much as I like wooden clubs too (as I practice with them once every while) can you tell me why laminated is better than persimmon? I always thought it was the opposite.
RI_Redneck
Apr 12, 2017 at 10:02 pm
Laminated maple is denser than persimmon (more gms per cu in). They could actually make the perimeter weighted by hving a cavity in the center under the soleplate. Ping did this with many of their woods.
BT
MiloTheMarauder
Apr 12, 2017 at 12:47 pm
Take your pills Grandpa, you’re talking crazy again.
tlmck
Apr 12, 2017 at 5:15 pm
I believe the insert was more of a factor than the wood as far as strike goes, but laminate was more durable, especially in the neck.
JThunder
Apr 13, 2017 at 1:50 am
Watch the Jack Nicklaus special – he was hitting it 350 with persimmon. If Jack could do it with persimmon, balata and 43.5″ steel, then so can Dustin. You’d actually be penalizing the shorter hitters more, as they’d suffer greater losses in distance and even worse if they were off-line.
You could solve it all very easily; since everyone wants to “dial back” the golf ball and the longer hitters, then just level the playing field entirely and modify all golf courses to Par 3 only. Think of the money saved, the quickness of rounds, 2 golf courses in the footprint of 1…
Then you can have your “one ball to rule them all”, and Pelz will finally be correct that every golfer needs 7 wedges.
Nevin
Apr 12, 2017 at 8:26 am
That looks pretty cool. I’m happy with my driver, but if they came out with a 3 wood that was painted that was, I’d be very interested.
ooffa
Apr 12, 2017 at 8:21 am
This guy is a walking gimmick. One length irons, side saddle non conforming putters. Now a a tricked out driver and some crappy old clothes. He should spend more time practicing then doing this circus clown act to get headlines.
mlecuni
Apr 12, 2017 at 8:36 am
Same story when i saw the sbk2017 thing, i knew why some didn’t perform well at Augusta.
They are less focus on the game.
chip
Apr 12, 2017 at 2:28 pm
You seriously think Rickie, Jordan, JT, and Smylie didnt perform because they were thinking about their Spring Break trip following the tournament? Come on now.
Tyson Rochambeau
Apr 12, 2017 at 10:15 am
Cobra got played by this clown. Bet he doesn’t make the cut.
offa
Apr 12, 2017 at 10:48 am
Small minds have a hard time accepting someone that is different from the norm. It’s OK, it’s not your fault. You were born that way.
iShankEveryArticle
Apr 12, 2017 at 8:02 am
Cool finish on the club. This guy sure gets a lot of pub…meanwhile Jon Rahm is doing great in his rookie year and never gets any articles.
He's right
Apr 12, 2017 at 9:33 am
He is
Dylanr
Apr 12, 2017 at 12:03 pm
Jon Rahm isn’t a rookie as defined by the PGA Tour anymore. Neither is Bryson. http://www.pgatour.com/fantasy/rookie-rankings.html