News
Phil Mickelson at The Open: No driver, driving iron, new putter?
“My math is different from anyone else,” Phil Mickelson told reporters ahead of the British Open at Royal Birkdale.
It seems, much like his math was different in 2013 when he unleashed the Phrankenwood, Mickelson’s Open calculations have again returned a different result.
Lefty looks to be scrapping the driver in favor of a Callaway Epic 3-iron bent to 16 degrees, per a Golf Channel report. He will also carry a 3-wood this week; it’s a 13.5-degree Callaway GBB Epic Sub Zero with a Mitsubishi Fubuki K 70X shaft.
Mickelson has carried an Apex UT 3-iron this year, which he’ll reportedly keep in the bag in addition to the driving iron.
Interestingly, we also spotted Mickelson testing an insert-less putter, deviating from his Odyssey Versa #9 White with a Microhinge Insert.
While he looked to be going back and forth between the milled-faced putter on the putting green, it looks like he continued testing the non-insert putter during his practice round, judging from on-course images like the featured image on the story.
Stories of Mickelson’s equipment tinkering are legendary on the PGA Tour. But if this switch up works the same way as his last major pre-Open shakeup, he’ll be holding the Claret Jug.
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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
Spotted: Tommy Fleetwood’s TaylorMade Spider Tour X Prototype putter
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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Equipment
Rickie Fowler’s new putter: Standard-length Odyssey Jailbird 380 in custom orange
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 Jailbird craze hasn’t really slowed down in 2024, either. According to Odyssey rep Joe Toulon, there are about 18-20 Jailbird putter users on the PGA TOUR.
Most recently, Akshay Bhatia won the 2024 Valero Texas Open using a broomstick-style Odyssey Jailbird 380 putter and Webb Simpson is switching into a replica of that putter at the 2024 Wells Fargo Championship.
Now, Fowler, who essentially started the whole Jailbird craze, is making a significant change to his putter setup.
Fowler, who has had a couple weeks off since the 2024 RBC Heritage, started experimenting with a new, custom-orange Jailbird 380 head that’s equipped with a standard 35-inch putter build, rather than his previous 38-inch counter-balanced setup.
According to Fowler, while he still likes the look and forgiveness of his Jailbird putter head, he’s looking to re-incorporate more feel into his hands during the putting stroke.
He told GolfWRX.com on Tuesday at the Wells Fargo Championship that the 38-inch counterbalanced setup “served its purpose” by helping him to neutralize his hands during the stroke, but now it’s time to try the standard-length putter with a standard-size SuperStroke Pistol Tour grip to help with his feel and speed control.
Although Fowler was also spotted testing standard-length mallets from L.A.B. Golf and Axis1 on Tuesday, he confirmed that the custom Odyssey Jailbird 380 is the putter he’ll use this week at the 2024 Wells Fargo Championship.
Head over to PGATour.com for the full article.
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Nigel Kent
Jul 24, 2017 at 2:28 am
Now we know he missed the cut without a driver, maybe it’s time he admitted he needs lessons . Can’t keep it on the fairway with any driver Callaway can make him ‘ must be the club, right ?
Mike Hunt
Jul 20, 2017 at 10:29 am
Let’s tell the real story- Phil had to pawn his driver so he could front the millions he has bet on him self, so when he wins the Open he can swim in money.
Matt
Jul 20, 2017 at 4:12 am
Go lefty. Easy to drive it OB judging by the wet windy first round so far. Won’t be surprised if a lot of drivers are banished this week and everyone is at the practice tee perfecting worm burners.
Dave
Jul 19, 2017 at 9:08 pm
Wonder what it is about having a keyboard in front of them that makes some guys feel the need to try to act like a tough guy when in reality they probably live in their parents basement and still get tucked in by their mommies.
Lloyd
Jul 19, 2017 at 6:23 pm
I feel your pain. Ignorance hurts.
Dave R
Jul 19, 2017 at 3:54 pm
More of the same old same old re Phil. leave his family out of this please. It’s his decision to do what he feels is right. And when it comes to his family that’s his business .
Roger in NZ
Jul 19, 2017 at 2:29 pm
Go Phil !! Wish you the Best in a Winning Result.
Jack
Jul 19, 2017 at 1:01 pm
Please don’t post anymore.
Dave
Jul 19, 2017 at 11:55 am
Maybe that is why he still has a family!!
Ryan
Jul 19, 2017 at 11:14 am
He has used that putter on and off since 2011. It’s an odyssey 9 black series with a different face mill than retail. For some reason, come July he tends to test that putter at the Scottish and The Open. Nearly won in 2011 using it at St George’s.
ND Hickman
Jul 19, 2017 at 10:20 am
Maybe he’s putting the XHot 3Deep back in his bag.
Gordy
Jul 19, 2017 at 9:58 am
After reading every comment, you guys are awfully cynical towards this article. You do realize that this is a golf website and in reality nothing it reports is very important and this is what this site reports correct?? The driving iron is way overrated but I will tell you I own a Callaway XHOT Deep 13.5 and it does keep the ball lower with less spin which makes it run out. With roll, I hit is as far as my driver. However, it is a draw bias an has a mean hook when it is swung improperly.
John the Merlin
Jul 19, 2017 at 5:07 pm
Not important? What??? NOOOO!!!!!!!
Teaj
Jul 19, 2017 at 9:56 am
I am just throwing it out there but could he be trying a milled face putter due to the speed of the greens being slower?
JOEL GOODMAN
Jul 19, 2017 at 9:24 am
IT AINT THE ARROW -IT’S THE INDIAN…SOMEBODY TELL PHIL………………………..
Aaron
Jul 19, 2017 at 9:02 am
Phil said he has the same phrankenwood in the bag this week as he had in 2013, not the Epic Sub zero
I bogey alot
Jul 19, 2017 at 8:18 am
ya darn his family right? The people that mean more to him and love him no matter what , he should just part ways with them like he did bones huh!
John Grossi
Jul 19, 2017 at 7:57 am
Who’s his caddie?
Travis
Jul 19, 2017 at 9:25 am
His brother
Jacked_Loft
Jul 19, 2017 at 7:51 am
As he’s been missing so many fairways recently with the driver, this may work out good for him.
chris
Jul 19, 2017 at 6:01 am
Don’t think this is his first rodeo, pretty sure he knows (Cog)
SLDR stinger
Jul 19, 2017 at 1:55 am
I mash it real good with the lowest spinning driver set up
BJB
Jul 18, 2017 at 10:31 pm
what arthritis meds and statins is he bringing with him?
sam
Jul 19, 2017 at 1:48 am
That is really weak. What a pathetic life you must live …
John Krug
Jul 19, 2017 at 7:51 am
Pathetic comment.
3 metal stinger
Jul 18, 2017 at 6:39 pm
I am now dumber after reading this
John Krug
Jul 19, 2017 at 8:01 am
Most?
Matt
Jul 20, 2017 at 4:24 am
Good thinking. Might have to bag the old Hogan 1i and persimmon for a practice alongside the Epic and see if it helps my crap swing.