Equipment
The Coolest, Most-Patriotic Custom Equipment from the Presidents Cup
If you’re an international team-competition gear aficionado, nothing beats the Solheim Cup. The extremes of visible patriotism Michelle Wie and others go to is a point of contention. This hasn’t always necessarily been the case on the men’s side at the Ryder and Presidents Cups, however. Nevertheless, we’ve seen a patriotic fashion uptick in recent years — maybe that’s due to the nature of social media — and it’s our job here at GolfWRX to document it. Here’s some of the best custom gear we saw this week at the Presidents Cup.
The FootJoy shoes many staffers are wearing would surely bring a joyful tear to Robert G. Heft’s eye
Odyssey’s custom Presidents Cup (at Liberty National) blade putter cover, featuring Lady Liberty herself
Each International player’s staff bag is embroidered with a cup for each Presidents Cup appearance… a hat trick for Oosty
Playlist: “America the Beautiful” on repeat
Team headcovers abound: The International squad’s also feature the flag of each player’s country.
Presidents Cup tee markers are… Presidents Cups. Brilliant!
On Snapchat, no doubt. Typical millennial.
That’s a nice piece of memorabilia there. But did Asst. Captain Tiger Woods sign it, though?
While not Presidents Cup-specific, this is one of the all-time great mallet putter covers from Scotty Cameron on Adam Scott’s putter
International belt game strong
Similar to the International side, the U.S. team’s staff bags showcase an embroidered cup for each Presidents Cup appearance. Welcome to the big leagues, Chapp!
Kuch adds to the stock of Prez Cup headcovers with a stars-and stripes-cover of his own from Seamus Golf
This is the Presidents Cup, Phil! Here’s Mickelson’s Iliac alignment stick cover from the 2016 Ryder Cup. This year marks his 23rd consecutive year appearing in team competition (Ryder Cup, Presidents Cup), so I can’t blame him for getting mixed up.
Still the best calves in the game: Kevin Kisner’s caddie, Duane Bock. Good enough for 1/2 point for the U.S. side owing to sheer intimidation. And some patriotic kicks to boot.
THE Presidents Cup yardage book cover.
Wonder which team she’s rooting for?
Patrick Reed’s Toulon Garage putter cover. Top says: “Team Reed.” Special level of patriotism = special putter cover.
Rickie Fowler’s custom Pumas, and a golf ball that’s sitting in the best lie ever
All these red-and-white striped shirts, it’s like Where’s Waldo. Where’s Tiger? Found him!
Adam Hadwin’s International Team emblem-stamped Mack Daddy 2 Tour Grind
Finally, it’s the official Presidents Cup… water bottle? They really thought of everything to customize, didn’t they?
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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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Guia
Oct 2, 2017 at 6:40 pm
Classy.
Guia
Oct 1, 2017 at 11:25 pm
Oh, Yea. Those wide stripped shirts are fine if your a 5 year old.
Guia
Oct 1, 2017 at 11:24 pm
It was determined during the 60’s, I believe by the Supreme Court, that the flag likeness can be worn as a shirt, pant, hat, etc.
As far as the flag touching the ground, it is only a breach if it touches the ground in conflict (war), in this case it is burned. If it touches the ground in another manner, it is to be cleaned and put back into service. When it becomes unserviceable it is to be destroyed. Burning would be the best method, but shredding is acceptable.
I for one do not condone wearing of the flag as pants or shirts. But, I don’t make the rules.
OB
Sep 30, 2017 at 1:15 pm
It’s called “wrapping yourself with the flag”…. whether it be your shoes, pants, shirt, cap, head covers, bag, wrist watch, Fruit of the Looms too.
Mike Tomasi
Sep 29, 2017 at 3:07 pm
Seriously people get a grip. I’m so tired of everyone thinking they know things when they don’t. American Flags as in manufactured to be a flag only are not to be worn or all that other crap you people are talking about. Manufacturing pants with an American flag pattern does not fall under flag code. Nothing dumber than people who hate the flag in the first place critiquing people on proper use of the flag.
Swingman/Jerry
Sep 29, 2017 at 7:26 pm
Where is your support for that statement?
Billy 3
Oct 2, 2017 at 9:04 am
Title 4 of the United States Code.
Jimmy
Sep 29, 2017 at 11:54 am
(d) The flag should never be used as wearing apparel, bedding, or drapery. It should never be festooned, drawn back, nor up, in folds, but always allowed to fall free. Bunting of blue, white, and red, always arranged with the blue above, the white in the middle, and the red below, should be used for covering a speaker’s desk, draping the front of the platform, and for decoration in general.
Swingman/Jerry
Sep 29, 2017 at 1:34 pm
Exactly – according to the US Code – Respect for Flag
joro
Sep 29, 2017 at 11:30 am
The only thing missing is Red, White and Blue goofy flaps on the Back pockets of Reeds pants.
michael
Sep 29, 2017 at 10:10 am
Since when do earbuds and a phone count as “patriotic custom equipment”?
Also the rest of this piece is kind of dumb. Who cares what belt a guy is wearing?
Thomas A
Sep 29, 2017 at 9:07 am
Secondly, they have a flag on the portion of the bag that they lay on the ground. You’ve got to be kidding me!
Thomas A
Sep 29, 2017 at 9:06 am
The flag on shoes is making me cringe. Since when do we let Old Glory get dragged through the grass. He better be wiping them off at each tee box. Disrespectful and literally a Flag Code violation.
joro
Sep 29, 2017 at 11:32 am
Is it really patriotism or marketing. I am sure you can buy it all for a price.
AD
Sep 28, 2017 at 10:32 pm
All this time and money could have been spent asking Chi Chi Rodriguez’s family in Puerto Rico how they’re doing over there on behalf of the international team and spend all the US money fixing their own territory they don’t really care about any more because Cuba isn’t in a nuke crisis
The dude
Sep 29, 2017 at 6:45 am
Ya…those water bottles woulda gone a long way….
alan p
Sep 29, 2017 at 7:19 am
What a sentence. Take a breath, throw a comma in there, and relaaaaaax
AD
Sep 28, 2017 at 10:29 pm
And all that money spent on trinkets so that the players all feel like they’re more special than anybody else? Wow what an achievement
AD
Sep 28, 2017 at 10:28 pm
Wait – you mean to say that the US is beating the other team again in the Nobody Cares Cup again? For reals? Serious? Whoa what a surprise that the old hated presidents get the chance to pat themselves on the back yet again lol
Da Judge
Sep 28, 2017 at 10:31 pm
Most of the old presidents were decent golfers too…. and our current POTUS owns fantastic up-scale golf courses and ritzy resorts.
Thomas A
Sep 29, 2017 at 9:05 am
Which if he were half a man he’d sell off so as not to have a conflict of interest. But it’s all about him and money.
Guia
Oct 1, 2017 at 11:18 pm
How is it a conflict of interest????????
henry
Sep 28, 2017 at 10:05 pm
the spacing in patricks name on his bag is driving me nuts
Jacked_Loft
Sep 29, 2017 at 7:10 am
Thanks buddy. No it’s making me loony tunes too.
Jacked_Loft
Sep 29, 2017 at 7:10 am
Buying a “w”
chinchbugs
Sep 28, 2017 at 9:03 pm
calf game strong