Equipment
What equipment are college golfers using? We polled 61 coaches to find out…
Editor Andrew Tursky and I decided to set out to better understand what brands college players are using. In order to gather statistics, we created a survey and collected the following data from coaches:
- What level of golf do you coach?
- Do you coach men’s or women’s golf?
- What best describes your attitude towards equipment?
- Is it ethical for coaches to accept money from club manufacturers?
- Among the top 5 players on your team, what drivers do they play?
- Among the top 5 players on your team, what irons do they play?
- Among the top 5 players on your team, what wedges do they play?
- Among the top 5 players on your team, what putter do that play?
- Among the top 5 players on your team, what golf ball do they play?
The survey was created using Survey Monkey and then placed on my business Facebook account. The survey was completely optional. In 48 hours, 61 college coaches responded to the survey. Of them, 78.6 percent of them coach Division I, 8.2 percent of them coach Division II, and 13.1 percent coach either DIII, NAIA or NJCAA. Of the respondents, 77 percent coach men’s golf, while 23 percent of the respondents coach women’s golf.
Of the respondents, 64 percent believe it was ethical for coaches to accept money from club manufacturers, 99 percent believe that players should play whatever they want, and 87 percent preferred that the product should be fit properly. Only 1 percent (one respondent), suggested that they try to influence players and their equipment decisions.
In terms of different equipment played by the top 5 players at these schools, here’s what we found out…
Drivers
- 10 schools reported exclusively using TaylorMade
- 3 schools reported exclusively using Titleist
- 1 school reported exclusively using Ping
- 1 school reported exclusively using Callaway
For the other respondents, we examined the percentage of players on each team using product:
- 42 percent TaylorMade
- 23 percent Callaway
- 17 percent Titleist and Ping
- PXG, Bridgestone and Nike combined made up 1 percent.
Irons
- 7 schools reported exclusively using Titleist
- 2 schools reported exclusively using TaylorMade
- 2 schools reported exclusively using Callaway
- 2 school reported exclusively using Ping
- 1 school reported using exclusively Wilson Staff
For the other respondents, we examined the percentage of players on each team using product:
- 30 percent Titleist
- 20 percent Ping
- 16 percent Callaway
- 14 percent TaylorMade
- 9 percent Mizuno
- 4 percent Srixon
- 3 percent PXG
Please note Miura, Cobra, Bridgestone and Nike were also mentioned, but made up less than 3 percent combined.
Wedges
- 12 schools reported using exclusively Titleist
- 2 schools reported using exclusively Callaway
- 1 school reports using exclusively Mizuno
- 1 school reported using exclusively Ping
For the other respondents, we examined the percentage of players on each team using product:
- 34 percent Titleist
- 21 percent Cleveland
- 18 percent Ping
- 16 percent Callaway
- 9 percent TaylorMade
- 2 percent rest of manufacturers
Putter
- 8 schools reported using exclusively Scotty Cameron
- 6 schools reported using exclusively Odyssey
- 3 schools reported using exclusively Ping
- 1 school reported using exclusively Bettinardi
For the other respondents, we examined the percentage of players on each team using product:
- 34 percent Scotty Cameron
- 24 percent Odyssey (including Toulon)
- 19 percent Taylor Made
- 17 percent Ping
- 2 percent Edel
- 2 percent Bettinardi
Golf Ball
- 32 schools reported using exclusively Titleist
- 3 schools reported using exclusively Bridgestone
- 1 school reported exclusively using TaylorMade
- 1 school reported using exclusively Callaway
For the other respondents, we examined the percentage of players on each team using product:
- 33 percent Titleist
- 27 percent TaylorMade
- 25 percent Callaway
- 10 percent Bridgestone
- 5 percent Srixon
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- 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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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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ChipN'Run
Mar 19, 2018 at 8:08 pm
Possibly of interest to the golf merchandising crowd.
But, we have no information on:
* Shaft models and flexes
* Actual models of irons and woods
Barfly
Mar 18, 2023 at 4:35 am
Golfers are like sheep. Whatever the new trend is they follow so whatever’s in Rory’s, Rahm’s, and Scheffler’s bag are most likely in these college teams bags. Minus the personal club rep and designer on call.
Tom Medlin
Mar 9, 2018 at 6:10 am
Memories from the University of Maryland, mid 60’s. Our coach had an affiliation with US Royal, we were supplied with their ball for each match. They had a ” different ” dimple pattern that resembled that of a 1930’s ” mesh “‘ I don’t think anyone actually used them.
jack baker 3
Mar 2, 2018 at 10:47 pm
Most golfers including college, play not whats best for them, but what the herd uses. Generally if you pay a loy of money for something its always the best.
Jimmy Ray
Mar 2, 2018 at 10:48 am
How would you like to be at that school that uses exclusively Mizuno wedges: “OK, guys, our colors are orange and blue, so we’re ALL gonna use these sweet blue Mizuno wedges, not to win tournaments, but to look cool. I don’t care if you can’t get out of a bunker with any of the grinds, just shut up and let me count my payoff cash…”
Nate
Apr 11, 2018 at 5:03 pm
Mizuno makes some pretty darn playable wedges. If someone offered me a new set of free mizuno wedges and told me I had to play with them, I highly doubt I would be having issues getting up and down with them, especially hitting a wedge out of a bunker… I think you could hand a good golfer any wedge in the sand and see positive results… That being said, Mizuno wedges are not considered to be the pro’s choice when compared to vokey or muira.
HDTVMAN
Mar 2, 2018 at 10:45 am
Hey, have TaylorMade give me a seven figure check and my dog will use their equipment!
Ben Jones
Mar 1, 2018 at 5:22 pm
We used to get 6 balls of our choice or 9 of the ones that the school budget covered. That Nicklaus yellow ball was horrible.
Gomer’s Pile
Feb 28, 2018 at 11:35 pm
These guys need to get paid ASAP. They are so talented and do so much for our game. This is golf in its purest form. NCAA tournaments should have $100,000 purse minimum. Take from the rich sports and give to the poor. These golfers need cash more than football and basketball players.
ProD1
Mar 1, 2018 at 12:58 pm
That’s exactly what is happening. Basketball and football revenues subsidize all other sports for the vast majority of big time programs.
Thomas Murphy
Mar 2, 2018 at 12:05 pm
??? they need more cash? purses? doesn’t that make it less pure? football and basketball have TV contracts and big donors. Every other sport is a leach and should be grateful.
DaveyD
Feb 28, 2018 at 10:27 pm
It appears that Taylormade has the favoured drivers, but Titleist leads the iron/wedge/putter parade.
Matt
Feb 28, 2018 at 9:24 pm
Those ball numbers should scare titleist like crazy….
glfhsslr
Feb 28, 2018 at 8:27 pm
The players get clubs either free, or PUD pricing, Super cheap….a cameron per say is only like $180 total
mr3puttz
Feb 28, 2018 at 7:34 pm
Wow thats a lot of Camerons. I guess college kids have a bit more cash than I remember having around.
Lk
Feb 28, 2018 at 8:10 pm
Not to sound snide, but it wouldn’t surprise me if over 75% of D1 college golfers grew up in a country club.
RS
Mar 30, 2018 at 5:15 am
If you golf in college $400 is not a lot of $ for a putter that will last 5-10 years. Really, cmon now.
Brian
Feb 28, 2018 at 7:31 pm
No ball retriever or manual score counter?!
Aaron
Feb 28, 2018 at 4:45 pm
Am I understanding the numbers correctly? Some schools “exclusively” use specific brands for different types of clubs? How likely is it that five players from one team all use TM drivers? Five players from another school all use Titleist irons?
More recently I’ve heard of schools signing with one specific brand. But I’ve never heard of five players on any team all agreeing to use one brand of driver and another brand of irons.
Or am I misunderstanding something?
Judge Smeills
Feb 28, 2018 at 10:23 pm
Not every school get deals or free clubs from every company
Brent
Mar 1, 2018 at 12:32 pm
Lots of schools sign with a brand and the coach receives a bonus if his starting players use that brand. Basically, some kids are forced into playing a brand.
Joe
Feb 28, 2018 at 4:38 pm
Pro V’s suck and are over priced. TP5 TP5X and Chrome Soft Chrome Soft X are by far better golf balls.
Joel R
Feb 28, 2018 at 5:54 pm
They actually don’t suck and to suggest they do is bananland.
bb
Mar 1, 2018 at 12:31 am
where is bananland?
usuk
Mar 1, 2018 at 1:42 pm
Bananland is where TP5 is being made
Crazy About Golf
Mar 1, 2018 at 11:37 pm
False
James T
Feb 28, 2018 at 3:29 pm
I am curious why coaches would think it’s ethical to accept money from manufacturers???
Thomas A
Feb 28, 2018 at 4:38 pm
How do you think football and basketball coaches get paid? Big East basketball coaches were paid millions by Nike, most of the time more than doubling their school salary. Happens at every school.
James T
Feb 28, 2018 at 5:51 pm
… still doesn’t make it ethical. I played college golf and if my coach had told me to play anything other than what I was playing I’d be pissed. Though I did appreciate the brand new sleeve of Titleists before every match.
Jack
Mar 6, 2018 at 11:10 pm
Well if I got a real custom fitting and free new clubs, it would be actually beneficial to my game and I’d do it. Just shoving off the rack clubs to players would definitely be unethical.
This of course comes down to the same dilemma (to a lesser extent but still exists) for college players not being paid. Like basketball, they are amateurs and don’t make money. But really they should be paid directly by the brands rather than the brands paying the schools. What does amateur status really matter? That they can play in amateur tournaments? The NCAA just needs to changes their rules to allow pro student athletes to compete. It’s pretty simple if not for the school money grab and greed.
Drive for Dough
Feb 28, 2018 at 2:32 pm
Don’t even play Titleist but will be the first one to say that they make the most solid equipment outside their Drivers.
Not surprised by the breakdown tbh.
Stump
Feb 28, 2018 at 2:23 pm
Can you break out the numbers for women golfers?
Women golfers...
Mar 7, 2018 at 9:23 pm
Lol!
Roger
Feb 28, 2018 at 2:04 pm
Those numbers are close for un-sponsored golf balls. Love to see that!