Equipment
The story behind Jason Dufner’s new National Custom Works irons
If you caught any of Jason Dufner shooting 66-68 on the weekend at The Players, you might have been intrigued by the blades the Auburn man was carving up TPC Sawgrass with.
GolfWRX members, not surprisingly, spotted the switch from his previous gamers over the weekend, eventually identifying Dufner’s irons as National Custom Works products.
We reached out to NCW to learn more about Dufner’s new weaponry, and company co-founder Patrick Boyd was kind enough to share some details.
BA: So Jason Dufner puts your clubs in the bag and lights it up on the weekend. How did this happen?
PB: I got an email from him a while ago…I saw the email and I laughed. I was like, ‘Yeah. OK. Sure, buddy.’ But I wrote an email back and said, “If this is you, I’d love to work with you on something.’ He gave me his number, we got in touch…scheduled an appointment with Don [White]. We spent an afternoon working with him on some sample clubs, and it’s kind of gone from there.
I text with him [Dufner] pretty regularly, and I’d heard from him the clubs were a couple of weeks out from making the bag, and he texted me Friday and said, ‘They’re going in the bag this weekend.’ And I hadn’t been paying attention to the leaderboard, so I thought he didn’t make the cut and he was just going home to mess around with them. Then, I’m watching Saturday and he shoots 66!
BA: So he just put them in the bag in the middle of the tournament? Crazy.
PB: Yeah. And the other interesting thing is, he’s a client like any of my other clients: he pays for his golf clubs. We don’t have a contract with him. He’s all about playing the best equipment that works for him.
BA: He insists on paying? Wow. So what was Jason Dufner looking for when he came to you initially, and what did you end up delivering?
PB: He’s been trying a lot of different stuff. He doesn’t have a contract right now. So, I asked him during that process what was happening and what he was seeing, and it became apparent that the soles on the irons he was playing were digging in too much. His spin rates were a little bit high, which to me indicates he was hitting it higher on the face than he’d like to. That was the beginning of the conversation. He was really, really thorough. He knew all his numbers and he knew exactly what he was talking about.
Initially, we met down at Albany. I had him bring what he was playing and what had been successful for him. Me and Don had a look at what was going on. It became clear pretty quickly what we needed to do as far as the sole configuration. That’s what he was fighting: the bottom of his golf clubs weren’t matching up with his angle of attack.
That was the first step. We made a couple of samples for him to take home…I got about two hours down the road and my phone rang. It was Dufner saying, “I hit balls with them. Everything is great. Just make this one little change,” and I got everything in to Don.
The first set we made for him, this is kind of interesting, when he told us about the trajectory he wanted and what he had in mind, Don looked at him and said, ‘Man, you want some blades!’ And he hadn’t played blades since he was in college. But the first project we worked on with our client were cavity backs.
He worked with them on Trackman and his numbers were really good, but the thing that was interesting to me was we used the smaller cavity back we work with and he thought it was a little too long heel-to-toe for him, so he asked me to make him a set of blades. So, we talked about that project…and once we had the sole knocked out and knew what he needed there, as well as what his preferred toe shape is, his preferred aesthetics, the offset he likes, it was pretty easy to put a set together for him.
The 4 and 5-iron are kind of a lower CG profile, and the 6-iron through pitching wedge is more of a mid-CG profile. He just wanted something to kind of knock it down and flight it a little bit flatter with the 6 through pitch, and then with the 4 and 5, he was looking for something a little easier to launch and hold greens with. Kind of a mixed muscle setup.
BA: It looks like he has Auburn colors on the ferrules? And can you confirm the stamping?
PB: Yep. I designed those ferrules for him. And the irons have the NCW star stamp in the toe of the muscle, and then we have the [Jason Dufner] Foundation logo. Then, the letters on the sole of the golf clubs are his dad’s name.
PB: Well, I’ll reiterate, what I thought was just fascinating was, when we initially had the conversation, he really wasn’t sure about working with blades. But once you get the sole profile knocked out for somebody and they’re not fighting the sole of the club…I mean, to me, it speaks volumes that once you get a set of blades in his hands with the correct sole profile it made such a difference in just his initial reaction to wanting to talk about blades…it’s just a testament to the importance of fitting somebody, getting the right sole for their angle of attack, tendencies, and conditions.
PONTE VEDRA BEACH, FL – MAY 13: Jason Dufner of the United States plays a shot during the final round of THE PLAYERS Championship on the Stadium Course at TPC Sawgrass on May 13, 2018 in Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida. (Photo by Sam Greenwood/Getty Images)
For more about National Custom Works, well, works, check out our Peter Schmitt’s talk with Patrick Boyd last month.
EDIT: Patrick sent Dufner’s full spec sheet along
Make up: 4-P Standard Flatback
Muscle: PMB Long Iron muscle with straight line 4/5, Phatty ’53 (PJB) muscle 6/7, Phatty ’53 (PJB) muscle but slightly higher than 6/7 for 8-P
Shape: duplicate samples
Grind: duplicate samples. Client noted modification per our conversation, please adjust accordingly
Loft: 23/28/32/36/40/44/48
Lie: 59.5/60/60.5/61/61.5/62/62.5
Offset: duplicate samples
Weights: D-3 (-2g for chrome) 50g grip, 38.5/38/37.5/37/36.5/36/35.75″ cut length
Finish: Dull Satin, prep for chrome
Stamping: 1/4″ letters 4 (F), 5 (R), 6 (A), 7 (N), 8 (K), 9 (E), P (D) on toe side of sole, DW on heel side of sole, JD logo stamp on muscle heel side, Star N logo on muscle toe side
Paintfill: none
Ferrule: Custom Auburn
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Equipment
A shocking Backstryke putter appearance + 7 interesting gear photos from the Zurich Classic
Welcome to New Orleans, where TPC Louisiana plays host to the 2024 Zurich Classic. In between breakfast beignets and nightly Creole feasts, PGA Tour players are also competing in the unique two-man format at the Zurich this week.
Although the vibes in Nawlins are a bit lighter-fare than the recent back-to-back competitions the Masters and the RBC Heritage signature event), the gear news was no less serious this week.
We spotted some recent changes from Rory McIlroy, a very rare Odyssey Backstryke putter, dove into the bag of legendary New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees, and spotted Patrick Cantlay continuing to test new equipment.
Get your beads out and crack your crawfish, because it’s time for an equipment rundown from The Big Easy (meaning New Orleans, of course, not Ernie Els).
See all of our photos from the Zurich Classic here
Rory’s on-and-off lob wedge
Since the end of 2023, Rory McIlroy has had an on-again, off-again relationship with a Titleist Vokey K-Grind lob wedge. In his last start, it was on, and the wedge is back in the bag again this week. We got a great look at the complicated grind that McIlroy uses.
View this post on Instagram
A full look into McIlroy’s bag above also shows that he switched out of the TaylorMade BRNR Mini Copper that he used at the RBC Heritage, and he’s back into the Qi10 core 3-wood. As we discussed last week, McIlroy will likely keep the BRNR around as a course-specific club, trading it in and out for the 3-wood.
See Rory McIlroy’s full 2024 WITB from the Zurich here
Turning Back the clock
Unless Tommy Gainey is in the field, it’s unlikely you’ll ever see Odyssey’s Backstryke technology make an appearance on the PGA Tour.
But then, when you least expect it, Russ Cochran shows up.
For more than a decade – since the 2013 Sony Open in Hawai’i – Cochran has been stuck on 599 PGA Tour starts. This week will be his 600th.
Cochran is in the field at the Zurich this week playing alongside Eric Cole, whose regular caddie is Reed Cochran, Russ’s son.
The Backstryke putter was first released back in 2010, and its unique design helps shift the axis point of the putter closer to the CG of the head. And, the putter is getting a nod this week at the Zurich Classic, thanks to Cochran’s 600th career PGA Tour start.
The putter is certainly awesome, but don’t forget to check out Cochran’s full WITB from this week.
Drew Brees with a Super Bowl winning Scotty Cameron putter
Drew Brees, a legendary retired quarterback for the hometown New Orleans Saints, made an appearance at the Zurich’s Wednesday Pro-Am, playing alongside Zach Johnson, Ryan Palmer, and current Saints QB Derek Carr.
Brees’ bag included a TaylorMade Stealth2 Plus driver, a BRNR Mini 13.5-degree, a Stealth 5-wood, a mixed set of P-790 and P-760 irons, Milled Grind Hi-Toe wedges, and a custom Scotty Cameron “New Orleans Saints” putter, which Scotty made for Brees following his Super Bowl MVP-winning performance in 2010.
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It should also be noted that Brees has his Venmo QR code as a bag tag.
If you’re gambling with Brees on the course, just know that not having cash won’t work as an excuse.
Brilliant.
See Drew Brees’ full WITB from the Zurich here
Stricker’s unrecognizable putter
Steve Stricker has made numerous upgrades to his bag recently, including a new TSR3 driver and T100 irons, but his longtime Odyssey White Hot No. 2 putter is still going strong. It’s the most recognizable unrecognizable putter ever.
Here’s a better look at Stricker’s flatstick, which he started using back in 2007.
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Patrick Cantlay has opened the equipment-switching floodgates
Over on the PGA Tour’s Equipment Report this week, we covered Cantlay’s recent switch into Ping Blueprint S irons, and a Titleist TSR2 driver.
Cantlay hadn’t switched irons for about seven years, so the iron switch he made at The 2024 Masters came as a shock to the norm. He simply isn’t one to change gear very often, so anytime Cantlay makes a switch, it’s news.
It seems the floodgates of equipment testing have opened up a bit for Cantlay, who was also spotted testing a custom Scotty Cameron blade putter on Tuesday this week. By Wednesday, Cantlay was back practicing with his familiar Scotty Cameron T5 Proto mallet, but it’s certainly something to keep an eye on going forward.
Daniel Berger’s custom Jailbird site lines
Berger, who’s currently using Odyssey’s Ai-One Mini Jailbird mallet putter, has a unique 3-dot, 2-line alignment on the crown of his navy-white-navy-white mallet putter. Looking down at the putter, it’s easy to see why this alignment system would help; it just seems impossible to set up to the ball off-center, or misaligned to the target.
Also, for anyone worried, you can rest easy. Yes, he’s still playing the 2013 TaylorMade TP MC irons, which we highlighted in our recent “Modern Classics: Old vs. New” video testing series.
FitzMagic teams back up
Brothers Matthew and Alex Fitzpatrick are teaming up once again at the Zurich this year, and Bettinardi Golf hooked them up with some festive “FitzMagic” headcovers to match this week.
See what else is in Alex Fitzpatrick’s WITB here
And, with that, we say goodbye to the Zurich Classic in New Orleans. Don’t forget to check out all of our photos from this week, including 30 unique photo galleries full of equipment photos.
We’ll see you next week in Texas for the 2024 CJ Cup Byron Nelson!
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- Alejandro Tosti what’s in the bag accurate as of the Zurich Classic.
Driver: Srixon ZX5 Mk II LS (9.5 degrees @10.5)
Shaft: Project X HZRDUS T1100 75 6.5
3-wood: TaylorMade Qi10 Tour
Shaft: Project X HZRDUS Black 80 TX
Hybrid: TaylorMade Qi10 Tour Rescue (22 degrees)
Shaft: Project X HZRDUS Smoke Black RDX 6.5 100
Irons: Srixon ZX7 Mk II (4-PW)
Shafts: True Temper Dynamic Gold Mid Tour Issue X100
Wedges: Cleveland RTX6 ZipCore Tour Rack (50-10 MID, 54-10 MID, 58-10 MID, 60-06 LOW)
Shafts: True Temper Dynamic Gold Mid Tour Issue X100, S400
Putter: Scotty Cameron
Grips: Golf Pride MCC Plus4
Check out more in-hand photos of Alejandro Tosti’s WITB in the forums.
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Driver: TaylorMade Stealth 2 Plus (10.5 degrees)
Mini driver: TaylorMade BRNR Mini Copper (13.5 degrees)
5-wood: TaylorMade Stealth Plus (19 degrees)
Irons: TaylorMade P790 (4-8, PW), TaylorMade P760 (9)
Wedges: TaylorMade MG Hi-Toe (52-09, 56-10, 60)
Putter: Scotty Cameron Select Newport 2 Prototype
Check out more in-hand photos of Drew Brees’ clubs here.
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Dave Portnoy places monstrous outright bet for the 2024 Masters
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Things got heated at the Houston Open between Tony Finau and Alejandro Tosti. Here’s why
Justin Thomas on the equipment choice of Scottie Scheffler that he thinks is ‘weird’
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‘Absolutely crazy’ – Major champ lays into Patrick Cantlay over his decision on final hole of RBC Heritage
Report: Tiger Woods has ‘eliminated sex’ in preparation for the 2024 Masters
Two star names reportedly blanked Jon Rahm all week at the Masters
2-time major champ announces shock retirement from the sport at age of 33
Report: LIV Golf identifies latest star name they hope to sign to breakaway tour
Alejandro Tosti WITB 2024 (April)
Alejandro Tosti what’s in the bag accurate as of the Zurich Classic. Driver: Srixon ZX5 Mk II LS (9.5 degrees...
Drew Brees WITB 2024 (April)
View this post on Instagram A post shared by GolfWRX (@golfwrx) Driver: TaylorMade Stealth 2 Plus (10.5 degrees)...
Daniel Berger WITB 2024 (April)
Daniel Berger what’s in the bag accurate as of the Farmers Insurance Open. More photos from the event here. Driver:...
Rasmus Højgaard WITB 2024 (April)
Rasmus Højgaard what’s in the bag accurate as of the Zurich Classic. Driver: Callaway Ai Smoke Triple Diamond (10.5 degrees)...
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19th Hole2 weeks agoDave Portnoy places monstrous outright bet for the 2024 Masters
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19th Hole4 days agoJustin Thomas on the equipment choice of Scottie Scheffler that he thinks is ‘weird’
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19th Hole2 weeks agoTiger Woods arrives at 2024 Masters equipped with a putter that may surprise you
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19th Hole4 days ago‘Absolutely crazy’ – Major champ lays into Patrick Cantlay over his decision on final hole of RBC Heritage
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19th Hole2 weeks agoTwo star names reportedly blanked Jon Rahm all week at the Masters
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19th Hole1 week agoReport: LIV Golf identifies latest star name they hope to sign to breakaway tour
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19th Hole2 weeks agoNeal Shipley presser ends in awkward fashion after reporter claims Tiger handed him note on 8th fairway
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19th Hole1 week agoBrandel Chamblee has ‘no doubt’ who started the McIlroy/LIV rumor and why
Les
Jun 15, 2018 at 3:04 pm
I’m gonna get a set of those clubs to lower my score…. and get that ‘traditional’ look to my WITB arsenal of weapons… 😮
Soheil Shirzadi
May 18, 2018 at 12:49 pm
Scratch 2.0? Looks like Ari Techner is part of NCW
GCGC
May 17, 2018 at 10:45 pm
FINALLY a set of clubs with normal lofts! Yay to NCF and Dufner! Where is all the OEM BS about “our engineers lowered the center of gravity soooo much that we had to put the 6-iron loft down to 22° in order to keep the launch angle down and spin down to a manageable level”….. bla bla bla. You too can be a hero and impress your friends by hitting a 9-iron 225 yards (even though said 9-iron has only 21° of loft). Either NCF totally messed up in their design of this iron head – ‘cuz they are nowhere near the “modern high tech” clubs, or the OEM’s are all talking out of their arse. I think it is the latter. Just sayin’.
Hogan Fan
May 26, 2018 at 7:07 pm
I could not agree more! I would like an equipment manufacturer who lowers the CG and creates a higher launching club to actually let the club launch really high to help all those guys who are playing below the tree line. At least provide it as an option! I really don’t want a 27* #7 iron (this is actually true) I want my clubs to have reasonable launch angle, reasonable descent angle, reasonable spin and the appropriate combination of those three to actually be a useful set of tools to help me around the golf course. I really don’t care what they say on the bottom.
Marc Grenier
May 17, 2018 at 1:14 pm
Mr. Alberstadt,
VERY good article, simple terms, easy to understand. I subscribe to GOLF WRX. newsletter and will read your past and future articles. Keep up the good work.
HDTVMAN
May 17, 2018 at 9:28 am
???? Very good and interesting article.
Bob Parson Jr.
May 16, 2018 at 5:23 pm
They are not Parsons, meh!
JOEL K GOODMAN
May 16, 2018 at 8:35 pm
NO THEY AREN ‘T . THEY ARE BETTER BY FAR. AND PROBABLY NOT AS OVERPRICED.
ron
May 16, 2018 at 4:36 pm
now everyone wants them
Dave r
May 16, 2018 at 12:31 pm
One of the best articles I’ve read on here real good work . Good luck to Jason hope he does well on tour I know I’m pulling for him.
Mirage
May 16, 2018 at 12:10 pm
Don White. ‘Nuff said. Great piece!
Scott
May 16, 2018 at 11:32 am
Best article in a long time
2DudesTony
May 16, 2018 at 8:20 am
Duff Daddy has always been a pure striker & more than adequate putter. Everyone misses short putts regularly, most of us due to the “gimme”. I’d like to know what angle of attack caused a need for a different fitting. Details anyone? I used to be VERY steep w irons but corrected that w a posture change. Self taught but read & try a lot of teaching & have never had a fitting. At 66 I’m thinking it’s too late.
dat
May 15, 2018 at 11:10 am
Now this is quality content!
Mizzle Fizzle
May 15, 2018 at 4:08 pm
This.
Mizzle Fizzle
May 15, 2018 at 4:11 pm
Most on point article in looooong time.
douglas terry
May 15, 2018 at 10:42 am
I guess shaft info is not important?
JW
May 16, 2018 at 11:44 am
They probably didn’t shaft the heads…. and if they did you’re right it’s the least important info in everything provided. The impact the shaft has its minimal compared to sole grind, head design, etc but if you see the pics it looks like the S400 AMT Tour Issue that he’s been using but I’m sure he could find a tour van to build them with those and Superstroke grips
CJ
May 15, 2018 at 10:13 am
Great stuff…I see 12 oxygen theives marked it a shank…what a joke.
Chuck Barkley
May 15, 2018 at 12:14 am
Great piece! Yeah, loving the “hat a day” situation too. Walked into Lids today to ask about their connection to New Era and the The Players cap Jason wore, and they were like, “duhhhhhhh, we don’t have any info on that cap.” Well can you call your contact their? “duhhhhhh, we don’t have access.” Ehhhh whatever. Go Duffy!!!
Sue
May 14, 2018 at 11:48 pm
Love Dufner, this further supports my feeling!
rymail00
May 14, 2018 at 11:18 pm
This was a cool story.
I was such a huge fan of Scratch Golf (really sad to them go), but now to see the guys doing there thing again is awesome. I’m truly happy for them cuz they are a great group guys.
I like Dufner and hope he plays well with the new sticks and it helps shine some light on NCW.
moses
May 14, 2018 at 11:06 pm
Man I’m going back to blades. My iron game has been off lately.
Larry
May 14, 2018 at 9:45 pm
NCW is using open designs by a Chinese foundry and passing it off as custom.
2putttom
May 15, 2018 at 10:40 am
I must of missed that part in the article
Blake
May 15, 2018 at 2:10 pm
They do purchase blanks and grinds them. Not sure how open a blank design is
Lenny
May 14, 2018 at 9:26 pm
Duf is trying to look like a 72 year old man and succeeding.
Brett Weir
May 14, 2018 at 8:57 pm
Looks like some old school 1960’s Wilson Staff Blades.
2putttom
May 15, 2018 at 10:41 am
yep the ever successful step muscle design.
T. Lee
May 16, 2018 at 5:52 pm
DynaPowered from mid 60’s! minus the red plugs in heel.
JOEL K GOODMAN
May 16, 2018 at 8:37 pm
THEY WERE THE STANDARD FOR THE WORLD AT THAt time
len
May 14, 2018 at 8:49 pm
See… plain vanilla flavored muscleback fitted irons is all you need if you are a decent golfer… and the rest of us duffers hope our Super Game Improvement cavity back or hollow jello-filled multi-scruw irons will rescue our pathetic golf swing and wild ball flight. 😮
JD
May 14, 2018 at 8:45 pm
Those are some sharp irons. I’m very impressed. Love the Auburn ferrule. WDE
Randy Watkins
May 14, 2018 at 7:57 pm
Very interesting story. Makes me think about my angle of attack! I think Dufner pays because he doesn’t want any influence that steers him away from pure golf.
MB
May 14, 2018 at 7:33 pm
Duf’s the Man he will figure the putter out relax, very underrated ball sticker imo.
kevin
May 15, 2018 at 9:33 am
figure the putter out? he was +7.4 in shots gained putting for the week (top 3)…..and top 50 in 2018 for shots gained. the idea that dufner is an awful putter is such a myth
Thomas A
May 15, 2018 at 11:37 am
Everyone only watched his one mis-putt on the 18th on Sunday. Cost him $403,000.
SK
May 14, 2018 at 6:55 pm
See… plain vanilla flavored muscleback fitted irons is all you need if you are a decent golfer… and the rest of us duffers hope our Super Game Improvement cavity back or hollow jello-filled multi-screw irons will rescue our pathetic golf swing and wild ball flight. 😮
Matty
May 14, 2018 at 6:48 pm
How about a Jason Dufner Hat Compilation for 2018?
Gorden
May 14, 2018 at 6:39 pm
Love seeing Dufner and Woods for that matter, playing old style irons shows all these gimmicks the Club companies are putting on their clubs is nothing more then bubbles and bangles..truth known the Ping eye 2 could be brought back out and they would sell thousands of sets….
Richard
May 14, 2018 at 6:18 pm
What a fantastic story for National Custom Works. They are doing some great stuff. So cool that he paid for them!!!
Dan
May 14, 2018 at 5:34 pm
They look sooo one fashioned. Love em!!
I wish I could call Don White and have him make me a set
Buchs
May 14, 2018 at 6:25 pm
You can. Just call NCW. Patrick will hook you up. Just may take a little longer after this article lol.
the dude
May 14, 2018 at 5:17 pm
how bout they make him a putter…….(that 3 wiggle on 18 cost him ~ 700-400k)
Ryan Michael
May 14, 2018 at 7:49 pm
It’s not the arrow it’s the Indian.
Ralph Guldahl
May 14, 2018 at 10:09 pm
Tell that to the Indian with a quiver full of crooked arrows.
kevin
May 15, 2018 at 9:34 am
he was top 3 in putting for the week and +7.4 in strokes gained putting. what are you talking about?
Sue
May 15, 2018 at 11:05 am
All 4 rounds determine the $$$. He got to where he was because of all (4) rounds.
Tiger
May 15, 2018 at 6:43 pm
Go back to the land of stupid ignorant comments where you came from
The Dude
May 19, 2018 at 8:42 pm
Dumb…