Last week, Johnny Wunder talked with three-time PGA Tour winner Ryan Palmer on his Gear Dive podcast. While the pod has nearly 5,000 listens on Soundcloud, we saw plenty of WRX Members asking to, well, see some of what Palmer had to say in the form of a transcript or article.
In response to those requests, we’ve transcribed some highlights from the Texan’s appearance on the Gear Dive, and we hope you enjoy.
On growing up in Texas
RP: Growing up in Amarillo, it’s flat, it’s windy. It can get on a little hardpan. I guess I’ve learned, I just learned, at an early age how to trap the ball…I was able to hit it low for a lot of years. I used to hit a big ol’ sweeping hook…it was just the game I learned to play, you know. As I got better and got older, you learn to hit other shots. I can always go back to that trap-flighted that I can hit so good when the wind is blowing. So, I guess, a little bit of an advantage there growing up in Amarillo and the Panhandle.
On what he looks for in an iron
RP: It’s mostly appearance…I like a little offset in the iron…You’ll notice, and, as I talk about in my career I don’t switch, and, when I find something I like I stick with it, and Titleist always comes out with a good looking iron each and every year. So I kind of just kept moving and progressing with their models. And you know the sole of a Titleist worked out. That’s the reason why I hit the AP 2s for so long, because of the sole of it. I liked the width of it, how it went through the turf, and every iron I looked through the last 10 years, the first thing I look at is the sole, and if it’s a little skinnier than what I’m used to seeing, yeah I know it’s not going to be what I want. That’s kind of the first thing I look. A little top line I guess. But, main thing is, looking at the sole of the club and the length from heel to toe. That’s the two things I look at the most.
On what it takes to switch, particularly with a driver
RP: Yeah, I switched to TaylorMade’s back in ’08, I think it was ’08, ’09, somewhere around there from Titleist. Uh, you know, today with drivers, I’ve been hitting the M1 since it came out. And then before that, I was in the white Burner SuperFast, forever. When I get a driver I like, I hit the same shaft forever. It was the old Harmon Tour Design Shaft CB2x. You know, I switched shafts the first time last year or two years ago, I think, at Colonial. To the ACCRA…That was the first time I’ve switched shafts since, since, the Web.com in my driver.
With the driver, you know, the one thing…I look at, first of all, I’ll hit it a few times before I get on the monitors, I need to see the launch. The feel of the club, all that stuff, the weight of it. Once I start seeing the flight, then I’ll get on the numbers. And you know, look at the ball spin, the launch, the spin for me. I don’t look at the other garbage on there. I just, it’s ball speed, launch, spin, and you know, obviously clubhead speed. Once I see those numbers, that’s all it takes. Then, if I hit one or two hooks with the driver, then, it’s out. I won’t even give it another look.
On not having a club deal
RP: Well the problem today is, you’re having to sign the full bag. I mean, with TaylorMade, you’re having to sign the full staff, the ball. Titleist, full clubs, the ball. Callaway, I mean, Callaway will get you in a driver deal. TaylorMade doesn’t have anymore driver deals out there. Ping is obviously full staff, full clubs. So it’s just, guys, are not wanting to sign away every club in their bag. I mean, for me, I got an Odyssey putter, Vokey wedges, Srixon irons, TaylorMade woods.
You know, honestly, some of the contracts aren’t worth what the money we’re playing for. That’s the way I’ve always looked at it, the last few years, and, I’d rather take the clubs I’m comfortable with and have confidence in than going out there with something I’m not used to just get a couple hundred thousand more dollars.
I think these young guys today, come out here, and then they leave the Web, and then automatically, “Who can I sign with, where can I sign?”…They’re getting bad advice, from a lot of, from the people giving them advice, you know? There’s people out there trying to make a buck off them. They think, “Here sign this deal with this company, this club company, because somebody on the outside is getting an extra kickback.”
Guys don’t realize, you sign a $400,000 contract with whoever…Go finish top 10 twice, and you’ve made it, you’ve made that money. So it’s almost, that’s my approach, and, you know, Mike Chisholm, my manager, close personal friend of mine first, but, we talk about it all the time. And, to me, and he knows, there’s more money to be won on the golf course then there is off the golf course when it comes to equipment.
On the switch from Titleist 710 AP2 to Srixon 785 irons
RP: I ran, I don’t know which year it was, um, they sent, I don’t know if it was when the 12 or 14s, when they came out. They sent me like, two or three sets, and they sent Stricker two or three sets as well. That was all, they told me, this is all we have left. And so, they just kind of, they finally played theirselves out.
We were at BMW this year and James Mackay and I, and my coach, Randy Smith, we were on the range, and I had a Mizuno set made, I had these 785s made. And, we hit a bunch of balls, different shots. Low, right-to-left, left-to-right, high, and with the Srixons, I hit every shot the way I wanted. And so I was playing so bad as it was, I played the Srixons the final round at BMW. And then, didn’t look back, because I hit a lot of shots I wanted, the yardage control, everything I wanted that day. And then James and I both agreed, I told James, I’m comfortable, let’s just take them. We took them to Malaysia, and Korea, and Vegas so, it’s worked out.
You can find the full podcast here.
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Benny
Dec 16, 2018 at 6:06 pm
Agree nice read and follow up Wrx. Always love hearing and seeing this stuff. I think more and kore we will see this. Brooks is the top 10 I can think of w/o a bag deal. Rose moving to Honma. Heard TMag doesn’t do the “woods only” contract anymore. Yet still so many play their woods when the option is there?
Rich Douglas
Dec 16, 2018 at 10:59 am
There should be a strong correlation between on-course performance money and endorsement money. But as pointed out by Palmer, there isn’t. Unless you have an ownership stake, of course.
In golf, tournament purses can be influenced by many factors, including corporate sponsorships. But it is the fans who buy the equipment endorsed by players, not the corporations. Thus, there is an imbalance, where there’s a disproportionate amount of money to be earned on-course (from corporations) than off-course (from fans). The golf OEMs can’t pay the players in endorsements commensurate with their on-course earnings. There are exceptions, of course, but very few. I like Palmer’s point that, for most players, that the money lost from a club contract can be made up by using clubs right for you.
We’ve seen this on the Tour in the past. I remember when Payne Stewart switched to Top-Flite after coming into dominance. Hitting a two-piece surlyn ball with cast clubs was quite a switch for him and his performance suffered.
Where I disagree with Palmer is with the emergent pro. That guy should grab the cash and get the stability from it. Let his performance then dictate whether to go “independent” from there.
Now, what about Corey Pavin and those VAS 792s….
Broton
Dec 5, 2018 at 12:05 pm
Thanks for the transcription!! Glad to know you guys are listening. Way to go GolfWRX!
Burnt toast
Dec 4, 2018 at 9:56 am
Eh, he’ll have a club deal as soon as he wins a tournament…
retired04
Dec 4, 2018 at 8:34 am
I never do podcasts or video-like to read/scan/digest-so THANKS for the transcribing!! Read the whole thing and enjoyed it.
Jamie
Dec 3, 2018 at 9:53 pm
What putter grip does he use with his ‘claw’ putting style?
Danny Lynch
Dec 3, 2018 at 5:32 pm
Srixon makes the best feeling CB and MB iron out there. The 765’s are about a perfect a feeling golf iron as can be made. If you haven’t already, give the Srixon’s a try.
Speedy
Dec 3, 2018 at 4:26 pm
It’s all between the ears.
BIG STU
Dec 3, 2018 at 3:17 pm
Thanks also for transcribing the Pod Cast for some of us old farts
Aztec
Dec 3, 2018 at 1:04 pm
Excellent! Thanks for transcribing. And, pretty pleased he chose Srixon irons. Refreshing to hear him talk about how important it is how irons and drivers look and not obsess over trackman numbers.
Connor Jones
Dec 3, 2018 at 11:13 am
Very interesting take on the club contract and I absolutely love it. Important to play well rather than struggle and switch clubs