Equipment
DeChambeau makes history with 14 graphite shafts on PGA Tour (inside info from LA Golf Shafts)
There was a lot of talk about golf history being made this week at the Shriners Hospitals for Children Open, and much of it had something to do with LA Golf shafts.
First, we had Kevin Na, become the FIRST golfer in history (since available data) to be negative strokes gained: tee-to-green but still win the event. Kevin can thank his smoking hot putter, which helped him make over 558 feet worth of putts for the week—an Odyssey Toulon Madison with an LA Golf Shafts Ozik TP graphite putter shaft.
The other part of history had to do with Bryson “The Golfing Scientist” DeChambeau. Bryson became the first golfer on the PGA Tour to ever use graphite shafts in each one of his clubs from top to bottom—that’s right, all 14 clubs including his putter had graphite shafts.
This all started with his “Rebar” wedge shafts discussed here (GolfWRX Spotted: LA Golf “REBAR” Wedge Shafts) and in the talk with LA Golf Shafts Chief Product Officer John Oldenburg, he touched on how irons shafts were next. This week has proven that testing obviously went well, and while defending his SHCO title, DeChambeau finished with a final round 63 to finish fourth.
From John on the new iron shafts Bryson had in play
“In a nutshell, the ‘Texas Rebar’ shafts are really, really stiff. In a test session with Bryson a few weeks back, he noticed that as he went stiffer in iron shafts his performance improved as it relates to launch, spin, dispersion, and shot control.
“The versatility of composite materials allows us to add stiffness, drop torque, move the balance, and modify the flex profile without adding additional weight. We designed him ‘rebar’ for the 4-iron, 7-iron, and wedge, as those irons he likes to test with. He put the wedge shafts in play immediately in Napa, and then said, “let’s make the rest!”
“We sent him some more of the wedge shafts to Vegas along with some of the 4-iron prototypes. I was not there, but my understanding is that he put the 4-iron shaft in his 4 and 5-iron and put the wedge shaft in all of the other irons. Our original plan was to make a full set of individual shafts for each club, with a progressive frequency and tip stiffness profile. Bryson has chosen to play the shafts in his current configuration since he feels they perform so well.
“We believe this will be an ongoing process, and will continue to fine tune the shafts to meet Bryson’s performance requirements. The current wedge and 4-iron shaft are both around 120 grams. The 4-iron shaft is slightly softer overall and in the tip than the wedge. Although they are 10-15 grams lighter than the TT DG X7 they are nearly a full flex stiffer and are lower in torque than his previous X7 shafts.”
With Bryson, the testing never truly stops, and we look forward to seeing what will end up in his golf bag next!
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Equipment
Coolest thing for sale in the GolfWRX Classifieds (4/18/24): Ping PLD Limited Anser – 1988 Open Championship – #2 of only 88 Made
At GolfWRX, we are a community of like-minded individuals that all experience and express our enjoyment of the game in many ways.
It’s that sense of community that drives day-to-day interactions in the forums on topics that range from best driver to what marker you use to mark your ball. It even allows us to share another thing we all love – buying and selling equipment.
Currently, in our GolfWRX buy/sell/trade (BST) forum, there is a listing for a Ping PLD Limited Anser – 1988 Open Championship – #2 of only 88 Made.
From the seller: (@DLong72): “Ping PLD Limited Anser – 1988 Open Championship – #2 of only 88 Made. ?: $1150. ?? 100% milled collectors item from the limited releases commemorating when Ping putters won every major in 1988 (88 putters made). This was the model Seve Ballesteros used to win the 1988 Open Championship. Condition is brand new, never gamed, everything is in the original packaging as it came. Putter features the iconic sound slot.
Specs/ Additional Details
-100% Milled, Aluminum/Bronze Alloy (310g)
-Original Anser Design
-PING PP58 Grip
-Putter is built to standard specs.”
To check out the full listing in our BST forum, head through the link: Ping PLD Limited Anser – 1988 Open Championship – #2 of only 88 Made
This is the most impressive current listing from the GolfWRX BST, and if you are curious about the rules to participate in the BST Forum you can check them out here: GolfWRX BST Rules
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As you probably know by now, Collin Morikawa switched putters after the first round of The Masters, and he ultimately went on to finish T3.
The putter was far from the only change he made last week, however, and his bag is continuing to change this week at the 2024 RBC Heritage.
On the range of The Masters, Morikawa worked closely with Adrian Reitveld, TaylorMade’s Senior Manager of Tour at TaylorMade, to find the perfect driver and 3-wood setups.
Morikawa started off 2024 by switching into TaylorMade’s Qi10 Max driver, but since went back to his faithful TaylorMade SIM – yes, the original SIM from 2020. Somehow, some way, it seems Morikawa always ends up back in that driver, which he used to win the 2020 PGA Championship, and the 2021 Open Championship.
At The Masters, however, Rietveld said the duo found the driver head that allowed “zero compromise” on Morikawa’s preferred fade flight and spin. To match his preferences, they landed on a TaylorMade Qi10 LS 9-degree head, and the lie angle is a touch flatter than his former SIM.
“It’s faster than his gamer, and I think what we found is it fits his desired shot shape, with zero compromise” Rietveld told GolfWRX.com on Wednesday at the RBC Heritage.
Then, to replace his former SIM rocket 3-wood, Morikawa decided to switch into the TaylorMade Qi10 core model 13.5-degree rocket head, with an adjustable hosel.
“He likes the spin characteristics of that head,” Rietveld said. “Now he’s interesting because with Collin, you can turn up at a tournament, and you look at his 3-wood, and he’s changed the setting. One day there’s more loft on it, one day there’s less loft on it. He’s that type of guy. He’s not scared to use the adjustability of the club.
“And I think he felt our titanium head didn’t spin as low as his original SIM. So we did some work with the other head, just because he liked the feel of it. It was a little high launching, so we fit him into something with less loft. It’s a naughty little piece of equipment.”
In addition to the driver and fairway wood changes, Morikawa also debuted his new “MySymbol” jersey No. 5 TP5x golf ball at The Masters. Morikawa’s choice of symbols is likely tied to his love of the Los Angeles Dodgers baseball team.
Not enough changes for you? There’s one more.
On Wednesday at the 2024 RBC Heritage, Morikawa was spotted with a new TaylorMade “Proto” 4-iron in the bag. If you recall, it’s the same model that Rory McIlroy debuted at the 2024 Valero Texas Open.
According to Morikawa, the new Proto 4-iron will replace his old P-770 hollow-bodied 4-iron.
“I used to hit my P-770 on a string, but sometimes the distance would be a little unpredictable,” Morikawa told GolfWRX.com. “This one launches a touch higher, and I feel I can predict the distance better. I know Rory replaced his P-760 with it. I’m liking it so far.”
See Morikawa’s full WITB from the 2024 RBC Heritage here.
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Equipment
Why Rory McIlroy will likely use the new TaylorMade BRNR Mini Driver Copper at the RBC Heritage
Although we spotted Rory McIlroy testing the new TaylorMade BRNR Mini Driver Copper last week during practice rounds at the Masters, he ultimately didn’t decide to use the club in competition.
It seems that will change this week at the 2024 RBC Heritage, played at the short-and-tight Harbour Town Golf Links in Hilton Head.
When asked on Wednesday following his morning Pro-Am if he’d be using the new, nostalgic BRNR Copper this week, McIlroy said, “I think so.”
“I like it,” McIlroy told GolfWRX.com on Tuesday regarding the BRNR. “This would be a good week for it.”
View this post on Instagram
According to Adrian Rietveld, the Senior Manager of Tour at TaylorMade, the BRNR Mini Driver can help McIlroy position himself properly off the tee at the tight layout.
Here’s what Rietveld told GolfWRX.com on Wednesday:
“For someone like Rory, who’s that long at the top end of the bag, and then you put him on a course like Harbour Town, it’s tough off the tee. It’s tight into the greens, and you have to put yourself in position off the tee to have a shot into the green. It kind of reminds me of Valderrama in Spain, where you can be in the fairway and have no shot into the green.
“I’m caddying for Tommy [Fleetwood] this week, so I was walking the course last night and looking at a few things. There’s just such a small margin for error. You can be standing in the fairway at 300 yards and have a shot, but at 320 you don’t. So if you don’t hit a perfect shot, you could be stuck behind a tree. And then if you’re back at 280, it might be a really tough shot into the small greens.
“So for Rory [with the BRNR], it’s a nice course-specific golf club for him. He’s got both shots with it; he can move it right-to-left or left-to-right. And the main thing about this club has been the accuracy and the dispersion with it. I mean, it’s been amazing for Tommy.
“This was the first event Tommy used a BRNR last year, and I remember talking to him about it, and he said he couldn’t wait to play it at Augusta next year. And he just never took it out of the bag because he’s so comfortable with it, and hitting it off the deck.
“So you look at Rory, and you want to have the tools working to your advantage out here, and the driver could hand-cuff him a bit with all of the shots you’d have to manufacture.”
So, although McIlroy might not be making a permanent switch into the new TaylorMade BRNR Mini Driver Copper, he’s likely to switch into it this week.
His version is lofted at 13.5 degrees, and equipped with a Fujikura Ventus Black 7X shaft.
See more photos of Rory testing the BRNR Mini here
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Pingback: Graphite vs. steel iron shafts – what you need to know – GolfWRX
#1KuchFan
Oct 13, 2019 at 2:46 pm
He’s so quirky. I can’t get enough of these articles. They hardly ever mention the golfing scientist. So quirky.
Simon Taylor
Oct 14, 2019 at 11:59 pm
Thick thick sarcasm…. best ????
Jarnio Bubly
Oct 12, 2019 at 12:14 am
Some players make history with their stellar play while Bryson makes history with is equipment.
Zach
Oct 9, 2019 at 12:50 pm
PXG: Hold my beer
Cody
Oct 8, 2019 at 10:37 pm
I play aldila rip 115 slt tour x flex shafts. Super stiff and a torque rating of 1 to 1.4 depending on the iron.
Cody
Oct 8, 2019 at 10:38 pm
Steel is dead graphite is the future.
rjvanro
Oct 8, 2019 at 9:13 pm
All graphite is probably why Bryson has decided to pump some iron. Probably feeling a little less manly. LOL
Piter
Oct 8, 2019 at 6:06 am
Good on him for trying stuff. I hadn’t heard about SL clubs before untill i read about him using them, and am interested. I prefer graphite shafts, despite being strong enough (that silly common excuse for buying steel shafts), but because of the feel. Nice to see a pro not following convention all the time.
JThunder
Oct 7, 2019 at 10:49 pm
I just come on the internet to vent my frustration with life. Bryson sucks because he’s different. Lots of other suck because they’re too much the same. Tour issued clubs are better than what we can get at retail, so that sucks. But pros could play the same regardless of what’s in their bag, so that sucks. OEMs never invent anything new, just repackage and steal and it’s all marketing – that sucks. Amateurs need lessons and no golf club is going to improve their game, and that sucks too.
PLightning
Oct 8, 2019 at 12:07 pm
Lessons from washed out hacks that never broke 80 that were taught on youtube suck.
A. Commoner
Oct 8, 2019 at 2:00 pm
Give life a chance. You might feel better.
rjvanro
Oct 8, 2019 at 9:11 pm
LOL JThunder you would be a great person to have a beer with. LOL snowing here in Calgary and that really sucks!
Kevin
Oct 7, 2019 at 5:52 pm
https://us.v-cdn.net/6024507/uploads/ipb/monthly_01_2010/post-94483-12644619954416.jpg
I believe Phil Mickelson used all graphite shafts in each one of his clubs when he was with Yonex at one time. He was with them in from 1992-2000 and know the iron and putter were graphite. Not sure how much research this writer did to make the claim however a quick search of this side shows his bag.
chip75
Oct 7, 2019 at 6:19 pm
My thoughts went straight to Mickelson as well, there were times (when he was Yonex) when Phil had an Eye2 wedge in his bag and a Titleist PT fairway wood (it might have been a Taylor Made Tour Preferred?), but I’m pretty sure he gamed a full set of graphite shafts.
Joe
Oct 7, 2019 at 10:09 pm
I think you are correct.
Lefty
Oct 8, 2019 at 5:58 am
Dear Numpties,
Lefty had a steel putter shaft.
chip75
Oct 8, 2019 at 4:14 pm
From what I remember he did have a steel putter shaft, but he gamed graphite for a time too. It would have been around 1995-1996.
JP
Oct 7, 2019 at 5:40 pm
If it speeds up his pace of play, I’m all for it…
Caroline
Oct 7, 2019 at 5:03 pm
Bryson is like every pro out there when he is on he is on….no rotation in the shaft makes it easier to hit straight shots, and very little open/close of club face to curve the ball. I would think the stiffest shafts work well with that concept as any kind of bend is going to move the club face…and his swing is around and through with little wrist/hand angles at all (Steve Stricker) or Moe Norman with a wrist set that does not open or close the club face….
Jason B
Oct 7, 2019 at 5:00 pm
He changes shafts quicker than he putts 8 footers.
C
Oct 7, 2019 at 4:52 pm
Another reason proving pros suck now compared to Jack and Arnies days.
dat
Oct 7, 2019 at 3:15 pm
But, will it actually help his game and will he win?
Rich Douglas
Oct 7, 2019 at 2:14 pm
Disclaimer: “Professional Golfer. Do not try this at home.”
Dave
Oct 7, 2019 at 2:10 pm
In other news LA Golf sold out of their entire inventory of rebar shafts due to rampant demand from every GolfWRX “scratch” golfer under the sun who thinks they should play the stiffest shafts on the planet.
Rich Douglas
Oct 7, 2019 at 2:15 pm
Thank you. Now if we could just get them to shut up about the no-offset forged blades they use to hit all those shanks….
Shallowface
Oct 7, 2019 at 2:08 pm
I like Bryson, but if any of this stuff really mattered he’d never lose. As it is, he wins a few, loses most, has some high finishes and misses some cuts. Just like everyone else. And if he decided tomorrow to go with a bag of conventional gear, his results would be exactly the same. Or maybe better, who knows, as it might clear his head of some of the clutter. I believe he will eventually try it.
Eastpointe
Oct 7, 2019 at 2:55 pm
I would tend to agree with you if we were talking about a new driver head or new putter head but we are talking about an outside the box completely unheard of shaft profile. I think this is really interesting and with time and practice Bryson could revolutionize golf club setups
Brandon
Oct 7, 2019 at 10:17 pm
Exactly. People occasionally survive jumping off the golden gate bridge, but that doesn’t mean it’s a good idea.
DukeOfChinoHills
Oct 7, 2019 at 2:06 pm
This is a passing fad.
James
Oct 7, 2019 at 1:46 pm
Yea, this is history worth remembering. I’m sure he he huddled with his PR people and said, let’s make history. Just wow.
Bing Hogan
Oct 7, 2019 at 12:30 pm
We’ll see how long this lasts…
Rich Douglas
Oct 7, 2019 at 2:22 pm
Right. Because he’s the only pro golfer–or golfer of any stripe–who tinkers.
252 golfers have won 5 or more PGA tour events in the history of professional golf.
Five golfers have ever won the NCAA and US Amateur in the same year.
Bryson is on both of those lists.
Oh, and he’s been playing single-length irons the entire time. So that shows quite a bit of commitment to a concept.
Benny
Oct 8, 2019 at 7:34 am
Well said Rich Douglas. I don’t like Bryson’s attitude and not shaking hands while tossing a baby fit. But have to hand it to him. He hits bombs (which most don’t know) and the dude is doing something never heard of.
I commend him and regardless if this is a PR move to get LA Golf Shafts name out there. It shows the dude is not stopping anytime soon. I have seen a number of guys online and in Boston area swear by single length. Lets see where this goes..