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Style and Substance: Q&A with Iliac Golf Founder Bert LaMar

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Bert LaMar claims he isn’t interested in building an apparel empire out of his high-end, custom clothing brand Iliac Golf, but he may end up succeeding in spite of himself. While only a handful of official staff ambassadors wear Iliac from head-to-toe, LaMar’s handmade head covers and leather accessories have found their way into the hands of over 50 of the world’s best players and his soft goods are sold in some of the most exclusive green grass shops around the world.

When discussing Iliac’s success, LaMar seems almost nonchalant about it. You could say he expects it. He lives his life and throws himself into his work according to a very simple motto — don’t do anything half way.

“He’s passionate about what he does, he’s passionate about the brand and that’s something we should all strive for in our day-to-day activities,” says PGA Tour player Jimmy Walker.

Walker is one of five players on staff, all of whom maintain a close-knit relationship with LaMar. Before joining Iliac, Walker had an apparel contract with Peter Millar. Comparing the two, Walker says, “Bert’s company is a lot smaller, more boutiquey. The level of interaction that he and I have is second to none.”

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In my conversations with Walker and fellow Iliac staffer Jin Park, both players expressed a genuine admiration and respect for LaMar’s work ethic and vision. Park explained why he and LaMar have clicked so well over the past eight years:

“Bert and I have something in common — both of us have had the odds stacked against us. The golf apparel industry is very tough to break into especially when competing with Polo, Nike or Adidas. I felt the same way about myself being a little guy coming up through the ranks. I wanted to grow with the company and I fell in love with the product and his concept. You walk down the range and you don’t see 40 guys wearing Iliac. But you might see 40 or 50 guys wearing Ashworth or Adidas.”

LaMar ventured into the golf apparel business in 2005 as an outsider, but brimmed with self-confidence. Long before he fell in love with golf, LaMar made a name for himself as a skateboarder in Southern California in the 1970s. He was a bona-fide prodigy who caught the eye of Tom Sims (owner of Sims Skateboards and a legend in his own right). Backed by Sims, an 11-year-old LaMar turned pro and asserted himself as one of skateboarding’s leading figures as he traveled and competed against pros like Tony Hawk and Steve Caballero.

Drawing upon his design background, which was instilled in him by his parents (his mother had decades experience in fashion and apparel while his father spent his career in product and plastics design), LaMar designed his own signature model board, which became one of the leading products of that era.

At age 20, LaMar quit skateboarding to give snowboarding a shot. Two months later a confident LaMar entered the first World Cup Championship in Breckenridge, Colo.,and surprised a field of seasoned professionals by besting them in the halfpipe competition. After his unexpected win, LaMar was flown to Vermont to sign a sponsor deal with Burton Snowboards and film a Wrigley’s Gum commercial.

LaMar went on to win three consecutive World Cup Championships and channeled his fame as a rider to launch his own company, LaMar Snowboards which, for a brief time, became one of the top brands in the industry. But friction between LaMar and his investors led to the company’s eventual downfall. By then he was a decade into snowboarding and he was all but ready to leave the slopes behind to pursue his new found obsession: golf. He spent about 10 years competing on the Southern California mini tour while simultaneously sketching product ideas for what would eventually become Iliac Golf.

LaMar’s specialty apparel brand became more globally recognized when Masters Champion Zach Johnson signed a sponsorship deal in 2010. A very sophisticated, well-healed clientele has gravitated towards Iliac. The brand’s founder says his customers share his passion for timeless style and quality craftsmanship. To help fulfill Iliac’s potential for growth, the company recently completed a capital raise to a group of silent investors. LaMar claims these institutional investors may at some point get seats on his board, but will not impact LaMar’s ownership of the company and it’s overarching direction.

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In preparing to interview LaMar, I had read through a few articles that were written about him — mostly about his skateboarding and snowboarding days that all pretty much described him as a cocky, brash troublemaker in his youth. I wasn’t sure what to expect from LaMar, now in his forties, so I consulted with Park who said,

“You’d think as a former skateboarder and a Southern California guy, he’d be pretty laid back. But he’s actually very intense, very focused. And, he doesn’t take shortcuts.”

During our interview, LaMar reminisced about growing up in SoCal and shared a few stories about skateboarding and snowboarding. He also spoke candidly about the strict quality standards he expects for himself and his brand, Iliac Golf, and the hard lessons he learned when he ran his own snowboarding apparel and equipment company.

Your parents introduced you to the world of fashion and design at an early age. What memories stick with you from your childhood?

BL: Maybe as early as six, seven or eight I remember literally sitting in fabric stores with my Mom. Playing with fabric rolls, hiding in and out of fabric, messing with needles or whatever I can throw around the store while she was looking for new materials. She was always developing clothing lines and making clothes. She had machines at home.

Were you naturally drawn to it?

BL: Not really. I probably would’ve rather been out playing baseball or doing something. But that’s where I was. I fell in love with skateboarding around age 10 or 11.

My mom was a big part of my skateboard career; she was with me all the time. I was skateboarding around the clock — getting better and better. I actually turned pro by the time I was 12 or 13.

Was anyone in your family naturally athletic?

BL: Nah, I don’t think so. My dad didn’t play too many sports. I think he played basketball in high school. My mom actually did some rollerskating.

I think it just comes from hard work and passion, really. The skateboard park opened about 25 minutes from our house and I was so in love with it that I would take the first bus to the park at 7 a.m. and the last bus home at 11 p.m. I would just be literally skating from sunrise to sunset and beyond. When you’re doing something and you’re enjoying it that much you either get good quickly or move on.

You and Tom Sims were contemporaries growing up. Tell me a little about your relationship with him.

BL: Tom was one of the early sponsors I had. We lived in the San Fernando Valley and they were in Santa Barbara.

I remember one specific competition in Del Mar. I was just out of energy at the end of the day and Tom and my mom took me to the supermarket and they said, “Look, that Coke and bag of Fritos that you ate six hours ago is not enough to keep you focused all day long.” They really got me into all this great natural organic foods. I remember experiences like that with him, and I remember developing my first board with him — the Sims-LaMar skateboard.

Being so young, it had to be overwhelming.

BL: At age 13 or 14 my mom took me up to the company and said, “Hey, Tom, here’s a contract that says we’re getting paid for boards sold worldwide, but we’re only getting royalties for boards being sold in the U.S. We’re getting fan mail from people in Europe that are buying the LaMar boards. We need to get paid or our lawyers are going to be contacting you.”

In hindsight, it was a lot for 13-year-old to be involved in, but it showed me the other side of sponsors and athletes, and I’ve taken all that to heart — first with my snowboard company and now with my golf players.

You were barely out of your teens when you embarked on a career as a snowboarder.

BL: I tried snowboarding early on and the boards had a rubber strap to hold you on and as soon as you make a turn the board would go one way and you would go the other. It was fun, but it didn’t look like much. And then I went up skiing one day with some friends and there was some guy on the side of the hill. He had a board with some writing on it and I tracked him down. I told him I had to try that. I think I asked him to hold my wallet as I jumped on it. Two turns into it I jumped and made a spin. Right away I knew this was going to be something big. I quickly researched it, got together with a company, got boards and started riding.

From what I read, it sounded like the [1988] World Cup was your official coming out party.

BL: The first World Cup event in Colorado I went to I was getting ready to start a snowboard apparel company. I was getting ready to develop some gear so I wanted to check out the scene. I was riding the half-pipe at the World Cup in Breckenridge, Colo., all week before the contest. The competition wasn’t that advanced and because of my skateboard and skiing background I was able to apply a lot of my tricks.

I was just getting better and better in the pipe and after about four days of practice I intended to enter the contest as an amateur. But then I kept seeing the pros practice and they weren’t even doing the tricks I was doing. I remember telling Tom Sims and Jake Burton to sponsor me cause I was probably going to win this thing. I was a really cocky kid. And they were like, “Yeah, right.”

So I changed my entry from amateur to pro the night before and I won the next day. It was kind of big news — here’s this skateboarder guy who just started snowboarding and goes out and wins the World Cup. Some of these veterans who had been doing it for years were kind of upset. The next year I had a lot to prove, let’s just say that.

You went on to win three straight World Cups; I would say you did alright. How did your success on the slopes impact your business?

BL: By that time I was sponsored by some of the biggest companies. I was able to speak about the sport and do a lot of pioneering on behalf of the riders.

I was able to sign a deal with a French company called Look. They used to sponsor Tour De France racers. They made bike pedals and ski bindings, and they were going to get into snowboarding. I signed up for a three-year deal.

Their factories were in France so I spent a lot of my time in Europe developing my clothing line and watching them develop the boards and the bindings. They weren’t doing a great job at all … they were applying a ski mentality to it. After seeing that 99 percent of the brand name on the product was LaMar and Look was a very small percentage of it (they were banking on my name to reach the snowboard culture and were making a pretty average product at that) I thought I could do better. And so I started LaMar Snowboards.

The factory we worked with was in San Diego — that’s what brought me down here about 20 years ago. They were making skateboards for Tony Hawk’s company. Together we made some of the best quality snowboards in the world, really. I focused on my team and branding, and we became one of the most successful high end snowboard brands in the marketplace.

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When did you start to feel that you were losing control of LaMar Snowboards?

BL: We built LaMar snowboards based on relationships with high-end customers and specialty shops that really understood the brand and the product and could sell a $500 or $600 snowboard. And then we were approached by some big chains like Sports Authority. At the time I didn’t have control of the company so my investors thought that it would be a great business decision. I didn’t really know what it’d do to us at the time, but it unravelled all of our specialty business because they couldn’t compete with the same brand being sold across the street for a much lower price.

It really soured my vision of what I built. And as we were getting bigger that year I watched investors bringing in sales guys that didn’t have the vision or fortitude to lead. I remember one guy showing me what was basically a copy of a Burton Snowboard graphic that was done the year before. I thought to myself, why are we going to copy something that’s already been done? That really turned me off. It was also at about the time that I was losing my interest for snowboarding and discovering golf.

But you weren’t quite ready to leave snowboarding behind. You started a company called Elevation.

BL: I had a non-compete for a few years. While that was happening I was out golfing and was working on some golf products that eventually became part of Iliac. But my first business venture was to actually go back to snowboards, and to the high-end concept that I had. Thus the name, Elevation.

It was really poor timing when we launched that company. The market was really struggling and um … I think my love for snowboarding was over. I was in love with golf and I didn’t have what I had for LaMar Snowboards to put into Elevation.

How did you come up the name for your golf apparel company?

BL: One rumor has it that it’s connected to Tom Morris. But the real truth is that after having a company named LaMar Snowboards and losing control of it, I found it frustrating that people would begin to assume that it must be your company just because you’re name is on it. Take for instance Johan Lindeberg — he was kicked out of J. Lindeberg. I learned the hard way and I didn’t want people to be misled.

The first product I had was a golf bag. It was a vintage, old school bag that had a weight belt on it that took a lot of the weight off your shoulders and put it on your hips. I was using it as a golfer and thought it was a great product. Mountaineering backpack companies refer to putting the weight load on your iliac crest (that’s where you carry the weight). And that’s how I came up with the name. From there I spent a lot of time developing the crest and the “i” for the logo.

Jimmy Walker has become one of the most successful ambassadors on your staff. What made you believe he’d be a great fit for your brand?

BL: I’m out on tour a lot and I meet about 70 or 80 guys using products and I only have room for a handful of guys to outfit — and that’s kind of by design. I don’t want an army of guys wearing my clothing. So I was looking for another guy when Zach Johnson got swept away to Oakley. Jimmy’s name came up and we connected right away. He’s a great guy and down to earth. From all my years of skateboarding and snowboarding, I know it’s not just about your ability. There’s a lot of guys who can snowboard great but there’s not a lot of guys who can snowboard and work well with the media or sponsors. Or do a lot of things to help evolve the sport. And Jimmy’s one of those guys like Zach Johnson was, Tyrone [Van Aswegen], Danny Lee and Jin [Park] are. I can talk to them about product and they can share feedback with me that is evolving my design. That’s just as valuable as how well they can play.

It doesn’t hurt that Jimmy has been a fixture on the leaderboard and a three-time winner on Tour.

BL: He told me he was going to win a lot [laughing]. It doesn’t matter to me because we’re [Iliac] under the radar. I don’t even put the name “Iliac” on my products typically. It’s only in the past year that I started putting it on Jimmy’s shirts.

It’s great that Jimmy’s winning — I’m happy for him. It’s almost too much for us, too much exposure. We’re just not ready to deliver more product. We’re not set up to be a mass producer and my prices are higher than anything out there. That allows me to focus on quality. I just spent the last 15 minutes going over Lee Westwood’s new head covers and yardage books. I’m personally going through each order and overseeing my factory.

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What is your design process like?

BL: My wife hates it because I get up at 3 a.m. to go draw something and then go back to bed. I could be at dinner and my family is talking to me and I’m just gone … just thinking about something, and then I’m back.

I’m always working and developing ideas. I can get inspiration from an art gallery, a trip. But most of my design and development comes from when I’m out playing, or with my tour players, or visiting my clubs, and not just not from sitting in a design studio going through a book and saying, “OK, this material looks good on paper.”

I’ve seen ski companies with all the engineers money can buy … those guys have no clue about what’s going to work when you’re coming down the stretch and the temperature just dropped 30 degrees.

I’m constantly bringing designs in and out of the lab. I actually developed a material from scratch for my LDS [luxury dry stretch] pants based on what Zach Johnson’s needs were. He had pants that stretched 360 degrees and he didn’t like the fact that they got a little bit sloppy near the end of the day. After a year of testing with different materials I discovered that you really don’t need the vertical stretch. You need the horizontal stretch that keeps the pants looking pretty much wrinkle-free. For a professional, it looks great. You look good, and you feel good. And that becomes sort of our mantra.

So I’m pretty involved on a technical level and with the aesthetics of a product, and it all comes together so it’s not me with different people losing communication in-between. I’m not in a situation where an engineer develops a fabric and I’m forced to use it because we’re using it for soccer and hockey. And that’s what most of my competitors do. It creates a big advantage for me, being just focused on golf. I don’t care about my stuff working for soccer or for baseball or for anything else, whereas when someone buys Gore-Tex … they make that same material for skiing and for 20 other sports.

Give me an example of an innovative product you developed.

BL: I developed my rain gear and we call it hunting quiet because it’s dead silent. It doesn’t have that crunchy sound. For golf you want it silent, smooth and soft. For hunting you want something like that, that’s how I discovered it. A skier doesn’t care.

As an apparel designer, do you ever keep tabs on what other brands are doing in the golf industry?

BL: In general I don’t even look at the golf industry, in terms of what’s happening. There’s a lot of guys who are chasing the same look. I make stuff that fits my vision, my brand and my players. It’s not for everybody. It’s expensive and it’s not available everywhere. Nordstrom’s came to me; they wanted to carry everything. I said, no way.

How have your experiences in past business ventures influenced your approach with Iliac?

BL: With LaMar Snowboards, when we went outside of our specialty shops I remember getting feedback from people in my company all the time. They would say, “you need to do this, you need to make that bigger!” Why? Because the guy at Sports Authority who sells soccer balls all day happened to sell a snowboard once and thought it would be a good idea.

If Dave [Head Professional David Clark] from Pine Valley, who has the best golfers in the world and the most exclusive clientele, recommends something it’s probably on point. If Jimmy Walker says something would be cool if it’s a half inch longer or stretches a certain way — that’s good feedback. I’m pretty lucky that way … I surround myself with good feedback.

I don’t try to copy what everyone else is doing. I make stuff that I want to wear first. And I really know who my customer is and who my players are.

Looking over your catalog of products, it’s clear that you have a great appreciation for golf’s rich history.

BL: I’m very passionate about Scottish golf. I visit my customers in the UK a couple of times a year. I tried to qualify for The Open last year [laughs].

Before I went to Scotland, I worked with a lot of the best private clubs in the U.S. A lot of them sought me out to use my leather products and head covers to commemorate their 100th anniversary. You never heard about anybody who was celebrating a longer anniversary in the U.S. But I remember during my first trip to Scotland, I walked into a shop and they were celebrating their 250th anniversary [laughs]. And of course that’s one of many, many courses that are 200 or 300 years old. When you walk down the 18th fairway of the Old Course — considering all the great players who have walked there — it’s pretty special. It gives you a perspective on how deep the roots are for golf.

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Getting back to your peers in the golf industry, do you feel there’s a general lack of innovation and risk-taking when it comes to design and merchandising?

BL: There is a lack of passion, hard work and experience. Nike can develop a puke green neon shirt and say it’s different. Does that mean it’s good … that’s it’s classic and timeless? Sometimes I work on a piece for two or three years before I put it out. I think I put a lot of passion into it and I get quality feedback from people I respect. So when I get ready to offer it to my customers, you know it’s special.

I don’t think any other companies do that. There’s probably some designers who do a lot of research and do pieces, but for the most part they’re all on treadmills trying to sell as many pieces as they can, as quick as they can.

Let’s play a little word association. I’m going to name-check a few golfers. You’re going to tell me the first word that comes to mind.

BL: Alright [laughing]

Bobby Jones

BL: Gentleman

Ben Hogan

BL: Grinder

Arnold Palmer

BL: Personality

Fred Couples

BL: Talented

Rickie Fowler

BL: Marketable

What do you make of your career when looking back on a journey that first began in skateparks?

BL: Everything I do leads to the next thing I’m going to do. I’m always learning. Just like a good athlete, if you’re not learning then you’re getting passed.

Is there a fourth act for Bert LaMar? And if so, have you thought about what you would still like to accomplish in life?

BL: I joke with my wife that when I’m really old I’m going to be in the local senior symphony playing the violin — which I have to take lessons to learn how to play. But career-wise I’m really happy and excited about what I’m working on. There’s a lot of great things going on with my brand. I’m going to be announcing some pretty big new players who are coming on board that I’m excited about. There are talks right now with a couple of LPGA girls we might outfit. I’m also doing some new product categories that I don’t think anyone else has done.

I don’t want to ruin anything by starting to think ahead about another chapter. I keep saying to myself that this might be the best thing I’ve ever done.

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Rusty Cage is a contributing writer for GolfWRX, one of the leading publications online for news, information and resources for the connected golfer. His articles have covered a broad spectrum of topics - equipment and apparel reviews, interviews with industry leaders, analysis of the pro game, and everything in between. Rusty's path into golf has been an unusual one. He took up the game in his late thirties, as suggested by his wife, who thought it might be a good way for her husband to grow closer to her father. The plan worked out a little too well. As his attraction to the game grew, so did his desire to take up writing again after what amounted to 15-year hiatus from sports journalism dating back to college. In spite of spending over a dozen years working in the technology sector as a backend programmer in New York City, Rusty saw an opportunity with GolfWRX and ran with it. A graduate from Boston University with a Bachelor's in journalism, Rusty's long term aspirations are to become one of the game's leading writers, rising to the standard set by modern-day legends like George Peper, Mark Frost and Dan Jenkins. GolfWRX Writer of the Month: August 2014 Fairway Executive Podcast Interview http://golfindustrytrainingassociation.com/17-rusty-cage-golf-writer (During this interview I discuss how golf industry professionals can leverage emerging technologies to connect with their audience.)

16 Comments

16 Comments

  1. Tony Lynam

    Sep 10, 2014 at 9:24 pm

    Bought one of Iliac’s $100 polo shirts in Red with plaid collar. Thought they were very stylish. First time I wore it, it bled all over my white shorts when wet from perspiration and when I washed it, the red bled on the white portions of the plaid collar. Also after the first washing the stitching on button placard started to unravel. Never wore it again.

    • Paul Underwood

      Feb 20, 2015 at 7:26 pm

      Their quality control is very poor. I got a belt and the stitching came loose after one wear. Nice designs. But they must have some China sweatshop putting these things together.

      • Michelle Soucek

        Mar 9, 2015 at 11:43 am

        Good morning Paul,
        In reply to your above facebook comment, I am very sorry to hear that you did not have a pleasant experience with iliac Golf by Bert LaMar. We are very committed to our customers and do provide replacement and warranties on our products in the rare chance that a product has a defect. Although we do not require receipts, we do need to authenticate the product’s origin by looking up our customer’s name, which Jordin followed procedure. You say you received it as a gift from a friend, and we’d be happy to look up his/her name, or they may contact us, and we can issue a replacement.
        We do not have a factory in China, our factory is actually very close to our showroom in Carlsbad, CA.
        If you have any questions or comments please feel free to contact me via e-mail or phone. Have a great day!
        -Michelle Soucek, Customer Experience and Office Manager.

  2. JimmyD5CC

    Sep 10, 2014 at 5:12 pm

    I love your clothing line, but quite frankly it is way overpriced for folks like me. Drop your price and I’ll be one of your best customers.

  3. Scott Minor

    Sep 10, 2014 at 4:57 pm

    Bert and his team are excellent. They are compassionate and caring.. I appreciate how he is innovating every day… You can’t ask for a better brand… Keep up the great work.

  4. dot dot

    Sep 10, 2014 at 8:41 am

    Quotes from the article “I’m always learning, if you’re not learning then you’re getting passed” How about learning some customer service then.

  5. MWM915

    Sep 10, 2014 at 12:59 am

    I have been using Bert’s products since moving to Carlsbad over 4 years ago. His headcovers are timeless and always look great. His clothing is some of the most comfortable that I own. It looks classy but has the right amount of “tech” to make it playable. I’ve recommended iliac to several friends and all have been thrilled with their custom headcovers.

  6. Nick H

    Sep 10, 2014 at 12:35 am

    I have several iliac shirts, and a custom head covers set. Yes they may have been expensive, and I had to wait for delivery, but I always get complements at the course on how I’m dressed, how well my shirts fit, and how cool my bag looks, etc. I have never seen anyone else with the same looking kit as me other than tour players on TV.

  7. Tain

    Sep 10, 2014 at 12:33 am

    Best Brand in golf. Iliac is the perfect balance between style and performance. The designs are unique and with pure class. Bert Lamar is extremely passionate about what he does. I couldn’t say enough about Iliac golf and Bert Lamar.

  8. Cheesers

    Sep 9, 2014 at 11:32 pm

    The more he gets his name/brand out there, the more demand for his boutique type designs. He can continually pump out the same amount of product and the price will continue to rise if supply is kept so low or people really want them.

    I’ll admit to pricing out some nice looking leather head covers. The clothing is a little much for me but I enjoy the tech involved with the latest Nike and UA clothing lines, along with Oakley. But then again, I’m not on tour either. And I will admit that Jimmy Walker looks slick some days.

    My opinion is to stay exclusive and build crazy value behind your product. I mean, you’re charging $80 for alignment stick covers. lol

  9. Rich

    Sep 9, 2014 at 9:01 pm

    Nice looking products but he comes across as a bit of a w$&ker. Doesn’t do his brand any favours with the reported poor service either. Iliac golf? Pan

  10. dot dot

    Sep 9, 2014 at 7:16 pm

    He does not have to worry about putting more people in his stuff. The crazy prices he charges will take care of that. He might as well ship everything overnight.

  11. Charles Cline

    Sep 9, 2014 at 6:18 pm

  12. Merty Huckle

    Sep 9, 2014 at 6:17 pm

    Bert is all about selfies and more Bert. Bert loves Bert.

    That Kickstarter thing Bert tried to do was funny. I LOL’ed all over myself.

  13. Golfraven

    Sep 9, 2014 at 6:01 pm

    I like the concept of the brand but there is a risk of being too exclusive and this may put off potential buyers not only today but likely in future years when the business takes off. Every business relies on sales and if you don’t bring your stuff to the people they will not buy it. But maybe Bert Lamar has the cash and does not rely on it and is rather crafting stuff. I and my wife would love to work with his company – she is Scotish and has great business mind.

  14. Mike

    Sep 9, 2014 at 5:27 pm

    Some of the best looking golf clothing out there. Very slow, not going to speed up and after reading I have to think that is by design. He wants it to be boutique-ish and getting orders out on time and speeding up that process will only put more people in his stuff. He doesn’t want that and I have to respect that.

    Mike

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Whats in the Bag

Zac Blair WITB 2024 (March)

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Driver: Titleist TSR2 (10 degrees, A1 SureFit setting)
Shaft: Fujikura Ventus TR Red 6 X

3-wood: TaylorMade M5 Rocket 3 (14 degrees)
Shaft: Fujikura Speeder 757 Evolution V1 X

Utility: Titleist U510 (3)
Shaft: Aldila Tour Blue 85 X

Irons: Ping i210 (4-6), Miura MB-001 (7-9)
Shafts: Nippon N.S. Pro Modus3

Wedges: Titleist Vokey Design SM10 (46-10F, 58-08M @57, 60 @61), Vokey Design WedgeWorks (52-M)
Shafts: Nippon N.S. Pro Modus3 Tour 105 X

Putter: Scotty Cameron prototype

Grips: Golf Pride Tour Velvet

Ball: Titleist Pro V1

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Whats in the Bag

Martin Trainer WITB 2024 (March)

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Driver: Wilson Staff Staff Model (6.5 degrees)
Shaft: Mitsubishi Kai’li Blue 70 TX

3-wood: Wilson Staff WLabs Prototype (13 degrees)
Shaft: Mitsubishi Tensei CK Orange 80 TX

Irons: Wilson Staff Staff Model (2, 4-9)
Shafts: True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue X100

Wedges: Wilson Staff Staff Model (52, 56, 60)
Shafts: True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue X100

Putter: Bobby Grace Greg Chalmers Prototype

Grips: Golf Pride Tour Velvet

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Equipment

Putter roundup from the 2024 Texas Children’s Houston Open

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It seems like we spot some really amazing putters each week out on the PGA Tour, and in that vein, the 2024 Texas Children’s Houston Open didn’t disappoint. We spotted some new and really great flatsticks out on the practice green and in a few players’ bags. Here’s a sampling of the putters that caught our eye this week in Houston.

Kevin Dougherty’s Scotty Cameron Timeless

This might be one of the most classy Scotty Cameron gamer putters on tour at the moment. It looks like a Timeless head as the cavity has the “ears” in the upper corners and the bumpers look to be a touch larger. The head has a flat black finish to it and just a simple site dot on the topline. The back flange is naked, but we do get two Circle T stamps in the cavity where the name “Tristyn” is stamped. A shallow face milling is present, along with a small Circle T logo over on the heel. The sole is pretty clean with just the Circle T, Scotty Dog, and the 350g stamps on it.

Ping PLD Anser

OK, so this might actually be the cleanest putter on this list! An antique finish that looks to be a bit more bronze in color than usual adorns this putter. A traditional L-neck is in place and the topline is clean with just a simple alignment line on the flange. The back cavity features Ping’s PLD logo in matching white paint and the sole of the putter is completely blank; we don’t even see the model name on this one. The face looks to have a very shallow milling pattern as well that should offer a slightly firmer feel and louder sound at impact.

Tom Hoge’s Custom Scotty Cameron Phantom T-11

Scotty Cameron’s Phantom 11 is probably the most advanced putter they have ever created with a head made from 303 stainless steel and 6061 aircraft-grade aluminum. Tom wanted a little different look and feel for his and opted for an L-neck hosel to be welded on. The L-neck, or plumbers neck, will create additional toe hang compared to the traditional bent shaft in the Phantom 11. Hoge’s T-11 was given a deeper milling on the face that should offer a little softer feel and more quiet sound at impact.

Piretti Tesora 2 CU

Piretti had a good amount of putters on the green, but this Tesora 2 CU stood out as a real stunner. The head shape takes cues from the iconic Anser 2 and Newport 2 with a squared-off shape and sharper corners on the bumpers and shoulders. The head is milled from 303 stainless steel, and then Piretti installs a soft copper insert for additional feel. A single site line, paint filled in black, is milled onto the flange and the cavity contains Piretti’s lion logo and four bolts to hold the copper insert in place. The sole contains twin adjustable weights to let the player dial in the perfect feel and balance.

Bettinardi Proto D.A.S.S. Hexperimental

Bettinardi is showing us that heel-shafted putters aren’t just a thing of the past with this Hexperimental prototype. Heel-shafted putters like this usually have full toe hang and a unique feel through the putting stroke. Bettinardi milled this out of their double-aged stainless steel (D.A.S.S.) that is annealed twice to ensure it has a very soft and responsive feel. The topline is straight and on the thicker side with a single site dot for alignment. A round back of the putter slopes gently from the face back and has a slight concave shape to it.

Scotty Cameron Circle T T-11 “Long”

The second Scotty T-11 on this list, this one is built a little different as well. I am calling this a “Long” because it looks like a counterbalanced build, and those are usually a little longer in length to get some weight up into the hands for stability. A standard T-11 head with the traditional single bend shaft should offer a face-balanced, or close to it, feel through the stroke. A deeper milling, and a red Circle T logo, are applied to the face for a softer feel and more muted sound. On the sole we can see that two heavy 30-gram weights have been installed to compensate for the longer build and heavier grip. This T-11 is also shafted up with UST Mamiya’s All-In multi-material shaft and finished with a long Super Stroke grip.

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