Equipment
New TaylorMade Ghost Tour putters
Instead of focusing on enhancing performance, like TaylorMade has with its recent crop of counter-balanced putters, the company decided to turn its attention to detailing and craftsmanship for its new line of Ghost Tour putters, which will hit shelves on Aug. 30.
The Ghost Tour putters feature the same secondary alignment system as the company’s Spider Blade and Spider Mallet putters — white lines in the cavity of the putter head that are parallel to the putters’ dominant alignment line. But that and the putters’ black-and-white paint scheme are about the only things they have in common.
The white secondary lines in the cavity provide golfers with a “secondary read” at address, helping them fine tune the alignment of their putter face.
The new Ghost Tour putters have TaylorMade’s new 80/20 Pure Roll insert, which is made from 80 percent Surlyn and 20 percent aluminum. According to Brian Bazzel, TaylorMade’s product creation manager, it provides a feel that’s softer than the company’s Titallium insert, but not as soft as TaylorMade’s 100 percent Surlyn insert, which is used in the company’s counterbalanced putters because of their tendency to roll the ball farther.
Click here to see what members are saying about the putters in the forums.
The putters also swap the usual TaylorMade script in the back cavity for a button-styled TaylorMade logo with chrome and red piping. And instead of a brushed steel or white-painted sole, the soles of the new Ghost Tour putters have a high-polished black finish that offers more “bling.”
The new Ghost Tour putters will come in seven different models. Each will be available on Aug. 30 with the exception of the Corza, which will be released in November.
- Daytona 12 (blade, L-neck, 40-degree toe hang)
- Daytona 62 (blade, short curve, 57-degree toe hang)
- Fontana 72 (mallet, shaft in, face-balanced)
- Maranello 81 (small mallet, long curve, 65-degree toe hang)
- Monte Carlo 12 (mallet, L-neck, 25-degree toe hang)
- Sebring 62 (blade, short curve, 65-degree toe hang)
- Corza 72 (mallet, shaft in, face-balanced)
Model updates
According to Bazzel, the Maranello 81 (pictured above) has been updated to have less offset, using new hosel blend that gives the putter a cleaner look at address. The Monte Carlo 12 has been updated to have an “L” or plumber’s neck, which is similar to TaylorMade’s Spider Mallet putter used by Sergio Garcia. The Sebring 62 has also been modified to have more toe hang, which works better for golfers who have arching putter strokes.
All models will be available in lengths of 33, 34 and 35 inches and will cost around $150. The putters have head weights of 350 grams, 5 grams heavier than the previous line. But unlike the previous line, the new putters do not have adjustable sole weights.
Custom Options
For an additional $40, golfers can upgrade the putter’s stepless steel shaft for the matte black-painted version that has become popular with TaylorMade staff members on tour.
Click here to see what members are saying about the putters in the forums.
Click here to see what members are saying about the putters in the forums.
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- Patrick Reed what’s in the bag accurate as of the PGA Championship. More photos from the event here.
Driver: Ping G400 (8.5 degrees)
Shaft: Aldila Rogue Silver 125 MSI 70 Tour X
3-wood: Callaway Paradym Ai Smoke Triple Diamond (15 degrees)
Shaft: Aldila Rogue Silver 125MSI 80 Tour X
Hybrid: Callaway Apex Pro (18 degrees)
Shaft: Aldila RIP Phenom Hybrid 100 TX
Irons: Titleist 716 TMB (2), Grindworks PR-202 (4), Grindworks PR-101A (5-PW)
Shafts: True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue X100
Wedges: Cleveland RTX ZipCore (50-10 Mid), Titleist Vokey Design SM9 (56-08M @55), SM10 (60-04T)
Shafts: True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue S400
Putter: Odyssey White Hot RX Pt Customs No. 2
Ball: Titleist Pro V1
Grips: Golf Pride MCC
More photos of Patrick Reed’s WITB in the forums.
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Welcome to the 2024 PGA Championship at Valhalla Golf Club in Louisville, Kentucky.
In the last two PGA Championships held at Valhalla, Tiger Woods won in 2000 – when he famously pointed his golf ball into the hole during the historic duel with Bob May – and Rory McIlroy won the 2014 event, basically in the dark on the final hole.
The point is, history shows that Valhalla tends to produce top-tier champions and plenty of drama.
This week at the 2024 PGA Championship, GolfWRX got its first up-close look at what some of the LIV Tour players have in their bags in 2024. We also caught back up with a few PGA Championship legends, such as Rich Beem and John Daly, and we dove into the bags of PGA Sectional qualifiers, too.
In total, we captured 47 different photo galleries this week, including 32 individual What’s In The Bag (WITB) forum threads. Click here to see all of our photos from the event, or continue reading to see my 10 equipment highlights from Valhalla.
1) Brooks Koepka’s new putter
Koepka was previously using a Scotty Cameron T5.5 putter with a slant neck, which he used to win at the beginning of the month in Singapore on the LIV tour. This week, however, he tried a T5.5 with a plumbers neck instead of the slant neck, and it’s immediately going in the bag. According to Scotty Cameron Tour rep Drew Page, Koepka already loved the head, and now finds the plumbers neck a bit more familiar to the blade-style putters he’s used throughout most of his career.
2) The lead tape king returns, with putting goggles
Phil Mickelson has always been one of the GOATs when it comes to lead tape usage, so it was no surprise to see his 64-degree custom Callaway wedge slathered with slabs of lead tape on the back.
The big surprise was that lefty was spotted using ProAim putting training goggles on Wednesday during his warm-up session.
The ProAim goggles are helpful to find center lines and ensure proper alignment to the target.
See Phil Mickelson’s full WITB from the 2024 PGA Championship
3) Dobyns’ old-school gamer setup
Speaking of lead tape, check out Matt Dobyn’s old Titleist 718 T-MB irons, which are so loaded with lead tape that the club is nearly unrecognizable.
Respect.
The head professional at Meadow Brook Club is making his sixth start in a PGA Championship, and he’s using a throwback Callaway GBB Epic driver with MOI-boosting lead tape and adjustable weight placements.
As GolfWRX Forum user “InTheBag” pointed out in our Matt Dobyns’ WITB thread, he has the type of setup that makes you want to hide your wallet: “I don’t know Mr. Dobyns, but one look at that bag tells me he can take your money,” writes InTheBag.
Spot on.
4) John Daly’s custom Sub70 irons and wedges
We first saw John Daly using $750 direct-to-consumer Sub70 659-CB irons and TAIII wedges at the 2023 PNC Championship, and he still has them in the bag, but he’s since stepped up the customization on the Sub70 clubs.
Does Daly ever NOT keep things entertaining?
View this post on Instagram
A true showman.
5) DJ’s custom putter
Dustin Johnson has always been one to test multiple putters week-to-week, and he has a keen eye for different alignment lines and crowns. This week, he’s opting for a completely gray TaylorMade Spider Tour “T3.0” prototype with a short slant neck.
See the rest of DJ’s WITB from the week here
6) Patrick Reed still rocking GrindWorks irons
Patrick Reed knows his stuff when it comes to equipment, and he’s a prolific tester. Still, however, the GrindWorks PR-101A irons are squarely in the bag after his departure to the LIV tour.
The most notable new addition to Reed’s bag is this Callaway Paradym Ai Smoke Triple Diamond 3-wood.
Click here to see Reed’s full WITB from this week
7) Beem’s Scratch set
Rich Beem, who won the 2002 PGA Championship at Hazeltine National, came to the 2024 PGA Championship at Valhalla with a bag full of Scratch Golf irons, which are loaded with lead tape and equipped with some of the coolest custom ferrules in professional golf.
See Rich Beem’s full WITB here
8) Jon Rahm’s 10-iron
Before going to LIV, Rahm was using a Callaway Apex TCB pitching wedge.
Now, he’s using a Callaway Apex TCB “10 iron.”
He’s also since upgraded to three Callaway Paradym Ai Smoke metalwoods, and fresh stampings on his Jaws Raw wedges. Click here to see Rahm’s full WITB from the 2024 PGA Championship.
9) “Why so serious?”
Tyrrell Hatton, another LIV player in the 2024 PGA Championship field, channels his inner Joker to ask everyone, “Why so serious?”
10) Block’s “Proto” iron, from address
As you probably know by now, Block switched out of his old TaylorMade Tour Preferred MC 2014 irons, and into a full set of TaylorMade’s new “Proto” irons. We’ve already seen the Proto 4-iron in the bags of Rory McIlroy and Collin Morikawa, but this is our first look at the higher-lofted irons in the set.
Here’s a look at the 7-iron from address:
See what GolfWRX members are saying about the Proto irons in our Forums
And, with that, we say goodbye to Louisville, and the second major championship of the 2024 season. We’ll see you next week at the 2024 Charles Schwab Challenge in Fort Worth, Texas after a champion has been crowned.
Until then, don’t forget to check out all of our photos from this week at the 2024 PGA Championship!
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We will be one quarter of the way through Thursday night men’s league season after this week. BK played much better last week, so he is hoping to continue that success and post another good score.
Here are the 14 clubs that will hopefully win him some skins!
Driver: PXG 0311 Black Ops (9 degrees, neutral setting)
Shaft: Fujikura Ventus Blue 6 X (2024)
3-wood: Cobra Dark Speed LS Titanium (14.5 degrees, set +1)
Shaft: Graphite Design Tour AD IZ-7x
Fairway: Callaway Apex UW (19 degrees)
Shaft: Fujikura ATMOS Tour Spec Blue 8 X
Hybrid: PXG 0311 Black Ops 4h (22 degrees, Flat Setting)
Shaft: KBS Tour Graphite Hybrid Prototype 85 S
Irons: TaylorMade P770 Phantom Black (5-PW)
Shaft: KBS Tour 120 Stiff
Wedge: PXG Sugar Daddy II (50-13 BP)
Shaft: Nippon Modus3 Tour 120 Stiff
Wedge: PXG Sugar Daddy II (56-13 BP)
Shaft: Nippon Modus3 Tour 120 Stiff
Wedge: PXG Sugar Daddy II (60-13 BP)
Shaft: Nippon Modus3 Tour 120 Stiff
Putter: L.A.B. Mezz.1 Max
Shaft: Accra x L.A.B. White
Ball: Titleist ProV1 Enhanced Alignment
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Patrick Reed WITB 2024 (May)
Patrick Reed what’s in the bag accurate as of the PGA Championship. More photos from the event here. Driver: Ping...
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We will be one quarter of the way through Thursday night men’s league season after this week. BK played much...
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Jon Rahm what’s in the bag accurate as of the PGA Championship. 15 clubs pictured. More photos from the event...
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Russ
Nov 7, 2014 at 4:59 pm
Saying that the cosmetics of the putter doesn’t matter is a bunch of bull. It’s like buying a brand new car, driving it off the lot and then once you get home you see paint the paint coming off. Hey, but the engine is still good so the paint shouldn’t matter….LOL bull!
Todd H
Apr 17, 2014 at 12:27 am
These putters are great for making putts which is what matters. The paint doesn’t chip when you cover it and take care if it. The Manello 81 has been an amazing putter. What is more important paint or “cheap looking” putters or making putts. Enough said.
JJ
Mar 4, 2014 at 10:56 pm
You all sound like Joan Rivers reviewing the dresses on the red carpet. It is a golf club, get over it.
Chris Downing
Aug 27, 2013 at 3:00 am
Going to a putting specialist coach did more for my putting than a new putter. But that’s pretty old school thinking.
The paint issue is interesting – not sure I like paint anywhere it can chip off – paint in the cavity at the back of an iron – OK – paint anywhere round an edge – Bad – paint on the face – very bad. Maybe putter will go the way of guitars and have a relic option. You know, you pay extra for buying a new white putter that has been hammers and knocked about in the custom shop so on day one it pays just like a new putter, but looks like t’s been on tour for thirty years. It’s worked in the guitar market – perhaps putters as well?
Julian
Aug 26, 2013 at 2:52 pm
Putters are about FEEL, not about LOOKS.
Take that to heart and go drop some more putts.
heinz
Aug 26, 2013 at 12:45 pm
Totally agree with the almost everyone else. TM makes great drivers that focus on quality and performance but their putter line is waaaayyyy behind. Callaway seems to have figued out the sweet spot. Great looks and perfomance at a moderate price.
David
Aug 26, 2013 at 12:09 pm
They look ok if the white ghost coloring is your cup of tea, but I think I will stick with my 2009 Tour Rossa Kia Ma Monte Carlo, the best line of putters TaylorMade has ever produced.
t120
Aug 25, 2013 at 12:11 am
…zzzzzzzzz
Dallin
Aug 23, 2013 at 6:42 pm
I love, love, love taylormade, but it seems like the are too focused on appearance and less focused on performance.
chad
Aug 23, 2013 at 12:14 pm
Everything they make just looks cheap to me.
Harvey
Oct 26, 2013 at 5:21 am
+1
fsubaseball21
Aug 23, 2013 at 7:43 am
4 years ago I took my 33.5 center shafted spider and installed a belly putter grip. I used a little lead tape up the shaft for counter balancing and had to heavy layer the grip tape at the bottom so the grip would fit. Best combo I have ever used. The spider is the only putter they have ever made.
R
Aug 23, 2013 at 3:03 am
Silver. Why can’t we just have plain old silver putters like Ping. People seem to like them silver ones.
John
Aug 23, 2013 at 12:15 pm
Because if it didn’t have a gimmick it would be ping, not taylormade.
Honmagolfan
Aug 23, 2013 at 3:37 pm
Exactly!
kevin
Aug 23, 2013 at 1:14 am
“hey bob…..what do we do with all this excess inventory of putters?”
“we’ll just paint it white with new alignment aids and call it ghost putters”
“we already have putters that are called ghost”
“we’ll just add ‘tour’ after ghost and that should get’em”
John
Aug 23, 2013 at 12:14 pm
How did you come across such insider information? Sounds like the board meeting!!!
Nick
Aug 23, 2013 at 1:10 am
Introducing Taylormade’s New…..
CS
Aug 23, 2013 at 1:02 am
Awesome! I was wait for price drops so I can get another MA-81.
Ben Hudson
Aug 22, 2013 at 11:07 pm
pass. strong pass.
Taylor
Aug 22, 2013 at 10:43 pm
They really need to get rid of the white. White is a fad and it has already passed.
Steve
Aug 23, 2013 at 5:40 pm
Speak for yourself. I don’t like TM putters, but I like the looks. Clean, nothing over the top, but still some added flair.
Joe
Aug 22, 2013 at 9:49 pm
These look like total junk. Drop the white already.
John
Aug 22, 2013 at 9:39 pm
Taylormade, ease go back to making golf clubs that don’t look like something that doesn’t look like it comes from wal-mart.
Sincerely,
One of your biggest former fans. NOT A CURRENT FAN OR CUSTOMER!
J
Aug 22, 2013 at 9:11 pm
Paint chips off all their putters… Fix that… Until then.,, won’t happen. Horrible finish quality
DL
Aug 22, 2013 at 8:45 pm
Odyssey Versa.
Jeffrey
Aug 22, 2013 at 7:00 pm
I’ll stick with my counterbalanced Daddy Long Legs. I putt with so much more confidence. I really think there is something to the weighting.
Jeff
Aug 22, 2013 at 6:51 pm
i’ve rolled a few of these. they are really sweet.
Blanco
Aug 27, 2013 at 3:58 am
Not a good one. I use the headcover religiously on my spider blade. White paint chipping off the edge of the face and black paint peeling off the edges of the insert. Also signs of wear behind the grooved insert where the “foam” seems to be.
spank
Aug 22, 2013 at 6:43 pm
Yea all their white putters paint comes off and look like crap in a few weeks anyways. Garbage
Brian
Aug 23, 2013 at 12:17 pm
You may consider using the head cover that comes with the putter…..
Honmagolfan
Aug 23, 2013 at 3:35 pm
Good one!!!:)
Scotty B
Aug 22, 2013 at 6:39 pm
Eh. Not impressed