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New Equipment Overload at the BMW Championship!

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We spotted an overwhelming amount of new equipment this week at the BMW Championship, so much that we thought it was necessary to organize them in a single story for your viewing pleasure.

Check out the latest gear launched this week at Conway Farms Golf Club in Lake Forest, Ill., where 70 PGA Tour players are battling for one of 30 spots in the season-ending Tour Championship.

Exotics CB Pro and XCG7 Fairway Woods

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According to Tour Edge, the CB Pro fairway woods are the high-end, high-performing clubs that the company had in mind when it created the Exotics brand.

The limited-edition fairway woods are based on Exotics’ popular CB2 line of fairway woods. They feature combo-brazed beta titanium faces and a new “Slip Stream” sole that Tour Edge says improves turf interaction regardless of a golfer’s angle of attack. They come with Fujikura’s new Motore Speeder 757 shaft (the new Speeder 661 is also available), and will retail for the hefty price of $499.

Click here to read more about the CB Pro, as well as Exotics’ new XCG7 and XCG7 Beta fairway woods.

Graphite Design Tour AD-MT shafts

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Just a few months ago, Graphite Design released its popular Tour AD-DI shaft in a new color scheme, black and white. For Graphite Design’s newest shaft, the Tour AD-MT, the company went the opposite direction, complementing it with a neon-yellow-and-white color scheme.

According to Bill McPherson, vice president of Pros’ Choice Shafts (the exclusive North American distributor for Graphite Design), the AD-MT is based on the stiffer-profile AD-DI and AD-BB shafts played by several PGA Tour players including Adam Scott, Ryo Ishikawa and Kevin Chappell. McPherson said that it was too early to say any more about the specifics of the shaft, other than it is slated to hit shelves abound Nov. 15.

Click here to see what GolfWRX members are saying about the Tour AD-MT shafts in the forums.

Matrix HX3 “White Tie” Hybrid Shafts

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Matrix’s new Ozik Altus hybrid shafts are based on the company’s popular line of new Ozik woods shafts released this year: the X3 “White Tie,” Q3 “Red Tie” and M3 “Black Tie.”

Like the wood series, the hX3 White Tie is the company’s highest-launching shaft and the hM3 Black Tie is the lowest-launching shaft. The hQ3 Red Tie fits the golfers in the middle, encouraging a medium trajectory.

Click here to read what GolfWRX members are saying about the new shafts from Matrix in the forums.

Nike Method “Mod” Putters

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We’re not sure what to say about the four Nike Method “Mod” putters we spotted this week on the practice green at Conway Farms.

  • The “Mod 90” is face-balanced mallet putter
  • The Mod-30 (pictured above) is an Anser-style blade
  • The Mod-60 is a heel-shafted half-mallet putter
  • The Mod-00 is a bullseye-style putter.

Each features a red-colored material in the heel- and toe-sections, which we’re assuming helps increase the MOI of the putters. They also have high-end milled finish, with milling marks that run perpendicular to the target line at address.

Click here to see more photos of the Nike Method Mod putters in the forums, as well as the reaction from GolfWRX members.

Odyssey Metal-X Prototype

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Chris Kirk was caught gaming this Odyssey prototype putter, a 100-percent-milled design with a face modeled after the company’s Metal-X insert putters. The putter’s sole is stamped with Odyssey’s prototype question mark stamps, which have often indicated a model Odyssey is seriously considering bringing to retail.

Instead of the usual “Odyssey” stamping on the back of the putter, Kirk’s putter features the Odyssey logo, as well as the removable weights Odyssey offered in its high-end Protype iX putters.

Click here to see what GolfWRX members are saying about the Milled Metal-X prototype putter.

 New Ping TR Putters

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In late May, Ping added to its already robust line of Scottsdale TR putters with the Nome TR (Click here to read our full story on the Nome TR putter). On Nov. 1, three new models of the Scottsdale TR series will become available: the Craz-E, Anser T and a counterbalanced model, the Senita B.

  • The Craz-E looks identical to the original model that was released in 2004, but it has a black PVD finish and Ping’s new True Roll insert, which features deep grooves on the middle of the face and more shallow grooves on the heel and toe areas to help marry the ball speed of impacts across the face.
  • The Anser T (pictured above) is a variation of Ping’s Anser 2 putter, with an alignment bar in the middle of the back flange.
  • The Senita B has a 400-gram head, 30 grams heavier than the standard model. Like other counterbalanced models, it measures 38 inches, but it is meant to be held a few inches short of the butt-end of the grip. It’s outfitted with an extra long 17-inch grip and a 50-gram counterweight to help add stability to a golfer’s stroke.

TaylorMade SpeedBlade irons

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TaylorMade’s SpeedBlade irons are the company’s latest line of distance irons. They have a longer, wider slot in the sole and a new construction that provide more face flexibility than the RocketBladez irons.

Watch the video above for more information, and click here to read our story about TaylorMade’s SpeedBlade event on Sept. 9.

Wilson FG 100 Blade Irons

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Wilson Staff’s new FG Tour 100 blade irons were inspired by the company’s legendary 1971 “Button Back” model. While they incorporate features of that iron, such as “Fluid Feel” technology, a TPU insert that runs from the end of the shaft to the bottom of the irons’ soles, they’re a modern blade made to the specifications of the most discerning golfers.

The irons are forged from 8620 steel, and like the 1971 Button Backs, they have a high-luster nickel-chrome finish complemented with black-and-gold logoing.

The irons won’t be available until early in 2014, but they already have a win under their belt. They were used by the University of Illinois Head Golf Coach Mike Small to win his 10th Illinois PGA Championship.

Click here to see what GolfWRX members are saying about the FG Tour 100 irons in the forums.

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11 Comments

11 Comments

  1. TJ

    Sep 12, 2013 at 2:51 pm

    I looked up Sexiest Blade in the dictionary and a picture of the Mizuno MP-4 was beside it.

  2. Dan

    Sep 12, 2013 at 7:15 am

    TM is falling behind. They haven’t announced a new line of equipment is 72 hours

    • nate

      Sep 12, 2013 at 8:40 pm

      this is so true…..

      • Jack

        Sep 12, 2013 at 10:59 pm

        That’s just cuz the black paint on the speedbladez isn’t drying quick enough. It’ll be the speedbladez black pro tp edition, and pro’s can hit 7 irons 211 yards instead of 200 yards, but they won’t bag them because then what would they do within 150 yards.

    • Metal-X-

      Sep 16, 2013 at 6:10 pm

      I agree. TM is releasing stuff so fast that it’s hard to keep up with. I have ceased buying TM stuff.

    • SN

      Sep 17, 2013 at 1:55 am

      Come on man, give them a break.
      Their sticker printers are dead.

      Or else we should have seen Speedblade “Tour” this weekend.

  3. Rich

    Sep 11, 2013 at 9:08 pm

    Love those Wilson Staff Blades…..

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Whats in the Bag

Kevin Tway WITB 2024 (May)

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Driver: Ping G430 LST (10.5 degrees)
Shaft: Fujikura Ventus Black 6 X

3-wood: TaylorMade Stealth 2 (15 degrees)
Shaft: Mitsubishi Diamana D+ 80 TX

5-wood: TaylorMade Stealth 2 (18 degrees)
Shaft: Mitsubishi Diamana D+ 90 TX

Irons: Wilson Staff Utility (2), Titleist T100 (4-9)
Shafts: Mitsubishi MMT 100 TX (2), True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue X100 (4-9)

Wedges: Titleist Vokey Design SM10 (48-10F @47, 52-12F @51, 56-14F), SM7 (60-10S)
Shafts: True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue X100 (48-56), True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue S400 (60)

Putter: Scotty Cameron T-5 Proto
Grip: Scotty Cameron Black Baby T

Grips: Golf Pride Tour Velvet Plus4

More photos of Kevin Tway’s WITB in the forums.

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Did Rory McIlroy inspire Shane Lowry’s putter switch?

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Editor’s note: This is an excerpt from a piece our Andrew Tursky originally wrote for PGATour.com’s Equipment Report. Head over there for the full article.

The timing of Lowry’s putter changeup was curious: Was he just using a Spider putter because he was paired with McIlroy, who’s been using a Spider Tour X head throughout 2024? Was Lowry just being festive because it’s the Zurich Classic, and he wanted to match his teammate? Did McIlroy let Lowry try his putter, and he liked it so much he actually switched into it?

Well, as it turns out, McIlroy’s only influence was inspiring Lowry to make more putts.

When asked if McIlroy had an influence on the putter switch, Lowry had this to say: “No, it’s actually a different putter than what he uses. Maybe there was more pressure there because I needed to hole some more putts if we wanted to win,” he said with a laugh.

To Lowry’s point, McIlroy plays the Tour X model, whereas Lowry switched into the Tour Z model, which has a sleeker shape in comparison, and the two sole weights of the club are more towards the face.

Lowry’s Spider Tour Z has a white True Path Alignment channel on the crown of his putter, which is reminiscent of Lowry’s former 2-ball designs, thus helping to provide a comfort factor despite the departure from his norm. Instead of a double-bend hosel, which Lowry used in his 2-ball putters, his new Spider Tour Z is designed with a short slant neck.

“I’ve been struggling on the greens, and I just needed something with a fresh look,” Lowry told GolfWRX.com on Wednesday at the 2024 Wells Fargo Championship. “It has a different neck on it, as well, so it moves a bit differently, but it’s similar. It has a white line on the back of it [like my 2-ball], and it’s a mallet style. So it’s not too drastic of a change.

“I just picked it up on the putting green and I liked the look of it, so I was like, ‘Let’s give it a go.’”

Read the rest of the piece over at PGATour.com.

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Webb Simpson equipment Q&A: Titleist’s new 2-wood, 680 blade irons, and switching to a broomstick Jailbird

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With seven career wins on the PGA Tour, including a U.S. Open victory, Webb Simpson is a certified veteran on the course. But he’s also a certified veteran in the equipment world, too. He’s a gearhead who truly knows his stuff, and he’s even worked closely with Titleist on making his own custom 682.WS irons.

On Wednesday at the 2024 Wells Fargo Championship, I caught up with Simpson to hear about his experience with Titleist’s new prototype 2-wood, how Titleist’s 680 Forged irons from 2003 ended up back in his bag, and why he’s switching into an Odyssey Ai-One Jailbird Cruiser broomstick putter this week for the first time.

Click here to read our full story about Simpson’s putter switch on PGATOUR.com’s Equipment Report, or continue reading below for my full Q&A with Simpson at Quail Hollow Club on Wednesday.

See Webb Simpson’s full WITB from the 2024 Wells Fargo Championship here

GolfWRX: It seems like you’ve been a little all over the place with your irons in the past six months or so, and now going back to the 680’s. Is that just a comfort thing? What’s been going on with the irons?

Webb Simpson: Titleist has been so great at working with me, and R&D, on trying to get an iron that kind of modernizes the 680. And so the 682.WS took the T100 grooves, but kinda took the look and the bulk and the build of the 680’s into one club. They’re beautiful, and awesome looking. I just never hit them that well for a consistent period of time. It was probably me, but then I went to T100’s and loved them. I loved the spin, the trajectory, the yardage, but again, I never went on good runs. Going through the ground, I couldn’t feel the club as well as with the blade. So last week, I’m like, ‘Alright. I’m gonna go back more for…comfort, and see if I can get on a nice little run of ball striking.’

So that’s why I went back.

 

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OK, that makes sense. I know you had done some 2-wood testing recently. Is that in the bag right now?

It’s like day-by-day. I used it at Hilton Head every day. Valero, I used it one round. And this week, me and my caddie will do the book every morning, and if it’s a day where we think we need it, we’ll just put it in and take the 3-wood out. I love it because it’s a super simple swap. Like, it doesn’t really change much.

Yeah, can you tell me about that club? I mean, we don’t really know anything about it yet. You know? I haven’t hit it or anything, obviously.

It has grooves like a 3-wood. Spin is perfect. And it’s honestly, like, everything is in the middle of a 3-wood and driver number. Trajectory, spin, carry, all of it. So, a Hilton Head golf course is almost too easy to talk about because, you know, there, so many holes are driver 3-wood.

Valero, our thinking was we had two par-5’s into the wind, and we knew that it would take two great shots to get there in two. So instead of hitting driver-driver, we just put it in. And I used it on those holes.

Hilton was a little easier because it was off-the-tee kind of questions. But Colonial will be a golf course where, you know, there’s a lot of driver or 3-woods. It’s kind of like a backup putter or driver for me now. I’ll bring it to every tournament.

So it’s, like, in your locker right now, probably?

Well, it would be. It’s in my house [because Webb lives near by Quail Hollow Club, and is a member at the course.] It’s in the garage.

Oh, yeah, that’s right. Do you know what holes you might use it out here if it goes in play? 

Potentially 15, depending on the wind. Second shot on 10. Could be 14 off the tee. The chances here are pretty low (that he’ll use the 2-wood). But, like, Greensboro would be an awesome club all day. I’m trying to think of any other golf courses.

There’s plenty that it’ll be a nice weapon to have.

It’s interesting, the wave of 2-woods and mini drivers. Like, it’s just really taken off on Tour, and all the companies have seemed to embrace it.

Yeah. The thing I had to learn, it took me, like, at least a week to learn about it is you gotta tee it up lower than you think. I kept teeing it up too high. You need it low, like barely higher than a 3-wood. And that was where I got optimal spin and carry. If you tee it up too high, you just don’t get as much spin and lose distance, I don’t know if that’s just a mini driver thing.

And you obviously have a Jailbird putter this week. What spurred that on?

Inconsistent putting. I’m stubborn in a lot of ways when it comes to my equipment, but I have to be open minded – I just hadn’t putted consistently well in a while. And I’m like, ‘Man, I feel my ball-striking coming along. Like I feel better; for real, better.’

If I can just get something in my hands that I’m consistent with. Being on Tour, you see it every year, guys get on little runs. I can put together four to five tournaments where I’m all the sudden back in the majors, or in the FedExCup Playoffs. You can turn things around quick out here. I’m like, ‘Man, whatever’s going to get me there, great.’

My caddie, David Cook, caddied for Akshay at the Houston Open and he putted beautifully. Then, I watched Akshay on TV at Valero, and he putted beautifully. And, I’m like, ‘I’m just going to try it.’

I’ve never tried it for more than a putt or two, and I just ordered what Akshay uses. It was pretty awkward at first, but the more I used it, the more I’m like, ‘Man, it’s pretty easy.’ And a buddy of mine who’s a rep out here, John Tyler Griffin, he helped me with some setup stuff. And he said at Hilton Head, he wasn’t putting well, then tried it, and now he makes everything. He was very confident. So I’m like, ‘Alright, I’ll try it.’”

And you’re going with it this week?

Hundred percent.

Alright, I love it. Thank you, I always love talking gear with you. Play well this week. 

Thanks, man.

See Webb Simpson’s full WITB from the 2024 Wells Fargo Championship here

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