Equipment
17 Revealing Photos from the LPGA North Texas Shootout
In this week’s LPGA Photos from the Volunteers of America North Texas Shootout, we get a different perspective on golf — one that’s fun, different and educational.
Nearly ever week on the PGA Tour, our photographer takes viewers inside the ropes to see the clubs PGA Tour players are using. The thing to remember, however, is that the majority of golfers shouldn’t be using the same clubs and shafts as PGA Tour pros. LPGA Tour players, on the other hand, have swing speeds more similar to average golfers, and compete on courses that are more similar in length to what the average male golfer usually plays.
For example, how often do you play a par-5 that measures 510 yards? Pretty often, right? PGA Tour players usually play 510-yard holes as par-4’s, and golfers such as Dustin Johnson, J.B. Holmes and other big hitters regularly hit short irons into them.
Golf bags on the LPGA Tour are also more eclectic than PGA Tour bags when it comes to brands, and they’re more colorful, too, as you’ll see below. Would you ever see a PGA Tour player with pink paintfill on their irons? Or a player wearing a Ping visor with a ponytail hanging from his back.
Well, actually, those were bad examples. Sorry Bubba and Miguel.
We hope you enjoy this week’s Revealing photos from the LPGA North Texas Shootout at Las Colinas Country Club in Irving, Texas.
Gerina Piller uses a bunch of Scor 4161 “wedges”
Scor Golf’s 4161 series were said to be “scoring clubs,” not wedges, which is why they come in low lofts that are usually reserved for 9 irons and pitching wedges.
That explain’s Gerina Piller’s the 42-degree “wedge.” If you ever hear an announcer say she’s hitting a wedge from what seems to be too far, you’ll know why.
Callaway’s Mack Daddy 2 wedge stampings on the LPGA Tour are electric
Certainly, the quickest way to make enemies is to have “Roll Tide” stamped on your wedges.
Lexi Thompson’s wedge stampings are dripping in positive energy
The “Nico” wedge stamping could be a reference to one of the following:
- This “Nico, Smile” YouTube video
- Nico, a German musician popular in the 1960s.
- A possible nickname for her brother Nicholas Thompson, who plays professional golf on the PGA Tour.
Regardless, it’s tough not to keep a positive attitude with these colorful, smiley-faced Cobra Tour Trusty wedges.
Insider update: Nico is the name of her nephew, Nicholas’ son. I was close… kind of.
#ScarfLife
Based on the photos, it was cold and windy on Tuesday during the practice round at Las Colinas. Michelle Wie even broke out a scarf — and why it’s not volt-colored to match her driver, golf ball and visor, I have no clue.
Here’s a fun game if you’re bored; Count the number of Nike “Swooshes” you can spot in the photo above (my answer below).
Here’s Azahara Munoz, who’s also bout that #scarflife. Her Ping bag and umbrella are also showing off Ping’s new logo lettering that’s exclusive to the LPGA Tour.
Answer to Nike swooshes: I spot 9. Anyone beat me?
Odyssey’s Limited Edition 2-ball Bear putter cover
Chella Choi’s head cover looks snuggly, and fuzzy, and the only place I can find it online is here. Apparently, they come in three different colors.
Choi is also using Fourteen Golf’s new RM-21 wedges, with a trailing edge grind on her 52 degree wedge, which has 10 degrees of bounce.
Pulled it!
This is merely a reminder how hard putting is. Even with training aids from 4 feet, no putt is a guarantee. Don’t you just love golf?
Any guesses on what this guy is texting while Natalie Gulbis is teeing off?
My guess is he’s texting one of his buddies: “About to tee off on the first hole with Natalie Gulbis. Have fun at work, sucker!”
I’ll bet he used this emoji, too.
Lydia Ko is really good at golf
She’s 18 years old and already has seven LPGA Tour wins. She also has a Callaway Big Bertha Alpha with a custom pink Graphite Design Tour AD-DI 5R shaft in play this week.
Katie Burnett switched to Titleist Vokey TVD wedges with a custom “raindrop” finish
Note: Those are real raindrops.
If you see a wedge company come out with a custom finish called “raindrops,” just remember you heard it here first.
Someone needs to show Bubba Watson this photo
Hey, Bubba. Here’s some sound advice: Get an all pink rainsuit! #urwelcome
Laura Davies with top-heavy Lynx Parallax irons
While most iron designs look to achieve a center of gravity (CG) that’s low-and-rearward or low-and-forward, these are the opposite.
According to Lynk’s website, the forged cavity back irons have a higher CG for more penetrating shots. If you hit the ball high with too little spin, these irons could be something to consider!
(That one’s for you, gear heads).
Ping’s LPGA golf bags, while sporting the new logo, still have turbulators
Surely the caddies appreciate the added foot speed.
Find the reference here in a recent Revealing Photos story.
Um, where’s your face?
If you can’t tell, this is Sadena Parks who was a part of Big Break Florida, a reality TV series on the Golf Channel.
She’s also playing clubs from golf’s most mysterious company in golf — Parsons Xtreme. We don’t know much about the clubs, other than they will be very expensive when they’re released and have a bunch of screws for adjusting weight and CG.
It looks like Parks prefers the CG in her driver more rearward judging by the positioning of her screws.
Check out photos from the rest of her clubs below.
Hannah Arnold’s bag is all business
Mizuno JPX-800 Pro irons and a stealthy Piretti Cortino putter? While she WD’d from pre-tournament qualifying, she didn’t leave without making an impact on the WRX photo galleries. Awesome setup.
Michelle Wie’s 90-degree putting stance…
… makes my back hurt every time.
It looks as though she took the popular instruction “get your eyes over the ball” way too literally, but then again, she’s putting better than ever and won her first major last year — the 2014 U.S. Women’s Open — with this seemingly back-breaking style.
Wie is currently using a Nike Method MC04W Center-shafted prototype putter with a SuperStroke Flatso 1.0 grip.
Is that a BioMech Tech Deck I spot?
These half-pipes are showing up in bags and on practice greens of both the PGA and LPGA tours. I’m beginning to think I should give one a try…
Just like Uncle Tiger, Cheyenne uses the Two-Tee putting drill
And is her index finger really long or is it just me?
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Equipment
A shocking Backstryke putter appearance + 7 interesting gear photos from the Zurich Classic
Welcome to New Orleans, where TPC Louisiana plays host to the 2024 Zurich Classic. In between breakfast beignets and nightly Creole feasts, PGA Tour players are also competing in the unique two-man format at the Zurich this week.
Although the vibes in Nawlins are a bit lighter-fare than the recent back-to-back competitions the Masters and the RBC Heritage signature event), the gear news was no less serious this week.
We spotted some recent changes from Rory McIlroy, a very rare Odyssey Backstryke putter, dove into the bag of legendary New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees, and spotted Patrick Cantlay continuing to test new equipment.
Get your beads out and crack your crawfish, because it’s time for an equipment rundown from The Big Easy (meaning New Orleans, of course, not Ernie Els).
See all of our photos from the Zurich Classic here
Rory’s on-and-off lob wedge
Since the end of 2023, Rory McIlroy has had an on-again, off-again relationship with a Titleist Vokey K-Grind lob wedge. In his last start, it was on, and the wedge is back in the bag again this week. We got a great look at the complicated grind that McIlroy uses.
View this post on Instagram
A full look into McIlroy’s bag above also shows that he switched out of the TaylorMade BRNR Mini Copper that he used at the RBC Heritage, and he’s back into the Qi10 core 3-wood. As we discussed last week, McIlroy will likely keep the BRNR around as a course-specific club, trading it in and out for the 3-wood.
See Rory McIlroy’s full 2024 WITB from the Zurich here
Turning Back the clock
Unless Tommy Gainey is in the field, it’s unlikely you’ll ever see Odyssey’s Backstryke technology make an appearance on the PGA Tour.
But then, when you least expect it, Russ Cochran shows up.
For more than a decade – since the 2013 Sony Open in Hawai’i – Cochran has been stuck on 599 PGA Tour starts. This week will be his 600th.
Cochran is in the field at the Zurich this week playing alongside Eric Cole, whose regular caddie is Reed Cochran, Russ’s son.
The Backstryke putter was first released back in 2010, and its unique design helps shift the axis point of the putter closer to the CG of the head. And, the putter is getting a nod this week at the Zurich Classic, thanks to Cochran’s 600th career PGA Tour start.
The putter is certainly awesome, but don’t forget to check out Cochran’s full WITB from this week.
Drew Brees with a Super Bowl winning Scotty Cameron putter
Drew Brees, a legendary retired quarterback for the hometown New Orleans Saints, made an appearance at the Zurich’s Wednesday Pro-Am, playing alongside Zach Johnson, Ryan Palmer, and current Saints QB Derek Carr.
Brees’ bag included a TaylorMade Stealth2 Plus driver, a BRNR Mini 13.5-degree, a Stealth 5-wood, a mixed set of P-790 and P-760 irons, Milled Grind Hi-Toe wedges, and a custom Scotty Cameron “New Orleans Saints” putter, which Scotty made for Brees following his Super Bowl MVP-winning performance in 2010.
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It should also be noted that Brees has his Venmo QR code as a bag tag.
If you’re gambling with Brees on the course, just know that not having cash won’t work as an excuse.
Brilliant.
See Drew Brees’ full WITB from the Zurich here
Stricker’s unrecognizable putter
Steve Stricker has made numerous upgrades to his bag recently, including a new TSR3 driver and T100 irons, but his longtime Odyssey White Hot No. 2 putter is still going strong. It’s the most recognizable unrecognizable putter ever.
Here’s a better look at Stricker’s flatstick, which he started using back in 2007.
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Patrick Cantlay has opened the equipment-switching floodgates
Over on the PGA Tour’s Equipment Report this week, we covered Cantlay’s recent switch into Ping Blueprint S irons, and a Titleist TSR2 driver.
Cantlay hadn’t switched irons for about seven years, so the iron switch he made at The 2024 Masters came as a shock to the norm. He simply isn’t one to change gear very often, so anytime Cantlay makes a switch, it’s news.
It seems the floodgates of equipment testing have opened up a bit for Cantlay, who was also spotted testing a custom Scotty Cameron blade putter on Tuesday this week. By Wednesday, Cantlay was back practicing with his familiar Scotty Cameron T5 Proto mallet, but it’s certainly something to keep an eye on going forward.
Daniel Berger’s custom Jailbird site lines
Berger, who’s currently using Odyssey’s Ai-One Mini Jailbird mallet putter, has a unique 3-dot, 2-line alignment on the crown of his navy-white-navy-white mallet putter. Looking down at the putter, it’s easy to see why this alignment system would help; it just seems impossible to set up to the ball off-center, or misaligned to the target.
Also, for anyone worried, you can rest easy. Yes, he’s still playing the 2013 TaylorMade TP MC irons, which we highlighted in our recent “Modern Classics: Old vs. New” video testing series.
FitzMagic teams back up
Brothers Matthew and Alex Fitzpatrick are teaming up once again at the Zurich this year, and Bettinardi Golf hooked them up with some festive “FitzMagic” headcovers to match this week.
See what else is in Alex Fitzpatrick’s WITB here
And, with that, we say goodbye to the Zurich Classic in New Orleans. Don’t forget to check out all of our photos from this week, including 30 unique photo galleries full of equipment photos.
We’ll see you next week in Texas for the 2024 CJ Cup Byron Nelson!
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Whats in the Bag
Alejandro Tosti WITB 2024 (April)
- Alejandro Tosti what’s in the bag accurate as of the Zurich Classic.
Driver: Srixon ZX5 Mk II LS (9.5 degrees @10.5)
Shaft: Project X HZRDUS T1100 75 6.5
3-wood: TaylorMade Qi10 Tour
Shaft: Project X HZRDUS Black 80 TX
Hybrid: TaylorMade Qi10 Tour Rescue (22 degrees)
Shaft: Project X HZRDUS Smoke Black RDX 6.5 100
Irons: Srixon ZX7 Mk II (4-PW)
Shafts: True Temper Dynamic Gold Mid Tour Issue X100
Wedges: Cleveland RTX6 ZipCore Tour Rack (50-10 MID, 54-10 MID, 58-10 MID, 60-06 LOW)
Shafts: True Temper Dynamic Gold Mid Tour Issue X100, S400
Putter: Scotty Cameron
Grips: Golf Pride MCC Plus4
Check out more in-hand photos of Alejandro Tosti’s WITB in the forums.
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Whats in the Bag
Drew Brees WITB 2024 (April)
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Driver: TaylorMade Stealth 2 Plus (10.5 degrees)
Mini driver: TaylorMade BRNR Mini Copper (13.5 degrees)
5-wood: TaylorMade Stealth Plus (19 degrees)
Irons: TaylorMade P790 (4-8, PW), TaylorMade P760 (9)
Wedges: TaylorMade MG Hi-Toe (52-09, 56-10, 60)
Putter: Scotty Cameron Select Newport 2 Prototype
Check out more in-hand photos of Drew Brees’ clubs here.
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joey5picks
May 2, 2015 at 3:47 am
Call a 510-yard hole a par 5, a par 4, a par 3 or a par 6. It doesn’t matter. Lowest score wins whether it’s -10 or -6 (which is the difference between calling that hole a par 4 or par 5). I find the infatuation with what the “par” is on a hole amusing. Players are going to want to make a 4 on that hole no matter what its “par” is.
Chuck
May 2, 2015 at 1:39 pm
Another 510-yard Par 5 is…
… wait for it…
…how many guessed it already…
The 13th Hole, “Azalea,” at the Augusta National Golf Club.
8thehardway
May 1, 2015 at 11:56 pm
Good move, great article. Looking forward to more.
snowman
May 1, 2015 at 10:36 pm
Lexi and I are still playing the 2010 Cobra S2 Forged Irons, a nice forged cavity back iron.
RG
May 1, 2015 at 3:02 pm
Best yet Andrew! Eclectic and colorful is why WRX should cover more LPGA and Champions than PGA. I’m just sayin’.
Brett H
May 1, 2015 at 2:03 pm
Fun Fact: I’m sort of related to Laura Davies and used to play with a set of her old irons that she just had put away in a closet. Had a really hard time learning on those…
I’ve been watching a ton of LPGA lately and really think the level of talent is just astonishing, a lot of fun watching them play right now.
brian d
May 1, 2015 at 12:26 pm
I am kinda digging those parsons irons…. very sharp
Mike
May 1, 2015 at 12:24 pm
Laura Davies’ irons look like some 15 year-old Lynx Parallax knockoffs! Seriously, how is Golfsmith not all over this?
Justin
May 1, 2015 at 7:38 am
“Sorry Bubba and Miguel.”
BustyMagoo
May 1, 2015 at 1:02 am
But can someone fix the css for paragraph text please? A bit heavy on the eyes in ALL BOLD letters.
BustyMagoo
May 1, 2015 at 12:59 am
Good article. Nice to see WRX going out on a ledge and covering things nobody else is. Well done and interesting read. And yah, it’s fun looking at pics of Michelle Wei. She’s quite easy on the eyes. lol.
mr.Smith
May 1, 2015 at 12:55 am
Golf has turned into such a lame look at me narcissistic batch o barf!
Chuck
Apr 30, 2015 at 9:41 pm
It hurts too much to watch Michelle Wie putt. I say that as someone who loves women’s golf and who loves to watch LPGA players play, and who is extremely interested in equipment news from the women’s tours. Thank you GolfWRX for continuing to bring us news and photos from the LPGA; keep it up. I’m just sorry for Michelle Wie, with her spectacular golf swing, being reduced to putting like a cripple.
RG
May 1, 2015 at 2:58 pm
A cripple? That “cripple” will beat you like a drum ant day of the week and twice on Sunday. She went to that stance because she’s so tall and it helps her to see the line. Remember Chuck, it is better to be silent and be thought an idiot than to post comments and remove all doubt.
Chuck
May 2, 2015 at 11:23 am
Her results are fine; that much you’ve got right. She’s currently 29th on the ladies tour; putting (statistically) like… Lydia Ko!
But as for being somehow forced into that unwatchable stance by her height… she’s 6’0″. (Being 6’0″ myself and having stood next to her, I don’t believe the 6’1″ listings in various places. I think she’s a shade over 6’0″.) She’s not taller than a number of other LPGA players with better-looking stances, and she’s nowhere near as tall as lots of male tour players with normal stances.
Rich
Apr 30, 2015 at 9:23 pm
Yes it is verrrrrry long!
Brody
Apr 30, 2015 at 9:11 pm
Andrew,
Nice article!
greg
Apr 30, 2015 at 7:00 pm
Once again, great job AT. This one is your best one, so far. Look forward to seeing these each week. Best feature on GolfWRX.com