Equipment

Details on the putter Bubba Watson credited for his Hero win

Published

8 years ago

Dec 6, 2015

After Bubba Watson won the Hero World Championship in the Bahamas this weekend, he credited a new Ping putter with a “dot system” for the three-shot win. As it turns out, the dot system is less complicated than it sounds — Watson switched to a dot alignment aid on the top rail of a new Milled Anser 1 putter instead of his typical sight line on the flange. What Watson didn’t tell us about the putter, however, turns out to be the more interesting part of the story.

The putter Bubba Watson used to win the 2014 Masters.

The putter Bubba used to win the 2014 Masters.

According to Ping’s Director of Communications Pete Samuels, the Ping team wanted Watson to try a new putter, something different than the rainbow-finished Milled Anser 1 that he used to win the 2014 Masters and has been his go-to putter ever since. So Ping milled a one-off putter to Watson’s specifications through its WRX (custom) department, which was ready for him when he arrived at Ping’s HQ in Phoenix on Nov. 19 for a video shoot.

Bubba testing the new putter at Ping HQ (Photo courtesy of Ping)

The head weight of that putter was 318 grams (the total weight was 493.5 grams), which turned out to be too light for Watson, but he liked the sight dot alignment aid he requested and asked Ping to make another one, this time heavier.

Watson watches his putter being milled to his specifications (Photo courtesy of Ping)

Bubba watches his putter being milled to his specifications (Photo courtesy of Ping)

Ping delivered the heavier model (head weight 339 grams, total weight 520.6 grams) to Watson before Thanksgiving, which proved to be slightly too heavy for his taste. The Goldilocks game ended when Watson returned to Ping HQ on Nov. 30, and the Ping team machined 10 grams of weight off the face of the putter while Watson waited, giving the putter a head weight of 329 grams (total weight 510.6 grams).

As for the finishing touches, Watson had his first and last name engraved on the bumpers of the putter with the letters painted red, white and blue. The putter measures 34.5 inches, and has 2 degrees of loft with a lie angle of 69 degrees. Watson’s grip is Ping’s PP58 Midsize Gray with three wraps of grip tape.

From Twitter (@bubbawatson)

Click here to see photos of the rest of the clubs Watson used to win the Hero World Challenge.

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16 Comments

Charlie

Dec 9, 2015 at 5:42 pm

The Nike Method 001 that Tiger uses has the same dot as well.

Reply Report comment
Bill Schoneberger

Dec 9, 2015 at 1:52 pm

Cool putter but I’m MORE interested in the Pool/Putting TABLE picture. Why the heck is it up in the air like that and what is PING learning from it??

Reply Report comment
- Scooter
  
  Dec 9, 2015 at 11:16 pm
  
  Just a guess … looks like a large slab that is precision installed to make sure the surface is completely flat, no break in any direction
  
  Reply Report comment
Alex

Dec 9, 2015 at 7:29 am

They way Bubba putts, the smooth swing, the square face… He can make putts with a hockey stick.

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Tom Duckworth

Dec 8, 2015 at 6:47 pm

All jokes aside but is that the same face pattern as a Rife putter? Is it stainless steel?

Reply Report comment
Jay

Dec 8, 2015 at 4:06 pm

I want to know what finish that is because it’s not the nickel plated finish on the Anser Milled line. That putter looks great!

Reply Report comment
mike

Dec 7, 2015 at 8:44 pm

I’m still not following what the Dot Alignment has to do with his Choice of change of putters?. I agree it does look a lot like a Rife.

Reply Report comment
rex235

Dec 7, 2015 at 3:54 pm

Actually Ryan, at PING they do, but they just won’t market it.

(See Phil Mickelson British Open, and the Callaway Mack Daddy Wedges)

PING might offer the putter as a series, but it could be $$$$ if you want your name milled too.

Already have 3 LH Dale Head Ansers at various weights.

“BubbaDale” may not work.

Reply Report comment
tom

Dec 7, 2015 at 2:42 pm

Great info. So much for the theory that everyone should use heavier putters on faster greens. Most amateurs these days would scoff at a 339 gram head weight, saying it’s too light. Yet Bubba is playing PGA Tournamnet greens with one. Interesting.

Reply Report comment
- Joe Duffer
  
  Dec 10, 2015 at 9:27 pm
  
  Bubba’s final putter had a 329 gram head. Lighter yet and very similar to Tiger’s.
  
  Reply Report comment
MJ

Dec 7, 2015 at 12:35 pm

What’s the “dot system”?

All I see is a dot on the top line. Is that the whole system?

Reply Report comment
Rife

Dec 7, 2015 at 12:12 am

It’s a RIFE!!!!

Reply Report comment
Ryan S.

Dec 6, 2015 at 10:11 pm

If Bubba dosn’t want the 318 gram putter I’ll gladly take it off their hands. Lefties don’t get many chances like this.

Reply Report comment
Mike

Dec 6, 2015 at 7:59 pm

Great looking flat stick!

Reply Report comment
Chuck

Dec 6, 2015 at 7:47 pm

Interesting. But of course for the retail market, where players can’t get heads milled to their weight preferences, interchangeable weights make sense.

The thing I really wanted to know about was the groove configuration on the putter face. As people were asking in the photo thread on Bubba’s new putter, is that a new design? A mod of the current retail Ping configuration (“True Roll”) or something else? A proto design?

Reply Report comment
- Rife
  
  Dec 7, 2015 at 12:15 am
  
  RIFE
  
  Reply Report comment

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Equipment

A shocking Backstryke putter appearance + 7 interesting gear photos from the Zurich Classic

Published

10 hours ago

Apr 25, 2024

Andrew Tursky

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.

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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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