Equipment
What the 10 best golfers in the world are putting with
What do the world’s best golfers putt with? It’s an interesting question, albeit one that ought to have little bearing on the average golfer’s selection of putter.
Here’s a tally by putter manufacturer among the top 10:
- Odyssey: 3
- TaylorMade: 2
- Scotty: 3
- Ping: 1
- Nike: 1
And a breakdown by putter style (blade vs. mallet):
- Blade: 8
- Mallet: 2
Without further ado, then, here are the top-10 golfers in the Official World Golf Ranking, what staff they’re on, what putter they use, and how they placed in strokes gained: putting in 2015.
10. Patrick Reed
- Staff: Callaway
- Putter: Odyssey White Hot Pro #3
- Strokes gained: putting 2015: 19 (.405)
- 2015 WITB
9. Jim Furyk
- Staff: Callaway
- Putter: Odyssey Versa #1W (WBW)
- Strokes gained: putting 2015: 115 (-.024)
- 2015 WITB
8. Dustin Johnson
- Staff: TaylorMade
- Putter: Scotty Cameron Tour Newport 2 G.S.S. Prototype
- Strokes gained: putting 2015: 70 (.131)
- 2015 WITB
7. Justin Rose
- Staff: TaylorMade
- Putter: Rose switches putters frequently, but was most recently spotted with a TaylorMade White Smoke DA-62 Milled Prototype
- Strokes gained: putting 2015: 100 (.018)
- 2016 WITB
6. Rickie Fowler
- Staff: Cobra
- Putter: Scotty Cameron Newport 2 Prototype
- Strokes gained: putting 2015: 35 (.311)
- 2016 WITB
5. Henrik Stenson
- Staff: Callaway
- Putter: Odyssey White Hot XG #7H (Garsen Grip)
- Strokes gained: putting 2015: 16 (.435)
- 2015 WITB
4. Bubba Watson
- Staff: Ping
- Putter: Ping Milled Anser 1
- Strokes gained: putting 2015: 54 (.209)
- 2016 WITB
3. Rory McIlroy
- Staff: Nike
- Putter: Nike Method Origin B201 (prototype)
- Strokes gained: putting 2015: 126* (-.070) (*McIlroy didn’t play enough rounds to officially place statistically)
- 2015 WITB
2. Jason Day
- Staff: TaylorMade
- Putter: TaylorMade Ghost Spider IB Black Prototype
- Strokes gained: putting 2015: 6 (.585)
- 2015 WITB
1. Jordan Spieth
- Staff: Titleist
- Putter: Scotty Cameron 009 Prototype (SuperStroke Flatso Ultra grip)
- Strokes gained: putting 2015: 8 (.572)
- 2016 WITB
- LIKE310
- LEGIT47
- WOW14
- LOL9
- IDHT5
- FLOP3
- OB1
- SHANK25
- Kevin Tway what’s in the bag accurate as of the Wells Fargo Championship. More photos from the event here.
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.
- LIKE3
- LEGIT0
- WOW0
- LOL0
- IDHT0
- FLOP0
- OB0
- SHANK0
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.
- LIKE3
- LEGIT0
- WOW0
- LOL1
- IDHT0
- FLOP0
- OB0
- SHANK2
Equipment
Webb Simpson equipment Q&A: Titleist’s new 2-wood, 680 blade irons, and switching to a broomstick Jailbird
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.
View this post on Instagram
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
- LIKE42
- LEGIT5
- WOW2
- LOL2
- IDHT0
- FLOP0
- OB0
- SHANK4
Dave Portnoy places monstrous outright bet for the 2024 Masters
Things got heated at the Houston Open between Tony Finau and Alejandro Tosti. Here’s why
Justin Thomas on the equipment choice of Scottie Scheffler that he thinks is ‘weird’
Tiger Woods arrives at 2024 Masters equipped with a putter that may surprise you
‘Absolutely crazy’ – Major champ lays into Patrick Cantlay over his decision on final hole of RBC Heritage
Report: Tiger Woods has ‘eliminated sex’ in preparation for the 2024 Masters
Two star names reportedly blanked Jon Rahm all week at the Masters
Report: LIV Golf identifies latest star name they hope to sign to breakaway tour
Neal Shipley presser ends in awkward fashion after reporter claims Tiger handed him note on 8th fairway
What we know about Bryson DeChambeau’s 3D-printed Avoda irons
Kevin Tway WITB 2024 (May)
Kevin Tway what’s in the bag accurate as of the Wells Fargo Championship. More photos from the event here. Driver:...
Matthieu Pavon WITB 2024 (May)
Pavon’s WITB accurate as of the Wells Fargo Championship. More photos from the event here. Driver: Ping G430 Max (9...
WITB Time Machine: Rory McIlroy’s winning WITB, 2015 Wells Fargo Championship
Then-No. 1 player in the world Rory McIlroy began the week at the Wells Fargo Championship at 3-1 odds, if...
Akshay Bhatia WITB 2024 (May)
Akshay Bhatia what’s in the bag accurate as of the Wells Fargo Championship. Bhatia is deciding between drivers. More photos...
-
19th Hole3 weeks agoJustin Thomas on the equipment choice of Scottie Scheffler that he thinks is ‘weird’
-
19th Hole3 weeks ago‘Absolutely crazy’ – Major champ lays into Patrick Cantlay over his decision on final hole of RBC Heritage
-
19th Hole2 weeks agoLET pro gives detailed financial breakdown of first week on tour…and the net result may shock you
-
19th Hole5 days agoReport: LIV star turns down PGA Championship invite due to ‘personal commitments’
-
19th Hole2 weeks agoGary Player claims this is what ‘completely ruined’ Tiger Woods’ career
-
Equipment4 days agoDetails on Justin Thomas’ driver switch at the Wells Fargo Championship
-
Whats in the Bag2 weeks agoTeam McIlowry (Rory McIlroy, Shane Lowry) winning WITBs: 2024 Zurich Classic
-
Whats in the Bag5 days agoKeegan Bradley WITB 2024 (May)
Desmond
Dec 18, 2015 at 9:40 am
Okay, let’s get this right (generally) — it does not matter in terms of performance to any golfer what another golfer is using in his bag, especially the putter or the maker of the putter. Pros are bought and sold, the power of suggestion is strong with them, and golfers, unfortunately, buy into the power of suggestion. The way you aim a putter varies with the shape of the head, offset, lines, length, etc. The weight of the putter, the shaft, the counterweight, etc depends on your stroke, tempo and whether the putter is keeping up with your hands. So while it may be interesting for some, what someone else uses, pro or am, is not relevant to the performance or fit of any one golfer.
graymulligan
Dec 18, 2015 at 10:04 am
So the two guys that are using a putter that the company who “bought” them doesn’t make…how does that work by your logic? I hate this argument. Almost every tour pro with a contract from the big 4/5 companies has a clause that they can put other manufacturers clubs in the bag. It’s one of the reasons we see all of these prototypes and one-offs, where a company copies something someone else is making to get it into their pro’s bag.
Desmond
Dec 18, 2015 at 8:02 pm
I said “generally”, and your point is not my principal point. Hope that helps.
Alex
Dec 18, 2015 at 2:15 pm
Technology is hardly of use for the putting stroke. It’s the most mental part of the game. Applying a lot of tech to a putter is like technology on pool cues. The rest of it is marketing and consumer stuff.
You find a putter you like and voilá. And if you’re a poor putter, it’s all in the head.
slider
Dec 17, 2015 at 10:18 pm
rorys putter looks very similar to the Cameron that he won two majors with and maybe DJ should consider a new putter it was a tough 3 putt at chambers for him
Tom
Dec 18, 2015 at 12:31 pm
It’s the Indian not the arrow.
Jay
Dec 18, 2015 at 3:00 pm
Can DJ get a new Indian??
Tom
Dec 19, 2015 at 12:38 pm
ROFLMAO
Joe
Jan 3, 2016 at 2:44 am
Native American.
Alex
Dec 17, 2015 at 9:33 am
Most great putters have always used blades. Best touch, especially with a thin grip, and the simplest alignment.
Benny
Dec 17, 2015 at 8:03 am
This is an awesome article btw. Really interesting to see and the added list our members brought in. So cool and great info! Thx fellas/wrx!
Benny
Dec 17, 2015 at 8:02 am
Spencer I don’t know the name of the device around Fyurk’s ball but you can see the STMP ramp next to it. He is using both devices to calculate distances by measuring his stroke. Example: if he pulls back 6″ then he strokes through 6″ and then measuring that distance and compares that with the STMP. It’s like the old “hip to hip” swing with a wedge and measuring that distance. I know hip to hip with my 60* is 50 yards all day long. Its breaking down distances in a calculated way. It’s important to always have the same speed and same back stroke as thru stroke/swing. One reason why Jimmy is a top putter, as anal as he is.
TheCityGame
Dec 17, 2015 at 9:30 am
Did you just call Furyk a top putter? He was 115th in strokes gained putting last year. He loses strokes to the field on average. If he was a good putter, he’d have about 5 majors and 30 wins. Furyk has been a top 5/top 10 ball striker for years (going by “strokes gained tee to green”).
Benny
Dec 17, 2015 at 12:11 pm
Yeah.. 115 in the world strokes gained sure does suck. So does 15 Tour wins, 1 major and the Fedex cup too.. He must not know how to make any putts…
Desmond
Dec 19, 2015 at 6:03 am
Well, if you follow Furyk and his history of finishing second and top 5’s, you will see that putting is his Achilles heel – I think that is the poster’s point. Furyk has about 30 second place finishes…
.?????
Dec 20, 2015 at 9:39 pm
No one said he sucked. When it comes to world class golfers, furyk is a below average putter. It’s really not heard to understand
Benny
Dec 29, 2015 at 11:49 am
What’s so “heard” is that I say “thats why he is a top putter” and you guys jump on my back as if I said something crazy!! I didn’t say “world clase”, nor did I say “top ten” (if you want to get literal), I said top putter. I feel like all of you are little boys looking up punching me in the shins yapping your stats. Jim is on here for a reason so I have the right to say he is a TOP Putter! Now go and cry to mommy while I get back to work..
Spencer
Dec 16, 2015 at 9:40 pm
Anyone know what the training aid around the ball in the Furyk picture is?
middie8
Dec 18, 2015 at 9:28 am
its called the perfect putter. that is the ramp thingy next to him. the “h” looking thing on the ball comes with it/
Spencer
Dec 16, 2015 at 9:39 pm
Anyone know what that training aid is around the ball in the Furyk picture?
Brad
Dec 16, 2015 at 8:24 pm
Is that a ding in the topline of Spieth’s 009 to the heel side of the alignment mark?
Dj
Dec 16, 2015 at 2:21 pm
That Nike putter is really nice looking. Can’t wait for it!
Steve
Dec 16, 2015 at 3:05 pm
It looks like it came out of a kids set
Jay
Dec 18, 2015 at 3:01 pm
Looks like it came out of Cameron’s workshop, then stamped Nike
Nor
Dec 19, 2015 at 3:00 am
They both came right off PING’s factory, no need to fight.
Tim
Dec 16, 2015 at 1:07 pm
1 Aaron Baddeley (.717) Yes! Callie (Anser copy)
2 Jimmy Walker (.690) Cameron Newport 2
3 Daniel Summerhays (.642) Ping Karsen TR B60
4 Lee Westwood (.598) Cadence TR Ketsch Mid Heavy
5 Brandt Snedeker (.586) Odyssey Rossie
6 Jason Day (.585) TaylorMade Ghost Spider IB Black Prototype
7 Brendon Todd (.584) Rife Titan
8 Jordan Spieth (.572) Cameron 009
9 Russell Henley (.570) Method 001 Long Neck Prototype
10 Harris English (.556) White Hot Pro 2-Ball
TheCityGame
Dec 16, 2015 at 2:53 pm
Pretty interesting that five or six — depending on what you call the B60 — of these guys use a mallet.
There might be models of the White Hot that aren’t mallets, but English does use a mallet version. Used to use a Versa mallet. . .I believe.
john
Dec 17, 2015 at 12:03 am
baddeley is actually using some weird Axis putter
Chuck
Dec 16, 2015 at 12:11 pm
I thought it would be interesting to see “what the 10 best PUTTERS in the world use to putt with.” There might be some overlap. You don’t get to be a WGR Top 10 without being a great (not merely good) putter.
And it is a bit of a challenge to even establish a “Best 10 Putters” list. The obvious thing is to go off the “Strokes Gained Putting” stat from the Tour. (But you lose everybody who isn’t a Tour member.) Here’s what that list looks like:
1 Aaron Baddeley (.717)
2 Jimmy Walker (.690)
3 Daniel Summerhays (.642)
4 Lee Westwood (.598)
5 Brandt Snedeker (.586)
6 Jason Day (.585)
7 Brendon Todd (.584)
8 Jordan Spieth (.572)
9 Russell Henley (.570)
10 Harris English (.556)
Why are Jason Day and Jordan Spieth so dominant in the WGR? Obviously, part of the reason is that they are among the best putters in the world. They are also terrifically powerful (Day) and reliable (Spieth) ball strikers. But that’s the only overlap. The all-world Spieth and Day. I’ll let the Board fill in the details on the putters used by the other Top 10 putters.
Richie Hunt
Dec 16, 2015 at 12:06 pm
I would be interested to see what the top-10 in Strokes Gained – Putting are putting with.
Chuck
Dec 16, 2015 at 12:13 pm
lol; I was writing (and looking at stats) while you posted, Richie.
Jeremy
Dec 16, 2015 at 12:18 pm
Westwood is up there?
kevin
Dec 17, 2015 at 7:46 pm
Westwood is up there.. been moving in that direction for over a year