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
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Whats in the Bag
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 degrees)
Shaft: Fujikura Ventus TR Black 6 X
3-wood: Ping G430 LST (15 degrees)
Shaft: Fujikura Ventus TR Black 7 X
Hybrid: Ping G430 (19 degrees)
Shaft: Fujikura Ventus Black 10 X
Irons: Ping i230 (3-PW)
Shafts: Nippon Modus3 Tour 120 X
Wedges: Ping Si59 (52-12S, 58-8B)
Shafts: Nippon Modus3 Tour 120 X
Putter: Ping Cadence TR Tomcat C
Grip: SuperStroke Claw 1.0P
Grips: Golf Pride MCC Align
Ball: Titleist Pro V1
Check out more in-hand photos of Pavon’s gear here.
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Equipment
Spotted: Tommy Fleetwood’s TaylorMade Spider Tour X Prototype putter
Tommy Fleetwood has been attached to his Odyssey White Hot Pro #3 putter for years now. However, this week at the Wells Fargo Championship, we did spot him testing a new putter that is very different, yet somewhat similar, to his current gamer.
This new putter is a TaylorMade Spider Tour X head but with a brand new neck we haven’t seen on a Spider before. A flow neck is attached to the Spider head and gives the putter about a 1/2 shaft offset. This style neck will usually increase the toe hang of the putter and we can guess it gets the putter close to his White Hot Pro #3.
Another interesting design is that lack of TaylorMade’s True Path alignment on the top of the putter. Instead of the large white center stripe, Tommy’s Spider just has a very short white site line milled into it. As with his Odyssey, Tommy seems to be a fan of soft inserts and this Spider prototype looks to have the TPU Pure Roll insert with 45° grooves for immediate topspin and less hopping and skidding.
The sole is interesting as well in that the rear weights don’t look to be interchangeable and are recessed deep into the ports. This setup could be used to push the CG forward in the putter for a more blade-like feel during the stroke, like TaylorMade did with the Spider X Proto Scottie Scheffler tested out.
Tommy’s putter is finished off with an older Super Stroke Mid Slim 2.0 grip in blue and white. The Mid Slim was designed to fit in between the Ultra Slim 1.0 and the Slim 3.0 that was a popular grip on tour.
- Check out the rest of our photos from the 2024 Wells Fargo Championship
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Equipment
Club Junkie WITB, league night week 4: Some old, some new
We enter week 4 of Thursday night men’s league feeling a little more confident in the game. BK is hoping to go a little lower and reduce the mistakes out there with these clubs in the bag. Watch the video for the full breakdown of why these clubs are getting the starting nod this week!
Driver: Titleist TSR2 (10 degrees, neutral setting)
Shaft: Mitsubishi Diamana WB 63 X
3-wood: TaylorMade Qi10 (15 degrees)
Shaft: UST Mamiya Lin-Q M40X TSPX Blue 7F5
7-wood: Ping G430 Max (-1 degree, flat Ssetting)
Shaft: Fujikura Ventus TR Blue 8 S
Iron: Mizuno Pro Fli-Hi 4
Shaft: Aerotech Steelfiber hls880 S
Irons: PXG 0317 Tour (5-PW)
Shaft: LA Golf A-Series 105 Low (4)
Wedge: Titleist Vokey SM10 (50-08F)
Shaft: UST Mamiya Dart V 105 F4 Wedge
Wedge: Ping S159 (56-10H)
Shaft: Ping Z-Z115
Wedge: Ping S159 (60-08B)
Shaft: Ping Z-Z115
Putter: PXG Battle Ready II Brandon
Shaft: BGT Stability Tour Spec One
Ball: Callaway Chrome Tour X
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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