Equipment
8 Revealing Photos from the 2016 Bettinardi Summer Social
For a gear head who loves Tour, one-off and custom equipment, it’s difficult to think of a better event than Bettinardi’s yearly Summer Social, now in its 8th year. The event invites putter collectors and aficionados to browse and buy Bettinardi prototypes before they become available to the world.
This year, 35-40 guests traveled to Rich Harvest Farms in Sugar Grove, Illinois, to take part in the affair, where the event-goers played golf, picked the brain of Bob Bettinardi, toured the facility, Mr. Rich’s car collection, and of course, tested and purchased putters.
More than 100 putters were on display, along with staff bags, stand bags, ball marker divot tool sets, custom knives, head covers, belt buckles and more. There were also two golf simulators, an indoor putting green (rolling at 13 on the stimp meter) and a bunker/chipping green guests could practice on.
Check out some of the awesome photos from the event below. And if you’re interested in purchasing custom putters from Bettinardi, make sure to check out tourstockputters.com
Groovy, baby
While Sam Bettinardi assured us that his father, Bob Bettinardi, is “not a hippy,” this putter definitely has vibes of “love and peace” from the ’60s and ’70s. This BB Zero putter has a tie-dye PVD finish, and is milled from the company’s Double-Aged Stainless Steel (DASS).
These necks will make your head spin
The wrapped hosels are what Bettinardi calls “slinky necks,” and while they don’t serve much of a purpose other than looking cool, they certainly do their jobs.
Don’t drink the Kool-Aid
The Kool-Aid man has become a popular design among Bettinardi putter collectors, engraved on putter faces, soles and collector headcovers. GolfWRXers, can you figure out the significance of the Kool-Aid man to Bettinardi putters and its collectors?
A slice of elegance
New to the collection this year, Bettinardi designed knives made from aluminum and stainless steel. What’s special about this knife is that it has glow-in-the-dark paint applied to the blade, so you can see where it is… even in the dark. They sell for $350, so it’s a good thing you won’t lose them in the night.
Kids in a candy store
I guess the comparison is unnecessary, as “putter collectors at the Bettinardi Summer Social” would have sufficed.
Ashes to ashes
Are these the coolest cigar ashtrays ever? Milled from aluminum with custom Bettinardi logos in the center, they’re difficult to argue against.
What time is it?
Time to play some golf. Guests at the event had the honor of playing a round at Rich Harvest Farm, a top-100 ranked course in America.
Builder’s bonus
Thanks to Bettinardi, bonus photos above give us a peek behind-the-scenes during the building and customization process. Incredible stuff from a leader in high-end, custom putters.
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Whats in the Bag
Wesley Bryan WITB 2024 (May)
- Wesley Bryan what’s in the bag accurate as of the CJ Cup Byron Nelson.
Driver: Callaway Paradym Ai Smoke Triple Diamond Max (9 degrees @10)
Shaft: Mitsubishi Diamana GT 50 TX
3-wood: TaylorMade Stealth Plus (15 degrees)
Shaft: Mitsubishi Diamana GT 60 X
Hybrid: TaylorMade Stealth 2 Plus Rescue (19.5 degrees)
Shaft: Fujikura Ventus HB Blue 8 X
Irons: Titleist T200 (4), Takomo 101U (4), Takomo 101T (5), Takomo 301 CB (6-9)
Shafts: True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue X100
Wedges: Titleist Vokey Design SM10 (46-10F, 52-08F, 56-14F), Titleist Vokey Design WedgeWorks Proto (58-A)
Shafts: True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue S400
Putter: L.A.B. Golf DF3
Grips: SuperStroke, Golf Pride Tour Velvet
Ball: Titleist Pro V1x
More photos of Wesley Bryan’s WITB in the forums.
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Equipment
Why Wesley Bryan is playing two 4-irons this week
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.
…Flash forward to THE CJ CUP Byron Nelson 2024 at TPC Craig Ranch in Texas, and Bryan is still playing with a mixed Takomo set, except he’s added a new 101 U 4-iron, plus a Titleist T200 4-iron, and he’s dropping his 5-iron.
That bears repeating: Bryan is switching to an iron setup that consists of two 4-irons and no 5-iron.
On paper, that looks wrong, but when you look at yardage gapping instead of the number on the sole of the iron, things start to make more sense.
As Bryan explained to GolfWRX.com on Tuesday in Texas, his Takomo 301 CB 6-iron goes about 195-200 yards. Then, his new hollow-bodied Takomo 101U Driving Iron, which he recently started testing “a couple weeks ago” and bent about 2 degrees weak, goes about 220 yards, and the Titleist T200 4-iron goes about 235 yards.
Speaking on his new Takomo 101U Driving Iron, which sells for $119, Bryan had this to say:
“It’s super forgiving and launches high, and it has a bit longer of a profile to where it looks really good,” said Bryan. “If people are willing to play something that doesn’t have an expensive price tag on their club…[I started testing it] in the last couple weeks and it’s in the bag.
“I just made it like 2 degrees weaker. Basically that gap from 205 to 225 I was in a little bit of a dead space, so I’m going to try and fill that gap better.”
Check out Wesley Bryan’s full WITB here.
Read the rest of the article at PGATour.com.
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Equipment
Most forgiving players irons? – GolfWRXers discuss
In our forums, our members have been discussing players irons. WRXer ‘NorthTXGolf’ is on the hunt for some new irons but is putting a priority on forgiveness, and has reached out to fellow members who have been sharing their thoughts and advice on the subject in our forum.
Here are a few posts from the thread, but make sure to check out the entire discussion and have your say at the link below.
- Sam217: “i230 has got to be one of the most forgiving players irons available. Cobra King Tour another. Don’t sleep on the New Level 480 DB coming out soon.”
- RangeBaller: “ZX5/ZX7 and i230 should definitely be in your testing pool.”
- YAMS49: “Another I210 homie here… Very highly recommended if you want/need spin and a consistent yardage.”
- golf-RN: “I second the Cobra King Tour irons. I am not the greatest ballstriker by any stretch of the imagination and I find the King Tours very forgiving. Toe strikes might lose 5 or 6 yards with no directional loss. You definitely feel the miss though lol but mishits from the center aren’t punished too hard regarding distance.”
Entire Thread: “Most forgiving Players irons? – GolfWRXers discuss”
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notcalc
Jun 10, 2016 at 12:43 pm
You couldn’t pay me enough to buy a Bettinardi. How he can get away with selling something that blatantly misquotes our first President is beyond me. If he’s truly a patriot, Bob should grow a spine and pull his 2nd Amendment cover from market.
No respect.
digitalbroccoli
Jun 10, 2016 at 4:25 pm
You ever look around the world and think, “maybe it’s me, and not everyone else that’s a little crazy?”.
Yeah, I didn’t think so.
notcalc
Jun 12, 2016 at 11:42 pm
I don’t, because neither I nor ‘the world’ is crazy.
Now, if you are telling me to get off my high horse and that a head cover isn’t a big deal – fine. We disagree. I value integrity and try to purchase from companies that do so as well.
Bettinardi clearly isn’t a company with integrity.
fyrglfr
Jun 9, 2016 at 11:52 pm
my buddy Jason was lucky enough to go back and participate in that.
Erik
Jun 9, 2016 at 6:08 pm
Are there any more photos from the party? Will they all be listed on tourstockputters.com or are there any other sites overseas or domestic to purchase from? I want that welded back BB2!!! SIK!
DaveyD
Jun 9, 2016 at 9:11 am
Nice! The putter as an art form.