VIDEO: A strategy to score lower on par-5s
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BK’s Breakdowns: Russell Henley’s winning WITB from the 2026 Charles Schwab Challenge
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Titleist GTS driver fitting: 10 handicap vs. +4 handicap
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Spaun’s surprise putter switch + the best wedge stamping on tour? | Inside the Ropes: Charles Schwab Challenge
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Tour Edge Exotics mini driver review + TaylorMade Spider ZT Max first look – Club Junkie
On today’s Impact Show, we talk about par-5 strategy. So many of students get hung up on getting the ball as close to the green as possible with their second shot and this causes all sorts of issues. Even if they do hit a great second shot, they often get left with a yardage that actually makes the third shot difficult. Here are three things to assess instead of just giving it a rip.
Russell made a massive charge on the last 3 holes of the 2026 Charles Schwab Challenge this weekend to force a playoff with Eric Cole. Henley drained another putt on the first playoff hole to win his 6th PGA Tour event! While he is a Titleist staff member, his WITB is far from a simple blend of the latest gear. He mixes brand new with some very old clubs in order to play his best.
Driver: Titleist TSi3 (10 degrees)
Shaft: Project X HZRDUS Smoke Black 70 6.5 TX
3-wood: Titleist TS3 (16.5 degrees)
Shaft: Project X HZRDUS Smoke Black 80 TX
7-wood: Titleist GTS3 (21 degrees)
Shaft: Project X Denali Black 80 TX
Irons: Titleist T250 (4), Titleist T100 (5-9)
Shafts: True Temper Dynamic Gold AMT (4-6)
True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue S400 (7-9)
Wedges: Titleist Vokey Design SM11
48-10F @47
True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue X100
50-08F @51
54-10S @55
60-04T
Shafts: True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue S400
Putter: Scotty Cameron Phantom X5 Tour Prototype
Grips: Golf Pride Tour Velvet
Ball: Titleist Pro V1x
What happens when a 10 handicap and a +4 handicap go through a full driver fitting at one of the most advanced golf performance centers in the world? Brian Knudson and Andrew Von Lossow headed to the Titleist Performance Institute in Oceanside, California, to find out.
Both players go through a complete Titleist GTS driver fitting with the Titleist fitting team to see how swing speed, launch conditions, strike location, shaft profile, and head setup can completely change performance off the tee. Even though the golfers have very different games, the fitting process reveals just how important proper equipment can be for maximizing distance, tightening dispersion, and improving consistency.
You will see how Titleist fitters analyze every part of the driver setup including loft, weighting, shaft selection, and head model to build a driver specifically for each player’s swing. While the skill levels, club head speeds, and desired outcomes are different both players show how deep and versatile the new Titleist GTS driver lineup is.
Videos
Spaun’s surprise putter switch + the best wedge stamping on tour? | Inside the Ropes: Charles Schwab Challenge
Alistair Cameron takes you inside the action at the Charles Schwab Challenge in this week’s episode. Recent winner Brandt Snedeker breaks down his WITB, Neal Shipley discusses his iconic wedge stampings, the reigning U.S. Open champion, J.J. Spaun, discusses a surprise putter switch. Also featured is a look at Project X’s new Titan shafts, which debuted on tour with a bang. All this, and more!
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News5 days agoCharles Schwab Challenge Tour Report: MacIntyre, Åberg and Spaun all switch putters, TaylorMade launches new Spider
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Popular Photo Galleries1 week agoPhotos from the 2026 Charles Schwab Challenge
Eddie
Sep 15, 2016 at 4:22 pm
Most golfers would be lucky to hit their 3 wood 180, let alone a 9 iron.
Raymond CHASTEL
Sep 14, 2016 at 10:24 am
This demonstration is totally irrealisitic, even for a single figure handicapper :I ‘m over 82 ,I play to handicap of 7 mI4; plqying golf since 50 years I play 18 holes 3 times a week ,all year around ,even in winter ,no such”impedimenta “as snow ,frost ,winter greens here on the FRENCH RIVIERA .
At 180 yards in an average lie as shown ,I would play a 2 or 3 hybrid and go for the pin ,no laying up of sorts .I’m very straight and consistent in my game .I certainly can’t play a 9 iron 180 yards ,maybe DUSTIN JOHNSON ,RORY Mc ILROY ,JASON DAY ,BUBBA WATSON can ,but nit the average duffer !
Please be realistic in your démos !
Bob Pegram
Sep 15, 2016 at 7:08 am
Raymond –
You missed the point of their advice. If you hit the club YOU can hit 180 yards, you would then have an easy open pitch to the pin rather than risking putting the ball in the sand and having a very difficult 3rd shot..
Jason
Sep 13, 2016 at 5:26 pm
Do the math.
Numbers are for an 80’s golfer.
Ave strokes from 30 yards in the rough is 2.8 from the sand 3.0 from the FW 2.7
Ave strokes from the FW at 80 yards is 3.1
Assume if you choose to lay up you always find the FW at 80 yards out.
If you choose to go for it you hit the FW a measly 30% of the time, the rough 45% of the time and the sand 25% of the time.
Now you can calculate how many strokes you gain by trying to get to 30 yards out v. 80 yards out.
30%*2.7+45%*2.8+25%*3.0 = 2.82 strokes
So by going for it you gain 0.28 strokes over your buddy who laid up. And that is assuming your buddies layup never misses the FW.
Numbers are based off actual data collected by Mark Broadie.
Interesting fact, change the percentages anyway you want based on likelihood of outcome, from 30 yards out in any lie you are gaining strokes compared to 80 yards out in the FW.
Spy
Sep 14, 2016 at 1:25 am
That’s only if the putting stats match the players at high handicap level, but these stats are for better players in totally different circumstances, so they don’t apply
jo
Sep 14, 2016 at 6:57 am
But you r assuming in the calculation a 100% rate that threr will be perfect contact and distance control with a FW out of the rough. We all know that for most, the less loft u have the less likely u will hit ur desired target. The lie in the video has guff city written all over it using a FW. From tee to green most ppl will save strokes per round hitting irons out of the rough and laying up on par 5’s. But if u r a solid ball striker and ur FW is ur go to club then yes, its worth hitting every time as ur calculation states.
Jason
Sep 14, 2016 at 7:19 am
Spy this is the average strokes it takes an 80’s golfer to get into the hole from those 4 locations. So putting is included.
Jo I’m only making 2 assumptions.
1) your 3w will go 50 yards further than the layup club.*
2) your layup club will always wind up in the fw.
*It doesn’t matter how good/bad the contract with your 3w is from that lie assuming your average result is 50 yards past your layup club. Based on the video that was 9i v. 3w. Personally from a fw lie my 3w goes about 90-100 yards further than my 9i. So I think it’s safe to assume I’m not expecting to get perfect contact if I assume my 3w will out distance my 9i by 50 yards.
fuzzy
Sep 13, 2016 at 10:46 am
Mark Broadie is shaking his head somewhere, 250 left and hitting 9 iron!?!?!?!? No regard for strokes gained philosophies here.
Mike
Sep 13, 2016 at 12:59 pm
I’d say Mark would agree with this assessment. Granted, most of us are not going to hit 9 iron 180 yards…
But, given the lie and the dangers (placement of bunkers) you’re increasing your chances of birding the hole by getting back into the fairway and putting a wedge in your hand (versus going with 3 wood and hitting a runner into the bunker or left/right). Getting back to the fairway will increase your strokes gained probability instead of going from rough to rough (or worse, bunker).