Equipment
Report: Tiger to use Bridgestone B330S golf ball, Monster Energy golf bag
All eyes will be on Tiger Woods this week in the Bahamas, where the 14-time major champion will make his return to competitive golf at the Hero World Challenge. Speculation is rampant about how Woods will play, and also what he will play given Nike’s decision to shutter its golf equipment business in August, making the most famous golfer in the world an equipment free agent.
Woods has had months to test the latest gear, but it’s still not clear if even he is certain what he will use come Thursday. Based on reports, the smart money is on Woods using TaylorMade woods (driver, 3 wood and 5 wood), Nike irons (3-PW), Nike wedges (56 and 60) and the Scotty Cameron putter he trusted for 13 of his 14 major championship wins. We’ll wait to confirm those changes until we arrive at Albany later in the week.
There are two switches, however, that are appear to be locks this week.
The first is Tiger’s decision to use Bridgestone’s B330S golf ball, reported by Steve DiMeglio of USA Today. Woods was previously using Nike’s RZN Black golf ball.
The B330S, also used by Matt Kuchar and Bryson DeChambeau, is one of two Bridgestone golf ball models played on the PGA Tour. It’s a four-piece design that has a slightly higher-spinning construction than Bridgestone’s B330, which is played by Brandt Snedeker.
The other change is Woods’ golf bag itself, which according to ESPN’s Darren Rovell will be branded with a Monster Energy Drink logo.
While it’s hard to imagine Woods chugging Monsters on the course, energy drink endorsements are nothing new to professional golf. Rickie Fowler, arguably the most well-known golfer outside the sport after Woods, has an endorsement with Red Bull. Jim Furyk has also been an endorser of 5-Hour Energy since 2012.
Related: See the clubs Woods in 2015
Woods has had six previous bag sponsors: Titleist, Buick, AT&T, Nike, Fuse Science and MusclePharm. MusclePharm was the latest, and disclosed in SEC filings that it paid Woods $7 million to carry the bag for two years, and paid the golfer an additional $2.5 million to terminate the deal in May.
According to Woods’ website, the golfer’s current sponsors include Nike, Hero, Kowa, Upper Deck, Rolex and a partnership with the PGA Tour.
Join the discussion: See what GolfWRX Members are saying about Woods’ equipment changes in our forum.
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Whats in the Bag
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: 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.
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Equipment
Did Rory McIlroy inspire Shane Lowry’s putter switch?
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.
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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.
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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
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Sean
Nov 29, 2016 at 4:18 pm
No surprise. Bridgestone manufactured the Nike golf balls.
David Labbe
Nov 30, 2016 at 8:18 am
They were made in the same plant and Bridgestone had nothing to do with the design of the ball itself. Both companies have their own R&D department. This is very typical for not just golf balls but many products in many industries.
Ryan Butryn
Nov 30, 2016 at 12:23 pm
I understand what you are saying, but I think he was trying to say that Tiger has been perticularly picky about the ball he uses. So picky that most of the time, his ball never makes on to store shelves because a ball that spins that mich isn’t very marketable. So, since Bridgestone manufactured balls for Nike, Bridgestone knows the exact specifications of the ball Tiger uses. So now, Toger is using the same ball he has used for a while but now with a Bridgestone logo slapped on the side. It’s a win win for both sides, Tiger gets the ball he wants and Bridgestone gets great marketing.
Matt
Nov 29, 2016 at 9:16 am
LOL! Perfect! Go Tiger!!!!
Taylor
Nov 28, 2016 at 7:31 pm
Laddie.
TM SOLD
Nov 28, 2016 at 7:29 pm
TIGER, JASON DAY, & 3 BACKERS ARE BUYING TM.
Tony Lynam
Nov 29, 2016 at 8:26 am
Bad time to be buying a golf equipment company. The amount of your own money that goes into it can destroy your wealth.
HoselRockets INC
Nov 28, 2016 at 7:11 pm
Hardly surprising. Fred Couples would have nudged him to this ball.. And its a putters ball for sure too..
jlukes
Nov 28, 2016 at 6:08 pm
Golf Channel keeps showing a graphic that has Tiger playing the Bridgestone RX – that can’t be right, can it?
setter02
Nov 28, 2016 at 6:03 pm
Hopefully the older version in the One Tour D era. Last time Nike made a good ball and was the best 330s’.
HennyBogan67
Nov 28, 2016 at 5:16 pm
If he quits on the front 9 on Friday, Bridgestone will be blamed.
Jack Nash
Nov 28, 2016 at 3:44 pm
I heard years ago that Tiger was using a Bridgestone ball with a Nike swoosh on it. He was on the range with Couples at the time and hit some and liked the feel. Nike didn’t have anything like it at the time, so this was an interim fix.
Moretti
Nov 28, 2016 at 4:18 pm
Bridgestone made Nike golf balls for a number of years. Nike hired Bridgestone’s head golf ball engineer when they started making the balls themselves.
Real Logo
Nov 28, 2016 at 2:49 pm
He’s just going back to the ball that won him all those majors. At least now he doesn’t have to hide the logo with a Nike one lol
Hook Whisperer
Nov 28, 2016 at 2:41 pm
Great ball around the green and off the tee.
Uhit
Nov 28, 2016 at 1:00 pm
The picture shows the old 2014 version of the B330S…
…I thought all the mentioned players use the 2016 version – no?
Uhit
Nov 28, 2016 at 2:00 pm
Thank you – now, the picture is showing the 2016 version…
Dave R
Nov 28, 2016 at 12:16 pm
OUCH. The trunk
Andy C
Nov 28, 2016 at 11:59 am
He should try to use Costco’s Kirkland’s balls. 🙂
At least he can return the balls, if he is not completely satisfied with the performance (i.e. not winning the tourney)
greg
Nov 28, 2016 at 1:02 pm
lol
Mat
Nov 28, 2016 at 1:55 pm
Win!
Brian
Nov 28, 2016 at 4:29 pm
I guess he’ll have to search eBay, because Costo can’t keep those damned things in stock.
ooffa
Nov 28, 2016 at 11:42 am
They will look great in his trunk after the withdraw.
drkviolet
Nov 28, 2016 at 11:48 am
oooooh good one
Branson Reynolds
Nov 28, 2016 at 12:27 pm
And we’ll get a good view of it since 100 reporters will follow him to his car
Jamie
Nov 28, 2016 at 4:39 pm
you love this joke.
Tony Lynam
Nov 29, 2016 at 8:29 am
Yeah, but he gets them for free and free is good. But you and I will always be paying for our golf balls.
Branson Reynolds
Nov 28, 2016 at 11:05 am
WITB is such a better topic when players have unique input. So boring when a WITB has the player gaming the latest equip from the sponsoring mfgr, Kevin Na style
drkviolet
Nov 28, 2016 at 10:19 am
first