Equipment
Justin Thomas inspires Scotty Cameron’s new Futura 5.5M putter
In July 2016, Justin Thomas visited Scotty Cameron’s Putter Studio looking for a new flatstick. He wanted a compact mallet putter that would work for his arcing putting stroke, which required a custom solution from the Scotty Cameron team.
“We welded a flare neck to a Futura X5 Tour putter and sent him on his way,” Scotty Cameron said. He went on to win three events, reporting back that some of his buddies wanted a putter like his. The wheels started turning from there.”
The “turning wheels” inside Cameron’s head led him to create an all-new putter inspired by Thomas’ request, the Futura 5.5M. The new putter is about 10 percent smaller than the Futura 7M putter that it resembles. Unlike the 7M, however, it has what’s known as toe hang, or “toe flow,” a design that tends to work well for golfers with arcing putting strokes.
“To achieve [toe flow], I created a leaned over, stainless steel half-neck spud off the topline that accepts a single bend shaft,” Scotty Cameron said. “This is an elegant way to give the player a full shaft of offset and also offer a clean view of the entire leading edge of the topline. The proportion is right. The weight is right. And now we have a mallet with more toe flow for players who like that arcing feel in their stroke, but want more forgiveness.”
Like the rest of the Futura putter line, the Futura 5.5M ($379) has a multi-material construction of 6061 aircraft aluminum and 303 stainless steel. Its wrap-around face sole design pushes weight to the perimeter of the putter head for added forgiveness. It’s available in stores August 25 in North America and September 25 worldwide.
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Equipment
A shocking Backstryke putter appearance + 7 interesting gear photos from the Zurich Classic
Welcome to New Orleans, where TPC Louisiana plays host to the 2024 Zurich Classic. In between breakfast beignets and nightly Creole feasts, PGA Tour players are also competing in the unique two-man format at the Zurich this week.
Although the vibes in Nawlins are a bit lighter-fare than the recent back-to-back competitions the Masters and the RBC Heritage signature event), the gear news was no less serious this week.
We spotted some recent changes from Rory McIlroy, a very rare Odyssey Backstryke putter, dove into the bag of legendary New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees, and spotted Patrick Cantlay continuing to test new equipment.
Get your beads out and crack your crawfish, because it’s time for an equipment rundown from The Big Easy (meaning New Orleans, of course, not Ernie Els).
See all of our photos from the Zurich Classic here
Rory’s on-and-off lob wedge
Since the end of 2023, Rory McIlroy has had an on-again, off-again relationship with a Titleist Vokey K-Grind lob wedge. In his last start, it was on, and the wedge is back in the bag again this week. We got a great look at the complicated grind that McIlroy uses.
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A full look into McIlroy’s bag above also shows that he switched out of the TaylorMade BRNR Mini Copper that he used at the RBC Heritage, and he’s back into the Qi10 core 3-wood. As we discussed last week, McIlroy will likely keep the BRNR around as a course-specific club, trading it in and out for the 3-wood.
See Rory McIlroy’s full 2024 WITB from the Zurich here
Turning Back the clock
Unless Tommy Gainey is in the field, it’s unlikely you’ll ever see Odyssey’s Backstryke technology make an appearance on the PGA Tour.
But then, when you least expect it, Russ Cochran shows up.
For more than a decade – since the 2013 Sony Open in Hawai’i – Cochran has been stuck on 599 PGA Tour starts. This week will be his 600th.
Cochran is in the field at the Zurich this week playing alongside Eric Cole, whose regular caddie is Reed Cochran, Russ’s son.
The Backstryke putter was first released back in 2010, and its unique design helps shift the axis point of the putter closer to the CG of the head. And, the putter is getting a nod this week at the Zurich Classic, thanks to Cochran’s 600th career PGA Tour start.
The putter is certainly awesome, but don’t forget to check out Cochran’s full WITB from this week.
Drew Brees with a Super Bowl winning Scotty Cameron putter
Drew Brees, a legendary retired quarterback for the hometown New Orleans Saints, made an appearance at the Zurich’s Wednesday Pro-Am, playing alongside Zach Johnson, Ryan Palmer, and current Saints QB Derek Carr.
Brees’ bag included a TaylorMade Stealth2 Plus driver, a BRNR Mini 13.5-degree, a Stealth 5-wood, a mixed set of P-790 and P-760 irons, Milled Grind Hi-Toe wedges, and a custom Scotty Cameron “New Orleans Saints” putter, which Scotty made for Brees following his Super Bowl MVP-winning performance in 2010.
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It should also be noted that Brees has his Venmo QR code as a bag tag.
If you’re gambling with Brees on the course, just know that not having cash won’t work as an excuse.
Brilliant.
See Drew Brees’ full WITB from the Zurich here
Stricker’s unrecognizable putter
Steve Stricker has made numerous upgrades to his bag recently, including a new TSR3 driver and T100 irons, but his longtime Odyssey White Hot No. 2 putter is still going strong. It’s the most recognizable unrecognizable putter ever.
Here’s a better look at Stricker’s flatstick, which he started using back in 2007.
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Patrick Cantlay has opened the equipment-switching floodgates
Over on the PGA Tour’s Equipment Report this week, we covered Cantlay’s recent switch into Ping Blueprint S irons, and a Titleist TSR2 driver.
Cantlay hadn’t switched irons for about seven years, so the iron switch he made at The 2024 Masters came as a shock to the norm. He simply isn’t one to change gear very often, so anytime Cantlay makes a switch, it’s news.
It seems the floodgates of equipment testing have opened up a bit for Cantlay, who was also spotted testing a custom Scotty Cameron blade putter on Tuesday this week. By Wednesday, Cantlay was back practicing with his familiar Scotty Cameron T5 Proto mallet, but it’s certainly something to keep an eye on going forward.
Daniel Berger’s custom Jailbird site lines
Berger, who’s currently using Odyssey’s Ai-One Mini Jailbird mallet putter, has a unique 3-dot, 2-line alignment on the crown of his navy-white-navy-white mallet putter. Looking down at the putter, it’s easy to see why this alignment system would help; it just seems impossible to set up to the ball off-center, or misaligned to the target.
Also, for anyone worried, you can rest easy. Yes, he’s still playing the 2013 TaylorMade TP MC irons, which we highlighted in our recent “Modern Classics: Old vs. New” video testing series.
FitzMagic teams back up
Brothers Matthew and Alex Fitzpatrick are teaming up once again at the Zurich this year, and Bettinardi Golf hooked them up with some festive “FitzMagic” headcovers to match this week.
See what else is in Alex Fitzpatrick’s WITB here
And, with that, we say goodbye to the Zurich Classic in New Orleans. Don’t forget to check out all of our photos from this week, including 30 unique photo galleries full of equipment photos.
We’ll see you next week in Texas for the 2024 CJ Cup Byron Nelson!
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Whats in the Bag
Alejandro Tosti WITB 2024 (April)
- Alejandro Tosti what’s in the bag accurate as of the Zurich Classic.
Driver: Srixon ZX5 Mk II LS (9.5 degrees @10.5)
Shaft: Project X HZRDUS T1100 75 6.5
3-wood: TaylorMade Qi10 Tour
Shaft: Project X HZRDUS Black 80 TX
Hybrid: TaylorMade Qi10 Tour Rescue (22 degrees)
Shaft: Project X HZRDUS Smoke Black RDX 6.5 100
Irons: Srixon ZX7 Mk II (4-PW)
Shafts: True Temper Dynamic Gold Mid Tour Issue X100
Wedges: Cleveland RTX6 ZipCore Tour Rack (50-10 MID, 54-10 MID, 58-10 MID, 60-06 LOW)
Shafts: True Temper Dynamic Gold Mid Tour Issue X100, S400
Putter: Scotty Cameron
Grips: Golf Pride MCC Plus4
Check out more in-hand photos of Alejandro Tosti’s WITB in the forums.
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Whats in the Bag
Drew Brees WITB 2024 (April)
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Driver: TaylorMade Stealth 2 Plus (10.5 degrees)
Mini driver: TaylorMade BRNR Mini Copper (13.5 degrees)
5-wood: TaylorMade Stealth Plus (19 degrees)
Irons: TaylorMade P790 (4-8, PW), TaylorMade P760 (9)
Wedges: TaylorMade MG Hi-Toe (52-09, 56-10, 60)
Putter: Scotty Cameron Select Newport 2 Prototype
Check out more in-hand photos of Drew Brees’ clubs here.
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Geoff
Aug 2, 2017 at 12:19 pm
Another ‘Inspired By’ that isn’t like the model it’s inspired by. Another joke from Cameron.
Will
Aug 2, 2017 at 9:03 am
This is not inspired by justin Thomas any more than it was inspired by anyone else who uses a smaller mallet. They know we want a flow neck version. Not sure why they won’t make one. Im tired of waiting though. I’m getting the new odyssey 7 with a flow neck when they are available.
UnclePhil
Aug 1, 2017 at 3:20 pm
Sigh!
BusterG
Aug 1, 2017 at 2:29 pm
Available Aug 25 and I will be at my golf store at opening time to grab one of these booyah beauties
JB
Aug 1, 2017 at 12:38 pm
JT’s looks way better. This is a cop out.
AndyUK
Aug 1, 2017 at 10:54 am
Hmmm…that isn’t a flow neck last time I checked. Looks like he’s gone down the cheap route?
Massive FAIL!
David
Aug 1, 2017 at 10:06 am
Why wont they make JT’s putter or the one Jordan used for one week!? Terrible terrible terrible
Rich
Aug 21, 2017 at 7:20 pm
Because if they did, there wouldn’t be the “Tour only” putters that he can sell for thousands, just cause it’s got a certain stamp on it. I don’t mind Scotty Cameron putters but bloody hell they take people for a ride with all the bull that goes along with it.
Harry Doyle
Aug 1, 2017 at 9:50 am
Swing and a miss
DB
Aug 1, 2017 at 9:44 am
This is pretty nice, look forward to trying it. But I prefer the look of the straight shaft and flow-neck.
JD
Aug 1, 2017 at 9:07 am
When you go on a blind date and she looks nothing like her profile picture.
Jerry
Aug 1, 2017 at 8:55 am
I like Justin Thomas’ putter hosel.
LeftyRizer
Aug 1, 2017 at 12:32 pm
I agree 100%. Every other manufacturer is putting out a straight shaft flow-neck. That’s what players want. This is just a cheap knock-off….well, at $379 cheap may not be the right word.