Equipment
Details on Jordan Spieth’s switch to the new Titleist TS2 driver
After years of stubbornly sticking with the Titleist 915D2 driver (9.5 degrees), it appears Jordan Spieth has finally made the switch into a new Titleist driver. This week at the 2018 Shriners Hospitals for Children Open, we spotted Spieth with a new Titleist TS2 driver (10.5 degrees, A-1 Titleist SureFit setting), and a new Titleist TS2 3 wood (15 degrees). Spieth’s new driver has a Graphite Design Tour AD-IZ 6X shafts (45 inches), while the 3 wood has a Graphite Design Tour AD-IZ 7X shaft (43 inches).
According to Titleist Tour representative J.J. VanWezenbeeck, testing with the new Titleist drivers started two weeks ago at Trinity Forest — Spieth’s home track in Dallas — alongside his instructor Cameron McCormick. VanWezenbeeck says Spieth prefers to work on equipment changes away from tournament sites, thus allowing him to focus only on event preparation while on location.
After testing, Spieth decided to go with the Titleist TS2, seeing more speed and higher launch compared to his 915D2.
“We tested several driver options – both TS2 and TS3 – with Jordan in the day we spent with him and he felt most comfortable with the new TS2,” said VanWezenbeeck. “Jordan was able to see a little more speed and higher launch versus his previous gamer. The result was slightly less spin which provided him a few more yards. Our main focus, however, was direction. Jordan did a great job in 2018 increasing his distance following a previous driver fitting session earlier last season, which included setting and shaft changes. The new TS2 and its increased MOI provide him a greater opportunity to hit more fairways, more consistently.”
VanWezenbeeck says Spieth first saw the new drivers at The Players while they were still in prototype phase; Spieth provided feedback, according to VanWezenbeeck, and he was influential in developing the final design for the “Speed Project.”
Well, Spieth is finally gaming the driver on which he provided consultation. During Spieth’s first-round, 5-under 66 at the Shriners — the first competitive round Spieth has played with the new Titleist TS2 driver — Spieth averaged 309.6 yards (10 yards longer than his 2017-2018 average). Not a bad start with the new stick.
For more info on the new Titleist TS2 and TS3 drivers, click here.
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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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ogo
Nov 27, 2018 at 7:18 pm
The switch wasn’t a performance decision… it was a MARKETING decision…. to sell more new and improved titanium cans for the gullible golffing m a s s es….. soooo obvious
Connor Jones
Nov 21, 2018 at 11:39 am
I mean they have got to find him a driver cmon now. With all the testing they have the ability they have got to find something. He literally put it in play and then says he wasn’t getting his optimal numbers…. gimme a break
Flag Pepper
Nov 21, 2018 at 2:41 am
Like so many players Jordan probably has stipulated in his contract that he had to put the new woods in play for a week. Remember when Stenson suddenly had an Epic 3-wood? When DJ and Rose played the P750 for a week? No story here, just Spieth fulfilling his contractual obligations.
baller
Nov 12, 2018 at 7:58 pm
he needs new balls. not a new club.
Scheiss
Nov 12, 2018 at 1:44 am
Where are the details on Spieth’s switch back to the 915, and subsequent missed cut
JP
Nov 10, 2018 at 7:10 pm
Spieth needs a new putter, not a new driver.
benseattle
Nov 10, 2018 at 1:03 pm
Why is this still a FEATURED ARTICLE on the Front Page of Golfwrx? For some two weeks now, the website has been touting OLD NEWS.
Doesn’t this place have any Editors?
Of course, this is nothing new…. GolfWRX consistently leaves articles up on its front page WAAAY after their “sell by” date. To me, this just means the people who run the site need to Pay Attention.
Brain
Nov 9, 2018 at 9:13 pm
This story didn’t age well.
Tom
Nov 7, 2018 at 1:27 am
New Driver, same disappointing play…..
Jeffrey
Nov 5, 2018 at 6:14 pm
Still play the 913. I haven’t been able to get better performance out of all the later gimmicks er I mean later models.
Tom
Nov 4, 2018 at 5:34 pm
I like Spieth, but the wheels have come off his game, shoots 71-72 last two rounds in Vegas on a easy course, uh oh!
Scheiss
Nov 5, 2018 at 11:46 am
Obviously it’s the new driver, he’s going back to the 915
Tom
Nov 4, 2018 at 5:30 pm
I hit these new drivers and they deliver. I would say they get ya another 40-60 yards in carry and 80-100 more yards in total distance!
HDTVMAN
Nov 5, 2018 at 12:09 pm
Definitely. I have the TS3, and when I reach my drive, I pick it up and drop it 75 yards further down the fairway. It is long. (Of course, no one is looking)!
Kyle Price
Nov 3, 2018 at 11:27 am
Hit these new Titty’s both 2 and 3 are deep. Say what you about they past 913-17 clubs, which were shorter. These are longer and way straighter than my M2 with Oban. Got the TS2 with GD shaft. Bomber!!
JG
Nov 3, 2018 at 4:10 pm
Could you rewrite this in English?
Scheiss
Nov 2, 2018 at 6:28 pm
Yeah, 10 yards more, in the desert, in very dry, hard, fast conditions and in some wickedly strong wind.
Get real
JP
Nov 2, 2018 at 10:22 pm
Roll out in the desert is fantastic. I’m going to the Shriners this weekend, just played out here today (Friday). The thin dry air with roll friendly fairways gives me MORE than 10 extra yards from anywhere else I play.
Scheiss
Nov 3, 2018 at 2:54 am
Oh, forgot to add, on a rocky hillside canyon area that has many downhill tee shots.
That stats from this week are skewed and should not be taken seriously.
Show us the stats from sea level and on a flat course, next to the ocean with no wind and lots of moisture
BMoney
Nov 2, 2018 at 4:07 pm
Why do you care what people do with their money?
ogo
Nov 2, 2018 at 2:29 pm
Gotta sell sell sell the latest greatest improved drivers to the gearhead masses … and besides, Spieth gets $25 for each new driver sold to the suckers.
LoPro
Nov 6, 2018 at 12:41 am
Now that’s BS if I’ve ever heard it ..l..