Equipment
Bryson DeChambeau preparing to put 48-inch driver in play
Bryson DeChambeau is on the hunt for his first major this week at the 2020 U.S. Open, but ahead of the second major of the year, the Californian teased a significant equipment change for the near future and the spectacular results it could yield.
Speaking to media in New York, DeChambeau revealed that he plans on using a 48-inch driver which could see him consistently hitting an astronomical 210mph ball speed.
“We’re working on testing a 48-inch driver after this week. It’s just going to happen, too. So we’ll see how far I can go. I’m working with LAGP to build a shaft that’s stable but that I can use to get my ball speed up to 210mph. That would be fun.”
Asked would he be comfortable putting the driver in play on tour, the 27-year-old was transparent in letting everyone know that the change may come sooner rather than later.
“A hundred percent, yeah, why not. If it’s as consistent as what I’m doing now, there’s no reason why. If I was 205-mile-an-hour ball speed, I’d be using it everywhere out here. It would be even more of an asset to me. That’s the way I look at it.
There’s this point of no return where if you’re around like 180 and you try and get faster but it gets that much more drastically off line, it really doesn’t help you that much. You don’t gain that much. But once you start getting 195 to 200 to 205, even though you’re missing it that far off line, you’re so far up close to these greens, it’s too big of an advantage to take away.”
As for this week’s test at Winged Foot, Bryson will have his regular 45.5-inch gamer in play. The strategy for this week probably won’t surprise you either, as the golf scientist plans on using the club as much as he can regardless of whether or not it’s flying straight.
“Even if it’s in the rough, I can still get it to the front edge or the middle of the greens with pitching wedges and nine irons. That’s the beauty of my length and that advantage.
Obviously, if it’s into the wind and there’s some of those situations going on, it’s going to be different. There are certain holes I might lay up on just because of the situation but for the most part I’m going to be trying to go after it as much as I possibly can.
Even if I hit it in the rough, I still feel like I can make birdies out here. I still feel like I can run it up the middle of the green and make a 20-footer.”
DeChambeau tees off for round one of the 2020 U.S. Open at 8.16 AM ET alongside Dustin Johnson and Tony Finau.
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- 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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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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joro
Sep 30, 2020 at 10:45 am
Clown ? What a bunch of dopes who can’t break 120 on a good day. This guy has a goal, how about you. Just cut the BS and mind your own business and leave the guy alone. You know nothing about the game or the people playing it.
HKO
Sep 29, 2020 at 11:56 am
PGA soon to be 5 rounds of 18000 yds double black teed 27 holes on one day and no doping test.
phizzy
Oct 14, 2020 at 9:20 am
PGA tour drug testing is a joke to begin with. I have a buddy who did play on the Mackenzie tour(won’t mention his name) who has the inside scoop on testing and says players are warned ahead of time and keep things hush hush for the most part especially for the top players due to the fact that the tour wants to keep a clean cut image so as to keep sponsors and what not. I like Bryson and what he’s doing. Bomb and gouge. It’s the way I play golf and I will say it makes the game a bit easier having wedges into greens rather than a 7 iron or up.
geohogan
Oct 19, 2020 at 10:37 am
and new commissioner will be Steph Curry
with renaming of PGA to Holey Moley III, Partie trois, Sequela.
Play-by-play commentator Joe Tessitore, color commentator Rob Riggle
finally MC who understand Americans and what they want.
“Make American Golf great Again” MAGGA
JTB
Sep 23, 2020 at 1:16 pm
Bring back shot-making to modern golf courses. This is ridiculous. I have a hard time believing he can control and work a 48″ driver left/right, but if modern day courses don’t require this, then he can just bomb away. Please don’t let Bryson turn the game into a joke.
geohogan
Sep 21, 2020 at 5:49 pm
Tiger was at top of his game and golf swing in 2000. He couldnt leave his swing alone
and tinkered himself into one injury after another.
Bryson isnt the first and wont be the last.
Cody
Sep 24, 2020 at 11:43 am
He tinkered his way to 15 majors. You can speculate that he could have won more with his old swing(s), but reality is that his constant search seem to work pretty darn well.
phizzy
Oct 14, 2020 at 9:23 am
I agree. It wasn’t just the PEDS but also his violent swing that put a lot of stress on his back and knees which ultimately led to his injuries and multiple surgeries. I don’t like Tiger as a person, but he has tremendous talent and grit and is a once in a generation golfer. q
geohogan
Sep 21, 2020 at 5:27 pm
There is no way a 48 inch shaft can be controlled the same as 46 inches, unless the diameter of the shaft tip and hosel are increased to maximum currently, 0.370 inches
Question will be whether shaft or his body give out first.
Self destruction either way.
Johnny Penso
Sep 27, 2020 at 11:19 pm
His shafts are as stiff as rebar. Adding another 2 inches won’t make much difference.
geohogan
Oct 1, 2020 at 8:16 pm
Top driver shafts have 0.325 inch tip. This diameter is the limiter
for control as shaft gets longer and longer.
Its why 45 inches is about the longest the pros will play.
Increase thetip diameter and the mechanical properties allow somewhat longer controllable length, but that involves changes to the hosel as well as the shaft.
IMO, the USGA would be smart to get ahead of this madness and limit the tip diameters.
Dennis
Sep 20, 2020 at 12:10 am
Let him search for his ball by himself then, no ball spotters! That would be fun to watch 🙂
james sickels
Sep 19, 2020 at 4:24 pm
It will be great for courses with little ruff, but in deep ruff then the control of the second shot is very poor. He is experiencing that in the US Open on his green approach shots. Also as mentioned by other comments, the kinetic force going into his eco-skeleton is tremendous. He will have TWs banged up body 10 years earlier. Most of the many long drivers have all kinds of injuries to include rib seperation, knees, shoulder, and spinal issues. He’s fun to watch, but he may be in for a world of hurt in the future.
Bryson's Bro
Sep 21, 2020 at 9:14 pm
How’d he do in the US Open?
phizzy
Oct 14, 2020 at 9:27 am
Yes I agree. Look at Jaime Sadlowski and Jason Zubak who have lower back issues now. Putting a tremendous amount of stress on the lower back and knees from such violent swings will eventually give way to serious injuries. I myself am no slouch off the tee and have herniated discs in my lower back due to injuries from doing very heavy squats and dead lifts in my younger years from bodybuilding. My swing also isn’t doing any favors as my joint health is concerned either.
Speedy
Sep 19, 2020 at 1:48 pm
If he wore elevator golf shoes, he could go to 50″. Pray for Bryson.
Jason
Sep 19, 2020 at 11:42 am
What he isn’t taking into account is that at 48 inches, he will probably create more force than his joints can handle, which will cause his swing to breakdown biomechanically.
Trevion
Sep 18, 2020 at 10:59 pm
He’s not wrong. If he can actually hit 200+ mph ball speed and 350y+ carries consistently, he could dominate golf courses. All he’d need to carry around would be a driver, 4 wedges, and a putter. As he gets faster though he really needs to dial in his wedges better or it’s all going to be for nothing, really.
Johnny Penso
Sep 27, 2020 at 11:21 pm
I don’t know. I heard he won a tournament a couple weeks back so he must be doing something right.
Stephen Pearcy
Sep 18, 2020 at 10:59 am
I wonder how many tournaments are considering graduated rough,especially at 325-400 yards. Graduated so a really wayward shot is (at minimum) a 1-2 shot penalty.
KJ
Sep 17, 2020 at 5:37 pm
Sure he’s a bit of a clown, but I really enjoy that he’s willing to tinker at the highest level.
Dave
Sep 29, 2020 at 6:52 pm
me too. he will be trying a 48inch driver. it doesn’t mean he will be making it work & be worth it in tournaments. let’s just wait & see. if it does provide an (unfair) advantage then we can discuss that in the future. my personal metric is if someone drives the first at Augusta then Houston we may have a problem.