Equipment

GolfWRX Visits TMag in Carlsbad- Trip report

Published

12 years ago

Dec 8, 2011

Special thanks to TaylorMade and Adidas Golf for the invite, inspiration and the time for the visit.

About a month ago when planning for Greg’s trip to cover the Chevron World Challenge we contacted a few OEM’s in Carlsbad if they were interested in a visit. We would do some video tech pieces cover general photos of the new gear for 2012. TMag said come on in and Greg was to spend a half of a day working with TMag to cover all the stories.

Click here to see the dozens of photos and full discussion in the forums… http://www.golfwrx.com/forums/topic/552395-golfwrx-visits-tmag-in-carlsbad/

Then I was on the phone bugging them probably to get me some info on their new stuff and one thing lead to another I was on a plane also. Dave said to bring my clubs and let me quote him…

“lets play some golf”.

Figured he would have me at some upscale sweet course and I would be able to take a cool 20.00 off of him in a friendly $5.00 dollar nassau. Off I went to TMag. Met at 8:00am Wednesday of last week the and spent the whole day on campus. Basic agenda…

8:00 breakfast – meet and greet.
9:00 Kingdom debut of the gear I had not seen yet
9-10:30 Capture images and do video tech interviews w/ some testing
10:30-11:30 Launch monitor and testing
11:30-12:30 Lunch (in Sean Toulon’s Office)
12:30-3:00 Adidas
3:00-4:00 Accessories
5:30-2:00 am Dinner and dancing LOL

Where is the golf??? Story later… hummm

Dave Cordero was the poor sucker that had to block out the day to schlep me around all day.We started at the Kingdom where they had a sweet spread laid out for me. Real touch of class. We talked shop and I was able to meet some of the Social media folks I haven’t met yet. Then Sean Toulon (Executive VP) came over and spent at least 45 minutes talking shop. Some of you reading have met him but just like us. Golfer, gearhead and passion of five. Love for the game, TaylorMade Golf and the equipment that he makes.

After a long discussion I met Jim Flick on the way to the range at the Kingdom. I was able to hit the new equipment that they asked me not to say or show pics yet of. Since Dave said “lets play some golf” I had my white out bag that was all tricked up. I was able to compare my gamers to the new gear and I think that was a surprise to them. With out giving to many details that would bar me from ever seeing them again I did have a break through with the 3 wood. I feel my current set up is dead on. I was able to hit their new 3 wood 15 yards longer. It wasn’t obvious either. Meaning not higher or less spin as much as ball speed. SOB jumped off the face like a cannon and felt awesome. All me and all in. I cant wait. I am thinking 13* might go farther than my Driver. Seriously.

The other gear was awesome to but that was the big highlight. I did hit a 3 and 4 iron longer than I ever hit an iron before I guess. That is another highlight. I nuked (well for my 105mph swing nuke is well…. my nuke) some long irons like I have never hit one. They were rockets for me. Interesting to say the least. I really cant go into more detail unfortunately because they have me under embargo.

Now before you tell me I sold out the man because I have pics that I cant show you, please hear me out. Rules of engagement 101… If we catch the scoop out in the field we are live. (present evidence of the RBZ From Camilo’s bag today) . If they invite us into their labs and show us secrets than they can tell me the schedule to post I of course would respect that. Trust me guys I am no sell out. We are social media pure and pure.i love to get in with these guys and they love us to.

Quote from Sean Toulon,

“I love you guys- I spend at least two hours a day on your site”.

So I have some photos that I cant share today but soon I will be able to. As for the testing I am a 4 to 6 handicap so it was a bit intimidating to have 3 product managers, the VP and 4 to 8 other TMag guys looking at you while you hit the new gear. I was ok but still always wish I smoked it like some of my scratch or plus handicap fiends. But all and all I hit the ball good enough to experience the technology and compare it to the last generation. Feel of the new iron set and distance was awesome. Everything about this new 3 wood is off the charts sick. I am all over it. 15 yards all day over my optimized gamer 3 wood. All ball speed.

TMag crew are awesome. Sean, Tom, John, and most of the managers are all good to great players in their own right. Fun to sit on a range test and talk gear with gearheads for hours on end. I was in heaven.

Did I say I smoked the 3 wood? I wouldn’t lie… I smoked the 3 wood.

After testing we had lunch in Sean’s office and then Mark King (CEO) came over and spent some time us. Funny how small the world is. Mark King and GolfWRX Greg Moore went way back when Greg used to work at La Costa as a Pro. Greg and Mark shared stories of the old days and how cool was that.

Then I was ready to play 18 holes and they sent me into a 6 hour product and facility tour that had me in a mental daze before I was half way through. All the cool new Adidas lines and some new shoes that I tried to smuggle out of there. You will freak out.

I never did ask when we were playing golf. I didn’t want to make Dave feel bad. However towards the end of the day I was showing him some of the pimped out raw wedges they sent me from my bag that was in the back of the Tahoe. Dave asked me, “why did you bring your clubs?” I said that you told me to come out and play some golf so I thought that meant…. play golf right? Ouch.. Honestly I think he was nervous after seeing me compress the ball like I did. We laughed it off and to dinner we went.

Off to dinner with all the top guys that were there in the morning events. Great time at dinner and talk family, golf and friends. Slept the night and flew back to Detroit camera in hand.

Anyways… here are some pics from “inside the ropes”

Click here to see the dozens of photos and full discussion in the forums… http://www.golfwrx.com/forums/topic/552395-golfwrx-visits-tmag-in-carlsbad/

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Equipment

A shocking Backstryke putter appearance + 7 interesting gear photos from the Zurich Classic

Published

6 hours ago

Apr 25, 2024

Andrew Tursky

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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