Equipment

The Masters: Tour Truck Report – More details on Scott’s driver switch, Tiger gets dialed in, Fowler in Vokey wedges?

Published

3 years ago

Nov 11, 2020

It’s Wednesday night of the Masters, and in all honesty, this week is typically on the mild side for the trucks. Most players are pretty dialed when they show up, and keep in mind it’s the end of the year, so most players are revving up for a nice winter break.

Nonetheless, we had plenty of interesting nuggets from my friends on the trucks who give it to us week in and week out.

Let’s dig into the report!

Titleist

Byeong Hun An…trying a 46” driver this week. TSi3 [email protected] with HZRDUS Smoke Black RDX 6.5 TX

Tyler Duncan…testing driver shafts, looking to move into Ventus Blue 6X at 44.5”

Lanto Griffin…testing TSi3 fairway with a little less loft and easier to draw for tee shots

Adam Scott…Had a great week with the TSi4 8 degree with Ventus Red 6 X @46 inches, so that will stay in for this week. He also replaced his 2-iron with a TSi2 7-wood equipped with a Graphite Design Tour AD DI 10 X (tour only). He also has the new 2021 Pro V1x ball in play.

Regarding the new big stick, interesting information from the team at Titleist

J.J. VanWezenbeeck, Titleist Director of Player Promotion

“Adam tested the New Pro V1 and New Pro V1x at home prior to the Houston Open. He really liked the increased speed he was getting off both golf balls, but the Pro V1x provided the ideal spin and control with his irons which is extremely important to him.”

“When he arrived in Houston, Adam wanted to test some new drivers to see how they worked with the new golf ball. We started with a New TSi4 with 10 degrees of loft at a D-2 Titleist SureFit setting in a Ventus Red 8X at 44.75 inches.”

“Launch, spin, speed, and control were ideal but he wanted to explore what a longer shaft would provide.”

“From there, we stayed with the TSi4 head, but decreased the loft to 8 degrees and lengthened the shaft to a Ventus Red 6X at 46 inches. Adam saw an immediate increase in ball speed of 4-5 MPH with a great launch and spin combination, as well as increased distance and excellent control. Following range testing with the launch monitor, Adam headed to the golf course and reported that he felt like he was in complete control of his new driver and golf ball combination and secured the increased distance he was seeking.”

Fordie Pitts, Titleist R&D Tour Golf Ball Consultant

“Adam is very particular and understands how the fitting process works. “We have worked with Adam for years and he fits the golf ball to the irons, and then the driver to the golf ball. It is exactly how we recommend all golfers get fit for a golf ball or clubs. Since the New Pro V1x golf ball flies higher than the Pro V1 he was previously playing, it precipitated the driver and loft change to achieve the desired window, ball flight, and increased distance Adam was seeking off the tee.”

TaylorMade

Tiger Woods…fresh grips, fresh wedges, and loft and lies checked—TW is DIALED.

Ping

Louis Oosthuizen…is putting a fresh Glide 2.0 60-TS with True Temper Dynamic Gold S400

Bubba Watson…added a G425 3 and 5-wood to the bag both equipped with Fujikura VC 8.2 Tour Spec X

Gary Woodland (non-Ping staff)…G425 LST drivers in (9 degrees) MCA Diamana D+ 70 TX. G425 Max 3W (14.5) MCA Diamana D+ 80 TX and Max 7-wood (20.5) MCA Diamana D+ 90TX

Callaway

Henrik Stenson…had fresh wedges built in his normal set up Callaway MD5 Jaws Black—52-10S, 58-8C (w/ heel relief). Nippon Pro Modus3 120 X

Free Agents

Tommy Fleetwood…still in the 7-wood testing phase. TaylorMade SIM Max 21 degree, Titleist TSi2 21 degree with Fujikura Ventus Black 8 X, and Ping G425 Fujikura Ventus Black 8 X are all candidates. He also had a fresh new set of Callaway MD5 Jaws wedges built. Tommy will have a new bag setup this week going with four woods and only three wedges.

See his full WITB here.

Justin Rose…new SIM 3-wood (15 @14.5 degrees, upright setting). Mitsubishi Diamana D+ 80 TX. Rose had this club built to give him a club to turn over—in particular, the hard sweeping hook required on 10 to get it all the way down the hill. Rose also took out his 5-wood and replaced it with a TaylorMade M6 7-wood (21 @ 20.25 degrees) also with Mitsubishi Diamana D+ 80 TX. Finally took out the P760 4-iron and replaced it with the P730 4-iron to match his set (Project X 6.5)

Patrick Reed…is testing TSi3 in different shaft lengths. On Tuesday he had a TSi3 9 w/ an Aldila Tour Rogue Silver 125 M.S.I. 70 TX

Charl Schwartzel…is testing TSi3 8 degree with Fujikura Ventus Black 6 X at 46 inches. Also requested a 47.5 shaft to take home

Rickie Fowler…was seen testing Vokey SM8 wedges. In the past, when he was a Vokey player, it was the L grind in the 60 that was his go-to. Curious to see if he’s gone back that way

Vijay Singh…tested Taylor Made SIM 47.5 inch drivers. Shafts tested were Project X HZURDUS Smoke RDX 60G 6.5 and Fujikura Ventus Black 6 X. Apparently, he’s KILLING it…

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Equipment

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

Published

14 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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