Equipment

2020 GolfWRX Holiday Gift Guide: Golf gifts for the Gearhead

Published

3 years ago

Nov 25, 2020

It’s that time of year again, GolfWRX members, the moment we start filling our wish lists with the golf gear we want this holiday season.

The GolfWRX Holiday Gift Guide was created to ensure that our readers give (and hopefully receive) the very best golf gifts on the planet. These gift ideas will suit any budget, and each item was hand-picked by our staff.

In an effort to provide more value and tailored recommendations, we’re presenting our guide as a series this year, targeting “the purist,” “the gearhead,” “the value seeker,” “the golfer looking to get better,” and “the big spender.”

You know the gearhead by his/her tired eyes from scouring the GolfWRX forums late into the night and his penchant for bringing two bags to the course—the gamer set and a bag full of demo clubs and shafts.

Here are our best recommendations for “the gearhead” in your life.

GolfWRX Holiday Essential: Perfect Practice Perfect Putting Mat: $169

In COVID-19 times, more new golfers are taking up the game, more casual players are spending more time on the fairways, and avid golfers, of course, are playing as avidly as ever.

As we all know, practicing putting at home is an important step in honing one’s stroke and distance control. The Perfect Practice Mat’s alignment lines and slope leading to the cup cater to both these needs. And from a feel standpoint, the surface itself feels as good as anything you could roll the rock next to your sofa on. We’re not sure exactly what Crystal Velvet TrueRoll Technology is, but it’s darn nice to putt on.

The other two essential elements of this GolfWRX Essential are the ball return track and the Perfect Putting Mat’s ability to be rolled up for easy storage.

Really, these things check all the boxes, so trade in the carpet and a high-ball glass for something that looks and feels better, and is much more likely to actually improve your putting.

The standard edition, which will run you $169.99, is our recommendation for most spaces, and it will fit comfortably in your living room, office, or man cave.

Buy here.

GolfWRX Holiday Essential: Pinned Golf BlackJack: $199

In the now-competitive market of range finders, a new young company has come onto the scene driven by something we all love: VALUE. Quincy, Massachusetts-based Pinned Golf took the often complicated (and expensive) decision to buy a rangefinder and made it quite easy. The Pinned BlackJack RangeFinder simply does its job. Quick read yardages, slope, yardage lock vibration, and a long charge—the best part is its price point: under $200. In this category, it’s as close to a no-brainer as you’ll find.

This direct-to-consumer idea was cooked up by three young golfers who simply wanted to offer something to the golfing masses that made sense.

Now it must be said that the big companies in this space do it VERY well. Its not a knock on them at all. However, for the player who wants something reliable that won’t break the bank, something that doesn’t require a, “Do I get this now or wait?” decision. John Rowell and his partners at Pinned delivered.

Buy here.

Titleist TSi3 driver: $549

It’s the best driver Titleist has made in 20-plus years. Period. Not only is it long, but it’s also stable and optically pleasing. TSi3 is an impressive driver that’s been met with rave reviews, and one that will hold up for a lot longer than one season. (See our launch piece for more info)

Buy here.

TaylorMade P770 irons: $1,225

The combination of distance, forgiveness, and spin make this iron a must-have for tour players all the way up to your 15 handicap. And if you really wanna go nuts, integrate the P7MC and P7MB into a combo set.

Buy here.

Vokey SM8 WedgeWorks edition

If you want to get the full tour treatment, building an SM8 wedge on WedgeWorks puts Bob Vokey and Aaron Dill at your fingertips. Doesn’t get much better than that for a gearhead.

Buy here.

Fujikura Ventus hybrid shaft: $200

It’s easy to say at this point that the Fujikura Ventus shaft was the go-to shaft on tour and in the hitting bay in 2020. Putting Velocore technology into a hybrid shaft gets that speed and stability even further into your bag.

Buy here.

MEVO+ launch monitor: $1,999

If you want tour data at the tip of your fingers, and you don’t want to mortgage your house to get it, the MEVO+ is a no brainer. Just ask Bubba and Bryson, who utilize the technology every day.

Buy here.

Mitsubishi Chemical MMT iron shafts: $65

OEMs have been trying to get graphite iron shafts right for a long time, but the MMT is the first offering that will truly insert graphite into the conversation for all players. It’s smooth, stable, and with offerings for better players at 105 TX and 125 TX, there are plenty of options to combo them up and build a perfect flighted set.

Buy here.

Wedge fitting with Artisan Golf

Wanna know where Tiger gets his wedges? You can schedule a visit to work with the man himself, Mike Taylor, who not only did all the grinding but has worked with Tiger for the past two decades. Bucket list stuff, don’t you think?

Buy here.

Custom FootJoy Icon shoes

If you really want to walk on the course like a player, then there is no better way than to go to FootJoy.com and build your own custom one-of-a-kind FootJoy Icon. It’s a rabbit hole of leather soles, alligator skin, and a rainbow of colors to really dial you in. There should be a strokes gained stat for just showing up with these.

Buy here.

Logan Olson custom putter

He’s the next Scotty Cameron—Not only is his work impeccable, but in 10 years a Logan Original will carry with it a huge price tag.

Buy here.

TXG fitting with Ian Fraser

Arguably the hottest and fastest-growing fitter in North America, a fitting with Ian Fraser—one of the best fitters in the world and a man who as fit the best pros in the game— at TXG HQ in Toronto will turn your whole bag from good into something singular and irreplaceable.

Buy here.

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Equipment

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

Published

1 hour 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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