Equipment

Tour Insider: Tiger will rethink his bag (and 3 other equipment predictions for 2021)

Published

3 years ago

Dec 11, 2020

1. Free agents are here to stay

More free agency. It’s become something we have seen more and more as each year passes. The day of the long-term big-money contract is dying away. NOW, it’s not to say the model is dead. There will be plenty of big-name stars who ink multi-million dollar contracts, but the appeal of freedom—especially for the player is the 35-45-year-old range—will be way more of a thing than it ever was.

You can thank Tiger for this. The reason being, prize money is through the roof. The necessity to have a club financial buffer doesn’t outweigh the risk of it going awry. What good is $150,000 per year from an OEM if you can’t make a cut?

The OEMs are seeing this too. To be honest, it means more for validation in some cases if a guy puts a club in play who doesn’t get paid than the other way around. Take Titleist and the TSi for example, how many top name players had it in play who were not getting paid to play it.

This week at the DP World Championship in Dubai for starters, Titleist doesn’t pay any of the below, but the free exposure in the hands of Fleetwood or Reed says a lot to the quality of the product. Point is, if it’s good, players like Fleetwood, Reed, Casey, Rose, Horschel, Koepka, and Fitzpatrick can call on the reps, get it in the bag and nobody gets to whine about it.

Patrick Reed (TSi3 9*)

Tommy Fleetwood (TSi3 9*)

Matt Fitzpatrick (TSi3 9*)

Thomas Pieters (TSi2 10*)

Marcus Kinhult (TSi3 10*)

Branden Grace (TSi3 9*)

Joost Luiten (TSi3 9*)

Kalle Samooja (TSi3 10.5*)

The poster boy for free agency is Koepka. Not only is he a free agent, but he continues to be after three majors and a truckload of money waiting for him if he wants it. So why not take it? Freedom and self-belief, basically. Players like BK will bet on themselves 12 times out of 10. So keep an eye out for more big names to go this way, not overnight, but you’ll see more black Vessel bags than you ever have.

2. More two-driver setups

Yes. Get used to it. I honestly see a ton of players testing this theory out on the west coast. If someone wins, it’ll be a serious thing at Augusta. A 47-inch missile launcher, 44.5-inch bb gun, and a 4 wood. So long 3-wood, folks. It actually makes a ton of sense for any players in the high 170+ ball speed category, where having a club that gets you to the high 180s on command is a serious weapon. If you cant out muscle Bryson, might as well take your chances with a bigger stick.

3. Tiger Woods will rethink his bag

Driver, 3-wood, 5-wood, 3-PW, 56, 60. Over and over for years and years. That’s the set makeup of Tiger’s bag. However, the one thing Tiger is not afraid of is knowing his limitations, and at this point in his career, he will have to start thinking about things in a totally different way.

In my opinion, it’s going to be something at the top of his iron set. 3 and 4-iron may go to a cavity back for more height. We may see a 7-wood, and a blind prediction would be adding a fourth wedge….that’s right. TW with a 52.

Call me crazy, it’s a just a hunch, but if a bag shakeup was going to happen, it will happen now. Granted to add a wedge, he might need to rethink the lofts on his irons. Will it happen? Who knows. I’m basing this whole theory on my following Tiger since junior golf and knowing his ability to accept change when change is needed. Basically, he’s stubborn about these things—until he’s not.

He still has plenty of gas left in the tank to win, but to compete through the air, he may have to look at the bag a bit. If I’m right, it’ll break the (golf equipment) net.

4. This will be the key driver battle

The whole town is on fire in the driver category. At this point, I’ve seen it all, and without giving away anything, I’ll say this: There will not be a clear cut best driver like we had in 2020. SIM dominated everything and rightly so, it was hands down the best stick. 2021 will be a bit different. Not only is TaylorMade bringing a serious hammer, but the rest of the market is following suit.

If anyone has a slight advantage, it’s Titleist having gotten to market first with their best offering maybe ever, but make no mistake, the rest of the OEMs have serious metal hitting early 2021, and in my opinion, the company that wins will be the one that conveys the best story, educates the masses, and pumps content into the atmosphere. These days, having a good product and telling a great story are both necessary. Let the games begin!

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John Wunder

29 Comments

Delbert

Dec 15, 2020 at 10:02 pm

Why Wunder? LOL! Tiger should go with Ping. Enough said.

Reply Report comment
Dyson Bochambeau

Dec 14, 2020 at 10:52 pm

This wunder guy is a tool

Reply Report comment
delbert

Dec 12, 2020 at 10:25 pm

When Tiger changes his ego, the bag set up will change and he will win big.

Reply Report comment
HKO

Dec 12, 2020 at 9:57 pm

wait. so the prediction on tiger’s bag was based on Wunder’s arse? what a bait…

Reply Report comment
- John Wunder
  
  Dec 13, 2020 at 9:55 am
  
  It’s a prediction. Just my opinion on what I think could happen. Supposed to be fun no?
  
  Reply Report comment
ChristianR

Dec 12, 2020 at 6:30 am

mmm…that thing of the two drivers is an hot topic but I’m wondering why they cannot simply stick to a 3 wood considering at that speeds they are anyway around 300yds, and lot more control and shot shaping.

Reply Report comment
Todd S

Dec 11, 2020 at 11:09 pm

hey johnny, you mention free agents using titelist tsi driver, but which driver is most popualar on tour amongst those not paid to play? My money is on Ping…thoughts or stats to back it up?

Reply Report comment
- John Wunder
  
  Dec 13, 2020 at 9:58 am
  
  Hard to say as free agent would mean a FREE bag 100. Koepka TM Fleetwood TSi Reed TSi Rose TM Fitz TSi Sergio TM Casey TM Horschel TSi and the use if TSi was to explain free exposure not that its the go to.
  
  Reply Report comment
Alex Howe

Dec 11, 2020 at 10:22 pm

SIM as the best driver hands down last year? Ummm

Reply Report comment
matt

Dec 11, 2020 at 6:15 pm

I really can’t believe Tiger still carries that 3 iron. I mean its ridiculous, he’s playing a game that doesn’t exist anymore, i could understand if he ever hit it off the tee, but when’s the last time you saw that?

The two drivers thing is very real. I remember chuckling at Phil when he did it at the US Open (which one was it again). But it just makes a lot of sense, 3 woods are really hard to justify when you could go this route and pop in a 4w like you say. DJ has officially brought back a limited wedge set as far as I’m concerned. Get a nice versatile lob wedge, one you like in bunkers and can hit distance wedges with. Then go get something in the 53-56 degree range. Learn to feel your distances. This isn’t for everyone, but I think I’m this kind of golfer. It just so happens to open up a spot in the bag too.

Reply Report comment
- Rory
  
  Dec 11, 2020 at 8:54 pm
  
  Tigers 3 iron loft is pretty close to most other guys 4 iron loft.
  
  Reply Report comment
- stephen
  
  Dec 12, 2020 at 11:26 pm
  
  Rory hits a 3 iron
  
  Reply Report comment
Speedy

Dec 11, 2020 at 5:30 pm

It ain’t the arrow.

Reply Report comment
- matt
  
  Dec 13, 2020 at 9:26 am
  
  Rory dropped the bladed 3 iron for something with launch assistance.. P770ish type club. If Rory wanted to carry one that’s fine, Rory has tons more speed than Tiger. DJ carries a blade 3 iron I think, again he’s one of the rare guys who is a terrific striker with massive speed. Tiger was obviously once that guy, but those days are long gone.
  
  The loft point is valid though.. still think that club needs to go though.
  
  Reply Report comment
Brandon

Dec 11, 2020 at 5:10 pm

What color is the top of the Sim 2?

Reply Report comment
Travis

Dec 11, 2020 at 3:52 pm

He definitely will never change the bottom of his bag. He has decades of feel with those wedges. Adding a 52* and changing his PW would do nothing but force him to re-feel different lofts and shots. He would have to have mounds of data showing his proximity is significantly worse when using a weak PW versus a 46/52 or 48/52 setup.

Tiger will also never change to CB irons. He’s said time and time again he both trusts and likes the look of blades. He won’t be able to have confidence in a CB iron the same way.

However, he’s been on record to say he’d have no problem adding a 7W when the time is right. I specifically remember an interview with him years and years and years ago where he said he added the 5W because he couldn’t really hit his 2-iron the way he wanted to anymore. In that interview he said, when he feels he can’t hit the 3-iron anymore, he’ll add a 7W, then a 9W, etc.

Reply Report comment
E

Dec 11, 2020 at 2:51 pm

why would Tiger add a 52* when his PW is 49*/50*?? makes no sense

Reply Report comment
- John Wunder
  
  Dec 11, 2020 at 2:57 pm
  
  If you read the whole article, you’ll see I try to explain what might happen…its just a theory.
  
  Reply Report comment
  - Gianni still sucks
    
    Dec 11, 2020 at 4:19 pm
    
    Your theory sucks, just like your articles. This is just keyboard conversation, acting like it’s an inside tip.
    
    Reply Report comment
    - John Wunder
      
      Dec 13, 2020 at 10:01 am
      
      There’s my Troll!!!!! Wouldnt be an article without yah. God bless.
      
      Reply Report comment
      - CT
        
        Dec 14, 2020 at 9:20 am
        
        I would take this with a grain of salt. He thinks a lot of things suck. I’m sure he’s a gem on the golf course too.
        
        Reply Report comment
  - Eric Draven
    
    Dec 11, 2020 at 8:46 pm
    
    Tiger is still by far the best player in the world 5 Iron down, it’s not even close. His distance control is impeccable so why would he change the wedge setup? And just because you’re here on the west coast doesn’t mean you have any idea what you’re talking about bruh.
    
    Reply Report comment
    - John Wunder
      
      Dec 12, 2020 at 12:11 pm
      
      Im not on the West Coast and this article was just a fun exercise of what ifs. Not gospel by any stretch.
      
      Reply Report comment
  - George costanza
    
    Dec 11, 2020 at 10:52 pm
    
    One of your free agents will be off the free agency board. Sit back and wait for the news. Also John guys like Thomas Pieters and Brendan Grace don’t move the needle. Irrelevant as far as what is in their bag. Just a FYI bud!
    
    Reply Report comment
    - John Wunder
      
      Dec 13, 2020 at 10:00 am
      
      True on the Pieters and Grace, the point was to show that having your driver in a non staffer bag doesn’t hurt your cause.
      
      Reply Report comment
  - Paulo
    
    Dec 12, 2020 at 5:10 am
    
    So aggressive and unnecessary. . The point E made was completely valid !
    
    Reply Report comment
    - John Wunder
      
      Dec 12, 2020 at 12:12 pm
      
      I don’t understand this one. What was aggressive and unnecessary?
      
      Reply Report comment
- AC
  
  Dec 31, 2020 at 9:50 pm
  
  Ping is for kids! Not specifically tailored towards highly skill Players.
  
  Reply Report comment
- AC
  
  Dec 31, 2020 at 9:56 pm
  
  Different Bounce… makes a lot of sense.
  
  Reply Report comment

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Equipment

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

Published

15 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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