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Tour Insider: Inside the bag of Xander Schauffele

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3 years ago

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World No. 4 Xander Schauffele’s approach to his equipment is about as precise as can be. The quiet, measured 27-year-old from La Jolla, California, plays few games when it comes to his gear. For any component to be considered, it has to be dialed to the nth degree.

I went to my crew to get all the answers, and this is what Callaway tour manager Jacob Davidson, Odyssey’s Joe Toulon, and Vokey wedge master Aaron Dill had to say.

Xander Schauffele WITB 2021

Driver: Callaway Epic Speed Triple Diamond (9 degrees @8)
Shaft: Graphite Design Tour AD BB 7 X (Custom Black)

Jacob Davidson:  The Epic Speed Triple Diamond fit right into what Xander loves to see. He likes a slightly lower spin profile and something that helps eliminate the left side. Our Triple Diamond heads have a straighter top line and a more player-friendly (compact) shape that our staff loves.

  • Loft (actual): 8 degrees
  • Length: 45 1/2 inches
  • Setting: NS
  • Weight: 194.2-gram head weight, D3 swing weight
  • Tipping: 1 inch

3-wood: Callaway Rogue Sub Zero (15 degrees @14.1)
Shaft: Graphite Design Tour AD DI 8 X

Jacob Davidson: The Rogue fairways seem to be something Xander always goes back to. In the past, he has tested and put in play some of our other models but always seems to fall back into this one. He not only loves the shape, but the leading edge has a bit more camber that lets him get into the turf a bit better. 

  • Loft (actual): 14.1 degrees
  • Length: 43 inches (cut)
  • Lie: 57.1 degrees
  • Swing weight: D3
  • Tipping: 1.5 inches

5-wood: Callaway Rogue Sub Zero (18 degrees)
Shaft: Graphite Design Tour AD DI 8 X (Black)

Jacob Davidson: 

  • Loft (actual): 17.7 degrees
  • Length: 42 inches (cut) 
  • Lie: 56.4 degrees
  • Swing weight: D3
  • Tipping: 2 inches

Irons: Callaway Apex TCB (4-PW)
Shafts: Nippon NS Pro Modus3 Tour 130 X

Jacob Davidson: The Apex TCB is similar to the Apex Pro “dot” heads he had success with, but in this case, he liked the feel a bit more, and the longer irons gave him a few more RPM’s of spin, which is always welcome.  

  • Loft (4-PW): 22.5, 26.5, 30.75, 35, 38.5, 43, 47 degrees
  • 6-iron spin: 6,600 RPM
  • Swing weight: D1.5 (4, 5) D2 (6-P)
  • Lie (4-PW): 60.5, 61, 61.5, 62, 62.5, 63, 63.5 degrees
  • Length: Standard Callaway length

Wedges: Callaway Jaws MD5 (52-10S), Titleist Vokey Design SM6 (56-10 @57), Titleist Vokey Design SM8 WedgeWorks (60-T @61)
Shafts: True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue X100

Jaws MD5 Specs

  • Length: 35.5 inches
  • Loft: 52 degrees
  • Lie: 63.5 degrees
  • Swing weight: D3

Vokey Specs

  • Length: +1/8 inches over standard
  • Loft: 57, 61 degrees
  • Lie: 63.5 degrees
  • Swing weight: D3

Jacob Davidson on (52-10S): “The MD5 JAWS 52-10S was a wedge Xander loved right away. This wedge gives him the ability to really flight it down on off-speed shots, which can be a tough combo to find.” 

Aaron Dill on (57, 61): “A little back story: Xander and I started working together when he was a TaylorMade staffer at the Greenbrier in 2017.” 

“On Monday, he and I spoke for the first time and he showed interest in working together and testing Vokey wedges. I was thrilled and said I would help him whenever he was ready. His schedule was limited so we didn’t get to work on wedges till Tuesday afternoon. We spoke and I made him some options. 

“The same options I made him were good but needed to be lower in swing weight by two points. He said they were good. They went in the bag, and he ended up winning his first PGA Tour event that week.” 

JW: Why do players like Xander stay in an older model as opposed to switching into the new?

AD: Most players who play and older model like Xander do for one of the following reasons

  1. They love the model too much to leave 
  2. Nothing we make matches it close enough to justify a switch
  3. Superstition 

In Xander’s case, he made it very clear he really liked this wedge. It had the look, feel, and performance he was looking for.  I would not consider him to be the type of player to goof around much with his equipment—once he finds something good, it stays.  

JW: From a grind preference, why do the S and T work for his delivery and needs?

AD: The grinds Xander has chosen have specific value and purpose. Most PGA Tour players spend time with me building a matrix and choosing specific wedges. Part of that process is me encouraging and sharing that having different wedges opens up shot windows they may not have. In this case, the 56-10S @57 carried the right number but also gave him a sole he could hit full but also chip with—a double threat. 

Xander started with a 60M back in the day, but as time has gone by, we have tested some other styles of wedges to improve shots or reduce stress on shots where he may not feel comfortable. What we came up with is a 60T for when it’s firm and a custom 60-06K for when things soften. Both 56, 60-degree models serve as many purposes as Xander needs. The 60-degree models are decided based on the venue and the conditions that week.  

JW: He was in a LB K grind for a good while, what did he gain by going into the T?

AD: The 60T was an option discussed when Xander told me he had difficulty in firm conditions.  Most would say the 60-06K is a fairly low bounce option already but sole width increases bounce as you open the face and this was exactly the style of shot Xander had trouble with.  He wanted to open the face and have the wedge hug the ground and create some confidence to slide under the ball with ease. The K wasn’t able to do this and what he saw visually forced him to change his technique.

Putter: Odyssey O-Works #7 CH Red

Specs

  • Model: O-Works Red 7 CH
  • Loft/lie: 3.5/71.5  degrees (backup putter is at 4 loft)
  • Alignment: Top and tracers in white
  • Insert: White Hot
  • Length: 34 3/8 inches to end of grip
  • SuperStroke Traxion 2.0 Tour (10 grams)
  • Swingweight: D7.5
  • Weight: 516.5 gams
  • Shaft: Black stepped shaft

*His loft varies week to week depending on grass/green conditions. He works on Quintic with his putting coach Derek Uyeda to determine what loft is necessary each week

Joe Toulon on Xanders Odyssey

JW: What about the O-Works CH #7 does he respond to?

JT: Alignment features. The top line and back tracer lines really work with his eyes. The CH provides him a little bit of toe hang and it matches up nicely with his path and arc. He’s used face balanced options in #7’s before and will typically only use something with little-to-no toe hang. 

Ball: 2020 Callaway Chrome Soft X

Grips: Golf Pride Z Grip Cord

 

 

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5 Comments

5 Comments

  1. W

    Feb 7, 2021 at 11:13 pm

    Should’ve removed them crappy Vokeys today, they failed him all over the course

    Reply Report comment

  2. Chris b

    Feb 7, 2021 at 9:58 am

    This an absolutely phenomenal witb , well done wrx , well done

    Reply Report comment

  3. CrashTestDummy

    Feb 6, 2021 at 11:35 pm

    Vokey wedges are still excellent and have the best options for sole grinds in the business. However, I am not a big fan of how they switched and started makin them more mid-size wedges a several years ago. Prefer a small tour-sized clubhead. They swing differently (mainly on chipping and pitching), react with the turf differently, and feel different.

    Reply Report comment

    • Benny

      Feb 7, 2021 at 6:35 pm

      Well said.. older models looked so much better

      Reply Report comment

  4. Tim

    Feb 6, 2021 at 9:33 pm

    Rogue fairways are great. Haven’t found better.

    Reply Report comment

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Whats in the Bag

Rose Zhang WITB 2024 (March)

Published

1 hour ago

on

Mar 21, 2024

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Driver: Callaway Paradym Ai Smoke Triple Diamond (9 degrees @9.5)
Shaft: Fujikura Ventus Red 5 S (45.5 inches)

(Photo via Callaway Golf)

3-wood: Callaway Paradym Ai Smoke Max (15 degrees @14.5)
Shaft: Fujikura Ventus Red 6 S (43 inches, tipped 1 inch)

5-wood: Callaway Paradym Ai Smoke Max (18 degrees)
Shaft: Fujikura Ventus Red 6 R (42 inches, tipped 1 inch)

Hybrid: Callaway Paradym Ai Smoke (21 degrees @22)
Shaft: KBS Tour Hybrid 75 R

Irons: Callaway X-Forged Star Japan (5-PW)
Shafts: Nippon 850GH R

(Photo via Callaway Golf)

Wedges: Callaway X-Forged Star Japan A (49), Callaway Jaws Raw (54-10S, 58-08C)
Shafts: Nippon 850GH R

Putter: Odyssey Ai-One Double Wide

Grips: Golf Pride Tour Velvet

Ball: Callaway Chrome Tour X+

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Equipment

Best fairway woods of 2024: Expert club fitters recommend the most versatile and forgiving options

Published

3 hours ago

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Mar 21, 2024

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Whether it be hitting approach shots into longer par 4’s and par 3’s, going after par 5’s in two, or just trying to hit more fairways off the tee — finding the best fairway wood of 2024 to fit your needs is a must as you fill your golf toolbox.

Looking at the best fairway wood playing field for 2024, we continue to see more fairway wood options from every manufacturer. What used to be a single model release has been expanded to three — and in some cases even four — driver D.N.A.-infused models to fit specific player types.

These new fairway woods impress us with their ability to utilize new technology and construction methods to go faster, and further, while also offering never-before-seen levels of forgiveness. It’s now easier than ever to find the right one that matches your swing.

That being said, ultimately the best way to find the best fairway woods for you is to work with a professional fitter using a launch monitor. The difficult part is a lot of people don’t have easy access to fitters, launch monitors, and club builders — so at GolfWRX — with the help of our panel of expert fitters — we have done a lot of the work for you to narrow down your short list of fairway woods to demo.

Best fairway woods 2024: The categories

We have broken our 2024 best fairway wood list into two categories.

  • Best fairway wood for golfers seeking forgiveness
  • Best fairway wood for golfers seeking versatility

We selected this format for fairway woods in cooperation with fitters because every golfer prioritizes one of these two elements, regardless of age, handicap, or sex. And for many golfers, forgiveness is the number one factor when selecting a fairway wood.

Most versatile fairway woods of 2024

Ping G430 Max

Ping developed Carbonfly Wrap in a bid to deliver more distance by positioning the CG closer to the face to maximize ball speed, resulting in higher, longer carries. The lightweight composite crown wraps into the heel and toe sections of the skirt, creating weight savings of 10 grams, which are reallocated to achieve the lower CG and increase ball speed. The composite also plays a role in the pleasing sound, while a tungsten backweight extends the perimeter weighting to ensure forgiveness.

For the full technology breakdown, check out our launch piece.

Callaway Paradym Ai Smoke Max

Ai Smart Face — the centerpiece of Callaway’s Paradym Ai Smoke drivers — is also the key technology of new Callaway Paradym Ai Smoke fairway woods and hybrids. As with the drivers, the carbon chassis is lighter, allowing for 24 grams of weight to be redistributed throughout the head for enhanced launch, spin, and forgiveness. As utilized in Paradym, engineers leverage a tungsten speed cartridge to push CG low and forward.

For the full technology breakdown, check out our launch piece.

Titleist TSR2

TSR2 fairways feature the lowest CG in Titleist history for an all-steel construction designed to create speed and launch without excessive spin. New Open Hosel Construction created space for sizable improvements to key areas of performance by removing unwanted weight high and towards the heel.

For the full technology breakdown, check out our launch piece.

TaylorMade Qi10 Tour

The Qi10 Tour model uses a multi-material titanium-carbon construction and offers a more compact head shape, equipped with a moveable 50-gram weight in the sole for precise weight placement. By placing the sliding weight further back in the head, golfers can achieve a higher launch and more stability, whereas placing the weight further forward helps achieve a lower-spin and more penetrating ball flight.

For the full technology breakdown, check out our launch piece.

Titleist TSR3

Titleist’s adjustability-focused fairway wood is designed with a new, easy-to-adjust 5-position SureFit Adjustable CG Track System to fine-tune performance. It features the same Open Hosel Construction as TSR2 fairways. The TSR3’s CG has been positioned deeper, slightly lower, and closer to face center to provide easy, high launch with plenty of forgiveness.

For the full technology breakdown, check out our launch piece.

Most forgiving fairway woods of 2024

TaylorMade Qi10 Max

The Qi10 Max fairway wood heads use the company’s “Infinity Carbon Crown” that helped free up weight to be placed lower in the heads, helping achieve higher inertia and an enlarged face profile to boost ball speeds across their faces. Compared to the standard Qi10 model, the Qi10 Max has a larger front-to-back shape and shallower profile that’s designed for increased forgiveness and playability.

For the full technology breakdown, check out our launch piece.

Ping G430 Max

Ping developed Carbonfly Wrap in a bid to deliver more distance by positioning the CG closer to the face to maximize ball speed, resulting in higher, longer carries. The lightweight composite crown wraps into the heel and toe sections of the skirt, creating weight savings of 10 grams, which are reallocated to achieve the lower CG and increase ball speed. The composite also plays a role in the pleasing sound, while a tungsten backweight extends the perimeter weighting to ensure forgiveness.

For the full technology breakdown, check out our launch piece.

Callaway Paradym Ai Smoke Max

Ai Smart Face — the centerpiece of Callaway’s Paradym Ai Smoke drivers — is also the key technology of new Callaway Paradym Ai Smoke fairway woods and hybrids. As with the drivers, the carbon chassis is lighter, allowing for 24 grams of weight to be redistributed throughout the head for enhanced launch, spin, and forgiveness. As utilized in Paradym, engineers leverage a tungsten speed cartridge to push CG low and forward.

For the full technology breakdown, check out our launch piece.

Cobra Darkspeed Max

Cobra’s draw-biased model is built for the player who needs forgiveness. Depending on the weight configuration, either greater forgiveness or more draw bias can be targeted. The draw-biased Max model is the most forgiving in the lineup. Here the weights are 12 and three grams and are situated in the rear and heel of the club to achieve the desired launch and ball flight.

For the full technology breakdown, check out our launch piece.

Titleist TSR2

TSR2 fairways feature the lowest CG in Titleist history for an all-steel construction designed to create speed and launch without excessive spin. New Open Hosel Construction created space for sizable improvements to key areas of performance by removing unwanted weight high and towards the heel.

For the full technology breakdown, check out our launch piece.

Again, we can’t thank the fitters enough for their time, and we hope that in your search for your best fairway wood for 2024, we can help you find it!

Best fairway woods of 2024: Meet the fitters

Join the discussion about the best fairway woods of 2024 in the forums.

 

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19th Hole

Callaway issues statement after report claimed company is for sale

Published

4 hours ago

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Mar 21, 2024

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According to South Korea’s Chosun Daily, Topgolf Callaway Brands Corp. is considering selling its Callaway Golf business, which is based in California. The report indicates the brand has a $3 billion valuation.

“The current rumored sale price for Callaway Golf is around $2.98 billion (4 trillion won). The price is considered to be reasonable by industry players given its significantly low market capitalization of $2.554 billion (about 3.4 trillion won), compared to that of rival Acushnet Holdings (Titleist) of $3.902 billion, and an accompanied management premium,” the report says.

It appears as if Topgolf would not be a part of the sale and would remain separate from the Callaway Golf brand.

After the news got out, the Callaway stock price (MODG) was up around 10% for Wednesday.

However, since the report has surfaced, Topgolf Callaway Brands Corp have stated that they are “unaware” of these discussions.

“While it is our long-standing practice not to respond to market rumors and speculation, in light of today’s unusual market activity, coupled with a recent media report originating in Korea regarding discussions of a potential sale of the Company or its golf equipment business, we confirm that we are not aware of any such discussions,” the company wrote in an emailed comment. “We do not intend to comment further on this topic, and we assume no obligation to make any further announcement or disclosure should circumstances change.”

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