Equipment
Club Champion acquires TXG
Club Champion has today announced the acquisition of Canadian fitter and builder Tour Experience Golf (TXG), bringing the two most prominent custom club fitters on the continent together.
This integration marks the first time that Club Champion will bring their club fitting services beyond USA borders.
Speaking on the merge, Nick Sherburne, co-founder of Club Champion, said
“We are incredibly excited to bring Ian and his crew into the Club Champion family. We’re looking forward to bringing the best of both our capabilities together to serve every golfer.”
According to the press release, the intent behind the merger is “to further expand custom club fitting services across the Canadian golf market and to bring some crossover to the fitting content available for all golfers from both brands.”
On the acquisition, Ian Fraser, TXG’s founder, stated
“There has always been a mutual admiration between TXG and Club Champion. We share a similar belief that every golfer deserves the best possible equipment for their game, and now we get to work together to further that message.”
Club Champion currently has an in-house studio and production crew, while Fraser and his team at TXG have built a digital platform through social channels, including YouTube. TXG has amassed millions of views across the digital board, with 175K subscribers on YouTube alone at the time of publication.
Per the release, TXG’s existing content strategy will lend itself well to Club Champion’s growing presence, and both brands plan to lean on each other to produce quality content for golfers of all levels.
“We’ve got a podcast, they’ve got a podcast. They’ve got awesome video content and we’ve only just started dipping our toes into that lake. This partnership is about so much more than just the masterful club fitting and building services we both offer. It’s about bringing two of the most prominent names in the golf equipment industry together to promote the best possible clubs, the best possible experience, and the best possible service you can find this side of a Tour card.” – Adam Levy, CEO of Club Champion
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- Kevin Tway what’s in the bag accurate as of the Wells Fargo Championship. More photos from the event here.
Driver: Ping G430 LST (10.5 degrees)
Shaft: Fujikura Ventus Black 6 X
3-wood: TaylorMade Stealth 2 (15 degrees)
Shaft: Mitsubishi Diamana D+ 80 TX
5-wood: TaylorMade Stealth 2 (18 degrees)
Shaft: Mitsubishi Diamana D+ 90 TX
Irons: Wilson Staff Utility (2), Titleist T100 (4-9)
Shafts: Mitsubishi MMT 100 TX (2), True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue X100 (4-9)
Wedges: Titleist Vokey Design SM10 (48-10F @47, 52-12F @51, 56-14F), SM7 (60-10S)
Shafts: True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue X100 (48-56), True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue S400 (60)
Putter: Scotty Cameron T-5 Proto
Grip: Scotty Cameron Black Baby T
Grips: Golf Pride Tour Velvet Plus4
More photos of Kevin Tway’s WITB in the forums.
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Editor’s note: This is an excerpt from a piece our Andrew Tursky originally wrote for PGATour.com’s Equipment Report. Head over there for the full article.
The timing of Lowry’s putter changeup was curious: Was he just using a Spider putter because he was paired with McIlroy, who’s been using a Spider Tour X head throughout 2024? Was Lowry just being festive because it’s the Zurich Classic, and he wanted to match his teammate? Did McIlroy let Lowry try his putter, and he liked it so much he actually switched into it?
Well, as it turns out, McIlroy’s only influence was inspiring Lowry to make more putts.
When asked if McIlroy had an influence on the putter switch, Lowry had this to say: “No, it’s actually a different putter than what he uses. Maybe there was more pressure there because I needed to hole some more putts if we wanted to win,” he said with a laugh.
To Lowry’s point, McIlroy plays the Tour X model, whereas Lowry switched into the Tour Z model, which has a sleeker shape in comparison, and the two sole weights of the club are more towards the face.
Lowry’s Spider Tour Z has a white True Path Alignment channel on the crown of his putter, which is reminiscent of Lowry’s former 2-ball designs, thus helping to provide a comfort factor despite the departure from his norm. Instead of a double-bend hosel, which Lowry used in his 2-ball putters, his new Spider Tour Z is designed with a short slant neck.
“I’ve been struggling on the greens, and I just needed something with a fresh look,” Lowry told GolfWRX.com on Wednesday at the 2024 Wells Fargo Championship. “It has a different neck on it, as well, so it moves a bit differently, but it’s similar. It has a white line on the back of it [like my 2-ball], and it’s a mallet style. So it’s not too drastic of a change.
“I just picked it up on the putting green and I liked the look of it, so I was like, ‘Let’s give it a go.’”
Read the rest of the piece over at PGATour.com.
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Equipment
Webb Simpson equipment Q&A: Titleist’s new 2-wood, 680 blade irons, and switching to a broomstick Jailbird
With seven career wins on the PGA Tour, including a U.S. Open victory, Webb Simpson is a certified veteran on the course. But he’s also a certified veteran in the equipment world, too. He’s a gearhead who truly knows his stuff, and he’s even worked closely with Titleist on making his own custom 682.WS irons.
On Wednesday at the 2024 Wells Fargo Championship, I caught up with Simpson to hear about his experience with Titleist’s new prototype 2-wood, how Titleist’s 680 Forged irons from 2003 ended up back in his bag, and why he’s switching into an Odyssey Ai-One Jailbird Cruiser broomstick putter this week for the first time.
Click here to read our full story about Simpson’s putter switch on PGATOUR.com’s Equipment Report, or continue reading below for my full Q&A with Simpson at Quail Hollow Club on Wednesday.
See Webb Simpson’s full WITB from the 2024 Wells Fargo Championship here
GolfWRX: It seems like you’ve been a little all over the place with your irons in the past six months or so, and now going back to the 680’s. Is that just a comfort thing? What’s been going on with the irons?
Webb Simpson: Titleist has been so great at working with me, and R&D, on trying to get an iron that kind of modernizes the 680. And so the 682.WS took the T100 grooves, but kinda took the look and the bulk and the build of the 680’s into one club. They’re beautiful, and awesome looking. I just never hit them that well for a consistent period of time. It was probably me, but then I went to T100’s and loved them. I loved the spin, the trajectory, the yardage, but again, I never went on good runs. Going through the ground, I couldn’t feel the club as well as with the blade. So last week, I’m like, ‘Alright. I’m gonna go back more for…comfort, and see if I can get on a nice little run of ball striking.’
So that’s why I went back.
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OK, that makes sense. I know you had done some 2-wood testing recently. Is that in the bag right now?
It’s like day-by-day. I used it at Hilton Head every day. Valero, I used it one round. And this week, me and my caddie will do the book every morning, and if it’s a day where we think we need it, we’ll just put it in and take the 3-wood out. I love it because it’s a super simple swap. Like, it doesn’t really change much.
Yeah, can you tell me about that club? I mean, we don’t really know anything about it yet. You know? I haven’t hit it or anything, obviously.
It has grooves like a 3-wood. Spin is perfect. And it’s honestly, like, everything is in the middle of a 3-wood and driver number. Trajectory, spin, carry, all of it. So, a Hilton Head golf course is almost too easy to talk about because, you know, there, so many holes are driver 3-wood.
Valero, our thinking was we had two par-5’s into the wind, and we knew that it would take two great shots to get there in two. So instead of hitting driver-driver, we just put it in. And I used it on those holes.
Hilton was a little easier because it was off-the-tee kind of questions. But Colonial will be a golf course where, you know, there’s a lot of driver or 3-woods. It’s kind of like a backup putter or driver for me now. I’ll bring it to every tournament.
So it’s, like, in your locker right now, probably?
Well, it would be. It’s in my house [because Webb lives near by Quail Hollow Club, and is a member at the course.] It’s in the garage.
Oh, yeah, that’s right. Do you know what holes you might use it out here if it goes in play?
Potentially 15, depending on the wind. Second shot on 10. Could be 14 off the tee. The chances here are pretty low (that he’ll use the 2-wood). But, like, Greensboro would be an awesome club all day. I’m trying to think of any other golf courses.
There’s plenty that it’ll be a nice weapon to have.
It’s interesting, the wave of 2-woods and mini drivers. Like, it’s just really taken off on Tour, and all the companies have seemed to embrace it.
Yeah. The thing I had to learn, it took me, like, at least a week to learn about it is you gotta tee it up lower than you think. I kept teeing it up too high. You need it low, like barely higher than a 3-wood. And that was where I got optimal spin and carry. If you tee it up too high, you just don’t get as much spin and lose distance, I don’t know if that’s just a mini driver thing.
And you obviously have a Jailbird putter this week. What spurred that on?
Inconsistent putting. I’m stubborn in a lot of ways when it comes to my equipment, but I have to be open minded – I just hadn’t putted consistently well in a while. And I’m like, ‘Man, I feel my ball-striking coming along. Like I feel better; for real, better.’
If I can just get something in my hands that I’m consistent with. Being on Tour, you see it every year, guys get on little runs. I can put together four to five tournaments where I’m all the sudden back in the majors, or in the FedExCup Playoffs. You can turn things around quick out here. I’m like, ‘Man, whatever’s going to get me there, great.’
My caddie, David Cook, caddied for Akshay at the Houston Open and he putted beautifully. Then, I watched Akshay on TV at Valero, and he putted beautifully. And, I’m like, ‘I’m just going to try it.’
I’ve never tried it for more than a putt or two, and I just ordered what Akshay uses. It was pretty awkward at first, but the more I used it, the more I’m like, ‘Man, it’s pretty easy.’ And a buddy of mine who’s a rep out here, John Tyler Griffin, he helped me with some setup stuff. And he said at Hilton Head, he wasn’t putting well, then tried it, and now he makes everything. He was very confident. So I’m like, ‘Alright, I’ll try it.’”
And you’re going with it this week?
Hundred percent.
Alright, I love it. Thank you, I always love talking gear with you. Play well this week.
Thanks, man.
See Webb Simpson’s full WITB from the 2024 Wells Fargo Championship here
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Tom
Jan 13, 2022 at 12:02 pm
That sucks .. fitting off mats and hitting into a net sucks anyway!
B
Jan 13, 2022 at 11:16 am
So TXG no longer associated with True Spec who was building clubs for them
Golf Mikey
Jan 13, 2022 at 5:04 am
I wonder if the original owner of Tour Experience Golf in the UK that allegedly got “shafted” by IF some time ago is shedding any tears?
Paul Runyan
Jan 12, 2022 at 9:02 pm
All about the Benjamin’s!
I won’t be watching anything or buying anything from Club Champion.
And that fake Scottish accent! Won’t have to listen to that anymore…
Best of Luck to Matty!!
BB
Jan 12, 2022 at 11:15 am
In principal, this is like the Saudi government trying to launder their reputation by shelling out big bucks to those golfers with good reputations.
gdb99
Jan 12, 2022 at 10:07 am
I had a Club Champion fitting a year ago. I was not happy.
I was hoping to get a TXG fitting, because I think they have a different approach to the fitting process. TXG came across as listening to the player more, whether that be budget, feels, etc.
I think this merger is bad for TXG, it kind of eliminates a competitor to CC in the fitting world.
hoganben
Jun 7, 2023 at 10:02 pm
why would u then go get another fitting for gosh sake? All the guys i talk to on the range who have custom fitted clubs still suck and they would still suck after another fitting.grow some cajoles and dig it out of the dirt..
Vas
Jan 12, 2022 at 9:58 am
Home run for Club Champion for sure. Whatever it cost to buy an inside path into the Canadian market and bolster your horrendous reputation with TXG’s impeccable reputation was worth it.
Skip
Jan 11, 2022 at 11:32 pm
Sorry boys, but Matt’s gone and he was never a business part of the channel. Only creative and production. Likely Ian’s investors wanted out, and this was his best course of action. CC gets a smooth path to expansion into Canada
Justin
Jan 11, 2022 at 9:19 pm
This is a shame. Don’t fault Ian for cashing in, but Ian and Matt were what led to TXG’s growth and online presence. Sad it’s over.
SMU
Jan 11, 2022 at 8:47 pm
Young Matty Boy, just got a hard street lesson on Capitalism, Ownership, Equity, and Contracts, which is my specialty! Fortunately, he is young and very bright so he will only be better for it.
As far as Club Champion goes, they do NOT have a sustainable business model. For example, here in San Diego, our Del Mar Club Champion thinks because they have the component parts and can assemble your desired shaft / head combo, that they get to charge 3 X MSRP from the manufacturer. It’s utterly absurd. Use Club Champion for the value they truly offer, pay $150 to go test out shaft / head combos, and then order direct from the manufacturer and save yourself from being gouged to the tune of thousands.
SMUgamer
Jan 11, 2022 at 8:22 pm
Young Matty Boy, just got a hard street lesson on Capitalism, Ownership, Equity, and Contracts, which is my specialty! Fortunately, he is young and very bright so he will only be better for it.
As far as Club Champion goes, they do NOT have a sustainable business model. For example, here in San Diego, our Del Mar Club Champion thinks because they have the component parts and can assemble your desired shaft / head combo, that they get to charge 2 X MSRP from the manufacturer. It’s utterly absurd. Use Club Champion for the value they truly offer, pay $150 to go test out shaft / head combos, and then order direct from the manufacturer and save yourself from being gouged to the tune of thousands. Like I said, as the public becomes more educated (along with tech advancement), Club Champion will either pivot or die. Sure hope Ian checked out and documented his escape hatches (or better yet, got cash up front) if Club Champion files BK.
SMUgamer
Jan 11, 2022 at 8:12 pm
Young Matty Boy, just got a hard street lesson on Capitalism, Ownership, Equity, and Contracts, which is my specialty! Fortunately, he is young and very bright so he will only be better for it.
As far as Club Champion goes, they do NOT have a sustainable business model. For example, here in San Diego, our Del Mar Club Champion thinks because they have the component parts and can assemble your desired shaft / head combo, that they get to charge 2 X MSRP from the manufacturer. It’s utterly absurd. Use Club Champion for the value they truly offer, pay $150 to go test out shaft / head combos, and then order direct from the manufacturer and save yourself from being gouged to the tune of thousands. Like I said, as the public becomes more educated (along with tech advancement), Club Champion will either pivot or die. Sure hope Ian checked out and documented his escape hatches (or better yet, got cash up front) if Club Champion files BK.
Brandon
Jan 11, 2022 at 7:10 pm
Hope Ian got a big payday and Matt as well.
Allen Parsons
Jan 11, 2022 at 6:13 pm
Don’t you mean PXG?
Tony Johnson
Jan 11, 2022 at 6:58 pm
Wow, I would have thought PXG with all it’s money from Bob Parsons wouldn’t have to sell out like this?!!!!! I was just starting to like where the company was heading, shame on you PXG, and I wish complete shame on you Ian Fraser and that weirdo Matt on youtube!
Pat Perez' bestie drumpf
Jan 12, 2022 at 9:24 am
Maybe read up on things before saying stupid things…
Jake
Jan 11, 2022 at 3:21 pm
Club Champion obviously has some counterfeit paper behind it that keeps them alive to prey on better companies. I’ve never heard a good thing about their workmanship.
Jack Nash
Jan 12, 2022 at 12:58 pm
If their paper is counterfeit then they fooled Jordan Speith as he’s signed a multi year deal with them.
Ryan Mextorf
Jan 11, 2022 at 12:19 pm
Very sad to hear this news. Ian deserves all the success in the world but unfortunately it comes at the cost of losing Matty and being sold to a company that prides itself on charging customers beyond top dollar for half baked fittings. I imagine the YouTube channel will tank without Matty but club champ will get everything it wants out of this deal.
Joey5Picks
Jan 11, 2022 at 1:23 pm
Who says Matty is going anywhere? Cynical speculation, or do you know something?
Ryan Mextorf
Jan 11, 2022 at 2:01 pm
He posted on his Instagram he was stepping away from TXG.
E
Jan 11, 2022 at 3:54 pm
or rather stepping away from Club Champion from the sounds of it
bossofthemoss07
Jan 12, 2022 at 2:22 pm
Such a shame, TXG’s channel was my favorite for golf and will definitely decline now. Mike is ok but the shows were nowhere near as good when Matt was out for a few weeks. I understand why they did it but it sucks they sold out like that
Mark
Jan 17, 2022 at 9:09 am
I respect Mike but he is just so annoying. Just hates on munis and is a CC snob. “I only play private clubs” He needs a good ass whooping
Justblewbyyou
Jun 7, 2023 at 9:41 pm
oops..somehow cli cked on report comment and it wont let me.fix it..oops