Equipment

Jason Dufner speaks on unreleased Cobra LTDx driver (and his nearly decade-old 7 wood)

Published

2 years ago

Jan 18, 2022

When Jason Dufner showed up to the 2022 American Express for his Monday practice round session, he came with a new club in the bag: an unreleased Cobra LTDx driver.

Recently, three new Cobra “LTDx” drivers popped up on the USGA Conforming List, including a Cobra LTDx, an LTDx Max and an LTDx LS. With so many driver options hitting the list, it seems inevitable that a new family of drivers is coming soon to replace the company’s RadSpeed drivers from last year. Yet, that remains to be confirmed.

At the 2022 Sentry Tournament of Champions, Bryson DeChambeau was photographed using what appears to be the LTDx LS model, based on the sole weights. Being that GolfWRX didn’t have boots on the ground in Maui, however, we weren’t able to capture in-hand photos of the new driver design.

Thanks to Dufner’s driver of choice this week in Palm Desert, though, we’re now able to catch our first in-hand glance at an LTDx driver.

Based on a sticker that Dufner has near the hosel, his Cobra LTDx driver measures 8 degrees of actual loft.

Check out more in-hand photos here.

In addition to the photos, I was also able to catch up with Dufner on Monday about his personal experience with the new driver design, even though Cobra hasn’t yet revealed any details about the technology.

“One thing I have been seeing is the strikes have been really consistent off the middle of the face,” Dufner told GolfWRX. “People don’t believe this, but sometimes the driver can droop in different ways. The last couple models I had, I felt like I had been making good swings but was catching it on the toe a little bit. So these have been really consistent off the middle. I’ve seen really good launch windows to my eye, good spin windows to my eye, but I haven’t tested it on Trackman yet.”

Based on the photos, Cobra is going with a weight-back design in the LTDx head, likely to move center of gravity (CG) rearward into a more forgiving position. That could be why Dufner is able to find the center of the face more consistently.

As Dufner explains further below, the last few driver models he used in recent years had a more weight-forward design that were intended to lower spin. The back-weighted design of the LTDx, however, has allowed Dufner to find better windows, find the center of the face more often, and have better overall control.

“They’ve got three different heads now, so it gives me more options…my particular model has the weight is back, and we put a little more weight in the back so it changes the CG a little bit for me,” Dufner said. “It makes it launch a little bit higher and spin a little more, which is kind of what I need. I want to have a certain amount of loft so I can get more ball speed. The more loft you have, the less ball speed you’ll have, because it’s not as flat a surface. So I should see some speed gains…I like it so far. It feels great. I just played 9 holes and didn’t miss a fairway.”

Even though Dufner says he hasn’t captured his performance with the LTDx yet on a launch monitor, the driver is checking all the right boxes in terms of ball flight.

“For me, with a driver, the most important thing is that when I feel like I make a good swing and hit it off the center, does it do what I want it to do? And I’ve seen that very consistently through the 4-5 days that I’ve had it,” Dufner said. “I don’t worry about the mishits as much, because the mishits are mishits. But if you can tighten dispersion a little bit with those, great. It gets a little weird for us when we make a good swing and it goes off the center and it’s left or right or whatever. So I’ve been happy with it and I plan on playing with it. We’ll see how it goes.”

Although it seems set in stone based on his comments, it’s not yet certain that Dufner will use the LTDx come competition time on Thursday. What’s absolutely guaranteed, though, is that he will have his longtime Titleist 915F 7-wood in the bag.

Dufner has used the 915F 21-degree fairway wood since 2014 when the club first launched, and it’s not leaving the bag anytime soon.

“That’s not going anywhere until it breaks,” Dufner told GolfWRX.

Even if something drastic happens in the meantime (knock on wood), Dufner has a backup.

“I have that head, which is the original, and I’ve got another head that I haven’t hit yet,” Dufner said. “So I’ve got at least six more years if this one goes.”

When I asked Dufner if he’s tested any other 7-woods recently to capitalize on newer technologies, Dufner’s answer was simple and matter-of-fact: “No.”

It’s safe to say Dufner isn’t changing out that 915F 7-wood, which is smart, because it looks like he’s missed the center of the face with it no more than two or three times in the last eight years.

To see the rest of the clubs that Dufner has in the bag for 2022, check out the forum link here.

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Andrew Tursky

He played on the Hawaii Pacific University Men's Golf team and earned a Masters degree in Communications. He also played college golf at Rutgers University, where he graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in Journalism.

9 Comments

Pingback: Top-30 equipment photos from the 2021-2022 PGA Tour season – GolfWRX
Divot Diggler

Jan 18, 2022 at 8:22 pm

I love Cobra products ……..My bag has 12/14 Cobra clubs in it …. It is going to be a hard launch for any driver manufacturer in 2022 with the new TM Stealth being recently released.

Reply Report comment
- John
  
  Jan 19, 2022 at 11:50 am
  
  Its all total marketing hype, come on man, u believe that stuff, really?…
  
  Reply Report comment
- Siggy Biscuit
  
  Feb 20, 2022 at 11:42 am
  
  Idk I feel like Cobras futuristic yet classy look will sell. Especially with the new breed of Smashers. I think they stand out a little more than the Rogue at least.
  
  Reply Report comment
Divot Diggler

Jan 18, 2022 at 8:20 pm

I love Cobra products ……..My bag has 12/14 Cobra clubs in it …. It is going to be a hard launch for any driver manufacturer in 2022 with the new TM Stealth being recently released. ?

Reply Report comment
Brandon

Jan 18, 2022 at 7:51 pm

Would it kill you to take a picture of the top of the driver? Ya know, the part you actually look at when you address a golf ball?

Reply Report comment
- John
  
  Jan 19, 2022 at 11:51 am
  
  Instead of whining like a 2yo, try using a thing called GOOGLE.
  LMFAO
  
  Reply Report comment
joe

Jan 18, 2022 at 10:57 am

Cobra needs a LOT of help in the industrial design and marketing department. This looks like a cross between a driver you’d buy at Sam’s Club and something from the toy aisle at Walmart.

Reply Report comment
- John
  
  Jan 19, 2022 at 11:52 am
  
  says you..
  
  Reply Report comment

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Equipment

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

Published

9 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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