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Brooks Koepka makes significant driver switch ahead of U.S. Open (Updated)

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Update 6/14 6:30 p.m. ET: Statement from Srixon golf added; Koepka was also spotted practicing with a Titleist Pro V1x golf ball rather than the Srixon Z-Star Diamond.


Brooks Koepka has been the man in major championships over the past five years, although it’s fair to say that Koepka’s stunning major form has fallen off in 2022.

The 32-year-old missed the cut at the Masters before posting a T55 finish at the PGA Championship. Before this year, Koepka had recorded twelve top-10 finishes in his previous sixteen major appearances, including four victories.

Koepka is going in search of his third U.S. Open title this week, and it appears that the four-time major champ is ready to make a driver switch at Brookline.

A snap on the U.S. Open’s Instagram Stories shows Brooks in practice without his usual Srixon ZX7 driver but with one of his previous gamers: the TaylorMade M5 driver.

The move would be a surprising changeup for the Srixon man, who ranks 75th in strokes gained: off the tee in 2022.

All four of Koepka’s major victories have come while using TaylorMade drivers, with the M5 being in the bag at his last major win in 2019. We’ll be keeping an eye on which driver makes it onto the first tee at Brookline this Thursday.

A Srixon representative told GolfWRX

“In this early stage of our partnership, Brooks Koepka has validated the performance of the Srixon driver and golf ball. Though performance has been promising, the characteristics are not a perfect fit, yet. To work through this adjustment period most efficiently, we decided to focus our energy on fitting Brooks into the next generation Srixon driver and golf ball prototypes that will debut on tour in the near future—products developed with Brooks’ input and needs in mind. While we get this organized in the next couple months, Srixon is temporarily allowing Brooks to use his previous driver and ball. Of course, he will continue playing Srixon irons and Cleveland Golf wedges. Both parties are fully committed to the partnership, and we are confident Brooks will be back in a Srixon driver and golf ball soon.”

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Gianni is the Managing Editor at GolfWRX. He can be contacted at [email protected].

7 Comments

7 Comments

  1. indyvic

    Jun 16, 2022 at 7:26 pm

    So he switched to improve his game but it hasn’t? So now he’s switching to what he used in the past when he wasn’t winning anymore? So the only difference is the sponsorship $? Cleveland Srixon can’t be happy with this arrangement.

  2. Brooksucks

    Jun 16, 2022 at 4:14 pm

    Hmmm, on his commercial he said it was the perfect ball. Why wouldn’t you play the perfect ball?

  3. Nepgabound

    Jun 15, 2022 at 7:48 pm

    Srixons retail stuff is so overrated and overpriced. If you look at half of the clubs in the staff players bags it isn’t Cleveland / Srixon! The high end ball line is so inconsistent, it is just sad because they used to be a great company during the ZUR-S release then QC must have rested on it successes.

  4. Kurt

    Jun 15, 2022 at 6:22 pm

    You guys didnt want to listen to me. Now he dumped the ball. I’m always correct.

  5. kurt

    Jun 14, 2022 at 10:36 am

    lol. His strokes gained with the driver is essentially the same as it was, and his iron stats are better.

    His putting has dropped off, and of course he had the injuries. But yes, let’s blame this on Srixon.

  6. Pingback: Justin Thomas provides interesting insight into his short game setup ahead of US Open – GolfWRX

  7. kurt

    Jun 14, 2022 at 8:33 am

    He wont ever win again with Srixon terrible switch for him. The ball, driver, everything.

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Equipment

Welcome to the family: TaylorMade launches PUDI and PDHY utility irons

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TaylorMade is continuing its UDI/DHY series with the successor to the Stealth UDI and DHY utility irons: PUDI and PDHY (which the company styles as P·UDI and P·DHY). TaylorMade is folding the designs in with its P Series of irons.

TaylorMade outlined the process of developing its new utilities this way. The company started with the data on utility iron usage. Not surprisingly, better players — i.e. those who generate more clubhead speed and strike the ball more precisely — were found to gravitate toward the UDI model. DHY usage, however, covered a wider swath than the company might have expected with six-to-18 handicappers found to be bagging the club.

TaylorMade also found that the majority of golfers playing UDI or DHY utilities were playing P Series irons at the top of their iron configurations.

Can you see where this is going?

Matt Bovee, Director of Product Creation, Iron and Wedge at TaylorMade: “As we look to the future, beyond the tech and the design language, we are excited about repositioning our utility irons into the P·Series family. P·UDI is an easy pair for players that currently play P·Series product and P·DHY is an extremely forgiving option for players of all skill levels. It is a natural fit to give these players the performance in this category that they are looking for.”

 

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TaylorMade PUDI

TaylorMade PUDI technology cutaway (via TaylorMade)

Crafted with tour player input, TaylorMade sought to develop a confidence-inspiring utility iron that blends with the rest of the P Series irons. Also of note: Interestingly, the PUDI has a more compact head than the P790.

In comparison to past UDI products, the PUDI has a more traditional iron shape, slimmer toplines, and less offset with a little of the backbar visible at address.

TaylorMade PDHY

TaylorMade PDHY tech cutaway (via TaylorMade).

Larger in profile than the PUDI, the PDHY seeks to position center of gravity (CG) lower in the club for ease of launch. The toe height is larger and the profile is larger at address — roughly five millimeters longer than PUDI — the sole of the club is wider for improved forgiveness.

Club Junkie’s take

Golfers who feel like they are missing something at the top of the bag could find the PUDI or PDHY a great option. The look of the PUDI should fit the most discerning eye with a more compact look, less offset, and a thinner topline. If you want a little more confidence looking down the P-DHY will be slightly larger while still being a good-looking utility iron.

For being small packages both models pack a pretty good punch with fast ball speeds, even off-center. The feel is soft and you get a solid feel of the ball compressing off the face when you strike it well. Your ears are greeted with a nice heavy thud as the ball and club come together. The PDHY will launch a little higher for players who need it while the PUDI offers a more penetrating ball flight. Both utility irons could be the cure for an open spot in the top end of the bag.

PUDI, PDHY, or Rescue?

TaylorMade offers the following notes to assist golfers in filling out their bags:

  • PUDI has mid-CG right behind the center face to create a more penetrating mid-to-low ball flight
  • PDHY has a lower center of gravity to produce an easier-to-launch mid-to-high ball flight.
  • Both PUDI and PDHY are lower-flying than the company’s hybrid/Rescue clubs.
  • PUDI is more forgiving than P790.
  • PDHY is the most forgiving iron in the entire TaylorMade iron family

Pricing, specs, and availability

Price: $249.99

At retail: Now

Stock shafts: UST Mamiya’s Recoil DART (105 X, 90 S and 75 R – only in PDHY)

Stock grip: Golf Pride’s ZGrip (black/grey)

PUDI lofts: 2-17°, 3-20°, 4-22° in both left and right-handed

PDHY lofts: 2-18°, 3-20° and 4-22° in both left and right-handed

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Equipment

Coolest thing for sale in the GolfWRX Classifieds (5/3/24): Scotty Cameron Champions Choice 2.5+ putter

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At GolfWRX, we are a community of like-minded individuals that all experience and express our enjoyment of the game in many ways.

It’s that sense of community that drives day-to-day interactions in the forums on topics that range from best driver to what marker you use to mark your ball. It even allows us to share another thing we all love – buying and selling equipment.

Currently, in our GolfWRX buy/sell/trade (BST) forum, there is a listing for a Scotty Cameron Champions Choice 2.5+ putter

From the seller: (@wwcl): “Has been gamed as pics show. 33.5 includes original h/c and grip. $575 includes shipping and PP fees.”

To check out the full listing in our BST forum, head through the link: Scotty Cameron Champions Choice 2.5+ putter

This is the most impressive current listing from the GolfWRX BST, and if you are curious about the rules to participate in the BST Forum you can check them out here: GolfWRX BST Rules

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Whats in the Bag

Richy Werenski WITB 2024 (May)

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  • Richy Werenski what’s in the bag accurate as of the CJ Cup Houston Open.

Driver: Titleist TSR3 (10 degrees, D1 SureFit setting)
Shaft: Mitsubishi Diamana PD 60 TX

3-wood: Titleist TSR2 (15 degrees, A1 SureFit setting)
Shaft: Fujikura Ventus Red 8 X

Hybrid: Titleist TSR3 (19 degrees, D1 SureFit setting)
Shaft: Mitsubishi Tensei CK Pro White Hybrid 90 TX

Irons: Titleist T100 (4-9)
Shafts: Nippon N.S. Pro Modus3 Tour 105 S

Wedges: Titleist Vokey Design SM9 (46-10F, 50-12F), Titleist Vokey Design WedgeWorks Proto (54-M, 58-L @60)
Shafts: True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue X100 Onyx (46-50), True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue S400 Onyx (54-60)

Putter: Scotty Cameron prototype

Ball: Titleist Pro V1x Left Dash

Grips: Golf Pride ZGrip Cord

Check out more in-hand photos of Richy Werenski’s clubs in the forums.

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