Equipment
Here’s why Vijay Singh has red numbers written all over his irons
As one of the hardest-working and most precise golfers in the game, Vijay Singh can see and sense tiny changes in his golf clubs, so it’s important that he’s fully comfortable with the look and feel of his clubs.
On Tuesday at the Charles Schwab Cup Championship at Phoenix Country Club, I noticed that Singh had big red numbers written all over his Srixon irons.
Interesting.
After a closer look, it became clear that the numbers were each one digit higher than the “actual number” that’s stamped into the sole of the irons by the manufacturer.
So…what’s the deal? Why the mismatching red numbers?
As confirmed by Brian Rhattigan, who builds Singh’s clubs on the traveling Champions/PGA Tour equipment truck, Singh doesn’t like the look of offset on his irons. In case you don’t know, “offset” refers to the distance between the leading edge of the iron face, and the hosel of the iron. If there’s a large gap between the hosel and the leading edge, then the club is said to have a lot of offset.
Again, Singh does not like offset. He prefers the leading edge and the hosel to match, or even have “onset,” which is when the leading edge is actually in front of the hosel.
This makes sense since Singh prefers to play a cut shot, and more offset typically leads to a draw shot trajectory, which would be counter to Singh’s desired ball flight.
Therefore, Singh has each iron bent four degrees weak, which helps to more closely align the leading edge with the hosel and visually reduce the offset of the iron. That’s why Singh writes “8” on his 7-iron, (and so on), because his 7-iron is bent four degrees weak, which effectively makes it his 8-iron.
According to Rhattigan, Singh has been using this tactic for decades, so it’s not the technique that’s any different, it’s just the red numbers. The red writing simply helps reduce any confusion.
See more photos from the 2023 Charles Schwab Cup Championship here.
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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 Jailbird craze hasn’t really slowed down in 2024, either. According to Odyssey rep Joe Toulon, there are about 18-20 Jailbird putter users on the PGA TOUR.
Most recently, Akshay Bhatia won the 2024 Valero Texas Open using a broomstick-style Odyssey Jailbird 380 putter and Webb Simpson is switching into a replica of that putter at the 2024 Wells Fargo Championship.
Now, Fowler, who essentially started the whole Jailbird craze, is making a significant change to his putter setup.
Fowler, who has had a couple weeks off since the 2024 RBC Heritage, started experimenting with a new, custom-orange Jailbird 380 head that’s equipped with a standard 35-inch putter build, rather than his previous 38-inch counter-balanced setup.
According to Fowler, while he still likes the look and forgiveness of his Jailbird putter head, he’s looking to re-incorporate more feel into his hands during the putting stroke.
He told GolfWRX.com on Tuesday at the Wells Fargo Championship that the 38-inch counterbalanced setup “served its purpose” by helping him to neutralize his hands during the stroke, but now it’s time to try the standard-length putter with a standard-size SuperStroke Pistol Tour grip to help with his feel and speed control.
Although Fowler was also spotted testing standard-length mallets from L.A.B. Golf and Axis1 on Tuesday, he confirmed that the custom Odyssey Jailbird 380 is the putter he’ll use this week at the 2024 Wells Fargo Championship.
Head over to PGATour.com for the full article.
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- Akshay Bhatia what’s in the bag accurate as of the Wells Fargo Championship. Bhatia is deciding between drivers. More photos from the event here.
Driver: Callaway Rogue ST Max LS (9 degrees @7.2, 2 grams lead tape heel, 4 grams toe)
Shaft: Fujikura Ventus Black 7 X (44 7/8 inches, tipped 1 inch)
Driver: Callaway Paradym Ai Smoke Max D (9 degrees @7)
Shaft: Fujikura Ventus Black 7 X
3-wood: Callaway Paradym Ai Smoke Max (15 degrees @13.9)
Shaft: Fujikura Ventus Black 8 X (43 inches, tipped 1.5)
Hybrid: Callaway Apex UW Prototype (19 degrees @17.8)
Shaft: Fujikura Ventus Black 10 X
Irons: Callaway X Forged UT (21 degrees) Buy here, Callaway Apex TCB Raw (5-PW)
Shafts: KBS $-Taper 125 S+
Wedges: Callaway Jaws Raw (50-10S @49, 54-10S, 60-08C @61)
Shafts: KBS Hi-Rev 2.0 135 X
Putter: Odyssey Versa Jailbird 380
Grip: SuperStroke Zenergy Split
Grips: Iomic
Ball: Callaway Chrome Tour
More photos of Akshay Bhatia’s WITB in the forums.
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- Emiliano Grillo what’s in the bag accurate as of the Wells Fargo Championship. More photos from the event here.
Driver: Callaway Paradym Ai Smoke Triple Diamond (9 degrees @10)
Shaft: Project X Denali Blue 60 TX
3-wood: Callaway Paradym Ai Smoke Triple Diamond (15 degrees)
Shaft: Project X HZRDUS Smoke Blue RDX 70 TX
5-wood: Cobra LTDx Prototype (18.5 degrees)
Shaft: Project X HZRDUS Smoke Blue RDX 70 TX
Irons: Callaway Apex TCB (4-9)
Shafts: Project X 6.5
Wedges: Callaway MD3 Milled (46-08S), Callaway Jaws Raw (50-10S, 54-10S, 60-08T)
Shafts: True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue S400
Putter: Odyssey White Hot OG #5
Grip: SuperStroke Zenergy Flatso 1.0
Grips: Golf Pride MCC
Check out more in-hand photos of Emiliano Grillo’s clubs here.
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Ryan
Nov 28, 2023 at 11:54 am
Srixon can’t send him a custom set with correct numbers?
Chuck
Nov 23, 2023 at 8:50 pm
Okay.
I like Vijay, and I like stories about his equipment and work habits.
But my burning question; What sort of red pen writes permanently on nickel chrome?
And with all of the exotic wedge stamping going on, why not just a new-number stamp (and paintfill) on the toe, with removal of all the paintfill from the OEM numbers?
vajayjay sing
Nov 17, 2023 at 11:51 pm
What a moron, would be easier to just know your iron lofts and that the little number doesn’t matter, just how you relate it to your distances.
Brian
Nov 17, 2023 at 10:33 am
This is a terrible solution. Just get clubs that work. Now he has a ton of bounce on every iron that either needs to be ground down or what?
C
Nov 16, 2023 at 7:35 am
Guess he can deal with the extra 4* of bounce because those soles don’t look ground down at all, interesting.
Leo
Nov 13, 2023 at 3:41 am
Please dear Srixon/Cleveland weld the old number and stamp a new updated number and degree for Mr. Singh!
Antler Spray Aficionado
Nov 10, 2023 at 10:52 am
These virtually meaningless arbitrary numbers written on my clubs are all wrong! I’m going to take a red sharpie and give these clubs new arbitrary numbers. Did I hit a 7? No way, see I wrote a red 8 on the club so I hit an 8!
Pro Jock
Nov 10, 2023 at 10:44 am
So not only does Singh work his caddie to death with his notorious love of practice, but also tries to confuse him with these mismatched irons? Respect!
Seriously though… why wouldn’t Srixon just custom build a properly numbered set? Dude has 3 majors and been a HOF’er since 2006.
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Kevin
Nov 9, 2023 at 2:38 pm
You’d think one giant red number would be enough.
jamho3
Nov 9, 2023 at 1:28 pm
It’s be cool if we could see his clubs at address.
NMBob
Nov 9, 2023 at 1:25 pm
4 degrees, thats some 4 degree of bounce added on those when you change loft
Payne Stewart was similar in he wanted offset, but did not want to see it., and apparently had a set built , by Tom Wishon I think, with the hosel piece hole off center or sanded down on one side so it would look less offset.
Mike
Nov 9, 2023 at 9:52 am
This article comes across that he go in the truck and has them bent weaker and puts the appropriate shaft length.
With all the custom ability that players have, why not just have a set built the way he likes it; as many players do? To each his own, I guess.
Wally
Nov 9, 2023 at 9:43 am
Boy thats going to add some bounce to them clubs
Wk