Equipment
New Equipment Overload at the BMW Championship!
We spotted an overwhelming amount of new equipment this week at the BMW Championship, so much that we thought it was necessary to organize them in a single story for your viewing pleasure.
Check out the latest gear launched this week at Conway Farms Golf Club in Lake Forest, Ill., where 70 PGA Tour players are battling for one of 30 spots in the season-ending Tour Championship.
Exotics CB Pro and XCG7 Fairway Woods
According to Tour Edge, the CB Pro fairway woods are the high-end, high-performing clubs that the company had in mind when it created the Exotics brand.
The limited-edition fairway woods are based on Exotics’ popular CB2 line of fairway woods. They feature combo-brazed beta titanium faces and a new “Slip Stream” sole that Tour Edge says improves turf interaction regardless of a golfer’s angle of attack. They come with Fujikura’s new Motore Speeder 757 shaft (the new Speeder 661 is also available), and will retail for the hefty price of $499.
Click here to read more about the CB Pro, as well as Exotics’ new XCG7 and XCG7 Beta fairway woods.
Graphite Design Tour AD-MT shafts
Just a few months ago, Graphite Design released its popular Tour AD-DI shaft in a new color scheme, black and white. For Graphite Design’s newest shaft, the Tour AD-MT, the company went the opposite direction, complementing it with a neon-yellow-and-white color scheme.
According to Bill McPherson, vice president of Pros’ Choice Shafts (the exclusive North American distributor for Graphite Design), the AD-MT is based on the stiffer-profile AD-DI and AD-BB shafts played by several PGA Tour players including Adam Scott, Ryo Ishikawa and Kevin Chappell. McPherson said that it was too early to say any more about the specifics of the shaft, other than it is slated to hit shelves abound Nov. 15.
Click here to see what GolfWRX members are saying about the Tour AD-MT shafts in the forums.
Matrix HX3 “White Tie” Hybrid Shafts
Matrix’s new Ozik Altus hybrid shafts are based on the company’s popular line of new Ozik woods shafts released this year: the X3 “White Tie,” Q3 “Red Tie” and M3 “Black Tie.”
Like the wood series, the hX3 White Tie is the company’s highest-launching shaft and the hM3 Black Tie is the lowest-launching shaft. The hQ3 Red Tie fits the golfers in the middle, encouraging a medium trajectory.
Click here to read what GolfWRX members are saying about the new shafts from Matrix in the forums.
Nike Method “Mod” Putters
We’re not sure what to say about the four Nike Method “Mod” putters we spotted this week on the practice green at Conway Farms.
- The “Mod 90” is face-balanced mallet putter
- The Mod-30 (pictured above) is an Anser-style blade
- The Mod-60 is a heel-shafted half-mallet putter
- The Mod-00 is a bullseye-style putter.
Each features a red-colored material in the heel- and toe-sections, which we’re assuming helps increase the MOI of the putters. They also have high-end milled finish, with milling marks that run perpendicular to the target line at address.
Odyssey Metal-X Prototype
Chris Kirk was caught gaming this Odyssey prototype putter, a 100-percent-milled design with a face modeled after the company’s Metal-X insert putters. The putter’s sole is stamped with Odyssey’s prototype question mark stamps, which have often indicated a model Odyssey is seriously considering bringing to retail.
Instead of the usual “Odyssey” stamping on the back of the putter, Kirk’s putter features the Odyssey logo, as well as the removable weights Odyssey offered in its high-end Protype iX putters.
Click here to see what GolfWRX members are saying about the Milled Metal-X prototype putter.
New Ping TR Putters
In late May, Ping added to its already robust line of Scottsdale TR putters with the Nome TR (Click here to read our full story on the Nome TR putter). On Nov. 1, three new models of the Scottsdale TR series will become available: the Craz-E, Anser T and a counterbalanced model, the Senita B.
- The Craz-E looks identical to the original model that was released in 2004, but it has a black PVD finish and Ping’s new True Roll insert, which features deep grooves on the middle of the face and more shallow grooves on the heel and toe areas to help marry the ball speed of impacts across the face.
- The Anser T (pictured above) is a variation of Ping’s Anser 2 putter, with an alignment bar in the middle of the back flange.
- The Senita B has a 400-gram head, 30 grams heavier than the standard model. Like other counterbalanced models, it measures 38 inches, but it is meant to be held a few inches short of the butt-end of the grip. It’s outfitted with an extra long 17-inch grip and a 50-gram counterweight to help add stability to a golfer’s stroke.
TaylorMade SpeedBlade irons
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TaylorMade’s SpeedBlade irons are the company’s latest line of distance irons. They have a longer, wider slot in the sole and a new construction that provide more face flexibility than the RocketBladez irons.
Watch the video above for more information, and click here to read our story about TaylorMade’s SpeedBlade event on Sept. 9.
Wilson FG 100 Blade Irons
Wilson Staff’s new FG Tour 100 blade irons were inspired by the company’s legendary 1971 “Button Back” model. While they incorporate features of that iron, such as “Fluid Feel” technology, a TPU insert that runs from the end of the shaft to the bottom of the irons’ soles, they’re a modern blade made to the specifications of the most discerning golfers.
The irons are forged from 8620 steel, and like the 1971 Button Backs, they have a high-luster nickel-chrome finish complemented with black-and-gold logoing.
The irons won’t be available until early in 2014, but they already have a win under their belt. They were used by the University of Illinois Head Golf Coach Mike Small to win his 10th Illinois PGA Championship.
Click here to see what GolfWRX members are saying about the FG Tour 100 irons in the forums.
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- Kevin Streelman what’s in the bag accurate as of the Zurich Classic.
Driver: Titleist TSR3 (10 degrees, D1 SureFit setting)
Shaft: Fujikura Ventus TR Black 6 X
3-wood: Titleist TSR3 (15 degrees, A1 SureFit setting)
Shaft: Fujikura Ventus Blue 8 X
5-wood: Ping G (17.5 degrees)
Shaft: Graphite Design Tour AD DI 10 X
Irons: Wilson Staff Model CB (4-9)
Shafts: Project X 6.5
Wedges: Wilson Staff Model (48-08, 54-08), Titleist Vokey Design WedgeWorks (58-L @59)
Shafts: Project X 6.5 (48), True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue S400 (54, 58)
Putter: Scotty Cameron TourType SSS TG6
Grips: Golf Pride Tour Velvet
Ball: Titleist Pro V1x
Check out more in-hand photos of Kevin Streelman’s clubs here.
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The year was 2012. Gangnam Style ruled supreme, its infectious beats and ludicrous horse-riding dance moves hypnotizing us with their stupidity. Everyone was talking about the Mayan calendar, convinced that the end of days was near. Superheroes soared on the silver screen, with the Avengers assembling in epic fashion. Katniss Everdeen survived The Hunger Games. And the memes! The memes abounded. Grumpy Cat triumphed. We kept calm and carried on.
In much the same way that automotive enthusiasts love classic cars, we at GolfWRX love taking a backward glance at some of the iconic designs of years past. Heck, we love taking iconic designs to the tee box in the present!
In that spirit, GolfWRX has been running a series inspired by arguably the greatest fighting game franchise of all time: Mortal Kombat. It’s not “choose your fighter” but rather “choose your driver.”
Check out some of the standout combatants of 2012 below.
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Nike VRS
Often harshly critiqued during its years releasing golf equipment (right, Phil Mickelson?), Nike’s tenure in the club-and-ball business gets a gloss of nostalgic varnish, with many of its iron and putter designs continuing to attract admirers. Among the company’s driver offerings, the 2012 VRS — or VR_S, if you will — drew high marks for its shaping and toned-down appearance. The multi-thickness, NexCOR face was no joke either.
Check out our coverage from 2012 here.
Callaway RAZR Fit
Callaway’s first foray into moveable weight technology (married with its OptiFit hosel) did not disappoint. With a carbon fiber crown, aerodynamic attention to detail, and variable and hyperbolic face technologies, this club foreshadowed the tech-loaded, “story in every surface” Callaway drivers of the present, AI-informed design age.
Check out our coverage from 2012 here.
Cleveland Classic 310
Truly a design that came out of left field. Cleveland said, “Give me a persimmon driver, but make it titanium…in 460cc.” Our 2012 reviewer, JokerUsn wrote, “I don’t need to elaborate on all the aesthetics of this club. You’ve seen tons of pics. You’ve all probably seen a bunch in the store and held them up close and gotten drool on them. From a playing perspective, the color is not distracting. It’s dark enough to stay unobtrusive in bright sunlight…Even my playing partners, who aren’t into clubs at all…commented on it saying it looks cool.” Long live!
Check out our coverage from 2012 here.
Titleist 910
While there’s no disputing Titleist’s “Titleist Speed” era of drivers perform better than its 2010s offerings, sentimentality abounds, and there was something classically Titleist about these clubs, right down to the alignment aid, and the look is somewhere between 983 times and the present TS age. Representing a resurgence after a disappointing stretch of offerings (907, 909), The 910D2 was a fairly broadly appealing driver with its classic look at address and classic Titleist face shape.
Check out our coverage from 2012 here.
TaylorMade RocketBallz
The white crown. The name. You either loved ‘em or you hated ‘em. TaylorMade’s 2012 offering from its RocketBallz Period boasted speed-enhancing aerodynamics and an Inverted Cone Technology in the club’s titanium face. Technology aside, it’s impossible to overstate what a departure from the norm a white-headed driver was in the world of golf equipment.
Check out our coverage from 2012 here.
Ping i20
Long a quietly assertive player in the driver space, Ping’s i20 was more broadly appealing than the G20, despite being a lower-launch, lower-spin club. Ping drivers didn’t always have looks that golfer’s considered traditional or classic, but the i20 driver bucked that trend. Combining the classic look with Ping’s engineering created a driver that better players really gravitated toward. The i20 offered players lower launch and lower spin for more penetrating ball flight while the rear 20g tungsten weights kept the head stable. Sound and feel were great also, being one of the more muted driver sounds Ping had created up to that time.
Check out our coverage from 2012 here.
GolfWRXers, let us know in the comments who “your fighter” is and why!
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Equipment
Coolest thing for sale in the GolfWRX Classifieds (4/29/24): Krank Formula Fire driver with AutoFlex SF505 shaft
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 Krank Formula fire driver with AutoFlex SF505 shaft.
From the seller: (@well01): “Krank formula fire 10.5 degree with AUtoflex SF505. $560 shipped.”
To check out the full listing in our BST forum, head through the link: Krank Formula Fire driver with AutoFlex SF505 shaft
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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Dave Portnoy places monstrous outright bet for the 2024 Masters
John Daly stuns fans into silence with brutal opening tee shot on PGA Tour Champions
Justin Thomas on the equipment choice of Scottie Scheffler that he thinks is ‘weird’
Things got heated at the Houston Open between Tony Finau and Alejandro Tosti. Here’s why
Tiger Woods arrives at 2024 Masters equipped with a putter that may surprise you
‘Absolutely crazy’ – Major champ lays into Patrick Cantlay over his decision on final hole of RBC Heritage
Report: Tiger Woods has ‘eliminated sex’ in preparation for the 2024 Masters
Two star names reportedly blanked Jon Rahm all week at the Masters
2-time major champ announces shock retirement from the sport at age of 33
Report: LIV Golf identifies latest star name they hope to sign to breakaway tour
Kevin Streelman WITB 2024 (April)
Kevin Streelman what’s in the bag accurate as of the Zurich Classic. Driver: Titleist TSR3 (10 degrees, D1 SureFit setting)...
Team McIlowry (Rory McIlroy, Shane Lowry) winning WITBs: 2024 Zurich Classic
Rory McIlroy WITB Driver: TaylorMade Qi10 (9 degrees @8.25) Buy here. Shaft: Fujikura Ventus Black 6 X (45 inches) 3-wood:...
Steve Stricker WITB 2024 (April)
Steve Stricker WITB accurate as of the Zurich Classic. More photos from the event here. Driver: Titleist TSR3 (9 degrees, C4...
Alex Fitzpatrick WITB 2024 (April)
Alex Fitzpatrick what’s in the bag accurate as of the Zurich Classic. Driver: Ping G430 LST (10.5 degrees) Shaft: Fujikura...
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19th Hole3 weeks agoDave Portnoy places monstrous outright bet for the 2024 Masters
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19th Hole1 week agoJustin Thomas on the equipment choice of Scottie Scheffler that he thinks is ‘weird’
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19th Hole3 weeks agoTiger Woods arrives at 2024 Masters equipped with a putter that may surprise you
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19th Hole1 week ago‘Absolutely crazy’ – Major champ lays into Patrick Cantlay over his decision on final hole of RBC Heritage
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19th Hole2 weeks agoTwo star names reportedly blanked Jon Rahm all week at the Masters
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19th Hole2 weeks agoReport: LIV Golf identifies latest star name they hope to sign to breakaway tour
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19th Hole2 weeks agoNeal Shipley presser ends in awkward fashion after reporter claims Tiger handed him note on 8th fairway
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19th Hole2 weeks agoBrandel Chamblee has ‘no doubt’ who started the McIlroy/LIV rumor and why
TJ
Sep 12, 2013 at 2:51 pm
I looked up Sexiest Blade in the dictionary and a picture of the Mizuno MP-4 was beside it.
Dan
Sep 12, 2013 at 7:15 am
TM is falling behind. They haven’t announced a new line of equipment is 72 hours
nate
Sep 12, 2013 at 8:40 pm
this is so true…..
Jack
Sep 12, 2013 at 10:59 pm
That’s just cuz the black paint on the speedbladez isn’t drying quick enough. It’ll be the speedbladez black pro tp edition, and pro’s can hit 7 irons 211 yards instead of 200 yards, but they won’t bag them because then what would they do within 150 yards.
Metal-X-
Sep 16, 2013 at 6:10 pm
I agree. TM is releasing stuff so fast that it’s hard to keep up with. I have ceased buying TM stuff.
SN
Sep 17, 2013 at 1:55 am
Come on man, give them a break.
Their sticker printers are dead.
Or else we should have seen Speedblade “Tour” this weekend.
Rich
Sep 11, 2013 at 9:08 pm
Love those Wilson Staff Blades…..
Kenny nakato
Sep 12, 2013 at 11:08 am
Omg those are the series set of blades I’ve ever seen! And I’m writing this from Tokyo Japan haha
Kenny nakato
Sep 12, 2013 at 11:09 am
Sexiest is what I meant to type there
Jack
Sep 12, 2013 at 10:53 pm
They are indeed. Love the detailed old school look.
nospin
Sep 17, 2013 at 7:03 am
those are handsome clubs.