Garcia, D. Johnson using TaylorMade prototype wedge

Published

9 years ago

Feb 20, 2015

Dustin Johnson and Sergio Garcia are using yet-to-be released TaylorMade R-Series wedges at the Northern Trust Open, a TaylorMade representative confirmed to GolfWRX.

So what are they?

In early January, photos of the unreleased wedges leaked in our forum. They were shown in two different grinds, Tour Grind and ATV Grind, and have a new groove technology called “EF Spin Groove.”

According to sources, the EF Spin Groove is the most durable groove TaylorMade has ever produced. Johnson is using two R-Series wedges (56 and 60 degrees), and Garcia is using a 58-degree model.

More information on the wedges will be available in the coming weeks.

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15 Comments

Connor

Feb 22, 2015 at 8:28 pm

Vokeys

_________________________

The rest

Reply Report comment
Worm

Feb 20, 2015 at 11:41 pm

If I’m right. It’s called (Electroforming face)
Nickel colbalt alloy face. Personally I’m not feeling it. Looks like them Z spin models they let out.

Reply Report comment
FLIP

Feb 20, 2015 at 10:11 pm

Just too busy man…..and I’m a TM wedge guy (I play tp rac wedges). This is a design/marketing flaw…there is no need for “R-Series” or “atv grind”….it’s a wedge….it should be simple….slap that tp logo where the taylormade logo is….maybe put the taylormade logo near the heel on the bottom edge or just on the hosel. Put the “R-series” & “atv grind” graphics on the plastic that protects the new metal. Idk…that’s just my opinion.

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MH

Feb 20, 2015 at 5:25 pm

First of all, I hate the TMaG bashing; this is an equipment website, so if it weren’t for TMaG and Callaway, we’d be awfully bored. That said, I won’t buy a TMaG club for the foreseeable future mostly because of their resale value. I realize a golf club isn’t a real investment but I’ve been burned enough dropping $100+ for one of their wedges only to turn around have them worth the same as a Vokey from 2008. Not an issue for those of you out there that aren’t ho’in, but this is GolfWRX…there’s ho’s in all of us.

Reply Report comment
- Steve
  
  Feb 20, 2015 at 6:08 pm
  
  I have never bought or didn’t buy a golf club based on resale value. Just so foreign to me.
  
  Reply Report comment
- other paul
  
  Feb 20, 2015 at 11:43 pm
  
  Please buy the club so that I can keep on buying them used later on for $100 ???? I could build a whole bag of last years clubs from the demo or used sale for under $800 if I felt the need. I would rather put that money into lessons right now….
  
  Reply Report comment
  - Regis
    
    Feb 23, 2015 at 5:41 pm
    
    How much resale value can there be on a wedge? Nothing in golf loses value quicker than a wedge, especially if its been used in the sand. Secondly, how can so many people have opinions one way or the other based only on a photo of the back of the club? Personally in terms of wedges I’m a Mizuno guy but I wouldn’t dismiss any manufacturer based upon this information especially after watching Sergio and Dustin around those greens yesterday.
    
    Reply Report comment
RH

Feb 20, 2015 at 4:28 pm

If you cropped out the “R series, ATV design”) they would look much better.

Reply Report comment
Teaj

Feb 20, 2015 at 3:44 pm

busy design on the back, I know this means nothing about performance but its much like eating, food that is appealing to your eyes will taste better.

Much like the Jetspeed these seem like they will not appeal to the better players, strictly based off of how they look.

Reply Report comment
- Rich
  
  Feb 20, 2015 at 4:35 pm
  
  Except that 2 tour guys have already got them in play………
  
  Reply Report comment
  - Brian
    
    Feb 21, 2015 at 5:59 pm
    
    And how much are they paid for that?
    
    Reply Report comment
    - Rich
      
      Feb 22, 2015 at 3:04 pm
      
      I don’t know but DJ hasn’t upgraded to the last two models of wedge that TMAG have released so there must be something good about this wedge.
      
      Reply Report comment
    - Rich
      
      Feb 23, 2015 at 2:32 am
      
      On a side note did you see the spin DJ got from the cabbage on the 10th at Riviera today in the playoff? What a great shot! I’m sure it was with that new wedge.
      
      Reply Report comment
      - Double Mocha Man
        
        Feb 23, 2015 at 4:22 pm
        
        And did you see the short wedge he hit into the 17th, but it landed in a sand trap? He made bogey on an easy par 5. It cost him the tournament. Bottom line; it’s still the archer, not the arrow.
        
        Reply Report comment
- MHendon
  
  Feb 22, 2015 at 11:53 pm
  
  They look fine to me and no busier than my Vokey SM4’s
  
  Reply Report comment

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

Published

12 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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