The onion emblem belongs on McIlroy’s putter cowl belongs to Ohoopee Match Club, an ultra-exclusive hideaway designed by Gil Hanse in Cobbtown, Georgia.
Jonathan Wall/GOLF
The gear crew at GOLF.com spends loads of time at Tour occasions snapping pictures of the instruments utilized by the very best gamers on the earth. Posting membership photos with out context generally works, nevertheless it doesn’t assist the weekend golfer perceive the why behind a professional’s setup.
In this GOLF.com collection, equipment editors Jonathan Wall and Ryan Barath reply these questions by highlighting fascinating golf equipment in gamers’ luggage, distinctive weighting, loft sleeve settings and extra. Welcome to “Bag Spy.”
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Roughly seven weeks stay within the PGA Tour season, which is tough to imagine when you concentrate on it. With the ultimate main on faucet subsequent week now seems like a superb time to take stock of things that caught our eye whereas perusing the golf luggage of the tour’s elite this season.
Some finds are apparent, whereas others took some digging to unearth. Let’s get to it.
Gear large
Jonathan Wall/GOLF
Recent BagSpy reviews confirmed one thing we’ve recognized for years: Golf Pride has a stranglehold on tour grip utilization. I’d enterprise a guess that it’s upward of 80-plus p.c of the sector many weeks. Scottie Scheffler, Rory McIlroy, Xander Schauffele, Adam Scott, Viktor Hovland — and the listing goes on and on.
During a current deep dive into tour grip specs, we observed solely Akshay Bahatia, Tony Finau, Jordan Spieth and Bubba Watson employed a non-Golf Pride grip. You’d be hard-pressed to discover a piece of substances with a much bigger stranglehold on tour utilization.
Golf Pride MCC Grip
$11.99
The MCC™ (New Decade® MultiCompound) is an innovative hybrid grip that fuses the positive performance of rubber and cord. The MCC boasts the Golf Pride® exclusive Brushed Cotton Cord in the upper hand area for firm all-weather control, and a performance rubber material in the lower hand for ultimate feel and responsiveness.
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Tour Velvet stays the most well-liked Golf Pride grip amongst execs, however New Decade MultiCompound has quietly discovered its method into the luggage of Scott, Schauffele and Hovland. And don’t overlook about McIlroy who helped put the MultiCompound on the map.
Stepping down
Jonathan Wall/GOLF
Professional golfers are equipment tastemakers, significantly relating to the newbie crowd. Whatever is profitable, fashionable and visual on the PGA Tour has a superb probability to do effectively at retail. The similar will be stated for shaft setups which have carried out effectively through the years, together with one of the vital in style: Opting for a softer flex shaft within the scoring golf equipment.
Go by the present high 10 within the Official World Golf Ranking and also you’ll discover seven gamers who presently use a barely softer shaft flex of their wedges versus the irons.
True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue Iron Shaft
$44.99
The True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue is ideal for the player looking for a low launch, low spin shaft designed for optimum control and accuracy. You can buy the True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue built to your required specifications.
The True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue is the Gold Standard by which all other irons shafts are measured. It is the most successful shaft in the history of golf and still continues to dominate on professional tours each and every year. The Tour Issue shafts hold the industries tightest weight tolerances for exacting performance demanded by the best players. You can purchase the True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue in the following flexes: S400, and X100.
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How many are using an identical setup? It’s unimaginable to present an actual share as a result of gamers are continually testing new wedges and shafts, nevertheless it’s in all probability someplace within the neighborhood of near half the sector throughout a given occasion. Popularized by Tiger Woods — True Temper Dynamic Gold X100 within the irons and S400 within the wedges — throughout his heyday, there’s a profit available with this shaft make-up for those who’re an newbie golfer.
While it varies from participant to participant, most will discover a barely decrease ball flight and extra really feel within the fingers with a softer flex. For some, it may possibly additionally assist keep spin in comparison with utilizing the identical shaft throughout the board.
Considering many Tour gamers prioritize really feel, consistency and management on shorter strategy pictures, it’s straightforward to see why so many drop down in flex with the wedges.
Keeping it private
Jonathan Wall/GOLF
Headcovers stay the most well-liked method to categorical your character on the course. Sure, some execs play it secure and go together with covers emblazoned with the title and emblem of the equipment producer chopping them a test, however greater than ever earlier than, we’re seeing completely different appears to be like from among the greatest names on tour.
The blue and grey putter cowl defending McIlroy’s TaylorMade Spider Tour X mallet (above) isn’t one thing you’d be capable of discover at your native professional store. The onion emblem belongs to Ohoopee Match Club, an ultra-exclusive hideaway designed by Gil Hanse in Cobbtown, Georgia.
Adam Scott is one other professional who makes use of a novel set of covers by Golden Soul Golf. The Aussie’s driver and fairway wooden covers are traditional, no-frills creations constituted of cowhide, wool and corduroy.
The present protector of Viktor Hovland’s wand is a menacing Viking staring straight into your soul. Look carefully and also you’ll see a couple of extra Easter eggs dotting the perimeters which might be symbolic of his life and pursuits. The orange and black stitching is little question a nod to his time spent at Oklahoma State University. And by the way in which, he nonetheless resides in Stillwater, Oklahoma.
Simple scoring instruments
Jonathan Wall/GOLF
Wedge stamping has come a great distance because the days when initials have been hammered into the again of the pinnacle to present the scoring golf equipment come semblance of a character. Then alongside got here Rickie Fowler and singer Carly Rae Jepsen to shake issues up in 2012.
At that point, Fowler was already disrupting the business with brilliant colours and flatbill hats. Hoping so as to add some aptitude to his wedges, Fowler and Titleist Vokey Tour rep Aaron Dill began kicking round some stamp concepts earlier than hitting on a couple of that caught — specifically a catchy chart-topper by Jepsen titled, “Call Me Maybe.”
Dill proceeded to stamp “Call Me Maybe” on the again of Fowler’s 60-degree Titleist Vokey Design SM4 lob wedge and watched as his creation went viral on social media.
Titleist Vokey WedgeWorks SM10 A+ Grind Custom Wedge
$225
The A+ Grind is a brand new addition to the Vokey WedgeWorks lineup.
The A+ Grind comes from similar origins as the A Grind. Both are similar in the fact that they both came from smoothing out the grind lines on some classic Vokey grinds.
The name A+ comes from the idea that it is a similar grind to the A Grind but has more width and more bounce than the A grind. Hence the plus. The A+ will still have a smooth, fast feel through the turf but will suit players who need the club to dig less than an A Grind.
The A+ Grind is played by tour players worldwide as well as recent tour winner Davis Riley.
The WedgeWorks A+ Grind features a mid-bounce sole and is available in 58° and 60° lofts in Right Hand with a Raw finish.
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Wedge stamping stays a preferred method for execs to indicate off their hobbies, favourite songs or no matter else is on their thoughts, however we’ve seen a return to easier creations on the again of the pinnacle. Think initials, child names and tune lyrics.
“I feel like they changed because they always want sharp grooves,” stated GOLF’s Ryan Barath on the Fully Equipped podcast. “I remember Aaron telling me if it’s a slow day they’ll do funky stuff, but when they’re cooking, they can’t make it happen.”
Alive and kicking
Jonathan Wall/GOLF
Advances in shaft know-how have made it simpler than ever to justify making an attempt the most recent and biggest. That being stated, not everyone seems to be embracing the adjustments. Brian Harman’s Titleist TS2 3-wood, as an illustration, is supplied with a Fujikura Speeder 661 Evolution II S shaft that dates again to 2016.
Not solely is Harman utilizing an older mannequin 3-wood, however the shaft alternative confirms he hasn’t made adjustments to the general construct. Once once more, persist with what works. It’s a mantra different execs stay by as effectively relating to their shafts.
As a gearhead, the shaft alternative makes me downright giddy as you seldom see older mannequin shafts within the wild on Tour. But they’re nonetheless on the market. Speeder 661 Evolution II was a highly-anticipated product that featured a metallic crimson, orange, and yellow end that glistened within the solar.
Want to overtake your bag for 2024? Find a becoming location close to you at True Spec Golf.
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