The gear crew at GOLF.com spends a lot of time at Tour events snapping photographs of the tools used by the best players in the world. Posting club images online without context sometimes works, but it doesn’t help the weekend golfer understand the why behind a pro’s setup.
In this GOLF.com series, equipment editors Jonathan Wall and Ryan Barath answer those questions by highlighting interesting clubs in players’ bags, unique weighting, loft sleeve settings and more. Welcome to “Bay Spy.”
Good to have options
One of the perks of being an equipment free agent is the freedom to test anything your heart desires. Some might call it excessive. For Adam Scott, his “adapt or die” approach has led to a myriad of testing sessions in search of the best setup.
For now, Srixon’s Z-Series is the iron of choice for the Aussie. But it’s not just one particular model. Instead, Scott tested everything Srixon had to offer and landed on a fascinating blended set that included four different models. Yes, four. Every club serves a purpose and deserves to be analyzed and questioned.
A noted blade user who just recently started to embrace cavity-back irons, Scott found many of Srixon’s more forgiving options to be a great fit at the top of the set — ZX MKII (3) and ZX5 (4). The ZX7 (5-7) is a good balance of forgiveness and workability in the middle of the set and transitions nicely into the traditional Z-Forged II (8-9) in the short irons.
Scott’s setup isn’t for everyone, but it’s a good reminder that you don’t always need to land on a single iron model and play it through the bag. Consider mixing and matching to find a setup that allows you to get the most out of every club in the bag.
Bag staple
What started as a club built for the Masters has turned into one of the biggest weapons in Scott’s bag. I’m talking about TaylorMade’s BRNR Mini, a design that combines the best bits of the driver (oversized head) and fairway wood (shorter shaft, versatile sole) into one “f—in’ awesome” (Scott’s words) creation.
“Tommy Fleetwood basically won the Ryder Cup with that thing,” Scott told GOLF.com. “It’s unbelievable, because so many holes pinch, turn, end at 310 [yards] and 320 now, because they’ve geared the courses for us. And that’s right where the driver [dispersion] is. It’s tight. If you go back to 3-wood, you’re at 270 yards, you’re aways back. But the Mini goes 300 and still in the wide part on a lot of the courses we play. That’s what I look for.”
For someone who rarely carries a 3-wood, the Mini provides more than enough distance off the tee to be a strong secondary option and can be used off the fairway when needed. There’s a reason why Scott is so bullish about the Mini — it really can do it all.
Custom stuff
Even with all the changes Scott’s made to the gear setup since he joined the free agency ranks, Vokey wedges have remained a constant. Vokey Tour rep Aaron Dill is always up to talk wedges with Scott, one of the most quizzical pros on Tour when it comes to the scoring tools.
In the weeks leading up to the 2024 Masters, Dill and Scott discussed the idea of testing another lob wedge option that was thinner than his 58AD+.
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“We talked about the conditions at Augusta being cut tight,” Dill told GOLF.com. “This makes a wedge’s leading angle sit tall and that can change a player’s technique if they visually are not comfortable. This was a good wedge to test knowing this could be the case.”
Scott relies heavily on feedback and insights from Dill to help shape his wedge decisions, but he’s always willing to ask questions and thoroughly vet a design before making a switch. His current Vokey lob wedge is a good example.
Soul of the game
He’s been called “The Tanimal” and “King of Khaki.” One glance at Scott’s looks over the years all but confirms his color wheel stays in the safe zone. To be fair, there’s nothing wrong with embracing blue, tan, white and olive.
Funny enough, his headcovers fall into a similar color bucket. Designed by Golden Soul Golf, Scott’s driver and fairway wood covers are classic, no-frills creations made from cowhide, wool and corduroy.
Even at $120 for a driver headcover, the brand doesn’t have any problem moving products. Peruse Golden Soul’s website and you’ll find plenty of creations with a “Sold Out” next to the headcover image.
Masters man
Let’s get one thing out of the way: L.A.B. Golf doesn’t have any plans to release a green Mezz.1 Max mallet to the masses. The only way you’re getting one is if you have a green jacket in the closet. And not just any green jacket.
Last week at the Wells Fargo Championship, Scott debuted a custom green Mezz.1 Max. As someone who held the putter in hand last week at Quail Hollow Club, I can attest that it looks even cooler in person.
According to L.A.B. Golf’s head of Tour relations, Liam Bedford, it was Charl Schwartzel, another Masters winner, who set the idea in motion when he arrived at Augusta National last month with an identical putter. Never one to miss a chance to learn about a new piece of gear, Scott discussed the putter with Schwartzel in the Champion’s Locker Room and set the wheels in motion for a green Mezz.1 Max of his own.
L.A.B. Golf MEZZ.1 MAX Putter
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While the putter looks nearly identical to Scott’s previous Mezz.1 Max, it’s roughly 65 grams lighter than his previous build at 450 grams. With the Tour heading to Quail Hollow, Scott believed the green speeds were ideal for the lighter Mezz.1 Max.
The event also allowed him the opportunity to showcase an incredible equipment flex found on the sole. It’s four words: “For Masters Use Only.”
One and only
Last week’s “Bag Spy” on Rory McIlroy’s setup dug into the shafts he uses in his irons and wedges. The stronger Project X 7.0 can be found in McIlroy’s irons, while the softer 6.5 is installed in the wedges. Going to a softer flex can enhance feel in the scoring tools, which is never a bad thing.
What’s interesting about Scott’s shaft setup is where he moves from True Temper’s Dynamic Gold Tour Issue X100 into the softer S400. Instead of starting with the pitching wedge or gap wedge, Scott uses S400 in just the lob wedge.
True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue Iron Shaft
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At 132 grams, the S400 is slightly heavier than the 130-gram X100 and offers the feel and performance Scott needs on deft shots around the green with the lob wedge. The lone S400 shaft is also a good reminder that you don’t need to follow the Tour blueprint and switch flexes once you get to the first wedge.
Get with a certified club-fitter and see where it makes sense to make the flex change. In some cases, you might be better off playing the same flex throughout the irons and wedges.
Quiet changes
As someone who earns his living keeping track of gear changes at the professional level, allow me to hit you with a swap you likely didn’t notice earlier this year. Go back and look at photos of Scott in competition from the past few years and you’ll see Golf Pride Tour Velvet grips affixed to his clubs.
But toward the end of last year, Scott went away from the popular Tour Velvet and started seeking out a different feel in the handle. It started with Golf Pride’s Z-Grip Cord and eventually shifted to the New Decade MultiCompound when he switched to Srixon irons at the Genesis Invitational.
Golf Pride MCC Grip
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Compared to the Tour Velvet, the Z-Grip and MultiCompound boast aggressive patterns and a firmer feel. For someone who’s constantly testing and seeing what else is out there, it should come as no surprise that Scott tried out different Golf Pride grips at the same time he was testing different irons to find the best combination.
Want to overhaul your bag for 2024? Find a fitting location near you at True Spec Golf.
